Sailboat vs. Catamaran

Catamarans are quite stable on the water both with gentle and commanding breeze and they don't heel at anchor. You can easily leave a glass of juice and a bowl of fruit on the table on antislip mats and go along a horizontal surface of the deck to have a rest on the net or deck-chairs without a risk to fall into the water from the deck. You can easily go to a cabin, finish the cleaning in the cook-galley, read a book in the saloon almost without feeling the catamaran movement. On a sailboat it is possible only during the calm. The only discomfort you will experience with the stronger wind on opposite courses. You are sea tossed a lot on the short waves of the Adriatic.

Yachts have a higher capacity of offsetting external force which make them heel. It is extremely important in severe weather events. If there are no high waves, the body structure allows the boat to go easily on one side without additional motions. However, you should always walk carefully along the yacht. If you have little children on board, it is a bit more uncomfortable than on board of the yacht.

In other articles we tell you about safety rules on water and what to take with you when you travel by sea.

Catamarans have two engines which help it to turn quickly almost at one place. Besides, the draft of the catamaran allows a close landing to the coast and in shallow bays.

A sailboat, in its turn, gracefully glides across the water. It is much easier to drive it while maneuvering which is more enjoyable and comfortable for its guests. It takes less mooring space but if you choose it, you have to be attentive with the draft.

Catamarans have a spacious open area astern (a cockpit) and a saloon where at the same time you can cook in the caboose, play board games on a big table, or work at the chart table. On a lower level on both sides of the saloon, there are stairs of several steps leading to four cabins, two of which are usually destined for an adult couple and two others are smaller. Each of them have combination bathrooms.

Yachts are organised differently. All the rooms are on the same level which can be a great advantage for you. However, to go down you will have to use one staircase anyway. A forward cabin on a big boat is really spacious, unless a boat has two standard cabins or a cabin for children, and other three or four cabins are of a standard size. The number of bathrooms combinated with toilets is usually less than a number of the rooms. There is usually enough space for one family on the boat but if you travel in a larger company or there are at least two families you have to be more careful while choosing a boat or take a catamaran.

Spaciousness and the possibility to move easily across the deck make catamarans much more comfortable for families with children or for organising a party for a large company. Apart from that air conditioning, , coffee machine and several toilets and other facilities will make your holiday much more comfortable.

At the same time you have to consider if you really need it all. Maybe you can leave the om the coast for a while in order to enjoy real yachting on a sailing boat: cook simple and tasty food in a small camboose, go fishing with a fishing line and sleep like real sailors on a small bed, listen to the sea which is very close by, get lulled by the waves and even go to sleep on the deck on a hot night.

Expenses directly depend on the budget and your choice of the yacht or a catamaran. They are usually comprised of several articles.

• A rent of the boat/catamaran for a week. Even the newest boat will be much cheaper than a catamaran several years old.
  
• A deposit that will be fully reimbursed if there are no breakages. It depends on the boat size and does not usually exceed 2000-2500 euro for a yacht, and can reach 4000 euro for a catamaran.
  
• Transit log for a yacht is under 300 euro and more than 400 euro for a catamaran.
  
• Paid anchorages in marinas; in ACI marinas the price for catamarans will be 50-80% higher than for yachts.
  
• Staff: a skipper depending on the size of the boat is above 130 euro a day, a hostess is above 100 euro, a professional cook is above 130 euro. On big catamarans these prices are 25-30% higher.
  
• Entrance tickets to national parks including those for yachts and catamarans depend on the boat size.