Multihulls for long term cruising

[Dougie]

Dear forum.

I am looking to take some time out for self and partner for an extended cruise through the med, and if it goes well, down the E coast of Africa. We both have lots of monohull experience in some big (20m plus) and small (8m) boats. I have recently realised that I am being seduced by the lure of the multihull. I have never set foot on one, but the idea of fast comfortable passages gets more and more appealing as I get older.

I am aware of the additional berthing costs, but I avoid marinas like the plague anyway. I am particularly impressed by some reviews I have seen of tris in the 36 foot range. Yet the huge majority of long term cruisers are in monohulls. Any general comments, how about pounding to windward in the red sea for 2 weeks, would a tri fall apart ?!

I guess my next step is to wangle a delivery on a multihull, any suggestions on models to look out for.

Thanks

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[snowleopard]

puzzled by your preference for a tri. their main selling point is performance, resulting from their light weight. when you load up for long term cruising most of that benefit goes out of the window. a 36 ft tri is seriously small for living aboard, remember the main hull is much narrower than an equivalent mono and the floats have no accommodation.

if you like the benefits of multihulls, think about a cat. you get the vast space and a lot more carrying capacity. i have had both, here is a comparison of the two

cat tri
loa ft 39 39
beam 23 23
disp tons 5.5 3.5
berths 11 6
cruise speed 9 12
max load tons 1 .5 (inc water/fuel)

if looking at used production boats around the 36ft mark, a prout will give you a robust cruising platform but performance is not a lot better than a mono while some of the french designs are lighter. talk to one of the multihull brokers, e.g. multihull world at emsworth have a lot of boats on their list and quite a few on site to look at.

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[Sea Devil]

I must say if I were going round again it would be in a Cat rather than a multihull. All my friends making longer passages in Cats had a better lifestyle than I did. The only real windward work is up the red sea and frankly thats not half as bad as people make out and all the cats doing it at the same time made just as good progress.
I agree that Prouts are very suitible and have met several all of which were very contented with their choice.

Have to say I am not sure about a tri. Partly because how ever careful you are about weight long distance sailing requires more than one anchor and coral requires chain not warp so that's a bundle of extra weight before you start - My friends in a 36ft prout had a washing machine on board and carried a small motor bike in the cockpit (or saloon on passage) and were still as fast as me in a monohull. But they lived far more comfortably!
Just my opinion....

regards
Michael

<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time visit my web site
www.michaelbriant.com/sailing

 

[greatspirit]

Agree with others
Cats much more suitable than Tris
Prout sailing performance is poor
Look at the French cats also the Australians make some very good and good value cats.....just means starting your world cruise from a dfferent point

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[Dougie]

Thanks for these comments. I hadn't realised how much more weight sensitive than cats tris were. I had just changed my world view from wanting to plod along in a tank at 5kn to fantasies about skimming across a flat sea at 15kn. I still think tris look nicer, but since I can't afford a really big one, I should probably look at cats first.

Any specific makes for French or Oz cats ?

Thanks again

Dougie

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[snowleopard]

main makes of cat from france are

fontaine pajot
privilege
catana
lagoon

the last two are most common on the world cruising circuit for what it's worth, both are reasonably quick.

there are also a lot of cats on the market built as one-offs either by owners or small yards, they generally offer more for your money than a production design. names to look for include woods and kelsall (have to declare an interest here).

foam sandwich construction makes for a lighter structure than solid grp but solid is easier to make on a production line. the difference can be as much as 1.5 tons on a 40-footer.

one final remark- don't assume that a multi will make passage in a third of the time of a mono. while we can do 12 knots on a reach the speed advantage is much less close hauled or running. we reckon over a long passage to save only about 20% against a mono of the same length.

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[kesey]

Have a look at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.eircom.net/~ajpower>http://homepage.eircom.net/~ajpower

 

[davidbains]

Keep an open mind Dougie.
I've cruised a 39ft Kelsall tri for over 25 years now. Just back from sailing
from Greece up the Croatian coast to Trieste. Encouraged to do so by
Metabarca (Lucian Comoy).
In Hvar we met an American couple on a Cross tri who'd just come up the Red Sea
aand were six years into their circumnavigation.
Of course there are many fewer cruising tris to view. You could even look for
Brown's or Cross' and others on the US market.
I've always liked having a "proper foredeck" on a tri, and the floats make
great storage for all the mucky stuff you don't want in the accommodation.
Plus you only need one rudder and centreboard and one engine.
Tris can go to weather better since it's easier to tighten the forestay.
If there's only two of you why do you need four cabins in a cat?
David.
Actually if you're headed for east Africa you may need to cruise in company
for piracy avoidance in the southern Red Sea.
<hr width=100% size=1>Never knowingly overcanvassed!

 

[Metabarca]

I thought your head might pop out of the hatch at the mention of the magic word "tri", David!

<hr width=100% size=1>Adriatic links here: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A>

 

[snowleopard]

had a look at the specs for the leopard 40. interesting weight figures: displacement 16000 lbs, carrying capacity 9000 lbs. i wonder what it goes like when it weighs 25000 lbs?!

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[miki_b]

Dear Dougie, I have some info for you so send your e mail to gilimiki@bezeqint.net

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[boatmike]

Quite right!
I have a Snowgoose Elite and am very happy with it. It is unashamedly heavy at 6 tonnes but she still tramps along at about 7 knots in anything more than 15 knots of wind on most points of sail. The main point being I remain upright and feel totally safe in up to 40 knots of wind (reefed down of course) but maintain my 7 knots without stress. Went to Cherbourg in a Fontaine Pageot once. Wind came up to 30 knots and the bloody thing became unmanageable and downright frightening.
Ask yourself a question. Why is it that on every forum when the subject of multihulls comes up the name Prout is mentioned?
I do agree though that they are not the worlds fastest multi. What would you rather have though, speed or seaworthyness?
There are other good boats, especially over 40 ft. Most are built in the southern hemisphere though and will cost a great deal of money. If you have over £150,000 to spend look at these. Also look at the new boats by Broadblue at the boat show. If like me your budget is more modest there are various sizes and ages of Snowgoose on the market. The Elite is streets ahead of earlier Snowgoose models though.....

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[Bob]

Cruising with children on a Cat

You might want to have a look at the "Yacht Prrrfection" website: http://www.cruiser.co.za/hostcat.asp

A very brave lady on a circumnavigation with her children on a catamaran.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
Bob

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