By Yacht Week
Posted on 29th June 2022
If you're excited to join The Yacht Week but have never sailed before, we're here to help you decide on your perfect floating home for the week. From catamarans to monohulls, Classic to Premium, check out our handy guide with all the different types of yachts to help you work out which one is best for you.
Firstly, let's talk terminology. To choose between a monohull and a catamaran you need to know what makes them different. Simply put, as the name suggests, a monohull has only one hull (the main body of a yacht), whereas a catamaran has two hulls.
The benefits of a catamaran having two hulls is that they will typically stay more level and offer a lot more space, while a monohull will always reach faster speeds when sailing. Here's what one of our amazing hosts, Cara Whiteman, has to say about the difference:
If you like to sail, make sure you book a monohull to get a real authentic experience with the yacht leaning over and cutting through the waves under sail! Don’t worry if you still like your space - you can always book the larger monohulls, such as the Jeanneau 54.
Alternatively, if you are looking to top up on the tan, a catamaran is the best bet, with lots of outside space for lounging and sipping on cocktails. The kitchen is much bigger and the yacht stays more stable at sea, so if you’re a foodie you’ll enjoy the spacious and more social dining experience that the extra room allows.
There's nothing better than a recommendation from someone really in the know. Another of our amazing skippers, Anton Ha, has some great tips for you to think about before you book:
If you're planning to join TYW at the peak of summer, especially between weeks 26-34, then make sure you book a yacht with air-conditioning!
Don't plan to let people sleep in the saloon (lounge area) as it makes the yacht look messy all week long, which is no fun. If you can afford to keep your crew size down, you will really enjoy the uncluttered space.
So now you know the differences, but what do they all have in common? Here's everything that comes standard with our yachts:
So now you know about all our different categories of yacht, but which ones do our skippers and hosts love? Surprisingly, they all have their own preferences for different reasons. Check out which yacht three of our amazing skippers and hosts recommend.
"In my opinion, the Lagoon 450 catamaran is the perfect TYW boat. Four spacious cabins for up to eight guests. Two crew cabins, so your skipper and host will be well-rested. A huge icebox, which is a great addition to the air conditioning and three fridges (two for food, one for drinks) on hot days, as it means cold drinks all day long. There's also a huge sunbed on top and a net upfront, which are the perfect spots to enjoy a sunny day on the water."
- Anton Ha
"The Hanse 575 is my favourite TYW yacht hands down! It is a luxury boat with coveted air conditioning. You have lots of room both up top for tanning and relaxing and down below so you don’t feel too cramped. The best part is that the Hanse can really send it sailing with good winds. Total best of all worlds scenario."
- Megan Whyte
"My favourite TYW yacht is the Bali 4.1 catamaran, mostly because of the vast living space it had both inside and out. The large dining area makes for sociable mealtimes without sacrificing sun lounging and dancing space out on deck!"
- Cara Louise Whiteman