Getting Started

You see a Catamaran cutting through the water at speed and you immediately say "That's for me". But how do you get started ? Can you afford one ? Where can you see one close up ? Where would you keep it / sail it ? What type would suit you ?.

Here are some answers.

The classes mentioned here are those with good numbers and are raced in Clubs all over the country.
When buying a catamaran, remember that the more established the class is, the better chance of your purchase holding its second-hand value when you decide to sell.
Going in order from the smallest to the largest, the following classes raced on the 2004 Irish Catamaran Circuit: Dart 16, Dart 18, Spitfire, Formula 18 (Hobie Tiger and Dart Hawk), Hurricane 5.9.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Cost
For a "Beach Catamaran" (Usually 14ft (4.3m) to 20ft (6m) in length.), you can pay from €2,500.00 for a second-hand Dart 18, to almost €20,000.00, for a new Formula 18, complete with road trailer, launching trolley, covers, etc. You could at least double that for an Olympic Class Tornado.
You will find new and second-hand catamarans listed on this site.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Suitability
If you have not done much sailing, you can find suitable second-hand cats like the Dart 16 and Dart 18 available between €2500.00 and €5,000.00.
If you have a lot of dinghy experience, you could start with a cat like the Hurricane 5.9, one of the Formula 18s, or a Spitfire.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Location & Class
One of the first decisions to make is, where you are going to sail. If you live near one of the Clubs which host a catamaran fleet (see Clubs & Classes on this site), then you can decide on which cat class would suit you best. It will depend on your ability and if there is a good fleet of that class in your local Club, or at least, in Ireland.

If you are not going to sail from a Club where there is rescue cover, you do not want one of the more powerful, or unstable, (there are some) cats which might be difficult to right, having capsized in the open sea somewhere off the coast.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Resale Value
Buy a cat which already has good numbers and, possibly, a racing fleet. These will always hold their value and, if need be, resell, either in your own club, or among the Irish cat sailors. The cat market is a small market and it is not always easy to sell on, if the class is not an established one.
Check the list of Clubs where cats are sailed on this site under Clubs & Classes.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Crewing
A good Crew on a catamaran is very important. Many sailors are very happy to crew and it makes it very affordable if a Helm and Crew buy a cat together and share the costs of maintenance, travelling to events etc.
If you are not ready to purchase your own catamaran just yet, you can often find that a cat owner in your local club is looking for a reliable crew.
This way, you get experience sailing cats and may later decide to purchase.
Talk to as many existing cat sailors as possible.

Irish Multihull Association
The IMA ( www.catamaran.ie/ima ) is the governing body of catamaran sailing in Ireland and is affiliated to the Irish Sailing Association ( ISA www.sailing.ie ). Speak to your IMA rep - www.catamaran.ie/ima/Contact.htm