Sailors are increasingly choosing multihulls over monohulls.
More Sailors Opt for Catamarans for Ocean Voyages
A growing number of sailors are choosing catamarans over monohulls for ocean voyages, drawn by the vessels' superior stability, comfort, and speed.
Catamarans, with their two parallel hulls, offer a significantly more stable platform than monohulls, reducing rolling and pitching caused by ocean swells. This results in less fatigue and discomfort for the crew, making long passages more enjoyable.
In terms of speed, catamarans generally deliver higher average daily speeds, especially in medium to strong winds. During Atlantic crossings, for instance, catamarans can cover between 150 and 250 nautical miles per day, depending on conditions, which is typically faster than monohulls.
Comfort is another key advantage of catamarans. They offer a more spacious deck and living areas, accommodating more people and equipment, making them appealing to cruisers who prioritize comfort and social space.
Monohulls, on the other hand, provide a more traditional sailing experience and generally better upwind performance. However, they require more technical skill to handle and often involve more intense motions that can cause seasickness and fatigue during ocean passages.
The preference for catamarans stems largely from their comfort, speed, and ease of handling in ocean conditions, which outweigh the traditional appeal and upwind advantages of monohulls for many modern sailors.
In the 2024 ARC transatlantic rally, over a third of the boats were multihulls, attracting more mid-life sailors in their 40s or early 50s. However, the global marina infrastructure is struggling to adapt to the increasing rate of multihull boat production, with many sailors facing challenges in finding suitable berthing facilities.
For instance, Richard Border, a long-time sailor from Vancouver, cannot return his Outremer 52 to Vancouver due to a lack of suitable berthing facilities. Similarly, the McConaghy MC75 catamaran Jack, offering a sailing superyacht experience in a sub-24m package, faces similar issues.
Despite these challenges, the appeal of catamarans for ocean voyages continues to grow. Petr Deuchner, the professional skipper of an Australian-flagged Fountaine Pajot Samana 59, has made two Atlantic crossings in this model of catamaran, and Mike Broughton, a professional navigator and racing sailor, is about to go transatlantic with a charter group in a McConaghy MC75 catamaran named Jack.
[1] The Advantages of Sailing Catamarans Over Monohulls [2] The Rise of Multihulls in Ocean Racing [3] Why More Sailors are Choosing Catamarans for Ocean Voyages [4] The Challenges of Owning a Large Multihull [5] The ARC Transatlantic Rally: A Showcase for Multihulls
- While traditional monohulls provide a more traditional sailing experience, the superior stability, comfort, and speed offered by catamarans has led to a growing interest in sailing these vessels for ocean voyages, consequently affecting the science of sailing and navigation.
- The rise in popularity of multihulls, such as catamarans, in ocean racing, particularly events like the ARC transatlantic rally, is reflective of the shift in lifestyle preferences among modern sailors, showing a greater emphasis on convenience and comfort over traditional sailing experiences.
- As more sailors opt for catamarans for ocean voyages, the technology behind these vessels plays a crucial role in enhancing performance and usability, with advancements improving fuel efficiency, reducing maintenance requirements, and extending the scope of home-and-garden renovations to create comfortable living spaces onboard.
- The explosion in multihull production it seems has outpaced the growth of global marina infrastructure, leading to challenges for sailors looking for suitable berthing facilities, a problem that currently affects even high-profile catamarans such as Richard Border's Outremer 52 and Jack, the McConaghy MC75 catamaran.
- As more sailors choose catamarans for ocean voyages, the travel experience offered on these vessels also becomes an important factor, with the increased living space and speed facilitating longer, more leisurely trips unlike traditional monohulls which may prioritize a more sports-oriented sailing experience.
