Questions about sailing a multihull.

[Nordic]

I'm sure there are many who have at some stage have wondered what it would be like to sail on a modern multihull, and even some who have considered buying one.

This area of the forum is for you to ask all those questions. Things like:

How difficult is is to find docking?

Aren't they dangerous, they can flip...?

How fast do they sail?

All questions are more than welcome, I'm sure that all the more experienced members will attempt to answer your questions.

Alan

[ka8uet]

OK, I'll lead off with the dumb questions. I'm seriously considering getting a cat in the 25-35 foot range to live aboard and sail. I've sailed a cat designed by Bill Symonds and built as the Americat 3014. There were also three built to this design by the Hutchens yard and sold as the C-Cat, as part of their Compac line of sailboats. I am a lady of a certain age, (67), with some mobility problems. I wear calf-high braces on both legs. I am also rather round of figure. Given the braces, I fear that my current boat, a 23' monohull, is no longer practical for me to sail alone. I will be single-handing, and plan to join the rest of the snowbirds on the Erie Canal/ICW route. Is this possible?

[imagine2frolic]

OK, I'll lead off with the dumb questions. I'm seriously considering getting a cat in the 25-35 foot range to live aboard and sail. I've sailed a cat designed by Bill Symonds and built as the Americat 3014. There were also three built to this design by the Hutchens yard and sold as the C-Cat, as part of their Compac line of sailboats. I am a lady of a certain age, (67), with some mobility problems. I wear calf-high braces on both legs. I am also rather round of figure. Given the braces, I fear that my current boat, a 23' monohull, is no longer practical for me to sail alone. I will be single-handing, and plan to join the rest of the snowbirds on the Erie Canal/ICW route. Is this possible?

BLESS YOU for having the intestinal fortitude to continue on. You are definately a role model, and WELCOME..........i2f

[grumpy_o_g]

OK, I am comfortable with my ability to sail a mono-hull in moderate conditions be it dinghy or keel boat and have faced some fairly severe conditions too - although I would not say I am an experienced sailor. Obviously there's limits to my ability regarding weather, mooring/berthing in restricted space and high winds, etc. I've single-handed boats up to 32' and not had too many problems as they've been set up for it.

If I went out and bought say a Solaris, Gemini or Snowgoose (picked at random as not being 30-35' cruising boats, not too extreme) and tried to sail them exactly as I would say, a Contessa 32, what difficulties would I have.

I once watched a very experienced pilot (Brian Lecomber - world champion aerobatics) try and fly a powered hang glider. He couldn't because, as the ground approached on landing you had to push away to flare (and thus not fly straight in to the ground). With all his experience he simply couldn't bring himself to do it yet less experienced pilots managed to change. Is there a mono-hull/multi-hull equivalent where you have to go against what you may have learnt?

Last quick question for Catana owners - how do you dump the main quickly when you've got two mainsheets? Do you have to dump them both?

Thanks (and congratulations on 1000 members Paul)....

[Woods Designs]

Probably the Catalac would suit you best. Catalacs were really sold by Mary Lack who had a figure somewhat like yours, and was probably of similar age in her prime.

But as you know, looks can be deceiving, she might appear to be just a knitting grandmother on board for a boatshow, but she told me once about her experiences in a blizzard on a delivery across the Bay of Biscay one winter (she enjoyed the trip)

Probably the biggest difference to a monohull is the cats beam, which means a lot of moving around if singlehanded. But the Catalac has a big flat wide cockpit with narrow coamings so it is easy to reach the gunwales, at least in the cockpit area.

You won't get thrown around when at sea and you can probably live just on the bridgedeck most of the time. Years ago we sold our 22ft Wizard to a wheel-chair bound lady with MS, but I think a Wizard is too small to live on! Have a look at the Impossible Dream thread.

There are several American Catalac owners on this forum who can advise you further.

