"rhys" wrote in message
...

I try not to sneer at trimarans and cats, either, because they provide
a *different*, but equally valid and perfectly enjoyable alternative
to my preferred monohull. Where I tend to get snotty is on the issue
of seaworthiness: if you accept that a cat with a big flat sliding
glass door on its bridge is going to have issues in a following sea,
then you understand my objections are not to catamarans, but to
catamarans that want to be patio sunrooms.

I'm not sure why you have a problem with "flat sliding doors" since I've never
heard of a failure of one. Or are you defining "seaworthiness" as something
that "looks proper" as opposed to something that has been proven safe with a
perfect safety record?

Actually, I consider the door to be a major safety feature since you don't have
to climb down a ladder to "go below." Modern cruising cats don't have a problem
with seas breaking in the cockpit because the sterns are quite bouyant and lift
easily. In many cats the door is almost amidships, so its rather unlikely to be
tested even in the worst conditions. And the cockpit drains are usually 3 inch
scuppers that drain directly below.

I know that traditionally, large comfortable cockpits are not considered the
safest for long passages, but they really aren't that bad on a cat.


South Africa builds some
apparently incredibly tough blue-water cats (they'd have to, given the
conditions there), and while I'd personally have to learn to sail 'em,
I'd let the brother buy one.


You'd figure it out real quick.