This is perhaps the most common question that 21st century sailors ask themselves and there is no simple answer as both types of boats have their obvious pros and cons.

For some the choice is decided by the fact that a monohull will heel moderately while sailing upwind in a typical Caribbean trade wind breeze, while a the heel of a similarly sized catamaran’s will be so slight as to be barely perceptible to those on board.

Even sailors not averse to heeling usually don’t like rolling and here, again, catamarans win fans–especially in a slightly rolly anchorage.

Monohull aficionados will tout their upwind pointing ability and ‘real boat’ feel at the helm. Many simply don’t like the aesthetic of the modern cruising cat.

There is no right or wrong here: and no reason that, if you’re chartering, you shouldn’t switch between both types depending on who and how many people you’re sailing with.

We are often asked to coach seasoned monohull sailors on the nuances of catamarans. While a ‘boat is a boat’, cats do have a few sensitivities which, if you’re wise to, can greatly enhance your enjoyment of cruising on them.

We haven’t yet been asked to coach a catamaran sailor on a monohull but we’d love to have the opportunity! So if you’re a cat person who’s interested in trying a modern cruising ‘monomaran’ just drop us a line.