The choice of boat is very personal and will depend on experience, financial means, where you go and how long you will be away. By far most of the time is spent at anchor. The quality of life that a big catamaran provides is simply unbeatable. One of the most important qualities for a boat is to be reliable. A boat with constant technical problems can spoil a trip completely. Particularly in areas where help is distant and the wait time for spare parts is long… However, the boat without any technical issues does not exist and when you need support it is key to have it. We knew this and it was the main reason we did not want to have a one off boat. Outremer was great when we needed technical support.
Sailing-wise a modern, well designed catamaran is actually fine. It is easy to have better average speeds than a monohull even though one sails more conservatively. The 5X is a light boat for its size with daggerboards so sailing-wise we did not want to go any faster. Cruising speeds above 10-12 knots become uncomfortable. Long distance cruising is more about anchoring than sailing. Being well equipped for anchoring is super important. You will never regret oversized and reliable gear. Do not hesitate to go a bit heavier to sleep well!
It is important not to forget the dinghy. On most days the boat is your house and the dinghy your car. If you do not have one you will miss it every day! We found that there are good technical solutions to everything with the exception of antifouling (nothing works really well in tropical waters) and lightning (there is no good protection). All in all we had a boat which was very comfortable, sailed well, was reliable and looked good (which is not easy for a catamaran!). What else can you ask for?
Christine & Johan
