catamaran bar crossing

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The best catamarans for ocean sailing/crossing

Sep 25, 2020

less than a min

The best catamarans for ocean sailing/crossing

The best catamarans for ocean crossing have to embody a few key features in order to be safe for anyone on board, including guests and crew members. Most catamarans do perform quite well in open waters and are regarded as safe vessels to be offshore. This is especially true with large catamarans with big hulls.

In addition, many catamarans have sailed through horrific weather and have managed not to capsize due to their great roll inertia. What basically happens to a catamaran in a rough sea is the boat just surfs sideways when a big wave hits.

Not to worry however as in most cases, weather forecasts will determine whether a catamaran can go offshore on that specific day or not. In addition, the highest risks are when catamarans sail on a north- south axis between seasons. That said, there are a few catamarans that do perform better when crossing oceans than others.

Typically, cruising catamarans are divided into two categories:

Charter Catamarans
High-Performance Cruising Catamarans

Charter catamarans have fixed keels, shorter bows, forward masts, heavier displacement, high-windage flybridges, and low-aspect rudders. These boats are mainly chartered to guests and are not designed for ocean crossing rather than sailing close to shore and enjoying views in a touristic way.

High-performance cruising catamarans , on the other hand, have deeper rudders, less displacement, efficient daggerboards, a small weight and large sail plans. They are able to go at a 50-degree TWA to windward in all weather conditions, and can even outsail keelboats. In addition, when a storm hits, all that is needed is for the catamaran to sail at a higher speed and maintain balance and lower loads.

These features make them some of the best catamarans for ocean sailing.

Which is the best catamaran for ocean sailing

After getting a quick glance of what makes a multihull a good fit for offshore sailing, let’s get to the good part: which one is the best catamaran for ocean cruising ?

Technically, there are thousands of options to choose from when it comes to catamarans. So today we are going to present our choice based on the criteria mentioned above.

One of the best catamarans for ocean sailing in 2020 is The Privilege 435 . This is a long-distance, light weight cruiser produced in the Gold Coast area of La Rochelle. The Privilege 435 is a heavy-displacement multihull that has been around for almost 30 years. This is a luxurious well-built yacht with a decent proportion that allows it to cross oceans safely. It has a 23ft 2in beam, 43ft 1in LOA, as well as good proportion with a low-slung superstructure which is perfect for low wind resistance. In addition, the Privilege 435 is equipped with 4 cabins and 4 showers and costs about $300,000 to $350,000. The ample interior makes for a comfortable vessel to withstand long- distance trips.

While this catamaran sits on the high-end of the spectrum when it comes to yachts, there are many other more affordable options to choose from, if you are looking to sail offshore on a long-distance trip. Use TheBoatDB with a free account to compare other catamarans to the Privilege435 and figure out which one is the best fit for you to ocean cruise. You can even browse through TheBoatDB database to get some more options on the table. Last but not least, make sure to take into account the route and predicted weather conditions before embarking on your adventure.

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Are Catamarans Safe For Ocean Crossing?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

‍ Catamarans aren't the most common ocean-crossing sailboats, but they're surprisingly safe and capable offshore.

Catamarans are safe for ocean crossings. In fact, catamarans are often much safer than similarly-sized monohulls offshore. Safety comes from increased motion comfort, great stability, speed, and excess buoyancy due to lack of ballast.

In this article, we’ll examine if catamarans are safe (or safer) than monohulls for offshore cruising and ocean passages. We’ll also examine the benefits of cruising catamaran design, along with how these vessels handle in different offshore conditions.

We gathered the information used in this article from offshore sailing guides and reputable catamaran experts. We also examined design guidelines for offshore cruising boats, including head-to-head tests done between catamarans and other vessels.

Table of contents

‍ Safety of Bluewater Catamarans

Cruising catamarans that are capable of bluewater sailing are some of the safest vessels on the water. In fact, they're often preferred for ocean crossing due to their miraculous speeds and excellent rough-water handling qualities.

Catamarans are uniquely equipped for safe and comfortable offshore sailing. They're not subject to the traditional limitations of hull speed, and they have a mild planing effect which reduces drag and the effects of rough seas.

Safest Catamaran Design for Crossing an Ocean

The safest ocean-crossing category is cruising catamarans, as these vessels include design elements and safety features that aren't found in recreational racing catamarans. An example of this is additional positive buoyancy material and watertight hatches.

Cruising catamarans have high-strength cockpit windows, which are designed to resist damage if a wave crashes on them. They also have redundant systems such as bilge pumps, navigation lights, and radios—which are all essential in an offshore voyage.

In fact, cruising cats are so safe that they're often recommended by expert sailors to more novice individuals. They aren't necessarily easier to sail, but they can handle rough weather safely and with better stability.

This keeps the crew dry and rational while the boat handles much of the ocean's beating all on its own.

Is it Safe to Sail a Catamaran During the Winter?

Catamarans can actually be safer to sail in winter weather conditions than monohulls. This is because cruising catboats almost always have enclosed cockpit spaces that are completely shielded from the elements. This is particularly helpful during the winter, but it's also a great feature in the tropical rainy season.

Catamaran crews can usually pilot their vessels from inside or behind these enclosed cockpits, keeping them warm and dry for as long as possible.

Additionally, given the premium nature of cruising catamarans, many of these vessels have automated winches and sails, allowing complete control from the interior cockpit.

How do Catamarans Handle Rough Weather?

Catamarans handle rough weather well, especially larger vessels with more displacement. But unlike monohull sailboats, draft and displacement aren't the most critical factors when evaluating foul-weather safety.

Catamarans are more difficult to swamp than monohulls. This is because they create a channel between their hulls that acts as a pressure relief valve, thus decreasing the likelihood of a rogue wave pushing the vessel under or knocking it over.

Catamarans are famous for their ability to weather high winds and chop. An equal-sized monohull may be just as strong and seaworthy, but the crew certainly wouldn't be praising its easy-riding qualities after a strong storm.

Catamaran captains are sometimes guilty of underestimating the danger or intensity of storms because a storm that beats the confidence out of a monohull crew may not even spill the coffee off the galley table in a catamaran.

Catamaran Buoyancy

Catamarans also have design elements that make them difficult—or nearly impossible—to sink. Or, to sink completely anyway. It's all about buoyancy, and catamarans have tons of it.

Monohull sailboats can handle well offshore, provided they have a low enough center of gravity and enough displacement to stay upright in violent gusts and large waves. Usually, monohull designers achieve this by working in an extremely heavy and deep ballasted keel.

In other words, offshore monohulls sit artificially low in the water due to added ballast for stability, both inside the cabin and deep in the keel. This is great until something starts to throw off-balance, like a bunch of water in the cabin.

Catamarans don't sit very low in the water because they're much more buoyant than monohulls and carry no large keels or ballast.

On their own, catamaran side hulls would probably roll over due to their lack of low ballast. But when strung together, they balance each other out and keep the hull far out of the water.

Catamarans don't often sink because they're simply too buoyant. They use their width and dual hulls to make up for the lack of ballast.

Plus, catamaran builders sometimes add additional positively buoyant material such as foam, to the point where sinking an intact vessel would be utterly impossible.

Are Catamarans Strong Enough for Ocean Sailing?

All production bluewater catamarans are extremely rigid and structurally sound. Catamarans make ocean journeys all the time and suffer tremendous stresses, which monohulls never experience. As a result, they're built using stronger materials and reinforced in all necessary areas.

Do Catamarans Break in Half?

It seems easy enough to believe—a catamaran hits a funny wave and breaks in half. After all, catamarans are only held together by a thin strip of fiberglass, right? Wrong—catamaran design is very robust, and all production catamarans are thoughtfully designed and strong.

Apart from the odd story in a sailing magazine, catamarans rarely just break in half. There have been some cases of it happening, but only due to extreme conditions, specific design flaws, or shoddy amateur construction.

Catamarans hulls break off far less often than regular monohulls sink—often in much less hazardous conditions than the few catamarans that did break in this way. So no, you don't have to worry about a production catamaran breaking in half while on the ocean.

Catamaran Comfort and Safety

Comfort can actually be a safety benefit on the open ocean, especially when sailing with a limited crew. Catamarans are known for their stability and increased motion comfort, which can improve the overall health and ability of the crew.

Think about it this way. A seasick and exhausted crew won't be able to deal with navigation or emergencies as efficiently and safely as a well-fed and well-rested crew. This is one of the indirect benefits that offshore catamarans have above most traditional monohull designs.

Catamaran Roll Safety

What happens if a catamaran suffers a knockdown? Usually, nothing good—catamarans can't self-right after a knockdown, unlike some monohulls with a low center of gravity. You're much more likely to have a knockdown or nail-biting roll on a monohull than a catamaran.

That said, catamarans don't suffer knockdowns nearly as easily as similarly-sized monohulls. This is because catamarans distribute their weight widely, and they have a much greater natural roll resistance.

Catamarans have great buoyancy in some parts of the hull and minimal buoyancy in others, which can actually increase roll resistance. For example, catamarans can slice through waves instead of riding over the crest and rolling violently.

It's not easy for the wind to push a catamaran down—quite the opposite. Catamarans actually rise out of the water slightly when sailed properly, even at angles perpendicular to the wind. Catamarans tend to increase in speed as wind speeds increase, directing more energy forward instead of to the side.

