The Best Sailing Destinations by Month: Your 12-Week Sunsail Yacht Ownership Guide
Monohull Yacht Ownership: Why Some Sunsail Owners Wouldn't Sail Any Other Way
Monohull or catamaran? It is the question that defines you as a sailor faster than your sea miles, your favorite anchorage, or whether you prefer Painkillers or Dark and Stormies.
Ask any monohull owner why they chose a single hull over a catamaran, and you will rarely get a list of specs or flashy gadgets. What you will get instead is a smile, a half shrug, and something like: “You’ll understand the first time you sail one.”
We hear it all the time at Sunsail. Sailing a monohull either does something to you the first time you experience it, or it doesn’t. And for the Sunsail owners who felt it? They have been chasing that feeling ever since. In a charter world that has gone cat-crazy, they are still choosing monohulls, still trimming sails, still arriving at anchorages with salt on their faces and that quiet, satisfied look that only comes from a day of real sailing.
And most of them say exactly the same thing. They wouldn’t sail any other way.
Here is a look at why the monohull still has such a passionate following at Sunsail, what makes our new Dufour range the most rewarding way to own one, and how to know if a single hull is the right yacht for you.
The Monohull Has Never Gone Out of Style
At Sunsail, the monohull has always been central to who we are. Since 1974, single-hulled sailing yachts have been at the heart of our fleet and built around the simple idea that a yacht should actually feel like one to sail.
They are the boats that built our reputation across more than 50 years and 20+ global bases, and the boats that taught generations of Sunsail owners what real sailing actually feels like. And our brand-new exclusive partnership with Dufour Yachts is the next chapter in that story. The monohull is not a footnote in our history. It is our history. And it is very much our future too.
And there is a reason they have never gone out of style. There is just something about a monohull that a catamaran cannot replicate. The feel. When a monohull heels into a fresh breeze, that lean, that pressure, the constant back-and-forth between hull and sea, you just know you are sailing. The boat is talking to you through the wheel, through the deck under your feet, and through the tautness of the sheets. The whole thing is visceral and direct in a way that no amount of beam or stability can fake. You are not riding the ocean. You are working with it, responding to it, having a real conversation with it.
This is why sailing has always been learned on monohulls. Too much sail in a building breeze and the boat tells you immediately. It heels, it protests, it lets you know loud and clear. The feedback is honest, immediate, and built into every single moment. And for the sailors shaped by that feedback, the ones who came up through keelboats and coastal passages and the quiet discipline of real seamanship, that connection is not a preference. It is the whole point of being out there.
It goes beyond feel, too. Ask any experienced sailor what one thing a monohull does better than a cat, and you will get the same answer before you have even finished the question: upwind performance. Monohulls point higher into the wind, make less leeway, and cut cleanly through chop instead of slamming across it. And on longer passages, the kind Sunsail owners love tackling across our global network, a monohull’s deep keel keeps the boat settled and purposeful in a seaway. You arrive at your anchorage feeling fresh and ready for sundowners, not worn out by the journey to get there.
Then there is the practical argument that does not get nearly enough credit. In a lot of the world’s most beautiful sailing destinations, monohulls simply fit better. Mediterranean marinas were largely not designed with catamarans in mind.
The tight stern-to berths of the Dalmatian Coast, the intimate quaysides of the Ionian, the ancient harbor walls of the Amalfi Coast. These are places where a monohull’s narrower beam is a real advantage. You can slide into a spot that a wide-beamed cat just cannot reach. Dock stern-to in Hvar’s old town, steps from a glass of local plavac, without calling ahead or wondering whether you will fit. In destinations where marina infrastructure is more limited, that agility is not just convenient. It is the difference between being part of the place and watching it from a distance.
The Sunsail Dufour Range: The Monohull, Reimagined
There is a stubborn myth out there that choosing a monohull through the Sunsail Yacht Ownership Program means giving up some level of comfort in exchange for that pure sailing feeling. The new Sunsail Dufour range puts that one firmly to bed.
Built to an exclusive Sunsail specification, the new Sunsail & Moorings Dufour monohulls are the result of our technical team rolling up their sleeves alongside Dufour’s engineers and asking a simple question: what does the modern monohull owner actually want? The answer turned out to be rather a lot. So every Sunsail Dufour, straight off the line, comes loaded with:
- A Yanmar engine, part of our exclusive Sunsail specification.
- Reinforced rigging and stainless steel cleats built for the demands of charter use
- Bow thrusters for confident maneuvering in tight marina situations
- Solar panels, generator, air conditioning, and watermaker as standard, not as optional extras you tick boxes to add
But the headline act on the new Sunsail monohull fleet is the custom-designed permanent hardtop bimini. It is not a cosmetic tweak. It is a proper structural rethink of how you actually live on a sailing yacht. Solid, durable shelter without the flapping and weathering of traditional canvas. Integrated high-efficiency solar panels overhead. Sleek lines that double as secure handholds for moving around the cockpit. And the simple fact that you no longer have to listen to canvas snapping in 20 knots. Once you have sailed without that soundtrack, you really cannot go back.
The new Sunsail Dufour range comes in three models, each built around a different kind of owner and a different kind of sailing life. Whether you are a couple looking for a nimble weekender, a host who loves having friends and family aboard, or an owner who measures success in ocean miles, there is a Dufour with your name on it.
The Sunsail 41.3: The Agile Adventurer
Perfect for: Couples, young families, and short-handed sailors who want a yacht that rewards skill without demanding a full crew.
The Sunsail 41.3 is a masterclass in what modern naval architecture can do with 41 feet. The hull carries its beam forward to create an interior that feels noticeably bigger than the number on the transom, and the design has racked up enough industry awards to confirm what owners already know: this boat genuinely punches above its class.
