When my wife fell pregnant with our first child, she had (in my opinion) an irrational fear of mixing children with sailing, so we sold our Catalina 28 with the promise that when the kids got older, we will look at sailing again. During that time, I owned various powerboats from tinnies to cabin cruisers and kept my hand in a bit of sailing whenever I could.

Well the Tinlids have come of age (sort of) and we are now starting to look into the yachting side of boating again with the intension of spending 6 months in 2017 sailing the West Coast of WA. We had the discussion this morning on mono vs multi. We discussed the pro's vs the con's (we are talking room, comfort and the likes here), and to be honest, the pro's were stacking up awfully quick. Budget aside for the moment, and yes the budget will play a major role, we come to the question behind this thread.

Has anyone gone from mono to multi and regretted the decision?

The only multihull experience I have are the little hire cats you get on the foreshores and the Shot-Over I think it was called at Sharkbay just as a passenger. While I will try and weasel my way onto someones multi for the morning/afternoon, I am wondering if what I enjoy about sailing will be lost on a catamaran.

I am interested in hearing your opinions either good or bad. Whether you regretted the change or regretted not doing it sooner.

Cheers

I have studied the topic in depth......

The downside of a multi is if you get caught in foul weather it's possibly going to be nasty.
Most multi owners are aware of this and will head for shelter.
Some modern high tunnel clearance Cats will possibly handle better than most of the older cheaper models but most Cat owners I spoke to agreed a mono is the only way to go for true blue water sailing.

Seems that very few people go back after moving to a multi, I have had around 15 over the last 35 years, from 28 to 46 ft , have enjoyed them all. Like monos there is lots of variety in sailing performance and either type will include some that are heavy and sail like dogs but have great accomodations. I have never owned a big lead mine but have sailed a few including from Fiji to NZ and NZ to PNG. I was always thinking that this would be better in a cat. I have also sold those multis over the years and have always been glad I was not selling a mono, because there is so many of them available for sale. I have had a few tris also and they are generally less popular and harder to sell, so think about that if you are considering one. I remember Shot over from the 1980s at Tweed Heads , most cruising multis will not sail as well as that boat but will still be quicker than your Catalina on average.

My 2 cents

Loved sailing 16 foot hobies as a kid, very fast and fun.

From what I can see and read about the larger cats i see the following pros and cons;

Pros;

Fast (down wind or broad reach)
Stacks of room for a family.
Good for parties ;)
Can go into more shallow water

Cons;
Dodgy upwind and also no good for racing
Very expensive as you have two of everything, two motors, two bilge pumps etc etc
Stability in a big blow and or swell ( you can ultimately turn the thing turtle and it won't right)

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southace said..
I have studied the topic in depth......

The downside of a multi is if you get caught in foul weather it's possibly going to be nasty.
Most multi owners are aware of this and will head for shelter.
Some modern high tunnel clearance Cats will possibly handle better than most of the older cheaper models but most Cat owners I spoke to agreed a mono is the only way to go for true blue water sailing.

Plenty of cats are sailing the worlds oceans, plus multis hold pretty much all the long distance sailing records, some of the cheapest oldest cats are Wharrams and they have done some serious blue water miles, there will always be differences of opinion and some in either camp that will never want to change sides, but there is plenty of boats available both mono and multi and good and bad boats can be found in both types. I like multis and have sailed off shore in both types, but thats just my opinion. Like you said budget is important and you can often get more boat for your money in a mono, if that is what you decide on.

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keensailor said..
My 2 cents

Loved sailing 16 foot hobies as a kid, very fast and fun.

From what I can see and read about the larger cats i see the following pros and cons;

Pros;

Fast (down wind or broad reach)
Stacks of room for a family.
Good for parties ;)
Can go into more shallow water

Cons;
Dodgy upwind and also no good for racing
Very expensive as you have two of everything, two motors, two bilge pumps etc etc
Stability in a big blow and or swell ( you can ultimately turn the thing turtle and it won't right)

I agree
Ive charted a sea wind 40 ft what I found was you don't feel the wind like the smaller cats and think you would have to watch and decrease your sail area to respond to the wind speed . Sorry I have not explained my self well here

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keensailor said..
My 2 cents

Loved sailing 16 foot hobies as a kid, very fast and fun.

