What concerns do you have with the Catamaran over a Monohull

Regards Don

Big Cat , and it's luxury is next level up. Handling iis very different. If you get a cat than learn the skill take full advantage. Turn on dime, anchor in shallow but each wave hit you twice. Get cat deliveries, get cat expert on board and sailing - easy and fast.

As you know cats don't really give you any feed back, so you really need to set sails by apparent wind, and understanding the boats polar is a must. They seem to like being over reefed, and loosely sheeted on the main. Even if it says 1st reef at 16-20, throw the first reef in at 15, you loose about 0.1knt, however the boat settles down, and feels much nicer.
As mentioned, going downwind, or following seas, you spend more time slowing them down, again over reef, and maybe bear off. Sea anchors, while some use...not recommended, in fact some brands specifiy not to use, will void insurance even.. can actually increase the chances of burying the bows...sea anchors can limit the bows from floating over swell.
Overall they are extremely safe boats, just feel very different from monos..recently was on a passage to NZ in a cat, had a bit of a blow, large confused seas...while 80% of the monos just hove-to, all the cats kept going..sure would have been best to turn and run with, however we just reefed down, close hauled, set the autopilot, went and made a coffee, sat in the saloon, spent the night watching for wind shifts/speeds, and course, and kept dry/warm.
Sure in super heavy weather, a mono would be a more comforting thought, knowing if you get knocked down, fair chance your going to roll up, however when cruising, you spend 98% of your time on anchor and the advantages of a cat are amazing.
You will learn heaps of little things that each cat likes with sail trim, and difference over a mono.
For example, having such a large beam, going downwind, instead of boom brakes etc, just a rode line off to a cleat and back to a winch..simple, easy and safe.
Again with a large beam, and long traveller, you can rig so you never touch the main sheet, just use the traveller..just simplifies things a little.
Flying a sym kite and gybing is the easiest thing in the world, and amazing feeling of cruising downwind, only a couple knts off true wind speed, super stable, none of that side to side rock, and worrying about accidental gybe of a mono.
Sail trim of course is a boat to boat difference, and your mono experience will come in handy, just try a small adjustment, feel the boat respond, with either speed increase or decrease, another handy one is to set autopilot, and watch the trim required to keep course, small adjust on sail, or balancing sails, suddenly zero trim input..they really do respond, just different ways of feeling it, it's not through heeling, or through the helm..
Overall, plenty of cats with wanna be sailors have sailed around the world, many times..normal rule that the crew will go to pieces before the boat does, just over reef, sail by apparent wind speed to boats specs, and possibly most important thing...keep your standing rigging up to scratch,

Yes, a bit of a rant..each to their own...just don't be put off by the old sea dogs that talk about safety of a cat, good chance they have never done any sea miles in one...

One thing not stated yet, not all cats are suitable cats...
Firstly, you have to decide what you want to do with the cat, if its just for harbor crusing thats one thing, but by the sounds of it, you would actually want to go sailing...
Don't believe that production cats can't cross oceans either, just not all productions you would like to cross oceans in..
Bridge deck clearance is a huge deal, slapping of the bridge in a pain in the a$$, height/type of bows for buoyancy and cutting through waves, stern steps what types - useful or not, wet or dry.open or closed cockpits, open are nice at anchor, however following sea washing through cockpit sucks, mini keel or dagger boards- both work, dagger points higher, faster and better draft, however it takes room in the hulls, and most dont like beaching for hull work, rudder type/design, steering systems,engines mid or stern mount, access to them, separate or under berths, up or down galleys both have +&-, the list goes on...same as a mono, but twice as many systems and how they work together is really important.
Production boats are fine, just really depends on model, fit outs, and year etc, don't get convinced that you need a custom cat to be a good cat, while generally more expensive, doesn't mean it will always be a better boat...however their are some very sweet customs out there...

Some newer charter orientated cats, while feeling like a floating apartment, I wouldnt like to do passages in some, however in saying that, most are delivered by long passages, so yes they can do it.
Talk to heaps of cat owners and search forums, as with every boat, an owner always believes his boat is the best because of ....., then ask what they dislike about others...., after a while you will get an option of brands and models... There are many 15 year old cats I would prefer to sail than a brand new cat from the same brand.
Overall, I guess it is like any other boat purchase, it's all about compromise, budget and needs... I like to view boats by making a list of things I don't like about it, then compare negative lists, and what items you could tolerate. When you have the shortest list of things that you can't live with, that seems like the boat for you.....I know it seems pessimistic, however if you liked everything on a boat, then you wouldn't be able to afford it....
18 months away, is a great time to start looking at different boats, and start to get an idea of prices, types, brands etc etc...you know the story...not something you want to rush into...

Feel free to PM if you want any info, while I'm not a authority on boats, could give you some links to people that are...

Rant 2 over and out