I'm a 26-year-old sailor and i have always enjoyed the look of the catamarans they just look nice. I have a 33 foot custom-built mono that is designed for nasty waters and the cape horn. It's slower than most however i feel safe inside it and would give up speed for safety any day. I would love to sail a catamaran one day
I am a 30-year-old man from Australia who wants to travel around the world on a yacht. You explained it so kindly. My curiosity has been cleared up. Thank you so much.
Very honest and straight forward comparison. I'm glad you both opened and closed the video by reiterating how you should go now with the boat you can afford. We did 4 seasons in the Caribbean on an Albin Vega 27 and were usually (but not always) the smallest boat in the anchorage. We met many other young people cruising on shoestring budgets. If you're new to sailing, I think it make sense to start with a cheaper boat and figure out if you even like the sailing lifestyle- because many realize that they don't! It also gives you a chance to break and fix things with less on the line. Our next boat will be a bit bigger so we can carry more stores and fit a second solar panel- probably in the 32'-36' range :). But I'm very glad to have started out with a boat that was so manageable. See you out there!
Great review! I've sailed both cats and monos and I agree with your comparison! You nailed it. For me however, the feeling that I got as a child so many years ago was the start of a very powerful addiction that is very difficult to explain to someone that hasn't sailed before. The first time at the age of 6 when I felt my Optimist do what a mono does in response to the wind is what still defines sailing for me as a whole so many years later. The responsiveness and the smooth dynamics is something that outweighs any other aspect of sailing for me (even as a liveaboard). I just love sailing too much, it's an artform and heeling over is part of the communication between human and machine. I have not been able to reproduce this relationship on a catamaran. The fine balance of the force of the sail area interacting with the immense counterweight of the keel below is something that makes sense to me. In my opinion this harmony cannot be acheived on a multihull. Just my 2 cents... SV Huldra
I’m no sailor. Only went sailing once. But I’ll never forget that feeling when the wind stiffened, the sails snapped tight and we responded exactly like you described. As a powerboater, I had always sneered a bit at sailboats. They seemed so slow and boring. Ha! The sensation of speed and excitement was just a great or greater on the sailboat. It didn’t feel slow at all. And you could hear the water and the wind. It was exhilarating.
I think it would be interesting to compare mono and cats not by their lenght but by the money you spend to get it. This means in general you will get a much longer monohull for the same money. With that said a lot of things like storage and living space will change, as well as speed and handling or maintenance cost.
Addendum: I realized there are some aspects of the comparison we missed covering, but are worth mentioning. These have either been covered thoroughly by other videos or they just aren't important in our opinion. RISK OF CAPSIZE...just not a big concern on modern cruising cats, or no more so than on a monohull. People make way too big a deal about this and it is the crew that keeps a boat upright. Performance cats are different...they need more attention.. SPEED: yep, our cat and most cats are faster than similar sized (and type) monohulls. That's really nice.. REDUNDANCY: yes this is a major benefit of a catamaran. Two rudders, two engines, two alternators, two water heaters..., etc. I am sure there are other things we missed. We just didn't want to go over the same old ground that a lot of other comparison videos have.
Dude. I love what you guys said about affordability. Because, instead of waiting 5-10 years to buy a catamaran, I can go out and purchase a monohull now. Oh my gosh. I absolutely love your presentation. Killer content. Good stuff. I love your dog 🐕
No matter what and when you buy your boat. LOOK at all the reviews Owners and Builders b4 leaning one way or another. and remember. SOME home builds ARE much better. More Consciously built than Factory. My 2 x Steel ones were built by shipwrights for themselves in the shipyards with ship steel. I've had them out when no other boats would go. Just to test ME out. Single Hander. 42ft is about the biggest the average SIngle Hander can manage Comfortably. 32/35 easier and still good seaboats if you select the right ones. My Pugh 32 Moonwind took me through the edge of a Cyclone back 15 yrs or so. Quite safely. And down below Port Lincoln in Sth Australia we get regular, 50plus knot blows. GREAT sailing in those waters. and S A to Tassie. The best heavy waters sailing in Australia. BUY the boat YOU will feel comfortable and safe in in those waters. You WILL find yourself in them someday if you going distances. Don't believe those fancy, Sunny Full sails/Flat water boat adverts. They on a lake or behind the islands somewhere.
I'm a monohull guy and the worst part of cruising on it is going up and down the companionway. Big win for a cat is the level access from the cockpit to the saloon.
This is what I was thinking... great comparison and wide range of categories but some are much more important/ tedious than others. Not every win is the same.
When I first started watching this I was fairly certain I would wind up hating both of you and your dog for making a mockery of my miserable retirement lifestyle. Instead I found you both quite likeable and the video a pleasant diversion from chasing kids off my lawn! Thanks!
I have listened to this video several times. I learn things each time. I love the depth of analysis that is clear. You clearly show that you get each configuration. Thus for a "Week-long vacation sailing" experience the money involved clearly tips the scale to the monohull. While you focus on the on-boat experience, if you sail to a camping place then many of the downsides of the monohull disappear because you are camping on the "uninhabited island." What that means in a practical sense is that you have privacy in your camping area. That tips the balance even more to the monohull for sailing relatively short distances a week or so between camping spots. One more positive item I noticed is that you said being and staying organized on ship board is a challenge no matter which one you pick. That is excellent knowledge for me. I may change my mind about sailing completely because organization is not what I do. That point of light from the two of you is wonderful and deeply appreciated.
Having sailed and raced monohulls for decades. Next boat is a Cat for us. My thought is ALL sailboats that take you safely where you want to go is beautiful. Every boat that sails by with a crew is the best boat. My advice is to love all boats for what they are.
I love you folks! That you decided to get a Catamaran for the comfort of your senior dog, makes you top notch people in my mind. Also you’re very down to earth and likeable
Same here. Ever since seeing the big, black 48’ft O’Neill Cat in Santa Cruz Harbor years ago. Half the time the boat was gone. Wonder if it’s searching for the perfect wave 🌊. Maybe on a stopover in Tahiti ? (That was /is my recurring dream, a 12m or so catamaran )
Thank you for starting off with the conclusion. I love videos that get right to the point then go into details following. I also love how you guys separate by categories like money and sailing and etc. great video guys!
I've owned both as motor boats not sail boats and most of your points still apply. However, I'd say with motor boats a few more categories swing the cats way, particularly with speed and fuel economy. Ps. This is probably the most objective and simplest to follow comparison I've watched, well done
Thanks for that nice and quite complete comparison of monohull vs catamaran. I appreciate the different categories you made, it helps to see pros and cons based on what we value more important or not. Thanks!
I know basically nothing of sailing, but have always been fascinated by it. Your video actually taught me a lot. You guys live a beautiful life and I hope that I can do the same one day. Im glad i clicked on this video. You guys are definitely inspiring.
Look up Christian Williams’s channel here on UA-cam. He’s been sailing for 70 years, and has a whole series on learning to sail well from no experience whatsoever.
It’s a tired topic but that said I appreciate your thoughts. As for me, when asked what my favourite sailboat is my answer is always the same; it’s the one I’m sailing at the time.
Thanks guys, this was really informative. My big takeaway from our little discussion.... If you want to live on your boat: Catamaran If you want to sail your boat: Monohull Got it. Thanks for diving deep into these comps.
@@viarnayI've heard the opposite. I've heard that cats are far better for storms and rough seas. Because they don't capsize or roll over nearly as easily. Cats will almost always stay level and afloat in high seas 🤷
Not so at all. Monos, are designed to heel, it's also a safety measure. Rather than a cat's giant deck stepped rigging just absorbing all that tension, possibly snapping shrouds, a mono heels, and under massive loads a keel stepped mono will possibly lay down, thus standing back up. Capsize a cat, the boat, and possibly crew are gone.
imagine watching this entire presentation yet having NO INTEREST in boats. Never been on one either (at sea). Just accidentally came here. Very well done and I think you must be right.
