motor catamaran vs monohull

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Catamaran vs Monohull: Pros, Cons & Main Differences

By: B.J. Porter Editor

The choice of catamaran vs monohull ultimately comes down to preference. What’s critical for one buyer may mean little to another. If your partner refuses to set foot on a boat which heels, that’s a deal-breaker for a monohull. But if you’re passionate about classic looks and styling, your quest for beauty may override other considerations and rule out catamarans.

We can’t tell you whether a catamaran or a monohull is right for you. But we can help you with the pros and cons of each for your search.

The Strengths and Pros

No matter your choice of monohull or catamaran, there are safe, comfortable, and excellent sailing boats of both types. Neither has an exclusive lock on any strength, and both sail safely and comfortably. But there’s a different emphasis on how they do it. No matter what you are trying to do – sail fast, cruise the world, or just host a crowd at the dock, there are monohulls and catamarans that can work for any requirement.

Catamaran advantages

Space and comfort: Two hulls and a wide beam make a very stable platform with lots of volume in the saloon and cockpit. Most living space is above the waterline, with wonderful light and airflow. Cabins in the hulls offer better privacy and isolation, usually with standing headroom.

Straight line speed: Most catamarans are faster in straight-line sailing speed (1) that similar sized or even longer monohulls. Without a lead keel, they’re lighter, so more driving force from the sails converts to speed, and narrower hull forms may have less drag than wide hulls with deep keels. Some heavier cruising catamarans may not be faster, especially if they keep rig size small for ease of handling.

Stability : The beam of two hulls with a bridge deck leads to much higher stability and resistance to roll (2). Waves in an anchorage that induce violent roll in a monohull may make a catamaran bounce or bob. Under sail, catamarans do not heel appreciably even when powered up.

Twin engines. : With one engine in forward and balanced in reverse, most catamarans can spin in a circle in place and make sharp adjustments to the boat’s direction. If you have an engine failure, you also have a second engine, giving a safety edge when you can’t sail. 

Monohull advantages

Upwind sailing performance: While catamarans have the edge at straight-line speed, monohulls sail closer to the wind. When you’re racing or you have to sail upwind to get to the next island, this can get you there faster.

Sailing feel and responsiveness : The “feel” of sailing a monohull is much better. With a single hull, you’ll feel wind pressure and trim adjustments immediately for a more responsive helm and a better ability to sail to the wind.

Maneuvering under sail: Monohulls are quite nimble tacking and turning under sail, and there’s less risk of slow or missed tacks.

Righting Moment: The primary offshore safety argument for monohulls is their ability to right when capsized. The heavy keel keeps the boat deck up when sailing, and most monohulls will come back upright even after a complete capsize.

Cargo and Loading: A higher displacement boat with thousands of pounds of lead hung from the bottom isn’t going to be as affected by loading as a relatively light multihull.

Aesthetics: This is subjective, as many catamaran enthusiasts love how they look. Classic sailboat styling, with swept sleek looks, springy sheer lines, and all the “right” proportions are more common on monohulls.

Also read: The 5 Best Electric Anchor Winches

Weaknesses and Cons

Like strengths, weaknesses are relative; just because one class has a strength doesn’t mean the other doesn’t. There are spacious monohulls and beautiful catamarans, just like there are cramped catamarans and unattractive monohulls. The differences have to be highlighted relative to each other, and the weaknesses of one are most apparent compared to the strengths of the other.

Catamaran Cons

Upwind performance: Cats don’t sail as close to the wind, but they make up for it by sailing faster off the wind. You’ll sail a less direct course upwind. Even if you get in at the same time, you’ll have to sail farther.

Less responsive sailing: Two hulls with two rudders and a very broad platform reduce the helm feel when sailing, cutting responsiveness sailing in shifting wind and wave conditions. It also makes tacking slower.

No-flip zone: It is very difficult, but not impossible, to flip a large catamaran (3). But if a catamaran capsizes, it will not flip back over by itself.

Large in marina/close quarters: You have two problems in marinas. Beamy cats are tough to maneuver in tight spaces because they’re big and visibility is tough over the hulls. And many marinas charge extra because the wide beam extends into the next slip. The good news is that twin engines make tight maneuvering easier.

Price point: Catamarans are more difficult to build and need more materials. This is directly reflected in the cost of the boats.

Monohull Cons

They are heavier: Every large monohull needs a keel for stability (4). They can not sail or stay upright without thousands of pounds of ballast, and this makes them heavier and slows them down. Tiny monohulls can use a centerboard or daggerboard for stability, but most boats big enough to sleep on need ballast.

Darker interiors : Most monohull living space is lower in the boat, where you can’t put enormous windows for light and circulation. It’s very hard to get space as bright and airy as catamaran saloons.

Less living space: With one hull and no bridge deck saloon, most monohulls feel cramped compared to spacious catamarans.

More prone to rolling motions : Only one hull makes monohulls susceptible to rolling in waves, and the movement can be quite uncomfortable.

Heeling: Tipping is just part of sailing monohulls upwind and is unavoidable. It can be reduced on some other points of sail, but not eliminated. Many people, especially non-sailors and new sailors, find this movement uncomfortable or distressing.

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Catamaran vs. Monohull: We Changed, Should You?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to monohull versus catamaran . We have done extensive cruising and lived aboard two monohulls and four catamarans over the past 25+ years . We experienced the good and the bad for both single hull and multihulls first hand. Quite honestly, the pluses for catamarans far outweigh the minuses. There are multiple benefits of catamarans. They are faster, more stable and spacious, and have shallower drafts allowing safer anchorage closer to shore. Being on a stable platform with no heeling cuts down on crew fatigue and seasickness leaving the crew more alert and in control of the vessel. Even novice sailors feel more confident on catamarans.

When we built our monohull Royal Salute in the early 90s, catamarans were not established and were looked upon with extreme suspicion by most cruisers, including ourselves. “Safety and the capsize” issue were always the first things to come up against sailing catamarans. It is a fact that monohulls can get rolled in heavy seas but will right themselves because of the heavy lead keel, and while crew and vessel will be battered, the roll is survivable.

However a catamaran once capsized, will remain upside down (jokingly referring to this state of the catamaran as “reaching its most stable position when upside down”). The inability of a catamaran to self-right was and still is a major bone of contention. However, what is not often discussed is that a monohull has about a 5,000 pound keel of lead that is constantly trying to drag the boat to the bottom of the ocean versus a catamaran that has no ballast and is in most cases with modern catamarans, unsinkable.

So the options are to either sail the world on a boat that, if it springs a leak, will sink like a stone or a vessel that cannot self-right in the event of a capsize but will not sink no matter what. So from a practical point of view, here are our observations over the last 25+ years of living aboard, on the advantages and disadvantages of a catamaran.

ADVANTAGES OF A CATAMARAN

1. speed equals safety.

The speed of a catamaran makes it possible to outrun bad weather. While catamarans do not point as high into the wind as a monohull (or if it does, it makes more leeway or slides sideways), it is about 20% faster than a monohull. This means that even if you sail upwind at a slightly wider angle to the wind than a monohull and have to cover more distance, you will still arrive at your destination long before a monohull.

A modern performance catamaran with daggerboards and good quality sails will point as high as a similar sized monohull. It will point the same as a comparable monohull and sail much faster and therefore arrive at an upwind position much sooner than a the monohull. It is important to note that most of the production catamarans on the market are under-powered and are equipped with standard smaller sails. In lighter breezes many of these designs perform poorly unless fitted with bigger headsails, a Code Zero and a square-top mainsail.

While we believe that more comfortable and safer in rough weather , we have to concede that when the weather gets really bad (60 knots of wind or more) we would personally prefer to be on a monohull from the standpoint of surviving. I would say that a monohull is preferable for serious offshore single-handed sailing because you can more easily hove-to in a monohull. We have been in some extreme weather on a number of catamarans and never really felt that we were in danger, although it takes some nifty seamanship.

A monohull could capsize in extreme weather or even roll in a storm, but they generally come back upright. A catamaran on the other hand, will not right itself. But the cat will generally stay afloat, offering a good place to survive while you wait out the storm or until help comes along. Well-designed modern catamarans are very hard to capsize though.

Having said all that, most catamarans can do 200 to 250 miles a day and with modern technology allowing one to pull down weather at will, there is no good reason why you should get caught in extreme weather. A faster boat is a safer boat as it will in many cases be able to outrun bad weather. With good weather routing information a catamaran can avoid most serious weather and, at worst, place itself in the most favorable position to avoid the brunt of a storm.

2. A Catamaran is a Stable, Safe Platform Underway

Catamarans have no ballast in the keels like monohulls do and therefor it relies on beam and buoyancy for stability. Typically cruising catamarans will have a beam to length ratio of roughly 50%, although many designs nowadays exceed the 50% rule of thumb. So, a 45-ft long catamaran will be about 22-ft wide, providing a very stable platform when sailing. Unlike catamarans, monohulls cannot overcome the rolling and pitching with their narrow beam and the lead ballast for stability.

This rolling and pitching makes the deck on a monohull very unsafe whereas on walking around on the deck of a catamaran while underway is far easier since the boat is much more stable, and it doesn’t heel. This makes sail changes and reefing much easier and a lot safer for the crew. Without the rolling and pitching motion, the danger of falling overboard on a catamaran is considerably less than on a monohull.

3. Crew Fatigue Reduces on a Catamaran

Because a catamaran does not heel over like a monohull, it offers far more comfort underway because the motion is mostly fore and aft pitching and very little beam-to-beam rolling. On all points of sail, a catamaran tracks upright and significantly reduces crew fatigue and seasickness. Seasickness is usually caused by things like anxiety, fatigue, hunger and cold, which all add to a sense of disorientation. This leads the crew to making bad decisions and seamanship errors that could be fatal to the crew and vessel. The more stable platform of the catamaran will hugely keep those issues at bay, making the crew more alert and energized.

Every action and chore including cooking is much easier on a catamaran when underway. It is much more pleasant to be on the deck level looking out rather than being stuck “down below.” It is also much nicer to sleep on a boat that doesn’t heel. I remember nights at sea in our monohull when I was rolling around in my bunk unless I was properly wedge in a little corner. That is simply not the case on catamarans.

All these factors ensure that your crew will not expend unnecessary energy to simply try and stay upright, onboard and safe on a long passage. Your crew on a catamaran will be well rested and alert and will be able to function well if a stressful situation arises.

4. Comfort at Anchor

Catamarans provide a wide platform and therefore offer lovely spaces to relax at anchor without the rolling motion that monohulls have a tendency to do in a swell. During our 15 years of cruising on a monohull, we have often had to leave anchorages that we really were not finished exploring because of a rolly, uncomfortable anchorage. Big rollers or swells coming into an anchorage can make conditions in an anchorage very uncomfortable and unsafe.

We were anchored off Funchal on the island of Madeira in our monohull Royal Salute once, when we were forced to leave our anchorage. The rolling became so bad, we were rolling from gunnel to gunnel. The anchorage became untenable to remain anchored, forcing us to go out to sea in foul weather in the middle of the night. This is an extreme case but believe me, we have left many an idyllic anchorage because of a rolling swell into the anchorage. Catamarans, on the other hand, do not roll from like monohulls have a tendency to do and are far more comfortable at anchor.

5. Anchor Bridal Setup

Catamarans are fitted with a bridle, attached to both bows and down to the anchor chain, resulting in a very stable position at anchor. What we found with our monohull was that because the bow acts as a sail (because of the high freeboard), the boat tended to sail at anchor in high winds. It sailed in one direction until the chain snatched and tacked over and sailed in the other direction, feeling like it might dislodge the anchor altogether. The catamaran on the other hand sits at anchor a lot more stable and doesn’t sail around as much.

6. Ease of Boarding on a Catamaran

Thank goodness we were much younger and more agile during our monohull days. Royal Salute and most monohulls of her generation or older, have high free-boards, making it quite a feat to get onto the boat from the dinghy. It was one of the most challenging things to do because unlike the more modern monohulls that have a scoop at the back, we had to climb up on the side of the boat to get on and off. We, of course rigged steps, etc. but it was always a hassle compared to the ease of getting on and off a catamaran from a dingy or from the water.

7. Shallow Draft Equals Better Anchorages

Catamarans have significantly shallower drafts than monohulls, allowing for safer anchorages closer to shore. Most catamarans in the 40-ft to 50-ft range draw between 3-ft to 4.5-ft, so they can anchor in places that a monohulls can not even consider. In the shallow waters of the Bahamas for example, the catamarans have a big advantage. We often anchor our own catamaran just a few feet away from a beach. It definitely allows one to be able to explore areas where the water is shallow without the fear of running aground.

The shallow draft also allows for emergency repairs in shallow water and even doing the bottom job when the tide goes out as we have done in places like Mtwapa Creek in Kenya, East Africa. The catamaran easily rests on her keels on the sand without help making it a breeze to do the “annual haul out” even in remote locations.

8. Dinghy Davits & Dinghy Size

All catamarans have a set of davits that make it very easy to raise and lower the dingy. Our monohull and most cruising monohulls do not have an efficient or easily accessible set of davits. This makes raising and lowering the dingy an elaborate production. Catamarans on the other hand, has davits systems easily accessible and some even have platforms to rest the dinghy on.

The lack of beam and difficulty of lifting the dinghy also limits the size and type of dingy that one can reasonably carry on a monohull. As we all know, the dingy is your transport to and from shore and diving or fishing spots, so the bigger and faster the dingy, the better off you are. A catamaran can carry both a heavier and bigger dinghy which makes the popular center consul dinghy so much more possible.

9. Interior Space and Comfort on a Catamaran

We sailed 32,000 NM on our 45-ft monohull, happy as clams, not realizing that sailing does not have to be done lying on your ear 24/7 while on passage or sitting knee-to-knee in the cockpit at anchor with your two other guests at the dinner table! One can liken sitting in a monohull cockpit to sitting in an empty Jacuzzi, you are always nice and close to the other folks.

Now that we are on our fourth catamaran, there are a few things that have become more evident to us than the incredible space and comfort of a catamaran, not only at anchor but also underway. The cockpit and living space in general are huge compared to a monohull, making for very comfortable and spacious living conditions. It feels more like you are at home, rather than just on a camping trip.

Knowing that one spends at least 90% of one’s cruising life at anchor, it’s important to have good open living space, which most modern cats nowadays offer. A lot of cats have walk around beds, lots of storage, every modern appliance including washer/dryer, etc. However, one has to fight the urge to fill the space if you want to keep the cat light and fast.

Sailing with guests onboard for extended periods of time, in close quarters can become claustrophobic but on a catamaran people are spread out and separated. With guests sleeping in one hull and the owners in another, catamarans offer much more privacy and separation. Some cats even have privacy doors that will close off the entire hull and has a separate entrance onto the deck, which really separates you from the guests completely.

There is very little heeling on a catamaran, so there is no need for hand grips and safety harnesses inside the boat. There is nothing better (and safer) than being able to walk from the cockpit into the living room (saloon) on one level or one step down at most. In a monohull, when heeling at a severe angle, you would have to claw your way from the companionway steps down to the living area, while fighting to stay upright, significantly tapping your energy.

Unless you hit extreme conditions, everything stays put on a catamaran reducing the anxiety before doing passages of having to stow and secure everything. This very issue makes a lot of cruisers reluctant to weigh anchor and explore more often. It is just too much effort to pack away all your stuff once comfortable in an anchorage!

One thing you will notice is that the stove on catamarans are not gimbaled like it is on monohulls and this should tell the story in itself. The stability and comfort on a catamaran is far superior. Cooking is easy and safer. I often open a nice cold beer, put it down to do something and forget about it only to find a warm beer later in the same place I left it. This is not something that happens on a monohull.     

10. Redundancy on a Catamaran

Unlike monohulls, catamarans have a lot of critical redundancies. That of course means two hulls to clean and anti-foul, double the engine maintenance, etc. but having two of the critical equipment like engines for instance, outweighs the downside.

With two engines, if one fails you still have adequate propulsion to go anywhere. If by some fluke the second engine also fails, you have a full set of spares to fix at least one of them. Our friends once hit a sleeping whale off Tanzania, and when it dove, it hit the prop, bending it. They limped into the narrow channel on the one engine but at least they could make it to a safe harbor where we surveyed and repaired their damage.

We often only use one engine when motoring while making passage in order to conserve our fuel. The one engine is totally capable of moving the boat along at a good speed unless you are in heavy seas and you may need more power. Other than that we only use two engines to dock or maneuver the boat in close quarters.

Because there are two engines there are also two independent charging systems via the alternator on each engine. If one alternator goes out, there is still another complete charging system. There are two rudders and if one fails or falls off (as has happened to our friends on a monohull off Columbia, where they almost lost their boat) you have a second rudder that is completely capable of steering the boat by itself indefinitely. That holds true for several things on a catamaran!     

11. Maneuverability

The engines are spaced far apart on a catamaran and it makes maneuvering much easier and more precise than monohulls, unless the monohull has a bow thruster. We did not have a bow thruster (not many monohulls do) and had to rely on prop-walk and using prop wash on the rudder. A modern catamaran can do a 360 turn on her own axis. A monohull cannot do this and have a bigger turning circle. However, a monohull under sail is much more maneuverable and certainly will tack a lot faster than a catamaran. The ease in maneuverability under engine on a catamaran in close quarters specifically, is vastly superior comparatively.

12. Rigging

Because of the beam on a catamaran the spinnaker pole has become unnecessary equipment. Hallelujah, I say. That pole on our monohull was a pain the behind and I always hated having to use it. On a catamaran, one can fly an asymmetrical cruising chute or spinnaker, using the bows to tack the clew or run a guy through a block so it is very much simplified, easier and safer.We also sail wing-on-wing with twin headsails when we sail downwind. We use our furling jib and furling Code Zero. It is as easy as one, two, three.

DISADVANTAGES OF A CATAMARAN

1. bridgedeck slamming.

One advantage most monohulls do have when underway is that they don’t slam. Catamarans with a low bridgedeck clearance can experience significant slamming in confused seas sailing upwind. This slamming can be quite disconcerting when you first experience it as we did on a Shuttleworth 44 design, our first ever catamaran experience, 20+ years ago. At times, it felt as though the boat was falling apart. Of course the boat was fine but nevertheless, the stress on the crew from the constant noise and discomfort was significant.

Monohulls don’t have a bridgedeck which means no slamming and are therefore a bit more comfortable than l ow bridgedeck catamarans when beating into severe confused conditions or “washing machine” conditions as we call it. Modern catamarans mostly have better bridgedeck clearance and the slamming is significantly less. However, not all cats have a good clear tunnel under the bridgedeck. Some manufacturers build beds into the bridge deck in order to make more space in the chest of the catamaran where the slamming occurs. These protuberances into the bridgedeck tunnel will likely increase slamming. So be mindful of that when selecting a catamaran. We currently own a Bali 5.4 and the bridgedeck clearance on this boat is more than adequate and the tunnel is clear. We therefor experience very little slamming compared to our Prout 45 that we previously owned (picture of sister ship below) with a much lower bridgedeck.

We Explain Bridgedeck Clearance

In the pictures below, the Bali 5.4 has very good clearance from the water to the bridgedeck and has a nice clean tunnel versus the very low bridgedeck of the Sunreef 50. 

2. Sailing Downwind

Monohull spreaders are set at 90 degrees to the mast whereas a catamaran has to have backswept spreaders. The reason is that, on a monohull, there is a backstay and using this, plus the intermediates you can get a nice pre-bend in the mast (the pre-bend is to flatten out the main sail and allow for better performance).

