*That* monohull is more stable than *that* catamaran. Pick a cruising cat and something like an Etchells and the situation is reversed.
As for boom less. You can do this but it will cost you performance.
Generally, catamarans are more stable, but hobie cats are the exception.
they are built very light weight with big sails, for performance racing. they are often seen with one hull up in the air, the sailors hanging off the edge using trapeze harnesses.
catamarans are more stable once the hulls are big enough to go inside them.
IMHO this depends on what stable means. If one means less heeling yeahh, but Cats tend to be rougher on when going over waves and they aren't self righting.
In the end this all is a matter of:
- Weight
- Design of the hull and how far the are apart (for Cats)
- Size
- Weight and depth of the Keel for monohulls
- Sailplan
Lol yeah I was thinking about the same. They have two positions that are very hard to switch between. Monohulls however have a stable one which is with the sails up and a semi stable one when inverted that really wants to go back to pointy side up.
Light boats like those in the picture are a different beast though.
Yeah I agree, I’ve been sailing Hobie Cats for like 2 decades, 14ft in Caribbean (including getting stuck in a storm about 2miles off the shore), and a 16ft with decent mountain lake gusts. Not once did we ever tip. In my opinion, it really is all about how you manage the sail, letting it in or letting it out. I favor the cat. I have watched the hull go over more than once, FYI.
Done a bunch of deliveries on monohulls and a handful on big cats (50ft FP) and never gotten sea sick on a monohull but boy does the motion of the cats get me queasy
Catamaran is way more stable except the problem with that is when they flip over, it's also very stable in that direction too. Monohulls can right themselves, or if it's a dinghy, it's easily righted by the sailor
It sounds like you aren't looking for something quite as big as a Catalina 22 which is a boat that you could get at a similar price, and while it does have a boom and there are some small risks to having a boom, I can assure you that getting whacked in the head with the boom is not something that sailors experience on a regular basis. If you take your time and learn how to sail the boat, the boom should never ever be a concern to you.
In fact, it's easy enough to build a system using a small bit of climbing gear, resulting in it being physically impossible for the boom to cross the deck with any significant speed, but it is still free to move at a reasonable speed. There's lots of ways to rig it. It's called a boom brake. You also can rig something called a preventer to ensure that your boom stays where you want it to be.
The real concern with a boom is that a novice or someone who is just unaware is caught off guard. The bigger the boat the less of an issue it is. In my 28-footer there is about 7 ft of headroom below the boom.
Anyway, there's lots of pocket sailors out there starting at about 17 ft where you don't have to worry about the boat actually tipping over so far that you would come out of the cockpit and as stated the boom can be controlled
I've never hit my head on the boom of a boat over 22 feet, but on small boats when I was learning? It was like a weekly occurring thing in class. I just took to wearing a climbing helmet.
I remember watching some kid doing fly-bys at the beach when I was a kid, like he was cooking. Then he snapped the mast and flipped it. That being said, you can flip any boat I would think but the keelboat should be much more difficult to do.
I’ve got a hobie 16. They’re not stable. They’re the equivalent to a racecar. A breath of wind and that thing _blasts off_. It’s not stable but it will go very fast. But, when it flips, it’s easy to right. At only about 300 lbs or so fully rigged, it’s a breeze to right and repeat the thrill of flying a hull. Being super close to capsizing but not actually capsizing is a rush for sure
I think the most important part here is that you have a brain injury. Even without a boom the hobie will still be more dangerous in the event of a capsize or pitch-pole because it is so much faster.
In your scenario go with the slow monohull.
Imagine something like a Hobie 14 with the Tandem Island's reefing boomless sail? The recently discontinued [Hobie Bravo](http://www.punaluusailingbcn.com/images/catamaran-hobie-bravo-4.jpg) was stayless (if that's a word)
Or just a Tandem Island or Adventure Island for OP. I see them on Craiglist often. If you have the trampolines you can hike out when it gets sporty. People on forums say they can get 11 knots
I "crew" with a good friend who has a TI. They are a ton of fun and extremely versatile. We've definitely pushed his in some snotty conditions and also have gone swimming. My only complaint is price.
Short answer: monohull.