Best unbiased comparison I've seen yet. I own neither, but have been thinking of a Live aboard cat for a while and you have just confirmed this for me as the wife prefers comfort over tradition lol Well done
I listen to many channels that do these comparisons. You have done the BEST job with this video. You do have the expertise and that carries weight. Your method and categories were well thought out, clear and quite effective. Overall A+ work; well done!
I find a good comparison to be cars, you can buy a supercar as a milionaire, but a used car for a few thousand (Still a big purchase of course, but it is doable). Same with boats, insane guilded doorknobs superyacht vs super old used monohull that is a fixer upper.
Great video, I’ve never sailed a cat (other than a Hobie cat!) and find this informative, if mostly intuitive. One exception I take though is your comment about not sailing up wind 95% of the time. I’ve sailed monohulls in the Vancouver BC area for almost 40 years, not long term cruising but coastal gunkholing for a few days to a few weeks at a time. In my experience, being close hauled is the most common point of sail, followed by broad reaching. Here the prevailing winds tend to align with the waterways so the winds are generally either with you or against you. And I’d say on average, more “against” than “for” !
What a great review guys. No sailing experience whatsoever but I'm watching at least one or two sailing videos a day. And now I'm looking at used boats. Pretty soon I'm going to have to actually get on a boat to see if I like it!
Having sailed on both, that would have to be the best comparison I have seen to date. I chose a mono for cost/safety reasons. I do like being able to see all around your boat from the living area on a cat although a deck salon can fix that.
This was a really fair comparison imo. I'm not a boater but at first I thought - "Wow. The mono-hull is killing it." But overall, I'd buy a Cat, if I could afford it!
Hey! That 3 masted Gaff rigged 160' schooner at 6:00 is/was the "Tole More". I worked on her as a counselor for the youth that were on her. The youth were all juvenile inmates from Pennsylvania in a special program. A wild experience, lots of stories. I boarded in Erie PA, sailed throughout the great lakes appearing as the flagship in tall ship festivals at the biggest ports in Canada and the US, down the Atlantic coast, through the canal, to the Galapagos and onto Hawaii. She was originally a floating Hospital for the Marshall Islands. All aluminum with teak. Incredibly well fitted. Comfortable. I remember us doing 13 knots coming through the St Lawrence Seaway. Treated like rock stars when coming to any port. All manual rigging. Only an anchor winch.
Thanks so much! My partner and I have an 8 year plan to transition to living full time on a boat, and figuring out where to set our goals early on was an important step. Maximum livability plus good sustainability from solar are massive selling points. thanks again
Yes you guys are a LOT more qualified to talk about the pros and cons of both types of boats, but I think where your video shines the brightest is in your concise and real world experiences and you hit all the high points in a timely manner. Another outstanding video on a well covered subject that you guys have managed to make quite entertaining !
Great video, in the video you guys said mono-hull is traditional, but just to clarify the oldest boats used to cross oceans were actually catamarans invented by ancient tribes! Love the channel, keep up the good work
Love this comprehensive conversation. You are so right in regards to being qualified to comment. We would love a sailboat at some point on our nautical journey but need a whole lot more education first. Your comment about just doing it and not waiting really resonates - we will eventually end up in a sailboat, but with 4 kids, dogs and 2 cockatiels and no boat experience AT ALL it was so much easy to buy an older trawler style motor vessel just to lessen the learning curve. We are a lot closer to a yacht now that we have sea time under our belt. We are so lucky that we summoned the courage to just do it to just get into the lifestyle, we absolutely love it! Love your videos, been watching for a while. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Best wishes, David.
This....(and Part 2 of the same discussion) represents one of the best discussions of this topic I've come across in 30+ years of being exposed to this debate! Though my wife is fully 'on board' with the idea... I've just purchased Nick's audible book "Get Her On Board" as a token of appreciation of all the great info this couple shares!
I sailed a 36' Wharrum cat from Key West to Isla Mujares and back. 3 months. Loved the deck space and for diving it wins hands down. The price point on these is super low if you can find someone willing to sell. $15k for a good one. Build it yourself or have it built will cost more. 2k estimated man hours or less if you have it done by builders. I'm at present gutting the interior of a 1979 Morgan 45' IRC design 11' on the beam 6' draft, 1/2" solid FG, 6 tons of lead ballast. Built for heavy weather. Big rudder mounted on a full keel. Beautiful mahagony trim which will be reused. Termites have eaten the marine plywood so I'm pulling everything and going back with Coosa board and a completely new layout. I've sailed multiple tall ships and love it but that's big money and a young man's game. Nothing but full time maintenance. Although you can't beat the beauty and the sailing is top notch, you're going to spend every day on repairs. This video is wonderful pros and cons and you two did an excellent job. It's all down to personal choice. And what's best for your dog. Big thumbs up and a new subscriber.
Plus they are really cool looking. I looked at finishing up someone else's Pahi years and years ago. I think you build a boat because you want to build a boat, not because you want to save money. Ask a few people who've built boats and they will tell you the truth...it's a very low-paid job. But to craft something of your own design, to make it exactly what you want it to be? I'd be down for that part of it. 15K you say? If someone out there in youtube land finds a GOOD Wharram build in GOOD condition for 15k....buy it!
Yeah, me neither. I just discovered how much boat (monohull) one can buy for such little money. Million dollar boats going for a tenth of what they cost. Amazing. But I don't like water and dampness generally so . . . Very interesting video though. Thanks!
Same here because of the sun. Sailing was my first love, all that was earlier in life, but the sun stopped that. :-( I really miss it though. I have concentrated on my second love of flying.
When my parents purchased their retirement sailboat, I begged them to get a catamaran because we capsized in a monohull on a small lake when I was 12. It was terrifying. Cats are more stable. That said, when the engines both died on a trip (and I was with them), I had the pleasure of using my painting skills to paint their two hulls over my teacher spring break. Good news, if I need another career, boatyard painter is it! Your cat is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Hi guys! We are Diego and Inaia. We are two musicians. We sold everything, moved into an rv and are in the way to buying a boat to live aboard and sail to Uruguay. You guys are an inspiration to us!
Thanks you for the note. It is you who are the inspiration to us. In our podcast this week, we talk specifically about the RV/van life compared to cruising on a boat. They are the same but very different of course! Glad to have you with us and I hope we see you out on the water soon!
@@TheOKellys Hey guys!!! DIego's binging in all your "tips for buyers" videos!! He probably has to fly to FL, while I keep pursuing my private pilot license, because this is IT! We are buying a used boat (all we can afford without getting into a loan). It is time to start shopping! Thank you so much for the content. You guys rule!
Great Video Guys!!! Very informative and well thought out! You guys are definitely a huge resource for people who are armchair sailors looking for advice on getting into a boat. You are uniquely subject matter expert in the Mono V. Cat debate; most people haven't had your experiences in one hull let alone four. Looking forward to your next vid! ( Would love to have Nick do a weather tutorial for sailors of all skill levels)
Thanks Timm. Have given that a lot of thought. Such a big subject. Would love to do one, but it would take a lot of graphics work and right now I am pressed for time with all the boat work. But stand by. As things settle down, that'll be a priority.
It's not sailing-related specifically, but a general book on the fluid mechanics and thermodynamic processes would be Fundamentals of Weather and Climate. For sailing related, it all tilts toward storm preps and survival. I like Storm Tactics by Lin and Larry Pardey.
Nailed it! And HOLY CRAP, 359 comments in 3 days! You struck a cord that's for sure. Lots to debate. I'm a monohull guy, but agree pretty much. Great video! Thanks for the Sugar footage too! Hope she's comfy!
Completely charming couple, and a wonderful/thoughtful presentation. One of the greatest benefits of being "out there" cruising is the quality of the people you encounter. It is a wonderful, supportive community; the O'Kellys exemplify that spirit. Thanks for a great job.