On a catamaran with no back stay, you need to use the back swept spreaders and the diamonds to pre-bend the mast. The reason I point this out is because on a catamaran, if you want to broad reach or run, the mainsail cannot be let out all the way because the backswept spreader tips could punch holes in the fabric.

On a monohull, the spreaders are at 90 degrees so you can let the main and the boom out much further which is, of course, much more effective. This is one of the reasons it is better to broad reach and tack downwind on a catamaran.

Whether a monohull or multihull, sailing dead downwind doesn’t usually make great VMG. Therefor a regular cruising cat, much like a monohull, needs a lot of sail area and has to sail deep downwind if it is to achieve a decent speed made good (VMG). This video demonstrates how we achieve this by sailing wing-on-wing downwind.

It is more difficult to find a dock either as a transient or a permanent slip for a catamaran in general because of the wide beam. But this is changing fast and will soon not be too much of an issue. In the USA dockage is charged by the length of the boat in feet, so there is no disadvantage there but, in some places, (the Mediterranean for example), dockage is charged at length times one and a half because of the additional beam.

Since the catamaran is stable at anchor, we mostly anchor out. We have more privacy, a better breeze and usually a stunning view.We have a nice dinghy with a good outboard engine and is big and comfortable enough to get to shore fast and together with the modern conveniences like the generator, watermaker and washer/dryer, docking becomes a non-issue.

It is definitely more difficult to find a travel lift with enough beam for a catamaran for a haulout, while, for a monohull, there are absolutely no problems anywhere. The wide beam of cats also greatly limits the number of shipyards that can haul them out. Most catamarans over 40-ft must be hauled out with a 50-ton travel lift. This not only increases the cost of the haulout, but greatly limits the choice of the shipyards for repairs and maintenance. With limited choice, prices are high for shipyard services.

Catamarans do tend to have a lot more windage than monohulls. This can be an issue especially when maneuvering in close quarters with a strong wind. But I have found that, provided the engines are powerful enough for the size of catamaran, that twin engines negate this problem. Also, many modern large catamarans now have a bow thruster fitted. It is super easy to dock.

The cost of getting into a catamaran is much higher than that of monohulls. That could put a serious dent in your cruising kitty or require you to put your dream on hold a little longer. Pre-owned monohulls on the other hand are very cheap to buy comparatively, because the supply presently far outweighs the demand.

Catamarans are in high demand and they typically hold their value much better and longer and the trend is now heavily in favor of the catamaran market. When prospective buyers contact us for catamarans under $250,000 the choices are very limited and catamarans under $100,000 is near impossible to buy. In this case, your best bet is to go with a monohull unless you go with much older boats like the Prouts or the less expensive Geminis.

Our Own Catamarans & Monohulls

FYI: Royal Salute , a Bruce Roberts 45 monohull, was the first boat we owned and sailed approx. 30,000NM on. Mythral, a Seafarer 30, was our “toy boat” while we were waiting for our catamaran to be built. Even though this classic little monohull sailed around the world, it didn’t have much in modern conveniences like running water. Siyaya was an Island Spirit 40 catamaran that we sailed from Cape Town to Florida on and then taught live-aboard sailing classes for several years. Zuri I was a Prout 45, a beautifully crafted catamaran but by today’s standards is considered old technology. Our Lagoon 450 SporTop ( Zuri II ) is a fantastic live-aboard catamaran. We lived and taught aboard her for three years but sold her last year and we currently own a Bali 5.4 ( Zuri III or Z3 as we call her now). Read about our various boats .

CONCLUSION: CATAMARAN vs MONOHULL

We were dyed in the wool monohull sailors for 15+ years. We loved the pretty lines of monohulls, the sailing ability and what we believed at the time to be much safer vessels. However, now that we have been avid catamaran enthusiasts, we simply can never go back to monohulls. Catamarans have come of age and with modern technology have overcome most objections that sailors of old had against them. They are well designed and built, are safe, and we simply love that they sail fast and upright. There is not a whole lot to dislike about a catamaran when you live aboard. We have weighed all the pros and cons of catamarans and found that the pros far exceed the cons. We made the change to a catamaran and do not regret it one bit!

We hope that this article will clear things up for all the prospective catamaran owners out there.

Contact us if you have any questions regarding catamarans, Fractional Yacht Ownership or our Charter Management Programs .

Estelle Cockcroft

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4 thoughts on “Catamaran vs. Monohull: We Changed, Should You?”

I read that the engineering on the catamarans were improved over the years. Whats the oldest year would you recommend designwise?

Scott, my apologies for the late reply. We’ve been traveling in Africa. Anyway, catamarans have come a long way and improvements in technology is happening at lightning speed. I reckon that even the older model catamarans are good. It depends on what your needs are. If you want something a little better performance wise, I would go for something no older than 15 years.

After buying a catamaran what is the difference in expense of a catamaran vs a monohull. Many articles state that not only the initial cost of a catamaran is more it the operating cost as well.

Hi Todd, it is more expensive. The annual dockage and haul out as well as maintenance will be more expensive. You obviously have two engines to maintain and various other pieces of equipment to service in both hulls. While there is more equipment there is also more redundancy and of course you have the comfort factor. So, depending on your situation, it’s probably worth it.

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The benefits and compromises of owning a power catamaran are usually obvious for different consumers, depending on their circumstances, boating ambitions and level of experience. However, a rapidly growing number of seasoned boaters are learning the joys of owning a catamaran and end up becoming firm catamaran supporters.

We have witnessed amazing changes to how families go boating together on a catamaran. For many families, the catamaran yacht has enabled their kids to join and bring their friends without overcrowding the boat. Guests do not have to be seasoned yachties to enjoy the day in the stable and protected cockpit. While entertaining can be done with style and without stress.

The most compelling argument of all must be this: seasoned monohull boaters are converting to catamarans by the truckload. Many converted former motor yacht owners are now passionate advocates of power catamarans. For experienced yachties demanding performance, the advantages are simply too great to ignore.  It is rare to hear of any catamaran owners ever going back to a monohull. Once you become a catamaran owner, you are hooked for life.

“Why should I buy a power catamaran instead of a similar sized motor yacht?”

We are regularly asked by buyers “why should I buy a power catamaran instead of a similar sized motor yacht”. Like everything, there are benefits and compromises to the power catamaran. Despite ourselves being firm Catamaran converts and lifetime believers, below we offer a balanced comparison of the pros and cons.

Advantages of Monohulls

A monohull, as the name implies, has just one hull. This is the most common type of hull design, but why? To produce a well balanced comparison lets start by investigating the benefits of monohulls:

Slow roll period

• Many brands and builders to choose from

More usable space below waterline

Familiar handling.

While monohulls roll back and forth far more than a catamaran, monohull fans will argue that the slow roll period of a monohull has a comforting effect.

There any many brands and builders to choose from as most builders still only produce monohulls. Whilst this trend is changing, 50+ years of composite boat building has been heavily monohull focused. This does mean that there is a far greater selection of vessels, designers and brands and builders to select from.

Whilst the monohull comparably has less interior space, the wide waterline beam (width) allows for greater use of the internal hull height. This either enables builders to mount tanks and storage below cabin floors or to actually expand the cabin below waterline. As a catamaran gains performance via its light displacement and narrow waterline beam, this is often not practical on a catamaran.

Jumping from one boat to another will feel extremely familiar as the differences in handling between brands is minimal, with the exception of planning hull vs displacement hull. Focusing on planning hulls, however you will quickly feel familiar jumping from one boat to another. On the contrary, the difference in handling from a monohull to a power catamaran are immediately apparent.

Disadvantages of Monohulls

Now that we have seen the advantages of a monohull, lets analyse some disadvantages one might encounter while boating on a typical V-bottomed or deep-V motoryacht.

Low stability

Bow steering, rolling at anchor, significant bowrise.

Due to the wide flat hull shape required to get the monohull more quickly into planning mode, it can produce a rather bumpy ride when motoring through waves. Performance through waves can be significantly improved or diminished depending on the hull shape. For instance, a deep V hull will be more comfortable through waves than a shallow V. However, both are significantly outperformed by even the worst power catamaran designs.

A monohulls heel angle is directly affected by weight placement. Moving too much weight to port or to stbd will cause the vessel to heel. This is significantly noticeable when at anchor however even underway an incorrectly loaded monohull can dangerously heel. This can be overcome underway by the use of trim tabs. However, is best overcome by conscious weight placement and management.

Bow steering usually occurs when motoring at speed in a following sea or when passing another vessels wake. If you are inexperienced and do not know what is happening it can be quite frightening. Basically, the boat will suddenly and often expectantly turn hard in one direction while rolling hard in the opposite direction, despite your efforts to steer straight. Bow steering can be prevented with the installation of trim tabs. They can enable you to raise the bow up and out of the water when in a following sea. Trim tabs are not needed on a catamaran due to the natural separation of hulls bow steering.

At times you will undoubtedly come across anchorages that aren’t completely flat. When this happens, monohulls, that rely on the weight of their COG (center of gravity) to be aligned below their COB (center of buoyancy) to keep them upright, will start to rock from side to side. Things roll around inside, plates go flying. It’s uncomfortable or sometimes impossible to cook, and only the hardiest of yachties will be getting any sleep. 

While all of this is going on, at the next mooring ball, the power catamaran owners are sitting in their cockpits sipping sun-downers, barely noticing the movement, quietly getting tipsy before a long night’s sleep.

The degree of bowrise varies with monohull designs. However, for those of you unfamiliar with this term, bowrise is the tendency of a boat to point its bows up in the air before it gets into planning mode and then settles somewhat. This puts passengers through an uncomfortable, and sometimes unnerving experience whilst also exposing the vessel to a decreased level of stability and safety.

POWER CATAMARAN

Advantages of power catamarans.

Whilst individual designs can vary by design and their usage, the benefits below are typically universal for most catamarans. In comparison to the equivalent length monohull a catamaran shall deliver the following advantages:

Superior ride comfort

Enhanced stability at anchor and underway, up-scaled cabins and interiors, larger single level cockpit and saloon, significantly improved fuel consumption.

• Drastically improved close-quarter maneuvering

Catamarans experience slower deceleration through wave impact. This significantly reduces slamming through waves. This has been measured with accelerometers in like for like tests to have a 25% reduction in G forces when riding over waves.

Due largely to their wider beam, catamarans have a remarkably higher righting moment compared to monohulls. This prevents them from rolling side-to-side when at anchor, and keeps them sitting level both underway and at rest . This is regardless of placement of people or luggage, this also eliminates the need for catamarans to use trim tabs.

More interior volume, especially in power catamarans that carry their beam all the way forward. Even applicable in the smallest cats that will usually have stand up headroom in each cabin, unlike smaller monohulls. As a result of this increased volume, a power catamaran will always feel over sized – more fairly compared to a monohull 15-20% longer in length. A 35ft power catamaran for instance is more fairly matched against a 43ft motor yacht.

Catamarans generally provide far more living space in the main salon and cockpit in comparison to similarly priced monohulls. The galley, main salon and cockpit are also all on one level, above the water line … making life aboard as well as your view much more enjoyable.

Due to their reduced displacement and wetted surface area power catamarans are impressively efficient. The wider monohull bows create a large bow wake and greater resistance, which require more HP to get onto plane. Not only does this burn more fuel, but also enables a catamaran to get onto plane under just one motor. This is a significant safety advantage, enabling a boat with only one working engine to return to shore before dark rather than limping home at below planning speeds. The ability to plane at lower RPM’s enables cruisers not wanting to travel at groundbreaking speeds to achieve highly efficient low speed planning. Vastly expanding their cruising ground while not breaking the bank nor taking all day to get to the next anchorage. Learn more about power catamaran fuel consumption HERE>>

Drastically improved close-quarter maneuvering: A large separation between the port and stbd engine drastically improves close-quarters maneuvering. This enables a power catamaran to literally rotate within its own waterline length by simply putting one engine in reverse, and one in forward. Add a joystick control and you’re in command of one of the easiest boats that you will ever dock.

Disadvantages of Power Catamarans

Despite the significant benefits gained by the power catamaran, there are also a few unusual traits associated with powercats:

Outward banking

Snaking at anchor, tunnel-slap, unusual appearance.

When making sharp turnsm a monohull will bank (roll) into the turn. A catamaran, on the other hand, due to its increased stability and righting moment will actually bank slightly outward. If coming from a monohull background, initially this sensation will feel unusual. However, If you have no prior expectations regarding the outward bank offers ,no benefits or disadvantage over the inward bank.

Due to the power catamarans wide beam and asymmetry, when at anchor a shifting breeze will cause the vessel to turn to port and stbd in a snakelike movement.  If the wind has some strength and continues to shift, this movement can become uncomfortable. We therefore recommend attaching an anchor bridle whenever anchoring which completely eradicates this effect.

In certain conditions, catamarans can experience tunnel slap. This is where a wave passing under the tunnel rises up and slaps the wingdeck surface causing a thud or slapping sound. This effects different catamaran designs in various ways depending on whether they are of displacement or planning type. A displacement catamaran requires a high wingdeck to overcome the wave crest heights in order to ride over the top of the waves. Planning catamarans, on the other hand, should have narrower and shallower tunnels. This forces a compressed air mixture through the tunnel, creating a cushioning and lifting effect lifting the catamaran above the surface of the water with intensity increasing as speed increases.

When asked, many monohull owners claim they do not like the unusual appearance of a power catamaran. Whilst styling preference is subjective, at Makai we have worked hard to design a power catamaran that delivers all of the benefits of a catamaran. Whilst doing so with attractive and unmistakable styling.

CONCLUSION : Power Catamaran or Monohull?

Whilst each have their own advantages and disadvantages the final choice is completely down to personal preference. Clearly, we are die hard catamaran believers, but we also believe that what is most important above all else is just getting outside and on the water, having fun and being safe. So, when you find the boat that does all of the right things for you, go for it!

Learn more about MAKAI Yachts HERE>>

Learn more about the MAKAI M37 HERE>>

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Catamaran vs Monohull - 6 Points To Consider Before Choosing Your Boat

Multihull or monohull? It’s an age-old (and ongoing) debate, and each option certainly comes with its own set of pros and cons. Whether you’re thinking of investing in a boat of your own, or planning on chartering one for a sailing holiday, one thing’s for sure: the type of vessel you select will have an impact on your cruising experience. Ultimately, what you intend to use it for will determine which type of boat would be best suited for the job. In this article, we considered the aspects of space & design; safety; stability; speed; manoeuvrability and cost, so do read on for our comparison of the multihull catamaran vs the monohull sailboat.

THE CATAMARAN VS THE MONOHULL – A COMPARISON

1. stability . which is more stable, a catamaran or a monohull.

Fact – by virtue of having two hulls, both under sail and at anchor, catamarans are more stable than monohull boats. If you are sailing with young children, seniors – or anyone who’s not all-too steady on their feet – a catamaran will provide you with a much smoother and stable cruising experience than a monohull. Being multihulled, catamarans are not nearly as susceptible to the action of the ocean’s waves. This prevents them from heeling as much as monohull vessels would under the same conditions. As anyone who suffers from seasickness will tell you, this can be an enormous bonus. What’s more, a cat’s multihull stability will also be highly appreciated by anyone prepping food in its galley (two hulls make for a somewhat more pleasant dining experience, too). Lastly, because of its superior stability, walking around the deck (and moving around the interior) of a catamaran is much easier than it would be on a monohull. The verdict? Catamarans are more stable than monohulls.

2. SAFETY . WHICH IS SAFER – A CATAMARAN OR A MONOHULL?

The inherent stability and natural buoyancy of a catamaran automatically increase its safety while out at sea. As catamarans don’t have heavy, lead-loaded keels, they will remain afloat, even when (heaven forbid) they are holed. This is because most modern catamarans have such a large amount of buoyancy built into them that they are almost unsinkable, making them much safer than monohull sailboats in this regard. Sure, catamarans can capsize, but being rescued from an upside-down, still-floating multihull is definitely preferable to sinking to the bottom in a monohull! The verdict? Contemporary catamarans are incredibly buoyant and virtually unsinkable, making them safer than monohull sailboats.

3. SPACE & DESIGN . WHICH IS MORE SPACIOUS AND PRACTICAL – A CATAMARAN OR A MONOHULL?

Due to the boat's shape (and the amount of usable space each design allows), when compared square-foot-for-square-foot, every area of a monohull vessel is usually smaller than its catamaran counterpart. Generally, catamarans offer more room to move in its galley, cockpit and saloon areas than similarly priced monohull boats. Often, catamaran cabins are more spacious too, with cabins of even the smallest cat offering stand-up headroom. Catamarans are also generally more private than monohulls, and more straightforward when it comes to separating living spaces. This can be a significant advantage when you are cruising with children or guests. As most of a cat’s living spaces are above the waterline (on a monohull, only the cockpit is above the waterline), you’ll also enjoy superior airflow through ventilation on a catamaran. If you’re a scuba-diving enthusiast, carrying all of your diving equipment will be easier on a cat. What’s more, catamarans have trampolines, which make them perfect for onboard sunbathing as well as stargazing in the moonlight – a big, romantic plus for sure! Catamarans also have shallower drafts, allowing you to drop anchor closer to the beach than a monohull would. The verdict? Compared square-foot-for-square-foot, catamarans are more spacious than their monohull counterparts. In terms of design, a catamaran is perfect for onboard sunbathing and stargazing and will allow you to anchor closer to shore.

4. MANOEUVRABILITY . WHICH IS EASIER TO STEER, A CATAMARAN OR A MONOHULL?

Most catamarans can turn 360 degrees within their own length, something very few monohulls are capable of doing. However, generally speaking, monohulls are quick to tack, more manoeuvrable, and quicker to respond to the helm than catamarans. At the helm of a catamaran, you’ll get less feedback from the wheel than you would from a monohull. This will require you to be vigilant in rough conditions, and you’ll also have to know when to reduce sail. Compared square-foot-for-square-foot, catamarans are much lighter than monohulls, which means they also slow down a lot quicker. For the most part, catamarans are easier to dock than monohulls, as they have two motors and two rudders which simplify things a lot. This also does away with the need for a bow thruster. The verdict? We’re calling it a tie. Although monohulls are generally more manoeuvrable than catamarans, thanks to their two motors and two rudders, cats are easier to steer than monohulls.

5. SPEED . WHICH IS FASTER, A CATAMARAN OR A MONOHULL?

Although catamarans cannot sail as close to the wind as monohull sailboats, most cats do sail faster than a monohull on a reach. On downwind runs, reaches, and broad reaches, in particular, catamarans usually beat monohulls when it comes to speed, going about 20% faster than a monohull (even outrunning bad weather when necessary!). Another plus is that sailing a catamaran requires less physical exertion than sailing a monohull. The verdict? Even if they don’t point as high into the wind, catamarans are faster than their monohull counterparts.

6. COST . WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE, A CATAMARAN OR A MONOHULL?

Generally speaking, catamarans with similar sleeping capacity and equipment are more costly than their monohull counterparts (both to own or to charter). Just keep in mind that catamarans typically hold their value better and longer (and tend to be in higher demand) than monohulls. Comparatively, previously owned monohulls are cheaper to purchase than cats, as supply tends to outweigh demand by a large margin. The verdict? Catamarans are more costly than monohull sailboats. However, a read-through of Points 1 to 5 might convince you that they are worth the extra expense.

