Are you thinking about buying a catamaran and wondering if it’s right for you? Here are my top 5 reasons why a catamaran is the way to go.

1. One of the biggest difference between a catamaran and a monohull is the stability. It heels less than five degrees, so there is no sailing on your ear or bracing yourself with every step when moving around a catamaran.

2. Another big difference is a redundancy with most of the major systems. There are two engines and two separate fuel tanks and most of the time an isolated starting battery for each. Having an issue with one engine will not stop you dead in the water.

3. If you enjoy wide open spaces and having a salon above the waterline than a catamaran is for you. Another great feature of a catamaran is that the living space in the salon carries aft into the cockpit making a comfortable and airy experience.

4. Most peoples first impression is that a catamaran doesn’t sail very well. That is not the case at all. You will not find a better or faster downwind sailboat period. They always point out because of the small keels they will not sail upwind, that’s not always the case. Some catamarans have daggerboards which allow them to point into the wind pretty well and sometimes as good or better than a monohull. The overall speed off the wind is as good or better than most monohulls.

5. A big advantage at least with most catamarans especially ones with daggerboards is the ability to move around or anchor in skinny water. The average draft on a catamaran is three to five feet. It’s a big deal when there are storms around and you would like to duck into a small protected anchorage with skinny water.

When I ask clients what they are looking for when purchasing a catamaran the most common answer is the ability to live off the grid. A catamaran is by far the most practical way to accomplish that. The wide beam allows you the ability to carry a large number of solar panels and batteries.

Add to that the ability to carry more gear overall and a bigger dinghy which is like your car when sailing the islands off the grid. You still want to keep the overall weight down because it will affect the performance both under power and sail. Those are some of the main reasons why in my experience a catamaran is the way to go.

Contact Jim Ross to help you buy the perfect catamaran.