Cat revolution: 5 ways to enjoy the phenomenon of the moment. First installment

There is an overall winner of the 2021/2022 boating season, the catamaran. Its main antagonist, the monohull, is doing all it can to keep up, continuing to look for new solutions. How has the catamaran managed to stand alongside its more titled and historic rival, climbing to the top of the podium in consumer tastes, on the strength of the fact that it has now reached 50 percent of the total sales of the sailing boat industry by 2022?

There are many factors, starting with its fundamentals, which are summed up in its main competitive advantage: it has at least 30 percent more space than a monohull, for the same length.

All this translates into unbeatable convenience. One only has to look at the width of any catamaran and compare it with that of a monohull of similar length to realize that a catamaran is worth at least that famous 30 percent extra floor space in terms of footprint.

Let’s see then what are the 5 ways to enjoy catamarans, even without buying them, thanks to the various offers on the market.

Catamaran – 5 ways to enjoy it

HIRE for the comfortable vacation

It is no accident that the catamaran is the boat at the top of charter desires because of its space and comfort. is the boat of choice for renters who have no ambitions to “race” under sail but want to be comfortable. In addition, the double hull makes it stable and does not tilt. This results in 70 percent of the annual production of new boats, when it comes to catamarans, going to charter companies.Buy it with boat management

More and more boat owners are buy a boat by entrusting its management to a charter company (boat management): you buy the boat at a discounted list price, you put it to income earning from the rental income and over time you make back the purchase, forgetting about bureaucracy and maintenance. You use the boat during the period agreed with society, and you are more than comfortable because your boat is in good hands.

Catamarans – Buying a fraction of them

It is called fractional ownership. The owner can purchase only a portion of the catamaran from a dealer, with an optimized investment of tot years. He can use the boat during a predetermined period and the dealer takes care of the rest (any logistical, technical and financial needs). Like a management program, but, indeed, “fractional.” And less wasteful.

Catamaran- Buy it to use as a home on the sea

The classic “sell the house and buy the boat.” The catamaran enables this especially for those who have this dream but do not want to give up all the comforts of home. Maintenance and berth have an annual cost in line with those of an apartment. With the advantage that your home is in the sea. And go on vacation by moving it wherever you want.

Buying it for long-range sailing

Same premise as point 4, but different philosophy. The catamaran is the ideal boat for sailing along and exploring the seas.and places. Perhaps taking a sabbatical, or to enjoy retirement. “I drop everything and leave on a boat.” There are many around the world who “liveaboard” in catamarans and people who participate in cat in major ocean rallies such as the ARC.

In future installments we will review the state of the art of the market for cruising catamarans and trimarans. The full report can be found in the December print issue of the Sailing Newspaper.