Space on board : catamaran
From 30 or 35 feet, a catamaran offers more volume than a monohull of the same size. Thanks to its two hulls, there are often four cabins on board with their own private bathroom (two cabins per hull). A solution that you will appreciate if you are numerous or if you are with your family. Installed in the hulls, the cabins are often separated from the living space, offering privacy and calm to those who wish.
On deck, the living space is often on the same level with a comfortable saloon, a large galley and a bay window opening onto the large cockpit topped with a hard-top.
In short, it is a real light house on the water with many interior and exterior spaces.
Comfort: catamaran and monohull
Though everyone says that a catamaran is much more comfortable than a monohull, for my part, I'm a little more reserved. With its two hulls, the multihull is much more stable than a monohull, as it doesn't suffer from heeling, which can be pleasant for some people, especially those who get seasick.
At anchor, it will be more comfortable because of its shape stability, but at sea it's different. Downwind, it's still OK, but at other speeds, it's debatable. Indeed, if she doesn't heel, the catamaran pitches a lot (fore and aft) and it's harder to withstand bad weather.
The sensations: monohull
Generally heavier, the catamaran is therefore less sporty, more stable, and does not offer the same sensations as a heel. The helming sensations are also reduced, unlike a monohull, which is much finer and more reactive.
The catamaran is certainly faster downwind, but it goes upwind less easily than a monohull. The latter performs better upwind.
Under engine, the catamaran will be more manoeuvrable - especially for harbour manoeuvres - as it has two engines, unlike the monohull and its single engine.
For example, if you take a catamaran and a high-performance monohull, the former will be faster. On the other hand, if you compare a very heavy cruising catamaran and a cruising monohull, the performances will be equivalent.
Accessibility: monohull and catamaran
With a larger wingspan than the monohull, the catamaran can sometimes have difficulty accessing the port or certain sailing areas. It will often be necessary to moor to a deadweight and to return to land in a dinghy. In monohulls, these problems are less frequent.
If the catamaran's midship beam can therefore be a brake when mooring, its shallow draft is on the other hand an advantage compared to the monohull.
Maintenance cost: monohull
With smaller dimensions than a multihull, the monohull is cheaper to maintain. First of all in terms of the berth, calculated according to your boat. The maintenance or handling of a multihull also requires a larger budget. In the same way, refuelling will be more expensive on two hulls than on one hull.
