I have been 1st Mate to my husband for over 30 years, cruising the Carribean - USVI, BVI (LOVE Anegada), St. Martin & St. Vincent & the Grenadines last year. We don't have our own sailboat, preferring to bareboat for now. We have friends who have a small monohull & we live close to the Cheaspeake Bay, so we join them when we can. Most of our sailing has been monohull until about 10 years ago when we took out our first catamaran. Maybe we're getting older or just prefer the living space when we have a group of friends & family, but we loved it. Just introduced our 2 older grandchildren (ages 9 & 7) to cruising last July on a trip of a lifetime. Can't put a price tag on those experiences & memories for us, our kids or the grandkids. Seeing it through their eyes was priceless… including a treasure map & found treasure! If it has a sail on it, we're in! We have 4 grandchildren - 2 boys & 2 girls - and are hoping to take the 2 older grandkids on their frist cruise in the summer of 2012. That should be a shole new adventure!!