Absolutely spot on, cats are very expensive, for people like myself who are looking for a blue water capable boat with a budget of only 30K$ there is no choice, monohull, and there are hundreds of great cruising boats around the 36'to 38' range available in that price range, I'm talking Oysters, Lavranos L36' Amel, Halberg Rassy, Endeavor 37'. Amongst so many others, no cats available at all. Yes all are older boats, and need updating and work, no big deal. If I had the money I'd go cat no question, but I don't and I want to do it now, actually I am doing it now, my house is for sale and I've already had a boat surveyed, a Stan Huntingford designed modified full keel cutter, double airex hull up in Oregon. I'm probably a bit biased towards monohulls because I've sailed on more of them, including open 60 type ocean racers (Cape to Rio) 64' actually, twin interlinking coffee grinders, 13 self tailing cockpit winches, Monohulls are more fun to sail, more exciting, more manageable and responsive in most conditions, and if you set up your reefing lines and halyards specifically to your preference you never need to leave the cockpit. There are way more cruising monohulls out there than cats, and that largely comes down to money.. And you'll find that a high percentage of those monohulls are under 40' most are 36' to 38' for two obvious reasons, they are live aboard solo sailors or couples and want to be able to handle the boat comfortably two up, and that's a good manageable size for 1 man 1 woman, also there are a lot of not very wealthy cruisers, the majority don't have big bank balances, so smaller is cheaper, in EVERY ASPECT, haulout, marina slips, litres of anti-foul, standing rigging diameter and fitting sizes, sails, sheets, halyards, lines, fenders, docking lines, parts...........There is so much going for a mid to upper 30's monohull for a solo sailor or couple short handing. $$$$$$$$$$$ The determining factor
I don't know where do you live but I would still look out for cats, Prouts are old but very sturdy, seaworthy cruisers and are fairly cheap by now. We have a 35' Snowgoose we bought for 12grand and while it had lots of work to do, it worth all the efforts... Staying just below 12 meters for taxing reasons but having the space of like on a 40-44' mono, even if you get just a 31' Prout Quest, you will have much more space than on a 36'-38' mono. Also they are very light. I would advice you to try before buy, seriously. Exactly because of the nostalgia, I wanted a 44' Bruce Roberts ketch. steel hull, 2 big masts, white sails everywhere, big space etc. We even had one nearby on Guernsey for good price but my wife said she wont be living in a basement and so we tried this Prout and to be honest I wouldn't swap it now for anything.
good comment. Reality is I am solo sailing often. When family cruises I put some money to checking into the seaside resort for pools, long showers and comfy beds. 44ft ketch is hard enough to keep up on. I even question why I have electric windlass. It takes mroe from me than it gives as connections corrode, batteries run out, electric motor needs replacing, etc. etc.
@Clemens its always a choice have to be made but i very much advice to try a few on both sides. If you hate it after spending the money, its difficult to change...
@jonno Rousseau Don't sell the house. Rent/Lease it out for long-term monthly income...AND you still have a house if medical or some other unforeseen circumstance arises. You can borrow against the house if need be to help fund your boat. Keep your assets!
I was looking for exactly this kind of comparison. Like many other commenters, I think this was the most comprehensive, fair, detailed and well-presented comparison of the two hull types. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this! Much appreciated .
I just finished watching this video for the second time. So much valuable content and presented in such an entertaing way. On top of all the information you are generating tons of "good vibes". Thank you so much❣️
Ex cat now mono owner here. We moved to mono as our one year old cat started developing cracks at load points in the hull after first trip out in a F4. Had them fixed, then next F4 and they came back. We then met another owner with the same boat a few years older, and he has similar problems with the forward windows leaking again due to cracks at the edges. This the slamming and the hull creaking was too scary so we went mono, no regrets after seeing the channels on thr 450 hulls.
Hi Hayford1, I'm sorry to hear you had these problems. This is very interesting to hear as a newbie sailor. I'm just learning to sail and eventually want to purchase a boat. I'm just not sure which way to go - monohull or cat. I'm not a rich guy so I was leaning monohull but in trying to educate myself on the differences I feel I'm getting more confused, lol. The O'Kelly's made a great video here but I'm still confused as to why they went from a monohull to a cat and here you are going the other way (for a very good reason). What would you say to a newbie? I'm 53 and a semi retired professional chef from Pennsylvania. I'd love to work half the year and spend the other half sailing the Caribbean to start but have a dream of circumnavigating the world someday. Any help, pointers or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
After a charter in the BVI where our mono was rolling around soo much the wife insisted we overnight in a local hotel, while the cats were looking stable. So we were sold on this one feature. Later when we sold our business we went out and simply bought the best value newish Cat on the market, which was a Lagoon 470, almost new. Then off to a year in S.France for loads of additional equipment for Blue Water sailing. I stuck with this boat for a year, but after some uncomfortable sails and unfriendly marinas not letting us in we gave up. Having said that the couple that bought it from us did the Blue Water rally, as it took two years they wanted the extra space. But again, the latter part of the voyage was so uncomfortable they also sold the boat and got an RV. We went to a 42 DS monohull, the DS was top priority as once you have a Cat's view going down into a dark space is out of the question. Being able to see out helps with the sea sickness as well. A 42 is a bit small but we can get in at any marina without a fuss. The bottom line was that no matter now well you plan you are going to get caught out in bad conditions. So it's down to your (or partners) tolerance for scary conditions. It only takes one bad experience for the less dedicated partner to pull the plug on the whole project. So it was down to what do we feel safer in, Cat or Mono. Sorry Cat owners, but the Mono wins hands down. So for local sailing, watching the sun go down at anchor, in locations like the Caribbean, a cat is the tool for the job, but anything else get a mono.
I used to live on a power cabin cruiser with my parents when I was a kid. After they sold it I always swore I would get back on the ocean, but I was going to have a sailing cat when I came back. Loved your video, thank you
im a catamaran guy but for some reason im always thinking how cool are those big old havy lumps... particularly trad monohull with low rig and long keel
Great video. I'm getting a mono hull for financial reasons but I am saving up for a cat. However I agree with mono hulls having a great look especially the older Formosa and cheoy lee sail boats. If I found a really nice 70s Formosa i may choose that over a cat. I'm in San Diego and hope to see you on the water!
What a splendid and relevant discussion. I have been a powerboat fellow this far but if time increases sail is the way. My wife is not keen on the sail approach but doesn’t mind a cat. I really fancy the sleek mono. We will watch this video together and surely come to a compromise:-) Thank you. Paul (UK)
Excellent breakdown and thanks for the extra insights! Yup the key hurdle is affordability, though it seems any boat could easily be a money pit. So far I haven't been a boat owner, but am developing an itch for wanting to sail around the world. Maybe it's just the pandemic driving the urge to go somewhere...meanwhile I will continue to get smarter about the sailing life through helpful channels like yours.
I’ve never lived on a cat but I have lived in a mono. And all I know is for me living on a mono full time for months your just never totally comfortable. I’ve been on cats enough to know that is not the case.
Very nice and simple presentation to understand the basic differences and cost between Monohulls and Catamarans for those of us learning to sail and considering buying a sail boat. Thank you
AWESOME...! Retire early and escape is going to be hard enough on a cheap(er) keel boat. Was contemplating bottom-end cat and this maybe saved me a lot of monetary grief. The money is issue #1 for me. BTW for me I love my 23' Columbia's heeling on a good beam reach, makes for a nice place to lay down in the cockpit.
