catamaran with living quarters

25 Best Boats with Living Quarters: Catamaran, Yachts, Sailboats

Categories Boating

When you blend the excitement of boating with the comfort of home, boats with cozy living spaces bring your maritime dreams to life. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway on calm waters or thinking about living on a boat, these special vessels are the perfect solution for what you’re after. In the next sections, we’ll take you on an exciting journey to discover the best boats with comfy living areas. With this thorough guide, our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make smart choices and ensure that your time on the water is truly amazing.

Different Types of Boats with Living Quarters

Catamarans, yachts, and sailboats make for popular living quarter choices among boat dwellers.

CATAMARANS:  Renowned for their wide beam and two-hull construction, catamarans are versatile, serving multiple purposes. They’re ideal for fishing, cruising, or operating as a yacht tender. Built for stability and speed, catamarans outpace their monohull rivals. Their midship living quarters offer open spaces and panoramic views.

YACHTS:  With their larger-than-average size, yachts are synonymous with luxury and are often the preferential choice for boat living. Main deck or below deck living quarters are built for comfort, offering ample space and stability for cruising and fishing excursions. Though bulkier and fuel-hungry, yachts generally outstrip sailboats in speed.

SAILBOATS:  Pioneers of maritime living quarters, sailboats are a common sight across marinas worldwide. Their major selling point lies in their fuel efficiency, providing the perfect balance between adventure and sustainability, even if slightly slower than the rest.

1. Bayliner 3488

The Bayliner 3488 proves itself as a standout in offering both leisure and homely comforts in one package. As a hybrid between a potent fishing vessel and a waterborne RV, it seamlessly blends function and comfort. The boat’s full kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping quarters are designed to accommodate up to six people, ensuring a hospitable environment at all times.

Measuring 29 feet in length and sporting a 10-foot broad beam, this vessel strikes a delicate balance between space and mobility. Operated by a powerful 250-horsepower Mercury engine, it can reach nifty speeds up to 34 mph, extending its capacity beyond calm marina waters. Yet, it remains small enough to explore hidden waterways inaccessible to more substantial watercraft.

Price: Used models are listed around $68,500 and $27,500.

2. 49′ Pilothouse

If you’re an angler at heart and yearn to merge your casual fishing getaways with an uninterrupted lifestyle, then the 49′ Pilothouse is your dream come true. It’s much more than a weekend escape vessel; the 49′ Pilothouse offers the perfect platform for live-aboard beginners who often find themselves constantly fishing off their boat.

Defying standard conventions, the 48′ Pilothouse stands out as more than your traditional fishing boat. It can sleep up to six individuals while housing an enclosed head with an exclusive shower stall. This unique configuration makes it a one-of-a-kind maritime dwelling choice that promises enjoyment and high sea relaxation for years to come.

Price: The DeFever 49 Pilothouse has used models listed for around $189,900 and $165,000.

3. Beneteau Swift Trawler 41

Tailored to elevate offshore fishing experiences, the modern, performance-oriented Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 is an angler’s paradise. It incorporates various innovations to serve the angling community best, featuring a large aft deck for unencumbered fishing, not to mention copious storage for rods, tackle, and other equipment.

But this boat does not cut corners on comfort for functionality: it is equipped with a plush, large cabin featuring a queen-sized bed, private bathroom, and shower. On top of that, an electric stove allows for meal preparation on the go, making this vessel a well-rounded option for liveaboards hoping to spend most of their time hunting the next big catch.

Price: The starting MSRP for a new model is approximately $782,100, excluding taxes.

4. Azimut Magellano 43

For those yearning for luxury on the water, the Azimut Magellano 43 is an embodiment of opulence. It readily accommodates up to 14 guests across large sundecks cradled by a crew of six. The feature list is exhaustive, boasting air conditioning, a state-of-the-art entertainment system with Wi-Fi access, a fully loaded galley, and even a gym, spa, and sauna for ultimate relaxation.

In terms of performance, this cruiser comfortably sails at 12 knots under calm conditions while capable of pushing 17 knots within rough seas. Its range extends to 2,600 nautical miles, suitable for lengthy voyages. The seven decadent cabins, each equipped with an en-suite bathroom, ensure privacy and ease for sizable groups exploring the seascape in style.

Price: Used models can vary, with some listings showing prices around $726,611 and $510,734.

5. Regal 33 Express Cruiser

As the epitome where comfort meets utility, the Regal 33 Express Cruiser reigns admirable for its well-thought-out design and a nod towards accommodating liveaboards amicably. Its interior, coupled with an enclosed cabin, can host up to six people for nights under the star-studded sea sky.

Aboard this fine vessel, you’ll find amenities akin to sophisticated RVs. A well-endowed marine head, robust galley, practical sink, and vital storage icebox all ensure living comforts are within an arm’s reach. Further accentuating its hospitality, an impressively large cockpit area allows everyone to enjoy their cruising destination without any compromise on personal space.

Price: New models have an MSRP of approximately $291,700, while used models can be found for around $234,105.

6. Bruce Roberts Seamaster 45

The Bruce Roberts Seamaster 45 positions itself at the forefront of maritime homes with its feature-rich offering. This purpose-built boat comes with an open deck, generous living quarters, and a handsomely equipped galley, embodying comfort and functionality in equal measure.

Ideally suited for fishing enthusiasts, the Seamaster 45 houses a spacious cockpit coupled with an enclosed helm station that can double as the captain’s quarters. It also features two separate staterooms that offer versatile space for sleeping or storage. An expansive galley with essentials like an electric stove, sink, and refrigerator caters to all your culinary needs while at sea.

Price: Used models range from approximately $85,170 to $58,000.

7. Meridian 368 Motoryacht

For those seeking an infusion of luxury into their maritime lifestyle, the Meridian 368 Motoryacht offers an elegant solution. With accommodating living quarters featuring indoor and outdoor seating areas, a complete kitchen, a bathroom, and ample moving space, this boat is built for entertainment and relaxation.

Housing two staterooms and two heads, the Meridian 368 Motoryacht adds a level of privacy unmatched by most. The tastefully designed master stateroom has a queen-size bed, while the guest room hosts two twin beds. Powered by twin Volvo Penta IPS600 engines, the vessel produces 600 horsepower, promising smooth and powerful cruising excursions.

Visually striking with its sleek design, the Meridian 368 Motoryacht provides a break away from the humdrum. It stands as a testament to a lavish, unhurried life on the water.

Price: Used models have prices ranging from approximately $199,900 to $235,000.

8. Lagoon 46

The Lagoon 46 is an embodiment of luxury and functionality fusing into one spectacular vessel. Featuring roomy living quarters with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lounge area, including a functioning galley, this boat is a family’s marine home dream.

Designed for those with an adventurous spirit, the Lagoon 46 serves as a global cruiser. Its construction ensures comfort across various climates, coupled with a large cockpit for sunbathing or simply unwinding with friends and family under the open sky.

For families aiming for a maritime lifestyle, the Lagoon 46 provides ample space and necessary luxuries without feeling cramped. An exquisite blend of comfort and functionality, the Lagoon 46 could be the next great chapter in your life on the open waves.

Price: Used models can be found with prices ranging from approximately $875,000 to $1,163,477.

9. Meridian Aft Cabin boats

Meridian boats’ Aft Cabin models embody comfort and performance, wrapped elegantly into versatile offshore applications. Every Meridian vessel is built with the same craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, making this range an easy choice for those seeking consistent quality.

The Aft Cabin models come in various sizes, highlighting the brand’s emphasis on customization. They cater to diverse boating needs, from family outings cruising or fishing, with a wide selection of add-ons improving the base model.

Price: Used models vary in price, with listings showing prices around $199,900, $200,000, and $235,000.

10. ADEA Sunreef 62

Consider the Sunreef 62 if you’re scouting for a spacious boat that marries marine mastery with homely comforts. Consisting of two docking bedrooms and an open living room, it also features a kitchen area and a bathroom with a shower. With a total space of 192 square feet, the Sunreef 62 makes a suitable choice for two people who aim to live aboard their vessel while preserving ample storage space for their belongings.

The Sunreef 62 boasts an aluminum hull with fiberglass decks and windows, ensuring it’s lightweight yet sturdy. Although its maximum speed is seven knots, it is aptly designed for coast cruising as opposed to long transoceanic voyages.

Price: This boat is available for charter, with rates ranging from $30,000 to $39,500 per week.

11. Beneteau Antares 11

Meet the Beneteau Antares 11, a superbly designed liveaboard boat with well-crafted living quarters. This alluring watercraft is furnished with three double berths and a pair of bathrooms, offering sufficient room for six occupants. It features an engaging saloon with a 360-degree panoramic outlook, thanks to the windows flanking three sides.

Sitting at 11 meters in length, the Beneteau Antares 11 moves with a maximum velocity of 15 knots. With a carrying capacity of up to 5,000 liters of fuel, it has a draft of 1.40 meters. The boat is equipped with a fully functional galley, inclusive of a stove, refrigerator, and freezer. Adding to its comfort features are an electric toilet, air conditioning, and an onboard generator.

Price: The starting price is around US$239,900.

12. Aquila 54

Bearing a bulky displacement of over 56,000 pounds, the dual-hulled Aquila 54 can comfortably provide accommodation for eight individuals. The boat encompasses two private owner staterooms and an additional pair of guest staterooms.

Highlighting an enclosed flybridge, the Aquila 54 can withstand challenging weather conditions, offering a generous open deck equipped with sun pads, a seating area, and a wet bar. The model comes as a powerboat or sailboat variant, the latter boasting two masts and an additional 4,000 square feet of living space on the main deck. With a spacious interior, including a sizable saloon and an open-plan galley, it houses up to 8 people comfortably.

Price: The price is approximately US$2,995,000.

13. Viking 46 Cruiser

Viking 46 Cruiser is your ideal luxury boat for a tranquil cruising experience, with enough room to sleep six people. Promising a robust cruising lifestyle, it provides amenities like an electric stovetop, refrigerator/freezer, microwave oven, and coffee maker. Complemented by an outdoor shower, swim platform, and transom door, the Viking 46 Cruiser elevates your liveaboard experience to a whole new level.

Price: The price is around US$1,599,000.

14. Neel 51 Trimaran

Neel 51 Trimaran, a three-hulled wonder, can serve as a sailing vessel, houseboat, or cruiser. The brainchild of Peter Neel, this boat dates back to 1992. It’s hailed as “the most beautiful of all three-hulled vessels,” having an innovative design that made headlines in the July 1987 issue of Popular Science magazine.

Comprising a sturdy fiberglass and epoxy resin structure over an aluminum frame, the Neel 51 Trimaran spans 25 meters in length. Designed with ample living space, it accommodates up to 8 people comfortably.

Price: The price is approximately US$1,250,000.

15. Scout 350 LXF

The Scout 350 LXF, equipped with three staterooms and two heads, incorporates an electric crane that simplifies onboard gear loading. Offering a cockpit table, an electric fireplace, and a large windshield, this model also boasts an aluminum transom and a fiberglass body for superior durability. Additional features include an accessible swim platform with a ladder for instant water access.

16. Grand Banks Eastbay 44

The Grand Banks Eastbay 44 is a remarkable liveaboard boat providing two separate cabins, each furnished with a bunk bed and double-sized berth. Both cabins offer curtains for added privacy. One cabin includes a head with a shower, while the other cabin provides an equipped kitchen that includes an oven, refrigerator/freezer combo, and microwave. Additionally, the Eastbay 44 offers a washer and dryer, a flat-screen TV with a DVD player, and a stereo system for ultimate convenience and entertainment aboard.

Price: The price is approximately US$1.35 million.

17. Tiara 43 LE

The Tiara 43 LE is a beautiful boat with everything you could ask for in a houseboat. It has three staterooms, two heads, a large salon, and a dining area. The galley is equipped with all of the amenities you could want in a boat kitchen. It has multiple beds, including two double beds, one single bed, and a queen-size sofa bed.

There is room for up to ten people on this boat, which makes it perfect for large groups of friends or family members. The Tiara 43 LE also has a large salon, which makes it ideal for entertaining guests. The boat has two staterooms, one of which is located below the deck and the other one on the main deck.

Price: The price is around US$1,049,000.

18. Jeanneau NC1095

This boat is one of the best boats with living quarters. It has a distinctive design that makes it look like a yacht, but it’s just an aluminum-hulled pontoon boat. It’s a great boat for all sorts of watersports and is available in several layouts, including some with living quarters.

The boat is available in two layouts: the V-berth and the cabin layout. Both of them are excellent choices, but it depends on your preferences. It can sleep six people comfortably, which is more than enough for a weekend trip.

Price: The price is approximately US$349,500.

19. Rinker 270 Express Cruiser

The Rinker 270 Express Cruiser is one of the best boats with living quarters. It has a head (toilet) and showers on board, which makes it perfect for more extended stays aboard. The 270 Express Cruiser has a length of 25 feet and a beam of 8 feet, which makes it ideal for cruising on the water. The boat has a maximum speed of 23 knots and can carry up to 2,200 pounds of weight.

The Rinker 270 comes with an impressive list of standard features. The boat has a spacious aft cockpit and an optional bow sun lounge that makes it easy for passengers to relax while underway. It comes with a bow thruster, which makes it easy to dock the boat and maneuver in tight spaces. The 270 also has an optional snap-in carpet flooring system that makes it easy to clean the ship.

Price: The MSRP is around $46,722.

20. Jeanneau Leader 33

The Jeanneau Leader 33 is an excellent boat with living quarters. It has an aft cabin, which can be used as your vessel’s head, or you could use it for storage. The boat also has a galley with an electric stove and refrigerator. The boat is light enough to be used on inland waterways and lakes.

The Jeanneau Leader 33 has a fiberglass hull powered by a Volvo Penta engine. The boat also has an anchor, fenders and lines, a bow roller, mooring lines, and a fire extinguisher. The boat is priced at $59,900.

The Jeanneau Leader 33 is an excellent boat for cruising the inland waterways or fishing on the lake. It has a spacious cockpit, which is great for entertaining or relaxing. The ship has a spacious cabin, which can be used as your vessel’s head or for storage. The boat also has a galley with an electric stove and refrigerator. The boat has a fiberglass hull and an aluminum superstructure. It is powered by a Volvo Penta engine with 215 horsepower.

Price: The price is approximately US$177,661.

21. Schaefer 365

The Schaefer 365 is a classic pontoon boat. This boat has the feel of an old-timey wooden vessel with modern flair and features. The interior flows seamlessly from one room to the next, with a galley on the port side and an aft cabin.

The Schaefer 365 is perfect for those who want to camp aboard their boat. It has two sleeping areas that can accommodate up to eight people. It also has a large cockpit that you can use for entertaining or relaxing in the sun.

The Schaefer 365 is perfect for those who want an alternative to living on land. It has a classic design but with modern amenities and features.

Price: The base price of a new Schaefer 365 is not currently published. Used models are listed around $323,679 USD and €166,780 EUR.

22. Schaefer 400

The Schaefer 400 is a high-quality pontoon boat that has an elegant, modern design. It also features superb construction and attention to detail. The interior is luxurious with mahogany wood, it has a fully equipped galley, and the exterior is designed with style. It also features an outdoor stereo system for entertainment purposes.

This boat is great for lounging on the water. It is equipped with a canopy for shade and protection from the sun, an outdoor stereo system, and it also has a large deck area. The interior cabin offers seating for up to 10 people.

The 400 model has a length of 39 feet and is 15 feet wide. It also features a depth of 3 foot 9 inches, which means that you can use it in shallow waters. The boat has a maximum capacity of 8 people and can reach a speed of up to 6 miles per hour.

Price: The prices for new models can vary, with some listings showing prices around $699,000 USD, $496,561 USD, and $648,000 USD.

23. Marex 350 Cabriolet Cruiser

The Marex 360 CC is a modern-day version of the classic fishing boat. Since it has an enclosed cabin, you can use this boat for many purposes besides fishing. This model also features an aft deck with a seating area and lives well.

The Marex 360 CC is available in various sizes, so it can be customized to suit your family’s or business’s needs. This model also features a large, open cockpit that provides plenty of room for fishing equipment and other gear.

The Marex 360 CC is built with an aluminum hull, making it lightweight and durable. This boat can be used for many purposes, including fishing, water sports, and transporting equipment or supplies to remote locations.

Price: The base price of a new Marex 350 Cabriolet Cruiser is €72.6 thousand. Used models are listed at around 166,780 EUR.

24. Parker 790 Explorer

The Parker 790 Explorer is a pontoon boat that can sleep up to 8 people. The living quarters are on the back of the vessel, and there’s an outside kitchen, bathroom, and living area.

The Parker 790 Explorer is a great way to enjoy the water with your family and friends. The boat is powered by a Mercruiser 5.7L MPI Alpha One engine and has plenty of storage space for fishing gear or supplies while you’re on the water. It’s also equipped with a Raymarine C-120 color GPS plotter, fishfinder, and an AM/FM radio with a CD player.

Price: The base price of a new Parker 790 Explorer is around €72.6 thousand. Used models are listed around $124,384 USD and $137,852 USD.

25. Sealine C 390

The Sealine C 390 is a fantastic boat with living quarters. It has a beautiful design that lets you see the ocean while on board and also have a relaxing time when inside.

The Sealine C 390 is a beautiful boat with everything you need for luxury living on the water. It has two cabins, a galley, and a full-sized living room. The design lets you see the ocean while on board and also have a relaxing time when inside. The Sealine C 390 is priced at $1,095,000.

Price: The prices for new models can vary, with some listings showing prices around $669,368 USD and $432,315 USD.

Features to look for in boats with living quarters

Boats with living quarters provide an ideal spot to spend quality time with family or friends. They also make great boating destinations for fishing, sailing, or simply exploring the waters around your home. By paying attention to the features that make a boat perfect for living in, you can find the ideal vessel for your needs.

Cabins –  Some boats are designed specifically for living on the water. These vessels have cabins that offer sleeping space and a place to relax and cook. Many of these cabins are finished with modern amenities like televisions, air conditioning, and bathrooms.

Living rooms –  Some boats have a separate room that serves as the living area. This area is often furnished with a couch, table, and chairs. Some ships even have a kitchenette in the living room.

Bathrooms –  Most boats with cabins or separate living areas have a bathroom. This is usually located in the cabin or separate room and has a toilet, sink, and shower.

Some boats are designed specifically for living on the water. These vessels have everything you need for a comfortable and convenient life at sea. The traditional crafts with living quarters include sailboats, houseboats, cabin cruisers, and pontoon boats.

What are the benefits of having a boat with living quarters?

The benefits of having a boat with living quarters include the ability to have more space, privacy, and convenience. Boat owners can also enjoy various activities such as fishing, sailing, or cabin cruising. Boat owners can also use their boats for transportation and vacation. Water sports such as jet skiing or boating are popular on boats with living quarters.

Having a boat with living quarters allows you more space than you would if you only had an apartment or houseboat. You can also use your boat for traveling and vacations instead of public transportation or staying in hotels.

Boat owners who live on boats often find it easier to keep clean than if they lived on land because there is no lawn to mow and no need for cleaning crews when visitors come over.

People who live on boats often exercise because they need to walk around their ship all the time instead of walking from one end of their property to the other, as people who live in apartments do.

How can you choose the best boat for you?

There is a lot to consider if you want to buy a boat. There are many different types of boats, which can be very expensive. Here, we will discuss some factors that you should consider when looking for a boat.

The first thing to consider is the size of your family and how many people will be using the boat. This will determine what type of boat you should buy. For example, a cabin cruiser would be best if you want to use the boat with your family and friends on long trips. You can sleep up to six people in a cabin cruiser. You should look for a liveaboard if you want to live aboard a boat. These can house two to four people and have the amenities of a home.

If you are looking for a cheap boat, you should consider buying a fishing or ski boat. A pontoon boat is a good choice if you want to go fishing or just relax in the water with family and friends. They are very stable and can hold up to ten people. You should buy a sailboat if you want to use the boat in rough weather conditions. They are very stable and can hold up to six people.

What are the prices of boats with living quarters?

The prices of boats with living quarters vary depending on the boat’s size, type, and features. However, most boats with living quarters range in price from around $75,000 to $1 million.

13 Best Liveaboard Catamarans (For All Budgets)

If you want to enjoy long-term living on the water, a liveaboard catamaran can provide the perfect combination of comfort and adventure. However, buying and owning a catamaran can cost you a fortune. If you're not sure which one suits your budget, here are 13 of the best liveaboard catamarans on the market today, covering a range of budgets and lifestyles.

The 13 best liveaboard catamarans for different budgets are:

Nautitech 46 Open

Lagoon 450f, nautitech 46 fly.

If you're on a tight budget but still want to enjoy the liveaboard lifestyle, the Leopard 40, Lucia 40, and Lagoon 400 are some of your best options. If you have a slightly higher budget to live up to your dream life aboard, let's see which of these catamarans will suit your needs best.

• Low-budget liveaboard catamarans cost anywhere from $350,000 to $450,000, while high-budget options range from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
• The living space of the best liveaboard catamarans ranges from 77 sqm to 215 sqm, with the higher-budget options generally offering more space.
• Most catamaran models come equipped with one galley and multiple heads, with the number of heads ranging from 2 to 4.
• High-budget catamarans like Lagoon 52 and Catana 50 are built with advanced safety features such as a self-tacking jib and an automatic reefing system.

On this page:

Best liveaboard catamarans for all budgets.

When choosing the best liveaboard catamaran, there are questions you need to ask yourself such as:

• Are you planning to live aboard full-time or just part-time?
• Will you be traveling extensively or staying in one location?
• Do you plan to fish or engage in other water activities?

If you plan to sail around the world and are not sure what catamaran size is perfect for your goal , you can get some tips from this article.

You may also need to check your budget. Keep in mind that the purchase price is just one aspect of the cost of owning a catamaran. See how much it actually costs to buy and own a catamaran in this article.

You may also need to factor in ongoing maintenance, repairs, and other expenses, such as docking costs. Docking costs depend on the location of the marina and the actual size of your catamaran, but to give you an idea of how much it costs to dock a catamaran , here's an article that can help you.

The best liveaboard catamarans have these most important features :

Living space Look for a catamaran with an open layout, large windows, and plenty of natural light to create a spacious and inviting living area.

Galley and heads Choose a catamaran with a well-designed galley that is easy to use and has plenty of storage space. The heads should be spacious and comfortable, with a separate shower area if possible.

Performance and handling You might want to opt for a catamaran with a good sail plan and sailing controls that are easy to operate. If you plan to do offshore cruising, perhaps consider a catamaran with a shallow draft and good seaworthiness.

Safety and seaworthiness Choose a catamaran with sturdy construction and good safety features, such as handrails and lifelines. You might want to make sure also that the catamaran is designed for single-handed sailing if you plan to sail solo.

Estimated price range: $400,000 - $500,000

Living space inside Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 has a spacious interior with a modern and stylish design. It features four cabins and two heads, providing ample living space for up to 8 people.

The cabins are well-ventilated and well-lit, with large windows that offer panoramic views of the sea. The saloon is also spacious, with comfortable seating and a large dining table.

Galley and heads of Leopard 40

The galley is well-equipped with a large refrigerator, freezer, gas stove, oven, and plenty of storage space. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

Performance and handling of Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 has a sleek and streamlined design that allows it to move smoothly through the water. The twin engines provide plenty of power, and the boat is easy to maneuver even in tight spaces.

The boat also comes with a range of performance features, such as a large sail area, a self-tacking jib, and a full-batten mainsail.

Safety and seaworthiness of Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 is built to the highest standards of safety, with a strong and durable hull, high-quality rigging, and a range of safety features such as lifelines, handrails, and safety harnesses.

The boat also has excellent stability, which makes it very safe and comfortable to sail in rough seas.

Estimated price range: $450,000 - $550,000

Living space inside Lucia 40

The Lucia 40 is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of living space for a family or a group of friends. It has a large saloon with a U-shaped sofa and a dining table that can comfortably seat six people.

The saloon is surrounded by large windows that provide plenty of natural light and a great view of the surroundings. The catamaran has four cabins and two heads, which provide ample sleeping space for up to eight people. The cabins are well-appointed and offer plenty of storage space.

Galley and heads of Lucia 40

The galley on the Lucia 40 is located in the saloon and is well-equipped with a three-burner stove, oven, fridge, and plenty of counter space for food preparation.

The two heads are located in each hull and are equipped with a shower, toilet, and sink. They are spacious and provide plenty of privacy.

The Lucia 40 is a performance-oriented catamaran

The Lucia 40 is a performance-oriented catamaran that is designed for cruising in comfort. It has a sleek and modern design that allows it to sail efficiently in a wide range of wind and sea conditions.

The catamaran is equipped with a full batten mainsail and a furling genoa, which provide excellent sail performance. The helm station is located on the flybridge, which provides excellent visibility and allows for easy handling.

The Lucia 40 is a safe and seaworthy catamaran

The Lucia 40 has a solid fiberglass hull and a structural bulkhead that provides excellent strength and rigidity. The catamaran is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment, including life jackets, flares, fire extinguishers, and a first aid kit.

It is also equipped with a comprehensive navigation system, which includes GPS, radar, and an autopilot, to ensure safe and accurate navigation.

Estimated price range: $350,000 - $450,000

Living space inside Lagoon 400

The Lagoon 400 offers ample room for passengers to relax and socialize. The main saloon is located on the same level as the cockpit, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.

The saloon features a large dining table and comfortable seating, while the cockpit provides additional seating and a table for outdoor dining. The cabins are also spacious and comfortable, with plenty of storage space.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 400

The galley is well-equipped with a stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink, making it easy to prepare meals while underway. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

The Lagoon 400 has good sailing performance

This boat has a generous sail area, a powerful rig, and a light displacement, which allows it to sail well in a variety of conditions. The boat's twin hulls also help to reduce drag and increase stability, which makes it easier to sail in choppy seas or high winds.

