Can You Sail a Catamaran By Yourself?


Sail a Catamaran By Yourself

Catamarans are known for their stability, speed and comfort, but can you sail a catamaran by yourself? I have sailed both a sailboat and a catamaran. It depends upon how the catamaran is rigged. Here is why they are they not too difficult to sail single handed.

Generally speaking, you can sail a catamaran by yourself, depending upon how the cat is rigged. The sheets need to be within easy reach of the helm. Otherwise, there is nothing more difficult about having two hulls (or even three) as compared with a monohull sailboat. Catamarans are usually faster, smoother and more stable seagoing platforms. Besides, they have two engines for maneuvering.

In this article, I’ll cover the details of how to sail a catamaran by yourself. I will look at some of the different sizes of catamarans and which are best suited for sailing solo. I’ll add a few recommendations for piloting a catamaran crewless.

Are Catamarans Easy to Sail?

Catamarans may look complex at first glance. And, modern cats are technological marvels. However, they do have a few quirks that make them different. You can sail a catamaran by yourself once you know how to do it.

Catamarans are very easy to sail. Catamarans have two hulls, which gives them a “wide wheelbase” and makes them inherently stable. This, in turn, makes them easier to sail on their own. They split the force of the wind between two equally sized hulls. This feature by itself nearly guarantees stability and the dangers that come with heeling.

There is also much less risk of falling overboard or getting injured. Additionally, catamarans are nearly impossible to capsize due to their inherent stability. This can increase the amount of your reaction time to changing seas or sudden gusts. This is can be detrimental for solo sailing. In the sense that you have less time to react to danger. It can also be an advantage in outrunning danger.

Therefore, single-handing a catamaran is easily possible, and the benefits can vary depending on your skills and other factors. It is possible to sail a cat yourself, provided you have the necessary experience. Although, there are both benefits and drawbacks.

Do Catamarans Have Less Drag?

Sailboats have one very wide hull. Catamarans have two very thin hulls instead of one fat hull on a sailboat. These two hulls offer much less water resistance than sailboats of the same length.

Catamarans have less drag than monohulls. As a rule, catamarans have at least 10% less drag than the best monohull of the same length. Further improvements are very likely possible. This is due to narrower hulls, less resistance and their water displacement.

Are Catamarans Slow?

Some people look at cruising catamarans, built for comfort, and wonder whether they are slower boats. While it might seem like catamarans are slow at first glance, this is most certainly wrong.

Catamarans are also much faster than monohulls of the same length. This is because two very thin hulls have less drag than one fat hull. This give a catamaran much less resistance compared to monohulls. All cats are faster than their monohull cousins for this reason. Racing cats are some of the fastest boats on the planet.

Catamarans come in two basic types: racing and cruising. The racing cats are open, lean and built for speed. However, they are completely useless for long-distance travel or living. Some people think cruising catamarans are slow. They are slow only in comparison to their racing counterparts.

What Size Catamaran is Best for Singlehanded Sailing?

Besides the rigging, the size of a catamaran is a factor when considering sailing solo. Larger boats do exist, but they belong in the super yacht category and require a crew or automated sailing.

The ideal size catamaran for singlehanded sailing is around 35 feet to 45 feet. At this size, it’s easy to manage the halyards and reef the sails by yourself. You can see and manage everything necessary for sailing the boat yourself. One person can sail a 50-footer with some basic skills and experience.

Is a Catamaran a Smooth Ride?

Monohull sailboats have a vertical orientation. They need a deep keel with heavy ballast to counter the wind’s effect on the sails. This results in the motion of the boat rocking back and forth, or “heeling”. Catamarans are balanced on two thin hulls and their orientation, is mostly horizontal. In my experience, this is a much smoother ride.

As a general rule, sailing a catamaran is a smooth ride. Sailors are less prone to seasickness on catamarans than monohulls, even on ocean waves. In calm conditions, cats glide across the water. In windy water, catamarans do not rock back and forth as much as sailboats. They may tend to slide, depending on their keel, instead. When sailing at high speeds, catamaran bows tend to rise and fall with the waves.

Do You Get Wet on a Catamaran?