CATAMARAN OR MONOHULL? – YOUR NEEDS WILL DETERMINE YOUR CHOICE

Looking at the list of pros and cons above, it would seem that the catamaran comes out the clear winner – at least when judged on aspects of safety, space & design, speed and stability. However, your budget, the requirements of the people in your sailing group, as well as your own needs and preferences will all play a significant role in the boat you end up choosing. Both catamarans and monohulls offer unique advantages, and whichever choice you go with, we wish you many happy ocean voyages and an abundance of adventure! Ps. If you’re still unsure which option is the right one for you, why not check out the verdict from ocean adventurers who have lived aboard two monohulls and four catamarans over the past 25 years?

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Monohulls or Catamarans – Which is Best for the Cruising Sailor?

The debate between catamarans vs monohulls still rages, and most boaters are firmly on one side or the other. The truth is, either a catamaran or a monohull can provide a wonderful way to enjoy sailing, traveling, and being on the water. 

Both have advantages and disadvantages, and both have large and loud fan clubs. The choice between a catamaran and a monohull depends on your budget, lifestyle, and personal preferences.

My wife and I have owned both types of vessels over the years. After five years of cruising on a Lagoon catamaran, we decided to go old school and bought our current boat—a heavy, full-keel monohull. The catamaran was fun, for sure—but it wasn’t for us in the end. Here’s a look at all of the differences we learned about during our journey.

Table of Contents

Life at anchor, life at a dock, life underway, living space, storage space, ride comfort and motion at sea, maintenance time and costs, docking and maneuvering, capsize risk, hull breach scenarios.

• Rigging Safety 

Rigging Strength and Configuration

Monohull vs catamaran speed, thoughts on catamaran vs monohull for circumnavigation, deciding monohull vs catamaran, faqs – catamarans vs monohulls.

Life on Sailing Catamarans vs Life on a Monohull Vessel

At anchor, a catamaran provides superb comfort and living space. The “upstairs” cockpit and salon mean that boaters can enjoy non-stop wrap-around views.  Monohull boaters are stuck in their caves and must peek out of their small portlights or climb into their cockpits to view the world. 

A modern catamaran will also have swim steps that make it easy to get on and off the boat and provide easy access to dinghies and water toys. 

If there’s an uncomfortable roll or swell in the anchorage, the catamaran’s stability will make the roll a bit less noticeable. Monohull boaters are more likely to be adversely impacted in a rolly anchorage. This does not mean that the cat owners are getting a perfect night’s sleep every evening, however. Catamarans just have a different motion in rocky anchorages, not a lack of motion.

Life at a dock gets a little more tricky for catamarans. Most marinas were built long before the catamaran trend and feature traditional slip sizes meant for monohulls. Marinas have to put catamarans on t-heads or make other accommodations. Therefore, it can be harder and more expensive to find a catamaran-friendly dock. 

Once at a dock, the massive space of a catamaran can be harder to heat and cool efficiently. Catamarans usually need several air conditioners or heaters installed, whereas a monohull can get by with only one or two. That also means that cats might need more power (50 or 100 amp service instead of 30 amp) than some marinas can provide.

Monohulls will have fewer issues finding marinas that can accommodate them, and they pay standard rates. 

When sailing in protected waters, catamarans usually speed past their monohull friends. A catamaran provides a flat ride and sailors can move around their boats easily to make sail changes as needed. Walking on a catamaran’s deck is undemanding. 

Catamaran sailors also have many options to rest comfortably underway. Because catamarans don’t heel over, catamaran sailors can sleep in their usual cabins. They can move about the interior of the boat with ease. Cooking in the galley doesn’t usually look any different underway.

In similar conditions, a monohull will heel over. Some sailors love the feeling of being heeled over and feeling the wind in their hair. Some don’t. It can be more challenging to walk the decks and work sails on a monohull vs a catamaran. While in the cockpit, monohull sailors will want to sit on one side and may even need to brace themselves to stay comfortable. For long trips, there is no doubt that living while heeled over for days at a time is exhausting. 

Moving around the interior of a monohull boat at sea is also more challenging. Monohull sailors usually sleep in sea-berths with lee cloths instead of their usual quarters. It would be very uncomfortable to sleep in a v-berth underway, as the bow may be continuously pitching in seas. The lee-cloth in the sea-berth helps keep a resting sailor in their berth instead of falling onto the floor. 

Monohull boats have gimbaled stoves. Even while the boat is heeled over, the galley stove will remain level. However, cooking in a monohull while underway is still more challenging than cooking in a catamaran since the cook needs to constantly brace themselves against the heel and rolling motion. 

At the same time, none of this is to say that catamaran sailors have it easier at sea. In reality, catamarans may be more level, but they feel every wave in the ocean twice. The result is a choppy, bumpy ride with no rhythm. It can be just as tiring as being heeled over in a monohull.  

Catamaran vs Monohull Sailing Compared

Here are just a few ways that catamarans differentiate themselves from monohulls as platforms for living aboard.

• Living space—quantity and quality
• Storage space and weight
• Budget—purchase and routine maintenance
• Maintenance
• Catamaran vs Monohull for Circumnavigation
• Docking and close-quarters maneuvering

Catamarans have significantly larger and often more attractive living spaces. On the other hand, the living space on a monohull is usually small and can be dark due to small windows.

A monohull’s cockpit tends to be small and focused on safety. Families are more likely to feel in each other’s way, and moving around while others are seated can be awkward. On a catamaran, the cockpit is likely to be large and social. Catamaran cockpits have large tables and lots of lounging space in the cockpit.

Catamarans have large trampolines forward, which provides another comfortable, social lounging space that monohulls lack. Many catamarans also feature additional lounge space via the large cockpit roof. 

The salon on a monohull is located in the main cabin. A monohull’s salon will be smaller than a similarly-sized catamaran. Often there is a small table, room for several people to sit, and a single sleeping berth. 

Catamarans feature a wide bridge deck that crosses both hulls. This large living area features great visibility, ventilation, and natural light. On some catamarans, the galley is located on the bridge deck (called “galley up”), and on others, the galley is located in one of the hulls (called “galley down”). 

Monohulls have sleeping quarters in the bow and stern of the boat. On smaller monohulls, the main sleeping area is usually a v-berth. Older, smaller monohulls usually have just one head. 

On a catamaran, the sleeping quarters are located in each hull. These cabins often feature regular-sized boat beds and large en-suite heads. Cabins on a catamaran usually offer more privacy than monohulls. 

Catamarans are popular with charter companies because large families or groups of friends can enjoy living on a boat together in style and comfort. Each will have a private cabin and a private head. In addition, if you want to find space to exercise, do yoga, or watersports, you’ll find these activities much easier and more comfortable on a catamaran. 

Catamarans have more space in general and certainly have more storage space. The additional deck space catamaran designs offer lends to easy storage for larger items, such as paddleboards and kayaks. Catamarans can often hoist and store larger dinghies than monohulls can. Large compartments make storage easy. 

However, many catamaran owners are very cautious about storing too much. Additional weight can slow down a catamaran’s performance speeds. With so much space to put things in, it’s remarkably easy to overload a cruising catamaran. Many owners complain about the performance of smaller cats, when in reality they are often just badly overloaded.

Monohulls have less space and less storage. Finding space for big items like water toys can be challenging. But monohullers worry less about weight and freely carry around their cast iron skillet collections—because weight doesn’t impact performance on a monohull nearly as much. 

This is a consideration when cruisers consider adding additional equipment. For example, a catamaran owner will have to consider the added weight of a generator and its detriment to sailing speed. In contrast, a monohull owner will have to consider finding space for the new generator. 

Some prefer the motion of a monohull while sailing. Monohulls heel over but are steady, and sailors usually get used to the heeling motion. On a catamaran, if conditions are good, the boat won’t heel and will provide a comfortable ride. 

When sailing upwind, some catamarans experience bridge deck slamming. Waves get caught between the two hulls and create a slamming motion and sound. It’s hard to predict the timing and strength of each slamming motion, so some catamaran sailors can find it tiresome. 

The amount of bridge deck slam varies from boat to boat. Catamarans with higher bridge decks will experience less slamming, while boats with bridge decks closer to the water experience more. 

Beyond that often-discussed issue, there is also the issue of the boat’s motion. It’s very difficult to imagine how different the motions are when compared to one another. The monohulls slice through the waves, usually with a predictable rhythm. A catamaran, built lightly to sail fast, feels more like it bounces over the tops of waves. The crew will feel each impact as each hull hits each wave. The result is a choppy, unpredictable motion—but it’s generally flat and level.

Monohulls have been around for ages. Therefore, sailors just starting out can find inexpensive, older monohulls. If you have a tight budget, you’ll probably start looking for a monohull.

Catamarans are newer to the market. Therefore, the initial purchase price of a catamaran is likely to be higher. Monohull buyers can often find a used, well-equipped, comfortable monohull for less than $100,000. Catamaran buyers usually spend upwards of $250,000 for a used cruising catamaran. 

Because monohulls have been produced for so long, there is much more supply. The catamaran’s more modern pedigree means that there are always fewer catamarans on the market than monohulls. As more and more customers are drawn to the attractive living space and stable sailing offered by catamarans, demand keeps going up, while supply remains low.

Besides the higher up-front costs, catamarans are more expensive to keep and maintain. A monohull usually just has one engine. A monohull might have one head (bathroom) and will generally have less equipment. Monohulls have less space and storage, after all. Catamarans have twin engines, multiple heads, more hatches—more everything. 

With more equipment, catamarans have higher maintenance costs. When a monohull owner services their engine, they have just one engine. A catamaran owner will need to service twin engines. Furthermore, each hull on a catamaran usually has separate and independent systems like bilge pumps, plumbing, fuel, water tanks, holding tanks…the list goes on. 

A monohull owner will paint one hull bottom and wax only one hull. A catamaran owner will do everything twice. Therefore, the effort and cost of maintenance are often doubled on a catamaran. 

Not only does it cost more money, it can also be harder to accomplish maintenance on a catamaran. You see, catamaran owners have fewer options to haul out. Most older boatyards have travel lifts that only accommodate boats up to 18 or 20 feet wide. Therefore, catamarans need to find a boatyard that has a large enough travel lift or a trailer to haul them. Because there is less supply and more demand for these larger travel lifts, the cost of hauling out a catamaran is often higher. 

While some monohulls have lifting or swing keels and can reduce their draft, most catamarans have a shallow draft. This allows them greater flexibility while choosing anchorages. Even if a catamaran and monohull boat choose the same anchorage, the catamaran can get closer to shore and get better wind protection. 

One final big difference between these two types of vessels is their ability to maneuver in tight spaces. Monohull sailboats are notoriously difficult to maneuver around docks and marinas. They often have poor visibility from the helm and difficult handling, especially in reverse. The single-engine design often requires a bow thruster, even on smaller boats. 

The contrast that catamarans offer is pretty stunning. Even though they appear massive and ungainly in comparison, their twin engines mounted far outboard enable them to spin in their own length. Catamarans can be maneuvered in pretty much any direction using only differential thrust from the engines–all without a bow thruster.

Safety Considerations — Are Cruising Catamarans Safe?

Since most people have only limited experience with these vessels, many people wonder are catamarans safe. Even though they have been making large cruising cats for decades now, most of us have only really played on Hobie cats at the beach. And if there’s one thing we know about Hobie cats, it’s that they’re a lot of fun until you flip it over!

Here’s a look at a few safety considerations and how catamarans stack up against monohulls. 

• Catamaran stability — capsize potential 
• Hull breaches and sinking risk
• Rigging failures
• Designing for speed
• Redundancy on board

So, can you capsize a cruising catamaran? The answer is yes, no matter what the fanboys and girls say. It is technically possible but highly unlikely. Cruising cats are massive, and in all likelihood, you’re more likely to break the rigging than flip the boat. But in rough seas and extreme conditions, it does happen even on modern catamarans.

If a monohull encounters strong winds and rough weather, it will heel and roll significantly—but it will keep righting itself. In dire conditions, the vessel could suffer a knockdown. But a monohull will always right itself after a roll—it has tens of thousands of pounds of heavy keel to ensure that it does. Of course, the rig and anything on deck will sustain serious damage in the process, but the boat will be upright in the end. 

In the same scenario, while unlikely, a catamaran can capsize. And the catamaran will then remain capsized, with no possibility of righting itself.  

One of the scariest risks at sea is that of a serious hull breach, one that a bilge pump couldn’t keep up with. For example, a boat could be holed by an errant floating object or suffer a stuffing box or through-hull failure.

If a monohull sailboat is holed, it could sink straight to the bottom of the ocean. The crew would be left with only a liferaft and whatever they were able to recover before the sinking.

But a catamaran is filled with foam and is (more or less) unsinkable. If a catamaran experienced a hull breach or capsizes, it would take on water and may become less habitable. However, it will still float. In many cases, not much of the boat is left above the water—but it’s still at the top of the water.

Boaters may be able to perform emergency repairs and get the boat to port themselves. Or, they may have to stay with their vessel until help arrives. In either scenario, the crew maintains access to supplies and can stay with a much larger vessel, increasing the likelihood of being found and rescued. 

Some catamaran sailors are so certain of their vessels floating in all scenarios that they don’t even carry a liferaft aboard. This is fool-hearty, to say the least, given the crazy and unpredictable things that can happen to any boat on the ocean. But one scenario is equally scary for the monohull or the catamaran sailor and should convince everyone that any offshore vessel should have a liferaft—the possibility of an uncontrollable fire.

Rigging Safety

When wind speed increases, a monohull will heel over. This heeling motion sheds the excess power of the wind. Monohull boaters should pay attention to the weather and reduce sail to ensure they aren’t overpowering the boat. This is why knowing how to reef a sail is so important for all sailors.

However, on a catamaran, the sails and rigging take the increased load when wind speed increases. Catamarans don’t heel, and therefore, don’t shed excess power. If the weather becomes gusty and a catamaran has too much sail up, all that extra power is transferred to the sails and rigging.

This can cause a dangerous situation. For example, there have been reports of catamarans being de-masted in sudden gusts of wind. In a worst-case scenario, a catamaran could capsize if they are over-canvassed when experiencing extreme wind conditions.

Most monohulls have strong standing rigging. The forestay is connected to a solid structure, the hull. This means that the forestay has a strong, stable platform and gives a monohull better upwind performance. Monohulls also usually have backstays, which provide rigging redundancy.

On a catamaran, the forestay is attached to a crossbeam. Because the platform is not as rigid as a monohull’s hull, the forestay is not as strong. In addition, catamarans usually don’t have backstays, and therefore have less rigging redundancy. 

The configuration of the rigging is another rigging consideration. On a monohull, the spreaders and shrouds are perpendicular to the mast. Most catamarans come with fractional rigs that don’t have backstays, and their shrouds are set far back. Because of this configuration, catamaran sailors can’t let their mainsails out all the way on a downwind run because the shrouds are in the way. This leads to less efficient sail shapes when sailing downwind.

However, catamaran sailors can rig their sails to sail wing-on-wing. While monohull sailors can also use this configuration with the help of a whisker pole, catamaran sailors have a nice, wide, stable platform to fly large downwind sails. 

There’s no doubt about it–catamarans sail faster. Most articles and comparisons state that catamarans are about 20% faster than a similarly sized monohull. Catamarans have a lower wetted surface area and less drag than monohulls. They’re especially nice to sail in light winds, conditions that heavy cruising monohulls tend to not do well in.

While most cruising cats can’t sail upwind as high as monohulls can, they still win the race. However, if a catamaran has daggerboards and a good sail inventory, it can point as well as a monohull. 

Many boat owners believe that speed equals safety, as you might be able to outrun an impending storm. That’s a debatable strategy since weather systems often move faster than any cruising boat can move. It has a lot more to do with planning and the decisions made by the skipper, in the end. 

Furthermore, more speed means a rougher ride. A heavy, full-keeled monohull might not move very fast, but the sea-kindly and forgiving ride means a more comfortable and better-rested crew. This only goes to illustrate that the “more speed” argument is far more of a personal preference than many sailors admit—especially when it comes to long-distance cruising.

A faster boat provides a skipper with more options, but it does not ultimately equal inherent safety. That will always come down to the skipper and the crew, and the choices they make. A slow boat in the hands of an experienced and careful crew will always be safer than a fast racer under the command of an inexperienced and green crew. In other words, there is no replacement for seamanship and careful planning.

Catamarans have two of everything. While this does equal double the cost and maintenance, it also provides redundancy. If a monohull’s single engine dies and there is no wind, they may have to call for a tow or wait for wind. If a catamaran’s left engine dies, sailors can just continue on the right engine. 

Twenty years ago, the majority of boats completing circumnavigations were classic bluewater monohulls. Monohulls are considered safe and capable circumnavigators.

But today, catamarans are establishing themselves as the more desirable choice for many circumnavigators. Catamarans are fast, stable, and capable of crossing oceans. In addition, catamarans can carry significant supplies and offer redundancies. Plus, the extra space that catamarans provide also means that the crew will enjoy watersports like diving, paddle boarding, and surfing. 

Since nearly all traditional routes are downwind “milk runs,” catamarans naturally excel along the way. If you take a look at the competing boats for the World ARC rally for the last few years, a definite trend is growing. More catamarans compete every year. Common entrants include Lagoon 450s and Antares 44s.

One of the most significant decision points when thinking about catamarans versus monohulls is your budget. If your budget is under $100,000, a monohull will be your best bet. If your budget is between $100,000 and $250,000, you can consider a smaller, older catamaran. Catamarans such as PDQs, Prouts, and Geminis will be in your budget. If you have a budget of over $250,000 and can afford higher dockage and maintenance costs, you can consider a catamaran.

Next, consider your comfort level. To try it out, you might want to charter both a monohull and a catamaran. Check out a sailing vacation in the BVI or with a company like Cruise Abaco. Taking classes at our local sailing school might also be helpful. https://cruiseabaco.com

Many folks are attracted to the larger, more comfortable spaces of a catamaran. However, some people feel more seasick on a catamaran and can’t get used to the motion.  So a lot of your decision will come down to personal preference. 

If you can’t imagine squeezing into a darker, smaller cabin in a monohull, then a catamaran might be calling your name. On the other hand, if you are a traditionalist who loves heeling and boats with a lot of teak, a monohull might be your dream boat. It’s just impossible to know how a boat will make you feel until you’ve experienced both.

Boaters often discuss the compromises involved in boat choices. Whether you choose a monohull or a catamaran, there will be some compromises involved. However, no matter which boat you choose, you can enjoy smooth sailing, beautiful anchorages, and some adventure along the way.

Worried about getting caught in severe storm conditions in your boat ? Visit our guide!

Which is better monohull or catamaran?

Both monohulls and catamarans are popular choices for cruising sailors. Which one is better depends entirely on your personal preferences and which boat is more comfortable and appealing to you. If you are on a tight budget, a monohull is your best choice. On the other hand, if you love large open living spaces, a catamaran will be the better option.

Which is safer catamaran or monohull?

When wondering are catamarans safe, always remember that the primary determinant of the safety of a vessel is its captain, not the vessel itself. Both monohull sailboats and cruising cats have important limitations that their skippers must know and abide by. 

Some consider catamarans safer because they are virtually unsinkable. If it has a hull breach or capsizes, it will still float. 

Others see the sea-kindly monohull to be the safer bet, as they are better designed to protect their crews from the elements in severe weather. They also cannot capsize, as their ballast provides a righting moment in all conditions. But on the other hand, if a monohull experiences a hull breach, it can sink.

Can catamarans handle rough seas?

Modern cruising catamarans are built strong enough to cross oceans and survive in all kinds of conditions. It might be an uncomfortable ride, but not an unsafe ride. In the end, it is the skipper of the boat who ensures its safety at sea. Good seamanship makes a far bigger difference in how a boat handles rough seas than the design of the boat does. 