The Lagoon 400 is also equipped with twin engines, which allow it to be easily maneuvered in tight spaces or when docking. The boat's shallow draft, which is one of the advantages of sailing a catamaran , also makes it suitable for exploring shallow waters or anchoring in secluded bays.

The Lagoon 400 is designed to be safe and seaworthy

The boat's twin hulls provide excellent stability, which reduces the risk of capsizing. See a detailed comparison between catamaran and monohull in this article.

The boat is also equipped with a range of safety features, including a solid fiberglass hull, watertight bulkheads, and a high freeboard, which helps to keep the boat dry and reduce the risk of swamping.

The boat is also built to withstand rough seas and strong winds, with a reinforced hull and high freeboard. It also features a range of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and an emergency tiller.

The Bali 4.0 is a catamaran that offers ample living space

The cockpit and saloon are on the same level, which creates a large open-plan living area. The saloon has a U-shaped seating area, which can comfortably seat six people, and a large table that can be lowered to create a double berth.

Galley and heads of Bali 4.0

The galley of Bali 4.0 is located aft of the saloon and is well-equipped with a three-burner stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink. The boat has four cabins, each with its own en-suite head and shower. The cabins are spacious and comfortable, and the heads are modern and well-designed.

Performance and handling of Bali 4.0

The Bali 4.0 has a self-tacking jib and a fully battened mainsail, which makes it easy to sail short-handed. The boat is also equipped with a Code 0 sail, which provides additional downwind performance. The boat's helm is responsive and easy to control, and the boat is stable and predictable in a variety of conditions.

Safety and seaworthiness of Bali 4.0

The Bali 4.0 is a seaworthy boat that is designed to be safe and comfortable in a variety of conditions. The boat has a high freeboard, which provides additional safety and protection from waves and spray.

The boat also has a solid foredeck, which provides additional safety when moving around the boat. It is also equipped with a full suite of safety equipment, including life rafts, life jackets, and safety harnesses.

Estimated price range: $500,000 - $600,000

Living space inside Bali 4.3

The Bali 4.3 has a large saloon with panoramic views, plenty of natural light, and a modern design. The saloon is equipped with a large U-shaped sofa, a dining table, and a chart table. The cockpit is also spacious and features a dining table, a sunbathing area, and a helm station.

Galley and heads of Bali 4.3

The galley and heads on the Bali 4.3 are well-designed and offer plenty of space and storage. It is located in the saloon and features a 3-burner stove, an oven, a large refrigerator, and plenty of counter space. The heads are located in each hull and feature a separate shower, electric toilets, and plenty of storage.

The Bali 4.3 is a fast and agile catamaran. It features a self-tacking jib and a square-top mainsail, which make it easy to handle and maneuver. The boat is also equipped with twin engines, which provide good speed and maneuverability.

The Bali 4.3 is a very safe and stable catamaran

The Bali 4.3 features a solid construction, a high freeboard, and a wide beam, which make it very stable and comfortable even in rough seas. The boat is also equipped with a number of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and life jackets.

Living space of Catana 42

The Catana 42 has a spacious interior layout with plenty of natural light and ventilation. The saloon and cockpit are integrated into one living area, which provides a comfortable and functional living space.

Galley and heads of Catana 42

The galley is located in the port hull and features a three-burner stove, oven, refrigerator, and ample storage space. The heads are located in the starboard hull, with one head serving as the owner's suite en-suite and the other serving the remaining three cabins.

The Catana 42 an excellent performer

The catamaran is designed to be fast and stable, with a high bridge deck clearance and a narrow hull-to-waterline beam ratio. It also has a large sail area, which provides good speed in light winds.

The Catana 42 is built with safety and seaworthiness

The boat is designed to be self-righting in the event of a capsize , and the hulls are foam-filled for added buoyancy. The boat also features a robust construction with a reinforced keel and rudder, making it suitable for offshore cruising.

Estimated price range: $600,000 - $700,000

Living space of Nautitech 46 Open

The Nautitech 46 Open is a spacious and comfortable catamaran that offers ample living space, a well-equipped galley, and multiple heads for convenience. The living area is open and airy, with large windows and plenty of natural light.

Galley and heads of Nautitech 46 Open

The galley is fully equipped with modern appliances and ample storage space, making it easy to prepare meals and entertain guests. The heads are also well-appointed, with modern fixtures and plenty of space for comfort.

Performance and handling of Nautitech 46 Open

The Nautitech 46 Open is a capable and responsive catamaran that is easy to sail and maneuver. The boat's twin hulls provide excellent stability and make it easy to handle in a variety of conditions.

The boat's rig is designed for performance, with a large sail area and a well-balanced design that allows for easy handling and excellent speed.

Safety and seaworthiness of Nautitech 46 Open

The boat is built to the highest standards of safety and durability, with a strong and sturdy construction that can withstand the rigors of offshore sailing. The boat is also equipped with all the necessary safety features, including life rafts, life jackets, and safety harnesses, to ensure that you and your crew stay safe on the water.

Estimated price range: $700,000 - $800,000

Living space inside Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of room for living and entertaining. The saloon is large and open, with plenty of natural light and ventilation.

The cockpit is also spacious and comfortable, with a large dining table and seating for up to eight people. The cabins are well-designed and offer plenty of storage space, and the bathrooms are modern and well-appointed.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F has a well-equipped galley that is perfect for preparing meals while at sea. The galley features a large refrigerator and freezer, a three-burner stove, an oven, a microwave, and plenty of counter space. The heads are also well-designed and offer plenty of space and privacy.

Performance and handling of Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F is a fast and stable catamaran that is easy to handle. The boat is powered by two Yanmar diesel engines, which provide plenty of power and speed.

The boat is also equipped with a high-performance sail plan, which allows for easy and efficient sailing.

The Lagoon 450F is designed to handle a variety of weather conditions

This boat is built to the highest standards of safety and quality and is equipped with all of the necessary safety equipment, including life rafts, life jackets, and emergency flares.

The boat is also designed to be self-sufficient, with a large water tank and generator, which allows for extended periods of time at sea.

Living space inside Helia 44

The Helia 44 has a spacious and well-designed interior that maximizes living space. The saloon features large windows that provide plenty of natural light and offer stunning views of the surrounding scenery.

The seating area is comfortable and can accommodate up to 8 people. The cabins are also spacious and well-appointed, with plenty of storage space and en-suite bathrooms.

Galley and heads of Helia 44

The galley on the Helia 44 is well-equipped and designed for easy use. It features a large refrigerator, a 3-burner gas stove, an oven, and a microwave. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and plenty of storage space.

The Helia 44 is designed for excellent performance and handling

The Helia 44 has a powerful rig and a high aspect ratio sail plan that provides excellent speed and maneuverability. The boat also has a shallow draft, which makes it easy to navigate in shallow waters.

The Helia 44 is built to the highest safety standards

This boat has a solid construction that provides excellent stability and strength. It also features a range of safety equipment, including life rafts, EPIRBs, and fire extinguishers.

Estimated price range: $700,000 - $1,000,000

Living space inside Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 features a spacious saloon with a comfortable seating area and a large dining table. The saloon is surrounded by panoramic windows that provide plenty of natural light and stunning views of the surrounding scenery.

The catamaran also has a large cockpit area with a dining table and comfortable seating, perfect for outdoor dining and relaxation.

Galley and heads of Leopard 48

The galley on the Leopard 48 is well-equipped with modern appliances and ample storage space. It features a large refrigerator, a freezer, a three-burner stove, and an oven. The catamaran also has three heads, each with a shower, sink, and toilet.

Performance and handling of Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 is a high-performance catamaran that is easy to handle and maneuver. It has a powerful sail plan and lightweight construction that allows it to sail smoothly and efficiently even in light winds.

The catamaran is also equipped with a powerful engine that provides excellent speed and maneuverability.

Safety and seaworthiness of Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 is a safe and seaworthy catamaran that is designed to handle even the toughest ocean conditions. It has a sturdy construction and a stable platform that provides excellent stability and safety.

The catamaran is also equipped with modern safety features such as a GPS navigation system, a radar, and an autopilot.

Estimated price range: $600,000 - $900,000

Living space inside Nautitech 46 Fly

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of room for living and entertaining. The interior is bright and airy, thanks to large windows and an open floor plan.

There are four cabins and four heads, making it a great option for families or groups of friends. The salon is comfortable and features a dining area and a well-equipped galley.

Galley and heads of Nautitech 46 Fly

The galley on the Nautitech 46 Fly is well-equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, stove, oven, and plenty of counter space. There is also a double sink and a dishwasher. The heads are spacious and comfortable, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

Performance and handling of the Nautitech 46 Fly

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a pleasure to sail, with good speed and handling. The boat is responsive and easy to maneuver, even in tight spaces. The twin engines provide plenty of power and make docking and maneuvering a breeze.

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a safe and seaworthy vessel

The boat is designed to handle rough seas and strong winds, making it a great option for offshore sailing. There are also plenty of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and a well-equipped first aid kit.

Estimated price range: $1,000,000 - $2,000,000

The living space of Catana 50

The living space is designed for comfort and entertainment. The spacious saloon offers panoramic views and ample seating for guests.

The interior is finished with high-quality materials and features modern amenities such as air conditioning, a fully equipped galley, and plenty of storage space. It also has four spacious cabins and four heads, making it ideal for families or groups of friends.

Galley and heads of Catana 50

The galley on the Catana 50 is well-equipped with a large refrigerator, freezer, oven, and stove. The countertops are made of durable and easy-to-clean materials, and there is plenty of storage space for food and cooking utensils. The heads are spacious and feature modern fixtures and finishes.

The Catana 50 is designed for performance and speed

The catamaran's lightweight construction and high-tech materials make it fast and agile, while its twin daggerboards and rudders provide excellent maneuverability and control. The boat is easy to handle, even in challenging conditions, and offers a smooth and comfortable ride.

The Catana 50 is a safe and seaworthy vessel

The catamaran's hull design and construction are engineered to withstand the rigors of offshore sailing, and the boat is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment, including life rafts, EPIRBs, and fire extinguishers.

Need a complete list of safety equipment for your boat ? Here's an article that might be helpful for you.

The vessel also features a high freeboard, wide decks, and a sturdy rigging system, making it a stable and secure platform for sailing in all conditions.

Living space of Lagoon 52

The Lagoon 52 is known for its spacious interior and exterior living areas. The main salon is located on the bridge deck and features a large dining table, comfortable seating, and panoramic views.

The cockpit is also spacious and has plenty of seating for outdoor dining and lounging. The cabins are well-appointed and offer plenty of storage space and natural light.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 52

The galley on the Lagoon 52 is equipped with modern appliances and ample counter space, making it easy to prepare meals for large groups. There are also multiple heads on the boat, each with a shower and toilet, making it convenient for guests to freshen up after a day of exploring.

Performance and handling of Lagoon 52

The Lagoon 52 is designed for optimal performance and handling. It has a powerful sail plan and a lightweight construction that allows it to move swiftly through the water

The boat is also easy to handle, even with a small crew, thanks to its user-friendly design and advanced technology.

Safety and seaworthiness are top priorities on the Lagoon 52

The boat is built to withstand rough seas and harsh weather conditions, with sturdy construction and advanced safety features such as a self-tacking jib and an automatic reefing system.

The boat also has a spacious cockpit and wide decks that make it easy to move around and handle the boat in all conditions:

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Mastering Catamaran Sailing: Essential Guide & Tips to Navigate the Waters

Alex Morgan

Sailing a catamaran can be an exhilarating and enjoyable experience for both experienced sailors and beginners alike. Unlike monohull sailboats, catamarans offer unique advantages in terms of stability and speed. If you’re interested in learning how to sail a catamaran, it’s important to understand the basics and master the necessary skills. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide to sailing a catamaran, from understanding the fundamentals to maneuvering and handling the boat effectively.

To begin with, let’s delve into the introduction of sailing a catamaran, followed by understanding the basics of a catamaran. We’ll explore what exactly a catamaran is and how it differs from a monohull sailboat. we’ll discuss the advantages of sailing a catamaran, highlighting why it has become a preferred choice for many sailors.

Before setting sail, proper preparation is essential. This section covers the importance of safety equipment and checks, along with understanding wind and weather conditions. Planning your route is crucial to ensure a smooth and enjoyable sailing experience.

Once you’re prepared, we’ll move on to the essential sailing techniques for a catamaran. This section will guide you through rigging and hoisting the sails, tacking and jibing, trimming the sails, and controlling speed and direction. Mastering these techniques is key to maneuvering the catamaran effectively on the water.

Handling the catamaran also requires specific techniques. We’ll cover important maneuvers such as docking and undocking, mooring and anchoring, and addressing emergencies like man overboard recovery. These skills are vital to ensure a safe and successful journey.

We’ll provide you with essential safety tips for sailing a catamaran. Understanding right-of-way rules, handling rough seas and heavy winds, and maintaining balance and stability are crucial aspects of staying safe on the water.

By the end of this comprehensive guide, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to sail a catamaran and be well-equipped to embark on your own catamaran adventures while ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.

– Sailing a catamaran offers the advantage of maximizing space with its two hulls, allowing for more comfortable living quarters and a larger deck area. – Catamarans provide a stable and balanced sailing experience, making them a safer option for beginners and those prone to seasickness. – Proper preparation, including checking safety equipment, understanding weather conditions, and planning your route, is crucial for a successful catamaran sailing experience.

Understanding the Basics of a Catamaran

Understanding the basics of a catamaran is essential for safe and enjoyable sailing. A catamaran is a boat with two parallel hulls connected by a deck. It has advantages over monohull boats. Catamarans are stable due to their wide beam, reducing the risk of capsizing . They can access shallow waters because of their shallow drafts . Catamarans also offer more space and comfort with larger cabins, living areas, and deck space.

To control a catamaran, the skipper uses the helm to control the rudders. Adjusting and trimming the sails allows the skipper to use the wind’s power and steer the boat efficiently. Balancing the sails and maintaining stability while sailing is important.

Knowing the key components, how to control the boat, and handle the sails will help you navigate the waters confidently. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a beginner, familiarizing yourself with the fundamentals of catamarans is crucial.

What Is a Catamaran?

A catamaran, also known as a cat , is a type of boat that features two parallel hulls connected by a platform or bridge deck. This unique design provides it with stability and speed, making it a popular choice for sailing enthusiasts. Unlike traditional monohull sailboats, a catamaran offers a wider beam , which results in more space and greater stability . As a result, the sailing experience on a catamaran is smoother and more comfortable .

There are several advantages to sailing a catamaran. One significant advantage is its shallow draft , which allows it to navigate in shallower waters that are inaccessible to other types of boats. The dual hull design of a catamaran minimizes drag and enhances speed , making it highly efficient for long-distance cruising . The spacious interior layout of a catamaran provides ample room for accommodations , amenities , and storage .

When sailing a catamaran, it is essential to consider the wind and weather conditions for safe navigation. Understanding the right of way rules and knowing how to handle rough seas and heavy winds are crucial skills for catamaran sailors. Maintaining balance and stability is of utmost importance to ensure a smooth sailing experience.

A fun fact about catamarans is that they have been utilized by Polynesian cultures for centuries, proving their effectiveness and versatility in various sailing conditions.

How Is a Catamaran Different from a Monohull Sailboat?

A catamaran is different from a monohull sailboat in several ways. A catamaran has two parallel hulls connected by a deck or bridge, whereas a monohull sailboat only has one hull. This dual hull design provides greater stability and balance on the water.

In addition, the hulls of a catamaran are wider and shallower compared to those of a monohull, allowing for a shallower draft and improved maneuverability . This also results in a higher cruising speed and faster sailing speeds for catamarans.

Catamarans also offer more interior space and are known for their spaciousness and comfort , thanks to their wider beam. When sailing upwind, catamarans experience less heeling , which translates into a smoother and more comfortable ride for passengers.

Catamarans are better suited for cruising in shallow waters and can anchor closer to shore due to their shallow draft . The dual hull design of catamarans also provides greater redundancy and safety in the event of hull damage or collision.

Unlike monohull sailboats, which typically have a keel, catamarans rely on centerboards or daggerboards to prevent sideways sliding. The main differences between a catamaran and a monohull sailboat lie in their stability , speed , comfort , and maneuverability .

Advantages of Sailing a Catamaran

– Stability: Catamarans offer excellent balance with their twin hulls, making them less likely to tilt or capsize compared to monohull sailboats.

– Spaciousness: The wide beam of catamarans provides more interior and deck space, including comfortable living quarters, larger cabins, and ample room for socializing and entertaining.

– Speed: The design of twin hulls reduces drag, allowing catamarans to sail faster and provide exhilarating experiences.

– Shallow Draft: Catamarans have a shallower draft than monohull sailboats, enabling them to sail in shallower waters and access a wider range of cruising grounds.

– Comfort: The wide beam and stable design of catamarans offer a smoother and more comfortable sailing experience, eliminating the heeling common in monohull sailboats and reducing the chances of seasickness.

– Maneuverability: Catamarans are more maneuverable than monohull sailboats, providing better turning ability for navigating tight spaces, docking, and anchoring precision.

– Sailing Performance: Catamarans excel in light wind conditions, thanks to their large sail area and light weight, allowing them to catch even the slightest breeze and maintain good boat speed. This makes them ideal for destinations with calm weather patterns.

Preparing for Sailing a Catamaran

Preparing for a thrilling catamaran sailing adventure requires careful planning and essential knowledge. As we dive into the section on “ Preparing for Sailing a Catamaran ,” we’ll explore vital aspects such as safety equipment and checks , understanding wind and weather conditions , and planning your route . Get ready to uncover expert tips and strategies to ensure a smooth and enjoyable catamaran journey on the open waters.

Safety Equipment and Checks

Prioritize safety when sailing a catamaran. Thoroughly check and prepare your safety equipment before setting off on your adventure. Consider the following important safety equipment and checks :

• Life jackets: Ensure enough properly fitting life jackets for everyone on board.
• Flotation devices: Have throwable flotation devices readily available for emergencies.
• Fire extinguishers: Have the appropriate type and number of fire extinguishers on board.
• First aid kit: Maintain a well-stocked kit for handling minor injuries or medical emergencies.
• Navigation lights: Ensure all navigation lights are functioning properly, especially for sailing at night or in low visibility conditions.
• Communication devices: Carry reliable communication devices such as a marine VHF radio or satellite phone for calling for help if needed.
• Engine and safety equipment checks: Regularly inspect engines, bilge pumps, anchor systems, and other safety equipment to ensure good working condition.

Remember, safety is crucial. Check your safety equipment before every trip and ensure proper working order. Familiarize yourself with specific safety requirements and regulations of the sailing area. By taking these precautions, you can enjoy your catamaran sailing adventure with peace of mind and be prepared for any unexpected situations.

Understanding Wind and Weather Conditions

Understanding wind and weather conditions is crucial when sailing a catamaran. You must have a comprehensive understanding of the wind direction, speed, and weather changes that may impact your sailing experience. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:

1. Wind direction: It is essential to know the direction from which the wind is blowing. This knowledge will assist you in planning your sailing route and selecting the appropriate sails.

2. Wind speed: Pay close attention to the wind speed as it could potentially affect the speed and maneuverability of your boat. Higher wind speeds may necessitate reefing the sails or adjusting your course.

3. Weather changes: Remain mindful of any approaching storms, rain, or fog. These conditions can have a significant impact on visibility and create challenges when sailing.

4. Sea state: Take note of the current sea state, which includes wave height and frequency. Rough seas may require you to adjust your sailing technique and speed to ensure the stability of the catamaran.

5. Weather forecasts: Always remember to check the weather forecasts before embarking on your sailing trip. This will provide you with an overview of the expected weather conditions.

By possessing a thorough understanding of wind and weather conditions, you can make well-informed decisions to ensure a safe and enjoyable sailing experience aboard a catamaran. Keep in mind that conditions at sea can change rapidly, so it is essential to stay vigilant and adapt your plans accordingly.

Planning Your Route

When planning your catamaran sailing route, it is important to consider several factors for a safe and enjoyable journey. One of the first things to do is assess the weather conditions by checking the forecast for potential storms or strong winds. It is crucial to avoid adverse conditions as they can pose risks to both the crew and the catamaran’s safety.

In addition, it is necessary to identify key destinations and conduct research on navigational challenges. This will help in finding suitable anchorages or marinas along the way. Creating a timeline is also essential to plan the duration of the journey, taking into account the distance to be covered and the catamaran’s speed. It is important to remember to account for any time constraints or events that may affect the plan.

Using navigational charts, it is advisable to plot the course, noting any potential obstacles along the way. It is also a good practice to plan alternative routes in case they become necessary. Considering currents and tides is another crucial aspect of route planning. Studying tidal patterns and current directions will allow for incorporating these factors into the planning process for greater efficiency.

Another important consideration is fuel and provisions . It is necessary to determine the locations of fuel stations and provisioning points along the route. Planning fuel stops and stocking up on supplies will ensure that you have everything you need during the journey. Communication and safety should not be overlooked either. Identifying channels to communicate with other sailors and emergency assistance is vital . It is also important to familiarize yourself with emergency procedures and have access to contact information in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

It is recommended to regularly review your route plan and make adjustments based on real-time conditions and feedback. This will help ensure that you are always up to date with any changes that may occur during the journey. By carefully planning your route, you can optimize your sailing experience, safely navigate waters, and fully enjoy your catamaran adventure.

Essential Sailing Techniques for Catamaran

Mastering the essential sailing techniques for a catamaran is the key to harnessing the power of wind and water. From rigging and hoisting the sails to controlling speed and direction, each sub-section in this guide will unlock the secrets that seasoned sailors swear by. So, get ready to tack and jibe , trim those sails just right, and experience the exhilaration of sailing a catamaran like a pro!

Rigging and Hoisting the Sails

To rig and hoist the sails on a catamaran, follow these steps:

1. Assemble the mast, boom, and rigging securely and properly aligned.

2. Attach the main halyard securely and tensioned to the head of the mainsail.

3. Attach the jib halyard properly tensioned and secured to the head of the jib sail.

4. Connect the main sheet to the boom to control the angle and tension of the mainsail.

5. Connect the jib sheets to the clew of the jib sail to control the angle and tension of the jib sail.

6. Attach the reefing lines to the mainsail, if applicable, to reduce sail area in strong winds.

7. Check all rigging and lines for proper tension and adjustments, ensuring everything is secure and aligned.

8. Raise the mainsail by pulling on the main halyard while guiding the sail up the mast, using winches or other mechanical aids if necessary.

9. Raise the jib sail by pulling on the jib halyard while guiding the sail up the forestay, using winches or other mechanical aids if needed.

10. Adjust the main sheet and jib sheets to achieve the desired sail shape and trim for optimal boat performance.

Rigging and hoisting the sails on a catamaran is crucial for a smooth and exhilarating sailing experience. By following these steps, you can confidently prepare your catamaran for sailing adventures.

Now, let’s appreciate the history of rigging and hoisting sails. Sailing has been a vital mode of transportation and exploration for centuries. The technique of rigging and hoisting sails has evolved from simple square sails to more efficient and versatile fore-and-aft sails used on catamarans. Today, catamarans are equipped with advanced rigging systems and modern materials that enhance speed and maneuverability. Rigging and hoisting sails remain a vital skill for sailors, connecting us to our seafaring ancestors and enabling exploration of the world’s oceans with grace and agility.

Tacking and Jibing

Tacking and jibing are essential maneuvers when sailing a catamaran. These techniques allow you to change direction and make the most of the wind. Consider these key points:

• Tacking: This maneuver is used to sail against the wind. Turn the bow of the boat through the wind to switch the sails to the opposite side. This allows you to zigzag towards your destination.
• Jibing: Use this maneuver to change direction with the wind at your back. Turn the stern of the catamaran through the wind to move the mainsail to the other side. Control the boom to prevent dangerous swinging.
• Preparation: Before tacking or jibing, ensure that the crew is aware and in a safe position for stability during the turn.
• Wind direction: Success with tacking and jibing depends on understanding the wind. Assess the wind and plan your maneuvers accordingly.
• Practice: Perfecting tacking and jibing requires practice. Start with gentle maneuvers in light wind conditions and gradually progress with experience.

During a sailing race, a crew utilized their knowledge of wind patterns and executed a flawless maneuver by tacking right before the finish line. This tactical advantage secured their victory.

Trimming the Sails

Sailing a catamaran requires mastering the skill of trimming the sails . Properly trimmed sails greatly impact the catamaran’s performance and maneuverability. Here are some important considerations for sail trimming:

1. Adjusting the tension: Properly adjusting the tension on the sails is vital for achieving the desired shape and angle. The main sail should have a slight curvature called camber , which generates lift and power. Trim the jib sail to maintain smooth airflow on both sides.

2. Controlling the angle: The angle of the sails in relation to the wind direction is crucial for maintaining optimal speed. Adjust the sheets to trim the sails closer or further from the wind based on sailing conditions and desired speed.

3. Monitoring the telltales: Telltales , small yarn or ribbon pieces attached to the sails, provide valuable airflow information and indicate proper sail trimming. Continuously observe the telltales to ensure smooth and even flow.

4. Reefing: In strong winds, reducing the size of the sails through reefing is necessary to maintain stability and control. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for reefing and ensure proper securing of the sails.

5. Constant adjustment: Sail trimming requires constant attention. Continuously monitor wind conditions and make necessary adjustments to optimize performance and maintain control.