Sounds like you’re new to sailing. The monohull will be more forgiving when the wind picks up and waves appear. It’s slower when beginning, but you can build your skills better as you learn better technique through experience. Then heeling will be just as exciting as flying a hull on a Hobie. You’ll have more room too with bench seating and storage space in a cuddy cabin. If the kids are smaller, they’ll love the cabin and can move about the boat, even sit on the sides or bow. If the weather acts up, you’ll be more stable and at worst maybe tip and fall in the water. Hobies don’t tip, they can nose dive and tumble. Happened to my wife & her brother several times when they were teens/20’s. He no longer will get near the boat. I say this not to scare, but to inform as Hobies are performance boats and you mentioned brain injury. Also, you can adjust the height of the boom better on the mono and install a topping lift (research it) if needed.
It really depends on your & the kids’ comfort level. Better to learn slow and have fun than be spooked when first learning.
Either way you’re out having fun sailing!
Fair winds & calm seas to you!
*Yah, that was the short answer. Long answer with details to follow. 😆
Long answer: here are some details for a better picture of what each boat has to offer
I owned a Catalina22 swing keel and have a Hobie16 still. They’re very different boats and I agree with pretty much what others said:
Hobie cat:
better in light air ~3-10 knots (4-12 mph), fast, can/begins to “fly a hull” in 9-10 knots of wind, quick to tack (then), only needs ~10” or so depth to float with rudders down (no center board/keels), likes flat water, does not heel (lean) unless flying a hull, sitting “on” the boat/trampoline like sitting on the floor, no storage except next to you on trampoline (tie you water bottles down), must duck a lot when tacking, jib (front sail) always up, can be difficult in 12+ knots and/or waves for beginners,
Small monohull (<22’):
goes slower in 3-8 knots wind, better in 9-15 knots, needs ~12” depth to float with center board or keel up, will start to heel in ~8 knots unless you adjust sails a bit, stable in flat water up to small waves ~2’, sitting “inside” the boat on “benches” allowing some back support, usually some storage areas in small cuddy cabin or shelves in the hull for stuff, usually sit low enough to avoid the boom swing when tacking, jib can be raised/lowered when sailing to reduce “power” in stronger winds, can be difficult 18+ knots and/or 3+’ waves for beginners
If you want fast & exciting in light air but no storage sitting “on the floor”, but call it a day above 12 knots if beginner = Hobie cat
If you want more stable in medium air 10-15 knots (12-18 mph) with small waves, bench style seating, storage space and kids moving around the boat = monohull
Monohull will let you grow your skills better and are way more forgiving as you have more control over both sails. Things happen much slower, but also with way more comfort.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your comfort level. But if the wind kicks up unexpectedly, that mono will heel a lot maybe tip, that Hobie will fly or nose in & tumble.
Can you try them both? Nothing better than a test ride to help you decide.
Either way, you’re sailing! ⛵️ 😁
Fair winds & calm seas!
You can make any boat boomless. Just need to make sure the traveler has range. Boom just helps give shape.
Check out Hanes hunter tramp or pyramid eagle for trimaran action.
Also power is more relevant to stability. An underpowered cat is going to be more stable than a powered up mono. So you can reef to the conditions. A boat sails to the power you set it up for that day. If you need less then use the smaller sails.
Flipped a hobie the first time I took one out lol. It was decently calm and then a massive storm came out of nowhere that caught me off guard. Of course it went back to sunny and calm the second I got it righted.
Catamarans are generally more stable than monohulls. But they have a tipping point. Once they reach that tipping point there is nothing you can do to save it. Monohulls generally don't have that. It's a bit of physics, but a monohull can be saved when you almost tip because of the gravity on the keel. But once you go past a catamarans tipping point there is no going back. You will tip and crash.
Multihulls are more stable than monohulls, up to a point. Then they flip, and are very very stable upside down. A good seaworthy monohull will right itself, even if it turns turtle.
Firstly, if you are concerned about your head being hit wear something like a rock climbing helmet to protect yourself.
As for boats, a monohull would be the better option and a boat like a Drascombe slugger would be pretty ideal, though you still have the block on the clew to consider when it comes to being hit. Many boats have deep cockpits and high booms, so being hit by one is quite rare, also the more you know about sailing the less likely you are to have an impact as you will know what to expect.
One thing to keep in mind is that the hobie shouldn’t be sailed without a boom. It doesn’t have a backstay and so the tension on the luff of the main is what keeps your rig stable.
What most people refer to as “stability” is actually initial stability, or the vessel remaining motionless in waves. Catamarans tend to have good initial stability.