See Greg Hooper's comment about Wharram cats. You can get out in a cat for cheap....just depends on what your needs are. If you (or any of us really) are out there on a budget, you really really need to keep running costs in mind. Doesn't matter, one hull or two..."cheap" boats rarely are if they need a lot of work and upkeep to keep safe and moving. If there is a singular problem we've seen (and had ourselves) with the whole "budget cruising" idea, it is overcomplicating the boat, which leads to maintenance and expense. If truly on a budget, get out there on as simple and small a boat as you can tolerate and that can go where you want it to go. If it is a choice between a monohull with all the bells and whistles and a stripped-down, bare-bones cat for the same money, get the cat.....or vice versa. What you don't have in comforts will be replaced with time and money to enjoy the experience.
We had a 45ft Columbia and rebuilt it after we bought it in 1995. WEst system the bottom, all new electrical system, the engine was great diesel had to take off the thesea water engine through hull pipe for the engine be1cause it ran hot when we bought it we found it accidently and then PREV owner had had years of problems with that was had all the files so learned that after we bought it. Took it to a radiator shop,to,have it boiled out. THe engine was the most reliable thing on the boat! WE bought the boat for 65, 000jn 95 put about 40,000 into it liveaboard and sailed almost 10,yrs sold it for 75,000 in 2005. WE could not afford to buy a multi hull though we would have liked to if we had no money to cruise..yeah to actually get to retire and CRUISE was the main goal. SO glad we did it...now retired on land in the tropics.
This was a really great video for people at the beginning of the sail boat journey, and really great advice! Something to consider would be to start with a small mono, 27- 30 ft that you can easily handle alone, depending on your size. A lot of people look down on anything less than 30' but there is a definite advantage to having a 26-27' because of cost, maintenance, maneuverability, rigging costs, etc. , although you have to really manage your space. The type of boat makes a big difference as well, and since I come from the old teak boat tradition in Sweden, having a classic boat in top condition is like having your own symphony orchestra, they sing when you sail, and your boat will be the place where your neighbors want to congregate for a cool beverage.. Having said that, if you are planning to go cruising for extended periods, years, get your sailor legs on a mono and then switch to a cat when you leave for the big one, as suggested here by the O'Kelly's. Todays cats are extremely well designed and access to your engine and electrical system will be an issue at some point so prep for problems and hope for the best.. And if you ever have the time, charter a boat for a summer and cruise the archipelagos of Scotland or Sweden where you find thousands of islands with free anchorage and great food..and serious sailors!
@@TheOKellys true, true..btw, check out Erik Aanderaa's channel, he is sailing the north sea, in the winter, its epic...ua-cam.com/users/kjolevannspumpe
Just discovered this video tonight, so enjoyed your point of view. My hubby and I own a cat power boat we use for overnight fishing and the parallel with your view of the sail cat and our time on the power cat is uncannily similar. Truth is we love both hulls, but for this season and time in our lives we are loving our cat in our australian waters. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this presentation, enjoyed very much.
Great review. I would include 4 more things pro cat. Up and down the gangway. Shallow anchoring to avoid the monos dragging down in storms. Upright sitting in large tidal range. Downwind roll much better. However very nicely done and accurate.
Something Id really love to hear about is how people who live on their boats have been affected by all this(lockdowns and all). All the crazyness has really put the desire to get off land and get back to sailing ASAP and I'd love to hear how people who can just up and go to the middle of nowhere or pull in to any port are doing. Seems there isnt lockdowns in many ways for them but when you do need to come in for anything thats got to be a nightmare. Any good channels/videos about it out there anyone know about??
Very clear and honest assessment. Thanks. One point of clarification for those sailing around the world. You will get caught in nasty weather (very nasty). I don't see mono-hauls flipped upside down with their crew perched on the underside and being saved, which you do see from time to time with cats. Also, cats (most cats) are under powered in terms of sail area, or over weighted, both leading to less sailing performance. So, you need to buy a cat that is more geared toward sailing, not comfort, if you plan longer voyages. Lastly, with the same money, you can purchase a larger mono , and size matters in terms of speed and safety off shore.
I'm a 26-year-old sailor and i have always enjoyed the look of the catamarans they just look nice. I have a 33 foot custom-built mono that is designed for nasty waters and the cape horn. It's slower than most however i feel safe inside it and would give up speed for safety any day. I would love to sail a catamaran one day
I am a 30-year-old man from Australia who wants to travel around the world on a yacht. You explained it so kindly.
My curiosity has been cleared up. Thank you so much.
Any update?
This is exactly what I am doing... it is awesome!
Same here!
We are 31 now🤗
+4
2AM at night
Me: Time to sleep
UA-cam: Do you want to know the difference between a mono vs Cat 🤔
Me: Yhh 🤗💯
Brain: you do this to me everyday 😪
good choice. :)
Me to just 01h00 lol, living my dream in a lazy boy chair, on you tube
01.33 I have no boat but I found this very useful if I ever did.
0316AM what a great video
😝 02:13 AM...
Very honest and straight forward comparison. I'm glad you both opened and closed the video by reiterating how you should go now with the boat you can afford. We did 4 seasons in the Caribbean on an Albin Vega 27 and were usually (but not always) the smallest boat in the anchorage. We met many other young people cruising on shoestring budgets. If you're new to sailing, I think it make sense to start with a cheaper boat and figure out if you even like the sailing lifestyle- because many realize that they don't! It also gives you a chance to break and fix things with less on the line. Our next boat will be a bit bigger so we can carry more stores and fit a second solar panel- probably in the 32'-36' range :). But I'm very glad to have started out with a boat that was so manageable. See you out there!
Yes! Look up Shane Acton, he sailed around the world in an 18 foot plywood sailboat that became the basis for the Catalina Capri 22.
and then you vanished...lol
Great review! I've sailed both cats and monos and I agree with your comparison! You nailed it. For me however, the feeling that I got as a child so many years ago was the start of a very powerful addiction that is very difficult to explain to someone that hasn't sailed before. The first time at the age of 6 when I felt my Optimist do what a mono does in response to the wind is what still defines sailing for me as a whole so many years later. The responsiveness and the smooth dynamics is something that outweighs any other aspect of sailing for me (even as a liveaboard). I just love sailing too much, it's an artform and heeling over is part of the communication between human and machine. I have not been able to reproduce this relationship on a catamaran. The fine balance of the force of the sail area interacting with the immense counterweight of the keel below is something that makes sense to me. In my opinion this harmony cannot be acheived on a multihull. Just my 2 cents... SV Huldra
I’m no sailor. Only went sailing once. But I’ll never forget that feeling when the wind stiffened, the sails snapped tight and we responded exactly like you described.
As a powerboater, I had always sneered a bit at sailboats. They seemed so slow and boring. Ha! The sensation of speed and excitement was just a great or greater on the sailboat. It didn’t feel slow at all. And you could hear the water and the wind. It was exhilarating.
I'm no boat owner but I've heard the hull slap on cats can be pretty fucking gnarly.
I think it would be interesting to compare mono and cats not by their lenght but by the money you spend to get it. This means in general you will get a much longer monohull for the same money. With that said a lot of things like storage and living space will change, as well as speed and handling or maintenance cost.
It was by far the best cat vs. mono analysis I’ve seen. Really explored issues nobody thinks about. Keep up the thoughtful good work. Well done!
Thanks Clyde
Addendum: I realized there are some aspects of the comparison we missed covering, but are worth mentioning. These have either been covered thoroughly by other videos or they just aren't important in our opinion. RISK OF CAPSIZE...just not a big concern on modern cruising cats, or no more so than on a monohull. People make way too big a deal about this and it is the crew that keeps a boat upright. Performance cats are different...they need more attention.. SPEED: yep, our cat and most cats are faster than similar sized (and type) monohulls. That's really nice.. REDUNDANCY: yes this is a major benefit of a catamaran. Two rudders, two engines, two alternators, two water heaters..., etc. I am sure there are other things we missed. We just didn't want to go over the same old ground that a lot of other comparison videos have.
You should pin this to the top.
You totally forgot to mention beer capacity.