In extreme conditions, such as hurricanes or sudden gusty winds, catamarans can capsize. Once a catamaran has capsized, it won’t right itself. However, it will still float, although upside down. Heavy seas are more likely to cause maintenance and chafing issues on both catamarans and monohulls.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

Catamaran vs Monohull – Which is Better?

Which is better a catamaran or a monohull.

I’m often asked by my students why one would choose a sailing monohull or a sailing catamaran for their adventures. The simple answer is: There is no simple answer — it depends on a lot of things, perhaps the most important one is your preference. “Yeah, well, this is my first week sailing ever, so how do I have a preference?” Let’s explore the differences and discuss the ins and outs of sailing, chartering, performance, and living aboard either vessel.

Notice that I don’t say “pros” and “cons” when considering the differences between the two vessels. To some, the gentle rocking of the monohull elicits nostalgia for a bygone youth spent sailing dinghies in the bay. To others, it represents sleepless nights, banging kitchenware, and angry spouses.

Short Summary – Catamaran vs Monohull

Generally, I describe my preference as follows: If I want to invite guests that are not frequently on the water, have less tolerance for “bumpy” nights, or expect a more “luxury” experience (you’ll see why I put it in quotes shortly) then I select a sailing catamaran. There is more room to spread out (vs the same length mono), rocking at anchor/mooring is minimized, and the kids love playing on the trampoline. Or perhaps phrased differently, “If you want to drink from beach to beach…”

DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL WHILE OPERATING ANY VESSEL. EVER.

If, however, you want to put some miles down sailing from port to port in the Med (or wherever you have variable wind direction), then the mono is probably the better option. It has better upwind performance and costs less in marinas.

Let’s get into the details. We’re going to compare a suitable, common charter catamaran ( Lagoon, 40 ’) with a good, common charter monohull (Beneteau, 41’).

Sailing and Performance

The monohull total tacking angle is about 90-100 degrees apparent wind angle (AWA). This means that the closest close-haul sailing angle achievable is approximately 45-50 degrees off the wind. The comparable catamaran has a total tacking angle of about 110-120 degrees (55-60 degrees AWA off the wind). This loss is due to the extra leeway experienced in the catamaran. This is a significant difference when trying to beat to windward and can mean the difference between sailing the entire distance vs putting the sails up for show only. For those interested in math, the progress into the wind is determined by the cosine of the close haul sailing angle (angle of the wind) times the length of the leg on that tack.

windward distance = cosine(𝜶) x leg length

Where α is the close haul sailing of the vessel. Table 1 compares the windward distance achieved of 3 sailing angles over a leg length of 1 unit (nautical mile, km, etc). For example, if the leg length is 1 nm, and 7 legs are sailed, a total distance of 7 nm is covered. However, the progress to windward is not 7 nm, but

cosine(𝜶) x leg length = cos(45°) x 7 nm = 0.71 x 7 nm = 5.0nm

for a monohull sailing 45° to the wind, and 4.0 nm for a catamaran sailing 55° to the wind. The final difference after 7 tacks each is 1.0 nm, which would take the catamaran an additional 2 tacks (and just shy of 2 nm distance sailed) to make up the difference.

Table 1. Sailing Angle and Distance Comparison Sailing Angle (off the wind) Windward Distance Achieved % loss from 45°

Figure 1. Sailing Angle Mono vs Cat

A real-life example

Sailing from Mallorca on a new Lagoon 40. We needed to sail directly upwind in about 20 knots of wind, 3 miles from Cala Mondragó to Cala D’Or. It took over 2 hours and we sailed over 7 nm. As you can see, the tacking angle is far from 90º typical to a monohull.

Additionally, the loss to each tack must be considered. Speed and headway is lost with each tack – the mono carries its momentum much better (minimal speed loss) through the tack and has minimal leeway loss compared to the catamaran. The cat loses a tremendous amount of its momentum and experiences significant leeway loss. And it has to take more tacks to make the same windward distance, rendering the loss greater than that just lost to having to sail a greater distance due to the tacking angle.

Daggerboards greatly reduce leeway and give catamarans excellent upwind performance on par with monohulls. There are reasons why all cats don’t just have daggerboards. Especially on charter boats, one mistake, leaving the boards down, in shallow water can destroy the boat.

Across the wind (most reaching situations), the catamaran is faster. Upwind, the mono makes better progress due to the tacking/sailing angle. Downwind is a competition.

Downwind is where catamarans really shine. The stability and smooth ride is no comparison to a monohull. We sailed Never Say Never, our Lagoon 400S2 from Hilton Head SC to Ft Lauderdale, we had a NE wind of 20-25 knots. For us to stay inshore of the Gulf Stream to avoid rough conditions, we were wing-on-wing for over 24 hours, surfing down gently at over 7 knots. We covered over 160 miles in 24 hours. Escorted by dolphins, this was one for the books —non-stop 3-day delivery.

Comfort & Stability

The catamaran doesn’t heel (well, it shouldn’t. I guess if that’s the case we’re having another conversation ). No heeling can mean easier walking about while underway: we’re all familiar with walking on level ground; walking with the ground at an angle is a less-common experience. However, there is an oft-missed discussion about the mono’s stability on a heel. Waves tend to roll under the mono’s hull. Once sea legs are found, the motion of the hull on the water is predictable and smooth.

The cat’s motion on waves tends to bounce between two “stable” states: one resting on the starboard hull, the other resting on the port hull. You get a slight, but sudden rock to starboard when the wave passes under the port pontoon, then a sudden return to port as the wave passes under the starboard hull. This tends to be a jarring motion all day. So while some argue that mono heeling is tiring, others will argue that this cat phenomenon is tiring. A sarcastic captain often says:

“One benefit of a cat, you get each wave twice!”

Each vessel has its own quirks for sail trim, so that is a wash. I can read a mono’s sails much easier than a cat’s, but I sailed monos for 20+ years before trying cats so I may be biased.

Catamaran vs Monohull Safety

The mono gives lots of feedback about being overpowered long before it becomes a problem: heel angle and weather helm are the loudest. The cat is much more subtle: mast and boom groans, light windward pontoon, lack of steerability. Experiment with the main traveller position and reefing on a schedule per the owners manual to find the optimum sail configuration on a cat.

When the seas pick up, catamarans do much better downwind. Monohulls tend to roll, yaw and wallow in the troughs and round up on the face of the waves. Catamaran’s tend to surf straight down the waves. A force 7-8 blow can be enjoyable. Stow your main and run with just the jib downwind on a cat and you’ll see the beauty and ease to steer this configuration.

“When the seas pick up, catamarans do much better downwind. Monohull’s tend to roll, yaw and wallow in the troughs”

Chartering and Living Aboard Considerations

Charter cost – cats are 30-60% more expensive than the equivalent mono.

In marinas, the cat rate is usually 50% greater than the mono rate. And, unless you get a reservation long in advance, they might not have room for you.

On moorings, depending on the bow cleat location, the mooring lines can run over or along portions of the hull of the cat. This leads to line stretch-and-relaxation noise all night long. For anyone in the forward cabins, this is a nightmare. Or worse since you can’t even get to sleep to have a nightmare.

Cats tend to have shallower draft and therefore can anchor closer to the beach. If wind and swell are from the same direction, cats tend to weather it better at anchor. Due to the bridle, cats do not swing on anchor. Older monos used to swing a lot, modern designs have reduced this swing tremendously.

There is lots more room on a cat to house the luxury amenities like A/C, water makers, and generators. Though, modern design is allowing for clever locations for these items in the mono, so there will probably be more monos becoming available with these options.

Cats tend to carry more potable water than the mono. They also carry more fuel. And burn more. Our weekly mono fuel bill ranges from $80-150 USD. Our weekly cat fuel bill ranges from $180-300 USD. (1.) Though you pay more for a catamaran, most systems are redundant. Two engines are better than one.

Catamaran vs Monohull Maneuverability

Cats are far easier to maneuver under power due to the two engines being separated by such a great distance. This makes picking up moorings, dropping and weighing anchor, and docking a breeze.

I would argue that monos are easier to manoeuvre under sail due to large rudders and heavy keels. The heavy keel maintains its momentum through manoeuvres much better than the cat. The large rudder means a small helm adjustment is quickly experienced in the respective heading. This large rudder also reduces steerage way to about 0.75-1.0 kts, whereas the cat is about 2.5 kts. While I doubt we’ll see cheaters , I mean bow thrusters, on 40’ monos, I have seen them on 44’ monos before. This added amenity makes up for greatly increased manoeuvrability while docking or weighing anchor.

Dinghy Storage

Storing the dinghy on the davits is a wonderful location for passages of any length. The reduced drag from not towing it is immediately seen in increased sailing speed. Monos must carry theirs on the bow or tow it astern. And you have to take the engine off too. Usually by hand, so you are not going to see a 20HP electric start engine on a dinghy for a 40’ mono. Not that you’d see that size for a 40’ cat either, but a 9.9 – 15 HP isn’t out of the question.

Ultimately, it boils down to what your preferences are. Do you like the extra space and amenities the cat provides? Do you like the sailing performance of the mono? Again, I choose a cat to sail from island to island in the Caribbean, where having a water maker or A/C is nice, fairly flat water is expected at all times, and anchoring close to the beach is a cool experience for everyone on board. I choose a mono to sail greater distances, go offshore, or hop from one marina to another in the Med.

1. This article was written in the spring of 2022, just before the crazy increase in fuel prices.  As of publication date, these numbers need to be adjusted higher by about 50-100%

Ben Martin is a long-standing instructor at Nautilus Sailing. ASA 201, 203, 204, 205, 214 Certified Instructor, RYA Yachmaster Offshore, USCG 100 Ton Captain. Ben grew up in Northern Maine sailing dinghies on a lake. He graduated from University of Maine with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. After working for the US Navy for a few years, he decided to pursue his passion on the water and worked as a charter yacht captain for several years in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Eventually, his career led to sailing instruction and he hasn’t looked back since.

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• Catamaran vs. Monohull: What Type of Boat is Right for You?
• Sailing Hub
• Sailing Dilemmas

• Catamaran vs. Monohull - which one should you choose?

When you are planning a sailing holiday, you’ll be faced with a choice; catamaran vs. monohull. Each type has many benefits, but it’s important to think about what your needs are because that will tell you just which one to pick!

Let's dive right in!

Ease of sailing

Maneuverability, space/layout, holiday vibe.

You may also like:  Sailing holiday destinations for your next boat trip

One of the top considerations you should have is what type of sailor you are because catamaran vs monohulls offer a distinctly different sailing experience. If you are a first time sailor and just want something incredibly easy to handle, then a catamaran will probably win out. 

Catamarans have great control when it comes to maneuvering in tight places. Since they have twin engines and rudders, you get a lot of control and can turn pretty much 360 degrees with ease.

Catamarans also have a shallow draft, which will allow you to explore much closer to the shoreline than a monohull would be able to venture. 

In the catamaran vs monohull speed debate, it might be more of a draw. Catamarans are typically 25-30% faster than a comparable monohull, but some argue that it comes at a price. When catamarans are sailing full speed you might experience a lot of slapping from the waves. Monohulls are designed to cut through the water. Also note that catamarans can be inefficient upwind and tack slowly. 

When considering sailing conditions , a catamaran vs monohull in rough seas will perform very differently. 

During rough sailing, you must be more vigilant when on a catamaran. The feedback from the wheel of a cat is not as obvious as that from a monohull. In high winds, you’ll need to know when to reduce sail. 

However, monohulls tend to roll more in stormy weather, while catamarans stay pretty level even in rough seas.

When thinking about catamaran vs monohull stability, the stability that catamarans offer is a huge draw for many. Since cats bounce with the waves less, it is easier to walk around and enjoy the yacht while in motion. The increased stability is also great for children, or seniors, or anyone who might be prone to seasickness. When it comes to catamaran vs monohull seasickness, catamarans come out on top.

Although it is worth noting that monohulls swing less than catamarans if placed side by side in an anchorage.

If you’re deciding on a catamaran vs. monohull, you’ll have to think about what type of group you have. For family sailing holidays , maybe a catamaran is the best choice. Catamarans are very spacious, offering a large living space, and many cabin/head options. This makes them optimal for parties that want to spread out. Whether you’re a family, a big group of friends, or even couples looking for a 5 star, luxury experience who appreciate the extra space and comfort even if it’s not needed, a catamaran can fit your needs.

If thinking about catamaran vs monohull liveaboard readiness, the catamaran is a top contender. With far more living space and a much more spacious kitchen, Catamarans are great for people and groups that want to focus on entertainment and lounging.  

Catamarans also typically have more spacious cabins and more privacy due to the layout with the cabins separate from the living area. This way you can send the kids to bed, and still enjoy the kitchen, dining, and living area. 

While catamarans are often touted for being roomy and luxurious, it’s worth nothing that monohull yachts can also be large and luxe. The Oceanis 62 and the Jeanneau 64 are top choices for those who want to live in the lap of luxury during their sailing holidays , while still getting that real sailing yacht experience.

In terms of catamarans vs monohull price , a monohull will definitely win. Charter prices for a catamaran can be 50-100% higher than that of a comparable sailing yacht. But that can be boiled down to the fact that you’re getting more space and more equipment with a catamaran! 

A monohull, will only have one of everything - like it’s name suggests. It has one hull, one engine, one rudder, whereas a catamaran has twice the equipment and twice the living space of a monohull of the same length.

Another catamaran vs monohull cost to consider is the mooring costs. A catamaran, due to its twin hulls, might use two spots. Monohulls take less space to moor, and will be less expensive in that regard. 

The cost of fuel should also be a consideration and in the question of catamaran vs monohull fuel efficiency, catamarans are the winner. With easy to drive hulls, and super light weight, they have great fuel efficiency. 

Lastly, there is an abundant supply of monohull charters yachts, so the charter costs tend to be less to match the demand. 

In the end, what it all comes down to is preference. In terms of performance, price, and comfort, catamarans and monohulls both have a lot going for them. You just need to decide what kind of holiday vibe you’re looking for, and Yacht4Less can help you with the rest! 

At Yacht4Less we recommend fully crewed catamaran charters if you’re looking for top-of-the-line luxury and a super relaxing holiday where you don’t have to lift a finger. These boats will offer the space and comfort you’d expect from a 5-star hotel. 

If you’re looking for a hands-on sailing adventure holiday, you might want to do a skippered charter with a monohull.. Your captain can show the ropes and help you learn how to sail. Or if you’re already an experienced sailor, go for a bareboat monohull charter . The exhilarating feeling of sailing a monohull is unmatched. It’s the classic romantic sailing experience, and makes for a thrilling holiday. 

For those looking for a sailing experience somewhere in between extravagant luxury and exciting escapades, Yacht4Less is here to help you find the perfect boat for your needs.  More sailing holiday dilemmas? We got you covered! Sailing Holidays vs. Land-Based Holidays  » Party Sailing vs. Natural Wonders  »

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Matt Weidert

Catamaran vs Monohull: Why the Cat is Better for Your Sailing

• We enjoy the extra lounge space a cat provides, especially a flybridge if available - that's where we'll spend most of our time during the day
• We like the common areas being above the waterline and the better stability
• We care less about sailing performance - we are the type of crew that is OK dropping sails if the winds are light or it's more convenient to motor
• As the captain, I appreciate the maneuverability twin engines provide for docking - it keeps some stress out of the equation
• Most tend to come with generators, AC, and water makers: all features we enjoy on these trips

Space & lounging

Sailing performance, maneuverability.

• Comfort & Stability

• Catamaran draft: ~4-5 feet
• Monohull draft: ~5-6 feet

Comfort & stability

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Catamaran vs. Monohull Sailboats

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

When it comes to catamaran vs. monohull, there are two schools of thought that always prompt impassioned debates as to which one is much better.

If you've used both a catamaran (a boat with two hulls) and a monohull (a boat with one hull), you know that they both have pros and cons. In most cases, it all boils down to your personal preferences and intended use but that shouldn't prevent us from highlighting the better one.

A catamaran is much better than a monohull in many ways. Catamarans are more stable, faster, and spacious. They also offer safer anchorage and are easy to control. Monohulls are more maneuverable, have lower costs, and better when sailing upwind. It all comes down to personal preference and intended purposes, but when it's all said and done, a catamaran has more advantages than a monohull.

In this incisive article, we'll highlight the critical differences between a catamaran and a monohull and see the one that comes out on top.

Table of contents

Catamaran vs Monohull

Safety while out there on the water is one of the most critical things that any sailor should have in mind when choosing the type of boat to use.

Catamarans shine on many aspects of safety. They're generally more stable and seem to have natural buoyancy since they don't have ballast and this makes them almost unsinkable. Generally, catamarans are designed with a considerable amount of reserve buoyancy thanks to the crannies of the vessel, nooks, and closed-cell foam. These objects can, however, become a serious cause of safety concern should there be a fire outbreak. All in all, a cat can sink in an accident, but it'll most likely float on the surface of water unlike monohulls, which will sink to the bottom.

Again, catamarans have flat decks. This makes it a lot safer to walk on them than it would be to walk on angled decks of monohulls. Given their flat decks, a catamaran boat will stay level and have less pitching and so it's a lot easier to keep the crew aboard and safe even in rough weather.

Another important fact that may contribute to the safety of a catamaran is its speed. If you've always believed that speed equals safety, then a catamaran is the right boat for you. In short, the speed of a catamaran will allow you to outrun rough weather. A modern catamaran can clock nearly 250 miles a day, which is quite faster, and so there's no reason why you should get caught in bad weather.

In terms of safety, a monohull is nowhere near a catamaran as far as safety is concerned. The most important thing about a monohull in terms of safety is its self-righting capabilities. With a monohull, you're likely to return to an upright position even after capsizing and this can give you a chance of accessing onboard safety equipment, floatation devices, life raft, EPIRBS, dinghy, strobe lights, and many more.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of a catamaran. With a catamaran, you'll stay upside down once you're upside down and this can be fatal in the middle of the ocean.

Verdict: The self-righting capabilities of a monohull can be life-saving but it isn't guaranteed. On the contrary, a catamaran has loads of safety features chief among them is its unsinkability, so it easily comes out on top as far as safety is concerned.

Speed and Performance

If everything including length remains the same, a catamaran is about 30% faster than a monohull. A cat can sail at half the speed of wind but this will, of course, upon the angle of the wind. It remains the faster vessel and will allow you to arrive at your destination promptly. If anything, you can outrun bad weather with a catamaran.

Monohulls are generally designed to operate pleasantly with the sailing elements. This means that they won't fight these elements and will, in turn, offer slow but sure sailing. However, they do not have a lower wetted surface area and are certainly much slower when compared to catamarans. They can, nonetheless, be a great choice for sailing upwind.

Verdict: When it comes to speed, the catamaran wins hands down. No argument.

Needless to say, a catamaran is designed with two parallel hulls that give it a more reliable form of stability. This is crucial in preventing heeling and capsizing while also mitigating any chances of rolling when speeding. This stability is also of great importance in eliminating seasickness for passengers.

The level of stability that a catamaran has is one of the main reasons why capsizing is a very rare occurrence. A catamaran can lurch when the tops of the waves are at a certain distance, thereby leading to less bobbing.

The stability of a monohull will always be questioned, especially when compared to a catamaran. To put it into perspective, a monohull is four times more likely to capsize than a catamaran because its design means that it has less stability. If anything, a mono's single-beam design makes it seven times more likely to feel the effects of heeling than a catamaran of the same size. In essence, heeling is a major problem in monohulls.

