Catamarans? Yes or No?

Stoisy

Active Member
Hey all,

Just curious why we see so few cats around BC, and maybe some insight on why they aren't more popular. I know they are very popular in the southern hemisphere and are supposed to ride incredibly well in rough seas. So, why don't we see more of them in BC? What are the negatives that have kept people from purchasing them in the past?

Thanks for insight.
 
Cats cost more to produce. You are building 2 hulls that need to be joined together. Prob a major reason you don't see as many. They have there advantages and disadvantages. They are very stable, and can slice through the chop that slows alot of mono-hulls down. I've been in the rough stuff heading out and we blow by kingfishers and other large mono-hulls of comparable size getting pounded like they are standing still. And we can be drinking a full coffee doing it and not spill any.
Where they may not be as good is when you are in short period waves drifting under no power. but mono-hulls might be better or may not be that good under the same circumstances. Can depend on a few variables. There is the cat "sneeze" that you hear about but I don't think I've experienced it much if any and if I have it hasn't really bothered me.
Myself I love my boat in it's cat format (especially in aluminum). Others love their mono-hulls and I don't blame them either.
 
I had a 14ft Livingston (a CAT). They are a bit more difficult to make them plane, so more power/fuel consumption. If there are sea conditions that would make a boat "bow steer" (bow digs-in) you have 2 bows to dig-in. Mine spent most of it's time fishing WCVI but never ventured more than 5 miles offshore. Rode very nice.
 
Another thing to consider, if going fiberglass, make sure it's a reputable builder. A cat may be under more stress flex wise and I think some manufacturers have had stress cracks in certain areas where the hulls join. Hasn't been an issue what so ever on my aluminum cat mind you.. It's solid!
Armstrong and Maxweld (the latter out of business) have made some really nice aluminum cats for the west coast waters. The hull truth forum has a few good threads comparing mono-hulls to cats.
 
they suck trolling in the trough.
 
Hey trophywife, can you elaborate? You're talking about, in between two waves? Why do they suck?
 
I'm assuming Trophywife is talking about "hull slap". It's when trolling in the trough or drift fishing and a wave comes up and slaps between the 2 hulls.
 
Hey trophywife, can you elaborate? You're talking about, in between two waves? Why do they suck?
when they come down the side of a swell, it feels like it is falling. tipping excessively.. feels down right scary.. they do travel better than a deep vee. just the trolling can be ,well, scary. more so if your like me and not used to it. it did not feel safe trolling at low speed in the trough.
 
I agree with TW.
Lots of cats out there and I am sure they are safe as a mono, but my guts are used to many thousands of hours on all sorts of mono hulls.
Put me in the old dog, new tricks category on this.
Just don't feel right.

Plus, the greatest joy I get in life is surfing a monohull on a nice West Coast swell.
Doesn't matter if it is a fishing skiff, a sailboat or a commercial fishboat, I surf with them all!
 
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