Capt. Rob wrote:
Jeff has finally admitted the reasons why, for many sailing
enthusiasts, a cat like the PDQ 36 can't be considered. As a family
cruiser platform it certainly offers a stable platform. But the
tradition of sailing is what most of us prefer, and that included
healing and the most important thing of all....Upwind ability where a
multi faulters 10 degrees or more away from a boat like mine. On a long
reach Jeff's boat is faster, but in any real race on various tacks, the
PDQ couldn't even STAY ON the course.

So...in Jeff's OWN WORDS, ladies and gentlemen...

"It won't point too high (45-50 degrees true) but it will
go upwind side by side with any cruising boat. Foot off 5 to 10
degrees, and it takes off like a bandit. Tacking is tedious, it
certainly isn't good for short tacking out a channel. Light air is
another sore point, because the large wetted surface starts to
dominate. However, in 10 knots and over will do about half the wind
speed. It continues to hold this ratio up to 12 to 15 knots of boat
speed, depending on how long you hold off on reefing."

And so...with winds below 10 knots MANY times in MANY areas, the PDQ
gets an engine workout. With limited upwind performance the engines get
another workout. 45-50 degrees is NOT ACCEPTABLE. I bet newer multis
manage better. On the LIS these boats have to be motored much of the
time and these are otherwise classic sailing grounds hosting some great
sailing events. We see few Multi's sailing and for good reason...sooner
or later you need to sail upwind better than 50 degrees!

RB
35s5...the best performing boat here!
NY

The fact that every record in ocean racing is being set by multihulls
kinda pokes holes in everything you say. It doesn't matter how high you
can point if you go twice as fast 10 degrees lower. Where I race, in
light airs or big winds the first boat home is always a multihull.

Gaz

"Gary" wrote in message

The fact that every record in ocean racing is being set by multihulls
kinda pokes holes in everything you say. It doesn't matter how high you
can point if you go twice as fast 10 degrees lower. Where I race, in
light airs or big winds the first boat home is always a multihull.

I raced a Snipe with a sailing club that for years had Snipe, MC-Scow, and
Hobie 16 fleets. The general rule was that if the air was very light to
dead calm, the cats would be started behind the monos. If the wind was 5
kts. or better, the cats were started first. I recall races in which the
cats were started behind the other two fleets, only to have the wind freshen
subsequently. The Hobies would then blast through the other two fleets and
be back on their trailers before we made it back to the club dock.

Max