BoatBanter.com - Why do we sail?

Jere Lull wrote in message ...
In article ,
"Jeff Morris" wrote:

"Jere Lull" wrote
...

As it happens, we often get "there" before the multi-hulls. When
it's rough, we usually do. If they're cruising like us, we almost
always beat them because we are designed for the "extra" weight;
they aren't.

This comment seems odd to me. One of the oft-cited virtues of
multihulls is that they "get there" long before monohulls. This is
certainly true in our case. We generally sail 20% faster than
comparable monohulls, we power at about 7.5 knots, and can motorsail
at 9 knots. On top of that, the ride is usually so easy that it
isn't too much of a burden to go 8 to 10 hours, or longer.

It is certainly true that overloading a multihull will slow it down
proportionally more the monohull. While this is noticeable in a
midsize cat (such as our PDQ36) it isn't "fatal" as long as some care
is taken. We traveled for a year "fully loaded" and generally
considered ourselves the fastest cruising boat around. (Of course,
we weren't challenging any racing boats to a round-the-buoys race in
light air.)

However, when you go below 30 feet, the options in cats get rather
limited. For cats, the bridge deck clearance get very small, so
overloading can cause problems in a chop. For trimarans, they are
normally designed for speed, and are so light that overloading would
dramatically affect trim. For example, a F27 only weighs 2600 pounds
- that's probably equal to what we carried (including fluids).

So Jere, I'd be very curious as to which multihulls you think you're
faster than, and under what conditions.

A couple of months ago, we went out and terrorized a couple of Geminis
head to head. Passed them handily -- on every point of sail -- and they
were being fairly well sailed in just about ideal conditions. One of the
Geminis was a friend I was trying to find to take pics of. I chose the
wrong one first. Comparing notes over the years, they don't like
windward or rough weather work much, and don't motor worth a darn.
Slightest wave seems to knock them aside.

Also chartered a Gemini in Florida for a day a couple of years ago.
Perfect conditions and she flew, but the speeds seemed to be about what
I would have expected on Xan. And they *are* lightly built boats.

Had an indirect "race" with a 36' (?) Island Packet in about 20 knots,
broad reach, on the lower Bay. We started about the same time from the
same place and wound up docked next to each other. Comparing notes: What
a dog!

The past few 4th of July weekends, passed a total of 3 cats, from a
French 33 to an about 40' charter cat. All of us were under chute in
lightish winds between Rock Hall and Annapolis. Much of the time, we
were on autopilot with an overtrimmed chute, so it wasn't like I was
trying that hard.

All the above had waterline on us, and we carry a LOT of extra gear
aboard.

Now, Xan's a feisty little girl and often does things that shouldn't be
possible, but we've passed too many cats over the years to think much of
their overall sailing abilities. Yes, they can burst to nice speed (have
done it in the BVI), but over the long haul, they don't seem to really
go faster unless you have an attentive crew, and that's just not
cruising.

I'd love see what the PDQ does, but haven't seen one on the water that I
know of.

I would sorta expect that perfprmance with cats, however, I am interested in tris.