Verdict: The high level of stability that a catamaran brings to sailing will make even a novice sailor feel more confident sailing on a catamaran. Differently, a monohull is less stable and seems to be in constant rolling and pitching motion, which makes it very unstable and unsafe to walk around the deck.

Maneuverability

In most cases, cats always have twin engines, set almost 20 feet apart. This will not only give you superb close control in tight situations but certainly removes the need for a bow thruster. While it may seem redundant to have twin engines on a cat, you'll appreciate the importance of the second engine if the first engine develops a mechanical issue while you're out there on the water.

The shallow drafts of the catamaran also play a major role in maneuverability in the sense that you can navigate into places where you can't get with a monohull such as close to the shore without thinking about running aground.

From a different point of view, a monohull can be better in terms of maneuverability since you won't be dealing with two hulls. A monohull can also make sharp turns and even sail through narrow channels and tight spaces, which is almost impossible with a catamaran. Additionally, a monohull has a higher hull displacement, which is essential in reducing the adverse effects of crosswinds, especially in tight conditions.

Verdict: The differences in terms of maneuverability are slight in both the catamaran and monohull. The fair verdict here is a draw.

Docking and Anchorage

With no ballast or a considerable keel, the overall weight of a cat is significantly reduced. This makes it more lightweight and this is why it wouldn't be uncommon for a 36+ foot catamaran to explore some of the shallow areas that a monohull wouldn't dare reach.

However, the wider and unique size of a cat means that it won't easily fit on a traditional slip and this needs a unique set of skills and careful planning to anchor at most docks. This means that finding the right space at the dock can be quite difficult, so you may have to take a dinghy to the shore.

A monohull is a lot easier to dock as it takes less space compared to a catamaran. This means that your docking, hauling, and slipping charges will be much less than those of a catamaran.

Verdict: Does it make any sense to bring two boats to the shore? Well, this is what you do when you have a catamaran and it certainly loses to the mono as far as docking and anchorage are concerned.

Ride Comfort

A comfortable ride is, without a doubt, one of the most important things to consider when looking for the right boat for you.

The fact that a catamaran is designed with a wider footprint is of great importance in mitigating the negative effects of unpredictable rolling and pitching that sailing is known for. A catamaran has a broad surface area, which makes it more comfortable and stable. As such, it's a lot easier and safer to cook while sailing.

Again, your passengers will be less prone to seasickness in a catamaran because there's less pitching and a cat doesn't roll from swell to swell as it happens in a monohull. That's not all; walking on the deck of a catamaran is a lot easier and safer since the boat is flat. This makes reefing much easier and safer and your chances of falling overboard are greatly reduced. More importantly, it's more pleasurable to sleep in a catamaran because it never heels.

In terms of ride comfort, a monohull offers smooth sailing as it doesn't slap or pound the water like a catamaran. This is because it works harmoniously with the sailing element and doesn't fight it like a catamaran, especially when sailing upwind. However, seasickness brought about by constant rolling and pitching of a monohull.

Verdict: If you want to have a comfortable sailing ride, a catamaran has many benefits than a monohull as long as it has a superb bridge deck clearance that disperses wave action.

Maintenance

A catamaran is general designed with two of everything. From the two hulls to the two engines, you seem to get things double, which can be reliable when sailing if there's an issue with one part. In other words, you always have a backup.

However, the costs of maintenance can be high if you have to maintain the boat, even though you can still use one part if the other part isn't working.

The fact that you only have single parts means that you have to be very careful and ensure that your monohull vessel is maintained or repaired regularly. Fortunately, the costs of maintenance and repairs are greatly reduced when compared to those of a catamaran.

Verdict: It's highly doubtful that you'll take your catamaran out if one of the two hulls or engines are faulty. The monohull wins this.

The costs of a catamaran are substantially high since everything seems to come in pairs. However, catamarans are known to have high resale values, very low depreciation rates, and can sell a lot faster than monohulls because they're more popular with modern sailors. But because catamarans aren't widely manufactured in the United States, their costs are still high as you'll have to include the delivery costs.

When deciding to buy a monohull vessel, you should keep in mind that they're widely available on the market so their costs might be a bit lower compared to catamarans. Again, their low maintenance cost will work to your advantage.

Verdict: The costs of buying and maintaining a monohull are quite low, so it's the best choice if you're on a tight budget but still want to enjoy sailing. Catamarans are very costly to build and are more expensive than monohulls.

The amount of deck space afforded by a catamaran is huge and always very spacious. The amount of space that a cat can afford you is one of the main reasons why you should choose it if you're looking for comfort or planning to live aboard the vessel.

On the contrary, monohulls are narrower when compared to catamarans; hence they have a very limited deck space. This is particularly mitigated by the fact that they have additional storage space.

Verdict: A catamaran has a lot more deck space and wins on this.

Load Distribution

Unlike monohulls, catamarans are rectangular and are more stable. This is essential in giving the passengers more freedom without necessarily having to worry about how their weight is distributed inside the boat.

A monohull is almost similar to standing on one leg and balancing can be quite overwhelming. This means that the weight of the passengers will have to be evenly distributed to ensure that the boat is balanced. Of course, this will limit the freedom of passengers and any imbalance might make the boat capsize.

Verdict: You don't have to worry about load distribution in a catamaran but this can be a negative issue in a monohull.

Fuel Efficiency

If you want to save money by reducing the fuel costs, a catamaran is an ideal option. A cat generally experiences little drag or resistance and doesn't need lots of fuel to move. They also have a steady rise in speed, which means that there will be no sudden increase in fuel consumption.

In comparison, the level of drag created due to greater displacement in a monohull vessel means that there will be a higher resistance and this translates to higher fuel consumption.

Verdict: A monohull consumes more fuel than a catamaran, so a cat is an ideal option if you're looking for fuel-efficiency.

In Conclusion

To this end, it's easy to see that a catamaran comes out on top as the best option on many fronts. This doesn't mean that a monohull doesn't have its advantages. Of course, it has both advantages and disadvantages just like a catamaran does.

And even though the catamaran comes out on top, the final decision is on you and may depend on your personal preferences. Whatever you choose, make sure that you enjoy your sailing vacation.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Better Sailing

Catamarans vs Monohulls: Which is Better a Better Sailboat For You?

The question of whether to choose a monohull vessel or a catamaran is an eternal dispute between boat lovers. These arguments are usually based on one’s preferences and philosophy. In fact, the popularity of catamarans has grown significantly since their design facilitates many aspects of sailing. But, both mono-hulls and multi-hulls have their advantages and disadvantages. So, in this article, I’m going to list some details about both cats and monohulls so as to help you understand which one is better for you. Remember it all depends on what sort of experience you are looking for. Keep reading!

What is a Monohull?

In general, boats float due to the fact that they displace more water than they weigh. The hull is in “displacement mode” while a boat is stationary or moving slowly. That is, all of the upward forces that keep it afloat come from flotation, which is achieved by displacing water. With certain hulls, increasing the boat’s speed beyond a particular point causes the hull to lift up and skim along on top of the water. This is referred to as “planning.” Monohulls can be divided into two types; displacement and planing hulls.

Some hulls are only capable of moving at displacement speeds . This style of boat has generally slow speed, but it is incredibly efficient to operate. While moving, most have a smooth motion , though rolling (side-to-side movement) might be an issue. On the other hand, while on the sea, achieving fast speeds requires a hull that can readily transition onto a plane. Flat bottom surfaces from amidships aft, or from the middle to the back of the bottom, and a flat transom, or the back of the hull, are the main characteristics of a planing hull. Keep in mind that at a sharp angle, the transom must contact the bottom.

What is a Catamaran?

Nowadays, catamarans are becoming more and more popular. They’re particularly appealing to fishermen since they combine high-speed performance and a smooth rough-water ride with a solid angling platform. Catamarans have two primary disadvantages . Firstly, they require twin engines. Also, larger catamarans may be too broad to fit into standard marina docks. Another disadvantage is that there is less usable interior space than on a monohull of comparable length.

The two hulls of a catamaran are known as amas. These days, the popular phrase is “sponson,” but ama is still acceptable. Note that in comparison to its entire length, each ama is quite short. The narrow amas of a catamaran travel quickly through the water with little power. This allows for fast speeds even when the amas aren’t actively planning.

Trimarans on the other hand have three separate hulls. Sailboat designers have successfully employed this design to provide a large central hull for cabins. But, also for two outrigger amas for stability. The trimaran concept hasn’t been used much in powerboats, despite the fact that several “cathedral” hulls are related. Instead of three independent hulls, a cathedral design squishes them together to the point that they often share a similar planing surface near the transom.

Monohull or Catamaran? Let’s Take a Look at Their Pros and Cons

Catamarans are unsinkable because they are incredibly stable and have natural buoyancy. Yes, they can capsize in a major accident. But, being rescued while floating on the water’s surface is preferable to plunging to the bottom in a monohull. Furthermore, moving around on a flat deck is far safer than on an angled deck.

Classicists have long claimed that catamarans are not as safe as their keelboat counterparts. However, this remark is now regarded as archaic. Since it dates from the mid-nineteenth century when the majority of catamarans were made by amateurs. They could readily tip over even in calm weather, especially if one of their bodies became leakproof owing to damage. Sinking is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a well-built modern catamaran. Modern structures are designed using computer simulations of various water conditions. Bear in mind that the maximum potential safe sail area is available to cruisers and charter possibilities in particular.

Monohulls , particularly sailboats, offer significantly stronger “self-righting” capabilities in the event of a worst-case knockdown situation. In a catamaran, once you’re upside down, you’re stuck there…And, who wants to be upside down in the middle of the ocean? Returning to an upright position gives you complete access to onboard safety equipment. This includes a liferaft, dinghy, flotation devices, EPIRBs, and strobe lights, which can save you if the boat sinks.

Generally, a catamaran’s high speed allows it to avoid adverse weather . While catamarans do not point as high into the wind as monohulls they are around 20% faster . Or, if they do, they create more leeway or slide sideways. This means that even if you sail upwind at a slightly broader angle to the wind than a monohull and cover a more distance, you will arrive at your destination sooner than a monohull.

A modern performance catamaran with daggerboards and strong sails may point as high as a monohull of comparable size. It will point similar to a comparable monohull but will sail far faster. This allows it to reach an upwind position far sooner than a monohull. However, it’s worth noting that the majority of production cats on the market are underpowered and have standard smaller sails. Many of these designs perform poorly in light breezes. Unless they’re equipped with larger headsails, a Code Zero, and a square-top mainsail.

While cats are more comfortable and safer in rough weather, we must admit that if the weather gets extremely terrible (60 knots of wind or more), it’s better to be on a monohull for survival reasons. For serious offshore single-handed sailing, I believe a monohull is superior since it is easier to hove-to in it. Bear in mind that when you’re in a cat during severe storms you won’t feel any danger, but it demands some nifty seamanship. And, keep in mind that even though a monohull can capsize in bad weather or even roll in a storm, they usually right themselves. A catamaran , on the other hand, is incapable of self-righting . However, the cat will usually stay afloat, providing a safe haven to wait out until aid arrives. Modern catamarans, on the other hand, are extremely difficult to capsize.

That being said, most catamarans can travel 200 to 250 miles per day, and with contemporary technology allowing one to control weather, it’s difficult not to deal with bad weather. In many circumstances, a faster boat is a safer boat because it can outrun heavy weather. A catamaran can avoid the worst weather and, at worst, put itself in the best position to avoid the brunt of a storm if there’s good weather routing information.

So, to sum up, cruising catamarans are quicker than monohulls, and sailing catamarans, depending on their angle, can sail at half the speed of the wind. It’s great to be on a boat that can swiftly attain high speeds and get you to your destination safely and on time. However, catamarans are faster because of their lower surface area , but their prices are generally higher than those of monohulls. Instead of fighting the elements, monohull designs operate in harmony with them . In addition, keep in mind that when sailing upwind, sailing catamarans are inefficient and tack slowly.

Fuel Consumption

Do you want to save money on gas? Then, in most cases, catamarans have less fuel consumption than monohull boats. Catamarans save a lot of gasoline since they have a less wetted surface area on their hulls. They can propel the boat with just one engine in weak winds. Also in flat water, and if the engines have the same number and horsepower. However, in heavier weather , where the higher efficiency of a monohull design provides less resistance , this is not the case.

Generally, catamarans have two fuel-burning engines, which can raise fuel expenses . However, because a catamaran is lighter on the water, it requires less energy to move. In a catamaran, you’ll use less fuel than you would in a monohull. Furthermore, in low-wind areas, catamarans might choose to use only one engine. This reduces the amount of fuel consumed by a catamaran even more . But, only calm waters are subject to these laws. A monohull is far more efficient than a catamaran in navigating waters with heavy waves and heavy winds. A monohull will consume less fuel than a catamaran in this situation.

The best feature of catamarans is that all of the rooms are on the same level. The four-cabin arrangement is common with sailing cats and is popular among charter companies. Owner versions usually feature three staterooms, with one hull serving as a big cabin for entertaining. Most catamarans have a big central living room with not one, but two narrow staircases leading down into the hulls—one on each side. It’s a little like living in a tube in the hulls. They’re too thin to accommodate walkaround double/queen berths like those found in monohulls. But, in case of an emergency, it would be impossible to communicate with someone in the opposite hull.

Obviously, a monohull has less space than a catamaran. This is due to the fact that a cat is broader and has a larger deck surface. It also has twice as many hulls as the other, giving you greater total space between them. People who want to host parties on their boats will appreciate the extra space. The catamaran is usually the party boat of choice at the docks, according to most boat owners. Even if you don’t like to host parties, the extra room might be useful for lounging on the balcony or tanning. The boat’s large open space also makes it simple to utilize as a fishing platform.

You also have more room for equipment like surfboards, rafts, and other equipment that can easily clutter a monohull’s deck. Even fishing from a catamaran can be easier because the deck allows for plenty of space between anglers. Owners of catamarans also have more room for carrying fresh water and installing generators and solar panels. A catamaran’s interior room is often larger, and in luxury catamarans, it’s easier to install heavy appliances like washers and dryers inside. These can be fitted to larger monohulls as well, though it will be more difficult than on a catamaran.

All of the extra space, on the other hand, means the catamaran owner has more room to maintain and clean. Furthermore, all of the other stuff that can be brought into the boat will add to its weight . And, as well all know, a heavier boat will consume more fuel and move at a slower speed.

Maneuverability

With their twin motors, catamarans are incredibly agile . On a catamaran, the engines are widely apart, making navigating more easier and more precise than on a monohull, unless the monohull incorporates a bow thruster. Most of the time, a bow thruster isn’t required because the engines are around 20 feet apart. When there’s no bow thruster (as do few monohulls) you have to rely on prop-walk and prop wash on the rudder. On her own axis, a contemporary catamaran can turn 360 degrees. A monohull would be unable to accomplish this while it has a larger turning circle.

A monohull under sail, on the other hand, is far more maneuverable and will tack much faster than a catamaran. But, the ease of movement under motor on a catamaran, especially in close quarters, is substantially superior. They also feature shallow drafts , allowing you to maneuver into areas that a monohull cannot, as well as anchor closer to shore . However, monohulls are more maneuverable as you don’t have to deal with two hulls. They can make sharper turns and travel through small channels and small areas easier than cats. In addition, their hull displacements lessen the negative impacts of crosswinds in confined spaces.

Anchoring and Docking

While docking a catamaran is simple, its big size makes it difficult to fit into a standard slip. However, with some skill and good planning, finding room should be no problem. You may even anchor or moor the boat and dock it with the dinghy, which is much easier than a monohull. However, keep in mind that in most cases docking, hauling, and slipping a monohull is significantly easier, takes up less room, and is far less expensive.

Moreover, docking a catamaran can be a challenging task. This is due to the fact that catamarans are frequently too wide to dock in the marina’s core regions. As a result, they must be docked at the far end of the dock. Therefore they have fewer docking options and raise the cost of docking. Owners of catamarans sailing through places where there aren’t many catamarans may find it difficult to find a dock at all. This is especially true in the northern Atlantic, where monohulls outnumber catamarans.

Keep in mind that one of the most significant advantages of a sailing multihull is its stability . Not only at sea, when heeling simply does not – or should not – occur to any significant extent, but also at anchor. It also greatly expands one’s anchorage options to include areas influenced by the swell. This is quite common in the Caribbean, where a slight shift in wind direction may make a previously flat, quiet anchorage intolerable in a monohull. In addition, its fairly shoal draught expands the options even more.

Catamarans have a large platform, making them ideal for relaxing at anchor without the rolling motion that monohulls are prone to in a swell. Many monohull sailors had to leave anchorages because of the uncomfortable anchoring. This is because large rollers or swells entering an anchorage can make the situation extremely uncomfortable and dangerous.

Also, a bridle is tied to both bows and down to the anchor chain on catamarans , resulting in a fairly secure position at anchor . In heavy winds, many monohulls tend to sail at anchor since the bow acted as a sail (due to the high freeboard). They sail in one direction until the chain snatches, then tack across and sail in the opposite direction, almost completely dislodging the anchor. The catamaran, on the other hand, is much more stable at anchor and does not sway as much.

Sailing Abilities

Most cruising multihulls won’t point like a monohull with a deeper keel upwind, and the motion may be rather unpleasant when sailing in rough weather. You must also keep a close eye on the sail area, but we’ll analyze this further below.

Moreover, catamarans are not suitable for racing and sailing sports. They can be fantastic for a holiday or even living aboard, but most racers would never buy one because of the stability. There is no sense of wind, waves, flying, or the boat itself on a catamaran. It’s quite tough to tell when it’s time to reef. While this can be done by feel on a monohull, there is specific instruction for catamarans as to what winds the sail area should be reduced.

When sailing to higher latitudes, like the North Atlantic, then a monohull would be a better solution than a catamaran. Residential areas are easy to heat and keep warm, and traditional metal may even melt thin ice. The contrary is true in the tropical zone, where huge catamaran salons would be unbeatable.

Monohulls can sail higher into the wind than most catamarans due to their keel. Daggerboards, which serve the same role as a keel and boost windward performance significantly, are common in some catamarans. However, daggerboards are not seen on 95 percent of cruising cats (those available for charter). Also, a monohull will be much easier to tack than a catamaran and glide lightly through the water. Moreover, in rougher seas, certain catamarans experience an annoying slapping of water on the bridge decks. A monohull responds to the helm more quickly than a multihull (in other words, they turn faster). This is due to the fact that most cruising cats have small “spade rudders” whose depth is dictated by the need for a modest draft. While with a keel, a monohull can have a more responsive rudder for its draft.

Monohull spreaders are 90 degrees to the mast, however, catamaran spreaders must be backswept. The reason for this is that a monohull has a backstay, and by combining it with the intermediates, you can achieve a lovely pre-bend in the mast. Keep in mind that the pre-bend is to flatten out the mainsail and allow for better performance.

Also, in order to pre-bend the mast on a catamaran without a backstay, you’ll have to utilize the backswept spreaders and diamonds. The reason I bring this up is that if you want to broad reach or run on a catamaran, you can’t let the mainsail out all the way because the backswept spreader tips could puncture the cloth. Because the spreaders on a monohull are at 90 degrees, you can let the main and boom out much wider, which is obviously more effective. This is one of the reasons why a catamaran should broad reach and tack downwind.