Monohulls have completely different high-wind handling characteristics. At some wind angles, high winds can push a monohull dangerously to one side. This is distinct from normal heeling, as the water can begin to rush over the deck and swamp the single-hull vessel.

Can Catamarans Survive Flooding?

Catamarans benefit from another safety feature that's not necessarily a design choice but a design element nonetheless. Catamarans are essentially compartmentalized, and they have a center cockpit high above the waterline.

These characteristics increase the amount of flooding necessary to seriously endanger the vessel. For example, a small leak in one hull needs to be fixed promptly—but it doesn't endanger the boat nearly as much as the same leak in your only hull.

Additionally, much of a catamaran's interior space is in the center console, which is above the waterline and thus can't be flooded from the hulls. Or at least not immediately. This is one of the reasons why catamarans rarely sink.

Catamaran Safety Equipment

Catamarans have a large amount of flat, open space between the hulls. These areas are useful for stowing equipment such as high-tech covered life rafts.

A small boat may have to make do with a small life raft and limited emergency supplies, yet a catamaran can store safety equipment for much larger vessels.

Catamaran Speed

Speed is an important and often overlooked aspect of safety, and we can use an example to demonstrate why. Picture two boats somewhere between Florida and the Bahamas. Dark clouds begin to form overhead, indicating a possible afternoon thunderstorm.

Boat A is a catamaran with good speed and sea keeping abilities. Boat B is a heavier monohull of the same length but greater displacement and technically better seaworthiness.

The catamaran, Boat A, deploys full sail and makes a speed of about 15 knots to outrun the forming storm. Boat B is a monohull and can't make more than 8 knots, even in the best conditions.

Boat A makes it back to port with time to spare, but Boat B is well out to see taking a beating from the storm. Speed means safety in many situations, even though it's never smart to try and beat the weather if you can stay in a safe location instead.

Are Catamarans More Stable?

Are Catamarans Good In Rough Water?

Are Catamarans Safer than Monohulls?

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

by this author

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Crossing a Bar Safely

E10 in outboards
Fire Prevention
Clove Hitch
Single Sheet Bend
Double Sheet Bend
Round Turn & 2 Half Hitches
Rolling Hitch
Common Whipping
Weather at Point Clare
Visitor Berths – NOT AVAILABLE
24 Hour Moorings

vmrcc.org.au

Crossing coastal bars safely.

Crossing surf bars is a common but extremely dangerous part of boating along the New South Wales coast. Every year boats are damaged and people killed or injured when attempted crossings go wrong. Nothing that is written here can make crossing a bar completely safe. This is a general guide only.

I t is mandatory for all persons in a recreational vessel to wear a PFD Type 1 when crossing a bar. The entrance to Brisbane Water is an official ocean bar. (to see Maritime Authority Website related to wearing lifejacket click here)

The most important points are stop, look and think. Skippers who are not 100% certain of their safety should not go. No feed of fish or day at sea is worth risking the boat or people’s lives.

The movement of sand along the coast and sediment from catchments builds up bars at the entrances to estuarys, rivers and lakes. The dynamic forces of wave action and water movement change the shape, depth and channels on the bar quite regularly.

A big storm may deepen it by a metre or more or a long season of on-shore breezes may build the bar by the same amount. A strong out flowing tide provides more drag on an incoming swell and forces it to be steeply faced, higher and more inclined to close out or dump.

The wind direction can also be a factor in setting up both waves on the bar and angling the swell at different directions onto the bar. The channels in the bar are cut by tidal movement and do change from time to time.

Local knowledge

Local knowledge is an essential part of crossing any bar. Every bar is different and all bars can change quickly depending on the conditions. The following points need attention before crossing any bar:

If you are new to an area, observe the bar from land first. If possible use Polaroid type sunglasses to pick the visible channels indicated by darker coloured water and lack of breaking waves
Talk with the locals or check with the nearest NSW Maritime Boating Service Officer, Marine Rescue unit or marina owner
Watch how other vessels handle the bar. Take note of the line they follow in and out, where they wait and watch and where they move off to cross the bar
Take careful note of any navigation aids that may help, particularly leads that mark the channel.

Preparation

After gaining a working knowledge of the bar check the weather forecast and most importantly the state of the tide at the time you want to leave port. An incoming tide is always safer. If possible time your day at sea to coincide with a rising tide both leaving and entering port.

Check that your boat is operating correctly and make sure throttle and steering systems are perfect. Check the battery and fuel tank are locked down or fixed in place. Ensure your safety gear is in good shape and a PFD is available and properly fitted to each person on board.

On the water procedure

Warm up the engine and check everything is running smoothly. Do not attempt the crossing if the motor is misfiring or does not respond quickly
Check the steering and bilge pump
Close all hatches
Secure the anchor(s). Do not leave it sitting in a forward well where it could become a lethal missile or be catapulted overboard
Arrange passengers so that the boat is balanced and secure all gear
Each person must be wearing a properly fitted PFD of appropriate size (nb children must wear children’s size PFDs, not adult size).
With the bar in sight, idle around and check the conditions. Then decide to proceed.

When heading out, remember you will experience a clash of very severe forces. The outgoing boat must meet the energy of the breaking sea, minimising these clashes makes things safer for you and the boat. The main technique is:

Idle towards the breaking waves watching carefully for any lulls. If a flat period occurs apply the throttle and run through
If the waves just keep rolling in, motor to the surf zone and gently accelerate over the first piece of white water, then apply more power and run to the next wave. Time this carefully, don’t go too fast or you may get airborne on the next wave
Back off the power just before contact with the swell. As you come through or over the breaker accelerate again and repeat the process until clear
Head for the lowest part of the wave (the saddle). This is the last part of the wave to break
As an alternative, half cabin vessels can proceed slowly through the entire bar system, although at some stage a wave will break over the boat. So long as the boat goes straight ahead, very little can happen to it.

Don’t

Don’t hit a wave face with the power full on, the boat can become air borne or throw the crew into the windscreen, dashboard or floor;
Don’t lose your nerve. Once committed, keep going forward. You may be swamped if you try to turn around at the last moment;
Don’t go through waves at an angle. Either go straight or up to 10 degrees either side of dead straight.

Coming in over the bar is usually easier. However, once you are mixed up in the white water the noise and boisterous seas can test your nerve. When entering the bar move towards the breaking area and pick the line of least activity. Stay with the leads or channel markers if the breakers obscure your vision. Watch for breakers that may form to seaward of your observation point.

Once you have the general direction, wait for a big set to roll in and position the boat on the back of a wave and stay there. Don’t run down the wave face. Very little can happen if you hold your position.

As you approach the actual entrance, the outgoing tide may affect the boat’s speed. Maintain power and trim the nose of the boat up a little, adding power as needed. The outrunning tide may also create pressure waves near the mouth of the system. These steep peaks should be handled carefully as they can destabilise the craft causing it to yaw or broach. Handle pressure waves by accelerating gently as you come over each wave.

Remember that everyone must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) when crossing the bar.

General information

Always check the weather before leaving port
Make sure you know of any alternative ports or safe anchorage areas before heading out. If the bar becomes impossible to cross make sure you are carrying enough fuel to reach that alternative location
Alcohol and boating are a dangerous combination at any time. The problems of crossing a bar demand a clear head from all on board
Most bars or bar areas have radio coverage available on the 27 MHz (Ch 88)and VHF (Ch 16). Marine Rescue Bas stations can provide bar information, sea conditions, weather forecasts and tidal data. Using the radio base adds to your safety particularly as you can call before and after crossing to ensure that someone knows you are on the bar and organise assistance should it be needed
Make sure you understand the capacity of your boat to handle breaking seas. Some boats are not designed for the job
Most importantly, the skipper should have both the experience and temperament to handle the situation. If you are new to boating only cross bars in good conditions and gain experience gradually.

Crossing a Bar

Most bar crossing advice pontificates on the right and wrong ways of crossing a bar, what to look for, what to do and where to go. But as I discovered none of that really prepares you for the real thing – out there in amongst the waves and soup – on a ‘big’ day.

A phone call from a friend who had just done a bar crossing course with Brisbane boating identity Bill Corten, suggesting I do it too, kind of got me a little interested. This course was different from most he claimed, as the boat is your ‘ classroom’ and you are out there right in amongst it, learning first hand what to do and what not to do. The phone call was duly made, I explained my situation to Corten, and a date was organised. A date incidentally at the tail end of a recent cyclone that had whipped the water off the Queensland coast up into a decidedly frenzied state.

I got my first indicative hint of the potential severity of this course when we were asked to meet at the Cleveland Boat ramp at 6-00am on the Sunday morning – a time that would give us sufficient latitude Corten explained, to get out to the actual bar and observe the surroundings in perhaps more ‘ mundane’ conditions. I can’ t say I was that impressed either in the choice of boat, or more the size of it. I felt a 6.25m Cruise Craft Explorer albeit fitted with a 200hp HPDI Yamaha outboard, was just a little small to be crossing a bar in this weather, but more on that later in the story.