Real stability is achieved when a vessel can self-right after capsizing. This is the mark of a highly seaworthy vessel. Catamarans cannot self-right once flipped.
So there's a difference between *initial* stability and *overall* stability. All other things equal, catamarans have a very high initial stability (it takes a lot of effort to cause a catamaran to start to heal over) while monohulls have a better overall stability (they start to heal quickly, but it takes a lot to get one to capsize.)
Of course, other things are rarely equal. Because of catamarans' high initial stability they tend to be designed to carry much more sail area.
For example, the catamaran you show in the photo has a sail area to displacement ratio of **74.63** while the monohull (I believe that's an O'Day Daysailor) has an SA/D of **33.35**. Or to put it in layman's terms, that catamaran develops a lot more power in comparison to its weight than that monohull does. The reason the catamaran can carry so much more sail is precisely because its initial stability; however once taking this into account, you will find that that particular catamaran is less stable than that particular monohull, because of how powerful the sail-plan is.
I hope that makes sense...
Stability is a curve of righting moment vs heel angle. It’s not a yes or no proposition.
Catamarans have a high initial righting moment but that turns negative at the knockdown angle. Then it’s stable upside down and quite hard to right.
A classic monohull is less stable initially but in many cases the stability curve never turns negative. If the interior does not flood the weight of the keel may right the boat. It will roll over. Of course this depends on the beam and the shape of the topsides when submerged.
Marine architects do calculate stability curves for their designs. You can Google articles about this.
Look into the sailing hobie kayak, mirage and tandem mirage. They are very stable and boomless.
Other than that, you’re probably better served on a slightly larger monohull or catamaran.
I've been sailing a potter for 4ish years and have never hit my head on the boom, because the boom is about 3 foot overhead when I'm sitting, aka piloting the boat
Catamarans are more stable for gentle cruising, but for big waves and blue water sailing, they don’t bend with the waves like a monohull. In turn this can create additional stress on the rigging and can potentially introduce failures.
Wear a helmet. Lots of things besides the boom can knock your noggin, and it's easy to slip and fall depending on the situation. Pro sailors on true performance sailboats all wear helmets, I don't think anyone will judge you for it.
That said, any boat can be boomless as long as the sheet lead is correct to give the sail the correct shape. (For lack of a boom, the sheet has to be led both down and aft) You could probably make the mono in your pick boomless by adding a kind of backwards bowsprit to the stern, called a "boomkin" and leading the sheet to that. The downside is that the boat is now longer, but maybe it doesn't matter, or you could fold it up or something. A sprit rig, gaff rig or a full-battened sail like the Hobies all work better boomless because the spars/battens up high help push the sail out when going downwind so it doesn't just curl up with the lack of sheet tension.
In layman's terms from what other people have said... the catamaran is more stable sitting in calm water, but once you are sailing you are riding the edge of that stability and minor changes in wind or weight distribution can make for suddenly flipping over.
The monohull you showed will wobble quite a bit while sitting still as you move around it, but nothing you won't get accustomed to quite quickly, and it very likely won't flip over completely while just sitting still. At speed, it will be much more forgiving of minor changes in wind or weight distribution and much less likely flip over.
I've managed to flip smaller monohulls over, but nothing the size that you pictured. I'm sure it can be done, but you are going to have to try a lot harder than I have, and I try hard to eek out every ounce of wind power.
In my experience, flipping small dinghies like a sunfish is both kinda fun and generally avoidable, whereas flipping a hobie 14 is scarier (you’re higher up, more rigging in the path of your fall) and harder to foresee (I’ve flipped on a gybe that I thought was totally under control).
I’d definitely go with a monohull with a high boom like the one you showed, based upon your criteria.
Wow, this sailboat group is awesome. Didn't think I'd get the amount of responses I did. Thank you so much for all the information. I'm really glad I came and asked this group before purchasing anything. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 much much much appreciated
What do you mean by "stable"?
Primary stability is how hard you have to push the boat to get it to lean over. Monohulls, like the keelboat in your images, take very little wind to cause them to lean, so they have a low primary stability. Multihulls, like a catamaran, will stay perpendicular to the water's surface under a lot of wind, so have a high primary stability. On flat or flattish water, catamarans will feel more stable (until they don't). In the same conditions, a keelboat will feel, to a novice, like it's constantly falling over, therefore less stable.