Mastering the art of sail trimming leads to smoother sailing, improved speed, and enhanced overall performance on a catamaran. Practice and experience are essential for developing this skill, so head out to the water and start honing your sail trimming abilities.

Controlling Speed and Direction

To effectively control the speed and direction of a catamaran, it is important to follow these steps:

1. Sail Adjustment: Optimize the power and speed of the catamaran by trimming the sails. Utilize the mainsail and jib sheets to manipulate the sail angle, taking into account the wind direction.

2. Utilize the Traveler: Fine-tune the speed and stability by adjusting the traveler. This tool, located across the cockpit, allows you to modify the mainsail sheeting point and control the angle of the mainsail.

3. Sail Plan Modification: Alter the sail plan as necessary to either increase or decrease speed. Reef the sails in strong winds to reduce the sail area, and unreef them in light winds to allow for greater sail area.

4. Daggerboard Adjustment: Maintain stability and control the direction of the catamaran by raising or lowering the daggerboards. These adjustments contribute to achieving balance and maneuverability.

5. Rudder Tweaking: Make slight adjustments to the rudder angle using the tiller or wheel, ensuring smooth steering of the boat.

Pro-tip: Enhance your ability to control speed and direction on a catamaran through practice and experience. Continuously monitor wind conditions and make minor adjustments to optimize performance.

Catamaran Maneuvers and Handling

Get ready to conquer the waters as we dive into the art of sailing a catamaran. In this section, we’ll navigate through the thrilling aspects of docking and undocking , the essentials of mooring and anchoring , and the crucial skill of man overboard recovery . Brace yourself for a wave of practical tips and tricks that will enhance your catamaran sailing experience. So, grab your compass, adjust your sails, and let’s set sail on this exciting journey!

Docking and Undocking

Docking and undocking a catamaran can be daunting, but with the right techniques and precautions, it can be done smoothly. Follow these steps:

• Approach the dock slowly, keeping an eye on the wind and current.
• Assign crew members to handle lines and fenders for a safe docking process.
• Shift into reverse as you near the dock to slow down.
• Turn the helm to steer the catamaran parallel to the dock as you stop.
• Have crew members ready with fenders to protect the catamaran.
• Engage reverse to back closer to the dock, using brief forward bursts to maneuver if needed.
• Once close, crew members should step off the catamaran with lines to secure it to the dock.
• Secure the catamaran using docking lines , ensuring they are properly fastened and have enough slack.

True story: One summer, while docking our catamaran in a busy marina, a strong gust of wind made our docking process challenging. Thanks to our crew’s quick reflexes and knowledge, we maneuvered the catamaran safely and secured it to the dock without damage. It was a valuable lesson in being prepared for unexpected situations while docking and undocking a catamaran.

Mooring and Anchoring

Mooring and anchoring are integral skills when sailing a catamaran. It is important to consider several key points when engaging in these activities. Make sure to choose the appropriate anchor that matches the type of seabed you will be navigating. Inspect the anchor line thoroughly to ensure it is in good condition and securely attached. Next, carefully select a mooring spot in a protected area that offers solid holding ground. When approaching the mooring, take into account factors such as wind and current, and proceed slowly. To secure the boat, use mooring lines that are connected to cleats or deck fittings. Safeguard your boat from potential damage by utilizing fenders . Prioritizing safety and accounting for your boat’s unique conditions and requirements is crucial. By practicing these techniques, you can enhance your proficiency and guarantee a safe and enjoyable sailing experience.

Man Overboard Recovery

• Assess the situation: When facing a man overboard situation, it is important to stay calm and promptly evaluate the circumstances. Take into account the distance between the catamaran and the individual in the water, as well as any nearby hazards or obstacles.
• Alert the crew: Immediately inform the other crew members about the man overboard incident. This ensures that everyone is informed and prepared to provide assistance.
• Initiate the man overboard recovery process: Throw a life buoy or any floating object towards the person in the water, offering them something to hold onto. This will help keep them afloat during the recovery process.
• Turn the catamaran: Skillfully maneuver the catamaran to create a controlled loop or figure eight pattern around the individual in the water. This will slow down the vessel and facilitate their retrieval.
• Bring the person back on board: Once the catamaran is properly positioned, utilize a ladder, swim platform, or any available means to assist in bringing the person back on board. Assign crew members to provide support and ensure the individual’s safety throughout the recovery process.
• Monitor and provide medical assistance: After the person is safely back on board, promptly evaluate their condition and administer any necessary medical attention. Check for injuries, monitor vital signs, and administer first aid if needed.

Pro-tip: Conduct regular man overboard drills and practice recovery procedures with your crew to ensure that everyone is familiar with their respective roles and responsibilities. This will help reduce response time and enhance the likelihood of successfully recovering individuals in emergency situations.

Safety Tips for Sailing a Catamaran

Discover essential safety tips when sailing a catamaran in this section. From understanding right of way rules to dealing with rough seas and heavy winds, you’ll learn how to navigate challenging conditions with confidence. We’ll explore techniques for maintaining balance and stability, ensuring a smooth and secure sailing experience. So hop aboard and let’s dive into the world of catamaran sailing safety !

Understanding Right of Way Rules

Understanding Right of Way Rules is crucial for safe sailing. Follow these guidelines:

1. Sailboats have the right of way over powerboats. Be aware of your surroundings and give way to any sailboats in your path.

2. When encountering a vessel on your starboard side, yield and give them the right of way. Alter your course slightly to avoid a potential collision.

3. When overtaking another vessel, keep a safe distance and give them the right of way. Maintain a slow and steady speed to avoid creating a dangerous situation.

4. In narrow channels or crowded areas, vessels going uphill or against the current have the right of way. Yield to any vessels navigating in these challenging conditions.

5. Always be cautious and maintain a safe speed when crossing paths with other vessels. Slow down if necessary to ensure a safe passage.

By understanding and adhering to right of way rules, you can navigate the waters confidently and reduce the risk of accidents. Remember, safety should always be the top priority when sailing a catamaran.

Dealing with Rough Seas and Heavy Winds

Dealing with rough seas and heavy winds is crucial when sailing a catamaran. Here are tips to navigate challenging conditions:

1. Check the weather forecast before setting off. If rough seas and heavy winds are expected, consider delaying your trip or changing your route.

2. Ensure all crew members wear appropriate safety gear, such as life jackets and harnesses. Secure loose items on the deck.

3. Maintain a steady speed when encountering rough seas to keep the boat stable. Avoid sudden changes in direction or speed.

4. Adjust your sails by reefing to maintain control and prevent overpowering by strong winds.

5. Be cautious when navigating large waves. Approach them at a slight angle to minimize the risk of capsizing. Maintain a firm grip on the helm.

6. Be aware of the sea state. Avoid crossing large waves head-on; instead, cross them diagonally or at a slight angle.

7. Communicate effectively with your crew. Assign roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone is working together for safety and control.

In rough seas and heavy winds, safety should be the top priority. Stay alert, remain calm, and rely on your training and experience.

Pro-tip: Consider advanced sailing courses or consulting experienced sailors to enhance your skills and confidence in dealing with rough seas and heavy winds.

Maintaining Balance and Stability

Maintaining balance and stability is absolutely crucial when sailing a catamaran. It is important to ensure that weight is evenly distributed on both sides of the catamaran in order to achieve stability .

One way to accomplish this is by having passengers and crew members move to the opposite side when the wind picks up. Another key aspect of maintaining balance is properly trimming the sails to adjust their angle in response to wind changes. This helps to prevent excessive heeling and ensures stability .

Paying attention to the centerboards can greatly enhance stability . Deploying the centerboards can counterbalance the force of the wind and prevent tipping over.

Steering also plays a significant role in maintaining balance. It is crucial to steer steadily and in a controlled manner in order to keep the catamaran on course and avoid any imbalance.

It is important to be aware of weather conditions and understand how they can impact stability . When faced with heavy winds and rough seas, it is essential to adjust sailing techniques accordingly and make any necessary adjustments to maintain balance and stability .

Some Facts About How To Sail Catamaran:

• ✅ Sailing a catamaran requires adjusting to the different motion and sail trimming compared to monohull sailboats.
• ✅ Catamarans provide more space and stability compared to traditional monohull sailboats.
• ✅ Catamarans do not heel like monohulls, providing a less tiring sailing experience.
• ✅ Catamarans can sail in shallower places and prevent rolling in anchorage due to their lower drafts.
• ✅ The American Sailing Association (ASA) offers a specific course, ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran, to provide practical sailing skills and confidence when sailing a catamaran.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how do i sail a catamaran.

Sailing a catamaran involves adjusting to its different motion and sail trimming compared to monohulls. You’ll need to take a sailing course or gather practical sailing skills to ensure confidence and enjoyment while sailing a catamaran. The American Sailing Association (ASA) offers the ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran course designed specifically for individuals with monohull cruising experience transitioning to catamarans.

2. What are the advantages of sailing a catamaran?

Catamarans offer numerous advantages over monohulls. They are more spacious, providing larger living areas above decks and expansive cabins located in the hulls. Catamarans are incredibly stable, making them ideal for longer voyages and providing maximum comfort and relaxation. They also have lower drafts, allowing navigation in shallow reef passages and anchoring closer to shore. Catamarans do not heel like monohulls, providing a more comfortable and less tiring sailing experience.

3. How can I charter a catamaran from The Moorings?

The Moorings offers innovative and top-quality catamarans for sailing vacations. To charter a catamaran from The Moorings, you can visit their website and access their charter resources. They are known for their exclusive access to Robertson & Caine catamarans, distinguished for their quality and comfort. There, you can find information on boat availability, reputation, and customer reviews to choose the right catamaran for your needs and preferences.

4. What is the ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran certification?

The American Sailing Association (ASA) offers the ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran certification. This certification is designed for individuals with monohull cruising experience who want to transition to catamarans. The course covers the advantages and disadvantages of multihull sailing, as well as practical sailing skills specific to catamarans. Obtaining this certification ensures that you have the necessary knowledge and skills to confidently sail a catamaran.

5. Are catamarans safe for offshore sailing?

Yes, catamarans are safe and stable for offshore sailing. They are designed to offer stability and comfort in various conditions. Catamarans have two independent hulls, making them less likely to sink completely. They also have duplicate navigation systems, including two engines and rudders, for onboard safety. Catamarans remain stable even in bad weather and do not capsize easily. Their advanced design and safety features make them a reliable choice for offshore sailing.

6. Can I sail a catamaran without previous sailing experience?

Sailing a catamaran without previous sailing experience is not recommended. It is essential to have some sailing knowledge and skills before attempting to sail a catamaran. Taking a sailing course, such as the ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran course, will provide you with the necessary skills and confidence to safely operate a catamaran. Spending time onboard and obtaining a sailing diploma or certification will ensure a better understanding of catamaran sailing fundamentals.

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This Cube-Shaped Catamaran Is a Modernist Two-Story Home for the High Seas

The 59-foot floating abode is equipped with a pool, jacuzzi, and multiple outdoor lounges., rachel cormack.

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Jacopo Leoni has reimagined the humble houseboat through a high-design, multihull lens.

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The living quarters are spread across three decks. The upper deck is home to an owner’s suite with a personal Jacuzzi, as well as a scenic outdoor wheelhouse and a sizable custom swimming pool. A few steps below, the main deck offers ample space for entertaining both indoors and out.

Down more steps still, the lower deck houses all the machinery (tanks, chain lockers, and the like). The stern offers space for water toys and other equipment, while the bow is dedicated to mooring. (Guests enter the bow via an external door, while the crew can take ladders.)

In terms of grunt, the cat is equipped with two propellers that are powered by a diesel engine through a reverse-reduction gearbox. Leoni didn’t give an estimated range or top speed, but says you can expect “a smooth and efficient voyage.”

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Brand: Endeavour 44 TrawlerCat

Jump to Endeavour 44 TrawlerCat Catamarans For Sale

The Endeavor 44 TrawlerCat is a very sought after, extremely comfortable catamaran with exceptional living quarters, including a master up! Tremendous storage throughout, fully air conditioned, fully enclosed helm deck, wide side decks, easy boarding from swim platforms, accessible engine rooms – so much to love!

Endeavour 44 TrawlerCat (Florida)

M/Y The Big Yay is a 2006, Endeavour 44 TrawlerCat catamaran, for sale by owner.

The Big Yay offers a 3-stateroom, 2-head layout, master stateroom with queen/king-size bunk on the main deck, 6’6” headroom in the pilothouse and salon, walkaround top deck, easy stern boarding, new canvas enclosing the pilothouse. The twin Yanmar 240 HP main diesel engines with 2,000-hour detailed service recently completed, and new Raymarine Axiom self-steered navigation electronics with remote-control autopilot. Her Endeavour dinghy has a new Mercury 10hp electric-start outboard motor.

Docked in Halifax Harbor Marina, Daytona Beach, Florida, with the slip transferable to the new owner. With the Big Yay’s 14’8″ height and 3’ draft, she is a popular Great Loop cruiser as well as a great Bahamas boat!

M/Y Fat Cat is a 2002 Endeavour Catamaran 44 Trawler Cat catamaran, for sale by owner. I love this boat as its main characteristics are she has prop pockets and 3ft draw. This is very good for cruising Florida and Bahamas, also with a narrow beam as catamarans come. We can usually find regular berths and not pay for a double.

She has fuel flow scan meters, and it is a joy to see the economy of the Yanmars. I never owned such an efficient boat with this square footage, and 1500 mile range at 8-10 knots. All work has been done in last two years, as I just purchased the boat in the Fall of 2020. Previous owner was a snow bird and rarely was down.

We are coming back home to get a bigger boat. Fat Cat has been great to us but we need more space as the kids have decided to cruise the eastern Caribbean with us. The western Caribbean has been great, its like a condo. You can move around the marinas and are very affordable. Easy to see in the water, ready to run.

Endeavour Trawlercat 44 (Florida)

M/Y Side by Side is a 2008 Endeavour Trawlercat 44 catamaran, for sale by owner. She is number 45 of approximately 55 built. Production stopped after the company was sold following owner Bob Vincent’s death.

Side by Side has the upgraded 315 hp 6 cylinder Yanmar 6LPA-STP turbo diesel engines installed in the later models. She has 3 queen staterooms, one with a walk around bed. Two large enclosed heads have separate showers.

Side by Side is the perfect boat for the Great Loop, Bahamas, or cruising US waters. We have traveled from Florida to the Chesapeake and back 6.5 times, 3 trips to the Bahamas, twice to the Keys, and twice through Lake Okeechobee. We travel continually at 16 knots but even if you don’t it nice to have the speed for a short weather window. Lake Worth, Fl to West End, Bahamas in 4 hours.

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Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

If you are looking to enjoy the best of both worlds and get away from it all, then these best liveaboard sailboats may be just what you're looking for.

October 17, 2023

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

The best liveaboard catamaran sailboats are the ones that provide comfort, safety, and convenience for every member of the family. Catamarans can be sailed in rough waters without risk of capsizing.They also have an amazing design that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical.

Liveaboard catamaran sailboats are the perfect vessels for sailors looking to explore new, uncharted waters. They offer a combination of sleek speed and spacious living quarters that no other boat can match! This article will highlight five liveaboard catamaran sailboat options that you should consider when making your purchase.

Our sailing experts have done all of the hard work for you and found out which boats are truly worth taking a look at. In order to make it on our list, these vessels had to be able to provide comfort and luxury while still being environmentally friendly. If you're looking for a boat that is going to fit your needs without breaking your budget, then there's no better place than here!

Table of Contents

‍ 1. Manta 42

The  Manta 42  is the first catamaran designed and built entirely in the United States. A Florida-based business produced these boats in the 1990s and 2000s, and they became very popular among offshore cruisers. The Manta 42 Catamaran is a high-quality boat that will provide you with many hours of enjoyment. It is perfect for anyone who wants a boat that is easy to operate, looks great, and goes fast!

The Manta 42 Catamaran is a great boat for those who love to spend time on the water. This catamaran is perfect for fishing, swimming, or just cruising around with family and friends. It is also great for short trips or extended cruises. The boat features two large decks that provide plenty of room to move around, and the cabins are spacious and well-ventilated.

The Manta 42 Catamaran has two spacious cabins with storage underneath. The beds are comfortable, and the cabins have plenty of ventilation, so you won't be hot or stuffy at night. Both cabin doors have storage space on top, which is handy for belongings that you want to keep safe while you are away from the boat. There is also a full bathroom on board with showering capabilities, so everyone can get cleaned up after having fun on the water.

The large decks on this boat provide extra room for passengers to move around without disturbing anyone who may be sleeping in their cabin. It provides enough room for some serious sunbathing, just relaxing. There are plenty of places to hang out and take in the views, and the boat has a really cool modern design that is sure to turn heads.

The Manta 42 Catamaran is made of high-quality materials. Fiberglass and various resins are used to give the boat a sleek look and help it resist dings and other impacts while cruising around on or near the water. The wood trim looks great and provides an extra touch of class.

The Manta 42 isn't just a pretty face, though - this boat has some serious features as well! It comes equipped with two 30 HP Volvo diesel engines with sail drives so you can go fast when you want to, but cruise along at a comfortable speed when you don't feel like pushing it. There is plenty of room for gear underneath the deck, and there is even more storage inside the cabin if need be.

Manta Marine no longer produces these boats - they went out of business in the early 2000s. If you are looking for a Manta 42 Catamaran, many companies have taken over production, so you will have to do some shopping around to find one that is up to your requirements.

The  Manta 42  Catamaran is a fine example of quality craftsmanship and innovative design. It gets plenty of looks from passersby, but it also makes for an enjoyable day on the water. This boat provides comfort and stability no matter what kind of conditions it encounters - whether that means cruising through calm waters or heading out into choppy waves. This boat would be great for someone who loves spending time on the water and wants something that is easy to control and offers plenty of room and beautiful views.

• Length Overall: 42 ft
• Beam: 21 ft
• Draft: 3 ft 8 inches
• Displacement: 13,500 lbs.
• Fuel Capacity: 124 gal
• Engine Power: 30 HP x 2 (Volvo Diesel)
• Plenty of storage space underneath for clothes and other belongings.
• The large decks allow plenty of room for passengers without making anyone feel cramped or uncomfortable.
• This boat can reach speeds up to 10 knots
• Decent fuel capacity
• Durable construction
• Hard to find new parts because production ceased in 2000

2. Nautitech 44 Open

Nautitech is a French company that makes high-quality catamarans. The 44 model is one of their most popular designs, and for good reason. This boat is incredibly spacious and comfortable, making it perfect for long cruises or extended stays on the water.

The  Nautitech 44  Open is a luxurious sailing vessel that will make you feel at home while you're out on the open sea. Despite its size, the Nautitech 44 Open is surprisingly easy to maneuver. Even novice sailors will be able to handle this boat with ease. This 44-foot beauty has all the amenities you need to relax and enjoy your time away from shore and is available in several cabin layouts to fit your needs.

The Nautitech 44 Open, versatile design means that it can be sailed by a captain and crew or by a family of novice sailors. With two helm stations and a joystick controller, the Nautitech 44 is easy to operate, even in challenging conditions. And with its large cockpit and swim platform, you'll have plenty of room to sunbathe, swim, and relax while you're at sea.

Inside, the Nautitech 44 boasts a spacious salon with a large dining table, a well-equipped galley, and comfortable sitting areas. The three private cabins each have their own ensuite head with a shower, and there's also plenty of storage space for your belongings. For entertainment, the Nautitech 44 comes equipped with several radios, a TV and VCR, and a CD player with speakers throughout the boat.

The sturdy construction of the Nautitech 44's hull and deckhouse ensure that you stay safe and watertight while you enjoy all your time on the sea. The advanced composite construction helps maintain its rigidity and stability while keeping the weight down for easy handling. The main beams are surrounded by polyurethane foam to keep them protected from damage caused by impacts such as running aground or hitting submerged debris in your path.

And if you're looking for some excitement while you're out on the waves, the Nautitech 44 also comes with a powerful engine and a top speed of over 20 knots. So, whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway or some high-speed adventure, the Nautitech 44 open catamaran is perfect for you.

The Nautitech 44 Open is still being produced due to its popularity and excellent seakeeping capabilities. The prices for new and used versions nearly always exceed $100,000. For the price, you get an upscale catamaran that can travel with ease. It is definitely not the cheapest option on our list, but you do get what you pay for when it comes to this boat.

The  Nautitech 44 Open  also does well at sea and can handle rough conditions. The open style layout makes it great for entertaining guests, especially considering the many amenities that come standard onboard. If you're looking for a luxury catamaran that will serve your family or friends well while out on the water, then look no further than the Nautitech 44 Open.

• Length: 44 ft
• Beam overall: 24 ft 2 inches
• Draft: 4 ft 9 inches
• Displacement: 22712 lbs
• Engine: 30 Hp x 2 (D2-30 Volvo)
• Fuel tank: 2 x 66 gallons
• Spacious interior with plenty of amenities
• Easy to operate, even for novice sailors
• Well-built and sturdy catamaran
• Fast - Ideal for offshore cruising
• Somewhat expensive compared to other models on the market
• No open cockpit

3. Lagoon 380

There's something about catamarans that make ailing aficionados go crazy. Maybe it's the spacious sailing platform with its perfect vista views, or maybe it's the fact that they sail like a dream due to their ability to 'plane through the water (like hydro foiling boards). But whatever it is, you can count on cats for roomy and dry bunks along with fun times at sea. And of course, if you don't want to sleep aboard your boat during stormy weather - there are two hulls under which you can huddle!

So, when Lagoon Yachts asked us if we would be interested in taking one of their latest build 380′ s out for a sail, we, of course, said YES! And we are so glad that we did because this cat is the real deal.

The  Lagoon 380  has been out for a few years now, but with the redesign of the Lagoon 400, many of the features and amenities from that model have trickled down to the 380′s. So, if you are in the market for a catamaran that is both comfortable and stylish, read on!

The Lagoon 380 comes standard with four air-conditioned cabins, which can sleep up to 8 people (or six adults), and two baths. These cabins provide plenty of storage for all cruising gear, and there's even a well-placed mirror in each cabin for last-minute touch-ups before heading up to dinner. The master suite, located at the bow of the boat, has a king berth and its own private head and shower. And since it is situated so far forward on the boat, you get an amazing 180-degree view when looking forward - giving us one more reason to love cats!

The Lagoon 380 has large open lounging areas both indoors and out, and there are plenty of nooks and crannies where you can just curl up with your favorite book. The cockpit provides ample room for tanning or reading without bumping into other crew members (a must for any good cruising catamaran!). These two levels are a perfect place to relax and watch the world go by. And if you need a break from the sun, there is plenty of shaded space below decks as well.

The galley on the Lagoon 380 is well-equipped with all the amenities you would expect on a cruising catamaran, including a 4-burner stove, oven, large refrigerator and freezer, and lots of counter space. There is even a coffee maker for early morning starts!

The sail plan on the Lagoon 380 is easily managed by a short-handed crew, and she tracks beautifully in even the lightest winds. With her daggerboards down (a first for a Lagoon cat), she planes effortlessly through the water - making for some very enjoyable sailing.

So, if you are in the market for a comfortable and stylish catamaran that is perfect for cruising, the Lagoon 380 should definitely be at the top of your list! With her spacious deck and comfortable cabins, this catamaran is sure to please everyone on board. And with her easy-to-handle sail plan, she is perfect for even the novice sailor. So don't wait any longer - head on over to your nearest Lagoon dealer and check out the all-new  Lagoon 380 !

• Length: 37 ft 7 inches
• Beam: 21 ft 5 inches
• Draft: 3 ft 9 inches
• Displacement: 16000 lbs
• Fuel Capacity: 53 gallons
• Engine: 20 Hp x 2 inboard diesel engines
• The Lagoon 380 has long been the most popular catamaran, so it is tried and tested.
• Spacious deck and comfortable cabins
• Great value for money
• Tracks beautifully in light winds
• Renowned ocean crosser
• Not the quickest catamaran on the market
• Fewer baths than its competitors
• Suffers from hobby horsing occasionally

4. Alliaura Marine Privilege 435

The Alliaura Marine Privilege 435 is a beautiful boat that offers great value for the price. It is well-constructed and has all the amenities you need for a comfortable and enjoyable boating experience. The  Privilege 435  is perfect for cruising, fishing, or just hanging out with friends on the water.

The Alliaura Marine Privilege 435 is a moderate-sized, comfortable catamaran that offers many amenities for your cruising pleasure. This boat can be easily flown by two people and is large enough to accommodate up to eight guests. Two private cabins are perfect for couples or friends traveling together, while the salon/kitchen area provides ample room for entertaining guests or spending quality time with family. The cockpit of this boat is open, which means you can store all of your water toys in there, including jet skis, wakeboards, kayaks, or inflatable boats.

The Privilege 435 has an open design layout, making it easy to navigate. There are dual helm stations at both ends of the salon - one station controls the bow thruster, and another station controls the main propulsion. The bow thruster can be used to maneuver in tight spots and makes docking a breeze. The interior cabinetry of the boat is made from solid cherry wood, which gives it a luxurious, upscale feel.

This boat is extremely stable and tracks well in open water. It has a large cockpit area that provides plenty of space for fishing, swimming, or just relaxing in the sun. The cabin is spacious and includes a full galley, head, and V-berth. The Privilege 435 also comes standard with a host of other features, including electric windlass, trim tabs, bow thruster, cockpit shower, and much more.

The majority of Privilege 435s were recently constructed, making them newer models on the market. This boat is sure to turn heads when you pull up to the dock with its sleek, modern lines. It is also one of the faster catamarans available, reaching speeds up to 10 knots.

