When it comes to a delightful sail in the fresh trade-winds of the Caribbean the biggest decision that you should have to make is whether you want a ride on a catamaran or a more conventional mono-hull sailboat. Both types of boat designs have their advantages and disadvantages.
Catamarans are becoming very popular in the Caribbean and for many good reasons. Probably the number one reason is that they have a tremendous amount of room. A forty foot "cat" can have four private cabins, plus a private bathroom for each cabin as well. On deck level inside the "cat" there is a central seating area normally consisting of comfortable settees (couches), chairs, a navigational area, plus a good size dining area and some will have the kitchen upstairs as well. The on-deck space on a catamaran seems enormous. The extreme beam(width) of a "cat" can offer many great places to sit, relax and watch the world sail on by. Large netting in the bow makes a great place to watch the ocean race away but beware as an occasional wave can find its way through the netting and get you soaking wet... but hey... the waters warm.
Mono-hull sailboats have been the accepted norm for what a sailboat should look like for centuries. Mono-hull simply means there is one hull not two as in a catamaran. The downside of a mono-hull is that they do not have the space that a "cat" has. But space is not the only consideration. A mono-hull feels more "alive" when you are sailing her. She heels (leans) with the wind, there is more action as the waves hit the boat, there is more a sense of driving a sports car as a mono-hull sails through the waves as compared to a "cat" which at times doesn't really feel like it is sailing at all. Another factor to consider is that a mono-hull will sail much better into the wind giving you more options in choosing your destination.
When considering which type of sailboat you want to go sailing on keep in mind that there is one other main difference between these two sailing designs. Most "cats" can carry a lot more passengers than a similarly sized mono-hull. What that can mean to you as a day-sailing passenger is that there could be fifty other guests to share all that space on a "cat", and that can make the boat seem very small, very quickly. Most mono-hulls do not carry nearly the same amount of passengers as a "cat" and some only carry six guests at a time. So, it's kind of a trade-off, yes a "cat" offers more space but often it has less privacy.
There are such big differences between these two sailboats designs but they do have a few things in common. First of all, and most important both boats will get you on the water and both can offer you a great day of sailing. Secondly, when the anchor is down in some quiet little bay and your swimming, or kicking back with a good book, or maybe an ice cold beverage with friends, the type of boat and how you got there is not as important as being there.
Go sailing, life is short!
If you would like to learn more about sailing in the Caribbean please contact me at: Caribbean Sailing