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Cruising Catamaran or Monohull: How to Choose with Confidence
“Which is better: a catamaran or a monohull?”
It’s one of the most common questions in cruising, but as Jeff & Jean of Two Can Sail explained during this class, the answer depends entirely on your goals, budget, and sailing style.
Drawing on more than 45 years of sailing experience and time aboard over 260 different sailboat models, Jeff and Jean explored the real-world tradeoffs between these two popular cruising platforms. Topics included comfort, performance, maneuverability, maintenance, costs, offshore capabilities, and life aboard.
One of the most important takeaways from the discussion was that there is no perfect boat. Every design involves compromises, and the “best” choice is the one that best supports your cruising plans.
Some of the questions explored during the class included:
• How do catamarans and monohulls differ in comfort at sea and at anchor?
• What are the true ownership costs beyond the purchase price?
• How important is upwind performance for most cruisers?
• What maintenance challenges should prospective owners consider?
• Why is chartering different boats before buying one of the smartest investments you can make?The replay is now available on demand for anyone considering a future cruising boat or simply curious about the differences between these two popular platforms.
For those who have sailed both, we’d love to hear from you:
What factor most influenced your preference for a catamaran or monohull?
Watch now: https://learn.americansailing.com/p/cruising-catamaran-or-monohull
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This discussion was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
Diona.
learn.americansailing.com
Cruising Catamaran or Monohull
Trying to decide between a catamaran and a monohull? Learn the real-world pros, cons, and tradeoffs so you can confidently choose the right boat for your cruising dreams.
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This discussion was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
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1 Reply
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43
Bronze
Better? Well I want a Tartis. You know it’s bigger on the inside. I enjoy sailing more on a mono hull when Sailing is the goal. Cats are not as fun, for me… but they are a great platform for exploring and visiting places. There are so many considerations. Time and cost. Mostly I would prefer a sizable mono for long range cruising, but something smaller for sailing locally where ease of just getting out on the water is maximized. And a cat if the anchorage is rolly or when a few extra people come along for the trip. I don’t see long distance cruising in my near future so for now a modest mono is the right fit, because it’s all about the straight fun of a day on the water.
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