The Privilege 435 also has a large swim platform which means plenty of room for lounging or standing while you enjoy the sea breeze on hot summer days at sea. In fact, if you want to get out and stretch your legs, then just hop off onto the platform from either side of the boat! And with its HIN number, you'll have no trouble dropping anchor when it comes time to stop for a break in your voyage.

The average price for this boat is $250,000 to $350,000, making it one of the more expensive models. But you're getting a lot for your money, including comfort and luxury at every turn, plus plenty of bells and whistles. The  Allura Marine Privilege 435  is not cheap, but it's one of the best catamarans available on the used market today.

• Length: 43 ft
• Beam: 23.33 ft
• Draft: 4.42 ft
• Displacement: 18,300 lbs
• Engine: 2 x 40 Hp (Yanmars or Volvo)
• Fuel Capacity: 105 gallons
• Large sun deck
• Spacious cabin with galley and head
• Reliable and fast
• Large showers
• Sleeping arrangements can be a bit cramped for larger guests or families.
• Extremely expensive

5. Voyage 440

The  Voyage 440 Catamaran  is a great boat for cruising, fishing, or simply spending a day on the water with friends and family. It has plenty of space for up to 10 passengers and comes complete with all the amenities you need for a fun day out on the waves. Let's take a closer look at this catamaran and see what makes it so special.

The Voyage 440 Catamaran is built from top-quality materials and features a sturdy construction that can handle even the roughest conditions. It's also outfitted with all the latest safety features, including life jackets, flares, and an emergency beacon, so you can rest assured knowing your loved ones are safe while aboard.

This catamaran is made of light but durable materials, making it easy to transport and store when not in use. It features a detachable floor for extra safety when out on the water. The hull also has built-in drainage holes that release excess water that gets onboard during rough waters or rainstorms.

All controls on this boat are conveniently placed at your fingertips, so you don't have to worry about searching to find what you need. The steering wheel is mounted at the helm, within easy reach of both driver and passenger, while the throttle and shift control are perfectly positioned on either side of the steering wheel.

The Voyage 440 Catamaran has a deep hull that provides an extra measure of stability even when out at sea. This makes it suitable for all passengers, including young children who might be new to boating or surfing. It's also great for beginners who have never piloted a boat before because it's very easy to get used to this one from the start.

The boat's performance is great, and it's outfitted with all the latest gadgets and safety equipment. The large number of passengers it can hold also makes this an attractive option for boating groups.

However, there are some weaknesses that potential buyers need to know about. The boat's ultra-wide beam is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Voyage 440. Of course, there are practical benefits with the extra space and stability this provides. The bottom of the low bridge deck, on the other hand, is one of the most vulnerable in the business, so buyers should be aware of this disadvantage.

Overall, the  Voyage 440 Catamaran  is a great boat for cruising, fishing, and spending time with family and friends. It has plenty of space for passengers and comes with all the amenities you need for a fun day on the waves. This catamaran can handle even the roughest conditions with its sturdy construction and deep hull. So if you're looking for a great boat that's perfect for any occasion, the Voyage 44 Catamaran should definitely be at the top of your list.

• Beam: 25 ft
• Draft: 3.5 ft
• Displacement: 16200 lbs
• Engine: 2 x 27 Hp
• Fuel Capacity: 106 gallons
• Eight sleeping areas
• Spacious and stable design
• The extra-wide beam can make turning difficult
• The low bridgedeck is vulnerable to damage

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I'm Michael Moris. I've been sailing my whole life, and it has taken me to places I never imagined. From the Caribbean to Europe, from New Zealand to South America - there's nowhere that hasn't felt like home when you're on a boat!

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Best Catamaran Brands Guide – 6 Top Catamarans

Our guide to the best catamaran brands.

Are you ready to take the plunge and buy a yacht? Many sailors opt for catamarans over monohulls due to their speed. In fact, catamarans are often seen cutting up the open water with a sailor or two hiking out in order to maximize their speed even further. 

The appeal of catamarans has led designers to construct vessels that satisfies every owner’s needs, but before deciding which brand is best, it’s important to make the choice between a power cat and a sailing cat.

Sailing catamaran vs power catamaran

Both types of yachts each have their own set of benefits, so if you’re wondering whether to purchase a sailing catamaran or a power catamaran, it all comes down to what you’re looking for in a yacht.

Benefits of power catamarans

Alternatively, you may decide that a power catamaran is the best choice for you. If you feel the need for speed, for example, then a power cat is the answer. Plus, if you plan to cruise routes that feature bridges with height restrictions, then a power cat is preferable due to their low clearance.

Benefits of sailing catamarans

Want to embark on longer-range cruising, or follow the sun? Sailing cats are the ideal option.  

Sailing Catamarans are also more environmentally friendly.

If you’re unsure about which is the best catamaran for you, then get in touch with us and let us help you reach that decision.

The next question you need to ask yourself is which brand to opt for. Here, we take a look at our top catamaran brands and what makes them a cut above the rest.

Bali catamarans are sought after for their space, as they’re specifically designed to provide yachtsmen with ample living quarters. 

As they’re only produced at two sites (Canet-en-Roussilon and Marans in France), thissmall-scale production ensures that only the very best  quality is achieved in each and every one of their yachts, making them one of the favored catamaran brands amongst many boaters.

Their innovative designs and safety features continuously makes Bali one of the most popular catamaran brands. The use of low-density material makes these boats extremely buoyant and just about unsinkable. Plus, anti-osmotic resins also give the boats a highly protective covering, which is excellent for their long-term durability. 

Offering both sailing and power catamarans, these are the Bali catamaran models we’d recommend:

The evolution of the original Bali 4.0 , Bali 4.1 makes this list because of the sheer amount of space it offers. Seating has been added to the aft cockpit and the storage section is bigger too, which is perfect for storing scuba diving or snorkeling equipment. 

The open-plan nature of this catamaran means it’s great for socializing, with spacious areas for sunbathing, sitting, cooking and sleeping.

Bali 4.3 MY

This power cat offers luxury in abundance, with a 30m2 deck offering ample spaces for sunbathing!

Dine in style on the terrace and sleep soundly in the elegantly designed bedrooms.  The helm is big enough to rival larger yachts, enabling you to cruise in total comfort.

The sense of space you’ll feel in this catamaran is unlike any other Bali model. This is down in part to the large glass windows, which provide you with epic panoramic views.

The main saloon is free of bulkheads, meaning you’ll get to enjoy direct access to the cockpit; yet the much-loved features on similar Bali yachts are still present, including the forward deck, in replacement of the trampoline.

If you value space and luxury, then the Bali 5.4 is the best catamaran for you.

Part of the Bali Group, Catana catamarans are available between 42 and 70 feet long, giving prospective yacht owners plenty of choice when it comes to space. 

Like Bali, Catana yachts are only produced in two sites in France, meaning they can control their high standards of quality in every single yacht.

This quality is evident throughout. For example, eEvery yacht is built with foam sandwich vacuum infusion technology, which consolidates the frame of the boat while at the same time making it lighter and faster. The infrastructure of a Catana is technologically advanced in comparison to its contemporaries because of the spacious bridge-deck clearance and lofty freeboard. Curved daggerboards reduce the chance of tipping, and “crash boards” will ensure the buoyancy of any Catana, making it one of the top catamaran brands around.. 

These are our picks of the best catamarans by Catana; contact us for more details.

The Catana 53 was launched following months of extensive research, speaking to employees at the Catana shipyard, architects and the brand’s customers. The result? An extremely impressive catamaran.

Boxy and angular, the design is aesthetically pleasing, yet clearly built for long-range cruising. The layout on-board is an example of open-plan at its finest, with the huge front windows letting in lots of light while offering impressive views.

Much like the Catana 53, this particular model was developed following extensive collaboration between naval architects and Catana’s dedicated R&D team.

This extensive research is easy to see once you step on-board. Maxi hulls with inverted bulls, carbon infusion technology and foil-type daggerboards are all featured of this particular yacht. 

One of the safest cruising catamarans around, it’s light and sturdy, without compromising on a spacious and luxurious living area.

The Catana 70 is cited as one of the best catamarans by many experienced sailors – and it sure is a sight to behold.

Its exterior is a combination of racy lines and a sleek profile, while its interior stops nothing short of luxury. Functional and refined, it’s clear that every detail – however slight – has been well thought out, to offer sailors a truly enjoyable time on-board.

With the ability to be personalized upon request, the Catana 70 truly embodies both design and technical excellence; exceeding expectations.

Fountaine Pajot

If you’re docked and happen upon an eco-friendly boat utilizing renewable energy resources, you have probably just encountered a Fountaine Pajot . These boats are constantly leading the pack as the most technologically advanced  manufacturer, making them one of the best catamaran yachts you can buy. 

‘Eco-versions’ are offered to environmentally conscious sailors, without compromising on the beautiful, high performing and comfortable designs they are renowned for. In fact,the durability of these boats give them a high resale value, which makes them ideal if you think you may want to sell yours in the future. 

The safety features in a Fountaine Pajot yacht are unrivalled; with ehe unique partitioning meaning that in the unlikely event of a leak, parts of the vessel can be sealed off. 

Producing both power and sailing cats, here are our pick of the best catamarans Fountaine Pajot has to offer.

Exquisitely crafted, you can relax on the 9m2 lounge deck, or top up your tan on the sun lounger. If you think you might want to try extended cruising, then the Saona 47’s extensive storage space will definitely come into good use.

The weight-to-volume ratio of this yacht has resulted in exceptional stability and balance, meaning every sailing experience you get to enjoy will be an unforgettable one.

Opt for the Ipanema 50 and choose between the classic version, where there is a saloon between the kitchen; or the lounge version, where the saloon and kitchen are broken down into two separate areas by a lounge and galley.

With a 25m2 cockpit, you’ll have the option to live “inside and out”, making the Ipanema one of our best catamarans for cruising.

Designed by the renowned boat designers Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prevost, who also designed  the famed 2010 America’s Cup winning trimaran; Lagoon is a world leader in catamaran cruisers.

Every single Lagoon catamaran offers plenty of luxury living space, mixed with performance sailing ability. The deck and hull structures are vacuum injected; while the furniture is panels are created from reconstituted wood, in their bid to help with the environment. For more information on Lagoons please contact us.

While there are so many Lagoon models to choose from, these are our top three:

Providing the solution to the sailor of today, the Lagoon 620 is favored as one of the best catamarans by many.

Receiving a refresh in 2012, the interiors have been designed for ultimate comfort, including a redesign of the dining room settees and an increase in indirect lighting due to changes to the ceiling.

Available in three different versions, with four, five or six cabins, the interior offers total comfort while sailing, without compromising on performance.

Lagoon Seventy7

Over 23 meters in length, the Lagoon Seventy7 is fully bespoke, meaning you can create your yacht any way you’d like it (if you choose the forward galley and crew charters version).

The sheer size of the flybridge provides extra living space, and the accessible cockpit means you can enjoy outstanding horizon views. But our favorite thing about this yacht? The direct access to the sea from the main bedroom – just think of it as your own private beach!

Lagoon Seventy8

This power catamaran offers even more room, at 24 meters in length. Customizable options on the flybridge include a jacuzzi or a folding dining table – perfect if you plan on bringing guests on-board.

The interiors are stylish yet refined, resulting in timeless designs. The Lagoon Seventy8 is ideal if you plan to embark on any long-distance cruising, with its fuel tank able to hold up 8,500 litres, equating to approximately 4,000 nautical miles.

Enjoy limitless cruising on a Nautitech power catamaran. Their new line – which they introduced in 2018 – combines efficiency and power, without sacrificing plenty of space for socializing.

Only the highest quality materials are used, meaning you can relax in the knowledge that you’re in total safety. With every Nautitech catamaran built in France, and the interiors created in Germany, everything is finished to the highest of standards, making Nautitech one of the top catamaran brands around.

Nautitech 40

If you’re looking to strike the perfect balance between lifestyle and performance, then the Nautitech 40 is the ideal yacht for you.

An abundance of space means you can relax and unwind with friends and family, or take some time out for yourself, while enjoying the stylish interiors.

The trampoline offers the perfect spot for some sunbathing, or enjoy your afternoons snorkeling, swimming or diving.

Nautitech 46

Explore the ocean on a Nautitech 46 in luxury and comfort.

The interior of this catamaran is stunning: 360-degree panoramic views, with lots of lighting and sumptuous seating that you can sit back and relax in.

Choose between the three and four cabin options for up to eight people; where you can enjoy some time together, whether it’s just for a day trip, or for a longer-term adventure.

Nautitech 47

The first new model in the range, it has the power to cruise for 1000 miles, at a speed of 22 knots. You even have the ability to upgrade your engines to either 2 x 225 HP or 300 HP.

The interiors lend to an open concept when it comes to the saloon and cockpit, and you have the option to choose between three or four cabins. Plus, with the way the seats are situated, you’ll get to enjoy a beautiful sunset every time you set sail on this yacht. 

Truly a combination of power, comfort and style at its finest, the Nautitech 47 is one of the best catamaran yachts around.

Aquila has broken through the market in recent years, with its range of power catamarans representing some of the most innovative designs on the market.

On anAquila catamaran, you’ll get to enjoy fuel-efficient and stable cruising, with enough strength to cross oceans if you choose to. 

Their yachts are award-winning, brought to life by the industry’s most sought-after boat designers, developers and builders. 

It’s all about the extra touches – large storage spaces, memory foam beds and variable temperature showers means that whether you decide to spend just a day on the boat, or an extended period of time, you’ll always get to experience total comfort.

Here are some of our favorite Aquila power cats on the market.

Her size may look modest, but her space suggests anything but. Featuring two small cabins with ensuites and a generous space for relaxing and socializing, this 36-foot vessel certainly doesn’t sacrifice the luxury of larger yachts.

If you choose to invest in an Aquila 36, you’ll get to customize it to your specific requirements, including a power-opening sunroof to enjoy maximum light, and joystick control.

Featuring an additional cabin to the Aquila 36, the Aquila 44 catamaran is ideal if you want to sail with several guests.

Enjoy features such as the convertible bar area and the unique layout of the aft cockpit, which transform it from the norm.

But perhaps one of the most notable things on this catamaran is the forward stairway, which leads directly from the foredeck to the flybridge, meaning guests can easily get from the bridge to the bow.

The one thing this power catamaran offers in abundance is privacy, because of the sheer amount of space it offers. The cabins are kept apart from each other, with the master cabin separated from the guest cabins by a tunnel.

Yet for all the privacy the cabins allow, social interaction is promoted with the saloon, cockpit and galley flowing seamlessly from one to the other.

Whether you’re looking to use it for a day trip, or a long-distance cruise, then this yacht can do both; making the Aquila 48 one of our top catamarans.

We understand that choosing your perfect yacht is hard, which is why we want to help! Representing the world’s leading yacht manufacturers, we offer a range of monohulls , catamarans and power catamarans for sale.

Speak to us today to let us find you your perfect yacht, contact one of our offices , or make an appointment to see us at an upcoming event . Alternatively, for the latest yachting news, head on over to our blog .

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Design Dynamics

Open Bridgedeck Catamaran

Configuration & Basic Types

Amultihull, just as any other type of boat, presents a series of compromises, and this applies to overall hull, deck and configuration as well. Concessions often have to be made because of space, performance or construction costs. In addition, the intended usage will be a significant factor in determining the shape and size of the vessel. Successful cruising designs will balance all parameters and only you, as a sailor, will know which type of catamaran will be suitable for your needs.

A monohull 's characteristics, largely determined by the beam-to-length ratio of the hull and its displacement, will vary very little from another ballasted boat, as there is only so much volume you can fit into a single hull. This will establish the amount of accommodations, which will not greatly differ from one monohull to another, setting a stark contrast to a catamaran, where intended parameters vary so much more.

Basically, we can break down the major design considerations into: overall configuration,

If one thinks of an open bridgedeck-type of catamaran, images of Hobie Cats on one end of the spectrum, and giant-open ocean racing multihulls on the extreme end, come to mind. They have no fixed coachhouse roof and some of them, especially the small beach cats, only have nets strung between the hulls. Larger examples have partial composite platforms, which stiffen the structure and allow for cockpit seats and helm stations. Since without a solid coachhouse there is less boat to build, these multihulls will be generally lighter and have better aerodynamic properties than full bridgedeck-type cats.

Although few manufacturers and designers have attempted to build open bridgedeck catamarans for cruising, only the most die-hard campers will find them useful for liveaboard applications. Typical examples are the older MacGregor 36, Stiletto 27 and 30, the French KL27 and Corneel designs, which could be sailed hard by lifting a hull (something that you try to avoid when cruising with a fully decked-out boat). Some of these vessels even featured a tiny removable doghouse which provided some shelter for the crew. On smaller open bridgedeck multihulls the only living quarters are found in the confines of the hulls. Even on larger types, they are cramped and not conducive to long-term cruising. The advantages of these sporty vessels,

Copyright © 2006, 2008 by Gregor Tarjan. Click here for terms of use.

Basic Catamaran Configurations

especially in sizes below 30 feet, is their lower cost, trailerability and lively performance. However, attention has to be paid that they not be overloaded or else one could easily turn a cat into a t they are big moneymakers and are considered the workhorses of the sea.

A large exception to the class 1 type of configuration is found in sizes above 30 feet, which could be considered as class 2. Manufacturers such as Maine Cat and a few other custom multihulls such as the Shuttleworth successfully combine an open-deck plan with a certain degree of cruising comfort. In order to provide some shelter for the crew, large semi-rigid biminis are erected. Not only are these afterthoughts unsightly and do no justice to the beauty of these boats, but they also add a considerable amount of drag, contradicting the nature of these athletic multihulls.

Large charter boats or "Day Boats," as they are called, also utilize the open bridgedeck layout to maximize cockpit space. These machines can entertain up to 80 passengers and are found in holiday resorts around the world. Correctly managed and marketed,

Partial Bridgedeck Catamaran

These are often referred to as cruising/ racing types and, unfortunately, very few existing manufacturers still make them. Designs such as the older Edel and Outremer catamarans had a rigid deck and a small coachhouse, which was completely separate from the hulls. My own Outremer 43 "Flo" was of that category. She was a great sailboat and provided ample room for our family cruises along the U.S. East Coast. Similar to the class 1 vessels, the bridge decks of these types of catamarans are also shorter fore and aft, and the accommodations are simple.

Partial bridgedeck catamarans usually place simple sitting arrangements and nav-stations on the main deck. The balance of the layout, below The Broadblue range of cruising catamarans are examples of full-length bridgedeck multihulls, providing plenty of volume for cruisers.

above The Blubay 72 is a state-of-the-art, maxi-sized racer-cruiser featuring a separate saloon pod. She will cruise at close to 28 knots.

below The Gemini 105Mc, seen here in the Patagonian channels, is a popular full bridgedeck catamaran which, in capable hands, can be taken to the world's most remote areas.

such as the galley, heads and berths are often situated in the hulls. Most of the time, these multihulls only have sitting or crouching headroom in the saloon, unless the cabin sole is dropped significantly, compromising the underwing clearance. The Edel 35 was particularly notorious for her low bridge deck, although hundreds of them were built.

Advantages are good looks and light weight overall structure, but the fact that one can only access the hull compartments via the cockpit poses limitations for serious cruising or live-aboard applications.

Some years ago when Outremer was looking for a substitute for its 40 footer, I was asked to design an open bridgedeck type and came up with a compact 38' racer/cruiser with low profile and tiller steering. Unfortunately, lack of demand prevented the project from being realized and the Outremer 42 was born. However, I feel that a properly designed class 2 multihull is a fantastic compromise for the average weekend sailor. It is unfortunate that presently no manufacturer builds one.

Bridgedeck Catamaran

Probably the majority of production and custom cruising catamarans belong to this category, which is the focus of this book. A bridgedeck multihull maximizes the use of space and features a solid deck with a coachhouse that spans the entire width of the cockpit. There is one main entrance into the boat via large sliding doors, and access into both hulls is through companionways leading down from either side of the large saloon. Bridgedeck catamarans are ideal for cruisers or liveaboard sailors. These vessels feature ample payload-carrying capacity and provide good protection for the crew. Helm locations are usually behind the coach roof bulkhead or in some rare cases on the aft end of the hulls behind the cockpit.

These class 3 multihulls contain all the comforts of home and feature a spacious

saloon, galley, and navigation station on the main deck. The coachhouse acts as a centralized core, spanning both hulls, which are usually reserved for heads, sleeping cabins and storage. Unlike any other type of boat, monohull and multihull combined, the class 3 cruising catamaran has an unrivalled "homey" feel to it. The wide cockpits are protected by biminis which integrate seamlessly into the coachroof. This not only looks good but creates an inside-outside space that is both practical and unique.

Large bridgedeck cats have the capacity and volume to carry most of the items you would find in your home. From dishwashers to the generators that power them, you can actually have it all. However, the desire to load up too much sometimes overburdens the vessel, compromising its performance.

On vessels larger than 40 feet, headroom is sufficient, although individuals 6 feet and taller might have to make compromises in the forward part of the saloon or in the extremities of the hulls. Designers try to balance the need for ample bridgedeck clearance and place the cabin sole high enough to avoid underwing pounding created by waves. Low, good-looking silhouettes can be found on larger catamarans, although some manufacturers have the "no holds barred" approach and make their boats look like a toolbox. Although this maximizes space, the chunky appearance is detrimental to the performance of the boat as it increases air drag. Finally, square coachhouses make catamarans look rather unattractive.

Some builders elect to pull the solid bridge deck all the way from bow to stern.

above This recently launched Yapluka 72' catamaran is seen here in full cruising trim and serves her owner-couple as a liveaboard world voyager and mobile office.

Bridgedeck pounding caused by waves is one of the drawbacks of low underwing catamarans. Moderate displacement, full-volume bow and stern sections, and a high and long bridgedeck will minimize, if not eliminate, annoying wave slap under the saloon sole. Although bridgedeck height is a very important parameter, it is a misconception that it is the only design feature to look for. One has to consider weight as well as its distribution and support by the hulls, especially in the extremities. Heavy, low bridgedeck multihulls might make great liveaboard vessels, but they should only be taken to sea by masochists.

below A partial bridgedeck cat, such as the older Outremer 43, was a swift boat but had the disadvantage of separate saloon and hull access.

Parameters Contributing to Bridgedeck Pounding

This book would not be complete without the mention of the new breed of luxury yacht: the Multihull Supercat. These magnificent vessels usually measure in

This is beneficial for stiffening the structure and making the most out of the available deck space. The Gemini catamaran is a very successful design which employs this layout. Yet designers who try to put too much weight into the ends must be careful. These types frequently suffer from excessive pitching in a seaway and display mediocre performance under sail.

Superyacht Catamaran

This book would not be complete without the mention of the new breed of luxury yacht: the Multihull Supercat. These magnificent vessels usually measure in excess of 100' and can sail on free wind energy at more than 30 knots without any heel. They feature living rooms the size as found on monohull superyachts twice their size, and require neither a dozen crew to run them nor large diesel engines. Very few builders in the world specialize in these types of vessels, yet their ideal application as large eco-expedition vessels, corporate entertainment platforms, or ultimate private yachts is unquestionable. Blubay Yachts of France seems to be on the forefront of this group as they have gained invaluable experience by being the only builder that has built a succession of composite superyacht multihulls upwards of 100'.

The world market for extravagant pleasure boats has been steadily growing, yet the catamaran platform for luxury sailing vessels has only recently been recognized.

Modern composite materials and highlevel engineering utilizing Finite Element Analysis now permit the construction of large structures such as multihulls, which was not possible 10 or 20 years ago. The aeronautical and automobile racing industry have contributed considerably to the design and engineering of complex composite structures from which super-catamarans have greatly benefited. The use of aluminum has been the classic hull and superstructure material for large vessels around 60' and it is still a strong and economical build alternative. With the advance of composite technology experienced builders (usually French yards) are developing lighter, stronger and increasingly sophisticated super-yachts, providing clients alternatives that were unheard of just years ago.

Large catamarans, with their wide and stable platforms are becoming recognized as ideal structures for lavish, as well as exciting, pleasure boats. Their vast living accommodations and privacy layout make them ideal for people looking for an alternative to deep draft and heavy monohulls. In addition, their low-profile underbodies permit access to shallow harbors. The new generation of research vessels and oceanographic laboratory ships are frequently large catamarans. They project the image of eco-friendliness and efficiency as they are propelled by clean wind energy. Their shallow draft allows access to reefs and remote anchorages. Their wide aft platforms provide superior storage facilities for large dive tenders and even ideal helicopter landing pads. The demand for these types of superyacht catamarans worldwide is steadily growing.

below Large luxury yachts, such as this 100' catamaran, can easily accommodate several dozens of guests in ultimate comfort while, at the same time, they can sail at double-digit speeds. With world oil prices steadily rising, they very well might become the new breed of mega-yacht.

Continue reading here: Catamaran Design Guide

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How to build a catamaran free plans?

There are a number of online sources that provide free plans for building a catamaran, such as: The Boat Plans Collection: <a href="http://www.theboatplanscollection.com/catamaran-plans/" >http://www.theboatplanscollection.com/catamaran-plans/</a> Boat Design Net: <a href="https://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/free-catamaran-plans-54219.html" >https://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/free-catamaran-plans-54219.html</a> DIYCatamaran: <a href="https://www.diylargecatamaran.com/category/plans/" >https://www.diylargecatamaran.com/category/plans/</a> Multihulls 4 U: <a href="https://www.multihulls4u.com/diy-catamaran-plans/" >https://www.multihulls4u.com/diy-catamaran-plans/</a> BoatBuilderCentral: <a href="https://boatbuildercentral.com/category/boat-plans/power-catamaran.html" >https://boatbuildercentral.com/category/boat-plans/power-catamaran.html</a> Before beginning the project, be sure to read and understand all instructions, diagrams, and safety guidelines that are included in the plans. Additionally, consider consulting with a professional boat builder in the case of any questions or doubts.