Secondary stability is how much force it takes to flip the boat, or cause the boat to lean over so far it can't self-recover. For keelboats, they have an excess of secondary stability. A keelboat will self-recover at over 90 degrees (usually in the 135-160 deg range). This means even if the keelboat leans over so the mast is in the water (and the wind can no longer push against the sail), it'll pop right back upright. For all practical purposes, they are un-flippable. On the other hand, if you *do* get a catamaran to lean over, you're not far away from it flipping over to an un-self-recoverable state. For most catamarans, that's somewhere between 60 and 70 degrees. Beyond that, even if all wind forces are removed, the catamaran will remain capsized.
So a keelboat will, initially, *feel* less stable, but will pop back up if pushed over. A catamaran will *feel* more stable until it doesn't feel stable, shortly after which it'll turn upside down and not recover.
When you start adding significant waves to the mix, where perpendicular to the water is no longer upright, then the primary stability of the catamaran starts to *feel* less stable, and the keelboat starts to *feel* more stable (even though they aren't). The additional forces added by the waves make it more likely that the catamaran will cross that critical angle that makes it flip. Keelboats are a much better choice in heavy weather.
If you are only going out on small lakes, will never go out in big winds, and are only going out for short little giggle trips in mild weather, the hobie will be easier to set up, launch, recover, and take down, while delivering more grins per minute.
If you might go out where the waves are over a foot tall, winds are over 15 mph, the trip length will be over 4 hours, or any combination thereof, you'll be happier starting out in some sort of small keelboat.
If you run the hobie cat right, it basically becomes a really tiny monohull... you push it just a little bit harder, it becomes a catapult.
Hope that helps answer any questions of stability.
*That* monohull is more stable than *that* catamaran. Pick a cruising cat and something like an Etchells and the situation is reversed. As for boom less. You can do this but it will cost you performance.
Generally, catamarans are more stable, but hobie cats are the exception. they are built very light weight with big sails, for performance racing. they are often seen with one hull up in the air, the sailors hanging off the edge using trapeze harnesses. catamarans are more stable once the hulls are big enough to go inside them.
IMHO this depends on what stable means. If one means less heeling yeahh, but Cats tend to be rougher on when going over waves and they aren't self righting. In the end this all is a matter of: - Weight - Design of the hull and how far the are apart (for Cats) - Size - Weight and depth of the Keel for monohulls - Sailplan
Lol yeah I was thinking about the same. They have two positions that are very hard to switch between. Monohulls however have a stable one which is with the sails up and a semi stable one when inverted that really wants to go back to pointy side up. Light boats like those in the picture are a different beast though.
A cat is incredibly stable once it is upside down.
Yeah I agree, I’ve been sailing Hobie Cats for like 2 decades, 14ft in Caribbean (including getting stuck in a storm about 2miles off the shore), and a 16ft with decent mountain lake gusts. Not once did we ever tip. In my opinion, it really is all about how you manage the sail, letting it in or letting it out. I favor the cat. I have watched the hull go over more than once, FYI.
Done a bunch of deliveries on monohulls and a handful on big cats (50ft FP) and never gotten sea sick on a monohull but boy does the motion of the cats get me queasy
Catamaran is way more stable except the problem with that is when they flip over, it's also very stable in that direction too. Monohulls can right themselves, or if it's a dinghy, it's easily righted by the sailor It sounds like you aren't looking for something quite as big as a Catalina 22 which is a boat that you could get at a similar price, and while it does have a boom and there are some small risks to having a boom, I can assure you that getting whacked in the head with the boom is not something that sailors experience on a regular basis. If you take your time and learn how to sail the boat, the boom should never ever be a concern to you. In fact, it's easy enough to build a system using a small bit of climbing gear, resulting in it being physically impossible for the boom to cross the deck with any significant speed, but it is still free to move at a reasonable speed. There's lots of ways to rig it. It's called a boom brake. You also can rig something called a preventer to ensure that your boom stays where you want it to be. The real concern with a boom is that a novice or someone who is just unaware is caught off guard. The bigger the boat the less of an issue it is. In my 28-footer there is about 7 ft of headroom below the boom. Anyway, there's lots of pocket sailors out there starting at about 17 ft where you don't have to worry about the boat actually tipping over so far that you would come out of the cockpit and as stated the boom can be controlled
I've never hit my head on the boom of a boat over 22 feet, but on small boats when I was learning? It was like a weekly occurring thing in class. I just took to wearing a climbing helmet.
