Contradiction in Terms

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Horsepen
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 10:39 am

Contradiction in Terms

#1 Post by Horsepen » Sun Sep 06, 2020 4:33 pm

I’m not trying to get into an argument with anyone, but there is something I can’t get my head around
So, I read on other boating boards how much better a catamaran boat rides VS a monohull. Good. I have no experience with cats, but that is the general consensus.
Now, on this board I read where tri-toons ride better than twin tube pontoons.
My conundrum is as follows. A tri-toon is like a monohull boat whereas a twin tube pontoon is like a catamaran hull. So, why, with a conventional FRP boat does the cat ride better than the mono, but with ‘toons, a tri rides better than a twin?

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Marc K
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Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Contradiction in Terms

#2 Post by Marc K » Sun Sep 06, 2020 5:55 pm

My experience is with deep V hulls offshore in Central California, so my perspective may differ from some people. I would never invest in a tri-hull or deck boat type design strictly based on my own experience. Now I live on a small lake so my old pontoon boat works great for me! It all depends upon what you need and can afford! My brother runs a 42' cat as part of his charter fleet in Mexico. He also runs a 33' Grady White for the days when it is standing up outside when the deep v excels. It always depends upon the conditions that you want to run in!

We can all talk theory all day but a Tritoon is not like a monohull and a two-tube pontoon is not like a cat. Get out there and take a ride them all if you are trying to decide! That is the ultimate test to develop an answer for you.
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

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ZeroG
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Re: Contradiction in Terms

#3 Post by ZeroG » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:05 am

Marc K wrote:
Sun Sep 06, 2020 5:55 pm


We can all talk theory all day but a Tritoon is not like a monohull and a two-tube pontoon is not like a cat. Get out there and take a ride them all if you are trying to decide! That is the ultimate test to develop an answer for you.
Exactly. Well said. :nana

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steve1313
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Re: Contradiction in Terms

#4 Post by steve1313 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:18 am

The hulls on cats and v Hull boats are designed as planing hulls. They are designed to lift the front half (or more) of the hull out of the water, and even bring the back half of the boat somewhat out of the water so the amount of hull actually in the water is reduced. This reduces drag and surface tension, allowing more speed.

Pontoons are displacement hulls. They are not designed to lift the boat out of the water. Yes, with today's more powerful engines and (typically) tritoons, many manufactures have added lifting strakes to have these displacement logs behave a bit more like planing hulls, but they aren't really planing. What happens is that the front part of the toons does lift out of the water, which does decrease drag and surface tension, but the back half of the toons still is just as deep or deeper in the water than it would be at rest.
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

riplipper
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:00 am
Location: St Augustine, Florida

Re: Contradiction in Terms

#5 Post by riplipper » Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:14 am

Having owned both a cat and multiple mono hulls I would NEVER go back to a mono.
Took mine cat to the Bahamas many times and a few times came back in snot that I never would attempt in a mono.
And my boat almost always was the boat of choice to go diving on those rougher days sometimes running 45 miles out in the Atlantic.

As far as a tri or a pontoon, they both pretty much act like a cat letting water flow between softening the ride rather than pounding.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

MattGent
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:27 am
Location: South FLA

Re: Contradiction in Terms

#6 Post by MattGent » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:21 pm

Need to define “rides better”. The comparison is too broad across very different hull types and conditions.

I have tunnel hulls, v bottoms, and a pontoon. Each “rides best” in some certain water condition or usage.

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