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Jeff Jeff is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
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Default Video footage - USCG assists capsized catamaran in Gulf of Mexico

* Wayne.B wrote, On 4/16/2007 1:09 PM:
On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:57:51 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Yes, there is a tiny chance that a
freak squall would hit while I'm carrying full sail and I'm down below
making coffee. (Doubtful, since I don't actually leave the helm for
more than a few seconds.) But there are other higher risks that
plague monohulls.


I'm actually more or less agnostic on the multi vs mono argument but
certain facts and observations are hard to escape, and I've had more
than 35 years experience cruising and racing under sail. One thing
that sticks out is how many times I've been knocked flat or nearly so
in keel boat monohulls. These were not instances of carelessness or
inattention either. Typically they have resulted from sudden clear
air puffs of much higher velocity, and accompanied by a large
directional shift at the same time. They can be very unpredictable,
and very difficult for the crew and helmsman to react in time to avert
a knockdown. I really don't know any way of avoiding them other than
not sailing at all in gusty conditions. A mono will recover very
quickly from that sort of rough treatment, usually within seconds, and
typically with no harm done.

Other than my small Hobie I've never been on a cat when that sort of
thing has happened. The Hobie was quite predictable however, it would
go over just about every time.


My final decision to buy my cat was on a gusty day on the Chesapeake -
winds were 15-20, gusting up bit past that. We were beating at about
50 degrees true, slowing catching a Hunter. A gust hit us and the
Hunter went rail down, stalling out, but we just accelerated and went
by. Then the salesman told me to bear off a bit more, and the speed
shot up to 10 knots and I was hooked!

There is no doubt that in more extreme situations a catamaran can be
at risk. My boat (and several others I know of) are designed such
that full sail can generate enough force to tip her over in 45 knots.
Of course, carrying full sail in 45 knots is normally a no-no, so
the key is to anticipate such situations and not get caught.

Personally, I deliberately undersized my sails - stackpack on main,
high cut 120 jib instead of the standard 130. I reef early and often,
and don't hesitate to run the engine if it seems more prudent. Others
take the opposite approach, using a tall rig with a large headsail to
optimize performance in lighter air, but my thinking is that this only
moves the need for powering a couple of knots of wind lower, and
complicates things when it blows up.