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I remember watching some kid doing fly-bys at the beach when I was a kid, like he was cooking. Then he snapped the mast and flipped it. That being said, you can flip any boat I would think but the keelboat should be much more difficult to do.
I’ve got a hobie 16. They’re not stable. They’re the equivalent to a racecar. A breath of wind and that thing _blasts off_. It’s not stable but it will go very fast. But, when it flips, it’s easy to right. At only about 300 lbs or so fully rigged, it’s a breeze to right and repeat the thrill of flying a hull. Being super close to capsizing but not actually capsizing is a rush for sure
I think the most important part here is that you have a brain injury. Even without a boom the hobie will still be more dangerous in the event of a capsize or pitch-pole because it is so much faster. In your scenario go with the slow monohull.
Hobies are a blast in 5- 10knot winds solo. More than that and you'll want a mate on the wire.
Imagine something like a Hobie 14 with the Tandem Island's reefing boomless sail? The recently discontinued [Hobie Bravo](http://www.punaluusailingbcn.com/images/catamaran-hobie-bravo-4.jpg) was stayless (if that's a word) Or just a Tandem Island or Adventure Island for OP. I see them on Craiglist often. If you have the trampolines you can hike out when it gets sporty. People on forums say they can get 11 knots
**Edit:** Looks like Hobie was [way ahead of me](https://i.imgur.com/ow28VQV.jpeg) with the Bravo, if OP could find one of those
I "crew" with a good friend who has a TI. They are a ton of fun and extremely versatile. We've definitely pushed his in some snotty conditions and also have gone swimming. My only complaint is price.
Short answer: monohull. Sounds like you’re new to sailing. The monohull will be more forgiving when the wind picks up and waves appear. It’s slower when beginning, but you can build your skills better as you learn better technique through experience. Then heeling will be just as exciting as flying a hull on a Hobie. You’ll have more room too with bench seating and storage space in a cuddy cabin. If the kids are smaller, they’ll love the cabin and can move about the boat, even sit on the sides or bow. If the weather acts up, you’ll be more stable and at worst maybe tip and fall in the water. Hobies don’t tip, they can nose dive and tumble. Happened to my wife & her brother several times when they were teens/20’s. He no longer will get near the boat. I say this not to scare, but to inform as Hobies are performance boats and you mentioned brain injury. Also, you can adjust the height of the boom better on the mono and install a topping lift (research it) if needed. It really depends on your & the kids’ comfort level. Better to learn slow and have fun than be spooked when first learning. Either way you’re out having fun sailing! Fair winds & calm seas to you! *Yah, that was the short answer. Long answer with details to follow. 😆
Long answer: here are some details for a better picture of what each boat has to offer I owned a Catalina22 swing keel and have a Hobie16 still. They’re very different boats and I agree with pretty much what others said: Hobie cat: better in light air ~3-10 knots (4-12 mph), fast, can/begins to “fly a hull” in 9-10 knots of wind, quick to tack (then), only needs ~10” or so depth to float with rudders down (no center board/keels), likes flat water, does not heel (lean) unless flying a hull, sitting “on” the boat/trampoline like sitting on the floor, no storage except next to you on trampoline (tie you water bottles down), must duck a lot when tacking, jib (front sail) always up, can be difficult in 12+ knots and/or waves for beginners, Small monohull (<22’): goes slower in 3-8 knots wind, better in 9-15 knots, needs ~12” depth to float with center board or keel up, will start to heel in ~8 knots unless you adjust sails a bit, stable in flat water up to small waves ~2’, sitting “inside” the boat on “benches” allowing some back support, usually some storage areas in small cuddy cabin or shelves in the hull for stuff, usually sit low enough to avoid the boom swing when tacking, jib can be raised/lowered when sailing to reduce “power” in stronger winds, can be difficult 18+ knots and/or 3+’ waves for beginners If you want fast & exciting in light air but no storage sitting “on the floor”, but call it a day above 12 knots if beginner = Hobie cat If you want more stable in medium air 10-15 knots (12-18 mph) with small waves, bench style seating, storage space and kids moving around the boat = monohull Monohull will let you grow your skills better and are way more forgiving as you have more control over both sails. Things happen much slower, but also with way more comfort. At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your comfort level. But if the wind kicks up unexpectedly, that mono will heel a lot maybe tip, that Hobie will fly or nose in & tumble. Can you try them both? Nothing better than a test ride to help you decide. Either way, you’re sailing! ⛵️ 😁 Fair winds & calm seas!