Sea Of Contrasts

After completing our initial glossary of onboard equipment including the safety gear, the 20-kilometre trip out from Cleveland, up and around the conservation areas off Peel Island, seemingly took but a few minutes in the sublimely calm conditions at that hour of the morning. Hidden previously by the island, upon rounding Amity Point at the Northern tip of Straddie we got our first glimpse of our bar – what appeared to be a veritable wall of white water, right across the entrance.

There we learned valuable lesson number one, for as impenetrable as it appeared, there is always a way through. “The first thing you do is stand off the bar a little, and identify the calmer water, which is always the deeper water,” Corten explained. “A huge volume of water such as this has to get out somehow, so there will always be a channel somewhere.”If you have to cross a bar to get to your favourite fishing spot, your trip should always start at home – long before you leave. “Acquire as much local knowledge as you can, check the weather and sea state on the local Coastal Watch site on the Internet, talk to the local Coast Guard or boating club,” Corten emphasised, “have local charts, establish beforehand where the channels are, what the weather is going to be like, for the whole day, find out what strength the wind will get up to – all these things are just so important.”Once armed with all the right information, the trip is always a lot safer, and easier. If however it is your first time over that particular bar, then wait for a so-called ‘ calmer’ day, and do some practice. Another helpful hint is to just wait at the bar and observe where other boats are going – a pattern will emerge with those who do actually know the right way to go – then you can go and try it for yourself. You will be amazed at the ease with which you can get through, just by knowing where the flatter spots are.”Corten went on to further explain how to acquire a pre-determined course, “You can also get GPS coordinates, just as a rough guide, but for me there is nothing more accurate than lining up two points of land. You must be entirely familiar too with these various steps in your pathway, arranging them clearly in your mind in the appropriate order.” How easy it was later on when we were to try it ourselves, lining up these points of land – and seeing the waves literally part before us! “Bars seldom remain the same either, from one storm to another,” he added. “There are literally hundreds of thousands of tonnes of swirling sand within these ferocious bars, which is moved around by the tides and storms. It is reasonable to assume then that it will not dump in the same place each time.”For Corten, there are seven golden rules, which he explains to you just before you set off for the first time, like a lamb to the slaughter:

1. If new to bars, try to only cross in good conditions, and gain experience gradually. Seek local knowledge and watch how other boats cross the bar. 2. If in doubt, don’t cross a bar unless you think it is safe. 3. Before crossing, check your boat’s operating systems thoroughly – throttle, steering, bilge pump. 4. Secure all hatches and all loose gear. 5. All occupants should wear a lifejacket if crossing breaking waves. 6. Log your trip on and off, with your local volunteer rescue organization. 7. When the crossing is completed, take a back-mark, GPS position, and compass bearing to ‘assist’ in locating and negotiating the entrance on the return trip.

That last point is particularly moot, for as Corten so correctly pointed out at the time, and which was graphically illustrated during the course of our trip that day, conditions can change dramatically in the course of a tide change, water action (swell height), different channel depth, or wind. Simply, there are no hard and fast rules, but you still need to know where the actual channels are! Having made the trip back in through the south entrance then back up through the northern side of the bar, it was my turn to take over the handlebars.

Sitting facing the forming waves (never he says, sit with your back to it, in case you have to run to the shoulder of the crest) it was my job description to pick a wave that looked like it had potential, a bit like a surfer, then accelerate and turn aggressively so I traversed the top of the wave and clung to the back – simple! Actually, it was quite simple, as Corten had prepared us for what to do, not with words, but with deeds as examples. There I was clinging to the back of a swell that at around 15-20 knots quickly gathered momentum into what ultimately became a raging torrent of foam. The trick though was to stick with it all the way, staying just off the fringe of the face – for as the saying goes, “it ain’ t finished till it’ s over”. Another lesson, for no sooner had it broken into froth (and I somehow found traction despite all the cavitation that occurred in this broken water), than it formed again and was off yet again – equally as ferocious. This bar probably ran for nearly two kilometres, and I have to say once I had overcome the fear factor (it was bloody big water, and I was in an unfamiliar boat) and relaxed, it was one hell of a buzz, knowing I was doing it right. I really began to appreciate the words of Corten, trim up slightly and work the throttle aggressively enough to stay on the back of the wave at all costs, don’ t fall off, and don’ t ever over-run it, unless the wave has petered out completely and you can see the whole face of the wave in front. I didn’ t have to ask what would happen if I didn’t!

Turn and Face It

Once inside the bar, and feeling most happy with my effort, it was time to turn round and proceed back out – through these veritable mountains of blue and white water that eclipsed the ocean proper. This is where it gets tricky, for a moment’ s hesitation or indecision, and you end up swimming. It is perhaps pertinent to suggest that in an ideal world the best time to cross a bar is on a making tide (just after the point of turn), or at the very least, during an incoming tide.

My first two trips back out were on an incoming tide, and at the time the wave action was nowhere near as violent. Big, yes, but the swells/waves in this instance took a lot longer to break, and they invariably rose to virtually a point in the centre and had a lower shoulder at each end, which was the last part of the wave to break. Trimmed in for this part of the exercise, the trick was to pick which end of the shoulder to run to, so if possible have a quick look at the wave following, to make sure you are not driving yourself into a ‘ dead-end street’ . “Don’ t ever follow or sit alongside another boat through a bar, either when going in or out,” Corten added. “There is potential danger in two boats heading for the same piece of water at the same time. Stagger your position, maybe one or two waves apart, so as to diminish the potential for collision. And of course, never ever lose your nerve and try and turn round in the face of an oncoming wave. Once you are committed to the wave, there is no turning back – period!”By veering over the ocean, sometimes aggressively, sometimes with all the time in the world, you can pick and choose your path so all you have to do is power up to the face, throttle back just before the top of the wave (you’ ll head skywards if you don’ t, even though you are trimmed in), then simply ‘ flop’ over the other side. Quickly get up to speed again though, for you might have a way to go before you find the next ‘ shoulder to cry on’ . Then do it all again, and again, and again – practice makes perfect, they say! When a wave is unbroken, approaching the wave at about a 15-degree angle will take some of the power out of the wave, allowing you to drop harmlessly over the back of it virtually without any pounding whatsoever; the trick of it though is to get to the wave, on the shoulder of it and not in the middle, before it breaks. If you can’ t get to the next wave in time, and it is starting to break, then it is a whole new ball-game and a potentially very dangerous one at that. Breaking white-water waves must be approached absolutely square on, and the trick is to get the boat up onto the plane, so less boat is in the water, then immediately at the point of impact with the first of the broken water, reduce power immediately. Because the boat is higher out of the water when on the plane, and because there is no power on to send the boat skywards the boat virtually stops, suspended in the aerated water, then drops down the back of the wave. Easier said than done definitely, and you should be practising that one on the relatively calmer days first, again and again ’til you get the actual timing of the exercise spot on.

Practice Makes Perfect

As already stated, wind, swell and tide change everything, and with the tide change came a very different sea. Out-going tides in bar situations, move at anything up to five knots, and put this up against a swell situation rolling in at 15-20 knots, and you all of a sudden have a steeper wave face that has more potential to break – at any time! Which equates to danger, so it becomes even trickier now, negotiating your way in or out of a bar.

The only saving grace was it was not windy, for this little phenomenon, depending on the ferocity, has the potential to further change dramatically, the shape of the face of the wave. With this new-found vigour in the waves, all the time Corten’s words were reverberating through everyone’ s minds – clearly identify the entrance, check the rhythm of the waves, pick the line of least activity, apply only sufficient throttle to stay on the back of the wave – Geronimo, we’ re off. Again, it was a relatively ‘ easy’ exercise entering through the bar, running ‘ down-hill’ and out the other side; one could even still describe it as (perverse) fun. But turning round and facing the beast – bloody hell, it had got very big, and very confused. Where thedeeper parts in the centre were calm before, now the tide against swell had stood the waves up, and they were breaking everywhere. Plotting a course out through here would be tantamount to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Despite the ‘ confused’ state of the sea, it was however possible to find a faint path through the debris, but in the conditions it was still very easy to get caught out as one of our team found out to his astonishment. With so little room in which to manoeuvre, between waves, a moment’ s hesitation saw our boat hit a breaking wave only very slightly off square, and it certainly gave us a decent side-swipe. Any wider in angle, and we may well have become yet another bar statistic. Not surprisingly, that little experience attracted a unanimous sub-conscious vote to call an end to the lesson, we all felt I am sure that we had learned enough for one seven-hour period – in the most graphic and effective way possible.

With a Little Help From A Friend

As well as we had coped with the overall exercise, I couldn’t help but feel a wealth of appreciation for our rig for the day. Initially as I said earlier, I felt uncomfortable and unsafe in a smaller boat, regardless of make, as we tackled the bar for the first time. But once into the exercise that was very quickly dispelled and once again there was a scenario here to learn from – go boating with appropriate equipment, especially if you are subjecting it on a regular basis, to work of this magnitude.

