Contents
The short decision
Choose a catamaran when the week is mostly swimming, anchoring, shared meals and separate cabin time. Choose a monohull when the group wants a more active sailing experience, tighter handling and a narrower boat for marina manoeuvres.
Neither choice is automatically safer or more luxurious. The useful question is whether the boat supports your route and the way your guests spend a day: moving under sail, resting in shade, stepping ashore or staying at anchor.
For a first comparison, write the group’s top three priorities, the true number of guests and the longest planned passage. Then check those against a boat’s layout and technical sheet instead of its marketing headline.
Space, shade and cabin privacy
A catamaran spreads the living area across a wide cockpit and two hulls. That helps several couples share a week without sharing every quiet moment, and it gives the cook, swimmers and readers different places to be. The trade-off is more beam and a different feel in a crowded marina.
A monohull keeps the social space compact and usually gives a stronger sense of heel and sail trim. It can suit a smaller group that wants everyone close and expects to sail rather than spend every afternoon at anchor.
Inspect the actual number of double cabins, heads, convertible berths, fridge volume, water capacity, cockpit shade and storage lockers. Ask for a cabin plan, not only the maximum berth count.
Match the hull to Sardinia’s route
The northeast works for both types: Portisco opens toward the Costa Smeralda, while La Maddalena offers many islands and coves in a compact cruising area. SardegnaTurismo describes the archipelago as more than 60 islands and islets inside a protected national park, so your skipper may prioritise a sheltered bay over a fast island-to-island schedule.
A catamaran’s shallow draft can make swimming stops and calm-water exploration comfortable, but do not assume every bay permits anchoring or that a wide boat can enter every marina berth. A monohull’s narrower beam can simplify some marina moves, while its deeper draft may limit a close-in approach.
Give the skipper a route brief with preferred anchorages, shore towns, sailing hours and a wind fallback. The hull choice should support that brief, not force the group to sail a different holiday.
Handling, anchoring and daily rhythm
A catamaran often feels stable at anchor and offers a level cockpit, but its windage and width affect close-quarters manoeuvres. A monohull responds differently to wind and sail trim and may feel more intuitive to an experienced sailor, while the heeling angle changes how guests move and dine.
Ask who will helm, how the tender is stored, where the anchor controls are and what the handover covers. On a skippered charter, the skipper owns navigation and safety, but guests should still know how to move around the deck and when to stay clear of lines.
Keep a daily rhythm that fits the boat: sail in the cooler part of the day, swim when the bay is settled, and return to a marina early when a berth is reserved. A boat is a platform for the route, not the route itself.
Compare the real cost
Start with the all-in figure, not the base weekly rate. Add skipper, fuel, final cleaning, transit log or mandatory packs, insurance or deposit terms, provisioning, transfers and marina or mooring charges.
A catamaran may cost more to charter and can be charged differently for transit or berthing because of its beam. Ask each base for the tariff category, electricity and water policy, and whether a multihull needs a specific berth. IGY Portisco publishes arrival instructions, VHF channel 69 and provisioning services, but the charter company’s contract still controls your boat.
A monohull can look cheaper and still lose the advantage if the group needs extra cabins, a second head, more shade or a larger tender. Compare cost per comfortable guest and per planned day, not only cost per hull.
Who should choose which boat?
Choose a catamaran for families or friend groups who value separate cabins, a stable social deck, shaded meals and frequent swimming stops. It is also useful when some guests are new to sailing and want a calmer platform.
Choose a monohull for a smaller, sailing-led group that enjoys trim, helm time and a compact cockpit. It is a good fit when the route includes more hours underway and less emphasis on spreading out at anchor.
If the priorities are split, book a neutral comparison call with the charter company. Ask them to describe the exact boat, its sister ships, berth dimensions and what happens if the assigned model changes.
Sardinia boat-choice checklist
- Write the group’s top three priorities and the longest planned passage.
- Compare real cabin, head, berth, shade, fridge, water and storage capacity.
- Check draft, beam, tender, engine access, anchor controls and marina berth limits.
- Ask how Portisco, La Maddalena and protected areas affect the chosen hull.
- Price skipper, fuel, cleaning, insurance, provisioning, transfers and marina costs together.
- Confirm the exact model, handover scope, replacement-boat policy and cancellation terms.
- Keep a second boat type as a fallback if the preferred model is unavailable.
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