• Maintenance

Because catamarans have two of everything, there is a clear trade-off between maintenance costs, reliability, and redundancy. One of the most significant advantages of having two of everything is that you have a backup . As a result, even if one component fails, you can typically still utilize the boat, such as running on one engine while the other fails. While redundancy is fine, lower maintenance and repair costs are generally preferable. Although having two of everything provides you some redundancy, I doubt you’ll want to take the boat out if one of the two hulls “fails.” Of course, this means two hulls to clean and antifoul, double the engine maintenance, and so on , but having two of the important pieces of equipment, such as engines, outweighs the disadvantages.

Due to their weight-bearing, catamarans have minimal to no heeling and do not roll at anchor. With sudden gusts, heeling on a monohull can be dangerous and uncomfortable, not to mention seasickness. Again, the trade-off is a noisy ride and fast movement, which many people find uncomfortable in bad weather. However, the heeling action of a monohull sailboat offers stability, spills wind from the sails, and provides safety.

Catamarans, unlike monohulls, do not have ballast in their keels, therefore they rely on beam and buoyancy for stability. Typical cruising catamarans have a beam-to-length ratio of around 50%, while several modern designs exceed this figure. A 45-foot catamaran will be around 22 feet wide, offering a highly solid sailing platform. Monohulls, unlike catamarans, cannot overcome rolling and pitching because of their narrow beam and lead ballast.

Rolling and pitching on a monohull while underway is quite dangerous. But, walking around on the deck of a catamaran while underway is easier because the boat is considerably more stable and does not heel. Sail adjustments and reefing are also significantly easier and safer for the crew as a result of this. The risk of falling overboard on a catamaran is far lower than on a monohull because of the rolling and pitching motion.

Generally, buying a catamaran is substantially more expensive than a monohull. So, if you opt for a cat you should also consider your budget before even starting your research. Pre-owned monohulls, on the other hand, are extremely inexpensive to purchase due to a current supply that considerably outnumbers the demand.

Nowadays, catamarans are in high demand , and they normally keep their worth far better and longer than other types of boats. And that’s why the market is currently centered to manufacture lots of them. Bear in mind that looking for a catamaran under $250,000 your options will be limited, and finding a catamaran under $100,000 is nearly difficult. Unless you opt with older boats like the Prouts or the less priced Geminis, a monohull is your best bet in this instance.

The cost of a cat rises if you need at least two of everything. But, keep in mind that due to their popularity, catamarans have a high resale value and a low depreciation rate , and they normally sell faster than monohulls. Due to the fact that most catamarans are not made in the United States, delivery expenses must be considered when purchasing the boat. Multihulls are becoming more popular, and as a result of the increased demand, they command greater prices in both the new and brokerage markets. Lastly, when considering a purchase, keep in mind that maintenance costs are substantially higher than on a monohull.

Catamarans vs Monohulls – The Bottom Line

So, this is it! We’ve come to the end of this highly discussed topic among sailors. Obviously, everything would be determined by two basic factors: personal preferences and budget considerations. Both monohulls and multihulls have their pros and cons and it’s totally up to you to decide which one suits you best. Because the two types of vessels provide such a different experience, it is highly recommended that you rent and test each one before purchasing to compare everything. In any event, it’s reasonable to say that a catamaran is an excellent choice for a charter, if not for purchase. Despite its high price, it provides comfort, space, and stability but you have a better overall sailing experience with a monohull. So, I hope that this article will help you make the right choice according to your needs. I wish you good luck with your research!

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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Catamaran Or Monohull? 27 Important Facts (Explained)

Catamarans and monohull boats are two very different kinds of vessels.  Each craft offers distinct advantages and disadvantages that you’ll want to consider before choosing between the two.

In this post, we’ll go over some of the important things to consider when choosing between catamarans and monohull boats:

Table of Contents

Cost & Availability

Both catamarans and monohull boats come in small recreational sailing versions, larger motorboat versions, and larger sailing models.  In all cases, the catamarans will cost more and will be harder to find.

The reason catamarans are harder to find because there are not as many of them, and they’re mostly made overseas.

Also, there aren’t as many catamaran manufacturers, so sailors have fewer options when buying them.

On top of this, catamarans have only recently become popular in the United States and other areas of the developed world.  This means the used market for boats doesn’t have as many catamarans on it.  You might find that you have fewer options when making a used catamaran purchase, which could bring costs up to a premium.

Two Times The Fun with Catamarans

Another reason that catamarans are more expensive than monohulls is the fact that catamaran buyers have to purchase two hulls, two engines, and two of all of the components that help make an engine work.

Traditional sailboats and large powerboats with one engine don’t have this cost issue.

On top of this, a catamaran is much wider than a monohull, and thus you have more space to build and equip.

On the other hand, once you’ve purchased the boat, you do get to enjoy the benefits of having two of everything.  We’ll talk about the advantages of this further down in this post.

Maintenance Cost Makes A Difference

The maintenance on a catamaran is also more expensive than the maintenance on a monohull boat.  This goes back to the fact that there is twice as much of everything to maintain.

Catamaran owners will need to do preventative maintenance on two different engines, and they’ll have two hulls and a large deck area to clean and maintain as well.  If they’re getting the bottom of the boat treated, they’ll have to do this twice (once for each hull).

Even the interior components can usually be found twice.

Each cabin will usually have a head in it, so you’ll have at least two toilets and sinks to maintain, which obviously has its plusses and minuses.

One positive aspect of this is that catamaran owners do have the option of deferring some of their maintenance.  For example, if one head is no longer functioning properly, you always have the second one that you can use.

It also adds a bit of safety as well.

This is because while the catamaran does have two engines to maintain, the owner does have power even if one of the engines happens to go down.

Some catamaran owners also like to point out that maintenance may not have to be done as frequently.  This is because the engines don’t have to work quite as hard, and other items like additional bathrooms and sinks might only be used half as much.

How Much Space Do You Need?

A catamaran has more space than a monohull.  This is because the boat is wider, and it has a much larger deck area.  It also has twice as many hulls, so you have more overall space between the two of them.

The additional space is great for people looking to throw parties on their boats.

Most boat owners would agree that the catamaran is usually the party boat of choice at the docks.

Even if you aren’t into throwing parties, the extra space can still be nice for relaxing on the deck or getting a suntan.  The wide-open space also makes it easy to use the boat as a fishing platform.

Additionally, you have more space for stuff like surfboards, rafts, and other items that can easily clutter up the deck of a monohull.  Even fishing can be easier from a catamaran as the deck provides plenty of space between different anglers.

Catamaran owners also have additional space for carrying fresh water and adding generators and solar panels.

Interior space is generally more plentiful on a catamaran, and luxury catamarans have an easier time fitting large items like washers and dryers inside of them.  You can have these on larger monohulls as well, but it will be harder to make them fit than it is in a catamaran.

On the other hand, all of the additional space means the catamaran owner has more space to maintain and clean.  Also, all of the additional items that can be brought onto the boat will make it heavier.  A heavier boat will use more fuel, and it will travel more slowly.

Living Quarters Vary Between The Two

The living quarters on a catamaran are much different than they are on a monohull.  Most people would agree that the berths in a monohull are much more spacious than in a catamaran.

A monohull offers people the opportunity to have a large bed with space on either side to walk around it.  This is great for couples who want to get out of bed without waking up their partner.

Catamarans, on the other hand, have the advantage of being able to offer large above-deck salon areas.  The galleys, the dining areas, and the living areas can all be above-deck, while the two hulls can provide heads and berths.

Some boat owners say that living in a monohull is akin to living in a basement apartment .  Other boat owners prefer the monohull because it brings them closer to the water and gives them the feeling of being at sea.

Privacy Can Be Prioritized On Catamarans

A catamaran offers up many different living areas that people can take advantage of.  For example, each hull will typically have its own bathroom and bedroom.

This gives each sleeping area complete privacy from the other.

The living quarters are usually up on the deck, so early risers can wake up and move to these quarters without waking up the others.

The same holds for night owls.  A night owl can stay up late without bothering the people who want to retire to their beds earlier.

With two hulls, large catamaran owners can hire a crew and give them their own hull to live in so that there is separation between the cruisers and the crew.  This is a wonderful advantage for honeymooners looking to have their own space.

The downside to all of this, of course, is that sometimes a family may not want the additional privacy.  For example, a family with small children might not want their children in a different hull than they are.

Additionally, the extra privacy can make it hard for people on the boat to communicate.  This could become a big problem in the event of an emergency.

For this reason, it is often recommended that each hull have a radio in it so that the occupants can quickly communicate with each other.  Remember, even in inland areas, cell phone reception may not be very good inside the boat hulls.

Recreation In a Monohull vs. a Catamaran

Most sailors agree that sailing a monohull boat is much more exhilarating than sailing a catamaran.  Traditional sailboats heel, and sailors get instant feedback while they’re sailing.  For the most part, catamarans stay stable, and you don’t get the same feeling with the movement of the wind and the water.

When it comes to monohull powerboats, you have the advantage of being able to pull water skiers, kneeboarders, and tubers with ease, as long as the boat has the power and a planing hull.  A power catamaran usually doesn’t have the speed or maneuverability to pull off these recreational opportunities because they are displacement hull designs.

Catamarans excel in more leisurely recreational activities.  A catamaran makes a great party deck as well as a great cruising deck.  Catamaran owners can comfortably walk around a catamaran without having to worry that the boat might knock them over the next time it decides to heel.  This allows boaters to sit and talk with one another comfortably.

A catamaran can also be used as a beaching vessel.  This makes it a great platform for people looking to go swimming or fishing around sand bars and other shallow water areas.  It also makes it a great boat for sailors looking to sail a larger boat on a river or lake known for having shallow areas.

Swimming and Diving

Swimming and diving off of a catamaran are usually much easier than doing the same from a monohull.  The wide stance of the two hulls offers boat designers the option to put in staircases at the back of both hulls.

In between these staircases, some boats will have an additional diving platform and/or a dedicated frame for pieces of equipment and dinghy storage.  This makes catamarans great for swimmers, snorkelers, and divers.

On the other hand, modern monohull sailboats can also have good transom stairs for easy access to the dinghy and swimming.  Both types of boats can easily travel far out to sea, giving boaters the option of diving in areas that can’t be accessed from beaches and developed areas.

Boat Draft In Shallow Waters

For the uninitiated, the boat’s draft refers to how deep the boat’s hull sits within the water.

A monohull typically sits deep within the water, while a catamaran sits much higher on the water.  This is why we stated that a catamaran is good for shallow waters.

The advantage of having a boat that can go into shallow waters isn’t restricted to just recreational activities like swimming and fishing.  A boat that can go into shallow water is safer to operate in areas where a boat with a deeper draft might become damaged.

Additionally, a catamaran has more stability on calm waters.  This helps make a catamaran more comfortable to relax or sleep on while at anchor or the dock.

The deeper draft of a monohull boat has its advantages as well.  A deeper draft provides more stability in rough waters and allows a boat to go further into the sea.

For this reason, many coastal cruisers will prefer catamarans, while many ocean voyagers will prefer monohull boats.  In fact, some areas of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys can be off-limits to boats with deep drafts as it simply isn’t safe for the boat to navigate these waters.

This isn’t to say that you can’t navigate these waters in a monohull boat, but you will have to be cautious depending on how deep your monohull’s boat draft is.  You wouldn’t have this issue in a catamaran.

Stability On The Sea

A catamaran offers a lot more stability in shallow waters, in calm waters, at the dock, and anchorage.  This makes the boat great for cruising and for relaxing in port.

A monohull offers a lot more stability in rough waters.

This makes this boat great for heading out to sea and for navigating vast distances.

Safety Issues To Consider

Both catamarans and monohulls can be built to navigate the waters they were made for safely.  This will be determined more by the boat’s category designation rather than the type of boat.

However, each boat deals with unsafe situations in different ways.  For instance, a monohull boat is likely to right itself if it is capsized.

This means that even in rough seas, you’re unlikely to find yourself permanently capsized.

The downside to this is that should you become completely swamped from a capsize in a monohull boat, you are much more likely to sink.  In fact, if there is a hull breach on a monohull boat, your boat could sink.

Catamarans are said to be unsinkable.  This isn’t completely true, but it is very unlikely that a catamaran will sink.  Even if a hull is breached, you still have a second hull to keep the catamaran afloat.

However, a catamaran can’t right itself.  If you capsize your catamaran, it will stay capsized.

One other safety concern to consider is that a monohull sailboat will heel while a catamaran will not.  This increases the chances that someone could fall off the boat or onto the deck in a monohull boat.

Catamarans Are Faster Than Monohull Boats

A catamaran is faster than the average monohull boat.

This is because they face less water resistance, and their narrow hulls don’t have to deal with their own bow waves as a monohull does.

Of course, catamarans aren’t always faster.  Old cruising catamarans may not go faster than 8 knots, and modern monohulls can exceed 10 knots.

Monohull boats tend to sail downwind and in choppy seas better than catamarans.  This gives them a speed advantage during ocean voyages.

We have a separate post with complete average speeds per type of catemaran . It’s a must read if you are at all concerned about speed!

Fuel Consumption Considerations

Catamarans have two engines to burn fuel, which can drive up fuel costs.

However, a catamaran is lighter on the water, so it usually takes less energy to move a catamaran.  This means you’ll end up using less fuel in a catamaran than you would in a monohull.

On top of this, catamarans can decide to use just one engine in low wind areas.  This further decreases the amount of fuel that a catamaran consumes.

These rules only apply to calm waters.

A monohull navigates waters with high waves and strong winds much more efficiently than a catamaran.  In this case, you’ll use less fuel in a monohull than you would in a catamaran.

Sailing Differences To Notice

Sailing a monohull boat can be exhilarating.  These boats can glide through choppy waters, and you get to feel the motion of the boat as the sea rushes by the cockpit and the wind causes you to heel.

This type of sailing also provides instant feedback as you’ll know what you need to do with the sails as you’ll feel what is going on through the boat’s motion.

Sailors all over the world have been using monohull sailboats for years, and you’ll find plenty of outlets for recreational sailing with a monohull sailboat.

Sailing catamarans do not heel like a monohull sailboat.

These boats, therefore, do not provide the sailor with instant feedback.  Also, if you incorrectly sail a catamaran, you do risk capsizing the boat more easily.

Training Can Be Quite Hard

Sailing a catamaran and sailing a monohull boat are two different experiences.  People looking to sail either should probably get professional training.

Obtaining this training will always be easier with a monohull boat.

This is because monohulls are more popular, so you’ll have more instructors available to you.

Do You (Or Your Friends) Get Seasick?

People who are prone to getting seasick easily might want to consider a catamaran.  A catamaran provides much more stability in calm waters, and you get a lot less movement.

On the other hand, people who are not prone to getting seasick might prefer a monohull in choppy waters.

This is because a monohull will deal with deep and choppy waters with high waves much better than a catamaran will.

As a result, a catamarans movement can seem extreme under these types of conditions.  People who have never gotten seasick before can end up sick under these conditions.

Here’s a separate article we wrote with everything you should know about seasickness on Catamarans . There are some things you can do and some things you should know!

Docking Is (Usually) Easier With A Monohull Boat

Docking a catamaran can be a difficult endeavor.

This is because catamarans are often too wide to be docked within the slips located in central areas of a marina.

Because of this, they need to be docked at the end of the dock.  This leaves them with fewer spots to dock.  It also makes docking more expensive.

Catamaran owners traveling through areas that are unlikely to have many catamarans in them may find it difficult to find a dock at all.  This is true in areas of the northern Atlantic where monohulls are much more popular than catamarans.

Storage Issues To Consider

Even storing a catamaran can be more difficult.  This is because storage facilities often do not have the equipment to get a catamaran out of the water.

The wide width of these boats requires special lifts, and not all boat marinas will have them.

Storage facilities that do get the catamaran out of the water will often charge more money for it.  They’ll charge additional fees for taking the catamaran out of the water, and they’ll charge additional fees for the actual storage of the boat as well.

Redundancy And Backup Equipment

We touched upon this earlier, but it is worth repeating that catamarans have many redundancy built into them.  This can be a big advantage when it comes to safety.

For example, if one rudder becomes inoperable, the boat can still be steered with the other one.  If one engine becomes inoperable, the boat can still be driven with the other one.

In extreme cases, a hull could become damaged, and you could still stay afloat because the other hull will keep the boat safely above water.  These safety advantages can save lives and keep people from becoming stranded out at sea.

The primary downside is the maintenance issue that we mentioned earlier.  All of these redundant components will need to be maintained.  As a result, maintenance costs will be close to twice as expensive in a catamaran.

Cooking Is Easier On Catamarans

Cooking on a catamaran is usually easier than it is on a monohull.  The main reason for this is that a catamaran doesn’t heel like a monohull, so you don’t have to worry as much about things falling over.

This not only makes cooking easier, but it makes cooking safer as well.

Additionally, catamaran galleys tend to have more space in them to move around.  Also, they are often up on the deck, so you don’t have to climb in and out of the hull with your dinner in hand.

Dinghy Storage

Monohulls and catamarans can both hold dinghies.  The larger the boat, the larger the dinghy can be.

However, catamarans have a wide area at the rear of the boat that is perfect for holding dinghies.

This makes getting in and out of the dinghy easier.  Also, people can often have larger dinghies on their catamarans because the boat’s stern is so accommodating.

Power Generation Is Easy On A Catamaran

A catamaran has a lot of space for solar panels and wind turbines.  Rigid panels can be placed in areas that won’t be walked on, like overtop of the bimini, and flexible panels can be placed in areas where the panels might end up getting stepped on.

The width of a catamaran even gives them more opportunities to put hydro generators into the water.

This means catamarans can generate more power than the average monohull boat can generate.

On the other hand, a monohull usually has less powered items to worry about.  Monohulls need less power to operate at full capacity, so you may not need all of the additional space for generating power.

Ventilation Issues To Think About

Some people feel that monohull boats don’t offer enough ventilation.  This is especially true in warmer areas of the world.

Catamarans also lack ventilation within their hulls, but fortunately for them, much of the living space is located up on deck.  This gives catamarans an edge when it comes to cruising in warm weather.

On the other hand, monohull owners aren’t exposed to the cold winds that you might find up on deck in harsher climates. 

This lack of airflow may actually be of benefit in this instance.

Some people find monohulls to be better looking than catamarans and vice versa.

This all comes down to personal preference, so you’ll have to decide for yourself which type of boat has the advantage in this case.

Some people think catamarans are the most elegant thing in the world while others prefer monohull boats as they look more classic.

Resale Value Is An Important Factor

If you read our extensive guide to boat depreciation per boat type , you know that no matter what boat you buy, it will always go down in value.  This is just a sad fact of boat ownership that people need to consider before buying a boat.

Many factors go into how much you’ll be able to get for your boat when you resell it.  These factors are the condition of the boat, the age of the boat, and the economy in general.  For example, people are less likely to want to buy boats during a recession.  This is especially true when it comes to smaller boats.

However, one additional factor that catamaran owners need to consider when thinking about resale value is the value of the dollar. 

People from the United States don’t have many American catamarans to choose from and will usually need to buy these overseas.

This means that a catamaran will be less expensive to buy when the dollar is strong compared to the Euro and more expensive to buy when the dollar is weaker in comparison.  This will affect the used market as well because higher values on new catamarans can help to bring up the value on the used market.

With a monohull boat, you may not have to consider situations like this as there are makers of monohull boats all over the world.

Don’t Let The Length Trick You!

One thought to keep in mind when comparing monohull boats and catamarans is that their different shapes account for different space advantages.

For example, a 40-foot long catamaran will have much more cubic space than a 40-foot long monohull.

Because of this, when comparing boats, you should look at the cubic space rather than the length. In this case, you may be comparing a 48-foot long monohull with a 40-foot long catamaran.