The trip back in gave me sufficient time to reflect on what I had learned, and how I had learned it, for it was indeed yet another chapter in the rich tapestry of seamanship. Corten through this lesson had prepared us for all situations, not with words, but with deeds. For me that was the lucid most obvious feature about this course, you actually did it, not talked about it, for no words can ever prepare you for your first run in a genuine bar situation. The human mind usually has to do or say something seven times before it fully comprehends or remembers, so the fact that between the five of us, with two or three trips each both in and out, and in five different locations, we did around 100 actual bar crossings on the day – which sure helped to cement in our minds the appropriate do’ s and don’ ts! We were within a pig’ s twig of going over, even in a controlled situation, which graphically illustrated to all on board the dangers of a bar, and why you must be prepared at all times, for the unexpected – in this instance because of this, we survived without mishap. I may never get to run in a bar situation again in my life, but two things were abundantly clear following this ‘ lesson’ – no matter what state or country I lived in, I would drive/fly a million miles to sit this test again, because secondly, I know have the absolute confidence in my own ability to plan and safely negotiate a bar situation. Something I may add, being perfectly frank (and a little coarse) – the thought of which has genuinely scared me shitless for more years than I care to think about. Sure I’ve been over bars, but like all the ‘ bunnies’ we saw during the course of our lesson who were doing it all wrong, I probably did a few things wrong too – but in sub-dangerous conditions where I got away with it. Next time I might not have been so lucky!

Anchoring Etiquette Guide – Tips and Tricks

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TMG Yachts Multihulls Power and Sail Australia

Bar Crossing Gold Coast to Whitsundays

Catamaran offshore sailing delivery.

The Lagoon 42, Spaceboy is part of Coblis syndication which sees the vessel in the Whitsundays for 3 months of the year.

Coblis resident John Cowpe and Joe Fox took 3 Cobli owners on the delivery they will never forget.

The 6 day trip included fishing (or an attempt to fish), crossing bars and taking a quick stop at the magnificent Lady Musgrave Island. Less of delivery and more of adventure for sure!

Lagoon 60 First Look

by Marnie Ebeling

Rowan travelled to France to witness the premiere of the cutting-edge Lagoon 60, where innovation meets luxury. With unique side access and an expansive aft terrace, this catamaran redefines cruising comfort.

Multihull of the Year Nominations 2024

We are thrilled to announce that the PRESTIGE M8 has been nominated for the Multihull of the Year Awards 2024.

Guide to Hull Maintenance & A Detailed Look Below the Surface

In this instructional piece, we delve beneath the waves to explore the underwater profile of the a Lagoon Catamaran. Join us as we dissect the key features and maintenance points of the Lagoon 46, offering insights into what to look for during routine upkeep.

Crossing Wide Bay Bar and Gunkholing Fraser Island

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Last Updated on November 18, 2019 by Amy

Table of Contents - Click to Jump

Wide Bay Bar Crossing

WBB has a pretty gnarly reputation. Australians also call it the Mad Mile. This bar entrance has a lot of shifting sands and is completely open to the ocean, unlike Mooloolaba which had a headland. Timing the crossing is challenging. You need to meet these conditions:

Enter in the morning or midday . You do not want the sun in your eyes when you enter the bar coming east to west, so afternoon is a no-go.
Enter on a rising tide, between half tide and full. Make sure you give yourself enough tie to get all the way through the bar. This is for two reasons: in case you bump the bottom and get stuck, if you are patient you can be lifted off; the current will be going inbound. The inbound current will pair with the easterly wind and keep chop down. The good rule of thumb is 2 hours prior to high tide .
Go on a low swell. It’s recommended to wait until you have calm conditions with less than 1.5 meters of swell .
Wait for low winds. High winds contribute to high swell, and they make it harder to navigate the waters if you are getting blown all around. Try for less than 15 knots of wind .
Call the Tin Can Bay Coast Guard to get proper coordinates. DO NOT rely on the markers.
As always, your eyes are your most important resource . When we crossed we noticed that if we had followed the leads, we would have crossed directly into a very shallow spot. How did we know that? Waves were breaking over and over again in one particular spot. Avoid breaking waves.

The nearest protected anchorage is Mooloolaba, 70 miles away. Sometimes boats tuck in at Double Island Head, off Rainbow Beach, roughly twelve miles from WBB, but conditions have to be very calm for it to be comfortable.

Our Wide Bay Bar Crossing

Due to timing, we opted to depart Mooloolaba before sunset and very VERY slowly sail towards Wide Bay Bar. We actually lowered our sails, shut our engines off, and drifted for several hours to kill time.

Once daylight hit, we powered up and made it to the bar perfectly on time. High tide was at 11:00 am and we passed between Inskip Point and Fraser Island at 9:30 am.

Fraser Island

Gunkholing – a boating term referring to a type of cruising in shallow or shoal water, meandering from place to place, spending the nights in coves.

Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. It’s 125 km from point to point, and the beaches are beautiful, fine white sand. There are anchorages all over the place on the west (inside) of the island.

Garry’s Anchorage

Many boats anchor just south of the Great Sandy Strait once they pass through WBB. Since it was so early in the morning, we motored our way up to Garry’s Anchorage. Garry’s is actually a campsite, with a road coming in. Garry Owens, the namesake of the campsite, was a Butchulla man (the indigenous people of Queensland) who was a famed tracker and horseman. In fact, he helped track down Ned Kelly, a famous criminal in the 1800s.

Before we lost daylight, David and I went for a walk up one of the roads. The sign said there was a sheep station, but we didn’t get that far. We had an incredibly still night in Garry’s Anchorage.

The next day we headed to Moon Point and anchored just south of the point.

The forecasters were calling for very light winds over the next week, so we were eager to try to get out to a few islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef (Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave). We went for a paddle and stayed our one night at Moon Point. We woke up at 1:30 am with the winds howling and Starry Horizons getting tossed around uncomfortably. Our anchor was still good, but we clearly didn’t have the protection we needed for this freak wind.

Sure enough, when we woke up in the morning and checked the weather, our window of calm was completely gone. Strong SE winds were going to roll in, making Moon Point uncomfortable.

Archer Cliff

Packed sand makes up these cliffs, a noticeable feature from the water. We walked here, exploring the formations, avoiding dingos, and poking at dead starfish.

Wathumba Creek

We didn’t anchor exactly at Wathumba Creek, but a bit further south. The west side of Fraser Island is nothing but long beaches occasionally broken by creeks, so we were still near several creeks, which we forded on our beach walks. We anchored next to our friends Justine and Glen on Shima, which enabled us to have some socialization! After a walk on the beach where we saw a whale’s bone, we had sundowners on the beach with Justine and Glen.

The next night we went over to Shima for a tour and afternoon tea. We left with just barely enough sunlight to catch a last-minute drone flight.

With no window of calm weather to get out to Lady Eliot, we head to Yeppoon and Keppel Bay Marina , where we have packages waiting for us.

Watch the Video: Sailing Up Australia’s East Coast

How to cross the Atlantic in short hops

October 7, 2021

If a non-stop eastbound Atlantic crossing seems daunting, there may be another option, which offers shorter periods at sea and spectacular scenery, but brings its own challenges...

An Atlantic crossing is – rightly – considered a bit of an epic. An east-bound crossing, often even more so. But by following the seafarers of old, on what is pleasingly known as the Viking Route , it’s possible to cross from tropical Florida or metropolitan New York to Europe with less than a week at sea at any one time.

That’s not to say it’s an easy option. A high latitudes voyage into the North Atlantic demands respect and serious preparation to sail in remote areas with increased risk of severe weather and sea ice. But the rewards can be spectacular.

Alberto Duhau sailed his Hylas 63 Shaima from Florida to the Mediterranean one summer, by heading north along the east coast of the US, across the North Atlantic via Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland, then south to Europe via the Faroe Islands. Here’s how he did it:

1 Newfoundland to southern Greenland

During July, high pressure is typically centred just south-west/west of the Azores with ridging extending south-west/west towards Bermuda. There is a weak high over Greenland, with low pressure generally over north-east Canada (Baffin Island to northern Quebec) and near Iceland.

To the north of the Azores high, the prevailing winds are west/south-west for much of the way to Iceland. Wind is usually stronger south of the rhumbline, and lighter to the north. July offers the lowest chance of gales, but occasionally stronger lows develop and move east/south-east from eastern Canada.

2 Greenland to Iceland

For this passage the main concern is the north-easterly wind near Greenland’s Cape Farewell. If the Greenland high pressure system is stronger than normal, beware of north-easterly winds along the south Greenland coast of 25-30 knots plus.

Article continues below…

Expect light conditions heading east toward Iceland. If south of the rhumbline, there is greater chance of stronger westerly/south-westerly winds, while a northerly route is more likely to encounter north-easterly/easterly headwinds.

Packing up the sails, Northern Iceland

3 Around Iceland and to Faroes

Circumnavigating Iceland at the end of July and beginning of August is the optimum timing with the smallest threat of gales, but you may have to wait out bad winds for a day or two for a window.

The roughest weather is associated with low pressure passing to the west, north-west, or west, which correspondingly means the strongest winds are south-westerly, westerly, and north-westerly.

Avoiding North Atlantic storms and ice

Alberto Duhau enlisted the advice of expert meteorologists in advance of his north Atlantic trip. He knew the voyage was possible in good conditions, but wanted a second opinion regarding timings.

Research revealed that the region’s quietest weather historically occurs between mid-July and the first 10 days of August. However, settled conditions can run from late June to the end of August. Autumn develops earlier the farther north you are, so it is generally a good plan to turn south by the second half of August.

Duhau also contacted the well-known expedition support High Latitudes for help with ice routing between Newfoundland and Iceland. Founder and experienced pilot Magnus Day joined the crew for this part of the cruise.

