Sailing CATAMARAN in the ROUGH SEA
Are apples better than oranges? Is Coke better than Pepsi? Any answer will depend on personal preferences. The same holds true in the catamaran-versus-monohull debate. Each has its pros and cons.
Generally speaking, a cruising catamaran has more interior volume and better offwind speed potential than a monohull of similar size. On the other hand, many cruising monohulls have superior upwind performance. Monohulls heel. Cats don’t—a selling point for many people. Many catamarans are shoal-water friendly, while most monohulls are constricted by deeper draft. A monohull will tell you through excessive heeling and weather helm that it’s overcanvased and will provide a sensation of acceleration, while some cats give this information only through the instruments.
Many cruising cats have a bridgedeck saloon that’s directly connected with the action in the cockpit; monohulls have accommodations inside the hull. The helm stations on some cats have visibility issues; most monohull helm stations have excellent visibility. Cats have wide, flat decks and seem to have unlimited deck space; by comparison, a monohull’s deck space is more limited.
Cruising catamarans heel only 5 to 10 degrees under sail as compared to 30 to 45 for the average keel ballasted boat. The comfort that results from this level sailing is felt many ways.

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