When you compare the two types of boats in this manner, the price differences aren’t quite as large, and the comparison is fairer.  It also may make the operating and maintenance costs more similar.

This is an important distinction to make because the length of the boats can trick you!

Consider Trying Both (Before Buying)

Boats can be an expensive purchase, so it makes sense to try them out before you decide to make your purchase.

Rent each type of boat and use it on the types of waters that you intend to cruise on the most.

Try the boat out in different weather conditions as well, and don’t be afraid to do multiple rentals before you make your final choice.  The time and money invested into making sure you get the boat you really want will be more than worth it in the end.

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Catamarans - Monohulls: Pros and Cons

With catamarans vastly popular in the charter industry, and showing no sign of abating, let's compare the pros and cons of monohull and catamaran strictly on the charter work point of view . The reason why this distinction is important – and I write this as a monohull fanatic myself - is because for charter companies, catamarans are in huge demand due to the overwhelming number of advantages they offer. Out of charter use, there is no question for me that, when the offshore going gets tough, I would much rather be on a solid monohull than on a catamaran - although the catamaran builders have come a long way to strengthen comstruction. But this is just a matter of opinion!

Catamaran Pros

On deck The cockpit, highlight of catamarans, is usually huge, since it spans over both hulls. The cockpit and the salon are on the same level, which enhances the feeling of light and spaciousness, along with the typical huge panoramic windows. The foredeck area is very large as well and sports a big pair of nets between the hulls, the notorious trampolines, which make a great sun bathing area. In any case, it is a great observation spot and a kids' favorite. As a result of this roominess, a catamaran rarely feels crowded, as it is relatively easy to get some seclusion and quietness from other members of the party. Most cats are equipped with dinghy-davits at the transom, which is absolutely great: no more towing the dinghy, thus no more drag on the boat speed.

Down below The catamaran will provide you with considerably more room than a monohull almost everywhere on the boat: in the cabins and in the salon. Besides, there is ample headroom everywhere. A typical 43/47 ft. cat will have 4 large staterooms, with rectangular queen-size beds – no more of those pointy beds! - each with en-suite bathroom. A 38 to 42ft. will have 3/4 staterooms and 2/3 bathrooms. Most cats have an enormous salon/cockpit combination capable to entertain about 20 people in style! Because of the cats’ layout configuration, there is full privacy in every cabin and one does not hear anything from one cabin to the other.

Stability The key fact is that catamarans have a phenomenal stability: they do not heel under way and do not roll at anchor. This usually makes seasickness a non-event. Incidentally, it makes it somewhat safer for kids running around. Whether at anchor or under way, a catamaran is always much more stable than a monohull. Stability is also a good factor for elderly people and/or first time sailors. As a matter of fact, a catamaran will give the latter an excellent impression for their first cruise, instead of memories of being seasick!

Speed & maneuverability There is no question that catamarans are faster under power or sail. Whatever your cruising goals are, catamarans will usually move you about more quickly than a monohull. Catamarans have shallow drafts. This means catamarans can get into places monohulls yachts often cannot reach, and that they can also anchor closer to shore. However, more and more charter cats now have small "sacrificial" keels to improve close-hauled performance. Lastly, I personally enjoy the phenomenal maneuverability of the cats. With 2 engines spread apart, you can pivot a cat of any size literally around the boat's central axis – and without the help of the rudders. The autopilot works particularly well on cats, on a tracking standpoint.

Catamaran Cons

A hard-core monohull sailor once said: "When I sail a cat, it feels like I am driving my living room!" He meant that a cat does not convey the "real" feeling of sailing, with the "rail in the water" as sailors say. That is precisely because a cat does not heel, whereas a monohull does, and sometimes a lot. So if you are in for hard, pure sailing, you will not get that felling on a cat. Only a monohull will give you the full experience!

A cat does not typically sail well upwind and needs a different technique for tacking and anchoring. ( See tips for cat handling ).

It is often said that anchoring a catamaran can be more difficult. This is due to the fact that catamarans have more “windage” than monohulls, and, without keel and ballast, they have a tendency to “bob” on the water when a gust hits. ( See tips for cat anchoring )

Obviously, catamarans take up twice as much docking space as monohulls. This can be a bit of a problem in chartering areas where spending nights in marinas is a necessity.

If you are bringing with you a party of first-time sailors, or older people, or people who could feel apprehensive at sea, you probably will better off with a cat.

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Catamaran VS Monohull: what should you choose to sail around the world?

Sailing around the world is a dream come true: you discover the world to the rhythm of the wind and the stopovers, exploring new destinations every day as you sail. If you’re just starting to read this article, you’re probably nurturing this project. Are you planning to sail around the globe? Then the choice of ship for your next voyage is crucial. It alone will determine how you experience this adventure! Catamaran VS Monohull : Do you know the differences between single-hulled and double-hulled sailing yachts for an ocean voyage? What are the advantages of sailing around the world in a catamaran, rather than a monohull?

Aboard a multihull, greater comfort and stability

When you decide to sail around the world, whether you’re going alone, as a couple or as a family, you’re always leaving your home and comforts behind to move aboard a monohull or catamaran. While you’ll always have to get used to living in different spaces, in a changing environment, the living space on each boat can vary. So, if you’re setting off on an adventure on a monohull, for example, you’ll inevitably have less living space than in a unit made up of two hulls. It’s up to you to work out how much living space and storage volume you need, depending on the crew you’re putting together!

The length of the hull, of course, will have a big influence on the interior layout of the boat and its facilities: the number of cabins, washrooms and the width of spaces often depend on the waterline length of a boat. Fortunately, choosing a larger catamaran for greater living comfort doesn’t mean sacrificing sailing comfort. Bénédicte Héliès, owner of the first Outremer 55, Saga, confided as much to our yard: “After our first round-the-world trip on our Outremer 51, our children were growing up and taking up more space, so we wanted a saloon that was a little more spacious, but just as easy to manoeuvre. We were delighted! Our new catamaran has proved to be very agile in light airs despite its size, powerful in a breeze and comfortable at sea. The platform is exceptionally spacious for such a seaworthy boat, and the living space in the saloon is very appreciable.

As you know, the comfort of a boat is mainly experienced when sailing. By opting for a catamaran on a round-the-world trip, you will always choose to heel less than you would aboard a monohull yacht. When sailing or at anchor, you’ll notice the difference aboard a catamaran: by definition, it is much more stable!

Read also: Monohull to multihull – Nikki Henderson

The evolution of catamaran performance

The perception of catamarans has evolved considerably over the last few decades, from boats mainly associated with chartering to multihulls capable of competing with monohulls in terms of performance.

In the 1960s and 1970s, catamarans began to appear in regattas, where their speed potential was already evident. At the famous Transpacific Yacht Race, for example, catamarans such as the Seasmoke broke records, proving their ability to sail fast over long distances.

A catamaran’s ability to sail upwind and close-hauled, once considered inferior to that of monohulls, has been enhanced by slimmer, more efficient hull designs, as well as improvements in rigging and sails. These technological advances have enabled catamarans to achieve previously unattainable performances, making them suitable for fast and safe ocean crossings.

Bénédicte can testify to this development: “The catamaran we’ve chosen sails easily in light airs. From 4-5 knots, it moves under sail, whereas classic catamarans need 10 to 15 knots to move properly, depending on the points of sail. So we use the engine very little and sail almost exclusively.

On long journeys, sometimes the weather conditions are not as forecast. They can also change more quickly than expected. If, for example, there’s a storm approaching that we weren’t able to anticipate, a good sailboat will enable you to reach your destination more quickly. Bénédicte explains: “On our boat, being able to ‘swallow’ 250 miles a day is very interesting. This means we can shorten crossing times and avoid being caught out by bad weather, as most phenomena can be predicted within 4-5 days”.

In short, today’s catamarans are no longer simply cruising boats designed for coastal sailing. They represent a serious choice for sailors looking to combine comfort, performance and safety, capable of competing with monohulls in the most demanding sailing conditions.

Read also: Why every serious cruiser should go racing

On a round-the-world catamaran trip, make the most of stopovers

You’ve probably already decided which islands or ports you’d like to visit.

Bear in mind that some catamarans allow you to make the most of anchorages and places to stop off: with a shallower draught than most monohulls, many allow their owners to get closer to the coast and beaches. With a catamaran, you can choose anchorages less frequented by other yachts to make the most of your time, and disembark more easily.

When you arrive in port or at an anchorage, for mooring, anchoring or taking a locker, catamarans also generally have the advantage of being more manoeuvrable than monohull yachts. So your arrival at your port of call will be much easier.

When you sail around the world, you inevitably meet other crews who are also travelling, and with whom you always find things in common. If you like having people over, welcoming them aboard your catamaran will be ideal!

Continue navigation

40.000 miles and 3 years to get from La Grande Motte to La Grande Motte

Marijke and Mark sail the Outremer 55 Great Circle.

Since its launch in 2021, the boat has sailed around the world with the GLYWO 500.

Setting off on a catamaran with the best sailing weather

When you’re getting ready to set off on a sailing trip, it’s vital to find out about the seasons and weather phenomena in your chosen sailing area. Even before choosing your cruising destination or travel itinerary, or even selecting your yacht!

The Importance of Defining Success

In the Autumn of 2023, I ran a ‘Webinars for Women’ mini-series on transatlantic preparations. The first session was titled: “How to approach transatlantic preparation.” As I zoomed out of the nitty gritty of canned food recipes, spare parts inventories, and preventative sail repair and took a broader look at the framework for a successful crossing, I homed in on what I think the first and most important step is: defining your goal.

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Powered Catamarans Vs. Monohull Motor Yachts

Two hulls or one? It’s a debate that’s existed since the Polynesians first started exploring the Pacific Ocean in catamarans. Nowadays, our catamarans are much more refined. They can be powered both by sails or by diesel, but in this article we’ll only be comparing motor cats to other monohulled motor yachts, as sailing a catamaran is a completely different game. 

First, the obvious difference is in the shape. A catamaran is wider and boxier than a monohull yacht, and this difference comes with tradeoffs and benefits. The catamaran’s double hull design gives it greater stability both underway and while docked or moored. A catamaran is also much more fuel efficient on average than a monohull, due to the decreased amount of drag on it’s much slimmer hulls. However, monohull yachts are capable of handling larger, more powerful engines, and thus usually have a considerably higher top and cruising speed than catamarans. 

As for living space, it depends on which areas of the boat are most important to you. The wider catamaran allows for a more spacious salon, galley, and flybridge than all but the largest of monohull yachts. However, the cabins in a catamaran are located in the hulls, which are slim. This usually results in the overwhelming majority of the space in the cabins being taken up by the berth, leaving little room for in-cabin storage. In a monohull yacht, there are many more possible layouts for the V-berth, aft cabin, or guest cabins, and they are usually much more roomy. 

Finally, it’s necessary to consider where you’ll be keeping your yacht, catamaran or not. With a monohull, you can fit into many more slips in many more marinas. With a catamaran, especially a larger one, you’ll probably want to search out and end or side tie slip. These, of course, are less common than a normal slip. 

There is a different definition of “the best boat” for everyone. It’s impossible to say definitively whether or not a motor cat or a deep-V monohulled yacht is better, but it’s easy to decide which one best fits your needs when you have a list of their major differences at hand. We hope this article cleared up these differences, and, as always, happy yachting! 

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POWER CATAMARAN vs MONOHULL

Introduction.

The benefits and compromises of owning a power catamaran are usually obvious for different consumers, depending on their circumstances, boating ambitions, and level of experience. However, a rapidly growing number of seasoned boaters are learning the joys of owning a catamaran and end up becoming firm catamaran supporters.

We have witnessed amazing changes to how families go boating together on a catamaran. For many families, the catamaran yacht has enabled their kids to join and bring their friends without overcrowding the boat. Guests do not have to be seasoned yachties to enjoy the day in the stable and protected cockpit. While entertaining can be done with style and without stress.

The most compelling argument of all must be this: seasoned monohull boaters are converting to catamarans by the truckload. Many converted former motor yacht owners are now passionate advocates of power catamarans. For experienced yachties demanding performance, the advantages are simply too great to ignore.  It is rare to hear of any catamaran owners ever going back to a monohull. Once you become a catamaran owner, you are hooked for life.

“Why should I buy a power catamaran instead of a similar sized motor yacht?”

We are regularly asked by buyers “why should I buy a power catamaran instead of a similar-sized motor yacht”. Like everything, there are benefits and compromises to the power catamaran. Despite ourselves being firm Catamaran converts and lifetime believers, below we offer a balanced comparison of the pros and cons.

Advantages of Monohulls

A monohull, as the name implies, has just one hull. This is the most common type of hull design, but why? To produce a well-balanced comparison let’s start by investigating the benefits of monohulls:

Slow roll period

• Many brands and builders to choose from

More usable space below the waterline

Familiar handling.

While monohulls roll back and forth far more than a catamaran, monohull fans will argue that the slow roll period of a monohull has a comforting effect.

There any many brands and builders to choose from as most builders still only produce monohulls. Whilst this trend is changing, 50+ years of composite boat building has been heavily monohull focused. This does mean that there is a far greater selection of vessels, designers and brands, and builders to select from.

Whilst the monohull comparably has less interior space, the wide waterline beam (width) allows for greater use of the internal hull height. This either enables builders to mount tanks and storage below cabin floors or to actually expand the cabin below the waterline. As a catamaran gains performance via its light displacement and narrow waterline beam, this is often not practical on a catamaran.

Jumping from one boat to another will feel extremely familiar as the differences in handling between brands is minimal, with the exception of planning hull vs displacement hull. Focusing on planning hulls, however, you will quickly feel familiar jumping from one boat to another. On the contrary, the differences in handling from a monohull to a power catamaran are immediately apparent.

Disadvantages of Monohulls

Now that we have seen the advantages of a monohull, let’s analyze some disadvantages one might encounter while boating on a typical V-bottomed or deep-V motoryacht.

Low stability

Bow steering, rolling at anchor, significant bow rise.

Due to the wide flat hull shape required to get the monohull more quickly into planning mode, it can produce a rather bumpy ride when motoring through waves. Performance through waves can be significantly improved or diminished depending on the hull shape. For instance, a deep V hull will be more comfortable through waves than a shallow V. However, both are significantly outperformed by even the worst power catamaran designs.

A monohull’s heel angle is directly affected by weight placement. Moving too much weight to port or to stbd will cause the vessel to heel. This is significantly noticeable when at anchor however even underway an incorrectly loaded monohull can dangerously heel. This can be overcome underway by the use of trim tabs. However, is best overcome by conscious weight placement and management.

Bow steering usually occurs when motoring at speed in a following sea or when passing another vessel’s wake. If you are inexperienced and do not know what is happening it can be quite frightening. Basically, the boat will suddenly and often expectantly turn hard in one direction while rolling hard in the opposite direction, despite your efforts to steer straight. Bow steering can be prevented with the installation of trim tabs. They can enable you to raise the bow up and out of the water when in a following sea. Trim tabs are not needed on a catamaran due to the natural separation of hulls’ bow steering.

At times you will undoubtedly come across anchorages that aren’t completely flat. When this happens, monohulls, that rely on the weight of their COG (center of gravity) to be aligned below their COB (center of buoyancy) to keep them upright, will start to rock from side to side. Things roll around inside, plates go flying. It’s uncomfortable or sometimes impossible to cook, and only the hardiest of yachties will be getting any sleep.

While all of this is going on, at the next mooring ball, the power catamaran owners are sitting in their cockpits sipping sun-downers, barely noticing the movement, quietly getting tipsy before a long night’s sleep.

The degree of bow rise varies with monohull designs. However, for those of you unfamiliar with this term, bow rise is the tendency of a boat to point its bows up in the air before it gets into planning mode and then settles somewhat. This puts passengers through an uncomfortable, and sometimes unnerving experience whilst also exposing the vessel to a decreased level of stability and safety.

POWER CATAMARAN

Advantages of power catamarans.

Whilst individual designs can vary by design and their usage, the benefits below are typically universal for most catamarans. In comparison to the equivalent length monohull a catamaran shall deliver the following advantages:

Superior ride comfort

Enhanced stability at anchor and underway, up-scaled cabins and interiors, larger single-level cockpit and saloon, significantly improved fuel consumption.

• Drastically improved close-quarter maneuvering

Catamarans experience slower deceleration through wave impact. This significantly reduces slamming through waves. This has been measured with accelerometers in like-for-like tests to have a 25% reduction in G forces when riding over waves.

Due largely to their wider beam, catamarans have a remarkably higher righting moment compared to monohulls. This prevents them from rolling side-to-side when at anchor, and keeps them sitting level both underway and at rest. This is regardless of the placement of people or luggage, this also eliminates the need for catamarans to use trim tabs.

More interior volume, especially in power catamarans that carry their beam all the way forward. Even applicable in the smallest cats that usually have stand-up headroom in each cabin, unlike smaller monohulls. As a result of this increased volume, a power catamaran will always feel oversized – more fairly compared to a monohull 15-20% longer in length. A 35ft power catamaran for instance is more fairly matched against a 43ft motor yacht.

Catamarans generally provide far more living space in the main salon and cockpit in comparison to similarly priced monohulls. The galley, main salon, and cockpit are also all on one level, above the water line…making life aboard, as well as your view much more enjoyable.

Due to their reduced displacement and wetted surface area power catamarans are impressively efficient. The wider monohull bows create a large bow wake and greater resistance, which require more HP to get onto a plane. Not only does this burn more fuel, but also enables a catamaran to get onto a plane under just one motor. This is a significant safety advantage, enabling a boat with only one working engine to return to shore before dark rather than limping home at below planing speeds. The ability to plane at lower RPMs enables cruisers not wanting to travel at groundbreaking speeds to achieve highly efficient low-speed planning. Vastly expanding their cruising ground while not breaking the bank nor taking all day to get to the next anchorage. Learn more about power catamaran fuel consumption HERE>>

Drastically improved close-quarter maneuvering: A large separation between the port and starboard engine drastically improves close-quarters maneuvering. This enables a power catamaran to literally rotate within its own waterline length by simply putting one engine in reverse, and one in forward. Add a joystick control and you’re in command of one of the easiest boats that you will ever dock.

Disadvantages of Power Catamarans

Despite the significant benefits gained by the power catamaran, there are also a few unusual traits associated with powercats:

Outward banking

Snaking at anchor, tunnel-slap, unusual appearance.

When making sharp turns a monohull will bank (roll) into the turn. A catamaran, on the other hand, due to its increased stability and righting moment will actually bank slightly outward. If coming from a monohull background, initially this sensation will feel unusual. However, If you have no prior expectations regarding the outward bank offers, no benefits or disadvantages over the inward bank.

Due to the power catamaran’s wide beam and asymmetry, when at anchor a shifting breeze will cause the vessel to turn to port and starboard in a snakelike movement.  If the wind has some strength and continues to shift, this movement can become uncomfortable. We, therefore, recommend attaching an anchor bridle whenever anchoring which completely eradicates this effect.

In certain conditions, catamarans can experience tunnel slap. This is where a wave passing under the tunnel rises up and slaps the wingdeck surface causing a thud or slapping sound. This effects different catamaran designs in various ways depending on whether they are of displacement or planning type. A displacement catamaran requires a high wingdeck to overcome the wave crest heights in order to ride over the top of the waves. Planning catamarans, on the other hand, should have narrower and shallower tunnels. This forces a compressed air mixture through the tunnel, creating a cushioning and lifting effect lifting the catamaran above the surface of the water with intensity increasing as speed increases.

