# Dinghy vs Catamaran



## rlltrash (Jul 5, 2012)

I sailed dinghies (16'-20') back in the day and want to get back into sailing. A friend suggested a catamaran rather than a dinghy. They are quite a bit faster and, perhaps, cheaper (used ones). 

Any thoughts on the differences between sailing dinghies and cats? It is nice to go faster - but it is also nice to stay dry when you want to. 

I will be sailing on coastal waters off southern California. Sometimes with 2 or 3 of us aboard and sometimes single-handed. I would also like to do some local fleet racing after I learn the boat.

Richard


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## dacap06 (Feb 2, 2008)

Got any friends with cats or sailing dinghies? I'd say try both and see what tickles your fancy. As for getting wet, you'll get wet on both at one point or another.


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## Slayer (Jul 28, 2006)

I guess cats go faster on some points of sail, but don't perform at well pointing up wind. If you are just looking to have fun day sailing and exploring a nice hobbie cat would be good. Plenty of fun to place things on the canvas and to recline. You can pull into shall coves and explore. But if you want to do fleet racing it may not be what you want. And as for price, I don't think cats are any cheaper than dingy's. I guess you get what you pay for.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Just don't expect to stay dry on a performance cat!


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

Performance dinghy or...?

A planing dinghy can be a blast, and a laser can be picked up cheap. You will dump it way more often than you will dump the cat though. Cat will be faster, way way faster.

A low performance dinghy will be dryer and almost never cpsized. But it will be slow, short waterline and all. 

A good compromise would be a "cruising" beach cat, like a hobie getaway with wings. Super comfy (a place to actually sit upright). And will still be very fast, but almost impossible to capsize if you have any sailing sense at all. Great for beach cruising too, no worries about dagger boards and super seaworthy too. Just in colder weather a sit inside dinghy may be warmer but less safe.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Oh so many options....

Beach cats can range from old Hobie 16's to tricked out carbon fiber Tornadoes. 

Dinghys from a Snark to the new VX One Design.


What's your budget, what size, trailorable or easily trailered, what fleets race nearby you, how fast do you consider too fast, ect.


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## Jim Butler (Jun 26, 2011)

rlltrash said:


> I sailed dinghies (16'-20') back in the day and want to get back into sailing. A friend suggested a catamaran rather than a dinghy. They are quite a bit faster and, perhaps, cheaper (used ones).
> 
> Any thoughts on the differences between sailing dinghies and cats? It is nice to go faster - but it is also nice to stay dry when you want to.
> 
> ...


Comparing catamarans to similar size monohull sailboats: 1. A catamaran is more likely to hurt you in a capsize. An acquaintance told me his cat “tried to drown me” when he put it up for sale. 2. On small catamarans you to sit on a flat floor-like surface while even a Sunfish gives you a bench-like sitting spot. 3. Cats are wet rides. Passengers older than 30 probably won’t like the spartan conditions a cat offers.


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## Slayer (Jul 28, 2006)

Jim Butler said:


> Comparing catamarans to similar size monohull sailboats: 1. A catamaran is more likely to hurt you in a capsize. An acquaintance told me his cat “tried to drown me” when he put it up for sale. 2. On small catamarans you to sit on a flat floor-like surface while even a Sunfish gives you a bench-like sitting spot. 3. Cats are wet rides. Passengers older than 30 probably won’t like the spartan conditions a cat offers.


I respectfully disagree. Much of what you say is true, but with Hobie Cats you sit comfortly on the pontoon, not the canvas floor. I think it is as comfortable if not more comfortable than many sailing dingies. And compared to a sunfish, I think the chances of you getting wet on the sunfish is greater. Of course if you are sitting on the canvass deck of the cat, you will get wet.


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