From what I can see and read about the larger cats i see the following pros and cons;

Pros;

Fast (down wind or broad reach)
Stacks of room for a family.
Good for parties ;)
Can go into more shallow water

Cons;
Dodgy upwind and also no good for racing
Very expensive as you have two of everything, two motors, two bilge pumps etc etc
Stability in a big blow and or swell ( you can ultimately turn the thing turtle and it won't right)

Add to that "More costly to slip, and your location options are limited" and also "Usually needs a double width marina pen".

That being said, I'd love to go for a sail on or maybe even own one of the big racing trimarans that the French in particular are so fond of; the ones where you see them flying not only the windward hull but also the centre hull as well....

It's purely horses for courses. The argument that no one ever goes back to a monohull is a non argument as those of us who must sail will never opt for a cruising cat. I have direct experience of comparing like for like. I own a 10 year old beneteau first 44.7 and sailed that from Marblehead on east Coast USA to AUs in 2012. Boat in excellent condition and fits my ideal that a race boat with a comfortable interior is the ideal cruising boat. Set up for single handing I can still push out 200nmile days or punch through to windward for 8 hours in 35 knots if that is the only obstacle to an otherwise ideal weather window. The equivalent cat size comfort but more expensive is the lagoon 38. Owner stateroom plus ensuite, two double berth cabins and bathroom. Equivalent size stateroom and galley and cockpit. Delivered a lagoon 38 from McKay to Geelong in 2014.i would never go to sea in a cat And enjoy sailing too much over the waterfront apartment appeal of a cat.i don't think you will find the answer on the internet so really don't let yourself be swayed either way.

Without weighing into the Pro or Con argument mono vs multi, I gather that your kids are still at the kid stage, in which case the only thing I will say is that a cat is possibly more kid friendly than a mono.

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LooseChange said..
Without weighing into the Pro or Con argument mono vs multi, I gather that your kids are still at the kid stage, in which case the only thing I will say is that a cat is possibly more kid friendly than a mono.

Yes LC, they are 5 and 7 at the moment. They were practically born on boats, but they havn't spent time on a boat healing over.

Thanks for everyones comments, and I respect them all. I suppose I was looking more for an opinion on enjoyment and comfort rather then performance and stability. The debate on mono v multi in the latter two have been done to death, and I feel that if you are pro multi, there is enough data that can be dug up to debunk the myths, and someone pro mono will pull out a couple of real life events to prove their point whilst forgetting that there are plenty of monos that haven't come back up either.

Once again, putting budget aside for now (and ongoing costs ie two hulls, two motors, wider berth ect), the extra room appeals to me a lot. The extra stability at rest and the ability to 'get in closer' all appeals to me too. But lets look at just the sailing for a moment. I enjoy living life at a 45, strapped in and the spray coming over the deck, wind in your face. It gives a sence of speed even if it is only 5 or 6 knots. It's exillerating, if not cold and wet (which I can cop by my wife wont). At this point I can only imagine that that would be lost in a multi, or maybe the above is what drove some to catamarans in the first place. I'm sure at the end of the day nobody is going to be able to answer it for me as it's a personal opinion kind of thing and the only way to know is to experience both.

It's probably a mute queston really because not only am I trying to balance comfort and safety with enjoyment, but also with as has been said already cost.

Thanks again all........

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sydchris said..

That being said, I'd love to go for a sail on or maybe even own one of the big racing trimarans that the French in particular are so fond of; the ones where you see them flying not only the windward hull but also the centre hull as well....

What??? Something like this you mean???

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Toph said..

LooseChange said..
Without weighing into the Pro or Con argument mono vs multi, I gather that your kids are still at the kid stage, in which case the only thing I will say is that a cat is possibly more kid friendly than a mono.

Yes LC, they are 5 and 7 at the moment. They were practically born on boats, but they havn't spent time on a boat healing over.