You guys are officially now my role models
@@rohanmccracken8257
Saw a video of a couple that used their bilge for beer storage. The beer was official called bilge beer after that. Lol
Two of a lot including maintenance lol
Thank you for the input. Well taken
Dude. I love what you guys said about affordability. Because, instead of waiting 5-10 years to buy a catamaran, I can go out and purchase a monohull now. Oh my gosh. I absolutely love your presentation.
Killer content. Good stuff. I love your dog 🐕
Right on!
No matter what and when you buy your boat. LOOK at all the reviews Owners and Builders b4 leaning one way or another. and remember. SOME home builds ARE much better. More Consciously built than Factory. My 2 x Steel ones were built by shipwrights for themselves in the shipyards with ship steel. I've had them out when no other boats would go. Just to test ME out. Single Hander. 42ft is about the biggest the average SIngle Hander can manage Comfortably. 32/35 easier and still good seaboats if you select the right ones. My Pugh 32 Moonwind took me through the edge of a Cyclone back 15 yrs or so. Quite safely. And down below Port Lincoln in Sth Australia we get regular, 50plus knot blows. GREAT sailing in those waters. and S A to Tassie. The best heavy waters sailing in Australia. BUY the boat YOU will feel comfortable and safe in in those waters. You WILL find yourself in them someday if you going distances. Don't believe those fancy, Sunny Full sails/Flat water boat adverts. They on a lake or behind the islands somewhere.
My condolences, something tells me you enjoyed each other and the memories you three have will be with you always❤️
This is one of the most realistic comparisons I've heard in a long time, you sold both options equally and made your review seem fair and unbiased.
Thanks Chris. Really, we've come to realize that all boats are a compromise. Depends on priorities and resources...like the rest of life.
I'm a monohull guy and the worst part of cruising on it is going up and down the companionway. Big win for a cat is the level access from the cockpit to the saloon.
This is what I was thinking... great comparison and wide range of categories but some are much more important/ tedious than others. Not every win is the same.
I also like the view from the catamaran saloon. In monohulls you're in the basement and see nothing from there
When I first started watching this I was fairly certain I would wind up hating both of you and your dog for making a mockery of my miserable retirement lifestyle. Instead I found you both quite likeable and the video a pleasant diversion from chasing kids off my lawn! Thanks!
Glad we won you over. Retirement! Lucky dog!
I have listened to this video several times. I learn things each time. I love the depth of analysis that is clear. You clearly show that you get each configuration. Thus for a "Week-long vacation sailing" experience the money involved clearly tips the scale to the monohull. While you focus on the on-boat experience, if you sail to a camping place then many of the downsides of the monohull disappear because you are camping on the "uninhabited island." What that means in a practical sense is that you have privacy in your camping area. That tips the balance even more to the monohull for sailing relatively short distances a week or so between camping spots.
One more positive item I noticed is that you said being and staying organized on ship board is a challenge no matter which one you pick. That is excellent knowledge for me. I may change my mind about sailing completely because organization is not what I do. That point of light from the two of you is wonderful and deeply appreciated.
Having sailed and raced monohulls for decades. Next boat is a Cat for us. My thought is ALL sailboats that take you safely where you want to go is beautiful. Every boat that sails by with a crew is the best boat. My advice is to love all boats for what they are.
I'm with you! We will definitely have another monohull....or two... but I doubt that we'll live on another one!
@@TheOKellys My choice was easy. Wife says sail on 60+ Cat or not at all. So now I need to find the fastest 60+ Cat we can afford.
Wow, now that is a reallllllllllyyyyyyyy big cat! Let's get you out there!
Perfection
Statistics say that trimarans are actually fastest of the three and more stable in storms.
I love you folks! That you decided to get a Catamaran for the comfort of your senior dog, makes you top notch people in my mind. Also you’re very down to earth and likeable
Seeing as I'm just here to dream, I appreciate you confirming that I'm dreaming about the right type of boat (a catamaran). Haha.
The dream is where any of this craziness ever starts. Hope we see you out there soon!
Same here. Ever since seeing the big, black 48’ft O’Neill Cat in Santa Cruz Harbor years ago. Half the time the boat was gone. Wonder if it’s searching for the perfect wave 🌊. Maybe on a stopover in Tahiti ? (That was /is my recurring dream, a 12m or so catamaran )
MrGunboat78 then joe perry starts to play an epic solo. 😆
I know that boat. Was over 48’ though, wasn’t it?
I love that you mentioned attitude. It really comes down to that age old adage: “To each their own, and by their own means.”
Thank you for starting off with the conclusion. I love videos that get right to the point then go into details following. I also love how you guys separate by categories like money and sailing and etc. great video guys!
Best mono vs cat comparison video I have seen. Love your videos!
Thanks Nathaniel! Really appreciate that!
Agreed
Very informative and I like the format. 👍👍
100% agree
My words exactly. I agree.
The most understated comment.
Her: It helps he’s a weatherman
Him: just a bit.
ABSOLUTELY!!!
We sail the weather we find, not what’s forecast.
Like when you fly IFR, the more you know about weather, the better you’re off.
I've owned both as motor boats not sail boats and most of your points still apply. However, I'd say with motor boats a few more categories swing the cats way, particularly with speed and fuel economy.
Ps. This is probably the most objective and simplest to follow comparison I've watched, well done
Thanks for that nice and quite complete comparison of monohull vs catamaran. I appreciate the different categories you made, it helps to see pros and cons based on what we value more important or not.
Thanks!
I know basically nothing of sailing, but have always been fascinated by it. Your video actually taught me a lot. You guys live a beautiful life and I hope that I can do the same one day. Im glad i clicked on this video. You guys are definitely inspiring.
Look up Christian Williams’s channel here on UA-cam. He’s been sailing for 70 years, and has a whole series on learning to sail well from no experience whatsoever.
It’s a tired topic but that said I appreciate your thoughts. As for me, when asked what my favourite sailboat is my answer is always the same; it’s the one I’m sailing at the time.
I like that. I pretty much like all sailboats. Even some of the ugly ones.
Thanks guys, this was really informative. My big takeaway from our little discussion....
If you want to live on your boat: Catamaran
If you want to sail your boat: Monohull
Got it.
Thanks for diving deep into these comps.
yeh, basically. And if you can afford one. But don't not go because you can't....that would be my other takeaway.
so... mono is sea friendly, cat is human friendly
Spot on summary
Better never get in a storm inside a cat :- /
Mono is much more wallet friendly, too. I feel like that might be the single most important factor for many a sailor
@@viarnayI've heard the opposite. I've heard that cats are far better for storms and rough seas. Because they don't capsize or roll over nearly as easily. Cats will almost always stay level and afloat in high seas 🤷
Not so at all. Monos, are designed to heel, it's also a safety measure. Rather than a cat's giant deck stepped rigging just absorbing all that tension, possibly snapping shrouds, a mono heels, and under massive loads a keel stepped mono will possibly lay down, thus standing back up. Capsize a cat, the boat, and possibly crew are gone.
imagine watching this entire presentation yet having NO INTEREST in boats. Never been on one either (at sea). Just accidentally came here. Very well done and I think you must be right.
Glad to have you for whatever reason. Be well, Nick
Best unbiased comparison I've seen yet. I own neither, but have been thinking of a Live aboard cat for a while and you have just confirmed this for me as the wife prefers comfort over tradition lol
Well done
I listen to many channels that do these comparisons. You have done the BEST job with this video. You do have the expertise and that carries weight. Your method and categories were well thought out, clear and quite effective. Overall A+ work; well done!
Wow, thanks John!
...Now if I could just find that spare million dollars...
>be me watching with $15k a year income
You can also buy a smaller sailboat like albin vega or contessa which are go anywhere boats and still cheap.