“Ice is possible anywhere from Nova Scotia to about 150 miles south and east of Cape Farewell,” Day warns. “All ice should be regarded as dangerous to small vessels.”

Ice charts are available from the Canadian Ice Service ( ice-glaces.ec.gc.ca ) and the Danish Maritime Authority ( dma.dk ) and are useful as a guide, but must not be relied upon. Radar is also a useful tool, but it may not pick up even large pieces of ice in certain conditions.

Ice in the Labrador Sea will usually be thicker along the Newfoundland and Greenland coasts. Commanders’ Weather recommends heading due east until around 45°W, then turning north.

Magnus Day broadly concurs. “A wise tactic to lessen the chances of encountering ice is to head square offshore until outside the reported ice zone, then more or less parallel to the axis of the Labrador Sea until adjacent to your destination, before turning in square to the shore again.” He recommends motoring if the wind is light.

Day’s other top tips include:

Have one or more crew outside on deck paying close attention for ice at ALL times.
Ideally have two crew rotating on every watch – one on deck keeping a visual lookout while the other keeps a radar watch and makes the coffee etc. Roles should be swapped as regularly as every 15 minutes to help maintain levels of alertness.
Ask passing vessels if they have seen any ice locally. Likewise, when in port talk to locals and ask them what they’ve seen recently and if there are areas locally which collect ice.
Crew need to be dressed to stand outside in freezing temperatures with wind and waves coming over the deck for long periods of time. Think about how you can create shelter for them on deck.
Never drop your guard. It only takes one piece of ice to bash a hole in your hull as you fall off a wave.

Expert advice for ice regions

Commanders’ Weather has been advising sailors about optimum weather routing for over 25 years. Their expert meteorologists have supplied forecasts for cruisers and racers, including the SailGP circuit, Olympic sailing teams and Comanche ’s 2016 Atlantic record. See commandersweather.com

As well as pilotage, High Latitudes has the expertise to plan itineraries in both polar regions, secure the necessary environmental permits, offer logistical support and work on modifications to suit a yacht for ice. See highlatitudes.com

If you enjoyed this….

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9 Best Power Catamarans For Rough Seas and Coastal!

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Power catamarans are gaining popularity in the cruising world thanks to their enhanced stability and ease of operation. They’re ideal for coastal cruising but can also be used for ocean crossing thanks to their stability and speed.

Here are some of the best power catamarans on the market:

Fountaine Pajot MY6
Nautitech 47 Power
Horizon PC74
Lagoon Seventy 8
ArrowCat 420
Sunreef Supreme 68

In this article, I’ll review some of the best power catamarans out there. I’ll also go over the main features of different power cats and if they can handle rough weather.

But before we dive in, let’s get a better understanding of what power cats are.

Table of Contents

What Is a Power Cat?

A power catamaran (power cat) is a motor-powered boat that, unlike traditional boats, has two hulls connected by a bridge deck. These vessels are more stable than monohulls because of their wide base.

Power cats also don’t have a leaded keel to weigh them down, so they’re pretty lightweight and fast. The lack of a keel also means that power cats are more suitable for shallow waters.

They feature large engines designed to handle their bigger bodies and weights, and serve different purposes, like fishing, cruising, or crossing rough seas. In addition, each hull has a separate engine which makes them more maneuverable, especially at turns and tight spaces.

Power catamarans don’t have sails or masts and get all of their power from the combustion engine (or electric motor), unlike their sailing cousins. In addition, these vehicles are much easier to steer because of their increased stability.

Power catamarans have more interior and exterior space thanks to their multihull design, making them perfect for cruising and liveaboard . They also have ample space for storing everything you need on a cruise without worrying about weighing it down. Catamarans offer increased privacy as well because each hull houses one sleeping area, separated by the living area between them.

Are Power Cats Good in Rough Water?

Power catamarans are good in rough waters particularly because of their multi-hull design. Their wide base makes them stable, and their high speed allows for outrunning bad weather.

Power cats that feature a high bridge clearance, will handle rough waters effortlessly. With the added height, you won’t experience pounding and slamming even in heavy waves, allowing the crew to easily control the vessel in challenging situations.

These boats are also faster than their sailing counterparts, which means they can get you out of rough waters quickly.

In addition, since catamarans are large and tall, maneuvering is easier because you have a better view of the surroundings. Additionally, you can steer from the interior cockpit (on certain models), making it easier to control the vessel in bad weather.

Finally, although a power cat doesn’t have a keel to help it right itself in case of capsizing, it will still float easily because of its positive buoyancy.

Are Power Catamarans More Efficient?

Power catamarans are more fuel-efficient than monohulls because they don’t have leaded keels. While keels are designed to offer stability by weighing down the vessel, they increase the wetted surface and thereby add drag.

Due to the catamarans’ narrow bow entry, there’s lower resistance, leading to smoother acceleration and greater fuel economy in catamarans. In addition, power cats show fewer spikes in fuel consumption in a single power band, especially because of their smooth acceleration and fuel consumption.

The figures reported by cat owners or manufacturers show that power cats have the best power-consumption-to-speed ratios.

That being said, you can improve fuel efficiency by maintaining lower speeds; studies have shown that speed can be the most important factor in fuel efficiency, regardless of the number of engines or hull types.

Now that you have a better understanding of power catamarans, let’s take a look at the ten best models on the market.

1. Leopard 53

This 53ft (16.19m) power cat is the fourth generation of the widely popular Leopard catamarans, and brings with it all the great features from her predecessor, the 51.

Although the 51 was the company’s best-selling cat, they added these features to the 53 along with new ones to repeat its success. For example, they have built an enormous saloon, flybridge, and galley by removing the foredeck cockpit in the 51 PC, making it 30 percent larger than the previous model.

This model comes with three or four stateroom layouts, with the 3-stateroom version featuring an owner’s stateroom, two sinks, a loveseat, and lots of storage space.

With two Yanmar 370 hp engines, a maximum speed of 22 knots, and a cruising speed of 17.5, you can enjoy a magnificent ride, whether it’s long-distance cruising or a fun night out with friends.

2. Fountaine Pajot MY6

This luxury power cat is 44ft (13.40m) long, making it super spacious and suitable for families and big parties. With its spacious flybridge, sunbathing lounge, and enormous galley, it’s nothing short of a second home on the water.

You can steer the cat from the saloon or the 21sqm (68 sq ft) flybridge which features a sunbathing lounge, a pool, and a galley.

This motor yacht continues to delight with its luxurious combination of privacy and pleasure, with views of the sea in almost every interior space. With three cabins, two bathrooms, six cabin beds, ample storage, and a kitchen that opens into the cockpit, you can enjoy practicality and luxury in one place.

The MY6 is exceptionally seaworthy and stable thanks to its wave-piercing hulls and Volvo IPS engines.

Like all power cats, it has straightforward steering, enabling you to control this beast even in the roughest circumstances.

3. Nautitech 47 Power

Powered by dual Volvo Penta D4 engines, this model can output 225-300hp, reaching a maximum of 22 knots and a cruising speed of 18-20 knots . This 46′ 8″ (14.23m) long power cat comes in three or four cabin versions, depending on the customer’s preference.

No matter which layout you choose, you’ll get a spacious, luxurious, and comfortable catamaran with panoramic views from the cabin. The sleek, streamlined exterior design ensures elegant sailing and seaworthiness.

It’s easy for passengers to navigate the deck thanks to its seamless design that connects the saloon to the cockpit and the rear deck. The stern features a big swimming platform that can also accommodate a tender. The cockpit is usable in different weather conditions thanks to the clear covers wrapping the whole area.

This efficient catamaran promises long cruising for big families and groups with two 300L water tanks and a pair of 645L fuel tanks.

4. Horizon PC74

The Horizon PC 74 is another luxury power cat that can give you the comfort of your home on water. This 73′ 9” (22.48m) long power cat with a 2,000gal (7570L) fuel tank is an enormous vessel that can accommodate more than 14 people.

The enormous hardtop on the three-piece windshield, the teak dining table, the U-shaped bar, the sun pad, and the swing-out stools all guarantee that you’ll have the luxury cruising experience of a lifetime.

This vast and wide catamaran allows you to access the aft deck from the flybridge via a curving staircase. The vast aft deck has a ten-person dining table, a wet bar, and storage space. You can separate the interior and exterior spaces through sliding glass doors and make the space appear bigger by opening them.

Reaching a top speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 19 knots, this enormous catamaran was built for efficiency and practicality.

5. Lagoon Seventy 8

This 78’1″ (23.80m) power cat with two 494 HP engines and a 2246gal (8500L) fuel capacity is one of the largest power cats on the market, offering both comfort and reliability. The enormous flybridge can feature a jacuzzi, a sunbathing area, a large foldable dining table, and a hardtop with a moveable roof. However, you can customize the flybridge based on your preferences.

The designers have compromised nothing in terms of elegance and high-quality materials with top-of-the-line finishes and interior paneling to create the kind of luxury you want.

The saloon is huge, well-ventilated, and separated from the exterior by glass doors and panoramic windows.

But what sets Lagoon Seventy 8 apart from other power cats, in addition to its enormous size, is the wide choice of layouts. You can choose between five different versions, all offering the same amount of storage space, living and sleeping area, and privacy.

