Sailboat: how to choose the one of your dreams?

If we love the sailboat so much, it is for the silence it gives us, the freedom and autonomy. Catamaran, monohull, trihulls, how can we really choose the sailboat we need when we are faced with so many choices? Are you more the type to sail near the coast or more offshore? Would you rather sail for a day, a weekend or go around the world? These are all the essential questions to ask yourself before choosing THE sailboat you need.

The different types of sailboats

When we talk about sailboats, we often imagine a ship with one or more masts, which brings to mind the first large ships to sail in the ocean. Today, there are many types of sailboats that can meet various needs. Although they all have one thing in common, the fact that they move under the effect of the wind on the sails, we can distinguish monohulls and multihulls, and classify them according to their size or their destination. A monohull has one hull and a multihull has two or three. To choose a used sailboat, an old sailboat or a habitable sailboat, you must first determine your needs. If you want to buy a habitable sailboat or practice offshore sailing, the length of the boat is an essential criterion. For family sailing or easy launching, it may be wise to choose a “small” boat.

The monohull

The hull is the main component of a sailboat. A monohull has a hull, which is the most common type of sailboat. It can be a small, light boat or a luxury sailboat. The difference between monohulls is their size, shape, construction materials, keel type and rigging. The monohull is generally chosen for its maneuverability, whether for coastal cruising, around the world or life on board. The monohull offers a good sailing feeling and allows for better headwinds. It is easier to find a place for it at anchor, and the price will be cheaper.

The light boat allows you to learn the basics of sailing, and the day cruise is the ultimate recreational boating. It is small and easy to assemble, suitable for day sailing. Small cruisers under 8 meters are easy to maneuver and can be transported. With this type of sailboat you can sail anywhere. It is generally equipped with a centerboard or a lifting keel to access each bay and as close as possible to the beach. Some are very comfortable, from 6 meters long, you can sail for several weeks.

In terms of safety, it is useful to know that monohull sailboats are classified by categories (from A to D). Category A represents all monohulls specially designed to withstand winds reaching or exceeding force 8 on the Beaufort scale and waves of between 3 and 4 meters in height. Conversely, category D monohulls are designed for low intensity winds and small waves.

Multihulls: catamaran and trimaran

Opposite to monohulls, we find multihulls, notably catamarans and trimarans. A catamaran is a multihull with two floating hulls, while a trimaran has three hulls. They are less common in our waters, but most people who try them will eventually be tempted. One of the advantages of a catamaran is its living space, especially if its size exceeds 12 meters. Compared to the monohull, it offers more comfort and calmer navigation. But driving against the wind will be more difficult, and the same goes for mooring at some docks.

Unlike a simple monohull, the catamaran is a boat appreciated for its stability, with low immersion and it is an unsinkable sailboat. Its shallow draft allows it to navigate in areas inaccessible to monohulls and offers more anchoring possibilities. The steering sensations are more limited and it is a less sporty boat but with an engine, the catamaran is faster and more maneuverable.

With a trimaran, you choose safety and speed. However, its living space is more limited because it is concentrated on the central hull. But this does not prevent the trimaran from being suitable for coastal or offshore navigation. Its main advantage is speed. It is very stable and completely unsinkable. A nine-metre trimaran can comfortably accommodate a family of four.

For each type of navigation, its own sailboat

You have understood, we choose our sailboat according to the type of navigation envisaged. To move from port to port, from anchorage to anchorage, to sail along the coast, to sail all year round or live on board, the sailboat will not be the same.

Sailboat for cabotage

For cabotage, i.e. navigation near the coast, you must take into account the length of your boat. If you want to discover small bays or magnificent isolated coves while getting as close as possible to the coast, opt for a boat between five and eight meters long. This type of boat is most often similar to a dinghy or a boat equipped with mobile ballast. Indeed, this type of sailboat will allow you without any difficulty to “run aground” on a beach or to counteract the effects of the tide, thus ultimately navigating on very varied bodies of water. This type of boat also has the advantage of being easily transportable, ideal when traveling alone or as a couple. If you are hungry for sensations, this boat will be perfect for you, the sensations under sail being more intense, this one being smaller and therefore more responsive.

Coastal navigation or offshore navigation

If you wish to opt for coastal navigation, we advise you to opt for a longer boat than for cabotage, i.e. 10 meters or more. So you can enjoy, with friends or family, comfort at all levels. A boat of less than 10 meters is a very good compromise between comfort at sea and a budget that is not too high, its maintenance being very inexpensive.

If you wish to opt for offshore navigation, we advise you to opt for a 12 meter boat. Indeed, these large sailing ships are designed to be able to withstand the most capricious weather conditions while ensuring comfort and safety for you and your passengers on board.