The greatest advantages of catamarans compared to monohulls can be seen outside of the harbor basin: They are ideal bathing platforms without rocking at anchor, offer significantly more space and comfort with the same length. They sail upright; Maneuvers such as turning or jibing are now possible without any problems. They are as fast as a monohull and do not require any advanced sailing knowledge.
However, as soon as a catamaran enters a narrow harbor, you have to rethink. The boxes have to be significantly wider than for monohulls - not all marinas are designed for this. In addition, there is a design feature that can make maneuvering in the harbor more difficult: Because of their shallow draft, kats have less resistance to being driven away, and they have much higher superstructures, i.e. more wind attack surface, than monohulls. They are more prone to chasing away than these.
Simple scenario: the lateral mooring with a lot of space, the wind pushes the cat away from the pier (click to enlarge)
All modern kats have two independent machines and are therefore very maneuverable and, unlike a monohull, can even be rotated on the plate - but the plate drifts, to put it in an exaggerated way, through the harbor. In addition, the propellers often run in the same direction, which can lead to a distinctive wheel effect. In combination with the enormous dimensions of this companion, a feeling of restlessness or overwhelming arises. Our instructions for the most common port maneuvers, which are shown on the following pages, can help.