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com (http://www.sailingcatamarans.com)

[jkd]

OK, I'll lead off with the dumb questions. I'm seriously considering getting a cat in the 25-35 foot range to live aboard and sail. I've sailed a cat designed by Bill Symonds and built as the Americat 3014. There were also three built to this design by the Hutchens yard and sold as the C-Cat, as part of their Compac line of sailboats. I am a lady of a certain age, (67), with some mobility problems. I wear calf-high braces on both legs. I am also rather round of figure. Given the braces, I fear that my current boat, a 23' monohull, is no longer practical for me to sail alone. I will be single-handing, and plan to join the rest of the snowbirds on the Erie Canal/ICW route. Is this possible?

The only issue I can think of would be if you have any problems going up and down the steps to the hulls. In a mono once down the companion way all the "living area" is on one level. On a cat you will have basicly three levels to navigate daily. You will be going up to the salon from the berth, down to the head, back up to the salon, down to the galley etc.
As long as you don't increase your sail area too much over what you are using to now, the rest should be ok.

Good hunting,

John

[jkd]

OK, I am comfortable with my ability to sail a mono-hull in moderate conditions be it dinghy or keel boat and have faced some fairly severe conditions too - although I would not say I am an experienced sailor. Obviously there's limits to my ability regarding weather, mooring/berthing in restricted space and high winds, etc. I've single-handed boats up to 32' and not had too many problems as they've been set up for it.

If I went out and bought say a Solaris, Gemini or Snowgoose (picked at random as not being 30-35' cruising boats, not too extreme) and tried to sail them exactly as I would say, a Contessa 32, what difficulties would I have.

Thanks (and congratulations on 1000 members Paul)....

I have only sailed a Gemini out of your list and owned a 24 Bristol as my biggest full time keel boat many, many years ago so please use this as a guide.
The Gemini (or most multi's) are so light that when docking (compared to a keel boat) you will need to take into account the wind to a much higher degree. I got caught working into a dead end basin downwind and was suprised at how fast the boat was pushed with zero power on due to the windage of the cabin house etc. (this was my first cruising size multi experience) But the boat also reacts to imputs of power faster than a keel boat so you can stop an adverse reaction faster.
Sailing wise it is pretty easy to adapt with your experience level. Again it is just a lighter touch like going back to dinghies to some degree.

Hope this helps some.

John

[FSMike]

ka8uet

At 64 I have a few mobility issues also. When we moved onto our 45' cat from a 35' monohull, we headed from Massachusetts to Florida, mostly inshore. After about three or four days, what was my worst knee (since replaced - if thy knee offendeth thee, cut it out) started hurting like crazy. I finally figured out the reason. The cat was so much more stable than the mono that I was standing up and walking around rather than sitting.

The point is that the motion of the cat is a decided advantage for those of us who are easily unbalanced. I think the only problem you might have would involve the distance from winch to helm to winch etc., but at least the motion of the boat would make moving around easier. I also find going from cockpit to main saloon to hull cabins easier on the cat than going up and down companionway steps in the mono. Getting to the hull cabins may not be as easy in a smaller cat though.

As is often said on this forum, see if you can get a ride or three on some of the models you are interested in. There's nothing like first hand experience.

Best wishes.

[Talbot]

I can second the Richard's story about Mary Lack. An incredible dynamo of ample proportions. The Catalac is a good liveaboard boat that is built strong and designed for safety. I think the 9m would be better for you (I owned one for 21 years)

[2hulls]

Last quick question for Catana owners - how do you dump the main quickly when you've got two mainsheets? Do you have to dump them both?

Ease the one that'll give you the most relief. This is usually the windward sheet, but it depends a lot on what point of sail you're on.

To weather, the windward sheet tends to serve as the "traveler" and the leeward sheet serves as the "sheet" in a typical set up. Way off the wind the opposite is the case. But this is a crude analogy.

As a point of detail, "dumping the main" on a cruising cat usually doesn't have the urgency as compared to a lightweight speed demon.

After getting acquainted with the dual sheet set up, I will never go back to a traveler. Most experienced folks who sail with us and have never seen a dual sheet system work become instant converts. :D Frankly, I'm surprised more cruising cats don't use it.

In the Catana range, the two mainsheet winches are located in line with the dinghy davits so they can double as dinghy lifting winches. See the picture below.

2 Hulls Dave