For the owner who wants to slip away for a long weekend with just a partner or a small crew, this is the one. Its balanced hull, self-tacking jib, and manageable sail plan make it a real pleasure at the helm. Responsive, communicative, and confidence-inspiring from the moment you cast off. And then, when you drop the hook, the signature Dufour outdoor galley, complete with plancha grill and sink right at the transom, turns sunset dinners into a natural part of the sailing day rather than a logistical production.
The Sunsail 44.3: The Master of Social Luxury
Perfect for: Active families, social groups, and owners who love to host as much as they love to sail.
Styled by renowned Italian designer Luca Ardizio, the Sunsail 44.3 is a three-cabin, three-head monohull that brings contemporary European design and properly thought-out functionality together in one beautifully balanced package. The flow between cockpit and saloon is seamless, with light pouring through generous windows to create an interior that never feels confined. The airy forward owner’s suite is a genuine sanctuary at the end of a long sailing day. And the now-famous hexagonal saloon table makes a stunning centerpiece for entertaining up to 10 guests, a detail that consistently gets comments from anyone who steps aboard for the first time.
This is a monohull that refuses to ask you to choose between sailing well and living well. It simply does both.
The Sunsail 44.4: The Ultimate Global Flagship
Perfect for: Larger groups, multi-generational families, and owners who want to maximize charter potential and blue-water capability in a single yacht.
As the flagship of the Sunsail monohull range, the Sunsail 44.4 is engineered for owners who think in ocean miles. Its unique four-cabin, four-head layout, exclusive to the Sunsail fleet, gives every guest real privacy without losing the feel of a connected, social boat. The extra space between helm and winches makes it surprisingly easy to handle for its size, while the expansive cockpit and dual-access bathing platform mean there is always somewhere comfortable to be, whether you are sailing or just watching the world go by.
For the owner who wants the most out of every minute on the water, and the strongest charter performance from their yacht while they are not, this is the definitive answer.
Who Is The Sunsail Monohull Really For?
After more than 50 years of matching owners with the right yacht, we have started to notice a few patterns.
The Sunsail monohull tends to be the perfect fit for:
- Couples and short-handed sailors who want responsive handling, a self-tacking jib, and a yacht they can happily sail just the two of them. The Sunsail 37.3 and 41.3 are particularly beloved here.
- Sailors who came up on monohulls and want that familiar feel they have always known, just on a brand-new platform with all the modern creature comforts you could ask for.
- Mediterranean-focused owners planning to spend most of their 12 weeks in Greece, Croatia, Italy, or Turkey, where harbor logistics genuinely favor the monohull.
- Performance-minded sailors who simply love the act of sailing and want a yacht that rewards good trim, sharp instincts, and a bit of attention at the helm.
- First-time owners keeping an eye on the budget who want to step into the Sunsail Yacht Ownership Program at a comfortable entry point and still bring in a healthy, guaranteed monthly income.
If, on the other hand, you are planning massive multi-family charters with kids running wild at every anchorage, or the thought of your wine glass tilting 15 degrees genuinely keeps you up at night, our award winning catamaran fleet might be the better fit. There is no wrong answer here. Only the right answer for how you want to live on the water.
The Ownership Program: Your Yacht, the World’s Oceans, Zero Headaches
Choosing a Sunsail Dufour monohull is not just a sailing decision. It comes with a complete, professionally managed ownership structure designed to make the experience as rewarding financially as it is personally. In other words, all the joy of yacht ownership, none of the bits that usually keep yacht owners up at night.
When you join the Sunsail Yacht Ownership Program, we take full responsibility for every operating cost. Marina berthing, comprehensive insurance, routine engine and sail inspections, hull and rigging checks, electrical and navigation maintenance, interior preparation, and full compliance with every safety and regulatory standard you can think of. Meanwhile, your yacht is busy earning guaranteed monthly income in the charter fleet, paid to you every month regardless of seasonal fluctuations or charter demand.
And then there is the sailing. You enjoy up to 12 weeks of sailing time a year, either on your own yacht or on a sistership across our 20+ global bases. From the BVI to Croatia, Greece to Thailand, French Polynesia to the Seychelles, your owner-use weeks unlock the world’s best cruising grounds without any of the usual logistics. And if anything ever goes sideways out there, Sunsail’s 4-Hour Commitment call-out service has you covered. Any critical equipment issue gets a technician on the way within four working hours of being reported, so you spend less time waiting on a fix and more time doing what you came here to do.
And at the end of your ownership term, typically five years, the next move is entirely yours:
- Keep your yacht and step into private ownership with a fully serviced, professionally maintained vessel ready for your next chapter.
- Trade up to a new model and start a fresh program. Nearly 50% of Sunsail owners choose this path, and we make the switch as seamless as possible.
- Sell through Sunsail’s in-house brokerage, with expert guidance and global marketing support behind you.
The path forward is always clear, always flexible, and always in your hands.
Is a Sunsail Dufour Monohull Right for You?
If you care about the sailing as much as the arriving. If the lean, the trim, and the feel of a proper sailing yacht is what you have always loved. If you want to slip stern-to into Hvar, Hydra, or Positano and walk straight into the heart of somewhere beautiful.
Then you already know your answer. For the right kind of sailor, the monohull is not a compromise. It is the only choice. It is the boat that makes every passage feel like the reason you got into sailing in the first place.
Speak to a Sunsail Ownership Specialist today and find out which base has a monohull with your name on it. Because why just sail, when you can Sunsail.
Hanrie Bosch
Guest blogger, Hanire Bosch, is a professional yacht chef. Based in the Caribbean and Bahamas, since 2013, she has worked on boats ranging from 48 ft Leopards to 160 ft superyachts.
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