What To Expect on My Catamaran Decks
Maybe you’ve never been on a catamaran.
Maybe you don’t know what makes us a special kind of sail boat.
Maybe you don’t know why people who come to Honolulu love the catamaran experience?
There are many different types of boats in the world, but if I must say so myself, catamarans are a unique bunch.
So come find out what to expect on a catamaran sail in Honolulu, Hawaii off the coast of Oahu.
What to Expect Below Deck
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Not all catamarans in Honolulu have interior space like mine. It’s a great option if you want to get out of the sun for a few minutes and it also happens to be where the bar is, so my guess is you’ll find my interior at some point. When Capt. Jon had me built, he did something else with my guests in mind: added a bathroom. We call it the “head.” Not too many catamarans in Honolulu have one for their guests, I’m not really sure what guests on other boats do. Beneath deck is built for comfort. It’s designed to be a gathering place, away from the elements where you can enjoy your sail in style. |
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What To Expect On Deck
I like to think of my catamaran brothers and sisters as some of the most exciting boats in the world. We’re built for a true sailing experience. Sailing on my decks isn’t like a big, slow dinner cruise. You’ll get to see dolphins swimming at the hull, flying fish crossing our bow and turtles bopping up for air just feet away and whales splashing down (when they are here in our Hawaiian waters).
I’m delighted that most people who hop on my decks spend most the time on deck, rather than below.
There is bench seating in the back of the boat, by my guess is you’ll want to walk around. Some people like to stand at the very ends of the hull and get a “Titanic” photo opp. Some people like to hang out on the nets and get splashed, kids especially love this. Still some people like to hang with the captain and crew.
Families who join me on deck love that everyone, young and young at heart seems to find a spot to see everything they want to see: Diamond Head, the Waikiki shoreline and don’t forget: fireworks!
On my decks, you can walk around the edges and explore my entire deck. I was built for exploration: yours and mine.
Will I Get Seasick?
My distinguishing feature as a catamaran is of course, my double hull. Basically, I have two noses, not one.
It’s this double hull that gives me the space to add the nets at the front of my bow. Everyone who steps on my decks wants to sit on the net, at least for a few minutes, to see the water whooshing past below and feel the quickness of the breeze on their cheeks.
While I’ve been told by many that the double hull is a beautiful physical trait, it also has a unique benefit to those on deck: stability and speed. We can go faster and do so without so much rocking. I’m designed for a smooth sail and at the hands of my capable crew, we normally slice through the waves without a lot of disruption. Most sails are calm and relaxing and over flowing with ahhhhhh-loha.
Despite this stability, some people have to use “the bucket” while on my decks. I always recommend that if you think you might get motion sickness, see your doctor before coming to Oahu, they can usually give you some great tips on preventing sea-sickness. Once on deck, our crew will do its very best to prevent sea sickness and help you if you do get sea sick.
Did You Know…
While I have catamaran brothers and sisters around the world, and I was actually built in St. Croix, it was actually the Polynesians who developed the catamaran style.
Catamarans played a proud role in the exploration of the Pacific islands, including Hawaii. The unique styling of the catamaran was perfect for long ocean voyages across great distances, allowing the captain to keep on eye on the stars for navigation.
Recently, there has been an increase in catamarans in the America’s Cup, a world renowned sailing competition. The current defender of the America’s Cup is Oracle Team USA who sails a trimaran, a close cousin of catamarans. She has the distinction of being the fastest boat in the history of the America’s Cup. She gets going so fast that sometimes she actually launches out of the water! The next America’s Cup will be in 2017 in Bermuda.
Many catamarans also sail in the Transpac, a sailing race from San Pedro, California to Diamond Head Lighthouse in Honolulu, Hawaii, it’s a total distance of 2,225 miles, first conceived by King Kalakaua as way for the United States and Hawaii to build a strong relationship. In fact, the record holder of the Transpac is an 86 foot catamaran named Explorer who won the race in 5 days, 9 hours and 18 minutes in 1997. That’s my kind of girl!