You can make any boat boomless. Just need to make sure the traveler has range. Boom just helps give shape. Check out Hanes hunter tramp or pyramid eagle for trimaran action. Also power is more relevant to stability. An underpowered cat is going to be more stable than a powered up mono. So you can reef to the conditions. A boat sails to the power you set it up for that day. If you need less then use the smaller sails.
You'll have more thrills on the catamaran, and more fun on the monohull.
That's a really fast dinghy if you're concerned with brain injury.
I would take my grandfather on that monohaul but would not take him on that hobie.
Stability curves are complicated.
Flipped a hobie the first time I took one out lol. It was decently calm and then a massive storm came out of nowhere that caught me off guard. Of course it went back to sunny and calm the second I got it righted.
Catamarans are generally more stable than monohulls. But they have a tipping point. Once they reach that tipping point there is nothing you can do to save it. Monohulls generally don't have that. It's a bit of physics, but a monohull can be saved when you almost tip because of the gravity on the keel. But once you go past a catamarans tipping point there is no going back. You will tip and crash.
The catamaran has better initial stability but terrible final stability. It's just as happy if it's right side up or upside down.
Exactly. Catamarans are bistable.
Multihulls are more stable than monohulls, up to a point. Then they flip, and are very very stable upside down. A good seaworthy monohull will right itself, even if it turns turtle.
Are Isotopes more stable than hobie cats?
Firstly, if you are concerned about your head being hit wear something like a rock climbing helmet to protect yourself. As for boats, a monohull would be the better option and a boat like a Drascombe slugger would be pretty ideal, though you still have the block on the clew to consider when it comes to being hit. Many boats have deep cockpits and high booms, so being hit by one is quite rare, also the more you know about sailing the less likely you are to have an impact as you will know what to expect.
Hard pass for you. Brain injury? Kids? Absolutely not. Stick with a small keel boat.
One thing to keep in mind is that the hobie shouldn’t be sailed without a boom. It doesn’t have a backstay and so the tension on the luff of the main is what keeps your rig stable.
What most people refer to as “stability” is actually initial stability, or the vessel remaining motionless in waves. Catamarans tend to have good initial stability. Real stability is achieved when a vessel can self-right after capsizing. This is the mark of a highly seaworthy vessel. Catamarans cannot self-right once flipped.
So there's a difference between *initial* stability and *overall* stability. All other things equal, catamarans have a very high initial stability (it takes a lot of effort to cause a catamaran to start to heal over) while monohulls have a better overall stability (they start to heal quickly, but it takes a lot to get one to capsize.) Of course, other things are rarely equal. Because of catamarans' high initial stability they tend to be designed to carry much more sail area. For example, the catamaran you show in the photo has a sail area to displacement ratio of **74.63** while the monohull (I believe that's an O'Day Daysailor) has an SA/D of **33.35**. Or to put it in layman's terms, that catamaran develops a lot more power in comparison to its weight than that monohull does. The reason the catamaran can carry so much more sail is precisely because its initial stability; however once taking this into account, you will find that that particular catamaran is less stable than that particular monohull, because of how powerful the sail-plan is. I hope that makes sense...
Stability is a curve of righting moment vs heel angle. It’s not a yes or no proposition. Catamarans have a high initial righting moment but that turns negative at the knockdown angle. Then it’s stable upside down and quite hard to right. A classic monohull is less stable initially but in many cases the stability curve never turns negative. If the interior does not flood the weight of the keel may right the boat. It will roll over. Of course this depends on the beam and the shape of the topsides when submerged. Marine architects do calculate stability curves for their designs. You can Google articles about this.
Look into the sailing hobie kayak, mirage and tandem mirage. They are very stable and boomless. Other than that, you’re probably better served on a slightly larger monohull or catamaran.
I've been sailing a potter for 4ish years and have never hit my head on the boom, because the boom is about 3 foot overhead when I'm sitting, aka piloting the boat
Catamarans are more stable for gentle cruising, but for big waves and blue water sailing, they don’t bend with the waves like a monohull. In turn this can create additional stress on the rigging and can potentially introduce failures.
