I got to thinking.....

[jheldatksuedu]

Rent or befriend a cat owner and do some sailing in good and bad weather. It depends on where you want to use it, do you want a patio on the water, or do you want a boat in a storm.

[belizesailor]

Whether cat or mono, few boats have good ventilation in foul weather. This is especially problematic underway in ugly weather because of course you need to keep the water out too, but is also a problem when sitting at anchor waiting out snotty weather.

A good full cockpit enclosure certainly helps, but does not create airflow below decks. Hatches under bridge decks on cats are great for this, but I otherwise despise them because of the safety risks.

Chris White has a good option on some of his designs which is a port hole under bench seats in the cockpit. Ive also seen similar on some monos.

[a64pilot]

My IP has two hatches under the dodger and a portlight in the aft stateroom that opens into the cockpit.
The 356 and I think 380 Hunters have an opening in the aft stateroom that opens under the bench seat also I think.
Unless the Wx is really terrible, I leave our companionway open and that is enough ventilation. If it's so bad I have to have the hatch boards in, I don't think I want to be below.

[scottmills]

First of all avoid newer thin hulled boats. We captains have certain names for certain brands. For example : a 'Bentytoy' (you figure it out) should be avoided, especially if you plan on going offshore. I have a list of about a dozen you should avoid.
You want to have headroom, I can't stress this enough - you need to be able to stand in most parts of your boat.
If you buy a catamaran, you will be happy with the room, ... but as you enter any port, anchorage or whatever, you will be viewed as either a weekend sailor, a BBB (Bare Boat Bomber), or simply a floating condominium with sails.
Please go with a monohull and help sailing get back to the way it was 30-40 years ago when all you saw were beautiful, classic sailing yachts. I cannot call most catamarans yachts. A sentiment shared by most monohull owners.

[dkroar]

Another satisfied Nauticat (43) owner....beautiful salon with large windows, plenty of headroom everywhere, inside and outside steering, and we have a dodger/bimini which we call our "sunroom".

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by scottmills

First of all avoid newer thin hulled boats. We captains have certain names for certain brands. For example : a 'Bentytoy' (you figure it out) should be avoided, especially if you plan on going offshore. I have a list of about a dozen you should avoid.
You want to have headroom, I can't stress this enough - you need to be able to stand in most parts of your boat.
If you buy a catamaran, you will be happy with the room, ... but as you enter any port, anchorage or whatever, you will be viewed as either a weekend sailor, a BBB (Bare Boat Bomber), or simply a floating condominium with sails.
Please go with a monohull and help sailing get back to the way it was 30-40 years ago when all you saw were beautiful, classic sailing yachts. I cannot call most catamarans yachts. A sentiment shared by most monohull owners.

And what's all this got to do with ventilation? The actual subject of the thread.

[Harv1]

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[svfinlandia]

My Nauticat motorsailer is the perfect boat for me, and it sounds like maybe the kind of boat you are looking for also. Outside aft steering station for those nice days and a warm dry enclosed pilothouse with a helm for the days that would be uncomfortable outside even with a Bimini.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[Toys_with_time]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Whether cat or mono, few boats have good ventilation in foul weather. This is especially problematic underway in ugly weather because of course you need to keep the water out too, but is also a problem when sitting at anchor waiting out snotty weather.

A good full cockpit enclosure certainly helps, but does not create airflow below decks. Hatches under bridge decks on cats are great for this, but I otherwise despise them because of the safety risks.

Chris White has a good option on some of his designs which is a port hole under bench seats in the cockpit. Ive also seen similar on some monos.

Have found that my cat does ventilate better in bad weather as can still leave the saloon door open and the bimini deflects the water whereas on my various monos once the hatch was closed and the boards in it got pretty stuffy fast. Also ventilates from the anchor opening > anchor locker > bilges and back up into interior but have found that bilges end up full of salt crystals so going to put in a foul weather deflector this season.

Have a great video of my wife and son chatting and drinking coffee in the saloon while we are going to windward in 45 knots - you can see the waves breaking over the bow and hitting the saloon windows but they aren't having to cling on for dear life. Meanwhile can't say I was enjoying my time at the helm - hard to keep eyes open in those conditions.

Agree about opening the under bridge deck hatches - once was enough for me.

TwT