Additionally, some versions are fully customizable, allowing you to pick every detail to your liking.

6. ArrowCat 420

This 41′ (12.73m) long express cruiser is a semi-custom catamaran with two-stateroom and three-stateroom layouts. The ArrowCat 420 is designed and built with comfort and strength in mind, and capable of handling rough waters safely.

The two Suzuki 350 hp engines give this model a maximum speed of 40 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots.

The streamlined design and the angled hulls ensure the vessel cuts through the waves effortlessly, making it easy to maneuver.

The fully-equipped head features an electric toilet, a shower, sink, and mirrors, coupled with a dining table, floor storage locker, and teak-finished floors. This cat is built to combine luxury and comfort for both onshore and offshore cruising.

7. Bali 4.3

This 43′ (13.1m) power cat is made for ocean crossing in mind. With five different layouts featuring different combinations of cabins and heads, the company ensures you’ll get the kind of setup you want. Regardless of the layout, this cat offers a spacious master suite with a large double bed and other private sleeping quarters.

You can quickly add to the overall space by removing the adjustable glass doors to merge the cockpit with the saloon.

A feature that sets the 4.1 apart from its predecessor is the fixed aft deck between the hulls, which provides a passageway and eliminates the need to go from one hull to the other without entering the cockpit.

8. Sunreef Supreme 68

According to its designers, this model was built with a radical concept in mind while staying true to the company’s promise of building the most comfortable and spacious power cats in the world.

One of the greatest features of the Supreme 68 is its aft garage that houses a 5m (16 ft) tender and two jet skis in addition to other water toys.

You can also transform the aft to a large platform for water sports by lowering the garage door.

The four-stateroom layout features ample storage, ensuite guest cabins, queen-sized beds, and TVs to create a memorable stay. The white and beige furniture with chrome details and floor-to-ceiling glazing create a soothing atmosphere that blends with the practicality of the well-equipped galley.

However, if you’re looking for something different, you can opt for a customized model from three different layouts.

9. Hudson 48

The sleek, diamond-cut design of this 46.46’ (14.16m) long power cat is usually the first thing to catch your eye.

It’s a light displacement cat that ensures fast cruising with a top speed of 24 knots and cruising speed of 8 knots thanks to the two 370hp Yanmar V8 engines.

The three-cabin layout features a master stateroom with a spacious and well-ventilated design made possible via the three overhead windows and opening deck hatches.

The saloon’s enormous helm station allows for comfortable and safe accommodation, making it great for rough waters and bad weather conditions.

This model also offers a few entertainment options with its large TV systems and mood lighting. The storage areas and the full-sized walk-in wardrobe give this model a comfortable, homely setting.

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you hopefully start your sailing adventures. Here are some resources that I use as a sailor that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact things that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family. Sailboats: If you’re looking for the best boat to suit your needs, I would recommend a catamaran. If you’re interested, I can show you the differences between catamarans and other types of sailboats .

Books: For getting started, I really like Cruising catamarans made easy . It is actually a textbook from the American sailing association; it is used to get a cruising catamaran certification. There are some other great books, and I have compiled a list of books about cruising catamarans that you will find useful.

Communication: Being out on adventures, whether it be sailing or climbing mountains, good communications are essential to being safe. I recommend two things Google fi (incredibly simple cellular data all over the world) and Garmin inreach mini (for text and voice in remote areas without cell coverage)

Sailing courses: Online sailing courses are great for beginners starting out their sailing career; it’s an efficient way of learning the basics of navigation, throttle controls, and maritime safety. I suggest starting with two free courses from NauticEd .

To see all my most up-to-date recommendations, check out this resource that I made for you!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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Multihull Capsize Risk Check

Waves, squalls, and inattention to trim and helm contribute to instability..

In recent years we’ve seen a surge in interest in multihulls. Thirty years ago, when my experience with cruising multihulls began, nearly all of the skippers served an apprenticeship with beach cats, learning their quirks by the seat of their pants. They hiked out on trapezes and flew head-over-heels past their pitch-pole prone Hobie 16s, until they learned the importance of keeping weight way aft on a reach and bearing off when the lee bow began to porpoise.

By contrast, the new generation of big cat buyers skipped this learning process, learning on monohulls or even choosing a big stable cat as their first boat. Heck, nobody even builds real beach cats anymore, only pumped up racing machines and rotomolded resort toys. So we’re guessing there are a few things these first-time cruising multihull sailors don’t know, even if they have sailed cruising cats before.

It is extremely hard to capsize a modern cruising cat. Either a basic disregard for seamanship or extreme weather is required. But no matter what the salesman tells you (“none of our boats have ever …”), it can happen. A strong gust with sail up or a breaking wave in a survival storm can do it. And when a multihull goes over, they don’t come back.

Trimarans tend to be more performance oriented than catamarans. In part, this is because it’s easier to design a folding trimaran, and as a result Farrier, Corsair, and Dragonfly trimarans had a disproportionate share of the market.

In spite of this and in spite of the fact that many are raced aggressively in windy conditions, capsizes are few, certainly fewer than in equivalent performance catamaran classes. But when they do go over, they do so in different ways.

Trimarans have greater beam than catamarans, making them considerably more resistant to capsize by wind alone, whether gusts or sustained wind. They heel sooner and more than catamaran, giving more warning that they are over powered.

Waves are a different matter. The amas are generally much finer, designed for low resistance when sailing deeply immersed to windward. As a result, trimarans are more susceptible to broach and capsize when broad reaching at high speed or when caught on the beam by a large breaking wave.

In the first case, the boat is sailing fast and overtaking waves. You surf down a nice steep one, into the backside of the next one, the ama buries up to the beam and the boat slows down. The apparent wind increases, the following wave lifts the transom, and the boat slews into a broach. If all sail is instantly eased, the boat will generally come back down, even from scary levels of heel, but not always.

In the second case a large wave breaks under the boat, pulling the leeward ama down and rolling the boat. Catamarans, on the other hand, are more likely to slide sideways when hit by a breaking wave, particularly if the keels are shallow (or raised in the case of daggerboards), because the hulls are too big to be forced under. They simply get dragged to leeward, alerting the crew that it is time to start bearing off the wind.

Another place the numbers leave us short is ama design. In the 70s and 80s, most catamarans were designed with considerable flare in the bow, like other boats of the period. This will keep the bow from burying, right? Nope. When a hull is skinny it can always be driven through a wave, and wide flare causes a rapid increase in drag once submerged, causing the boat to slow and possibly pitchpole.

Hobie Cat sailors know this well. More modern designs either eliminate or minimize this flare, making for more predictable behavior in rough conditions. A classic case is the evolution of Ian Farrier’s designs from bows that flare above the waterline to a wave-piercing shape with little flare, no deck flange, increased forward volume, and reduced rocker (see photos page 18). After more than two decades of designing multihulls, Farrier saw clear advantages of the new bow form. The F-22 is a little faster, but more importantly, it is less prone to broach or pitchpole, allowing it to be driven harder.

Beam and Stability

The stability index goes up with beam. Why isn’t more beam always better? Because as beam increases, a pitchpole off the wind becomes more likely, both under sail and under bare poles. (The optimum length-to-beam ratios is 1.7:1 – 2.2:1 for cats and 1.2:1-1.8:1 for trimarans.) Again, hull shape and buoyancy also play critical roles in averting a pitchpole, so beam alone shouldn’t be regarded as a determining factor.

Drogues and Chutes

While monohull sailors circle the globe without ever needing their drogues and sea anchors, multihulls are more likely to use them. In part, this is because strategies such as heaving to and lying a hull don’t work for multihulls. Moderate beam seas cause an uncomfortable snap-roll, and sailing or laying ahull in a multihull is poor seamanship in beam seas.

Fortunately, drogues work better with multihulls. The boats are lighter, reducing loads. They rise over the waves, like a raft. Dangerous surfing, and the risk of pitchpole and broach that comes with it, is eliminated. There’s no deep keel to trip over to the side and the broad beam increases the lever arm, reducing yawing to a bare minimum.

Speed-limiting drogues are often used by delivery skippers simply to ease the motion and take some work off the autopilot. By keeping her head down, a wind-only capsize becomes extremely unlikely, and rolling stops, making for an easy ride. A properly sized drogue will keep her moving at 4-6 knots, but will not allow surfing, and by extension, pitch poling.

For more information on speed limiting drogues, see “ How Much Drag is a Drogue? ” PS , September 2016.

Capsize Case Studies

Knock wood, we’ve never capsized a cruising multihull (beach cat—plenty of times), but we have pushed them to the edge of the envelope, watched bows bury, and flown multi-ton hulls to see just how the boat liked it and how fast she would go. We’re going to tell you about these experiences and what can be learned from them, so you don’t have to try it.

First, it helps to examine a few examples of some big multihull capsizes.

Techtronics 35 catamaran, John Shuttleworth design

This dramatic pitchpole occurred in a strong breeze some 30 years ago. In order to combine both great speed and reasonable accommodation, the designer incorporated considerable flare just above the waterline, resulting in hulls that were skinny and efficient in most conditions, but wide when driven under water in steep chop.