I dont have an income. I look at craigslist and get stuff free or cheap. I'm figuring 70,000 total price to build my duck. I'm allowing 10 years
I find a good comparison to be cars, you can buy a supercar as a milionaire, but a used car for a few thousand (Still a big purchase of course, but it is doable). Same with boats, insane guilded doorknobs superyacht vs super old used monohull that is a fixer upper.
Used charter boats is a way to get a nicer one (like catamarans) for cheaper. (Still quite expensive)
Delerious Dinosaur be crew
I will always like mono hall just the feeling that of the boat getting in it’s stride is so good
IF it is sailing you want to do mono all time otherwise buy a house at the beach.
Great video, I’ve never sailed a cat (other than a Hobie cat!) and find this informative, if mostly intuitive. One exception I take though is your comment about not sailing up wind 95% of the time. I’ve sailed monohulls in the Vancouver BC area for almost 40 years, not long term cruising but coastal gunkholing for a few days to a few weeks at a time. In my experience, being close hauled is the most common point of sail, followed by broad reaching. Here the prevailing winds tend to align with the waterways so the winds are generally either with you or against you. And I’d say on average, more “against” than “for” !
What a great review guys. No sailing experience whatsoever but I'm watching at least one or two sailing videos a day. And now I'm looking at used boats. Pretty soon I'm going to have to actually get on a boat to see if I like it!
You guys clearly thought a lot about this... far better than the usual “monos sink and cats flip over” discussion!
That’s what a higher IQ brings to the table
Having sailed on both, that would have to be the best comparison I have seen to date. I chose a mono for cost/safety reasons. I do like being able to see all around your boat from the living area on a cat although a deck salon can fix that.
This was a really fair comparison imo. I'm not a boater but at first I thought - "Wow. The mono-hull is killing it." But overall, I'd buy a Cat, if I could afford it!
Hey! That 3 masted Gaff rigged 160' schooner at 6:00 is/was the "Tole More". I worked on her as a counselor for the youth that were on her. The youth were all juvenile inmates from Pennsylvania in a special program. A wild experience, lots of stories. I boarded in Erie PA, sailed throughout the great lakes appearing as the flagship in tall ship festivals at the biggest ports in Canada and the US, down the Atlantic coast, through the canal, to the Galapagos and onto Hawaii.
She was originally a floating Hospital for the Marshall Islands. All aluminum with teak. Incredibly well fitted. Comfortable. I remember us doing 13 knots coming through the St Lawrence Seaway. Treated like rock stars when coming to any port.
All manual rigging. Only an anchor winch.
Thanks so much! My partner and I have an 8 year plan to transition to living full time on a boat, and figuring out where to set our goals early on was an important step. Maximum livability plus good sustainability from solar are massive selling points. thanks again
Yes you guys are a LOT more qualified to talk about the pros and cons of both types of boats, but I think where your video shines the brightest is in your concise and real world experiences and you hit all the high points in a timely manner. Another outstanding video on a well covered subject that you guys have managed to make quite entertaining !
Hey thanks for saying that. I know it has been talked about quite a bit, but wanted to add our voices to the chorus. Appreciate the note! Nick
Wow the best comparison out there. You covered so many of the small details......but again cost is the big factor in the choice. Love seeing sugar!
I like how UA-cam reads my mind. I’m looking out from my hotel room balcony in Kaanapali and see both styles of boats, wondering.
Great video, in the video you guys said mono-hull is traditional, but just to clarify the oldest boats used to cross oceans were actually catamarans invented by ancient tribes! Love the channel, keep up the good work
Love this comprehensive conversation. You are so right in regards to being qualified to comment. We would love a sailboat at some point on our nautical journey but need a whole lot more education first. Your comment about just doing it and not waiting really resonates - we will eventually end up in a sailboat, but with 4 kids, dogs and 2 cockatiels and no boat experience AT ALL it was so much easy to buy an older trawler style motor vessel just to lessen the learning curve. We are a lot closer to a yacht now that we have sea time under our belt. We are so lucky that we summoned the courage to just do it to just get into the lifestyle, we absolutely love it! Love your videos, been watching for a while. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Best wishes, David.
This....(and Part 2 of the same discussion) represents one of the best discussions of this topic I've come across in 30+ years of being exposed to this debate! Though my wife is fully 'on board' with the idea... I've just purchased Nick's audible book "Get Her On Board" as a token of appreciation of all the great info this couple shares!
Ah, thank you. That is very kind.
I sailed a 36' Wharrum cat from Key West to Isla Mujares and back. 3 months. Loved the deck space and for diving it wins hands down. The price point on these is super low if you can find someone willing to sell. $15k for a good one. Build it yourself or have it built will cost more. 2k estimated man hours or less if you have it done by builders.
I'm at present gutting the interior of a 1979 Morgan 45' IRC design 11' on the beam 6' draft, 1/2" solid FG, 6 tons of lead ballast. Built for heavy weather. Big rudder mounted on a full keel. Beautiful mahagony trim which will be reused. Termites have eaten the marine plywood so I'm pulling everything and going back with Coosa board and a completely new layout.
I've sailed multiple tall ships and love it but that's big money and a young man's game. Nothing but full time maintenance. Although you can't beat the beauty and the sailing is top notch, you're going to spend every day on repairs.
This video is wonderful pros and cons and you two did an excellent job. It's all down to personal choice.
And what's best for your dog.
Big thumbs up and a new subscriber.
Plus they are really cool looking. I looked at finishing up someone else's Pahi years and years ago. I think you build a boat because you want to build a boat, not because you want to save money. Ask a few people who've built boats and they will tell you the truth...it's a very low-paid job. But to craft something of your own design, to make it exactly what you want it to be? I'd be down for that part of it. 15K you say? If someone out there in youtube land finds a GOOD Wharram build in GOOD condition for 15k....buy it!
Great video. I have no idea why I'm watching as I have no boat and have no plans to purchase one or even spend much time on one, but interesting. :)
Yeah, me neither. I just discovered how much boat (monohull) one can buy for such little money. Million dollar boats going for a tenth of what they cost. Amazing. But I don't like water and dampness generally so . . .
Very interesting video though. Thanks!
Same here. I guess none of these sailing people have issues with motion sickness.
Same. I get seasick in a second 😆
Same here because of the sun. Sailing was my first love, all that was earlier in life, but the sun stopped that. :-( I really miss it though. I have concentrated on my second love of flying.
They are just fun to watch and made such a professional , fun and informative video .
When my parents purchased their retirement sailboat, I begged them to get a catamaran because we capsized in a monohull on a small lake when I was 12. It was terrifying. Cats are more stable. That said, when the engines both died on a trip (and I was with them), I had the pleasure of using my painting skills to paint their two hulls over my teacher spring break. Good news, if I need another career, boatyard painter is it! Your cat is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Hi guys! We are Diego and Inaia. We are two musicians. We sold everything, moved into an rv and are in the way to buying a boat to live aboard and sail to Uruguay.
You guys are an inspiration to us!
Thanks you for the note. It is you who are the inspiration to us. In our podcast this week, we talk specifically about the RV/van life compared to cruising on a boat. They are the same but very different of course! Glad to have you with us and I hope we see you out on the water soon!
@@TheOKellys Hey guys!!!
DIego's binging in all your "tips for buyers" videos!!
He probably has to fly to FL, while I keep pursuing my private pilot license, because this is IT! We are buying a used boat (all we can afford without getting into a loan). It is time to start shopping!
Thank you so much for the content.
You guys rule!
I agree that your cat is an attractive build, as opposed to some others Ive seen
Great Video Guys!!! Very informative and well thought out! You guys are definitely a huge resource for people who are armchair sailors looking for advice on getting into a boat. You are uniquely subject matter expert in the Mono V. Cat debate; most people haven't had your experiences in one hull let alone four. Looking forward to your next vid! ( Would love to have Nick do a weather tutorial for sailors of all skill levels)
Thanks Timm. Have given that a lot of thought. Such a big subject. Would love to do one, but it would take a lot of graphics work and right now I am pressed for time with all the boat work. But stand by. As things settle down, that'll be a priority.
