Catamarans are the most popular of our yacht charters in the Caribbean, especially for family charters and groups of friends. Catamarans are a type of multihull, which means they have more than one hull. Catamarans have two hulls and this makes them quite different in many ways to monohulls, which are the more traditional sort of sailing boat. Trimarans have one more hull than a catamaran, but are rarely available for charter.
Why you Might Choose a Catamaran:
- They are much more stable than monohulls because of their wide shape. They don’t “lean” over in the wind (it’s called ‘heeling’) when sailing, for instance, and for anyone new to the water this can be a more comfortable experience. Also, catamarans can be a more comfortable platform when the boat is at anchor as they don’t roll as much as monohull sailboats or motor boats. This means that catamarans can often visit more remote anchorages, especially those which may be too uncomfortable for other types of yacht.
- They have more space down below for the same length of boat compared to a monohull. This means that those on a family charter will have much more room to spread out on this type of boat or several couples or a group of friends can share the same catamaran comfortably. Each couple will normally have their own cabin and ensuite.
- Catamarans have a wide deck space and often a trampoline arrangement which is fun when cruising in calm conditions. When the boat is at anchor, there is a really good space on deck or in the shady cockpit for sitting around socializing, having a sundowner, or just gazing at the sunset or the stars.