Sailing a Catamaran as a Beginner: What You Really Need to Know

A catamaran is more stable, more spacious and more accessible than a monohull for a beginner, provided you understand its particular handling characteristics before taking the helm. The two hulls offer a reassuring platform, but the width of the boat and the absence of a keel call for a different way of sailing, especially in a beam wind or when approaching a harbour.

Here are the concrete basics for tackling your first catamaran outing with confidence, whether it is a weekend in Brittany or a week in the Seychelles.

How Is a Catamaran Different from a Monohull for a Beginner?

A catamaran rests on two hulls instead of one, which radically changes its stability, its behaviour and its sailing constraints. The main difference you will feel immediately: the boat heels almost not at all. Where a monohull leans into the wind to move forward, a catamaran stays virtually flat whatever the point of sail. This is restful for the crew and reassuring for beginners.

Another concrete advantage: the draught is very shallow. A 40 to 45-foot catamaran generally draws between 1.20 m and 1.40 m (a Lagoon 42 draws 1.25 m, a Lagoon 46 draws 1.35 m). This opens up areas inaccessible to monohulls, shallow coves in the Seychelles, secluded anchorages in Guadeloupe, and considerably simplifies coastal approaches. The trade-off: with no ballasted keel, a catamaran drifts more under the effect of the wind, especially in port or at anchor. A light beam breeze of more than 15 to 20 knots is enough to complicate a manoeuvre in a confined area if you do not anticipate it.

To go deeper into the comparison of the two designs and find out which one best suits your sailing plans, read our dedicated article on catamaran or monohull: how to choose.

What Does Getting to Grips with a Catamaran Actually Involve?

Getting to grips with a catamaran happens in progressive stages. Here is how our crews on board approach it with sailors who are just starting out.

1. Familiarise yourself with the cockpit and the deck layout. The manoeuvres (sheets, winches, mainsail traveller) are accessible from the cockpit. Identify each line before getting under way.
2. Start with downwind points of sail. A broad reach and a run are the most stable and most comfortable points of sail on a catamaran. Avoid close-hauled sailing on your first outings, as a catamaran does not point as well into the wind as a monohull.
3. Learn to feel the rudder load. With no keel, the daggerboards provide the lateral resistance. Lower them as soon as you are sailing close-hauled or in a beam wind.
4. Reef early. On a catamaran, the first reef comes in at around 18 to 20 knots of true wind. The boat accelerates hard without warning, and the power builds quickly.
5. Practise tacking at low speed. A catamaran can miss its tack if it does not have enough way on. A controlled gybe (turning downwind) is often safer in a sustained wind.
6. Manage your speed when approaching an anchorage or a harbour. The mass of the boat and its low resistance to the water mean it stops less quickly than a monohull. Anticipate.

How Do You Anchor and Manoeuvre in Port with a Catamaran as a Beginner?

Anchoring is one of the manoeuvres where a catamaran stands out most clearly. Its width, often 7 to 8 metres on a 45-footer, means you have to choose anchorages with enough lateral space to avoid collisions as boats swing with the wind or the swell. In practice, catamarans often anchor further back from crowded areas, which the shallow draught makes possible.

To set the anchor correctly, slow down well in advance, drop the headsail before the final approach, then anchor under engine in reverse to check that the anchor is holding. At our bases in the Seychelles, the sandy bottoms and shallow draught make it possible to come within less than 200 metres of the shore in coves that monohulls cannot reach.

In port, the main difficulty remains the beam wind. Above 15 to 20 knots, a catamaran catches the wind like a sail: it slips sideways and can swing broadside if you do not counteract it in time with the engine. The technique: use the two engines in opposition (one forward, the other in reverse) to pivot on the spot, like a crane. It feels counter-intuitive at first, but it becomes natural after a few manoeuvres.

What Safety Rules Should You Know Before Sailing a Catamaran?

Safety on board a catamaran rests on a few simple rules that radically change the risk. The first: never exceed 18 to 20 knots of wind without reducing sail. A catamaran can capsize through overturning if the power of the sails is too great compared with the resistance of the hulls, this is the “pitch-pole” or the capsize on a broad reach. It is rare, but prevention comes from reefing early.

The second rule concerns the lifelines and harnesses. The width of the foredeck and the absence of central guardrails on some models expose the crew when handling sails. Wear a harness as soon as conditions exceed force 4.

On regulatory matters: in France, a boating licence becomes mandatory as soon as the engine power exceeds 4.5 kW (6 hp). Charter catamarans are all well above this threshold (fleet Lagoons carry engines of 34 to 57 kW). In practice, sailing a charter catamaran requires a coastal licence at a minimum, and charter companies also ask for a sailing résumé (sea miles, certifications). Our article on safety on board a catamaran details the mandatory equipment and best practices by destination.

Should You Take a Skipper for Your First Catamaran Outing?

The short answer: yes, if it is your very first experience on a catamaran, or if the destination is demanding (Seychelles, Caribbean). No, if you already have experience in a sailing boat and the area is sheltered and well marked.

A professional skipper brings two things that manuals cannot replace: knowledge of the specific boat (the real behaviour of this particular Lagoon 46, not a generic catamaran) and knowledge of the terrain (local currents, anchorages, the site’s weather). In the Seychelles or in Guadeloupe, this twofold expertise concretely changes how the sailing unfolds, from leaving the harbour to choosing the anchorage.

The skipper option is also ideal if the crew is mixed: the non-sailors enjoy the trip to the full while the skipper handles the manoeuvres. Over the years, many sailors alternate: a first cruise with a skipper to learn the terrain, then the following ones independently.

Our organised crewed cruises include a skipper and service crew on board. For a first catamaran trip to the Seychelles or to Guadeloupe, it is the option that removes every obstacle at once, logistics, sailing and discovery. To find out more, see our catamaran cruise programme.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Sailing a Catamaran for Beginners

Is a catamaran suitable for beginners in sailing?

Yes, a catamaran is generally considered more accessible than a monohull to start out with. The flat stability, the large living spaces and the shallow draught make life on board simpler and reduce the stress of those first outings. The main difficulty for beginners remains the manoeuvre in port in a beam wind, which calls for practice and a good command of the two engines.

What are the drawbacks of a catamaran for a beginner?

A catamaran is wide, often 7 to 8 metres, which makes manoeuvres in crowded harbours more complex. It drifts easily under the effect of a side wind. Its sail area has to be reduced early (from 18 to 20 knots) to avoid a dangerous excess of power. Finally, it points less effectively into the wind than a monohull, which can limit certain routes if the wind is unfavourable.

Do you get seasick on a catamaran?

Less often than on a monohull, because a catamaran does not heel and rolls little. That said, the short pitching of the two hulls in a short chop can affect some sensitive people. It is not universal: some passengers who are very sensitive to motion still prefer the more regular movement of a monohull. On cruises to destinations such as the Seychelles or Guadeloupe, where the seas are generally gentle, the issue rarely arises.

Which catamaran model should you choose to start out?

For a first charter, opt for a catamaran between 40 and 50 feet. This range offers the best compromise between manoeuvrability and comfort: large enough for the crew to live well on board, not so imposing that it becomes hard to handle with two people. The Lagoon 40, 42 and 46 are among the most chartered models in the world and enjoy a solid reputation for reliability in charter.