Mustang Sally

Why Cruise in a Catamaran?

People have asked why a catamaran? What are their advantage compared to monohulls? Well, both types of vessels have advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day it comes down to personal taste and budget. But here are the advantages and disadvantages as we see it.

Advantages of catamarans:

1) More room. A 38 catamaran has the interior and deck space of a 50 foot monohull.

2) Stable platform. In an anchorage, a catamaran doesn't roll in a swell like a monohull.

3) Speed. For the same length of boat, a cruising cat is usually faster than the same length cruising monohull.

4) Most Catamarans don't sink. Most cats have air tight floatation compartments. Unless you break them or burn them, most catamarans will stay on the surface. A monohull on the other hand, will sink if flooded.

5) Lighter gear. Because a catamaran is easier to drive through the water, the sails, rigging and gear can be smaller and lighter than an equivalent sized monohull. That tends to lower costs.

6)   Safety:
      - speed helps you sail out of bad weather
      - it is harder to fall off a catamaran
      - redundancy (two engines, two transmissions, two alternators, etc.)

7)   Shallow draft - a cat can get into spots where the keelers can't go.

8)    Catamarans don't heel.

Disadvantages of Cats:

1)   Expensive to build. Two boats for the price of three ;-)

2)   More pitching than a monohull. In rough seas a cat can have a jerkier fore and aft motion compared to a mono.

3)   Limited load carrying capacity. The performance of a cat is hurt more drastically when you overload it.

4)   Maintenance is doubled on some things. Two hulls, two engines, two propellers, two transmissions.

5)    Dock space is sometimes more expensive.

6)    Less choice in haul out locations due to the wide beam.

7)    Cats with low bridge decks will slam in a rough sea.