@@TheOKellys In your opinion, what is the best book on the subject of weather out there for cruisers?
It's not sailing-related specifically, but a general book on the fluid mechanics and thermodynamic processes would be Fundamentals of Weather and Climate. For sailing related, it all tilts toward storm preps and survival. I like Storm Tactics by Lin and Larry Pardey.
Nailed it! And HOLY CRAP, 359 comments in 3 days! You struck a cord that's for sure. Lots to debate. I'm a monohull guy, but agree pretty much. Great video! Thanks for the Sugar footage too! Hope she's comfy!
On a monohull does the heeling feel uncomfortable
Sometimes
I had a good time listening eventhough I am not thinking of living on a boat. You guys are easy to listen to.
Aw, thanks Kimbo. We try to take it easy!
Completely charming couple, and a wonderful/thoughtful presentation. One of the greatest benefits of being "out there" cruising is the quality of the people you encounter. It is a wonderful, supportive community; the O'Kellys exemplify that spirit. Thanks for a great job.
Another advantage of catamarans is the speed. You can have the same speed with less sail and it is easier to outmaneuver (avoid) a storm.
Cookin' dinner on a mono hull and thoroughly enjoyed this!
Absolutely spot on, cats are very expensive, for people like myself who are looking for a blue water capable boat with a budget of only 30K$ there is no choice, monohull, and there are hundreds of great cruising boats around the 36'to 38' range available in that price range, I'm talking Oysters, Lavranos L36' Amel, Halberg Rassy, Endeavor 37'. Amongst so many others, no cats available at all. Yes all are older boats, and need updating and work, no big deal. If I had the money I'd go cat no question, but I don't and I want to do it now, actually I am doing it now, my house is for sale and I've already had a boat surveyed, a Stan Huntingford designed modified full keel cutter, double airex hull up in Oregon. I'm probably a bit biased towards monohulls because I've sailed on more of them, including open 60 type ocean racers (Cape to Rio) 64' actually, twin interlinking coffee grinders, 13 self tailing cockpit winches, Monohulls are more fun to sail, more exciting, more manageable and responsive in most conditions, and if you set up your reefing lines and halyards specifically to your preference you never need to leave the cockpit.
There are way more cruising monohulls out there than cats, and that largely comes down to money..
And you'll find that a high percentage of those monohulls are under 40' most are 36' to 38' for two obvious reasons, they are live aboard solo sailors or couples and want to be able to handle the boat comfortably two up, and that's a good manageable size for 1 man 1 woman, also there are a lot of not very wealthy cruisers, the majority don't have big bank balances, so smaller is cheaper, in EVERY ASPECT, haulout, marina slips, litres of anti-foul, standing rigging diameter and fitting sizes, sails, sheets, halyards, lines, fenders, docking lines, parts...........There is so much going for a mid to upper 30's monohull for a solo sailor or couple short handing.
$$$$$$$$$$$ The determining factor
wait a minute, selling house buying boat? u gonna live on it?
I don't know where do you live but I would still look out for cats, Prouts are old but very sturdy, seaworthy cruisers and are fairly cheap by now. We have a 35' Snowgoose we bought for 12grand and while it had lots of work to do, it worth all the efforts... Staying just below 12 meters for taxing reasons but having the space of like on a 40-44' mono, even if you get just a 31' Prout Quest, you will have much more space than on a 36'-38' mono. Also they are very light. I would advice you to try before buy, seriously. Exactly because of the nostalgia, I wanted a 44' Bruce Roberts ketch. steel hull, 2 big masts, white sails everywhere, big space etc. We even had one nearby on Guernsey for good price but my wife said she wont be living in a basement and so we tried this Prout and to be honest I wouldn't swap it now for anything.
good comment. Reality is I am solo sailing often. When family cruises I put some money to checking into the seaside resort for pools, long showers and comfy beds. 44ft ketch is hard enough to keep up on. I even question why I have electric windlass. It takes mroe from me than it gives as connections corrode, batteries run out, electric motor needs replacing, etc. etc.
@Clemens its always a choice have to be made but i very much advice to try a few on both sides. If you hate it after spending the money, its difficult to change...
@jonno Rousseau
Don't sell the house. Rent/Lease it out for long-term monthly income...AND you still have a house if medical or some other unforeseen circumstance arises. You can borrow against the house if need be to help fund your boat. Keep your assets!
I was looking for exactly this kind of comparison. Like many other commenters, I think this was the most comprehensive, fair, detailed and well-presented comparison of the two hull types. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this! Much appreciated .
I just finished watching this video for the second time. So much valuable content and presented in such an entertaing way. On top of all the information you are generating tons of "good vibes". Thank you so much❣️
hey thanks. Glad to be of some use here to the group! Appreciate the kind words!
Ex cat now mono owner here. We moved to mono as our one year old cat started developing cracks at load points in the hull after first trip out in a F4. Had them fixed, then next F4 and they came back. We then met another owner with the same boat a few years older, and he has similar problems with the forward windows leaking again due to cracks at the edges. This the slamming and the hull creaking was too scary so we went mono, no regrets after seeing the channels on thr 450 hulls.
Hi Hayford1, I'm sorry to hear you had these problems. This is very interesting to hear as a newbie sailor. I'm just learning to sail and eventually want to purchase a boat. I'm just not sure which way to go - monohull or cat. I'm not a rich guy so I was leaning monohull but in trying to educate myself on the differences I feel I'm getting more confused, lol. The O'Kelly's made a great video here but I'm still confused as to why they went from a monohull to a cat and here you are going the other way (for a very good reason). What would you say to a newbie? I'm 53 and a semi retired professional chef from Pennsylvania. I'd love to work half the year and spend the other half sailing the Caribbean to start but have a dream of circumnavigating the world someday. Any help, pointers or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
After a charter in the BVI where our mono was rolling around soo much the wife insisted we overnight in a local hotel, while the cats were looking stable. So we were sold on this one feature.
Later when we sold our business we went out and simply bought the best value newish Cat on the market, which was a Lagoon 470, almost new. Then off to a year in S.France for loads of additional equipment for Blue Water sailing. I stuck with this boat for a year, but after some uncomfortable sails and unfriendly marinas not letting us in we gave up. Having said that the couple that bought it from us did the Blue Water rally, as it took two years they wanted the extra space. But again, the latter part of the voyage was so uncomfortable they also sold the boat and got an RV.
We went to a 42 DS monohull, the DS was top priority as once you have a Cat's view going down into a dark space is out of the question. Being able to see out helps with the sea sickness as well. A 42 is a bit small but we can get in at any marina without a fuss.
The bottom line was that no matter now well you plan you are going to get caught out in bad conditions. So it's down to your (or partners) tolerance for scary conditions. It only takes one bad experience for the less dedicated partner to pull the plug on the whole project. So it was down to what do we feel safer in, Cat or Mono. Sorry Cat owners, but the Mono wins hands down.
So for local sailing, watching the sun go down at anchor, in locations like the Caribbean, a cat is the tool for the job, but anything else get a mono.
Can you please tell me the cat’s brand that you owned?
@@chaoyili7184 Lagoon 470
@@johnhayford5946 Thanks
Best comparison I have watched! Thank you!
A really good and well thought out comparison from people with practical knowledge
You two are like the cool aunty and uncle thar live on the boat that we come visit whenever youre around. Thank you for this video.
So good to spend a little time with you lovely people.
Thanks for the great comparison itself
This the second O'kelly's video ive watched. I packed up my 'bullsh*t detector' when they said "we've owned both".
seems like such a sweet couple
That’s very nice of you to say. Thank you.
