If you are thinking of chartering a yacht, but can’t decide if a monohull or catamaran would be better suited to your trip, we’ve got some important information for you. Below we will highlight the important differences between catamarans and monohulls. We hope to help you make your decision.

What is a monohull sailboat?

A monohull is a type of sailing boat having only one hull. The main characteristic of sailing boats is the stability. The stability is achieved by adding the ballast, the deep keel.

Although no one knows when the first sailboat was built, archeologists have found remains of primitive canoe-like vessels dating back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Layout

The saloon and cabins are all located below deck on a monohull. The middle of the yacht houses the saloon which includes the kitchen, a dining room table, and captains desk. The cabins and WC are usually found fore and aft.

What is a sailing catamaran?

A sailing catamaran is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. Unlike sailboats, catamaran stability is achieved with wide beam.

The first catamaran-type vessels were an early technology of the Austronesian peoples, allowing  voyage to distant Pacific islands. Until the 20th century catamaran development focused primarily on sail-driven concepts. 

Layout

The cabins and toilets are located in the hulls, while the saloon is in the area between the hulls, on the deck.

Stability - Heeling

The catamaran has limited heeling which results in a more stable experience while sailing. You can walk safely from the cockpit into the saloon on one level. The stability and comfort in a catamaran are far superior. Cooking is easy and safer.

On the other side, the experience of sailing on a monohull is unlike anything else. It is a thrilling experience as the sailboat picks up speed and heels at a 10-20 degree angle. If you are a sailing enthusiast and looking for adventures, the monohull is the right choice.

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, catamarans have a great advantage. First of all, the large deck saloon with kitchen has more natural light.  The cockpit and living space, in general, are huge compared to a monohull, making living conditions very comfortable and spacious.

The large deck area enables more space for water toys ( Canoes, SUP`s and other floaties). We would definitely recommend catamaran for bigger groups, as they have more area for socialising, cockpit, font cockpit lounge, flybridge.

Speed

Catamarans are faster both under power or sail compared to a similar-sized monohull. Sailing catamarans can sail half the speed of the wind, depending upon their angle. Due to their lower waterline surface area, catamarans are certainly faster. Typically, catamarans do not sail well upwind, and therefore need a different technique for tacking.

Costs

In the catamaran vs monohull price debate, the monohull gets the definite advantage.  When chartering a catamaran, all costs are higher. The rental fee can be between 50-100% higher than for the same size monohull and marinas, and port fees can higher than for the same size monohull.

Docking - Anchoring

Having twin engines, catamarans are extremely easy to dock if you can find a spot wide enough.  You can navigate into places you can’t get to with a monohull, and you can anchor closer to shore, due to shallow draft. The catamaran is more stable at anchor.

Monohulls manoeuvre better because you’re not dealing with two hulls. They can make sharper turns and navigate much more easily through narrow channels and tight spaces.

It’s all about the Destination

With all these factors in mind, it’s important to also consider WHERE you want to charter. Some destinations may be better suited to catamarans or monohulls depending on the types or moorings, marinas and anchorages. Some destinations, like Seychelles for example, have very few so no monohull options because many of the islands have shallower waters making a lot of the areas less accessible to monohulls - For this destination we would only ever suggest a catamaran. However, in many destinations in the Mediterranean a monohull is much easier to manoeuvre and it is much easier to find space when docking stern on in the marinas. Often in areas like Skiathos, Greece we suggest chartering a monohull over a catamaran because the marinas a pretty small and finding space for a big cat can be tricky.

Conclusion

Catamaran vs monohull charter – the final decision is up to you. Both have advantages and disadvantages. No matter your choice, when sailing with family and close friends, a perfect vacation is to be expected. 

This article was originally written for secret-adriatic.com