There are plenty of things to think about when you're chartering a sailboat, but one of the most fundamental decisions tends to be between a monohull and a catamaran. They both have their own benefits and drawbacks, but most sailors will still end up picking a monohull over a catamaran.
Here are just four reasons why.
1. Easier and Cheaper to Dock
The added width of a catamaran is great for providing a little extra deck space, but it can make docking in a marina somewhat of a chore. A catamaran is often going to be twice as wide as a monohull of equivalent length, which means you'll usually have to pay for two berths instead of one. Even if marinas offer special berths for multihulls, they tend to fill up fast. With monohulls, this isn't going to be an issue.
2. Wider Range of Options
One of the best things about chartering a boat is that you have the freedom to choose between a wide range of options to perfectly fit your vessel around your itinerary and lifestyle. When you go for a monohull, that's generally going to be much easier simply because so many monohulls are produced. That means you should have more choices when it comes to everything from sail plans to accommodations.
3. Easier to Handle
For most sailors, chartering is an opportunity to enjoy themselves rather than push their seamanship as far as possible. As such, it makes sense to choose a boat that is relatively easy to handle, and a monohull fits the bill. Since monohulls have deep keels, their rudders also rest deep in the water. This means they turn faster for easier tacking. Additionally, you tend to get far greater feedback from a monohull than from a catamaran. For example, it's very easy to tell when a monohull is carrying too much sail, but this can be relatively easy to ignore on a catamaran.
4. More Comfortable at Anchor
It's true that catamarans offer added stability while sailing, but monohulls tend to swing far less at anchor than equivalently sized catamarans, and this is probably when you're going to value stability most. After all, it's when you're at anchor that you'll tend to be sleeping or entertaining. This should be particularly attractive if you're going to be hopping between anchorages rather than taking on a long cruise across open water.
If you are scheduling a boat charter, talk to a local company about your options.
