My comment to Jon was about lack of windward ability not being solely a catamaran thing. If one is to believe that close windward ability is required for offshore passages, then many of the cherished "blue water" monohulls would not fit that requirement.

To bring up racing results and ARC downwind passage times is a different thing altogether, and is a deflection of my point.

One interesting aspect of the Alpha 42 situation was Doane's description of sitting inside the cabin while the winds and seas had at them.

Mark