Catamarans

[Rum_Pirate]

Catamarans are generally considered to be faster than monohulls.

We race in the Heineken Regatta in St.Maarten. I was sailing on Kate with a reduced gaffed rigged sail area, and we were creaming past them upwind(expected, breezing past with the wind on the beam and, blowing past downwind (we were not flying a spinnaker).

Why are the catamarans so so slow? The could not be doing more that 8-10 knots. Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?

Are they that much under rigged?

Why are they so slow?

 

[Skipper_Christoph]

Cruising Catamarans have nothing in common with their racing sisters. Just have a look at the breadth of the hulls. In additon thy are under canvased,ndhavingno dagerboards their winward performance is more or less non-existant.

 

[Fittster]

What type of catamaran were you racing?

 

[Rum_Pirate]

What type of catamaran were you racing?

I was on KATE a mono hull. The cats were in a different category, but the courses did 'overlap'.

 

[mikeinkwazi]

Catamarans are generally considered to be faster than monohulls.

We race in the Heineken Regatta in St.Maarten. I was sailing on Kate with a reduced gaffed rigged sail area, and we were creaming past them upwind(expected, breezing past with the wind on the beam and, blowing past downwind (we were not flying a spinnaker).

Why are the catamarans so so slow? The could not be doing more that 8-10 knots. Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?

Are they that much under rigged?

Why are they so slow?

Why are monohulls so slow? Can it be that there is more than one kind of monohull? (ex Trimaran driver!)

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Why are monohulls so slow? Can it be that there is more than one kind of monohull? (ex Trimaran driver!)

I guess that they are more that one kind of monohull.

Top speeds achieved are above 30 knots

 

[KellysEye]

>Why are the catamarans so so slow? The could not be doing more that 8-10 knots. Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?

If they are cruising cats yes they would be carrying all that.

>Are they that much under rigged?

Cruising cats are purposely under rigged a mono will normally right itself a Cat won't and it would be a disaster.

 

[mjcoon]

... Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?
...

Oh surely the sight of a monohull coming up behind them would suggest emptying the sewage tank!

Mike.

 

[Sybarite]

Catamarans are generally considered to be faster than monohulls.

We race in the Heineken Regatta in St.Maarten. I was sailing on Kate with a reduced gaffed rigged sail area, and we were creaming past them upwind(expected, breezing past with the wind on the beam and, blowing past downwind (we were not flying a spinnaker).

Why are the catamarans so so slow? The could not be doing more that 8-10 knots. Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?

Are they that much under rigged?

Why are they so slow?

The rules governing cruising catamarans, in France at least, is that they must not be capable of being capsized through wind strength alone.

 

[Colvic Watson]

1. Charter cats are ideal for the more novice sailor, so they are under canvassed and poorly sailed.
2. Much harder to sail a cruising cat well - no feedback from hull or helm
3. Cats rely on massive form stability and so are much more affected by extra cruising weight
4. Cats can be faster and can be slower, depending on the three above and the design of the cat. Just like monohulls. You were obviously lucky to get charter sailors in charter boats with charter weight.

Or maybe you are a truly amazing sailor, a born thoroughbred jockey. I don't think we should rule the possibility out, look what Seajet is capable of.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Also, many cruising cats have pretty massive and unaerodynamic deckhouses. Wind resistance going upwind, more leeway reaching, but should be a help going downwind.

 

[Adonnante]

The rules governing cruising catamarans, in France at least, is that they must not be capable of being capsized through wind strength alone.

I'm interested in where these rules are. I sail a 40' French cat that can be sailed over in under 30 knots of wind. The designer is currently selling designs (very successfully) at this size which have 19sq m more sail area on a 1.2m higher mast and weighs 150kgs less, the beam is 300mm greater. My guess is the badly handled it would be approaching a capsize at the top end of a F6. Not all non racing cats are charter boats.

Peter.

 

[Peroo]

Cats are also very sensitive to wave height, length of swell, and swell direction which can mean they slam horribly, particularly going upwind when wind and waves, and indeed at times, tide are against them, even under power.

Downwind is a different ball-game, as is sailing in the lee of a major landmass, despite the degree of under or over canvassing, sea state is a critical factor for cats.

 

[markhomer]

a fast cat can easily be sailed slow , by a poor crew , more obvious in a cat than a mono

 

[LittleSister]

The rules governing cruising catamarans, in France at least, is that they must not be capable of being capsized through wind strength alone.

And do they have rules governing the maximum strength the wind may reach?

 

[Sybarite]

And do they have rules governing the maximum strength the wind may reach?

I admit my info is second hand. It was a cat owner who told me that when I helped him take his boat to Gibraltar.

 

[Sybarite]

Catamarans are generally considered to be faster than monohulls.

We race in the Heineken Regatta in St.Maarten. I was sailing on Kate with a reduced gaffed rigged sail area, and we were creaming past them upwind(expected, breezing past with the wind on the beam and, blowing past downwind (we were not flying a spinnaker).

Why are the catamarans so so slow? The could not be doing more that 8-10 knots. Are they sailing them with full water tanks, full sewage tanks and full fuel tanks, mega amounts of chain and anchors, two weeks of shops food and drink stores, etc?

Are they that much under rigged?

Why are they so slow?

Consider one of these:

http://www.neel-trimarans.com/en/securite/performances/

 

[doris]

Consider one of these:

http://www.neel-trimarans.com/en/securite/performances/

Wow! Want the 44 footer. Might even be able to keep up with JJ.

 

[capnsensible]

A few years ago, I delivered a 40 foot catamaran from St. Lucia to Croatia. As it took best part of 6 weeks, we got some interesting weather on occasion.

During a spell of 55 to 58 knot winds to the west of the Azores, a rather round eyed crew asked me 'do these things turn upside down often?'

Inspired by the stewardess replying to the passenger when asked how often these planes crash, I was able to reply 'only once'.

 

[snowleopard]

Why are monohulls so slow? Can it be that there is more than one kind of monohull? (ex Trimaran driver!)

I take it you're not still sailing Inkwazi? I looked over her while buying the design for an updated version of her from Derek Kelsall - the K39. She would reach at 14 knots in a F5 when first launched but struggled to hit 10 knots when laden for long-distance cruising.