Multipower or Monohull?

10 Things to Know Before Deciding!

If you’re reading this, you are probably already convinced by multipowers, or perhaps still a little hesitant about choosing this type of boat. Here are ten of the most important questions to ask yourself when choosing between a single-hull or twin-hull motorboat (and sometimes even a triple-hull!)

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Publié le 30/10/2025

Par Dominique Salandre

Numéro : SP25

Parution : Dec. / Jan. 2025

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1/ Space on Board

Multihull advantage 90%

This is, of course, one of the main advantages attributed to multihulls. Due to its design, a catamaran (or trimaran) offers a much larger deck area, and even if hulls are slightly narrower on a multihull, there are two (or three) of them, which ultimately provides much more living space compared to a monohull of the same size. A multihull also offers very open spaces that make life at sea very pleasant, as well as more cabins that are well separated for greater privacy. It is not uncommon on a 50 or 60-foot Multipower to have a main deck of 400 to 600 square feet (40 to 60 m²) with the addition of a large panoramic flybridge.

This view of the foredeck on a Lagoon Sixty 7 demonstrates the superiority of a multipower over a monohull motorboat in terms of usable space.

2/ At the Marina

Monohull advantage 85%

Slips are designed according to the length of a boat, but also according to its width. In fact, slips were originally designed for monohulls and not for multihulls, which are inherently wider. Things are changing, and we are seeing more and more marinas designed to accommodate multihulls. However, space remains an issue, and although in most cases multihull users no longer have to pay double for a slip, the price is still higher. Monohulls therefore have the advantage in this area. It should be noted that some small powercats designed for fishing remain relatively narrow and can use monohull slips.

Marinas are making more of an effort to accommodate multipowers in good conditions - and that’s a good thing!

3/ Stability at Sea

Multihull advantage 95%

The fact that multihulls are built on two or three hulls gives them an undeniable advantage. When underway, multipowers are hardly affected by rolling, whereas monohulls often have to use stabilizers to try to counteract these unpleasant pendulum-like movements. At anchor, this advantage in terms of stability is even more obvious: monohulls roll while multipowers remain virtually motionless, allowing you to enjoy the upper areas such as the flybridge in comfortable conditions.

Thanks to its two hulls set wide apart, a multipower is virtually unaffected by rolling.

4/ Draft and Beaching

Multihull advantage 65%

When it comes to sailboats, multihulls have the advantage, especially if they are equipped with centerboards. But when it comes to motorboats, it’s difficult to decide: monohulls inevitably have a certain hull depth, saildrive legs perhaps, and a rudder - all of which can be raised if it’s an outboard motor version - while multipowers are equipped with small keels under the hulls. Ultimately, the draft of multipowers is slightly lower, but catamarans offer the advantage of being able to take the ground flat without beaching legs, which is very useful for maintenance (changing anodes at low tide, for example). In this situation, a motorboat will obviously list significantly – unless it has legs.

Most powercats will dry out flat without the need for beaching legs.

5/ Performance and Power

Multihull advantage 100%

By reducing the wetted surface area, drag is significantly reduced. This is another advantage of multihulls, especially if you have narrow hulls at the waterline. Based on this observation, it is easy to see that a multihull that displaces less water performs better, whether under power or under sail. This architectural feature ensures that, for the same displacement and power, multihulls can achieve higher speeds than monos. It also means that less powerful engines can be used, which are cheaper to buy and maintain, and consume less fuel. In general, the power required is 20% to 30% less than that of a monohull to achieve the same performance.

6/ Maneuverability

Multihull advantage 55%

When it comes to maneuverability, size matters, and in this area, a monohull will naturally have an advantage. On the other hand, catamarans have the advantage of two engines that are far apart, which greatly facilitates maneuvering. A monohull powerboat with only one engine will obviously be at a disadvantage... and even two engines, if they are close together, will not provide the maneuverability of two engines that are far apart. In both cases, if you add bow thrusters, cameras to cover blind spots, and now smart docking solutions, everything becomes easier... However, the size of a powercat over 50 feet can intimidate some boaters and make it difficult to maneuver in tight spaces and the wind resistance of some multipowers can sometimes be significant.

This trimaran - a Leen 56 - can squeeze through anywhere thanks to the electric motors installed in the hulls.

7/ Compatibility With More Environmentally Friendly Propulsion Systems

Multihull advantage 100%

To date, nearly 20% of the multipowers featured in this Buyer’s Guide can claim to be environmentally friendly... and this is no coincidence, as the deck and coachroof area of a power catamaran is much larger than that of a monohull, allowing for the installation of a large area of solar panels. In addition, the lower drag of thin hulls is ideal for the installation of hybrid powertrains: modestly powered electric motors are capable of propelling multihulls at up to 8 knots without draining the battery bank in less than 30 minutes.

Thanks to their low drag and XXL deck area, multihulls are better able to take advantage of a modern electric powertrain than a monohull.

8/ Purchase Cost

Monohull advantage 60%

It is commonly believed that multihulls are much more expensive than monohulls. Until fairly recently, this was true, but prices are gradually changing. First of all, it is important to understand that when you buy a 46-foot powercat, you get the equivalent in terms of living space to a 60-foot monohull; a 65-foot multihull corresponds to an 80-foot monohull... This is so true that Fountaine Pajot’s MY6, which measures “only” 14 m (46 feet), has a 60-foot rating; the same goes for the Prestige M8, which measures 19.67 m (64 feet). To make a fair comparison, this criterion must therefore be taken into account. But that’s not all, now that powercats have established themselves on the market, prices are tending to converge with those of monohulls for the same tonnage. As far as maintenance is concerned, apart from the engines (typically two instead of one), costs are fairly similar.

It’s true that multipowers are more expensive than monohull motorboats of the same size, but the volume they offer is incomparable!

9/ Safety

Multihull advantage 100%

Two or three hulls are better than one when faced with a leak! And when it comes to the engines, the same applies: if one of the two engines fails, there is no immediate danger and no need to call for help – only maneuvering in port will be more difficult. As for the keels, they provide very effective protection against unidentified floating objects, limiting the risk of propeller entanglement or rudder damage.

Two hulls + two engines = double the safety!

10/ Design

Equal

Here at Multihulls World, we find multipowers much more modern and attractive than monohull motorboats, but are we really objective? We’ll let you decide!

While tastes and colors are subjective, it’s hard not to admire the highly futuristic design of these multihulls.

Tags : Multipower