How to sail with a catamaran

The catamarans have become popular during the last years in the industry of boat hires in Ibiza. Catamarans have gained increasing prominence in holiday navigation. In fact, at a particular level, there are many shipowners who opt for multihulls when buying a boat.

Basically, a catamaran is a sailing or motorsports boat, consisting of two elongated and narrow hulls that are joined by a platform. They do not have ballast, so they are a lighter type of boat than monohulls, in addition to being more stable and safe. Although catamarans can be motor and sail, the most common is that they have an engine in each helmet.

Ibiza boats
Enjoy the great stability on board!

Main differences in navigation between a catamaran and a sailboat

Despite having two helmets and a central structure, the catamarans manufactured decades ago did not finish taking advantage of the interior space as would be expected, an aspect that has varied a lot in recent times, with 40-foot catamarans that compete in habitability and comfort with sailboats up to 60 feet. And is that both helmets can accommodate large cabins with bathrooms, and the halls reach a considerable extent.

Comparing the characteristics of navigation between a catamaran and a sailboat is very recurrent in our times, especially when deciding what type of boat to buy or rent. The truth is that the differences between both boats are remarkable, but it is more appropriate to note the particularities of each, since to say that one is better than another would be very subjective, since it depends on the preferences and needs of each navigator.

Ibiza sunsets
Ibiza sunset cruise.

A significant aspect of a catamaran is the total absence of heel, contrary to the sailboats that, in smaller or greater angle, are always inclined depending on the direction of the wind. This greater stability of the catamaran supposes a considerable increase of the security of the passengers, besides offering a navigation much more relaxed, since in the sailboats the musculature almost always is active to maintain the stability. Therefore, catamarans are more recommended to take on board guests without much knowledge of navigation.

Also, the catamaran is faster with equal length, reaching 20% ​​more speed than a sailing boat. In fact, the multihulls have all the speed records in the races, exceeding 50 knots, in the case of competition catamarans. However, unlike sailboats, multihulls do not manage to navigate buoys of more than 60 degrees, where speed drops drastically.

ibiza island life
The luxury of sailing!

Undoubtedly, there are catamarans with spectacular designs, folding orzas that provide excellent drifts, but in this sense, it is very rare that they can approach the performance of a sailboat with design, simply, conventional. This quality puts it at a disadvantage compared to sailing boats when undertaking regular voyages.

The maneuverability offered by a catamaran in port is also worthy of mention. Once the crew member becomes familiar with its handling, it is much easier to move it in narrow spaces, when compared to a sailboat. Not even a sailboat that incorporates propeller in the bow, gets to have the maneuverability of the catamarans with two engines.

Take a second to read the story of CharterAlia and how it became a remarkable boat hire in Ibiza.

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