The boat was sailing fast near Nova Scotia, regularly overtaking waves. The bows plowed into a backside of a particularly steep wave, the submerged drag was huge, and the boat stopped on a dime. At the same time, the apparent wind went from about 15 knots into the high 20s, tripling the force on the sails and rapidly lifting the stern over the bow. Some crew were injured, but they all survived.

PDQ 32 Catamaran

On July 4, 2010, the boat’s new owners had scheduled time to deliver their new-to-them boat up the northern California coast. A strong gale was predicted, but against all advice, they left anyway. The boat turned sideways to the confused seas and a breaking wave on the beam capsized the boat. There were no injuries, and the boat was recovered with only moderate damage a few weeks later. Repaired, she is still sailing.

Another PDQ 32 was capsized in the Virgin Islands when a solo sailor went below to tend to something and sailed out of the lee of the island and into a reinforced trade wind.

Sustaining speed with wider tacking angles will help overcome leeway.

Cruising cats can’t go to windward. That’s the rumor, and there’s a kernel of truth to it. Most lack deep keels or dagger boards and ex-charter cats are tragically under canvassed for lighter wind areas, a nod to near universal lack of multihull experience among charter skippers. Gotta keep them safe. But there are a few tricks that make the worst pig passable and the better cats downright weatherly. Those of you that learned your craft racing Hobies and Prindles know most of this stuff, but for the rest of you cruising cat sailors, there’s some stuff the owner’s manual leaves out.

“Tune” the Mast

Having no backstay means that the forestay cannot be kept tight unless you want to turn your boat into a banana and over stress the cap shrouds. Although the spreaders are swept back, they are designed primarily for side force with just a bit of pull on the forestay. The real forestay tension comes from mainsheet tension.

Why is it so important to keep the forestay stay tight? Leeward sag forces cloth into the luff of the genoa, making it fuller and blunting the entry into the wind. The draft moves aft, the slot is pinched, and aerodynamic drag increases. Even worse, leeway (sideslip) increases, further increasing drag and sliding you away from your destination. Sailing a cruising cat to windward is about fine tuning the lift to drag ratio, not just finding more power.

How do you avoid easing the mainsheet in strong winds? First, ease the traveler instead. To avoid pinching the slot, keep the main outhaul tight to flatten the lower portion of the main. Use a smaller jib or roll up some genoa; overlap closes the slot. Reef if need be; it is better to keep a smaller mainsail tight than to drag a loose mainsail upwind, with the resultant loose forestay and clogged slot. You will see monos with the main twisted off in a blow. Ignore them, they are not cruising cats. It is also physically much easier to play the traveler than the main sheet. Be glad you have a wide one.

Check Sheeting Angles

Very likely you do not have enough keel area to support large headsails. As a result, you don’t want the tight genoa lead angles of a deep keeled monohull. All you’ll do is sail sideways. Too loose, on the other hand, and you can’t point. In general, 7-10 degrees is discussed for monos that want to pinch up to 40 degrees true, but 14-16 degrees makes more sense for cruising cats that will sail at no less than 50 degrees true. Rig up some temporary barber haulers and experiment. Then install a permanent Barber-hauler; see “ Try a Barber Hauler for Better Sail Trim ,” Practical Sailor , September 2019.

The result will be slightly wider tacking angles, perhaps 105 degrees including leeway, but this will be faster for you. You don’t have the same hull speed limit, so let that work for you. Just don’t get tempted off onto a reach; you need to steer with the jib not far from luffing.

Watch the fore/aft lead position as well. You want the jib to twist off to match the main. Typically it should be right on the spreaders, but that depends on the spreaders. If you have aft swept shrouds, you may need to roll up a little genoa, to 110% max.

Use your Tell-Tales

On the jib there can be tell-tale ribbons all over, but on the main the only ones that count are on the leech. Keep all but the top one streaming aft. Telltales on the body of sail are confused by either mast turbulence (windward side) or pasted down by jib flow (leeward side) and won’t tell you much. But if the leach telltales suck around to leeward you are over sheeted.

Keep Your Bottom Clean

It’s not just about speed, it’s also pointing angle. Anything that robs speed also makes you go sideways, since with less flow over the foil there will be less lift. Flow over the foils themselves will be turbulent. Nothing slows you down like a dirty bottom.

Reef Wisdom

Push hard, but reef when you need to. You will have the greatest lift vs. windage ratio when you are driving hard. That said, it’s smart to reef most cruising cats well before they lift a hull to avoid overloading the keels. If you are feathering in the lulls or allowing sails to twist off, it’s time to reef.

Don’t Pinch

Pinching (pointing to high) doesn’t work for cats. Get them moving, let the helm get a little lighter (the result of good flow over the rudder and keel), and then head up until the feeling begins to falter. How do you know when it’s right? Experiment with tacking angles (GPS not compass, because you want to include leeway in your figuring) and speed until the pair feel optimized. With a genoa and full main trimmed in well, inside tracks and modified keels, and relatively smooth water, our test PDQ can tack through 100 degrees with the boat on autopilot. Hand steering can do a little better, though it’s not actually faster to windward. If we reef or use the self-tacking jib, that might open up to 110-115 degrees, depending on wave conditions. Reefing the main works better than rolling up jib.

Boats with daggerboards or centerboards. The comments about keeping a tight forestay and importance of a clean bottom are universal. But the reduction in leeway will allow you to point up a little higher, as high as monohulls if you want to. But if you point as high as you can, you won’t go any faster than similar monohulls, and quite probably slower. As a general rule, tacking through less than 90 degrees, even though possible, is not the best strategy. A slightly wider angle, such as 100 degrees, will give a big jump in boat speed with very little leeway.

Chris White Custom 57

In November 2016, winds had been blowing 25-30 knots in stormy conditions about 400 miles north of the Dominican Republic. The main had two reefs in, and the boat was reaching under control at moderate speed when a microburst hit, causing the boat to capsize on its beam. There were no serious injuries.

Another Chris White 57 capsized on July 31, 2010. It had been blowing 18-20 knots and the main had a single reef. The autopilot steered. The wind jumped to 62 knots in a squall and changed direction so quickly that no autopilot could be expected to correct in time.

Gemini 105mC

In 2018, the 34-foot catamaran was sailing in the Gulf of Mexico under full sail at about 6 knots in a 10-15 knot breeze. Squalls had been reported on the VHF. The crew could see a squall line, and decided to run for cover. Before they could get the sails down, the gust front hit, the wind shifted 180 degrees, and the boat quickly went over.

38-foot Roger Simpson Design

The catamaran Ramtha was hit head-on by the infamous Queen’s Birthday storm in 1994. The mainsail was blown out, and steering was lost. Lacking any control the crew was taken off the boat, and the boat was recovered basically unharmed 2 weeks later. A Catalac catamaran caught in the same storm trailed a drogue and came through unharmed. Of the eight vessels that called for help, two were multihulls. Twenty-one sailors were rescued, three aboard the monohull Quartermaster were lost at sea.

15 meter Marsaudon Ts

Hallucine capsized off Portugal on November 11 of this year. This is a high performance cat, in the same general category as the familiar Gunboat series. It was well reefed and the winds were only 16-20 knots. According to crew, it struck a submerged object, and the sudden deceleration caused the boat to capsize.

Multihulls We’ve Sailed

Clearly seamanship is a factor in all of our the previous examples. The watch needs to be vigilant and active. Keeping up any sail during squally weather can be risky. Even in the generally benign tropics, nature quickly can whip up a fury. But it is also true that design choices can impact risk of capsize. Let’s see what the numbers can tell us, and what requires a deeper look.

Stiletto Catamaran

We’ve experienced a number of capsizes both racing and while driving hard in these popular 23-foot catamarans. The combination of light displacement and full bow sections make pitchpoling unlikely, and the result is very high speed potential when broad reaching. Unfortunately, a narrow beam, light weight, and powerful rig result in a low stability factor. The potential for capsize is real when too much sail is up and apparent wind is directly on the beam. The boat can lift a hull in 12 knots true. This makes for exciting sailing when you bring your A-game, but limits the boat to coastal sailing.

Corsair F-24 MK I trimaran

Small and well canvased, these boats can capsize if driven hard (which they often are), but they are broad beamed, short-masted, and designed for windy sailing areas. F-24s are slower off wind than the Stiletto, in part because of greater weight and reduced sail area, but also because the main hull has more rocker and does not plane as well. They are faster to weather and point considerably higher than a Stiletto (90-degree tacking angle vs. 110 degrees). This is the result of greater beam, a more efficient centerboard design, and slender amas that are easily driven in displacement mode. The boat is quite forgiving if reefed.

Going purely by the numbers, this boat seems nearly identical to the F-24. In practice, they sail quite differently. The Dash uses a dagger board instead of centerboard, which is both more hydrodynamic and faster, but more vulnerable to damage if grounded at high speed.

The rotating mast adds power that is not reflected in the numbers. The bridgedeck clearance is higher above the waterline, reducing water drag from wave strikes. The wave-piercing amas create greater stability up wind and off the wind. The result is a boat that is slightly faster than the original F-24 and can be driven much harder off the wind without fear of pitchpole or broach.

Without proper testing, calculating stability yields only a rough picture.

Evaluating multihull performance based on design numbers is a bit more complicated than it is with ballasted, displacement monohulls, whose speed is generally limited by hull form. [Editor’s note: The formula for Performance Index, PI has been updated from the one that originally appeared in the February 2021 issue of Practical Sailor.