When asked, many monohull owners claim they do not like the unusual appearance of a power catamaran. Whilst styling preference is subjective, at Makai we have worked hard to design a power catamaran that delivers all of the benefits of a catamaran. Whilst doing so with attractive and unmistakable styling.

CONCLUSION : Power Catamaran or Monohull?

Whilst each have their own advantages and disadvantages the final choice is completely down to personal preference. Clearly, we are die hard catamaran believers, but we also believe that what is most important above all else is just getting outside and on the water, having fun and being safe. So, when you find the boat that does all of the right things for you, go for it!

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Catamarans vs. Monohulls

Which is better, a monohull or a catamaran.

This question gets asked a lot in sailing. Especially if you are looking to take your friends or family out for the week: which will be better, a catamaran (aka cat) or monohull (aka mono)? The short answer is it depends what sort of experience you are looking for. Let's explore this further.

Tell me more about monohulls and catamarans.

Monohulls are boats that have one hull. They are the classic sailing yachts that you see old black & white photos of, racing off Newport or Cowes.

Catamarans on the other hand have two hulls. They tend to be newer, and are said to be less traditional, although some of the earliest sailing boats ever developed may well have been catamarans.

Image: monohull (left) and catamaran (right)

Things to consider

Now that we understand the difference between catamarans and monohulls, let's look at attributes that are important in sailing. Once we have explained these, we can look at how each boat-type deals with them:

For obvious reasons, you want to have a stable boat. Monohulls are a bit like a roly-poly doll, where when pushed over, they tend to right themselves. That is unless they reach what is termed the "angle of vanishing stability" or AVS. Catamarans deal with stability in a different way.

Catamarans tend to be much more stable in most conditions, but should they capsize, they quickly become stable, albeit upside down.

Nevertheless capsizing is such a rare occurrence that "stability" here really means comfort when sailing.

Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) graph, image thanks RYA: rya.org.uk

Living area

Your boat needs to strike a balance between sailing well and being comfortable to spend time in. The layout of the boat is important in this regard: what level it is on, how large it is, and how square the space is.

Lagoon 450 Living Area. Image thanks vivisail.com

The draft of a boat is how far in the water it goes. "How much does she draw" means "what is the minimum depth of water that this boat needs so she doesn't go aground". Monohulls by definition require a keel, a heavy piece of iron or lead that goes deep into the water. Catamarans do not require this, and therefore tend to have a "shallower draft".

Draft and Freeboard explained. Image thanks thecampfirecollective.com

Maneuverability

Being able to easily maneuver your boat is clearly an advantage in tight situations, such as when docking in a crowded marina. Both monohulls and catamarans have their pros and cons here, which will be explained further below.

Maneuverability, image thanks Cruising World (cruisingworld.com)

The speed of a sailboat is not as simple as for a motorboat. The angle of the wind has a large effect on the speed of a sailboat. Some boats can sail faster when close to the wind - monohulls normally fall into this category - while others can sail very fast when the wind is on their side (aka a beam reach) - catamarans usually like this sort of "reaching" sailing.

F50 catamaran in the fastest sailing competition in the world. Image thanks SailGP and James Wierzbowski

Having natural light and a decent view can make the living space much more comfortable. With monohulls, most of the living space is "down below" whereas for catamarans, most of the living area happens "up" in the saloon which is located between and above the two hulls. This creates two different environments. One person's "cozy" is another person's "claustrophobic". Just the same, one person's "light and open atmosphere" is another person's "soulless". So there is a fair degree of taste to this particular aspect.

Interior of the incredible Nautor Swan 48, image thanks Nautor Swan

"Feeling Sailing"

By this we mean the feel of the boat responding to the wind as she slices through the water. Some people sail for this feeling, while others simply sail as an ecological, efficient way to move from A to B. Monohulls and catamarans offer very different visceral experiences here.

WallyCento Tango sails off Monaco, image thanks Gilles Martin-Raget/Wally Yachts

In breaking down the pros and cons of monohulls and catamarans, we found that a pro for one was a con for another. With that in mind, we think it is more helpful to list the pros of each, so you only read it once. Here goes:

8 Pros to Catamarans

1. catamarans are inherently stable..

Two hulls provides a wide base, which means in most sea states, less "bobbing". Every now and then, when the space between wave tops is a certain distance, the cat can lurch. But this is more the exception than the rule.

Great illustration of reduced rolling on a catamaran, image thanks aeroyacht.com

Here are some more pros of stability:

• Stability is a big factor for families with young children or seniors. It suits "non-sailors" in the group;
• Stability is very helpful for those prone to sea sickness (although scopolamine patches are probably still required if someone is very susceptible to getting sea sick);
• Stability means things are more comfortable at anchor, and for cooking;
• Because cats don’t heel over nearly as much, storage and stowing of provisions and household items is much easier.

Apologies for resolution, a brilliant graph on catamaran stability, thanks sailingcatamarans.com

2. Catamarans have more space.

Catamarans generally have much more living space in the main salon, galley and cockpit, and in the cabins. This can allow for greater privacy when chartering with friends or children, as the two sleeping areas (one in each hull) are separated by the living area. Here are some more pros of space:

• More space on a catamaran for preparing food, which means the cooking experience tends to be less a balancing act, and more like the kitchen at home;
• More space on a catamaran for storing things, which means people are not tripping over them throughout the trip.
• The space on a catamaran is square-shaped, akin to an apartment, as opposed to a monohull which tends to be more rectangular.

Interior of a Lagoon 620, image thanks Indigo Bay Yacht Charters

3. Catamaran living space is above the water line.

On a monohull, almost all living space on a is at least partially below the water line, which limits light and view, and can lead to claustrophobia in some. Catamarans on the other hand, sit above the water line. In addition:

• Ventilation in the main saloon area on catamarans is generally excellent, given their above-water design.
• Most of the living quarters are also above the water line, which allows for more light and a better view, as well as better circulation of air.

4. Catamarans can venture into shallower areas.

The lack of keel on a catamaran results in a shallower draft, allowing to anchor in shallower water, which is especially valuable around reefs in the tropics.

Shallow draft of a catamaran, image thanks aeroyacht.com

5. Catamarans can turn on a dime.

Because catamarans have two engines and two rudders, maneuverability in tight spaces is improved, with most cats being able to turn 360º within the length of the boat.

6. Catamarans (usually) sail faster.

Without the need for a heavy keel, catamarans are lighter than an equivalent monohull. That, plus the fact that they keep their sails perpendicular to the wind, means they sail faster than monohulls, especially on a run or broad reach.

The magnificent HH66 catamaran, image thanks Sail Magazine

7. Catamarans are harder to sink.

Without the need for a lead-weighted keel, catamarans are not just lighter and faster, they are also harder to sink. Monohulls have been known to "lose their keel", by hitting something such as a semi-submerged container or even a whale. When this happens, the boat will tend to sink within minutes. Catamarans do not have a keel to lose, which means in this (admittedly very rare, blue-water) event, catamarans come out trumps.

8. Catamarans allow spooning.

Most catamarans have a trampoline or net at the front. This allows for spacious and comfortable cuddling under the stars - not to be underrated.

Monohull Pros

1. monohulls look great..

You can’t beat a monohull sailboat for good looks. Classic, sleek, beautiful, there is a timeless beauty to monohull sailboats.

Catamarans on the other hand have a “non-traditional” aesthetic that some consider to be a little harsher on the eyes. Let's face it, many are downright ugly.

2. Monohulls are a romantic, evolving tradition.

Do you love the old photos of well-dressed people sailing their immaculate wooden monohulls in beautiful surroundings? If you answer yes to this question, take a good look at monohulls. That romance and tradition is still there.

3. Monohulls give you more options.

Due to the sheer volume of monohulls made over the last century, there are many more options for a boat that meets your individual lifestyle, personal aesthetic, or budget.

4. Monohulls carry a lower cost.

• Monohulls take up half the space at a marina than catamarans, and therefore generally cost you half as much.
• Monohulls are more readily available used in good shape, and cost less to charter for equal sleeping capacity.

5. Monohulls sail better upwind.

Due to their keel, monohulls can sail higher into the wind than most catamarans. Some of the more exotic catamarans have daggerboards which serve the same purpose as a keel, and therefore improve windward performance substantially. However 95% of cruising cats (ie. those you can charter) do not have daggerboards. Furthermore:

• A monohull will be far easier than a catamaran to tack.
• Monohulls slice through the water effortlessly. On some catamarans you get an irritating slapping of water on the bridge decks in rougher seas.
• A monohull is generally faster to respond to the helm (in other words, they turn faster). This is because most cruising cats have little "spade rudders", with their depth dictated by the need to have a shallow draft. Whereas with a keel, a monohull can have a far deeper (read: more responsive) rudder for its draft.

Monohull sailing upwind, image thanks Sail Magazine

6. Monohulls give you more feedback when sailing.

This factor (and lower cost) is why most sail training happens on monohulls. If you have too much sail out for the wind, your overpowered monohull will heel over and become a pain to sail, before anything breaks. 

On a catamaran you get less feedback at the wheel, which if you are not being very attentive can get you into trouble in big winds.

Then there is the visceral joy of "feeling sailing". A monohull will heel (meaning it is designed to tip over anywhere from 10º to say 50º) whereas a catamaran won't. While their increased heeling can be a performance disadvantage, it can also be an advantage as it is a lot of fun. 

7. Tacking is easier on a monohull.

While they can accelerate faster, catamarans also decelerate much quicker, and as such can have a harder time maintaining momentum through a tack. It depends what sort of sailing you are after. If it is about enjoying being outside, and not so much about the sailing itself, then a catamaran is fine. But if you are out there sailing for sailing's sake, then you will probably find more enjoyment on a monohull.

8. Monohulls tend to swing less at anchor.

While they may rock more in a side to side motion than their equivalent catamaran, monohulls tend to swing less at anchor.

Libertas on a mooring ball. Monohulls exhibit less "sailing on their anchor" when moored.

Conclusions

The above shows that there are no clear winners to the Catamaran vs. Monohull debate. At Sailing Virgins we teach and cruise on both monohulls and catamarans. If you have to make a decision yourself it really comes down to:

• How much hard-core sailing you (and your crew) intend to do;
• What your budget is;
• How much space you need;
• How shallow the bays are that you would like to visit.

We hope that helps your decision making. If you would ever like to know more, if you become a Sailing Virgins Patron, you can take part in any of our once-per-month live Q&A sessions, where absolutely any sailing-related question if yours can be asked and answered. Patron support starts from as little as $3 per episode. Click here for more information.

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Sailing Catamaran vs. Sailing Monohull Yacht

Are you considering sailing on a catamaran or a monohull? Read this article to explore the pros and cons and find the answers you are looking for. If you have not yet tried sailing on a catamaran but are interested, the following list of differences between monohulls and catamarans may help you decide which one to charter.

Catamaran charters have become very popular due to several essential characteristics. The great buoyancy enables the entire boat to act as sort of a raft. Catamarans have great manoeuvrability since most catamarans have twin engines, so they can be more comfortable to dock than a single-engine monohull. Modern catamarans can do a 360 turn in their length. 

In contrast, monohulls might provide you with more of a “real sailing” feeling , more thrills and exciting moments. Adrenalin junkies would love hanging on the side of a sailing yacht , while it is heeling under 25° under full sails.

Monohulls are offering a specific sailing charm for real sailing enthusiasts.

But don’t get the wrong impression, monohulls are not just for hard-core sailors. They have a comfortable salon area, spacious cabins, and areas for sunbathing and other activities. On the other hand, charter clients who tend to sail during the peak of the season are putting more value on spaciousness, comfort, and stability than the ones who are sailing during pre/post-season when sailing conditions are more favourable. It could be that the popularity of multihulls lies in those facts.

Spaciousness & Comfort

First on the list of catamaran vs monohull characteristics is spaciousness , in favour of the catamaran. More cabins, a larger salon area and more extensive areas for sunbathing than on a monohull of the same length. If you prefer comfort and more space, multihulls are your go-to yachts for sailing vacations . 

Large net areas on the bow of a boat provide you with a unique feeling while lying on them during your sailing trip or when soaking up the sun while anchored in a lovely bay. With all that additional width, cockpit areas on multihulls are offering massive amounts of space making them ideal for a large family meal or an exclusive party area. There are also owner’s versions of the multihulls where one whole hull is dedicated to the owner, resulting in an impressive size suite on the boat, which will satisfy the most demanding ones.

Next on the catamaran vs. monohull list of pros and cons is the fact that multi-hulls are offering more stability, which is ideal for families with kids - especially while walking around the yacht since all areas are more extensive than on a monohull yacht. There is no heeling under a 25° angle when the sails are up, so boat guests can enjoy and even prepare their food and drinks while sailing.

Most of the multihulls have a separate flybridge with nice, shaded areas for enjoying the ride or a drink, and it can also convert into sunbathing areas. The separated flybridge also means a complete separation of skippers that provides maximum privacy for yacht guests or owners.

A separated skipper cabin could be found on almost every multihull. On the larger ones, those skipper cabins have full equipment (toilet, sink, shower, etc.), leading toward complete separation of a crew and yacht guests in case that is necessary.

Pounding and Slapping

Multihulls such as catamarans and trimarans are deriving their popularity from the fact that most of them are created for extracting maximum pleasure out of your vacation at sea. However, there is one advantage most monohulls have compared to catamarans, and that is when underway is that they do not pound or slap . Catamarans with low bridge deck clearance tend to hit and slap on the undercarriage in lumpy seas when sailing upwind. This may sometimes feel as though the boat is getting beaten to pieces.

Speed Difference

Catamarans are in most sailing conditions faster than monohulls, because of their hulls which are less immersed in the water and have a smaller area in the water to create drag. Multihulls are unusually fast when sailing downwind for the reasons just mentioned above. When sailing downwind they are faster than monohulls, but when they are cruising windward, close-hauling monohulls are usually faster.

Manoeuvring & Docking

When talking about catamarans vs. monohulls , when it comes to manoeuvring and docking; monohull sailing yachts are propelled just by one engine which can combine with a bow thruster on the front. The bow thruster is a small electric engine on the bow of the yacht enabling it to move bow sideways by the press of a button, providing additional skipper security and making it easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces.

Two engines propel multihulls. Two engines can be significant in case of emergency when one of the engines fails, but they are also great for manoeuvring in tight spaces. Two engines are enabling the skipper to rotate the yacht for practically 360 degrees at one point, meaning very little manoeuvring space is necessary for a large and wide yacht to dock.

Catamaran vs. Monohull Yacht – the Final Verdict

In the end, we are back to personal preferences and finance, especially when choosing a catamaran vs. a monohull . Catamarans are more expensive to buy/rent and to moor/dock, but they offer a lot for their price. They provide an extraordinary sailing sensation filled with luxury, for individuals and families looking to spend their vacation at sea, sailing while wining, dining and enjoying the sun. We have to make it clear that the sailing sensations of mono and multihulls are also entirely different. For adventurous individuals heeling under 45 degrees would be ideal, but for ones who would like to have a nice meal and sunbathe during sailing, multihulls would be perfect.

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Catamaran Vs. Monohull – How to Choose?

Search blog posts, blog categories, pros & cons of hiring a catamaran or monohull for your whitsunday yacht charter.

Some dyed-in-the-wool purists have been known to demonstrate a little “sailing snobbery” from time to time. Putting sailing snobbery aside … if planning a sailing vacation and you aren’t sure whether you want a  catamaran  or a  monohull , you need to weigh the pros and cons of each to see what makes more sense for your purposes. Personally, I quite like both … for different reasons!

Catamaran Pros

• One of the major advantages of a catamaran versus a monohull is their inherent stability. A monohull simply can’t be compared to a cat in this regard.
• Stability is a big plus for families with young children or seniors who are not particularly steady on their feet. Because the boat is not as susceptible to the effects of wave action and does not heal the way a monohull does, it is much easier to walk around on deck and within the interior of the yacht while underway.
• Anyone who may be prone to seasickness will feel the effects of motion much less aboard a cat than they might on a mono. The added stability on a cat makes the cook’s job a lot less challenging both while underway and at anchor. Catamarans don’t rock and roll the way monohulls do.

More Bonus Points for Cats…

• Catamarans generally provide far more living space in the main salon, galley and cockpit, than the space found aboard similarly priced monohulls. Their cabins are often more spacious too and even the smallest cat in the fleet has stand up headroom in each cabin.
• Because of the layout, there is usually more privacy on a cat than on a mono and if you have children aboard, there is greater separation from the main living space and the cabins, making it easier for the kids to fall asleep at a reasonable hour.
• The shallow draft of a cat allows you to anchor in shallower water which means you can be closer to the beach than almost all monohulls.
• Many of the newer catamarans have raised or flybridge helms. No monohull can beat the visibility from the helm provided on most modern catamarans.
• The galley, main salon and cockpit are all on one level, above the water line … making life aboard as well as your view much more enjoyable.
• Because the majority of living space is above the waterline, you get much better flow through ventilation on a cat making the need for air conditioning somewhat less important during the daylight hours.
• In almost all cases, you do not have to race around stowing things or using bungee cords to keep things in place, the moment you decide to set sail. Most things stay put even in moderately rough seas.
• Because catamarans don’t have a big heavy keel loaded with lead, even if you hole the boat, it will float. Production cats have so much buoyancy built in that they are next to impossible to sink.
• Cats are usually pretty easy to dock because you have two motors and two rudders. No need for a bow thruster.
• Most catamarans can turn 360 degrees within their own length. No monohull I know of can do that.
• Catamarans are usually faster than monohulls, particularly on downwind runs, reaches and broad reaches. It’s less tiring to sail a catamaran than it is to sail a monohull. Sailing flat has definite advantages.
• If you are into SCUBA diving, carrying tanks and all the assorted equipment is much easier on a cat. It’s also a lot easier in many cases to board a cat on the sugar scoops than it is on many monohulls. Although many modern monohulls do have huge swim platforms that raise and lower electronically … so in that case, it’s a wash.
• I have yet to see a monohull with a trampoline for sunbathing or lounging in the moonlight, while stargazing … with your sweetheart by your side! How much more romantic does it get than that? 🙂

Catamaran Cons

• Because a wide bridge deck is strapped between two hulls, there can be slapping or pounding while underway in heavier seas. The slapping can become annoying, but is easily resolved by reducing sail. Unfortunately, that means reducing speed as well.
• You won’t get the same amount of feedback from the wheel of a cat as from a monohull. This means you must be vigilant in rough seas and high winds and know when to reduce sail. The last thing you want to have happen is to find yourself surfing down a wave, burying the bows and pitch polling. Having said that, pitch polling a cruising cat would take some doing … Cruising catamarans don’t really heal, so the feeling of “sailing” is quite different from that aboard a monohull. Note: I’m not convinced this is really a con … but I am trying to dig up as many cons as I possibly can.
• Cats take double the space to dock and often cost double to dock too.
• Cats can’t sail as close to the wind as a monohull … but, most sail faster than a monohull on a reach, so if you fall off a few degrees and sail fast, you can usually get to the same place at the same time and sometimes faster, even though you will have to cover more ground.
• Tacking a catamaran is not the same as tacking a monohull. You have to have sufficient speed to carry you through a tack without losing too much forward momentum. Square foot for square foot, a catamaran is much lighter than a monohull and for that reason, they slow down much more quickly. You basically carve through the tack rather than making a sharp directional turn as you would in a monohull. If concerned about tacking, in light winds or heavily trafficked areas, turn on the motor as an assist to get you through the tack or douse the sails altogether. You’re on vacation! Why sweat it?
• Catamarans with similar sleeping capacity and equipment are usually (but not always) more expensive to charter than monohulls.

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