You will get wet sailing on a catamaran, or any boat, in rough weather. Sailboats tend to send the ocean spray outward, while the narrow catamaran hulls tend to send the spray upward. Modern cruising catamarans usually install trampolines at the bow to allow this spray to dissipate and return to the ocean as quickly as possible.

Do People Buy Catamarans for Solo Sailing?

Smaller catamarans have always been available. Outriggers, for example, are essentially catamarans. These boats are ocean-going vessels and often designed for a single sailor. But today, these are the exception. Modern catamarans are expensive for just one person.

Generally speaking, people don’t buy catamarans for solo sailing. Racing catamarans are mostly designed for a crew to manage. Cruising catamarans are designed to be comfortable places for living. This is because they have much more stability, a horizontal orientation, and room for more people. This is why you don’t often see catamarans manned by only one person.

Sail a Catamaran By Yourself

Overall, catamarans have a lot of advantages over their lesser-hulled cousins. However, sailing solo usually isn’t one of them.

Catamarans have a very wide base, which makes them a little difficult to maneuver in tight spaces, like harbors. While nearly all catamarans have two engines, and can spin in place, they are much larger than monohull sailboats of the same length.

Catamarans often have closed cockpits, which makes it a bit challenging to reach overhead for the boom. Getting into the cockpit from the deck is also a little slower than in a monohull. Also, cats have a lot of interior space. While this is usually an advantage, it can be too much room for just one person.

Some Sailing Tips for Single Handed Sailing

Sailing a catamaran single handed is completely possible. However, it does require a different skill set than piloting a monohull. Here are some tips to help make solo sailing easier and safer.

Buy a Smaller Catamaran

The simple fact about sailing is that smaller boats are usually easier to handle. If you plan on solo sailing a catamaran, consider a 35-foot boat instead of a 50-footer. A smaller boat will be more manageable.

There’s a point where the wide base tends to overcome the short waves, and a 40 to 45-foot catamaran can handle most reasonable sailing condition. You’ll save money on fees, and it’ll be easier for one person to manage. Besides, there’s plenty of room for guests.

Install Warning Radar

This goes for all sailors. Installing a warning radar system can make all of your journeys significantly safer. These systems alert you to the presence of nearby ships, such as cargo ships, and give you identifying information such as vessel size and speed.

Marine radar systems can send an audio alert if you pass within a specific distance of another vessel. This can wake you up if you need to take control of your boat. This can also be useful if you need to message the vessel.

Remember, commercial ships and warships always have the right of way. The stopping distance and turning radius of a large ship are measured in miles, not feet. You can always maneuver much quicker than they can. Again, they will not get out of your way. The warning radar can tell you when you need to act.

Sleep in your Cockpit

Most cruising catamarans have a generous covered cockpit, sometimes called the pilothouse. This pilothouse usually contains the galley and a seating area for eating and chart plotting.

You can easily convert this area into bedding. While solo sailing, it is much safer for you to sleep in the cockpit than in the lower berths.

This is because, nobody else will be on watch while you sleep. If you need to take control of the boat, you may need to the helm in a hurry.

Install Automatic Winches

Automatic winches can make solo sailing a breeze. These devices allow you to control lines and sheets from the cockpit. You never have to go out on deck except to raise and lower the sail. Some automatic systems can even reef the sails.

Winches can save you energy, as you don’t have to exhaust yourself reeling in and taking out the line. Automatic winches are especially useful when tacking, as the headsail can be adjusted to either side without going up on deck.

You can integrate advanced autopilots for your boat. The system can steer your boat and use the weather data and even adjust your sails.

Conclusions

I hope you found this article useful. Most of my readers know of my preference for catamarans. However, I still think and like to consider all sides to a question. Additional research, and asking my fellow sailors online is always interesting and sometimes informative.

Learn to Sail a Catamaran By Yourself

If you didn’t find what you were looking for in this article, please leave me feedback and I will do more research for you and let you know what I found.

Thanks for reading. I hope to see you out on the water someday.

Randy

Sources:

https://www.latesail.com/en-us/blog/2016/06/28/whats-the-difference-between-sailing-a-monohull-or-a-catamaran/

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