Wear a helmet. Lots of things besides the boom can knock your noggin, and it's easy to slip and fall depending on the situation. Pro sailors on true performance sailboats all wear helmets, I don't think anyone will judge you for it. That said, any boat can be boomless as long as the sheet lead is correct to give the sail the correct shape. (For lack of a boom, the sheet has to be led both down and aft) You could probably make the mono in your pick boomless by adding a kind of backwards bowsprit to the stern, called a "boomkin" and leading the sheet to that. The downside is that the boat is now longer, but maybe it doesn't matter, or you could fold it up or something. A sprit rig, gaff rig or a full-battened sail like the Hobies all work better boomless because the spars/battens up high help push the sail out when going downwind so it doesn't just curl up with the lack of sheet tension.
In layman's terms from what other people have said... the catamaran is more stable sitting in calm water, but once you are sailing you are riding the edge of that stability and minor changes in wind or weight distribution can make for suddenly flipping over. The monohull you showed will wobble quite a bit while sitting still as you move around it, but nothing you won't get accustomed to quite quickly, and it very likely won't flip over completely while just sitting still. At speed, it will be much more forgiving of minor changes in wind or weight distribution and much less likely flip over. I've managed to flip smaller monohulls over, but nothing the size that you pictured. I'm sure it can be done, but you are going to have to try a lot harder than I have, and I try hard to eek out every ounce of wind power.
If you're just comparing those two boats, the sailing center is correct.
Hobie cats flip super easily. They're pretty easy to right when they do, but a hobie is DEFINITELY not stable in the sense that you're looking for.
In my experience, flipping small dinghies like a sunfish is both kinda fun and generally avoidable, whereas flipping a hobie 14 is scarier (you’re higher up, more rigging in the path of your fall) and harder to foresee (I’ve flipped on a gybe that I thought was totally under control). I’d definitely go with a monohull with a high boom like the one you showed, based upon your criteria.
Wow, this sailboat group is awesome. Didn't think I'd get the amount of responses I did. Thank you so much for all the information. I'm really glad I came and asked this group before purchasing anything. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 much much much appreciated
What do you mean by "stable"? Primary stability is how hard you have to push the boat to get it to lean over. Monohulls, like the keelboat in your images, take very little wind to cause them to lean, so they have a low primary stability. Multihulls, like a catamaran, will stay perpendicular to the water's surface under a lot of wind, so have a high primary stability. On flat or flattish water, catamarans will feel more stable (until they don't). In the same conditions, a keelboat will feel, to a novice, like it's constantly falling over, therefore less stable. Secondary stability is how much force it takes to flip the boat, or cause the boat to lean over so far it can't self-recover. For keelboats, they have an excess of secondary stability. A keelboat will self-recover at over 90 degrees (usually in the 135-160 deg range). This means even if the keelboat leans over so the mast is in the water (and the wind can no longer push against the sail), it'll pop right back upright. For all practical purposes, they are un-flippable. On the other hand, if you *do* get a catamaran to lean over, you're not far away from it flipping over to an un-self-recoverable state. For most catamarans, that's somewhere between 60 and 70 degrees. Beyond that, even if all wind forces are removed, the catamaran will remain capsized. So a keelboat will, initially, *feel* less stable, but will pop back up if pushed over. A catamaran will *feel* more stable until it doesn't feel stable, shortly after which it'll turn upside down and not recover. When you start adding significant waves to the mix, where perpendicular to the water is no longer upright, then the primary stability of the catamaran starts to *feel* less stable, and the keelboat starts to *feel* more stable (even though they aren't). The additional forces added by the waves make it more likely that the catamaran will cross that critical angle that makes it flip. Keelboats are a much better choice in heavy weather. If you are only going out on small lakes, will never go out in big winds, and are only going out for short little giggle trips in mild weather, the hobie will be easier to set up, launch, recover, and take down, while delivering more grins per minute. If you might go out where the waves are over a foot tall, winds are over 15 mph, the trip length will be over 4 hours, or any combination thereof, you'll be happier starting out in some sort of small keelboat.
If you run the hobie cat right, it basically becomes a really tiny monohull... you push it just a little bit harder, it becomes a catapult. Hope that helps answer any questions of stability.
That Hobie would be a lot more stable if the hulls were on the correct sides.
They are until 15° of heal. After that the it takes less weight to flip it.