The following definitions of units apply to the adjacent table:

SA = sail area in square feet

D (displacement) = weight in pounds

LWL = length of waterline in feet

HCOE = height of sail center of effort above the waterline in feet

B = beam in feet

BCL = beam at the centerline of the hulls in feet.

Since a multihull pivots around the centerline beam, the overall beam is off the point and is not used in formulas. Calculate by subtracting the individual hull beam from the overall beam.

SD ratio = SA/(D/64)^0.66

This ratio gives a measure of relative speed potential on flat water for monohulls, but it doesn’t really work for multihulls.

Bruce number = (SA)^0.5/(D)^0.333

Basically this is the SD ratio for multihulls, it gives a better fit.

Performance index = (SA/HCOE)^0.5 x (D/1000)^0.166

By including the height of the COE and displacement, this ratio reflects the ability of the boat to use that power to sail fast, but it understates the importance of stability to the cruiser.

Stability factor = 9.8*((0.5*BCL*D)/(SA*HCOE))^0.5

This approximates the wind strength in knots required to lift a hull and includes a 40% gust factor. In the adjacent data sheet, we compare the formula’s predicted stability to observed behavior. Based on our experience on the boats represented, the results are roughly accurate.

Ama buoyancy = expressed as a % of total displacement.

Look for ama buoyancy greater than 150% of displacement, and 200 is better. Some early trimaran designs had less than 100 percent buoyancy and would capsize well before flying the center hull. They exhibited high submerged drag when pressed hard and were prone to capsize in breaking waves.

Modern tris have ama buoyancy between 150 and 200 percent of displacement and can fly the center hull, though even racing boats try to keep the center hull still touching. In addition, as a trimaran heels, the downward pressure of wind on the sail increases, increasing the risk of capsize. The initial heel on a trimaran is more than it is on catamarans, and all of that downward force pushes the ama even deeper in the water. Thus, like monohulls, it usually makes sense to keep heel moderate.

These numbers can only be used to predict the rough characteristics of a boat and must be supplemented by experience.

This is the first real cruising multihull in our lineup. A few have capsized. One was the result of the skipper pushing too hard in very gusty conditions with no one on watch. The other occurred when a crew unfamiliar with the boat ignored local wisdom and set sail into near gale conditions.

Although the speed potential of the PDQ 32 and the F-24 are very similar, and the stability index is not very different, the feel in rough conditions is more stable, the result of much greater weight and fuller hull sections.

Like most cruising cats, the PDQs hulls are relatively full in order to provide accommodation space, and as a result, driving them under is difficult. The increased weight slows the motion and damps the impact of gusts. Yes, you can fly a hull in about 25 knots apparent wind (we proved this during testing on flat water with steady winds), and she’ll go 8-9 knots to weather doing it, but this is not something you should ever do with a cruising cat.

Stability by the Numbers

The “stability factor” in the table above (row 14) is based on flatwater conditions, and ignores two additional factors. Unlike monohulls, the wind will press on the underside of the bridgedeck of a multihull once it passes about 25 degrees of heel, pushing it up and over. This can happen quite suddenly when the boat flies off a wave and the underside is suddenly exposed to wind blowing up the slope of the wave. A breaking wave also adds rotational momentum, pitching the windward hull upwards.

Multihulls by the Numbers

Autopilot is a common thread in many capsizes. The gust “came out of no place…” No it didn’t. A beach cat sailor never trusts gusty winds. The autopilot should be disengaged windspeeds and a constant sheet watch is mandatory when gusts reach 30-40 percent of those required to fly a hull, and even sooner if there are tall clouds in the neighborhood. Reef early if a helm watch is too much trouble.

“But surely the sails will blow first, before the boat can capsize?” That would be an expensive lesson, but more to the point, history tells us that well-built sails won’t blow.

“Surely the rig will fail before I can lift a hull?” Again, that could only be the result of appallingly poor design, since a rig that weak will not last offshore and could not be depended on in a storm. Furthermore, good seamanship requires that you be able to put the full power of the rig to work if beating off a lee shore becomes necessary.

Keeping both hulls in the water is up to you. Fortunately, under bare poles and on relatively flat water even smaller cruising cats can take 70 knots on the beam without lifting … but we don’t set out to test that theory, because once it blows for a while over even 40 knots, the real risk is waves.

Everything critical to safety in a blow we learned on beach cats. Like riding a bike, or—better yet—riding a bike off-road, there are lessons learned the hard way, and those lessons stay learned. If you’ve been launched into a pitchpole a few times, the feeling you get just before things go wrong becomes ingrained.

Perhaps you are of a mature age and believe you monohull skills are more than enough to see you through. If you never sail aggressively or get caught in serious weather, you’re probably right.

However, if there’s a cruising cat in your future, a season spent dialing in a beach cat will be time well spent. Certainly, such experience should be a prerequisite for anyone buying a performance multihull. The statement might be a little pointed, but it just makes sense.

Capsize by Wind Alone

Capsizing by wind alone is uncommon on cruising multihulls. Occasionally a performance boat will go over in squally weather. The crew could easily have reefed down or gone to bare poles, but they clung to the idea that they are a sail boat, and a big cat feels so stable under sail—right up until a hull lifts.

Because a multihull cannot risk a knockdown (since that is a capsize), if a squall line is tall and dark, the smart multihull sailors drops all sail. Yes, you could feather up wind, but if the wind shifts suddenly, as gusts often do, the boat may not turn fast enough. Off the wind, few multihulls that can take a violent microburst and not risk a pitchpole. When a squall threatens, why risk a torn sail for a few moments of fast sailing?

You can’t go by angle of heel alone because of wave action. Cat instability begins with the position of the windward hull. Is it flying off waves?

A trimaran’s telltale is submersion of leeward ama. Is the leeward ama more than 30-40 percent under water? The maximum righting angles is a 12-15 degrees for cats and 25-30 degrees for trimarans, but that is on flat water. Once the weather is up, observation of motion becomes far more important. Is the boat falling into a deep trough, or is at about to launch off a steep wave and fly?

Just as monohulls can surprise a new sailor by rounding up and broaching in a breeze, multihulls have a few odd habits that only present themselves just before things go wrong. Excuse the repetition, but the best way to learn to instinctively recognize these signs is by sailing small multihulls.

Sailing Windward

Because of the great beam, instead of developing weather helm as they begin to fly a hull, multihulls can suddenly develop lee helm, causing the boat to bear away and power up at the worst possible moment. This is because the center of drag moves to the lee hull, while the center of drive remains in the center, causing the boat to bear away.

If the boat is a trimaran, with only a center rudder, this rounding up occurs just as steering goes away. This video of a MOD 70 capsize shows how subtle the early warning signs can be ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI2iIY61Lc8 ).

Sailing Downwind

Off the wind, the effect can be the reverse. The lee hull begins to bury, and you decide it is time to bear off, but the submerged lee bow acts like a forward rudder. It moves the center of effort far forward and prevents any turn to leeward. Nearly all trimarans will do this, because the amas are so fine. The solution is to bear away early, before the ama buries—or better yet, to reef.

Conclusions

We’re not trying to scare you off multi-hulls. Far from it. As you can probably tell, I am truly addicted. Modern designs have well-established reputation seaworthiness.

But multihull seaworthiness and seamanship are different from monohulls, and some of those differences are only apparent when you press the boat very hard, harder than will ever experience in normal weather and outside of hard racing. These subtle differences have caught experienced sailors by surprise, especially if their prior experience involved only monohulls or cruising multihulls that were never pressed to the limit.

Although the numbers only tell part of the story, pay attention to a boat’s stability index. You really don’t want an offshore cruising boat that needs to be reefed below 22-25 knots apparent. Faster boats can be enjoyable, but they require earlier reefing and a more active sailing style.

When squalls threaten or the waves get big, take the appropriate actions and take them early, understanding that things happen faster. And don’t forget: knockdowns are not recoverable. It is satisfying to have a boat that has a liferaft-like stability, as long as you understand how to use it.

Technical Editor Drew Frye is the author of “Rigging Modern Anchors.” He blogs at www.blogspot/sail-delmarva.com

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The panoramic City Space Bar is a cocktail bar certainly worth visiting, even if only once in a lifetime, thanks to its stunning views of the city. Located on the 34th floor of Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, Moscow, City Space literally soars over the city at a height of 140 meters.

Inside, the bar is like a classic flying saucer with a 360-degree view. The bar opens at 17.00, so Moscow can always be seen in its most attractive light - literally at sunset, and figuratively thanks to the flickering fireworks of the city at night. City Space Bar is also unique for its variety of cocktails: cold or hot, classic or molecular. City Space was included on the 'World's 50 Best Bars 2011' list by Drinks International magazine.

If you visit City Space Bar you will have not only a pleasant evening in a very comfortable place with fantastic scene from the window but also you will get a kind of a 'Dining experience' by trying new delicious tastes and flavors. Due to the breathtaking panoramic views, excellent cuisine and genuine Swiss service City Space Bar has become a perfect venue for a business meeting, romantic dinner or casual get together. Famous foreign bartenders come to City Space Bar to make their signature cocktails monthly.

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The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
by Kings of Russia
8 minute read

Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

Afterparty: if by 5AM you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.