Thanks for everyones comments, and I respect them all. I suppose I was looking more for an opinion on enjoyment and comfort rather then performance and stability. The debate on mono v multi in the latter two have been done to death, and I feel that if you are pro multi, there is enough data that can be dug up to debunk the myths, and someone pro mono will pull out a couple of real life events to prove their point whilst forgetting that there are plenty of monos that haven't come back up either.

Once again, putting budget aside for now (and ongoing costs ie two hulls, two motors, wider berth ect), the extra room appeals to me a lot. The extra stability at rest and the ability to 'get in closer' all appeals to me too. But lets look at just the sailing for a moment. I enjoy living life at a 45, strapped in and the spray coming over the deck, wind in your face. It gives a sence of speed even if it is only 5 or 6 knots. It's exillerating, if not cold and wet (which I can cop by my wife wont). At this point I can only imagine that that would be lost in a multi, or maybe the above is what drove some to catamarans in the first place. I'm sure at the end of the day nobody is going to be able to answer it for me as it's a personal opinion kind of thing and the only way to know is to experience both.

It's probably a mute queston really because not only am I trying to balance comfort and safety with enjoyment, but also with as has been said already cost.

Thanks again all........

I think it depends on how/where you intend to sail and with whom. Like many sailors, I learned to sail on keelboats but love my cat and would never go back.

Where I sail, having the ability to tuck in close in only 2 m of water (and still have ~1 m under my hulls), opens up anchorages - or parts of anchorages - simply not accessible to keel boats. It's not just about being close to the beach - which is certainly nice. Often it's the difference between 100% sheltered flat water - or not.

Here's what I mean. That's me in close :-)
accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?passive=1209600&osid=1&continue=https://plus.google.com/photos/%2BAlanNoble/albums/5986674937585311089/5986674938819500514&followup=https://plus.google.com/photos/%2BAlanNoble/albums/5986674937585311089/5986674938819500514

The space argument has been hashed to death, but if you're routinely going to sail with several people, you simply can't beat having the space of a cat.

As for safety, well-sailed, well-designed cats are unlikely to capsize and have sailed the globe. Having a second engine also provides a degree of redundancy and safety that single-engined boats lack.

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HG02 said..

keensailor said..
My 2 cents

Loved sailing 16 foot hobies as a kid, very fast and fun.

From what I can see and read about the larger cats i see the following pros and cons;

Pros;

Fast (down wind or broad reach)
Stacks of room for a family.
Good for parties ;)
Can go into more shallow water

Cons;
Dodgy upwind and also no good for racing
Very expensive as you have two of everything, two motors, two bilge pumps etc etc
Stability in a big blow and or swell ( you can ultimately turn the thing turtle and it won't right)

I agree
Ive charted a sea wind 40 ft what I found was you don't feel the wind like the smaller cats and think you would have to watch and decrease your sail area to respond to the wind speed . Sorry I have not explained my self well here

What I'm trying to say as an example if theres a lot of weight on board theres more stress on the rigging and you need to reduce sails according to the boat.
I had seven on board it was excellent and as you say you can get in close or even beach and repair if needed.
But as a solo sailer Ill be keeping what I have

Scruzin. Probably should have photoshopped the boat anchored 4 boat lengths away before using that pic as an example.
And going back to the the OP orig question which I have answered I do have some anecdotal knowledge of cat owners simply walking away from cruising altogether after being caught out and having to bash away for several days under engine while being pounded by seas and headwinds. A confused sea state can be a living nightmare on a cat.

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cisco said..

sydchris said..

That being said, I'd love to go for a sail on or maybe even own one of the big racing trimarans that the French in particular are so fond of; the ones where you see them flying not only the windward hull but also the centre hull as well....

What??? Something like this you mean???

There's just something about living on the edge...

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cisco said..

What??? Something like this you mean???

No, I think he means something more like this. L'Hydroptere can never fly a hull as it's a foiler, but Geant can get the windward ama and main hull out of the water.

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frant said..
Scruzin. Probably should have photoshopped the boat anchored 4 boat lengths away before using that pic as an example.

Sure, while that keelboat is is snug enough under most conditions, if the wind swings to the NW at that location (Western River Cove), I know where I'd rather be - which is where I'm anchored.