6 Popular Boats For Full-Time Living (Affordable Options)

It’s a big investment to get a boat you can live in full time.

Here are some of the more affordable boats out there that we can fully recommend.

Hang with us as we guide you through some of the most popular and affordable boats for full-time living.

Table of Contents

Don’t Get “Sticker Shock”:

If you are choosing to live aboard a boat in you will need to brace yourself for the expense.

While this article is showing you “cheap” or “inexpensive” boats to live on, you should not be comparing them to other boats.

We are not talking about small boats here, but boats you can live on, remember.

Daily use boats do not afford the luxuries that a live-aboard boat can. This makes them more expensive. When looking at live-aboard boat prices, you will want to compare it to traditional living expenses. All choices for live-aboard boats are expensive and you will most likely be looking for a used, possibly even a “project” boat.

If you are looking for a new boat, or even a luxurious used boat you will need to be prepared to spend $100,000 or more depending on the size and type of boat you want.

An Affordable TRAWLER You Can Live On

A trawler is an inexpensive option that allows for generous space. Trawlers are also durable and can take large amounts of use. 

The wider hull of a trawler allows for roomy interiors that include bigger kitchens, more spacious sleeping areas and more room. This boat is also stable and accessible. This makes getting on and off the boat much easier.

They also have less draft than boats with deep hulls like sailboats and lower clearance on top for bridges.

Some cons of a trawler include noisy engines that are slower moving. They also consume large amounts of fuel.

Trawlers also will need maintenance just like any other vessel and can often be older, so they might require more maintenance up front.

1. Albin North Sea Cutter

North Sea Cutters made by Albin are large, spacious and elegant. These boats offer multiple comforts and sleeping areas.

Depending on the year you select, you could have multiple cabins and many places that convert into sleeping areas. You can purchase a used Albin boat that costs anywhere from $20,000 to over $200,000. These prices vary depending on space, age and amenities offered.

Models older than 2000 will often range between $20,000 to $80,000 and they can get more expensive from there.

An Affordable YACHT You Can Live On

2. beneteau swift trawler.

These boats can be swift, fuel efficient, and stable. They offer a spacious deck as well as spacious living quarters.

They often come with more than one cabin and enough room to move around and house more than one person.

The Beneteau Swift Trawlers are more expensive than the Albin models and will likely cost you more than $100,000.

If you are looking for a brand new Beneteau, you could be looking at a base price close to or even over $500,000.

So you definitely want to get a used model if you are looking for a cheaper alternative here!

2 Affordable SAILBOATS You Can Live On

Sailboats can be a relaxing option for your live-aboard vessel. Sailboats come with an open deck and oftentimes have plush cabins situated in their hull.

Some of the appeals of a live-aboard sailboat are that you will spend less money on gas. They are also quieter than their motorboat counterparts.

If you choose to live-aboard a sailboat, you will want to make sure that you have a motor available in case you do not have a cooperating wind.

3. Island Packet 35

These boats are smaller than the trawler options and are better suited to housing smaller families.  They have one main living and sleeping quarters so there is not a lot of privacy offered. These will be ideal for a couple. 

These are very popular choices among sailing cruisers and they were designed with sailing in mind. They are very user-friendly sailboats.

The prices on an Island Packet range close to $100,000.

You will be looking for a used vessel, though, as these were not manufactured after the mid-1990s.

4. Cabo Rico 38

Cabo Rico boats were designed with luxury in mind and it is reflected in their prices.

Older models from the 1980’s and 1990’s range between $80,000 and $100,000 while newer models that were made in the early 2000s can easily reach over $300,000.

The main goal of these boats was to increase the appeal of their aesthetic.

Like the Island Packet, these boats are more ideal for smaller couples. This boat also has an abundance of clever storage spaces that will help you maximize the space that you have. 

Affordable MULTI-HULL Boats You Can Live On

Multi-hull catamarans can be either double or triple hulled.

The benefit of a multi-hulled vessel is the stability offered as well as the possibility for separate living spaces.

A catamaran offers a wide and spacious deck, however, the living spaces in the hulls are generally smaller than they would be on other vessel types.

The major disadvantage of a multi-hull option will be price. Because the construction of these boats is similar to building two separate boats, you should expect to pay more. If you want to live on a multi-hull vessel you could be looking at spending $100,000 or more.

Like a sailboat, you might consider a used catamaran.

In addition to a higher purchase price, these boats also might require two slips in a marina which can make them more expensive.

5. Lagoon 380

The Lagoon 380 is a smaller catamaran which is not the most common. The Lagoon 380 is the smallest catamaran in the Lagoon fleet.

Unlike some other inexpensive options, these are still being produced which offers you the chance to buy new, which means that you will be more likely to customize your boat.

This boat comes with a full bath and a large queen-sized berth or the chance to instead get four cabins. Stowage on this boat is impressive and it comes with many lockers and storage space.

The boat truly is impressive for its small size and will be comfortable for living in. The price of this vessel can range from $170,000 to over $200,000 depending on the year and the options available.

Other Lagoon options can be more expensive but are also great live-aboard vessels.

6. Leopard 44

If you are looking for a more luxurious catamaran, then you will want to look at the Leopard 44. 

The most inspiring part of the design of the Leopard 44 is the inclusion of two cockpits. This allows sailors to change where they steer based on the position of the sun and adds additional comfort.

This boat also provides edging on the surfaces so that you can feel where the boat ends. Attention to detail was key when crafting the Leopard 44. 

Like most catamarans, this vessel is also spacious and provides comforts and amenities that will be useful when living on board.  These include multiple berths and cabins that are well suited to housing more people.

The average price for this vessel is higher than the Lagoon 38 can range between $280,000 and $400,000.

Affordable HOUSEBOATS You Can Live On

If you plan on living aboard a boat without doing a lot of traveling, a houseboat might be ideal for you.

These allow for plenty of space, but are bulky and are not very efficient so they are generally used for living while moored and never actually venturing out on the water.

The most common form of houseboats is built onto pontoon boats. These boats can even offer full enclosures on the deck with plenty of windows and light.

Another downside to a houseboat is their price. Because these boats offer the most space and comfort they are pricey.

Houseboats can offer anything from multiple rooms to decks. They are essentially a house that floats.

Houseboats are often custom designed and are not generally offered as a part of a fleet or boating line. Prices also range wildly and could be anywhere from $30,000 used to over one million dollars.

When looking at houseboats you also have to consider location as a decision that needs to be made.

Houseboats are not designed to move so in addition to the expense of the boat, you are also often looking for a permanent place to put it, and that can be more costly than a marina or other available options.

What About The Bigger Yachts?

Even more expensive than the multi-hull vessel is the luxury yacht.

This is not an inexpensive option. These are the most expensive choice as they are essentially floating hotels.

For this reason, we have opted out of listing options for the luxury yacht, but they are an option that is available for consideration.

So How Do I Choose The Right Boat?

It is most important to choose your boat based on desired lifestyle, budget, and skill level.

If you do not want to worry about learning to sail, then you should look into the power boat options. 

You also want to make sure you pick the appropriate size.

If you plan to go down rivers often, you might not want a boat that is too wide or too tall. This can make river navigation tricky and stressful.

You also want to make sure that while you are conscious about how the size of your boat is external, you allow for enough space internally.

No matter what type of boat you choose you will be giving up some luxuries and living a more minimalist lifestyle. You need to look at what your minimum size requirements will be and start there.

Another thing that is extremely important when choosing is the condition of the boat. Because these types of boats are so expensive, you will most likely be looking at used options.

This means that you will want to get your boat fully inspected before you buy it.

Much like you would get an inspector for your home, you are able to hire marine inspectors who can see things on your vessel that you can’t.

The most important places of consideration are the hull and the engine.

Even a tiny hairline crack in the hull can expand and get worse over time. These are also the most dangerous because you are less likely to see them and get them taken care of.

A marine inspector will also be able to give you a rundown on the vessel and this might help you plan for future expenses and even to negotiate a better price.

In addition to this, when buying a used boat you want to make sure you do not buy a boat that is exactly your budget. You will want to save at least %10 of your budget for possible issues and immediate maintenance needed.

Maintenance will be an ongoing expense that you will have to plan for in order to maintain the integrity of your boat.

Is It Possible To Live On A Boat Full Time?

Living on a boat full time is completely possible if you know what you are doing.

Where to Moor Your Boat:

One of your most major considerations will be where to keep your boat. Many places require marinas to have a liveaboard license and many of the places that do have long waiting lists that could last years.

If you know you want to live aboard a boat full time you will want to start checking into places right away. It would also be wise to not close a deal on a boat until you know you have somewhere to put it.

You will also want to consider the location of where you are mooring your vessel.

If you choose to dock your boat in a marina you will be more likely to have 24/7 access to both electricity and water. This is not true if you choose to live at anchor or on a mooring bay.

This can make a big difference in the comforts afforded while you are living on your boat.

Another consideration to make is the ease of getting on and off your vessel. If you do not moor in a marina you could be relying on a dinghy to get on and off your boat and this can quickly become a hassle, especially if you are transporting things with you as well.

Live-aboard marinas often provide more comfort to you, such as cable, Wi-Fi, or even laundry.

Marina’s do come with a higher cost, so you will have to decide if this is worth it to you.

Comfort Issues To Consider

One major challenge of living on a boat is space. Even with a spacious boat, you will always be living in close quarters to your boat-mates.

Depending on the size of boat you get, you could be asking your partner to move every time you want to move to a different room or area of the boat.

This can quickly get annoying and you will want to make sure that you and your partner both understand the reality of the situation.

Even if you plan to live alone you can be looking as small and confined spaces.

One good way to know if you can handle the day to day challenges of a liveaboard lifestyle is to try it out first. There are plenty of ways to rent a boat to test the waters before you take the plunge.

Another challenge is living without the comforts that most people have every day. Most liveaboards that are affordable do not have hot showers or laundry. 

They also usually have small kitchens and bathrooms with small amounts of storage space. If you are a person who likes to have everything and minimal living is not something that sounds appealing, living on a boat is likely not for you.

To keep your space comfortable, you might want to also consider a dehumidifier to keep your humidity in check.

Important Safety Considerations

One major thing to make sure you plan for is safety. Like all boats, you will need to have the proper life preservers and flotation devices. This is a legal requirement on all water vessels.

In addition to the proper flotation devices, you will want to make sure you have all other required safety equipment.

This includes a fire extinguisher, a carbon monoxide detector in all enclosed areas, a flare, an emergency kit, and a first aid kit.

You should also have anything needed to repair unexpected maintenance issues. Depending on where you are, you will want to make sure you can deal with any issues that might arise until you can get to help.

In addition to the standard safety precautions, living on your boat comes with a few more.

If you are planning to live on your boat, and travel, you will want to make sure you are confident in your abilities and your boat itself before you get too far away from shore. It is wise to spend a few months cruising near land and shores before you attempt any long trips.

You also need to ensure you have the proper communication equipment on board.

Depending on how far from shore you get, you might not be able to communicate using traditional methods such as a cell phone.

A cell phone will be less effective the farther away from shore and any cell phone towers you get.

You should be sure to have satellite communications, a marine radio, and a Ham radio on board.

You will also want to make sure you regularly get your boat inspected and perform any routine maintenance. A boat that is fully functioning and well maintained will be the safest.

How Much Will Living On A Boat Cost Me?

Despite the large upfront cost, living on a boat can be cheaper than living in a traditional manner.

Costs that come with a live-aboard boat can include, but are not limited to:

• Insurance: Just like with a home, car, or daily use boat you will need to pay for insurance. The live-aboard insurance rate will be higher than just recreational boating insurance. This insurance can sometimes compare to home insurance.
• Moorage: Like insurance, live-aboard moorage is more expensive than traditional insurance. You will also need to go to a marina that holds a live-aboard license.
• Mortgage Payments: If you cannot pay for your boat out of pocket, which is likely, you might have to make loan payments on it. Depending on what you spent on your vessel this could be costly.
• Maintenance Costs: After your initial purchase you will still need to spend money on boat maintenance. This expense will vary based on the age of the boat, how often you perform regular maintenance, and how you use the boat itself.
• Utilities: Based on how you have decided to live on your boat, you might have utilities or additional costs with the marina. This will likely still be less than you would pay in a traditional living situation.
• Provisions and Entertainment: Just because you don’t live in a traditional manner, you will still need to buy traditional items such as food, toiletries, and entertainment. If you live completely without the comforts you are used to, your experience will not be very pleasurable.

Most importantly while looking at expenses, you need to make sure you are budgeting and stick to it.

If you are not able to afford your lifestyle, you will not have a lot of immediate options.

If you choose to travel while you sail, budgeting will be even more important. Traveling often does not allow for a traditional job and you do not want to overspend if you do not have any money coming in.

If you know this is the lifestyle you want to live, you might consider going all in. Many people sell their homes in order to live this lifestyle.

What Boat Should I Get For Full-Time Living?

Before you buy a boat to live aboard, you need to be clear about your needs.

There are a lot of options to choose from and this is not a decision to rush through. One of the first things that you need to decide when picking a boat is whether you want a motorboat or a sailboat.

A Sailboat Or A Motorboat?

Sailboats are not just appropriate for ocean living, they are also good for lake, river, or bay living. Sailboats are quieter than motorboats and are generally more economical because they use less gas.

One issue with sailboats is that they require more skill to handle and they might not be ideal for a singular person.

Like any boat, you will want to ensure that you are choosing the right size. If you plan on using your sailboat in a river, you will want to think about the required clearance when it comes to bridges.

Motorboats with ample cabin space can also be ideal for full-time living on a lake, river or bay.

These boats are often very spacious and easy to handle. Unlike sailboats, you do not have to take classes or training to be able to maneuver or handle the vessel. Motorboats that you can live aboard can range from trawlers to yachts to certain types of catamarans .

Motorboats do not rely on the wind and this can make them ideal for a boat you want to do both living and traveling on.

The issues with motorboats is that you will need to consider gas and other expenses that come with running an engine.  They are also louder than sailboats and often their engines are placed close to living quarters. This can make sleep difficult if you are moving.

Below are some inexpensive boat options that would be perfect for full-time living .

What Are The Benefits?

Even though this all might seem very expensive, there is a large list of benefits as well. 

Living on a boat can be cheaper than living in a traditional home, especially in high priced areas.

The main reason that you should live on a boat is the freedom and adventure that comes with it.

You would be able to take your home on vacation with you or just pick up and go to a new location.

You are also more likely to meet adventurous and like-minded individuals who will most likely have interesting stories to tell. 

One of the best parts about living out on the water is the views that you will see. There is nothing quite as beautiful as waking up to a sunrise over the water.

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Can You Sail a Catamaran Around The World?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

August 30, 2022

‍ Many people have sailed around the world in traditional monohull sailboats, but has anybody tried with a catamaran?

Sailing around the world is hazardous and trying at times, so it pays to have a sailboat that's built for the job. Sailors place a premium on safety and comfort—so where do catamarans fit into the equation?

Yes, you can sail a catamaran around the world. In fact, full-size catamarans are some of the best circumnavigation sailboats on the market. They offer superior comfort, safety, storage space, and speed when compared to monohulls.

Catamarans have become increasingly popular since the 1990s, and they're seen in ports all over the world. If you consider their handling characteristics, it's no wonder they're so popular for circumnavigation. But what are the things that make cruising catamarans so good for long ocean voyages?

We sourced the information used in this article from sailboat design guides and the online sailing community. We also considered the input of several experienced catamaran captains, most of which have embarked on circumnavigations in catamarans and monohulls.

Table of contents

‍ Can You Circumnavigate in a Catamaran?

You can absolutely sail a catamaran around the world! In fact, catamarans are preferred by many sailors for long ocean voyages, and dozens circumnavigate in all seasons each year. The number of catamarans continues to rise every year, and some of the world’s most influential long-distance sailors have switched to them from monohulls.

There are many benefits to choosing a catamaran for a circumnavigation, and we’ll cover some of those soon. But first, here’s what makes a catamaran suitable for an around the world sailing trip.

What Kind of Catamaran Can Sail Around the World?

Not all catamarans are ideal for long ocean voyages, but the vast majority above 25 feet in length are. The kind of vessel that's suitable for a long ocean voyage is called a cruising catamaran.

Cruising catamarans have a number of defining characteristics that make them ideal for Sailing around the world. Here are a few of them.

Cruising catamarans have extensive cabinet space. Smaller catamarans that aren't designed for large ocean voyages aren't designed for comfort. Cruising catamarans have between two and four staterooms, along with a large covered cockpit and standing headroom throughout.

High Freeboard

Cruising catamarans have a high freeboard, which means the decks are relatively high above the water. They also have a shallow draft, as a catamaran has no need for a centerboard, fin keel, or bulb keel.  

Catamarans are not as long as monohulls relative to their capabilities. A 35 or 40-foot catamaran has much more interior space than an equivalently-sized monohull. Catamarans split their living quarters between the two hulls and include an additional spacious covered cockpit above.

Cruising catamarans range in size from 30 feet to 60 feet in length, and they typically measure around 40 to 50 feet from stem to stern. The bottom limit for livable Catamarans seems to be about 25 to 30 feet. Catamarans that are smaller than this lack the space for comfortable living accommodations.

Benefits of Catamaran Circumnavigation

Catamarans are quick and robust, and they make excellent long-term cruising sailboats. They're spacious, safe, comfortable, and have exceptional handling characteristics in almost all weather conditions. Here are some of the main advantages of choosing a catamaran to sail around the world.

Speed is one of the most significant benefits of sailing a catamaran around the world. The ocean is a huge place—and unless you're sailing just to sail, it's always advantageous to shorten the time between destinations.

Catamarans are fast—really fast. A typical cruising catamaran can reach speeds in excess of 20 knots in the best conditions, which is more than twice as fast as a typical monohull. This is because catamaran hulls cancel out the hydrodynamic interference that limits the 'hull speed' of monohulls.

Speed also has other important benefits. For one, it reduces the amount (and cost) of provisions that you need to store aboard. Additionally, speed gives you more flexibility when planning and avoiding weather.

Comfort in Rough Weather

Speaking of weather, catamarans have another notable advantage: stability. Catamarans are inherently stable vessels, and they ride much more softly in the rough weather than traditional sailboats.

Catamarans distribute their weight between two hulls. These hulls are connected on the tops, and water is free to flow in between them. Catamaran hulls are also sharp and narrow, and their shape allows wave punching.

This allows them to cut through waves instead of riding over them, and the effects of lateral rolling are also greatly diminished. That means it won't roll as violently from side to side.

All that extra stability contributes to the overall safety of the catamaran design. Since they incorporate two hulls, catamarans are extremely difficult to capsize.

There's another hidden safety benefit of the catamaran design. If in the very unlikely event that you capsize, a catamaran will float just as well upside down provided the hulls split apart. This makes it an effective life raft in a catastrophic situation.

Extra Storage Space

Catamarans have tons of extra storage space, especially if you're traveling with a smaller crew. A typical cruising catamaran has accommodations for around eight people or more and usually includes at least four bunk areas in the hulls.

With all that extra room, there's plenty of space to store food, toiletries, emergency supplies, souvenirs, and personal items. There's also plenty of room for guests.

Room for More Passengers

Catamarans have many more sleeping spaces than an equally sized conventional sailboat. Catamarans usually include two master staterooms in the forward part of each hull and two aft.

The hulls typically contain at least one head in each, and usually two. Some catamarans include four large bathroom/shower combinations, which give each passenger or couple a private bathing area.

Larger 'Day Living' Spaces

Catamarans also have larger living areas between the hulls. The cockpit of a cruising catamaran is usually covered and spans almost the entire beam of the vessel.

This space often contains the galley and a large sitting area, along with a chart table and other essential equipment. The hulls can be accessed on either side of this space, and there's usually a large window forward.

There's standing headroom throughout the covered cockpit. It more than makes up for the lost space in the comparatively narrow hulls, as these areas are used primarily for sleeping.

Shallow Draft

Catamarans don't need an extended keel for stability. As a result, they draw very little water and can traverse shallow waters that similarly sized monohulls couldn't dream of accessing.

It's easy to beach a catamaran which makes it an excellent island-hopping boat as well. Plus, when the tide runs out, a catamaran will rest evenly on the seabed without any additional supports.

Cons of Sailing Around The World in a Catamaran

So what are the cons of sailing a catamaran around the world? We covered many of the benefits, and we'll touch on a few additional topics here. But there are some downsides that are important to consider.

Size Limitations

Size is your friend out on the open ocean. The wide beam and considerable length of most cruising catamarans make them exceptionally safe and comfortable in a variety of weather conditions. However, most marinas aren't designed for Doublewide boats, and size restrictions could cause headaches in many parts of the world.

The problem of having a wide boat extends beyond the marina. Many channels in passageways can't accommodate wide boats, and those that to me charge more for your passage.

Structural Deficiencies

The vast majority of cruising catamarans are extremely well-built and will never suffer any serious structural failures. However, the basic design of a catamaran makes it vulnerable in certain places, specifically where the hull meets the frames that hold them together.

There have been several cases of catamarans literally snapping in half, usually when under tremendous load or when improperly maintained. This can usually be attributed to a flaw in a specific vessel, and it's not very common. But it is a possibility, and monohulls are not susceptible to it.

Cost to Sail a Catamaran Around the World

Are you waiting for the downsides of sailing a catamaran? Cost is the biggest one. Catamarans are obscenely expensive compared to conventional single-hull sailboats.

The average new catamaran cost upwards of $300,000, and some cost as much as $750,000. An equivalent monohull, new from the factory, costs around $150,000-$200,000. Cruising catamarans don't lose much value either, and you're still likely to pay over $100,000 for one.

Compare that to a monohull. A conventional sailboat that's capable of sailing around the world (say, 40 feet or so in length) is likely to cost between $30,000 and $60,000. Some are even cheaper. For many people, the cost is the prohibiting factor when choosing a sailboat to circumnavigate with.

How Popular are Catamarans for Circumnavigation?

If you've spent much time in the sailing community, you've undoubtedly noticed the prolific number of catamarans on YouTube, internet forums, and sailing blogs. But are catamarans really as popular as they seem, or is it just a case of selection bias?

Catamarans are surprisingly popular these days, but mostly among buyers of new and lead model sailboats. Catamarans, as we know them today, weren't produced in great numbers until recently, and they've only been popular for sailing around the world since the 2000s.

Over the years, an increasing number of people have chosen a catamaran as their long-range cruising sailboat, and the sailing community widely accepted the superior handling and comfort of these vessels.

Catamaran Vs Monohull for Circumnavigation

So, which is better for sailing around the world, a catamaran or a monohull? When it comes to sailing around the world, a Catamaran is an obvious choice for a number of reasons. Speed, safety, and comfort or the primary benefits, and these are worth their weight in gold on a long circumnavigation.

Catamaran Vs Trimaran for Circumnavigation

But what about the trimaran? Many multihull sailors prefer the trimaran due to its superior speed, and many claim it has better motion comfort as well. A trimaran, which has three hulls, is a sizable upgrade from a monohull.

Comparatively, a trimaran is a much less considerable improvement over a catamaran. They also cost more, but the exceptional handling and motion comfort of a trimaran is worth it to many.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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i believe essay about friends

50 i believe essay topics.

To better train students on how to present their personal opinions on subjective matters, teachers will assign what is known as an “I Believe” or “This I Believe” essay writing assignment.

Designed to provide the reader with insight into the writer’s character, these essays are typically written in first-person point of view. The writer shares their beliefs on a particular topic – ranging from religion and politics to more personal subjects such as love and happiness – and offers supporting arguments for why they hold these beliefs.

The Challenges of Writing “I Believe” Essays

This type of essay prompt is a welcome break from more detail-oriented or researched-based writing assignments for many students. However, “I believe” essay writing assignments aren’t always easy.

It can be challenging for students to articulate their beliefs in a clear and concise way that isn’t argumentative or offensive to the reader. Students may also struggle to explain their reasoning behind these beliefs in a thorough and not overly simplistic way.

Despite these challenges, “I believe” essays can be an excellent opportunity for students to share their thoughts and feelings on important topics and learn more about themselves in the process.

Tips for Writing “I Believe” Essays

If you’re given an “I believe” essay assignment, here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Start by defining what it is that you believe. This may seem like a simple task, but it can be challenging to identify your core beliefs. If you’re struggling, start by jotting down a list of topics that are important to you – from politics and religion to family and friendship.
• Reflect on why each topic is important to you. Think about the reasoning behind your choices and how these reasons evolved over time. After all, your core beliefs are likely to have changed or grown since you reached adolescence.
• Determine which of your beliefs are the most important. Focusing on developing thought processes that support your beliefs. For extra help, consider sharing these thoughts with a trusted friend or family member for advice.

By reflecting upon your core beliefs and developing clear arguments to support them, you can craft a powerful “I believe” essay that will truly reflect your thoughts and feelings.

How to Write an “I Believe” Essay

To craft a well-written “I Believe” essay, students must forgo the typical essay structure of introduction, body, and conclusion.

Instead, the essay should be organized around a series of specific beliefs that the writer wishes to share. Each thought should be introduced with a clear thesis statement, followed by supporting arguments and examples.

The conclusion of the essay should wrap up the main points that have been made and leave the reader with a final thought to ponder.

Here is an example of how an “I Believe” essay might be structured:

Thesis: I believe that everyone has the right to love and be loved.

