“Although we still prefer the looks of many monos, now I can’t imagine that we’ll ever want another boat, and certainly not a monohull!”
by Christina Stam – Seawind 1160 Owner
After 30 years of sailing in our 8.5-meter monohull on the Mediterranean Sea and in the Netherlands, we decided that we wanted a larger boat. And with a number of features that we missed in our old faithful boat, such as speed, drying out, deck house with views all around and standing height. We visited a number of monohulls with a sturdy character, but eventually discovered that a catamaran unites all the characteristics that we were looking for. From our search, the Australian Seawind 1160 was at the top of our list as a favorite, and miraculously we could buy one in England for an acceptable price (approx. €250,000, 2016) and with an acceptable appearance, because in terms of beauty, monos are still winning.
That turned out to be a good decision, because Maurie is now actually our second home. We spend almost all of our (usually long) weekends on it, and all holidays. Even in winter, when the low light is so beautiful and the waters empty. First in Zeeland, but with a faster boat you soon come across a bridge or lock. Now Den Helder is our home port and we enjoy the beauty and the vastness of the Waddensea. We have not done drying out very often, but we will certainly do so. Then we will ensure that we do not skew in a trench like the last time… your damn still lie crooked with your catamaran!
Last year, we made a 5-month trip to Scandinavia and enjoyed all the fantastic features of the boat endlessly.
Utmost Safety & Stability
Enumerating the benefits of our catamaran soon sounds like an advertising chat. Such as the excellent sailing characteristics, despite the fact that the boat only has fixed keels; the sheltered steering position behind the deckhouse, the upright sailing, which means that you will be less tired on long journeys. Because you do not drag any ballast through the water, the boat accelerates even with a slight increase in wind, which still surprises us for such a large boat. It also sails nicely with very little wind, especially on the spinnaker.
Large spaces cater for comfort
And then the comfort of the large spaces inside: the large kitchen in the SB hull, spacious bathroom, large deck house where you can drink coffee inside at sea if you wish, and still keep an eye on the outside world. On hot days we enjoy our bonus attraction: the doors of the deckhouse can be hoisted against the roof of the cockpit, creating one large open space. In short, there are plenty of benefits.
Maneuver with a breeze
Initially we thought that learning to maneuver with such a wide ship would be difficult, but that turned out not true. Estimating the width (6.5 m.) you learn quickly, and the two engines make the ship very easy to turn, even on its axis. I often get compliments after mooring, but I think that’s mainly because men don’t expect a woman to be able to do this kind of manoevering… I can’t imagine now that we’ll ever want another boat, and certainly not a monohull! Although we still prefer the looks of many monos.
Which team are you on?
Monohull or multihull, switching from one hull to two is indeed not an easy task as there are many key factors to consider. Consult one of our multihull experts today so we could understand you better and have your needs meet. Book a chat with us.
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