My point is you simply have more anchoring options when you can get in close, and even bottoming out (at anchor) is usually not a big deal on a cat. Not that I'm recommending bottoming out

Wife + Kids + Costal Cruising = Cat

Most of your time is spent anchored up and cats certainly shine in this situation.

I've owned both Monos and Cats. But now sail a mono.

some people working on cats in middle of the harbour
and ..... it's for free ....not fair .... isn't it. !

An interesting web site here about a young American couple who with no sailing experience bought a 35 foot cat and sailed around the world http://www.bumfuzzle.com/adventures/ having a few drama's with the boat along the way

Later on they bought and lived on a mono and offer some thoughts on both hull types

Regards Don

Sailing round the world on a catamaran requires a lot of down wind or beam reach sailing........it is possible but no doubt with many travel plans effected by weather conditions.

I spoke to a well weatherd cat owner on Cape york, he had a very flash cat which I can't exactly remember the make or model and he said he would not take it complete blue water sailing due to hull slamming and shudders. I was suprised as it was a impressive beast. also have friends in SA that won't leave the state for the same reasons.

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slammin said..

Yeah...probably had a preventer on the main

But hey, if there was absolutely no danger, would we do it?

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Charriot said..
some people working on cats in middle of the harbour
and ..... it's for free ....not fair .... isn't it. !

And it has a Bi-Plane rig, don't see many of those around.

sure, you notice,
any advantages .....?

Usually a sighn they will only be there till the local council comes and kindly asks them to move there new floating apartment!

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Charriot said..
sure, you notice,
any advantages .....?

Easy to handle sails, lower center of effort so less heeling, easy to reef (just lower the leeward sail completely), just goosewing them out for downhill running. People that are against Bi-Plane rigs say they are not good upwind, the actualities don't support that completely.

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LooseChange said..

Charriot said..
sure, you notice,
any advantages .....?

Easy to handle sails, lower center of effort so less heeling, easy to reef (just lower the leeward sail completely), just goosewing them out for downhill running. People that are against Bi-Plane rigs say they are not good upwind, the actualities don't support that completely.

Might seen a bit unusual but Ive often wondered how a light weight cat would work with multiple wind surfer masts and sails along each hull all old sail board masts and sail off flea bay

Out of interest what does the word actualities actually mean. Are you actually trying to suggest that the pictured cat could actually achieve VMG upwind. That's even with motor running flat out.

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HG02 said..

LooseChange said..

Charriot said..
sure, you notice,
any advantages .....?

Easy to handle sails, lower center of effort so less heeling, easy to reef (just lower the leeward sail completely), just goosewing them out for downhill running. People that are against Bi-Plane rigs say they are not good upwind, the actualities don't support that completely.

Might seen a bit unusual but Ive often wondered how a light weight cat would work with multiple wind surfer masts and sails along each hull all old sail board masts and sail off flea bay

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frant said..
Out of interest what does the word actualities actually mean. Are you actually trying to suggest that the pictured cat could actually achieve VMG upwind. That's even with motor running flat out.

I saw a Big red tri called Mooloolaba Firetruck do the Whitsunday fun race with the local windsurfing club with their rigs arranged all over it after they had lost their big rig, 1982 I think, pretty sure they got around the course but was very slow. Wharram cats have/had a reputation of not being able to sail upwind, after owning 2 I was quite surprised how well they went particularly if not overloaded or overcanvassed. There is a bi plane rig bridgedeck cat here in NZ that has been all around the pacific including to Japan and back, I guess he would have had to go upwind occasionally. Yes the cat on the beach does look a bit like a pregnant guppy but it has probably hosted some awesome family holidays in local waters.

On the subject of windward performance, there are good multis and bad multis, just like there are good monos and bad monos.

If proof is needed, the current world record for single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of Australia was done in a cruising cat, specifically by Bruce Arms in his Chamberlin 14m "Big Wave Rider". Bruce describes many 200+ mile days hard on the wind in the Southern Ocean. He also describes sailing in 12+ metre waves in 60+ knots of wind.

brucearms.com/
www.brucearms.com/news/solo-around-australia-challenge-part-two
www.brucearms.com/blog

I'm not saying all cats are capable of that, but then again a lot of monos aren't either.