Multipower or Monohull?

10 Things to Know Before Deciding!

If you’re reading this, you are probably already convinced by multipowers, or perhaps still a little hesitant about choosing this type of boat. Here are ten of the most important questions to ask yourself when choosing between a single-hull or twin-hull motorboat (and sometimes even a triple-hull!)

Published 31/10/2025

By Dominique Salandre

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Issue: SP25

Published: dec. / jan. 2026

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1/ Space on Board

Multihull advantage 90%

This is, of course, one of the main advantages attributed to multihulls. Due to its design, a catamaran (or trimaran) offers a much larger deck area, and even if hulls are slightly narrower on a multihull, there are two (or three) of them, which ultimately provides much more living space compared to a monohull of the same size. A multihull also offers very open spaces that make life at sea very pleasant, as well as more cabins that are well separated for greater privacy. It is not uncommon on a 50 or 60-foot Multipower to have a main deck of 400 to 600 square feet (40 to 60 m²) with the addition of a large panoramic flybridge.

This view of the foredeck on a Lagoon Sixty 7 demonstrates the superiority of a multipower over a monohull motorboat in terms of usable space.

2/ At the Marina

Monohull advantage 85%

Slips are designed according to the length of a boat, but also according to its width. In fact, slips were originally designed for monohulls and not for multihulls, which are inherently wider. Things are changing, and we are seeing more and more marinas designed to accommodate multihulls. However, space remains an issue, and although in most cases multihull users no longer have to pay double for a slip, the price is still higher. Monohulls therefore have the advantage in this area. It should be noted that some small powercats designed for fishing remain relatively narrow and can use monohull slips.

Marinas are making more of an effort to accommodate multipowers in good conditions - and that’s a good thing!

3/ Stability at Sea

Multihull advantage 95%

The fact that multihulls are built on two or three hulls gives them an undeniable advantage. When underway, multipowers are hardly affected by rolling, whereas monohulls often have to use stabilizers to try to counteract these unpleasant pendulum-like movements. At anchor, this advantage in terms of stability is even more obvious: monohulls roll while multipowers remain virtually motionless, allowing you to enjoy the upper areas such as the flybridge in comfortable conditions.

Thanks to its two hulls set wide apart, a multipower is virtually unaffected by rolling.

4/ Draft and Beaching

Multihull advantage 65%

When it comes to sailboats, multihulls have the advantage, especially if they are equipped with centerboards. But when it comes to motorboats, it’s difficult to decide: monohulls inevitably have a certain hull depth, saildrive legs perhaps, and a rudder - all of which can be raised if it’s an outboard motor version - while multipowers are equipped with small keels under the hulls. Ultimately, the draft of multipowers is slightly lower, but catamarans offer the advantage of being able to take the ground flat without beaching legs, which is very useful for maintenance (changing anodes at low tide, for example). In this situation, a motorboat will obviously list significantly – unless it has legs.