Argument: Everyone deserves to find love and experience happiness in their lives. This should not be limited by race, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other factor.

Example: I saw a video of a man proposing to his girlfriend at Fenway Park. She said yes and the crowd went wild! Now that is love. If they can find it, then so can we all!

Conclusion: Society should not stand in the way of love. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and we should all embrace it.

As you can see, the “I Believe” essay structure allows for a great deal of flexibility. Students can choose to focus on a variety of topics and can organize their essays in different ways. An “I Believe” essay can be an excellent opportunity for students to present their thoughts on important issues under a few simple guidelines. With a bit of planning and organization, this type of essay writing assignment can be a breeze!

What You Shouldn’t Do When Writing an “I Believe” Essay

To ensure that you are writing an “I Believe” essay and not another form of an argumentative or persuasive essay, avoid doing the following:

• Don’t provide evidence or use statistics to support your position – this is not an essay that calls for research.
• Don’t attack or criticize the beliefs of others – your goal is to share your own opinions, not to tear down those of others.
• Don’t go off on tangents – stay focused on the main points you want to make.
• Don’t speak objectively or in the third person – for example, don’t say “people believe that” or “studies show.”
• Don’t use filler words and phrases such as “I think,” “I feel,” and “it seems like.”

Use any of these 50 “I Believe” essay topics to help you brainstorm ideas for your essay!

I Believe Essay Topics About Life

• I believe that life is too short to spend time with people who bring you down.
• I believe that laughter is the best medicine
• I believe that we should make time for quiet reflection every day.
• I believe that the only thing that matters in life is love.
• I believe that we are all capable of change.
• I believe that it is never too late to learn and grow.
• I believe in the power of positive thinking.
• I believe that we should always be kind, even when it is difficult.
• I believe that there is no such thing as a coincidence.
• I believe in the saying “what goes around, comes around.”
• I believe that we are all responsible for our own happiness.
• I believe that the best things in life are free.
• I believe that it is essential to be grateful for what we have.
• I believe that it is never too late to achieve our dreams.
• I believe that we should surround ourselves with people who make us better.
• I believe that you can either love or hate something; there is no in-between.

I Believe Essay Topics About Education & School

• I believe that education is the key to a bright future
• I believe that children are our future and should be treasured as such.
• I believe that there is no such thing as a dumb question.
• I believe that schools should do more to celebrate diversity.
• I believe that homework is essential, but it should not be excessive.
• I believe in the importance of having a strong support system while attending school.
• I believe that standardized tests are not an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge.
• I believe that it is vital to find a balance between work and play while in school.
• I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn how to swim.
• I believe in the importance of recess and physical activity in students’ lives.
• I believe that there is no such thing as a bad grade.
• I believe that teachers deserve more respect and better pay.
• I believe that it is never too early to learn a foreign language.
• I believe that education should be free for everyone.

I Believe Essay Topics About Friends & Family

• I believe that family is the most important thing in life.
• I believe that friends are the family we choose for ourselves.
• I believe that it is essential to maintain close relationships with friends and family.
• I believe that there is no substitute for quality time spent with loved ones.
• I believe that family is not defined by blood but by love and commitment.
• I believe that we should spend more time with the people we care about and less time worrying about material things.
• I believe that it is better to have a few close friends than many superficial ones.
• I believe that it is healthy for friends to grow apart.
• I believe that competition between friends is healthy.

I Believe Essay Topics About Money

• I believe that money cannot buy happiness.
• I believe that it is essential to be happy with what you have, not what you want.
• I believe that people are more important than things.
• I believe that it is okay to splurge on something even if it means going into debt.
• I believe that it is better to give than to receive.
• I believe that money can’t buy everything.
• I believe that the love of money is the root of all evil.
• I believe in saving for a rainy day.
• I believe in investing in oneself.
• I believe in the saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees.”
• I believe that rich people should be forced to pay more taxes.

These 50 I Believe essay topics are sure to inspire your own original beliefs and help you create a powerful and unique essay. When writing your I Believe essay, be sure to focus on the beliefs that are most important to you and that you feel passionate about discussing. The best I Believe essays are the ones that are personal and reflective, so don’t be afraid to share your own thoughts and experiences.

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The Importance of Friendship

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life..

Posted July 26, 2021 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• Friendship makes life more enjoyable and enriches one's everyday experiences.
• Finding friends can be challenging but can be often achieved by approaching others with mutual interests.
• The first criteria one should look for in a partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to them.

As we move through life, we find that there are many things out of our control. We can’t choose our parents, our genetics , or control the things that happen in the world around us. One thing that we can control is who our friends are, and this decision can either make our lives so much richer and beautiful, or more stressful and disappointing. Today we’ll focus on how to choose friends who enrich our lives and make them more beautiful.

Why friends are so important

Having solid friendships is important for two main reasons. First, they make life more enjoyable. We get to share the beautiful aspects of life with people who we love, which can enrich our everyday experiences. Second, our friends help us through the difficult times. Having friends to support us through hard times can make unimaginably difficult situations seem more tolerable.

The most beautiful part about pouring our time and energy into friendships is that not only do friends help enrich our lives, but we enrich theirs too! Friendships get us through the tough times in life, make things more fun and enjoyable, and all-around make our lives better. I urge you to take stock of your friendships and ask yourself if your current friends people build you up and support you, or is the friendship more one-sided?

As we explore friendships today, these are also inclusive of our partners. I believe that the foundation for any healthy relationship is friendship. So it’s important to group our romantic partners into this conversation too.

So, where do we find friends? This might sound silly, but finding friends can be challenging! When I first moved to California for my Ph.D., I didn’t have any friends out here. There were quite a few people in my program that I enjoyed spending time with. But, towards the end of school, they became very busy and were no longer able to dedicate time to hang out anymore. Thankfully, through the help of a very good therapist, I learned that it was important to enjoy life instead of striving for excellence all of the time. As a result, I learned how important it was to carve out time in my life for friends.

Unfortunately, the people I had dedicated time to thus far were achievement-oriented and were pouring their time into work and not our friendships. This forced me to seek out other ways to form connections with people. I ended up finding a local hiking group with the hopes of meeting people with similar interests. During one of these hikes, I met Jim, one of my best friends to this day.

We became instant friends. We have continued to support each other over the years, and even more importantly, we always make time for one another. We both view the friendship as one that makes each other’s lives better, therefore it’s always worth the time and energy. The backbone of any successful friendship is one where both sides put in equal effort and support.

Both Jim and I were forced to put in more effort when he moved across the country to the East Coast. Because we already had such a strong foundation, this didn’t impact our friendship. We talk all of the time and see each other several times a year. We make the relationship a priority no matter what coast each other is on. Like anything in life that is valuable to us, we must work at it and put time and effort into it.

When it's time to move on from a friendship

The second part of the friendship discussion can be a difficult one — reassessing your current friendships and potentially moving on from friends who don’t add value to your life.

Two of my best friends from high school went down different paths from me. We still keep in contact, but I don’t spend too much time with them anymore. The supporting, loving part of our relationship wasn’t there anymore, so it was no longer worth putting energy into maintaining a friendship that had changed so much.

This may be a story you can relate to. What I hope you take away from this post is this — friendships take energy, time, and commitment. And if you’re putting your time and energy into someone who isn’t enriching your life and giving you the support you need, it may be time to reevaluate that friendship.

If you find yourself in the market for friends (who isn’t?) I recommend you find groups or activities that you genuinely enjoy. This way you’ll have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar interests. And once you’re there, take a risk! Talk to people, exchange contact information, and follow up with them. It may feel scary at first, but the reward outweighs the momentary uncomfortable feeling you may have.

Friendship and dating

In many ways, the most important friendship in our lives is the one we have with our romantic partners. The first criteria we should look for in this partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to us, meaning that they are kind, positive, loving, and supportive. If we’re dating someone and they’re a jerk, it’s probably safe to assume that they’re not a good friend. To avoid this, I recommend seeking out someone who is a good friend first, i.e. before the romance and sexual stuff gets in the way.

When there are bumps in a friendship or a romantic relationship , it’s important to work through those tough times. The tricky part is that it will take two people to fix that issue. We can only control our actions and hold ourselves accountable, but we cannot control our friend or our partner's reaction. In addition to our own actions, we have control over the friends or partners that we choose in the first place. If we prioritize choosing good people who we can trust will work through issues with us, then we can work through anything.

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with people who we have fun with, who support us, and people who make us better. You may already have beautiful friendships in your life, but if you’re still in the market for friends, it’s never too late to cultivate new relationships that will make your life even more magnificent.

Robert Puff, Ph.D. , is host and producer of the Happiness Podcast, with over 16 million downloads.

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127 Friendship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

When you have a good friendship topic, essay writing becomes as easy as it gets. We have some for you!

📝 Friendship Essay Structure

🏆 best friendship topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 good essay topics on friendship, 🎓 simple & easy friendship essay titles, 📌 most interesting friendship topics to write about, ❓ research questions about friendship.

Describing a friend, talking about your relationship and life experiences can be quite fun! So, take a look at our topics on friendship in the list below. Our experts have gathered numerous ideas that can be extremely helpful for you. And don’t forget to check our friendship essay examples via the links.

Writing a friendship essay is an excellent way to reflect on your relationships with other people, show your appreciation for your friends, and explore what friendship means to you. What you include in your paper is entirely up to you, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t structure it properly. Here is our advice on structuring an essay on friendship:

• Begin by selecting the right topic. It should be focused and creative so that you can earn a high mark. Think about what friendship means to you and write down your thoughts. Reflect on your relationship with your best friend and see if you can write an essay that incorporates these themes. If these steps didn’t help – don’t worry! Fortunately, there are many web resources that can help you choose. Browse samples of friendship essays online to see if there are any topics that interest you.
• Create a title that reflects your focus. Paper titles are important because they grasp the reader’s attention and make them want to read further. However, many people find it challenging to name their work, so you can search for friendship essay titles online if you need to.
• Once you get the first two steps right, you can start developing the structure of your essay. An outline is a great tool because it presents your ideas in a clear and concise manner and ensures that there are no gaps or irrelevant points. The most basic essay outline has three components: introduction, body, and conclusion. Type these out and move to the next step. Compose an introduction. Your introduction should include a hook, some background information, and a thesis. A friendship essay hook is the first sentence in the introduction, where you draw the reader’s attention. For instance, if you are creating an essay on value of friendship, include a brief description of a situation where your friends helped you or something else that comes to mind. A hook should make the reader want to read the rest of the essay. After the hook, include some background information on your chosen theme and write down a thesis. A thesis statement is the final sentence of the first paragraph that consists of your main argument.
• Write well-structured body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should start with one key point, which is then developed through examples, references to resources, or other content. Make sure that each of the key points relates to your thesis. It might be useful to write out all of your key points first before you write the main body of the paper. This will help you to see if any of them are irrelevant or need to be swapped to establish a logical sequence. If you are composing an essay on the importance of friendship, each point should show how a good friend can make life better and more enjoyable. End each paragraph with a concluding sentence that links it to the next part of the paper.
• Finally, compose a conclusion. A friendship essay conclusion should tie together all your points and show how they support your thesis. For this purpose, you should restate your thesis statement at the beginning of the final paragraph. This will offer your reader a nice, well-balanced closure, leaving a good impression of your work.

We hope that this post has assisted you in understanding the basic structure of a friendship paper. Don’t forget to browse our website for sample papers, essay titles, and other resources!

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• The Confessions of St. Augustine on Friendship: Term Paper Augustine of Hippo believes that the only real source of friendship is God, and he adds that it is only through this God-man relationship that people can understand the ideal meaning of friendship.
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• Gender and Cultural Studies: Intimacy, Love and Friendship Regardless of the driving force, intimacy and sexual connections are common in many happy relationships. Of significance is monogamy whose definition among the heterosexuals and lesbians remains a challenge.
• Friendship as Moral Experience One of the things I have realized over the course of the last few years is that while it is possible to experience friendship and have a deep, spiritual connection with another person, it is […]
• Friendship’s Philosophical Description In order for a friendship to exist, the two parties must demonstrate first and foremost a willingness to ensure that only the best occurs to their counterpart.
• Greek and Roman Perspectives on Male Friendship in Mythology The reason for such attitude can be found in the patriarchal culture and the dominant role of free adult males in the Greek and Roman social life. However, this was not the only, and probably […]
• The Theme of Friendship in the “Arranged” Film As can be seen, friendship becomes the source of improved emotional and mental well-being, encouraging Rochel and Nasira to remain loyal to their values and beliefs.
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• The Importance of Friendship in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” At the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh, the king of the Sumerian city of Uruk, despite achievements in the development of the town, causes the dislike of his subjects.
• Friendship’s meaning around the world Globally it’s very ludicrous today for people to claim that they are in a friendship yet they do not even know the true meaning of friendship.
• Friendship Type – Companionship Relationship A friendship is ideally not an obsession since the latter involves a craving for another person that might even lead to violence just to be in site of the other party.
• Friendship: To Stay or to Leave Each member of the group found out who really is a friend and who is not. This implies that the level of trust is high between Eddie and Vic.
• “Feminism and Modern Friendship” by Marilyn Friedman Individualism denies that the identity and nature of human beings as individuals is a product of the roles of communities as well as social relationships.
• Social Media Communication and Friendship According to Maria Konnikova, social media have altered the authenticity of relationships: the world where virtual interactions are predominant is likely to change the next generation in terms of the ability to develop full social […]
• Faux Friendship and Social Networking The modern-day relationships have dissolved the meaning of the word friendship; as aromatic lovers refer to each other as friends, parents want their children to think of them as friends, teachers, clergymen and bosses have […]
• Effect of Friendship on Students’ Emotional Health The study discovered a significant positive correlation between the quality of new friendships and adjustment to university; this association is more robust for students living in residence than those commuting to university. Friday and Adkins […]
• True Friendship from Personal Perspective The perfect understanding of another person’s character and visions is one of the first characteristics of a true friendship. In such a way, true friendship is an inexhaustible source of positive emotions needed for everyone […]
• How to Develop a Friendship: Strategies to Meet New Friends Maintaining a connection with old friends and finding time to share life updates with them is a good strategy not to lose ties a person already has. A person should work hard to form healthy […]
• Friendship and Peer Networking in Middle Childhood Peer networking and friendship have a great impact on the development of a child and their overall well-being. Students in elementary need an opportunity to play and network with their peers.
• Friendship in “The Song of Roland” This phrase sums up Roland’s predicament in the book as it relates to his reluctance to sound the Oliphant horn. In the final horn-blowing episode, Roland is aggressively persuaded to blow the horn for Charlemagne’s […]
• Trust Aspect of Friendship: Qualitative Study Given the previous research on preserving close communication and terminating it, the authors seek to examine the basics of productive friendship and the circumstances that contribute to the end of the interaction.
• Educator-Student Relationships: Friendship or Authority? Ford and Sassi present the view that the combination of authority and the establishment of interpersonal relations should become the way to improve the performance of learners.
• Friendship in the Film “The Breakfast Club” The main themes which can be identified in the storyline are crisis as a cause and catalyst of friendship, friendship and belonging, and disclosure and intimacy in friendship.
• Friendship Police Department Organizational Change The one that is going to challenge the efforts, which will be aimed at rectifying the situation, is the lack of trust that the employees have for the new leader who they expect to become […]
• Friendship in the Analects and Zhuangzi Texts The author of “The Analects of Confucius” uses the word friend in the first section of the text to emphasize the importance of friendship.
• Is There Friendship Between Women? In conclusion, comparing my idea of women’s friendship discussed in my proposal to the theoretic materials of the course I came to a conclusion that strong friendship between women exists, and this is proved in […]
• Online Friendship Formationby in Mesch’s View The modern world tends to the situation when people develop the greatest empathy towards their online friends because it seems that the ratio and the deepness of these relationships can be controlled; written and posted […]
• Canadian-American Diefenbaker-Eisenhower Friendship In particular, the paper investigates the Mandatory Oil Import Program and the exemption of Canada from this initiative as well as the historical treaty that was officially appended by the two leaders in regard to […]
• Friendship from a Sociological Perspective For example Brazilians studying in Europe and United States were met with the stereotypes that Brazilians are warm people and are easy to establish friendships.
• Friendship Influencing Decisions When on Duty The main stakeholders are the local community, the judge, and the offenders. The right of the society is to receive objective and impartial treatment of its members.
• “Understanding Others, and Individual Differences in Friendship Interaction in Young Children”: Article Analysis The aspect of socio-cognitive abilities of small children in the process of interaction was disclosed with the help of psychological theories.
• Friendship: Sociological Term Review But one is not aware of that type of friendship; it is necessary to study it. Friendship is a matter of consciousness; love is absolutely unconscious.
• The Significance of Friendship in Yeonam The paper examines the depth and extent to which Yeonam was ready to go and if he was bound by the norms of the human friendship and association of his era.
• Cicero and Plutarch’s Views on Friendship He believed that befriending a man for sensual pleasures is the ideal of brute beasts; that is weak and uncertain with caprice as its foundation than wisdom. It is this that makes such carelessness in […]
• Friendship: The Meaning and Relevance Although the basic definition of a friendship falls under the category of somebody whom we feel a level of affection and trust for or perhaps a favored companion, the truth of the matter is that […]
• Fate of Friendship and Contemporary Ethics Is friendship possible in the modern world dominated by pragmatism and will it exist in the future? For instance, Cicero takes the point of view of the social entity, in other words, he defines friendship […]
• Feminism and Modern Friendship While criticizing these individuals, Marilyn asserts that the omission of sex and gender implies that these individuals wanted to affirm that social attachment such as societies, families, and nationalities contribute to identity rather than sex […]
• Creating a Friendship Culture This family will ensure every church member and youth is part of the youth ministry. I will always help every newcomer in the ministry.
• Friendship is in Everyone’s Life Though, different books were written in different times, the descriptions of a friendship have the same essence and estimate that one cannot be completely satisfied with his/her life if one does not have a friend.
• Intimacy, Love and Friendship and how they translate to employability The use of love and its conventions in the NAB campaigns is an illustration of how love as a concept can be used to translate to employability.
• Intimacy, Love and Friendship In the past, women in Australia led a life characterized by a lot of hardships because of the harsh traditions that they were supposed to follow.
• Contemporary Understanding of Intimacy and Friendship The Social Network film discusses how Facebook was developed and the challenges of developing the giant social site. Many people are of the view that Facebook has the effect of enslaving them by making their […]
• Interpretation of Friendship among Confucian and Neo-Confucian writers In his article “The Fifth Relationship; Dangerous Friendships in the Confucian Context”, Norman Kutcher explores the friendship as outlined under the Confucian system. The above writers have different interpretations of friendship of the under the […]
• Why International Students Find It Hard to Make Friends On the other hand, in societies that promote a high power distance, less powerful individuals accept their position in the chain of command and acknowledge the strengths of their superiors in the hierarchy.
• Gender Stereotyping and Friendship: Women Relationships The most interesting about this article is its ending which states that” the core of a friendship has to have more in-person interactions and experience”.
• The Impact of Friendship in the Epic of Gilgamesh The elusive coalition between Enkidu and Gilgamesh, their fateful destinies and eventual epiphanies broaden the societal apprehension of the elements/value of friendship as expounded in the next discussion.
• Woman Intimacy and Friendship with the Appearance of Social Media The anonymity provided by the social media makes this medium very appealing to both women and men as they are able to “reconstruct” themselves to a level they deem “cool” enough to garner more desired […]
• Childhood Friendship and Psychology Based on their research, they have founded a theory, according to which it is assumed that the children consider close relationship, appraisals, and sharing common interests as something very important to them and on the […]
• Aristotle’s Ideas on Civic Relationships: Happiness, the Virtues, Deliberation, Justice, and Friendship On building trust at work, employers are required to give minimum supervision to the employees in an effort to make the latter feel a sense of belonging and responsibility.
• Gender Role Development and Friendship As far as the conflict goes, the boy’s main problem is that he is unwilling to change his behavior towards a socially accepted one under the pretext that girls are more beautiful and, therefore, it […]
• Article Study on the Friendship Concept In the critical review article, the views of Norman Kutcher on the formation of friendships are discussed in detail. In this article, the views of other scholars are discussed in order to strengthen the works […]
• Henry Thoreau: The Concept of the Friendship Not every person is able to understand the essence of nature, its uniqueness, and importance. To my mind, his close connection to nature and a kind of isolation from people helped him to understand deeper […]
• Why Honesty Is Important In A Friendship
• The Truth and Friendship in the Movie Camelot
• A Discussion About the Value of Friendship as Portrayed in Damon and Pythias
• What Is the Meaning of True Friendship
• A Literary Analysis of Friendship in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
• Factors Contributing to the Ups and Downs of Friendship in Knowles’ A Separate Peace
• Friendship and Love in the Little Prince
• Confidantes, Marriage, and Friendship in Pride and Prejudice
• What Makes A Successful Friendship
• Understanding Friendship Through The Staircase Model
• An Analysis of Friendship and Rejection in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
• A Discussion on the Different Types of Friendship
• An Analysis of Friendship in Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• A Literary Analysis of Friendship in a Separate Peace by John Knowles
• An Analysis of the Concept of Friendship in A Separate Piece by John Knowles
• A Separate Peace and Of Mice and Men – Real Friendship
• The Theme of True Friendship in the Book of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• The Value of Friendship in Great Expectations
• What Makes A Good Friendship
• The Theme of Friendship in Separate Ways by Higuchi Ichiyo and Uncanny Stories by SongLing
• Virtual Friendship and the New Narcissism
• The Waltz Of Sociability : Intimacy, Dislocation And Friendship
• The True Meaning of the Word Friendship
• A Description of Impartiality, Beneficence and Friendship According to Lawrence Blum
• Aristotle ‘s Views On Friendship
• Friendship and Courage in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• An Analysis of Friendship and Loyalty in the Film The Deer Hunter
• Turning Away from True Friendship
• Different Types of Friendship and The Need for Friends
• An Analysis of the Dangers of Friendship
• The Victorian Female Friendship and Homosexual References in Emily Dickinson’s Work
• What Is Friendship And How Is God Man ‘s Best Friend?
• The Venerable Kassapa Thera: A Living Symbol of Dedication, Courage, Altruism and Intimate Friendship
• “The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed Our Minds” by Michael Lewis
• Building from Happiness to Friendship
• What Do You Think Steinbeck Says About the Theme of Friendship in of Mice and Men
• Distributive Justice and the Problem of Friendship
• How Does Shakespeare Demonstrate That Love and Friendship Can Overcome Greed in the Merchant of Venice?
• Does Borrowing Money From Friends Harm Friendship?
• Can Friendship Be Defined by Any Scientific Criteria?
• How Can Enduring Happiness Arise From Friendship?
• Does Campus Diversity Promote Friendship Diversity?
• Is There Any Objection to the Teacher Establishing a Friendship Relationship With the Students?
• How Do Children Cope With Friendship and Death After Reading Charlottes Web?
• Does Ragging Develop Friendship?
• How Does Shakespeare Create Friendship?
• Should Becoming Friends With Benefits Ruin Your Friendship?
• How Does the Nature of Children’s Friendship Change With Age?
• Do Friendships Vary Across Countries?
• What Are Friends for and How Can a Friendship Be Tested?
• How Does the Theme of Loneliness Affect the Friendship and Relationships in “Of Mice and Men”?
• What Are the Elements That Build a Strong Friendship?
• How Does Friendship Help Students Succeed in the University?
• What Does Friendship Mean?
• How Does Friendship Help With Your Mental Health?
• What Does True Friendship Require?
• How Do Friendship Network Characteristics Influence Subjective Well-Being?
• What Was Aristotle’s Thought on Friendship?
• How Do Friendship Networks Work in Online P2P Lending Markets?
• Why Is Friendship Important?
• How Has Friendship Changed Because of the Spread of Social Networking?
• Why Does Friendship End?
• How Do Society and Culture Affect Friendship?
• Can Everything Be Bought for Money?
• How Do Gamers Take the Gaming Experience, Elements Such as Friendships Outside the Game Context?
• Do Friends Generally Have Similar Educational Interests?
• What Individual and Country-Level Factors Might Interact With Friendship Importance to Predict Health and Well-Being?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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32 “This I Believe” Essay

The history of ‘this i believe’.

by Tanya Matthews

This I Believe is an exciting media project that invites individuals from all walks of life to write about and discuss the core beliefs that guide their daily lives. They share these statements in weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered .

The series is based on the 1950’s radio program This I Believe , hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. Each day, some 39-million Americans gathered by their radios to hear compelling essays from the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Harry Truman as well as corporate leaders, cab drivers, scientists and secretaries — anyone able to distill into a few minutes the guiding principles by which they lived. Their words brought comfort and inspiration to a country worried about the Cold War, McCarthyism and racial division.

Eventually, the radio series became a cultural phenomenon. Eighty-five leading newspapers printed a weekly column based on This I Believe . A collection of essays published in 1952 sold 300,000 copies — second only to the Bible that year. The series was translated and broadcast around the globe on the Voice of America. A book of essays translated into Arabic sold 30,000 copies in just three days.

[The NPR series This I Believe can be read and heard here . In addition, the website and organization This I Believe houses thousands of essays written by famous people, such as the ones mentioned above, and everyday people like you and me.]

As a college student in 2020, you are faced with turbulent politics, socioeconomic issues, and ethical dilemmas that will challenge you to take a stand and contribute to the local, national, and global conversation around you. The purpose of this writing task is not to persuade you to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, it is to encourage you to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from your own. Fifty years ago, Edward R. Murrow’s project struck such a chord with millions of Americans. It can do so again today…with you.

Video Resources for Generating Ideas

Dan gediman on writing a “this i believe essay”.

