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Hi Everyone,
I am looking for experience with Catamaran's for cruising (esp with kids). It is one of the options we are considering. I like the potential for each of the kids to have their own berths (heck, even their own hull!!) and the potential for higher rates of speed, but I am also curious about the real world negatives of them. For instance:
The banging on the bridge. It drove us crazy the last time we were on a Cat. Did it/does it drive you crazy or did you get used to it?
What real world speeds did you experience and at what kind of winds? When you planned passages, what was your estimated VMG/SOG that you would use for planning?
How did she handle heavy weather? Is her lack of pointing a big problem and prevent you from bowing into waves, especially breakers?
How did you handle the loading of the vessel? I have not lived on a cat, but have always been amazed at the large amount of space. Is that a farce though? Do you have to worry about over-loading it?
How did you handle the dockage? I have always cautioned others about multihulls and getting dockage. For example, down in the keys, it is $22/foot for a monohull. FOr a multi that can double if they have a slip at all. Did you have difficulties finding dockage and feel you really got hosed on the price/ft?
DId you have a problem with bridge clearances and find your ports were spaced far apart due to you inability to transit the ICW?
Any other issues? Positives? Negatives?
Thanks.
Brian
I am looking for experience with Catamaran's for cruising (esp with kids). It is one of the options we are considering. I like the potential for each of the kids to have their own berths (heck, even their own hull!!) and the potential for higher rates of speed, but I am also curious about the real world negatives of them. For instance:
The banging on the bridge. It drove us crazy the last time we were on a Cat. Did it/does it drive you crazy or did you get used to it?
What real world speeds did you experience and at what kind of winds? When you planned passages, what was your estimated VMG/SOG that you would use for planning?
How did she handle heavy weather? Is her lack of pointing a big problem and prevent you from bowing into waves, especially breakers?
How did you handle the loading of the vessel? I have not lived on a cat, but have always been amazed at the large amount of space. Is that a farce though? Do you have to worry about over-loading it?
How did you handle the dockage? I have always cautioned others about multihulls and getting dockage. For example, down in the keys, it is $22/foot for a monohull. FOr a multi that can double if they have a slip at all. Did you have difficulties finding dockage and feel you really got hosed on the price/ft?
DId you have a problem with bridge clearances and find your ports were spaced far apart due to you inability to transit the ICW?
Any other issues? Positives? Negatives?
Thanks.
Brian