Great job covering this controversial topic. I love boats of all kinds. I'm happiest when I'm on or near the water. Keep up the great work. 👍👍👍
its controversial because people scream at each other for nothing, i like all boat from the most bizare to the classicest
Thi
definitely
I used to live on a power cabin cruiser with my parents when I was a kid.
After they sold it I always swore I would get back on the ocean, but I was going to have a sailing cat when I came back.
Loved your video, thank you
Absolutely the best job of comparing the two!
Super nice!
Best comparison I've heard.
im a catamaran guy but for some reason im always thinking how cool are those big old havy lumps... particularly trad monohull with low rig and long keel
One word oceangoeing
Loved this vid. It's all about pros and cons for different situations.
Thank you, guys. I agree: a small monohull for daysailing, and a catamaran for living onboard and voyaging. Clarity is aptly named; I gained clarity.
This was the most balanced and comprehensive of these comparison videos that I've seen. Your experience really showed.
Coming from the aspect of never having sailed this was easy to follow and seemed to be a very fair comparison. Great vid!
Actually, you forgot a huge factor, where do you locate your kayaks -cat for the win..!!
Great video. I'm getting a mono hull for financial reasons but I am saving up for a cat. However I agree with mono hulls having a great look especially the older Formosa and cheoy lee sail boats. If I found a really nice 70s Formosa i may choose that over a cat. I'm in San Diego and hope to see you on the water!
What a splendid and relevant discussion. I have been a powerboat fellow this far but if time increases sail is the way. My wife is not keen on the sail approach but doesn’t mind a cat. I really fancy the sleek mono. We will watch this video together and surely come to a compromise:-)
Thank you.
Paul (UK)
This comparison is so comprehensive and informative and clear!! Thank you so much! Just what I was looking for!
This is by far the best comparison video I've ever seen. Mainly because you have owned both. Thank you!
Excellent breakdown and thanks for the extra insights! Yup the key hurdle is affordability, though it seems any boat could easily be a money pit. So far I haven't been a boat owner, but am developing an itch for wanting to sail around the world. Maybe it's just the pandemic driving the urge to go somewhere...meanwhile I will continue to get smarter about the sailing life through helpful channels like yours.
I’ve never lived on a cat but I have lived in a mono. And all I know is for me living on a mono full time for months your just never totally comfortable. I’ve been on cats enough to know that is not the case.
Thumbs up🙂 I always like your intelligent sincerity.
Appreciate that. Thanks.
Very nice and simple presentation to understand the basic differences and cost between Monohulls and
Catamarans for those of us learning to sail and considering buying a sail boat.
Thank you
Glad you liked it
I know nothing about boats, having said that, you hit things I have thought about and a lot that I have not. Loved the video.
Very unbiased assessment thank you.
AWESOME...! Retire early and escape is going to be hard enough on a cheap(er) keel boat. Was contemplating bottom-end cat and this maybe saved me a lot of monetary grief. The money is issue #1 for me. BTW for me I love my 23' Columbia's heeling on a good beam reach, makes for a nice place to lay down in the cockpit.
See Greg Hooper's comment about Wharram cats. You can get out in a cat for cheap....just depends on what your needs are. If you (or any of us really) are out there on a budget, you really really need to keep running costs in mind. Doesn't matter, one hull or two..."cheap" boats rarely are if they need a lot of work and upkeep to keep safe and moving. If there is a singular problem we've seen (and had ourselves) with the whole "budget cruising" idea, it is overcomplicating the boat, which leads to maintenance and expense. If truly on a budget, get out there on as simple and small a boat as you can tolerate and that can go where you want it to go. If it is a choice between a monohull with all the bells and whistles and a stripped-down, bare-bones cat for the same money, get the cat.....or vice versa. What you don't have in comforts will be replaced with time and money to enjoy the experience.
We had a 45ft Columbia and rebuilt it after we bought it in 1995. WEst system the bottom, all new electrical system, the engine was great diesel had to take off the thesea water engine through hull pipe for the engine be1cause it ran hot when we bought it we found it accidently and then PREV owner had had years of problems with that was had all the files so learned that after we bought it. Took it to a radiator shop,to,have it boiled out. THe engine was the most reliable thing on the boat! WE bought the boat for 65, 000jn 95 put about 40,000 into it liveaboard and sailed almost 10,yrs sold it for 75,000 in 2005. WE could not afford to buy a multi hull though we would have liked to if we had no money to cruise..yeah to actually get to retire and CRUISE was the main goal. SO glad we did it...now retired on land in the tropics.
Good comparison video watched the whole thing well done to you both, Cheers guys.
Thanks Patrick. Got you to the finish line!
This was a really great video for people at the beginning of the sail boat journey, and really great advice!
Something to consider would be to start with a small mono, 27- 30 ft that you can easily handle alone, depending on your size. A lot of people look down on anything less than 30' but there is a definite advantage to having a 26-27' because of cost, maintenance, maneuverability, rigging costs, etc. , although you have to really manage your space. The type of boat makes a big difference as well, and since I come from the old teak boat tradition in Sweden, having a classic boat in top condition is like having your own symphony orchestra, they sing when you sail, and your boat will be the place where your neighbors want to congregate for a cool beverage..
Having said that, if you are planning to go cruising for extended periods, years, get your sailor legs on a mono and then switch to a cat when you leave for the big one, as suggested here by the O'Kelly's. Todays cats are extremely well designed and access to your engine and electrical system will be an issue at some point so prep for problems and hope for the best.. And if you ever have the time, charter a boat for a summer and cruise the archipelagos of Scotland or Sweden where you find thousands of islands with free anchorage and great food..and serious sailors!
Small boats are also a ton of low stress fun! Yours sounds like a looker! Thanks for the note.
@@TheOKellys true, true..btw, check out Erik Aanderaa's channel, he is sailing the north sea, in the winter, its epic...ua-cam.com/users/kjolevannspumpe
Just discovered this video tonight, so enjoyed your point of view. My hubby and I own a cat power boat we use for overnight fishing and the parallel with your view of the sail cat and our time on the power cat is uncannily similar. Truth is we love both hulls, but for this season and time in our lives we are loving our cat in our australian waters. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this presentation, enjoyed very much.
Great review.
I would include 4 more things pro cat.
Up and down the gangway.
Shallow anchoring to avoid the monos dragging down in storms.
Upright sitting in large tidal range.
Downwind roll much better.
However very nicely done and accurate.
As usual, another well done and informative video. :)
Thanks Luhta!
there is less cats because like half of the sailing community is barely keepin up on their monohulls :(
Excellent video explaining real life issues that one should consider before buying a boat. Thank you!
You guys have convinced me, the time is now, I am going to build an outrigger and sail for the 16 foot canoe I got at the garage sale !
Do it. And make videos about it. I’d watch that!
Effects of lockdown. I'm watching this at 1:50 A.M.
be well Ronny.
Something Id really love to hear about is how people who live on their boats have been affected by all this(lockdowns and all). All the crazyness has really put the desire to get off land and get back to sailing ASAP and I'd love to hear how people who can just up and go to the middle of nowhere or pull in to any port are doing. Seems there isnt lockdowns in many ways for them but when you do need to come in for anything thats got to be a nightmare. Any good channels/videos about it out there anyone know about??
Makes me want a catamaran..
The best overall view of both, enjoyed your chit chat Thanks....Cap.
Great that you said the answer up front, was paying attention to the video because I wasn't *waiting for the reveal *
Very clear and honest assessment. Thanks. One point of clarification for those sailing around the world. You will get caught in nasty weather (very nasty). I don't see mono-hauls flipped upside down with their crew perched on the underside and being saved, which you do see from time to time with cats. Also, cats (most cats) are under powered in terms of sail area, or over weighted, both leading to less sailing performance. So, you need to buy a cat that is more geared toward sailing, not comfort, if you plan longer voyages. Lastly, with the same money, you can purchase a larger mono , and size matters in terms of speed and safety off shore.