Catamaran or monohull: which suits your group

Once the dates and the destination are settled, the next question is almost always the same one: two hulls or one. It is not a question of which boat is better, because neither is. They are two different holidays that happen to cost about the same, and the right answer depends on who is coming with you.

Astra Yachting charters both, so this is a straight comparison rather than a case for either side. Catamarans and Monohulls are available bareboat, skippered or crewed, and both will take you to the same islands.

Here is what actually separates them.

The shape of the difference

A monohull is one hull with a heavy keel underneath it. The keel is what keeps the boat upright, and the price of that arrangement is that the boat leans over when the wind pushes on the sails. That lean is not a fault. It is how the design works, and for a lot of people it is the entire point of sailing.

A catamaran has two hulls set apart, and its stability comes from that width rather than from weight below the water. It does not lean. It sits flat, floats higher and spreads the accommodation across two hulls and the bridgedeck between them.

Everything else on this page follows from those two sentences.

Space and cabins

This is the difference guests notice within ten minutes of boarding. A catamaran of the same length has far more usable room: large cabins with private bathrooms, an open saloon, a galley you can cook in properly and outdoor areas at both ends of the boat, plus a flybridge or sun deck on some models.

The layout also spreads people out. Cabins sit in the corners of two separate hulls, so the couple who go to bed at ten are not listening to the group who stay up until two. On a week with two or three families on board, that separation matters more than any other feature.

A monohull puts everything closer together. Cabins are smaller, bathrooms are sometimes shared, and the saloon is a place to eat rather than a place to spend the afternoon. That is not automatically a drawback, since most of a Greek charter is spent outdoors, but it is noticeable in the evening and in bad weather.

Stability at anchor

Most of a charter week is spent at anchor, not sailing, which is why this section matters more than people expect when they are booking.

A catamaran barely moves. A swell that comes into a bay in the afternoon passes under it and the deck stays flat, so lunch stays on the table and nobody feels ill. Twin-hull construction is the single biggest reason catamarans have become the default choice for families and first-time sailors.

A monohull rolls. In a sheltered bay you will not notice. In an open anchorage with a swell wrapping around the headland, you will, and so will anyone on board who is prone to seasickness. Experienced crews plan around it by choosing their anchorages carefully or by taking a line ashore, which works but is one more thing to think about.

Sailing feel

Here the monohull wins for anyone who actually came to sail. It heels, it talks to you through the helm, it points closer to the wind and it feels like a sailing boat doing what a sailing boat does. Working the sails on a monohull is engaging in a way that is hard to explain to somebody who has not done it.

A catamaran sails flat and quietly, which is comfortable and, to a sailor, slightly muted. It is fast on a reach, less happy close to the wind, and it needs earlier reefing because there is no heel to spill the gusts. On the other hand, nothing falls off the table and nobody is holding on.

Ask yourself an honest question: is the sailing the holiday, or the transport between swims? Both answers are respectable, and they point at different boats.

Cost per person

A catamaran costs more per week than a monohull of the same length. That is the headline, and it is where most comparisons stop.

The figure that actually matters is the cost per person, and it moves the picture. A catamaran carries more guests in more comfort, so a group of eight splitting a catamaran is often paying something close to what they would pay for the equivalent space on two smaller boats. The gap narrows further once you consider that most catamarans sleep guests in private cabins with their own bathrooms.

It also widens again in the marina. A catamaran takes two berths in most Greek ports and is charged accordingly, so the running costs of the week are higher than the monohull’s. Any comparison should be made on the whole week rather than on the charter fee alone, and both are quoted before you book.

Which suits whom

For families with children, a catamaran. Stability, space, the swimming platform between the hulls and the shallow draft that lets you anchor close to the beach all point the same way, and children on board tire out the boat rather than the parents.

For couples, a monohull is usually enough boat and leaves budget for the rest of the trip. A catamaran only makes sense for two people if comfort at anchor matters more than anything else.

For groups of friends, count the cabins and the bathrooms rather than the length. Six or eight adults who do not all know each other well will have a better week on a catamaran.

For sailors, a monohull. If someone on board holds a certificate and wants to use it, the boat that heels is the one they will remember.

For a first charter of any kind, a catamaran removes most of what makes a first week stressful.

If the group is split, book the boat that suits the people who will be least comfortable rather than the ones who will be happiest. The confident sailors will enjoy a catamaran anyway. The person who worries about the boat leaning over will not enjoy a monohull, and that shapes everyone else’s week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a catamaran better than a monohull?

Neither is better. A catamaran gives more space and much more stability, a monohull sails better and costs less. The right one depends on the group and on how much of the week you plan to spend sailing.

How many guests fit on a catamaran?

Depending on the model, most catamarans accommodate between six and twelve guests, with spacious cabins and private bathrooms.

Which is better for seasickness?

A catamaran. It stays level under sail and rolls far less at anchor, which is the situation that catches most people out.

Do I need a licence for either of them?

A valid sailing licence is required for a bareboat charter on both types. If nobody in the group holds one, a professional skipper can be booked instead.

Which is easier for a first charter?

A catamaran, for the stability and the space. It is also the more forgiving boat at anchor, which is where beginners tend to have their difficult afternoons.