Read Cecelia Munoz’s essay “Getting Angry Can Be a Good Thing” referred to in the previous video here .

“This I Believe” Essay with Animation

“This I Believe” Essay Ideas

Prewriting Activity

1) analyze others’ statements.

Consider the following statements, written in response to the question What Have You Learned About Life? Highlight any sentences that resonate with you. Talk about them with a partner or group, explaining why. 1. I’ve learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back. – Age 9 2. I’ve learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up. – Age 14 3. I’ve learned that although it’s hard to admit it, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me. – Age 15 4. I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it. – Age 39 5. I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don’t know how to show it. – Age 42 6. I’ve learned that you can make someone’s day by simply sending them a little note. – Age 44 7. I’ve learned that the greater a person’s sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others. – Age 46 8. I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. – Age 48 9. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die. – Age 53 10. I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. – Age 58 11. I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. – Age 62 12. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision. – Age 66 13. I’ve learned that it pays to believe in miracles. And to tell the truth, I’ve seen several. – Age 75 14. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. – Age 82 15. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch—holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. – Age 85 16. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. – Age 92

2) Compose Your Own Statement

Write down a sentence that expresses what YOU have learned about life. Maybe it is similar to one of the statements above; maybe it’s completely different. Whatever it is, write it down.

3) Freewrit e

Now free-write about your sentence. Include at least two examples / experiences that you have had that support why you think this way.

Personal Statement/Philosophy: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why do you believe in this statement? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name two experiences that you had that would support the statement: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What does this say about yourself or your personality? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After your life experience, how have you come to the conclusion that this should be your statement? How have your beliefs changed, if at all? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How has the event effected your relationship with a person, place, or object? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How does your statement apply to you today? (How you view yourself & society) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAYS

Sample #1: america’s beauty is in its diversity.

written by Alaa El-Saad,  high school student,  as heard on NPR’s Tell Me More (2009)

America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I believe in the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be different, and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.

The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim and keeping my head covered is a sign of maturity and respect toward my religion and to Allah’s will. To be honest, I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be an individual, not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the reaction that I’d get at school.

I decided on my own that sixth grade was the time I should start wearing the hijab. I was scared about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or even be scared of me and pull off my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no acceptance for being different.

On the first day of school, I put all those negative thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but inside I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.

I was wrong about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions—respectfully—about the hijab, and why I wore it.

I did hear some kid was making fun of me, but there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, we never really talked much—and she stood up for me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.

Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the beauty of America. I believe in what America is built on: all different religions, races and beliefs. Different everything.

Sample #2: The Essentials to Happiness

written by Alexxandra Schuman, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

As a child, I was generally happy; singing and dancing to my favorite songs; smiling and laughing with my friends and family. But as far back as second grade, I noticed a “darkness,” about me. I didn’t enjoy engaging in many things. I didn’t relate to my peers in elementary school because they appeared so happy, and I didn’t have that ability to achieve happiness so easily.

In middle school things in my life began to get even worse. I began withdrawing from everything I once enjoyed; swimming, tennis, family. I hated going to sleep knowing I had to wake up to another day. I was always tired. Everything was horrible. Finally, midway through eighth grade, I was told I had a chemical imbalance; diagnosed with clinical depression and put on medication. It took months for me to feel the effects of the medication.

When I began to feel happy again, is when I realized that I had to take the responsibility for getting better myself, rather than relying on medication and therapy alone. Aristotle said, “To live happily is an inward power of the soul,” and I believe that this quote describes what I had to do to achieve happiness. Happiness is a journey. Everyone seems to need different things to be happy. But I believe people are blinded from what truly makes one happy.

Growing up, we’re encouraged to be successful in life; but how is success defined? Success and happiness are imagined now as having a lot of money. It is so untrue. Recently I went to Costa Rica and visited the small town of El Roble. I spent the day with a nine-year old girl named Marilyn. She took me to her house to meet her parents. It was obvious that they were not rich; living in a small house with seven children. The house was cluttered but full of life. Those who have decided that success and happiness comes from having money and a big house would be appalled at how utterly happy this family from El Roble is. People say that seeing things like that make you appreciate what you have, but for me, it made me envy them for being so happy without all the things I have.

“The essentials to happiness are something to love, something to do, and something to hope for,” a quote from William Blake sums up what I believe people need to realize to be truly happy in life. People need love; I feel they need their family and their friends more than anything in the world. People need work to do, something to make them feel they are making a difference in the world. People need to know that more good is to come in the future, so they continue to live for “now” instead of constantly worrying about the bad that could come. And most importantly people need to know that happiness is not something that happens overnight. Love and hope is happiness.

Sample #3: Find a Good Frog

written by Delia Motavalli, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

I believe in finding a good frog. It seems that all throughout childhood, we are taught to look for a happily ever after. “And they all lived happily ever after”; isn’t that the conclusion to many children’s films? When I was a kid I always thought of that as magical; but now really it just seems unrealistic. And it teaches us that what we want is a fairytale like they have in the storybooks. We all want to be Cinderella who gets swept off her feet by the hot prince; we want to live in the royal castle, right? But I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing for us to seek. Now I’m not saying I believe in being pessimistic, but I do believe in being realistic; it’s something I got from my mom.

My mother and I always have our best conversations in the rain. We sit in the car, neither of us wanting to brave the rain to get to the house. So we sit. We watch droplets race down the windshield, listen to the rain strike the roof of her little blue Honda, and feel the heater on full-blast rushing at our feet (just the way we like it). I don’t know why, but sitting in the car, we always talk more than normal. There was one rainy day when my mom told me something that is going to stick with me forever. Earlier that day she and my dad had been arguing about something; I can’t remember what. So she said, “Don’t spend your life looking for Prince Charming. Instead, find yourself a really good frog.”

At the time, I found this thought really disheartening. Who wants to think that you’ll never find Prince Charming? You’ll never get to be Cinderella? Another thought that struck my mind: if my mom says there’s no Prince Charming, then what’s my dad? A frog? I asked her, and she replied with, “Of course! If he were Prince Charming, he wouldn’t snore, would be able to cook, and we would never argue. But you know what? He’s a damn good frog.” Of course, being young, I didn’t think of the meaning behind what she was saying. I was too busy thinking of it literally, visualizing my mom as a princess and my dad in frog form.

But a few years later, I understand the value of my mom’s words. You can’t expect everything to be perfect. Let’s be completely honest; if you wait your whole life for your prince with flowing hair, statuesque features, and a white horse, you’re going to be lonely. I think that the point of finding a good frog is you accept something that’s great, flaws and all. It’s so easy to be picky. You can find the one tiny thing that’s wrong, and that one tiny thing is what you can’t get your mind off of. But in life, we can’t afford to wait years in vain for perfection. So I think that a good frog, an amazing frog, the best frog you can find is what we’re really looking for in this world. Don’t laze through life waiting for a happily ever after, because I don’t think you’ll be very happy with the outcome.

Examples from the ‘This I Believe’ Website

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude by Sarah Adams

They Lived Their Faith by Charles Henry Parrish

Returning to What’s Natural by Amelia Baxter-Stoltzfus

The Birthright of Human Dignity by Will Thomas

Remembering All The Boys by Elvia Bautista

I Am Still The Greatest by Muhammad Ali

A Goal Of Service To Humankind by Anthony Fauci

My Life Is Better by Abraham

Give Me a Waffle by Brenda

The Little Things by Sophie Crossley

You can also browse thousands more This I Believe essays by theme .

Prefer to Listen to Get Inspiration?

Check out This I Believe’s Podcast Series

4) Drafting

Assignment guidelines + suggestions and tips for drafting.

1. While the examples you’ve been given can serve as a model, it is essential that each of you write about a personal belief or philosophy that you feel strongly about. 2. Tell a story. Personal experiences are the corner stone of a good essay. Your story doesn’t have to be a heart breaker or even a major event, but it must be something that has affected how you think, feel, and act. List your personal experiences that you intend to use as evidence below: 3. Be concise. Avoid repetition. This essay should be between 500 – 650 words. When read aloud, it should take roughly four minutes. 4. Name your belief. It is essential that you can name your belief in a sentence or two. Focus on one belief only. This is your thesis. Write it here: 5. Be positive. Avoid preaching or persuading. You aren’t trying to change the way others think or act. Write about what you believe, not what you don’t believe. 6. Use the first person. Speak for yourself. Avoid using we or you. 7. Let your voice shine. Use language that sounds like you. Read it aloud as your revise. Keep making changes until your essay sounds like you and captures the essence of your belief.

5) Peer Review

Once you have written your first draft, arrange for your essay to be edited by a peer, using the following Peer-Editing Checklist: Writer’s Name: ________________________________________________ Peer Editor’s Name: ________________________________________________ Use your PENCIL or PEN (NOT red or green) to make corrections. Remember, this essay is a work in progress. You are not done writing! Look for ways to improve what you’ve already written. Tick each step if it has been completed. _____ 1. Read the paper backwards, one sentence at a time. Check for spelling errors. Use a dictionary, a friend, or a spell checker to find the correct spelling. _____ 2. Check for capitalized proper nouns and the first word of each sentence. _____ 3. Skip a line between each paragraph. _____ 4. Every sentence should have end punctuation. _____ 5. Check commas. Are they only used for compound sentences, a list of items, an introductory word or phrase, direct address, setting off interruptions, separating adjectives, or in dates? Do you need to add commas? Make sure you do not have commas separating complete sentences (i.e. comma splice errors that create run-on sentences). _____ 6. Apostrophes are used only for contractions and to show ownership. _____ 7. The use of more complex punctuation (dashes, hyphens, semi-colons, parentheses, etc.) is done correctly. _____ 8. Have you used commonly mixed pairs of words correctly? Check these: they’re/their/there, your/you’re, it’s/its, a/an, to/too/two, are/our/hour, and others. _____ 9. Read the paper backwards one sentence at a time. Check for sentence fragments and run-ons and correct them. _____ 10. Did you stay in present tense (such as is, am, do, take, know, etc.) or past tense (such as was, were, did, took, knew, etc.) throughout the entire essay? _____ 11. Did you stay in first person (I, me, my, we, us, our) or third person (he, him, she, her, they, them, their) throughout the entire essay? _____ 12. Was there adequate use of specific details and sensory details? Were the details clear and relevant to the statement? _____ 13. Is the overall purpose/philosophy clear? _____ 14. Does the conclusion make you go, “Wow!” “Cool!” “I never thought about it that way,” or any other similar reaction? Other suggestions for the overall content of the piece: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This I Believe by Tanya Matthews is licensed by CC-BY-SA

“This I Believe” Essay Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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A friendship essay is precisely what it sounds like: a paper that students write to describe their relationships with their mates.  It is among the many assignments that students are given in their college institutions.  Writing essays about friendship is a great way to analyze what the connection means to you and reflect on some of your encounters. It can also be used as a tool to improve your closeness and affection. This blog post offers tips you may consider while writing your paper and its outline. It features friendship essay examples that help generate ideas that form the primary focus of your paper.  If you are not ready to waste your time on essay writing, StudyCrumb is here to offer affordable prices and professional writers.

What Is a Friendship Essay?

The definition of friendship essay is quite clear and straightforward. A paper about friends can be described as a write-up on a relationship between two or more people. This interpretation makes it easier to obtain the meaning of friendship essay.  Writing such thematic essay will help you communicate your feelings as well as your thoughts. It allows you to recollect your memories about different encounters you have had in life. It will also help you evaluate qualities of your connection.  While writing, you may have a sequence of events starting from your meet-up, activities you have done together, and how you have sustained the connection. Preparing an essay about friendship can evoke memories from your past that may have been long forgotten.

Purpose of an Essay on Friendship

This kind of essay aims to help you explore its nature and form, its pros and cons, and its role in your life. The importance of friendship essay is that it acts as a reflective tool. It helps you realize the significance of creating and maintaining good relationships with friends. It also explains how these connections contribute to your overall wellness. In addition, an article about friendship may teach you to understand that true friendship is priceless and should stand the test of time.

Ideas to Write a Friendship Essay on

Writing essays about friendship is a more manageable task than drafting a paper about a topic that may require more detailed research. Any excellent essay about true friendship starts with an idea that you can examine.  Below are some unique ideas you can explore:

• What is friendship?
• What does friendship mean to me?
• The value of friendship you cherish in your life.
• Cross-cultural friendships.
• The role of friendship in mental health maintenance.

As you reflect on your relationship with your friend, see if you can write a paper incorporating these themes. Remember to choose an idea that interests you and is relevant to your personal experiences or research. Be sure to support your arguments with evidence and examples from real-life situations, literature, or academic research. Look through our definition essay topics or persuasive essay ideas to find a theme that suits your task best.

Friendship Essay Outline

An essay outline about friendship is a summary of what your write-up will contain but in a less detailed format. You use it to organize and structure your content logically and effectively. It presents the main topics and subtopics hierarchically, allowing writers to see the connection between different parts of the material. The importance of an outline lies in its ability to help writers plan, organize, as well as clarify their ideas. This makes the writing of an essay about friends more efficient, and the final product is more coherent and effective. Here is an example of an outline for a friendship essay.

• Briefly introduce the topic of friendship
• Provide a thesis statement that summarizes the main points of the essay
• Topic sentence
• Your main argument
• Real-life examples that support your key idea
• Supporting evidence
• 3rd Body Paragraph
• Examples or recommendations
• Summarize the main points
• Provide some food for thought

Note that this is a general outline. The exact structure and content of your essay will depend on the specific requirements of your assignment and your personal interests.

Structure of a Friendship Essay

The structure of an essay on friendship typically includes the following three parts.

• Introduction An introduction should grab the reader's attention and provide background information. It should also include a clear thesis statement that sets a path and direction of the friendship essays.
• Body The essay's body is where you will provide evidence and details to underpin your thesis statement. It should consist of several paragraphs supporting and developing a statement of purpose. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your friendliness, such as its importance, benefits, or challenges.
• Conclusion Briefly summarize the essay's main points and reinforce your principal argument. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression on readers and emphasize your topic's significance. Overall, the structure should be clear and well-organized, allowing the audience to follow your argument and understand the topic's significance.

Friendship Essay Introduction

A good introduction about friendship essay should grab the reader's attention and encourage them to continue reading. This can be achieved through a " hook ," a quote, an interesting fact, or a thought-provoking question. Background information can then be provided to give context to the discussed topic.  The introduction to an essay about friendship should also clearly state your main point or argument of the piece, known as thesis statement. This sets pace for the rest of the paper and gives readers a clear view of what to expect. A friendship essay introduction should be concise, engaging, and provide context for the audience to understand the content fully.

Read more: How to Start off an Essay

Friendship Essay Introduction Example

Here is an example of a friendship essay introduction that sets the stage for a reflective and thought-provoking exploration of the most precious gift in life.

Friendship is a special bond that unites two individuals with common interests, experiences, and emotions. It makes life easier and contributes to our happiness. It is a relationship that transcends race, religion, and socio-economic status and has power to sustain and uplift the spirit of humans. In this essay, I will explore its benefits and how it can contribute to a better world. Through personal anecdotes, I will illustrate the bond's depth and role in our day-to-day lives.

Friendship Essay Thesis Statement

The friendship thesis statement aims to provide a summary of the essay's main point. It can be one or two sentences which you develop as you research. The statement of purpose should focus on the central argument and be supported by evidence presented in the body. The thesis statement about friendship should guide the essay's structure. Its main objective is to provide your reader with a roadmap to follow. It should be specific, concise, and accurately reflect the content in your paper. Understanding what constitutes a strong thesis is crucial for writers as it is integral to every essay writing process.

Friendship Thesis Statement Example

The thesis statement must be clear to readers so that they may quickly recognize it and comprehend the paper's significance. It should act as a blueprint of what to expect. A friendship thesis statement sample could be:

In this essay, I will explore friendship's meaning, its importance, benefits, drawbacks, and how it can contribute to a better world. Through a series of personal anecdotes, I will illustrate the bond's depth and its key role in our lives.

Friendship Essay Body

The body part should include five or more paragraphs. Students will use body paragraphs to elaborate on the key factors that make their connection special.

• Definition and explanation. This friendship body paragraph should start with a definition and a brief explanation of its characteristics and qualities.
• Importance of friends. Discuss why it is vital in your life and how it contributes to personal growth and welfare.
• Types of friendships. A paragraph about friendship should discuss different types of friend's relationships that exist.
• Qualities of a good friend. Discuss standards a great confidant should possess.
• Challenges. Discuss the common problems that friends face.
• Ways to strengthen friendship. Provide tips on reinforcing and maintaining good relationships.
• Conclusion. Sum up the key points made in your essay and reiterate the importance of genuine bonds in life.

Friendship Body Paragraph Example

Below is a friendship body paragraph sample.

How to Spend Free Time with Friends • Outdoor Activities. Spending time in nature is a great way to bond with friends. You can meet, then go for a hike, take a walk, or go to a picnic in a park. This allows you to connect and enjoy the beautiful world around you. • Movie Night. Watching a movie is another fun activity you can do with friends. You can share popcorn, grab snacks, and enjoy a movie together. This is a great way to relax and unwind. • Board Games. Playing board games with friends is a fun and interactive way to spend free time. You can play classic games like Monopoly. This is a great way to challenge each other and have a good time.

Friendship Essay Conclusion

Any conclusion on a friendship essay should sum up the main ideas discussed in your essay and restate the thesis statement. It should leave a lasting impression and provide a closure to your topic. To start writing a conclusion about a friendship essay, commence by rephrasing the thesis statement in different words. Summarize the points discussed in your essay by connecting them back to your statement of purpose. End conclusion with a final thought or call to action that leaves a lasting impression on your reader.  It is vital to keep it concise yet impactful. Avoid introducing new information or arguments, as it can confuse readers. Instead, focus on tying up loose ends and emphasizing main ideas discussed in your essay.

Read more: How to Conclude an Essay

Friendship Essay Conclusion Sample

Here is an example of a friendship essay conclusion:

In conclusion, friendship is an essential aspect of our lives that brings joy, support, and companionship. It is a relationship built on mutual trust, understanding, and love. A true friend will always be there for you, no matter what. As humans, we need sincere friends to help us navigate life's ups and downs and provide emotional support. An understanding friend can withstand any obstacle and bring happiness to our lives. The connection is meant to last a lifetime, whether through shared experiences, interests, or simply a common bond. Ultimately, having a close group of loyal friends who truly care for us is one of the greatest gifts we can receive in life.

How to Write an Essay on Friendship?

To write an essay about friendship, start by brainstorming ideas about what friends mean to you and the benefits of such kinds of relationships. Knowing how to write a good essay about friendship involves selecting a great topic and arranging your content in a manner that has logical flow.

1. Come Up With a Topic About Friendship

To brainstorm essay topics on friendship, consider the following.

• Reflect on your own experiences. Think about your own bonds and encounters you have had with allies. Avoid bad occurrences. This can inspire topics to explore in your essay. To find a subject that interests you, you can also look through internet examples of friend essays.
• Ask questions related to friends, such as "What makes a meaningful connection?" or "How does the quality of your bond change over time?"
• Talk to others. Ask friends, family, or classmates about their experiences. They may have interesting insights that can inspire new topics for your essay.

Ensure that topic you select is appropriate for your report style. For example: 

The Day my Best Friend Changed My Life.

You can start this topic by how you met, narrate your story, and then pick out some attributes of a good friend and the advantages of the relationship. Remember to choose a topic on friendship essay that you feel passionate about and can explore in depth in your essay.

2. Do Research

To research and collect information for the friend essay, follow these steps.

• Start with a general search. Use search engines like Google to find articles, books, and other resources on affection.
• Identify keywords. Determine the most relevant keywords for your essay, such as "essay about a friend." Use them in your search to narrow down results to the most pertinent information.
• Evaluate sources. When you have a list of potential sources, evaluate each to determine their credibility and relevance. Look for sources that are written by experts in the field and that have been peer-reviewed or published in reputable journals.
• Take notes. As you read, take notes on the most important and relevant information.

3. Develop a Friendship Essay Outline

An outline is a useful tool for organizing ideas in an essay and it ensures that your essay has a structure. Before outlining you need to have a clear vision of what your essay will focus on. Then analyze every piece of information that you have and categorize it into headings. An outline of an essay about friendships will comprise a list which consists of each paragraph’s topic sentence . By going through the outline, you are able to examine what purpose each paragraph serves. If you need assistance on how to create an outline for a college essay about friendship use the outline example shown below.

4. Write an Essay on Friendship

Writing an essay about friendship is an exciting task. Below is a sample of how you can write your friendship essay. Friendship is the bond between two or more individuals based on mutual trust, support, and understanding. This connection can develop at any stage of life and even last a lifetime. It is a bond that fills our lives with comfort, laughter, and advice during a hard period. Many different factors can contribute to its formation and success. Having similar needs, mutual interests, and social activities can help sustain the relationship. Another crucial aspect is being ready to support each other through happy and difficult times unconditionally. Trust is also an essential component in the longevity of this connection. In conclusion, friendship is an invaluable treasure that brings joy, comfort, and support to our lives. It provides a safe place in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving. It reminds us that we should always stay true to each other.

5. Proofread Your Friendship Essay

When writing a friendship essay, consider the following for an effective introduction.

• Grab your reader's attention. A good introduction makes them want to continue reading your friendship essay.
• Provide context. Give an overview of the friendship essay and its purpose. This will make readers interested in your work.
• Establish your purpose. Clearly state the main idea or thesis.
• Preview the main points. Briefly summarize key points that will be covered.
• Be concise. An introduction should be short and on point, generally no more than one or two paragraphs.

Remember, your introduction will set tone for the rest of your piece and should encourage your readers to continue reading.

Read more: Essay About Happiness : Tips & Examples

Friendship Essay Examples

A sample essay about friendship can be critical to students, especially when they are researching and collecting information. Free friendship essays help you get ideas on how to write and structure your essay. Below are essay examples about friendship that you can go through to help with your writing and draw inspiration from. Friendship essay example 1

Friendship essay example 2

Essay about friendship sample 3

Example of essay on friendship 4

Friendship Essay Writing Tips

Here are some extra tips you need to know that will motivate you to write a friendship short essay.

• You could start with a quote, an anecdote, or a surprising fact.
• Use examples from your own life to illustrate your points in your school college essay about friendship, as this will make your essay more relatable and interesting to read.
• Friendship titles for essays should be clear and straightforward. They should also reflect your main points.
• Describe the aspect of the bond that, in your opinion, is most crucial. It is possible to personalize something that means an entirely different thing to various individuals.

Bottom Line on Friendship Essay Writing

Your central task is to understand what is a friendship essay even before you start writing. Friendship essays explore the nature of our relationships and their various aspects. They can take various forms, from short reflective essays to longer, more analytical pieces. These papers can discuss qualities that make a good friend, the benefits of your relationship, or challenges of maintaining close relationships. Examples of short essays about friendship could be a personal reflection, exploring the unique bond between the writer and their friend and what they hope to continue gaining from each other when they cross paths in future. If you struggle with other papers, feel free to check out our writing guides. From an essay about bullying to a world peace essay , we’ve got you covered.

FAQ About Friendship Essay

1. may i use friendship quotes for the essay.

Yes, it is always a winning step. You can write an essay on friendship with quotes either as the title of your essay or as an introductory phrase. You can also include it in the body of your work while narrating your story.

2. How to write a hook for an essay of friendship?

An essay should hook your reader's attention and make them want to read your story. When writing essays about friendship, you can describe a unique situation in which your friends helped you. You can also end your introduction with a catchy quote, such as Squad goals! Some other quotes that you can use include:

• A road to a friend's house is never long.
• Count your age with friends and years.
• True friend is seen through the heart, not through the eyes.

3. Explain the importance of friendship essay.

The importance of friendship essay is that it teaches students to express their thoughts and feelings about confidants and benefits they obtain from this connection. It also acts as a reflective tool. Friend essays also help students realize advantages of creating and maintaining good relationships with friends and how these linkages contribute to your overall wellness and welfare.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Essays About Best Friends: 5 Essay Examples and 7 Prompts

If you’re writing an essay and want to put your best friend in the spotlight, check out these essay examples on essays about best friends. 

Best friends are those with whom we have formed a deep and unique bond. What makes them remarkably special is that we chose them unlike with family. For this, some even consider their best friends to be extensions of themselves. 

We all trust our best friends wholeheartedly; that’s why they are the best people to confide in. And many of the lasting memories in our lives are those that we create with them. These memories could be filled with waves of boisterous laughter or even the most piercing pain when your friendship is tested.

Read on and find essay examples and prompts that could motivate you to write about best friends.

5 Essay Examples

1. how friendships change in adulthood by julie beck, 2. diamonds are not this girl’s best friend by courtney carver, 3. how to tell your best friend you’re in love with them – by those who have taken the plunge by sirin kale, 4. my best friend died: a real-life guide to coping by gabrielle applebury, 5. is it normal to not have a best friend by viktor sander, 7 helpful writing prompts on essays about best friends, 1. describe your best friend, 2. hanging out with your best friend , 3. long distance friendship, 4. cutting off toxic best friends, 5. falling in love with your best friend, 6. famous literary friendships, 7. a dog is a man’s best friend.

“Hanging out with a set of lifelong best friends can be annoying, because the years of inside jokes and references often make their communication unintelligible to outsiders. But this sort of shared language is part of what makes friendships last.”

The above essay delves into the evolution of friendship throughout the different stages of our lives, from childhood and teen years to family life and retirement. While we have all deferred a meetup with friends several times to attend to family and work, many people still treat their friendship as stable and continuous, even in long lapses in communication. 

You might also find these essays about camping trips helpful.

