Why catamarans turn differently

Everything you learned about turning a monohull needs a soft reset the first time you take a cruising catamaran through a tack or a gybe. A cat has no ballast to speak of, no keel to pivot around, and two hulls set far apart that each want to keep going in the direction they were already travelling. The result is a boat that feels initially reluctant, then surprisingly quick, then reluctant again. There is no heeling moment to help you round up or bear away, so the whole manoeuvre rests on boat speed, rudder authority and crew timing rather than the forgiving lean of a keelboat.

The good news is that catamarans tack and gybe beautifully once you understand the rhythm. There is far less drama, no scrambling across a steeply heeled deck, and a much wider window in which to trim. What you must build instead is discipline: steady helm, clear communication, and a habit of keeping the boat moving fast before you ask her to turn.

Boat speed is the fuel for every turn

You cannot tack a heavy cruising cat out of a stall. If you enter the turn at 4 knots in light air, the bows will push into the wind, the rudders will lose grip, and you will end up in irons with sails flogging while you drift sideways. The fix is almost always the same: bear away slightly, ease the sheets a touch, build two or three tenths of a knot of extra speed, and then commit.

• Aim for at least 5 to 6 knots of boat speed in moderate conditions before starting a tack.
• In light air, accept a wider turning angle and use your engines if you have them as a safety net.
• Keep both rudders fully immersed by trimming weight aft on a broad cat, or forward on a narrow one that squats.
• Do not begin the turn until the helmsman says "ready" and every crew member has answered.

Steady helm is not the same as slow helm. On a cat you need a firm, continuous rate of turn rather than a lazy drift, because momentum through the eye of the wind is what carries the bows across. Hesitation is the enemy.

Tacking: the slow, deliberate turn

Announce the tack early. A simple "ready about" followed by "tacking" gives the sheet handlers time to uncleat the jib and take up slack. As the helm goes over, the mainsail traveller should be centred first, then eased to leeward as the boom comes across. On most cruising cats the boom is high and wide, so there is little risk of a violent crash tack, but the load on the mainsheet is still substantial.

Hold the turn through the wind. If you feel the bows stall, bear away a few degrees to let the jib back and help the bow swing through. Once the jib has backed, release the old working sheet and haul in the new one hard. The mainsail should be re-trimmed as soon as the boat is settled on the new course.

Practise in 8 to 12 knots of breeze on flat water. That is enough wind for the sails to set properly and for the boat to tell you what she wants, without the chop that masks feedback. Do ten tacks in a row. Count them. Notice which ones feel slow and ask why.

Gybing: manage the mainsail, not the wheel

A cruising cat gybe is a controlled, sheeted manoeuvre, not a wild swing. The mainsail carries the most load and the most potential for damage, so it drives the sequence. Begin by squaring the main: centre the traveller and sheet the boom in amidships so it will cross with minimum travel. Ease the jib first and let it back briefly to pull the bow down, then helm across.

As the stern passes through the wind, the mainsheet must be eased in a controlled way so the boom comes across gently rather than slamming. On a boat over 12 metres, use a preventer or a controlled winch release and keep hands clear of the sheet. Once the boom is across, trim the main for the new point of sail, then fill the jib.

• Ease the jib before the main to help the bow bear away.
• Centre the mainsheet traveller before the boom crosses.
• Control the mainsheet by hand or winch — never let it run free.
• Watch for the apparent wind shift that tells you the turn is complete.

Heavy weather gybes need even more caution. In 20 knots or more, consider a "chicken gybe" — tacking through the wind instead — if the sea state is rough or the crew is tired. There is no prize for a textbook gybe that costs you a torn sail.

Coordinating helm and crew

On a catamaran the helm and the crew work as one unit. The helmsman should call the manoeuvre, hold a steady rate of turn, and never let go of the wheel to help with sheets. The crew should handle one job each: one on the jib, one on the main, one on lookout. Spoken commands must be short and consistent — "ready about", "tacking", "sheet in", "made".

Assign roles before you leave the berth, not in the middle of a gust. If you sail short-handed, use an autopilot to hold the course while you trim, or accept that you will tack less often and gybe even less. A well-drilled crew of two can handle a 40-foot cat comfortably in most conditions, but only if the sequence is automatic.

Building the habit before the weather builds

Spend your first few outings deliberately seeking light winds and flat water. Pick a stretch of coast with plenty of sea room, no traffic and a steady breeze, and repeat tack after tack until the whole sequence feels boring. Boring is the goal. When the wind pipes up and the sea gets lumpy, you want your hands and your crew's hands to know exactly what comes next without discussion.

Only then should you push into stronger conditions. A cruising catamaran rewards patience and punishes improvisation. Master the calm-weather turn, keep your helm steady, keep your crew talking, and the heavy-weather manoeuvre will feel like the same manoeuvre with more noise.