SpeedSailing Performance Cruising catamarans will typically be 25-30 faster than a cruising monohull of the same length.

Catamaran sailboat vs monohull. Due to their lighter weight multihulls tend to be faster and can sail better in lighter winds. An essential piece of kit which should be standard with a new boat is a bridle that runs from either hull and keeps the anchor cable on the centreline. In many ways this is easier than anchoring a monohull as it prevents the ground tackle from fouling the hulls.

One other safety concern to consider is that a monohull sailboat will heel while a catamaran will not. Sailing flat has definite advantages. Whether you look at the amount of fishing space seakeeping abilities or range youll find that this 235 boat feels and acts more like a 25- or 26-footer when compared to a monohull.

On average a cruising catamaran or trimaran is around 25-30 speedier than a conventional monohull of an identical size. Multihulls are unusually fast when sailing downwind for reasons just mentioned above. Downwind cats feel like a house gliding on the ocean at speed while monos roll from side to side.

Handling is another factor to consider and catamarans have both good and bad features. Monohulls heel upwind and when the wind is on the beam while catamarans stay flat but pitch upwind. There is no question that catamarans are faster under power or sail.

Monohulls sail better upwind. Whatever your cruising goals are catamarans will usually move you about more quickly than a monohull. This means that even if you sail upwind at a slightly wider angle to the wind than a monohull and have to cover more distance you will still arrive at your destination long before a monohull.

Deciding between a catamaran and a monohull is a big decision and one worth considering well before taking the plunge. Lets look at one catamaran example Tideline Boats. While catamarans do not point as high into the wind as a monohull or if it does it makes more leeway or slides sideways it is about 20 faster than a monohull.