Sailing Florencevideo
Sailing Cat vs Mono – WHICH WAS BEST? | Sailing Florence Ep.205
May 8, 2025 · 38 min · 118K views
Monohull slicing dark waters under cloudy sky
What this video covers
Matt and Amy, who have lived aboard their Oyster Marine 37 Heritage monohull Florence for eight years and circumnavigated across five oceans, compare that boat directly against a Leopard 44 catamaran after sailing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from the Canaries to St. Lucia.Watch The comparison covers four categories: sailing performance, sailing feel, comfort, and all-weather ocean capability.2:15
On performance, the Leopard 44 averaged 5.94 knots versus Florence's 5.76 knots on a comparable Atlantic crossing — a negligible difference, and one the crew attributes partly to the catamaran's swept-back shrouds preventing dead-downwind sailing.2:46 Those shrouds forced the boom to stay near centerline, caused two broken battens from slatting, and made goose-winging impractical; twin headsails proved more effective for trade-wind downwind passages.4:32 A Pacific crossing alongside a Lucia 40 catamaran over 4,000 miles from Panama to the Marquesas produced a gap of only one day.3:28
On sailing feel, the monohull wins decisively for Matt and Amy: the catamaran's enclosed helm station cuts off wind, stars, and environmental feedback, reducing engagement with the boat and the ocean.7:49 On comfort, the catamaran wins equally decisively: lower-amplitude motion, easy movement below, a full-sized oven, separate sleeping hulls, and an enclosed watch-keeping position that reduces fatigue.11:16 Bridge-deck slamming is noted as a real but manageable noise issue.14:22 The all-weather safety section covers clipping on, handholds, and fall distances but is cut off in the video. The crew confirms they will not sell Florence and buy a catamaran.22:54
Boats in this video
More from Sailing Florence
From Sailing Florence — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.