What are the merits of a catamaran over a single hulled cruiser?

Question

What are the merits of a catamaran over a single hulled cruiser?

Answer 1

Cats roll (roll=side to side swaying) less.

For power boats, I prefer a monohull.  If you go through chops, the water will slap the underside of your hull in a cat (called broaching).  A monohull will go through the wate a little better.

For sailing, I would love a cat except for two things.  1) Broaching and 2) quarters are a little tighter in a cat due to its narrower sponsoons/hulls.  In certain wind conditions, cats are faster with less heeling (tilting).  For details, read Chapman's Guide to Seamanship.

The cat wins as far as having more space for people up on deck and I [would] love sitting on the netting enjoying the water below.  kinda like flying.  It's less then a joy to tow (if it's small enough) as you have to partially dissassemble it for the trailer.

Answer 2

A catamaran is more stable inverted than it is upright. That's not a feature I'd want in my boat! I live aboard a monohull, we have less living space than the same length catamaran, but I could have my mast buried in the sea at an angle of 130 degrees from the vertical and she'll still come upright. You can't do that in a cat.

Seriously, when a cat goes over it goes VERY quickly and it won't come back. That's why they all have escape hatches in the two hulls..........

Answer 3

Cats roll less and have more room. Cost double to dock if you can find a slip wide enough.

Cats can pitch-pole(end-over) far more easilly than a mono.

Retail cats for comsumers may indeed, be the fastest. However, in the stricktest sense...Cats are NOT the fastest boats on the planet. That's just plain false. Look up "Speed Sailing Records"

Answer 4

i.m sure you're going to be bored to death with a lot of talk about drag coefficients an tacking an veering. but I'll be brief. bottom line speed, speed and more speed. they are fastest sailing ships on the planet. the less of the actual boat you have in the water  the faster you can go.

Answer 5

They draw less water, can be faster, and have more living space.  However, I believe that a monohull is safer, so for me the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

Answer 6

i think you might be talking about a power boat when you say "cruiser" .... and by cruiser you mean displacement hull yeh ?  this makes all the difference in the world if we know whay your talking about,, the main thing is stability,, cats dont roll as much and can handle heavy chop head on..,,,, they are more siuted to deep water as they usually draw a little more....

         if its a plaining hull cats will use more fuel  with two motors,,, but are really good heading out in rough water.... again cats draw more depth and are very good outside some can have problems with broaching depending on the design , and this is dangerous in a cat .. also shallow water is a problem in a cat ie sand bars,,,,cats are good in a straight line but are less manouverable than a monohull espesialy in the bar all in all the main thing is rough water ,, ifyou do not intend going out in rough sea a mono hull is more versitile and practical but if you do a cat is awsome for long range fishing trips in rough and chopy sea,,