Hello Kitty! Cruising Catamaran Sailing School – a Caribbean sailing adventure!
Catamarans are becoming more and more popular with bareboat yacht charters in the Caribbean. LtD Sailing School in St. Vincent and the Grenadines can help you get on board with one of our live-aboard Catamaran Sailing School Courses. Catamarans are known for their flat sailing, roominess, and stability at anchor. Imagine – you are liming in a palm-tree lined bay with the warm breeze blowing gently on your cheek as you sip a cold beverage and wait for the green flash. Living the Caribbean sailing dream!
SOLD – you’ve decided to sign up for a Catamaran Sailing School!
Judge for yourself. Here is a handy chart for comparison. Check it out:
Catamaran | |
Pros | Cons |
Fast when reaching – especially beam reaches | Unable to sail as close to the wind as a comparable mono-hull |
Twin engine–easier to maneuver under power & redundancy in an extra engine | Twin engines – expensive to maintain, repair, replace, uses more fuel |
Comfort at anchor | Pound/slap underway. Especially catamarans with a low bridge deck |
More living/working area–more privacy, cockpit & salon often at same level | When a cat rolls over, it stays over – a monohull will generally pop back up |
Speed under sail | Less maneuverable under sail |
Shallow draft | Slower to tack than monohull |
Comfort under way – cooking, less sea sickness, safer to walk on deck, sleeping is easier, less fatigue for crew | Big winds and short waves could cause pitchpoling (bow into the waves) |
Sail flat | Because it sails flat, it can be harder to notice when it’s overpowered vs-heeling on a mono-hull. Anticipate the wind and reef early. |
Two hulls – if you damage one you still have another for buoyancy | Limited haul-out options due to beaminess. Not all shipyards can accommodate a catamaran |
Easier to dock with twin engines | Takes up more dock space |
Holds its value | Expensive to build |
Large stowing capacity | Weight distribution has a huge effect on performance |
Getting more popular | Monohulls are romantic |
Reference: Multihull Fundamentals, White & Munne | |
Can you manage a catamaran if you have experience on a monohull? Well, ya, you probably could. But why find out by trial and error? Learning by the seat of your pants on your one week dream vacation is not a good idea. Why take a chance ? You can you can easily add a catamaran sailing school certification on to the beginning of your bareboat charter cruise.
https://www.ltdsailing.com/caribbean-sailing-school/courses/cruising-catamaran-cruise-and-learn/
Take a weekend or week-long Catamaran Cruise and Learn and get your catamaran sailing school certification!
