WORLD OF CHARTERING But the biggest gripe of diehard monohullers is that helming a charter cat is "like driving a bus," meaning that they aren't nearly as responsive as even the largest monohulls. Also, charter cats don't sail to windward nearly as well as monohulls. On a cat, if you're heading upwind, you're probably motoring. Another aspect of the debate is that cats are generally more expensive to rent than monohulls, yet when costs are divided among three or four couples, the price difference isn't really too dramatic. In addition to the flat ride, one of the most alluring advantages of cats is their acres of deck space while at anchor, which is a huge plus in tropical venues. What if you don't have multihull experience? Most charter outfits will be happy to rent you a cat if you have experience on a monohull of roughly the same size. Worst case, they may require you to take on a staff skipper for the first day out. If you're on the fence about which boat type to choose, we suggest you charter a cat locally, and put it through its paces in your home waters. — andy
Charter Notes The monohull-multihull debate: If you're thinking about organizing a bareboat charter with family or friends, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is whether to book a monohull or a multihull. Making the choice will probably have a lot to do with who will be on your crew. Here are a few points to consider. Most fundamentally, charter cats are roomier both above- and belowdecks, and much more stable while underway — so much so, in fact, that even unattended wine glasses rarely topple while sailing in protected waters. As a consequence, it's much easier to cook underway on a charter cat, and there is less likelihood that the newbie sailors on your crew will get seasick. In the sailing press you often read
HMBYC WOMEN SAILING
far in advance? Although the boats in both American and Canadian fleets are well maintained, fleet sizes are relatively small due to the short May-to-September season. — andy
In tight anchorages such as Inati Bay on Lummi Island, it's common to run a long polyprop line ashore and tie it off to a tree.
about cats and trimarans smashing long-held monohull records. It's true that the fundamental design aspects of multihulls make them theoretically faster than their monohull cousins, but in the realm of bareboating, built-for-charter cats have minimal speed advantage once they are loaded down with interior paneling and accessories, plus dual engines and high-capacity tankage for fuel and water.
SEA OF CORTEZ Reserve Reserve now now
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA Catamaran Charters Catamaran Charters
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To book your charter go to www.sailtmm.com
All the information you need to book your charter can be found on our website www.sailtmm.com
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• The Bareboat Charters • ASA Sailing School West Coast's premier catamaran specialist for • Bareboat Charters ASA Sailing School • ASA Skippered Charters • • Learn to Sail Vacations certifications and charters. Awarding winning • Skippered Charters • Learn to Sail Vacations • Private & Group Charters • Private & Group Lessons instructors, with 12 boats in two locations. • Private & Group Charters
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www.WestCoastMultihulls.com www.WestCoastMultihulls.com www.charter-catamaran.com (619)517-5630 (619)517-5630 sail@westcoastmultihulls.com sail@westcoastmultihulls.com Page 112 •
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• October, 2018