“My best friend is a magical, rooftop sunrise. My best friend is the ocean. My best friend is a hike in the mountains. My best friend is a peaceful afternoon. My best friend is a really good book. My best friend is laughter. My best friend is seeing the world. My best friend is time with people I love.”

This essay takes on a broader definition of a “best friend,” deriving from Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote: “Diamond are a girl’s best friend.” From having excessive material wants for every occasion, the author realizes that the greatest “friends” in life are not material things but the simple joys that nature and love can bring.

“It was supposed to go the way things do in the movies. Nora would tell her best friend that she loved him, he would feel the same way and then they would kiss – preferably in the rain. So when the 30-year-old arts manager declared her love for her best friend when they were still teenagers, she expected a happy ending.”

Check out these essays about beauty .

The essay by Srirn Kale treats its readers to compelling stories of best friends ending up in marriage and those parting ways because of unrequited love. But, before taking the bold step of declaring your love for your best friend, a relationship guru advises lovers first to read the signs that signal any reciprocity of these deep feelings. 

“Losing a best friend may be one of the most difficult and heartbreaking experiences you have in your lifetime. If you aren’t sure how to process that your best friend died, know that there are many healthy options when it comes to coping with this type of loss.”

Coping with losing a best friend could lead to depression or even suicidal thoughts, especially if your best friend means the world to you. Some coping tips include journaling your grieving process to understand your emotions and confusion better and doing things that can relive your best friend’s memories. 

“If you are happy with the friends you currently have, there’s no need to try making a best friend for the sake of it. You might have friends but no best friend; that’s perfectly OK. It’s not necessary to have a BFF.” 

Not everyone has a best friend. Some would find this fact hard to believe, but a YouGov survey has shown that 1 in 5 of the US population claims to have no close friends. The essay, therefore, explores the reasons for this friendlessness and gives tips on building a bond with potential best friends, starting with your existing circle of acquaintances.

Check out our top writing prompts to help you celebrate and write about best friends.

Begin this essay by describing what your best friend looks like and what traits you like most about them. Then, given these qualities, would you consider your best friend a role model? Your essay can also answer how similar you and your best friend are and what things you both agree on. But if you have more differences than similarities, write how you deal with them or put them aside.

In this essay, describe your favorite ways to hang out with your best friend. What do you like doing together? Describe what a day spent with your best friend looks like and which part you like most about your dates. If your conversations draw your mutual admiration for each other, then talk about what topics make you talk for hours on end and their perspectives on things that you find fascinating.

Do different time zones make friends grow apart? Or does distance make the heart grow fonder? First, interview two to three people whose best friends moved to a different country or city. Next, learn how frequently they communicate with each other. Finally, compile these stories and make a smooth transition to each one such that the structure highlights the challenges of long-distance friendships and how each set of friends gets by. 

Discarding best friends is a hard decision. But it is also brave if you feel they are dragging you down. For this prompt, you can pose a list of questions readers can ask themselves to grasp the situation better. For example, is your friend doing you more harm than good? Have you set boundaries that they find hard to respect? Then, explain how reflecting on each question can help one determine when it is time to cut some ties loose.

Falling in love with your best friend can only end in two scenarios: a happy ever after or an end of a beautiful relationship. Expanding on our essay prompt above, list down more tips to know when it is best to confront your best friend about your feelings or work hard to quash your emotions for the continuity of the relationship.

Pick out best friends from novels that formed friendships that touched you the most. They could be Harry, Ron, Hermoine of Harry Potter, Frodo, Sam of the Lord Of The Rings, or even Sherlock and Watson From The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes. First, describe what it is in their friendship that you find most riveting. Then, narrate events that served as the biggest tests to their friendships and how they conquered these challenges. 

What about dogs that some people find more lovable than others? Answer this in your essay by outlining the traits that make a dog the ideal best friend. For one, their loyalty makes us confident that they will not betray us. If you have a dog, write about the qualities that make your dog a reliable and fun companion. Then, narrate events when your dog proved to be your best friend. 

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics . 

If you want to ensure that your thoughts flow smoothly in your essay, check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Friday essay: on the ending of a friendship

Emeritus Professor of Creative writing, The University of Melbourne

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Kevin John Brophy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Friendship is an incomparable, immeasurable boon to me, and a source of life — not metaphorically but literally.

• Simone Weil

About eight years ago, I went to dinner with a dear friend I had known for more than 40 years. It would be the last time we would see each other and by the end of that evening I was deeply shaken. But more lasting and more unsettling than this has been the feeling of loss without his friendship. It was a sudden ending but it was also an ending that lasted for me well beyond that evening. I have worried since then at what kind of friend I am to my friends, and why a friendship can suddenly self-destruct while others can so unexpectedly bloom.

My friend and I were used to going to dinner together, though it had become an increasingly tricky matter for us. We had been seeing each other more infrequently, and our conversations had been tending towards repetition. I still enjoyed his passion for talk, his willingness to be puzzled by life’s events, our comically growing list of minor ailments as we entered our sixties, and the old stories he fell back on — usually stories of his minor triumphs, such as the time his car burst into fire, was declared a write-off by insurance, and ended in an auction house where he bought it back with part of the insurance payout and only minor repairs to be made. There were stories of his time as a barman in one of Melbourne’s roughest pubs. I suppose in a lot of long-lasting friendships it is these repeated stories of the past that can fill the present so richly.

Nevertheless, both his opinions and mine seemed to have become too predictable. Even his desire to come up with the most unpredictable viewpoint on any problem was a routine I expected from him. Each of us knew the weaknesses in the other’s thinking, and we had learned not to go too far with some topics, which were of course the most interesting and important ones.

He knew how politically correct I could be, and shrewdly enough he had no time for my self-righteousness, the predictability of my views on gender, race and climate. I understood this. He knew too that his fiercely independent thinking was often just the usual rant against greenies or lefties. Something had begun to fail in our friendship, but I could not properly perceive this or speak of it.

We were a contrasting pair. He was a big man with an aggressive edge to his gregarious nature, while I was lean, short and physically slight next to him, a much more reserved person altogether. I liked his size because big men have been protective figures in my life. At times when I felt threatened I would ask him to come with me to a meeting or a transaction, and just stand next to me in his big way. During one long period of trouble with our neighbours he would visit when the tension was high to show his formidable presence and his solidarity with us.

I was always reading and knew how to talk books, while he was too restless to read much. He knew how to sing, bursting into song occasionally when we were together. He had been unable to work professionally since a breakdown that was both physical and mental. By contrast, I was working steadily, never quite as free with my time as he was.

Nearly two years before our last dinner together his wife had suddenly left him. As it turned out, she had been planning her departure for some time, but when she went he was taken by surprise. I saw a more confused and fragile side of him during those months when we would meet and talk through how he was dealing with their counselling sessions, and then how the negotiations were proceeding over belongings and finally the family house. He was learning to live alone for the first time since he had been a young man, and was exploring what it might be like to seek out new relationships.

Read more: Research Check: is it true only half your friends actually like you?

A safe haven

We had met when I was a first-year university student boarding at my grandmother’s home in an inner Melbourne suburb. I was studying for a Bachelor of Arts, staying up through the nights, discovering literature, music, history, cask wine, dope, girls and ideas.

He lived in a flat a few doors away in a street behind my grandmother’s place, and I remember it was the local parish youth group, or the remnants of one, that used to meet in his flat. In my friend’s flat we would lie around the floor, half a dozen of us, drinking, flirting, arguing about religion or politics until the night was strung out in our heads, tight and thin and vibrating with possibilities. I loved that sudden intimate and intellectually rich contact with people my own age.

My friend and I started up a coffee lounge in an old disused shopfront as a meeting place for youth who would otherwise be on the street. I was the one who became immersed in the chaotic life of the place as students, musicians, misfits, hopeful poets and petty criminals floated through the shop, while my friend kept his eye on the broader picture that involved real estate agents, local councils, supplies of coffee, income and expenditure.

Perhaps the experience helped delay my own adulthood, allowing me time to try out a bohemian, communal alternative lifestyle that was so important to some of us in the early 1970s. My friend, though, was soon married. It was as if he had been living a parallel life outside our friendship, outside the youth group, coffee shop, jug band, drugs and misadventures of our project.

This did not break us up, and in fact after his marriage he became another kind of friend. I was at times struggling to find some steady sense of myself. Sometimes in those years I would not be able to talk or even be near others, and I remember once when I felt like this I went to my newly married friend’s home, and asked if I could lie on the floor in the corner of their lounge room for a few days until I felt better.

They indulged me. I felt it was this haven that saved me then, giving me the time to recoup and giving me a sense that there was somewhere I could go where the world was safe and neutral.

In time, and more bumpily and uncertainly than my friend, I was with a partner raising a family. He was often involved in our children’s birthdays, other celebrations, our house-moving, and just dropping in on family meals. It worked for us. I remember him lifting our cast iron wood-burning stove into its place in our first renovated Brunswick cottage. He lived in a more sprawling home near bushland on the edge of Melbourne, so one of my pleasures became the long cycling trips out to see him.

My partner and I were embraced by a local community thanks to the childcare centre, kinders, schools and sport. Lasting friendships (for us and for our children) grew in the tentative, open-ended, slightly blindly feeling way of friendships. Through this decade and a half though, the particular friendship with my songful friend held, perhaps to the surprise of both of us.

‘Tolerating much, for the sake of best intentions’

In his thoroughly likeable 1993 book on friendship , the political scientist Graham Little wrote under the bright light of writings by Aristotle and Freud, that the purest kind of friendship “welcomes the different ways people are alive to life and tolerates much in a friend for the sake of best intentions”.

Here perhaps is the closest I have seen to a definition of friendship at its best: a stance imbued with sympathy, interest and excitement directed at another despite all that otherwise shows we are flawed and dangerous creatures.

On that evening, the evening of the last time we went out to dinner together, I did push my friend towards one of the topics we usually avoided. I had been wanting him to acknowledge and even apologise for his behaviour towards some young women he had spoken to, I thought, lewdly and insultingly nearly a year before in my home at a party. The women and those of us who had witnessed his behaviour felt continuing tension over his refusal to discuss the fact that he had wanted to speak so insultingly to them and then had done it in our home in front of us. For me, there was some element of betrayal, not only in the way he had behaved but in his continued refusal to discuss what had happened.

The women were drunk, he said, just as he had said the last time I tried to talk to him about this. They were wearing almost nothing, he said, and what he’d said to them was no more than they were expecting. My friend and I were sitting in a popular Thai restaurant on Sydney Road: metal chairs, plastic tables, concrete floor. It was noisy, packed with students, young couples and groups out for a cheap and tasty meal. A waitress had put menus, water and beer on our table while she waited for us to decide on our meals. Wanting to push finally past this impasse, I pointed out to him that the women had not insulted him, he had insulted them.

If that’s the way you want it, he replied, and placed his hands on each side of the table, hurling it into the air and walking out of the restaurant as table, bottles, glasses, water and beer came clattering and smashing down around me. The whole restaurant fell silent. I could not move for some time. The waitress began mopping up the floor around me. Someone called out, “Hey, are you all right?”

This was the last time I saw or heard from him. For many months, I thought of him every day, then slowly I thought of him less often, until now I can think of him more or less at will, and not find myself ashamed of the way I went for him in a conversation where I should have been perhaps more alive to whatever was troubling him.

Improvised, tentative

For some years after this, I felt I had to learn how to be myself without him. I have read articles and essays since then about how pitiful men can be at friendship. We are apparently too competitive, we base our friendships on common activities, which means we can avoid talking openly about our feelings and thoughts. I don’t know about this “male deficit model”, as some sociologists call it, but I do know that the loss of this friendship took with it a big part of my shared personal history at that time. It dented my confidence in ever having properly known this man or understood our friendship — or in knowing how secure any friendship might be.

I was drawn to read and re-read Michel de Montaigne’s gentle and strangely extreme essay on friendship where he was so certain that he knew with perfection what his friend would think and say and value. He wrote of his friend, Etienne de Boëtie, “Not only did I know his mind as well as I knew my own but I would have entrusted myself to him with greater assurance than to myself.”

Against this perfection of understanding between friends, there is George Eliot’s odd excursion into science fiction in her 1859 novel, The Lifted Veil . Her narrator, Latimer, finds he can perceive perfectly clearly the thoughts of all the people around him. He becomes disgusted and deeply disturbed by the petty self-interest he apparently discovers within everyone.

After 40 years of shared history, there was not the disgust Eliot writes of, nor Montaigne’s perfect union of mind and trust between me and my burly friend, but there was, I had thought, a foundation of knowledge whereby we took each other’s differences into ourselves, as well as our common histories of the cafe we had run, and as it happened our common serving of time in semi-monastic seminaries before we’d met — differences and similarities that had given us, I thought, ways of being in sympathy with each other while allowing for each other.

Read more: Guide to the classics: Michel de Montaigne's Essays

Montaigne’s dearest friend, Etienne, had died, and his essay was as much about the meaning of this loss as about friendship. His big idea was loyalty, and I think I understand that, though not in the absolute way Montaigne wrote of it.

Loyalty is only real if it is constantly renewed. I worry that I have not worked enough at some friendships that have come into my life, but have let them happen more passively than the women I know who spend such time, and such complicated time, exploring and testing friendships. The sudden disappearance of my friend left me with an awareness of how patched-together, how improvised, clumsy and tentative even the most secure-seeming friendship can be.

When the philosopher and brilliant essayist, Simone Weil wrote shortly before she died in 1943,

I may lose, at any moment, through the play of circumstances over which I have no control, anything whatsoever that I possess, including things that are so intimately mine that I consider them as myself. There is nothing that I might not lose. It could happen at any moment ….

she seemed to be touching on the difficult truth that we run on luck and hope and chance much of the time. Why haven’t I worked harder at friendships, when I know that they provide the real meaning in my life?

Some years ago, when I was told by a medical specialist that I had a 30% chance of having cancer, as I waited for the results of a biopsy, I remember that in response to these dismal odds I had no desire to go back to work, no desire to even read — all I wanted to do was spend time with friends.

Inner worlds laid waste

To know what it is we care about, this is a gift. It should be straightforward to know this and keep it present in our lives, but it can prove to be difficult. Being the reader that I am, I have always turned to literature and fiction for answers or insights into those questions that seem to need answering.

I realised some time after the ending of my friendship that I had been reading novels dealing with friendship, and was not even sure how consciously I had chosen them.

For instance, I read The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber, a novel about a Christian preacher, Peter Leigh, sent to convert aliens in a galaxy ludicrously far from earth on a planet with an equally unlikely atmosphere benign to its human colonisers.

It is a novel about whether Leigh can be any kind of adequate friend to his wife left behind on Earth, and whether his new feelings for these aliens amounts to friendship. Though my suspension of disbelief was precarious, I found myself caring about these characters and their relationships, even the grotesquely shapeless aliens. Partly I cared about them because the book read like an essay testing ideas of friendship and loyalty that were important and urgent to the writer.

I also read at that time Haruki Murakami’s novel, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage , a book that came with a little game of coloured cards and stickers, and I found that I cared about Tsukuru Tazaki too, for I felt all along that Murakami’s character was a thin and endearing disguise for himself (what a beautiful word that is, “en-dearing”).

The novel centred on lost friendships. I heard a tone in its voice that was the oddly flat, persistent, vulnerable and sincere searching of a man for connection with others. If Murakami’s novel has a proposition it wishes to test it would be that we only know ourselves in what images of ourselves we receive back from our friends. Without our friends we become invisible, lost.

In both those novels, the friendships are crashing to pieces in slow motion in front of the reader’s helpless eyes. I wanted to shake those characters, tell them to stop and think about what they were doing, but at the same time I saw in them mirrors of myself and my experiences.

I read John Berger too , on the way a human looks across an abyss of incomprehension when looking at another animal. Though language seems to connect us, it might be that language also distracts us from the actual abyss of ignorance and fear between all of us as we look, across, at each other. In his book on the savage mind , Lévi-Strauss quotes a study of Canadian Carrier Indians living on the Bulkley River who were able to cross that abyss between species, believing they knew what animals did and what their needs were because their men had been married to the salmon, the beaver and the bear.

I have read essays by Robin Dunbar on the evolutionary limits to our circles of intimacy , where he suggests that for most of us there needs to be three or maybe five truly close friends. These are the ones we lean towards with tenderness and open ourselves to with endless curiosity — those in whom we seek only the good.

My partner can name quickly four friends who qualify for her as part of this necessary circle. I find I can name two (and she is one of them), then a constellation of individual friends whose closeness to me I can’t easily measure. It is this constellation that sustains me.

Recently I was away from home for three months. After two weeks away I wrote a list in the back of my diary of the friends I was missing. A little more than a dozen of these were the friends, men and women, with whom I need contact, and with whom conversations are always open-ended, surprising, intellectually stimulating, sometimes intimate, and often fun. With each of them I explore a slightly different but always essential version of myself. Graham Little wrote that “ideal soulmates are friends who are fully aware that each has himself as his main life project”.

To live this takes some effort of imagination, and with my friend at dinner that night I might in myself have been refusing to make this effort.

There are also, it occurs to me, the friends who came as couples, with whom my partner and I share time as couples. This is itself another manifestation of friendship, one that crosses over into community, tribe and family — and no less precious than the individual intimacy of a personal friendship. For reasons I can’t properly fathom, the importance of this kind of time with coupled friends has deepened as I have grown through the decades of my fifties and sixties.

Perhaps it is that the dance of conversation and ideas is so much more complex and pleasurable when there are four or more contributing. It could be too that I am absolved from the responsibility of really working at these friendships in the way one must when there are two of us. Or it might be the pang and stimulus of the knowledge that opportunities to be together are brutally diminishing as we grow older.

But to lose an individual friend from one’s closest circle is to have large tracts of one’s inner world laid waste for a time. My feelings over the end of this particular friendship were a kind of grief mixed with bewilderment.

It was not that the friendship was necessary to my existence, but that perhaps through habit and sympathy it had become a fixed part of my identity. Robin Dunbar would say that by stepping away from this friendship I had made room for someone else to slip in to my circle of most intimate friends, but isn’t it the point of such close friends that they are in some important sense irreplaceable? This is the source of much of our distress when such friendships end.

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When I told people about what had happened in the restaurant that night, they would say, reasonably, “Why don’t you patch things up and resume your friendship?”

As I imagined how a conversation might go if I did meet my friend again, I came to understand that I had been a provocation to him. I had ceased to be the friend he needed, wanted or imagined.

What he did was dramatic. He might have called it merely dramatic. I felt it as threatening. Though I cannot help but think I provoked him. And if we had “patched” a friendship back together, on whose terms would this have been conducted? Would it always be that I would have to agree not to press him on questions that might lead him to throw over some table between us again?

Or worse, would I have to witness his apology, forgive him myself, and put him on his best behaviour for the rest of our friendship?

Neither of those outcomes would have patched much together. I had been hurting too over what I saw as his lack of willingness or interest to understand the situation from my point of view. And so it went inside me as the table and the water and the beer and the glasses came crashing down around me. I had been, in a way, married to my friend, even if he was a salmon or a bear — a creature across an abyss from me. Perhaps this was the only way out of that marriage. Perhaps he had been preparing for (moving towards?) this moment more consciously than I had been.

The ending of this friendship, it is clear, left me looking for its story. It was as if all along there must have been a narrative with a trajectory carrying us in this direction. A story is of course a way of testing whether an experience can take on a shape. Murakami’s and Faber’s novels are not themselves full-blown stories, for there is almost no plot, no shape, to their stumbling episodic structures, and oddly enough in both books the self-doubting lovers might or might not find that close communion with another somewhere well beyond the last page of each novel.

These novels cohere round a series of questions rather than events: what do we know and what can we know about others, what is the nature of the distance that separates one person from another, how provisional is it to know someone anyway, and what does it mean to care about someone, even someone who is a character in a novel?

When an Indian says he is married to a salmon, this can be no stranger than me saying I spent a couple of weeks on a humid planet in another galaxy with an astronaut who is a Christian preacher and an inept husband, or I spent last night in Tokyo with an engineer who builds railway stations and believes himself to be colourless, though at least two women have told him he is full of colour. But do I go to this story-making as a way of keeping my experiences less personal and more cerebral?

When I got home that night eight years ago, I sat at my kitchen table, shaking, hugging myself, talking to my grown-up children about what happened. It was the talking that helped — a narrative taking shape.

Dunbar, like me, like all of us, worries at the question of what makes life so richly present to us, and why friendships seem to be at the core of this meaningfulness. He has been surveying Americans with questions about friendship for several decades, and he concludes that for many of us the small circle of intimate friendships we experience is reducing.

We are apparently lucky now, on average, if there are two people in our lives we can approach with tenderness and curiosity, with that assumption that time will not matter as we talk in a low, murmuring, hive-warm way to a close friend.

My friend cannot be replaced, and it might be that we did not in the end imagine each other fully enough or accurately enough as we approached that last encounter. I don’t know precisely what our failure was. The shock of what happened and the shock of the friendship ending has over the time since that dinner become a part of my history in which I remember feeling grief but am no longer caught in confused anger or guilt over it. The story of it might not have ended but it has subsided.

Perhaps in all friendships we are not only, at our best, agreeing to encountering the unique and endlessly absorbing presence of another person, but unknown to us we’re learning something about how to approach the next friendship in our lives. There is something comically inept and endearing about the possibility that one might still be learning how to be a friend right up to the end of life.

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Essay on Friendship

List of essays on friendship, essay on friendship – short essay for kids (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on friendship – 10 lines on friendship written in english (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on friendship – for school students (class 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on friendship – for students (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on friendship (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on friendship – introduction, benefits and qualities (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on friendship – essay on true friendship (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on friendship – importance, types, examples and conclusion (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Who is in this world does not have a friend?

A friend, with whom you just love to spend your time, can share your joys and sorrows. Most importantly you need not fake yourself and just be what you are. That is what friendship is all about. It is one of the most beautiful of the relations in the world. Students of today need to understand the values of friendship and therefore we have composed different long essays for students as well as short essays.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Standard).

Introduction:

Friendship is considered as one of the treasures that anyone can possess. God has given us the liberty to choose friends because they are for our lifetime. It is quite normal for our parents and siblings to love us because they are our own blood but a friend is someone who is initially a stranger and then takes his/her place above all the other relations. Friendship is nothing but pure love without any expectations.

Role of a Friend:

True friends share and support each other even during the toughest of times. A true friend is one who feels happy for our success, who feel sad for our failures, fight with us for silly things and hugs us the next second, gets angry on us when we do any mistakes. Friendship is all about having true friends who can understand us without the need for us to speak.

Conclusion:

Friendship is very essential for a happy life. Even a two-minute chat with a friend will make us forget our worries. That is the strength of friendship.

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Friends are those you can choose for yourself in spite of the difference you both have from each other. A good friend in need will do wonders in your life, whenever you are in need of self-realization, upbringing your confidence and more.

Friendship serves you best not only in your happiest moments but also when you feel low in emotions. A life without a good friend is not at all complete and an emptiness will be felt all the time you think of sharing your emotion that can’t be told to anyone else.

Honesty and Patience in Friendship:

To maintain and keep going with a good deep friendship, honesty is the most important factor. You should choose a person who can be cent percent honest with you in all perspective like emotions, decision making, etc. Trustworthy friendship will help you to take better decisions and choose a better path for your future well-being.

Tolerance and patience with each other are another important characteristics of long-lasting friendship. Accepting the differences, friends should be able to be with each other in all situations. As a friend, the person should lead the other to success by being a motivation and criticize the person if they choose the wrong path.

Friendship will give you sweet and happy memories that can be cherished for a lifetime and if you succeed in maintaining that precious relation, then you are the luckiest person in this world. Love and care for each other will cherish the relationship and helps the person to appreciate each thing done without any fail.

Of all the different relations which we indulge in, friendship is considered to be the purest of them all. Friendship is the true confluence of souls with like minded attitude that aids in seamless conversation and the best of times. It is believed that a person who doesn’t have any friend lives one of the toughest lives.

The Desire to Belong:

Each one of us have been so programmed that we need a companion even if it’s not romantic, someone just to tag along. There are several definitions of friendship and it is upon you as to how you believe your relation to be. Friendship can happen when you are simply sharing a bowl of food with a person day after day. It can be expressed in the way you silently care for someone even when they may not be aware of your existence.

The Little Moments that Matter:

It is giving up the little things you love dearly for the sake of someone you cherish a great deal. Friendship often refers to the little moments of senseless laugh you two share when the rest of the world starts to look bleak. It is to know what your friend needs and being there for them even when the rest of the world has turned their back towards them.

Friendship is the kind of relation which sometimes even exceeds the realms of love because it is all about giving without even once bothering to sense what you shall get back. Every time spent is special because when you are with friends, you don’t feel the blues!

The Bottom-Line:

Of course the definition of friendship is going to vary a great deal from one person to another. But, remember one thing, when you are friends with someone, be prepared to put your heart on the line for their happiness because friendship often manifests into love, even if it is not romantic, it always is true!

Friendship is the most valuable as well as precious gifts of life. Friendship is one of the most valued relationship. People who have good friends enjoy the most in their live. True friendship is based on loyalty & support. A good friend is a person who will stand with you when times are tough. A friend is someone special on whom you can rely on to celebrate a special moment. Friendship is like a life asset and it can lead us to success. It all depends on our choice how we choose our friends.

The quality of friendship is essential for happiness. The benefits of healthy friendship remains long-life. In addition, having a strong friend circle also improves our self-confidence. Due to the strong relationship, we get much emotional support during our bad times. True friendship is a feeling of love & care.

Real friendship cannot be built within limited boundaries like caste or creed. It gives us a feeling that someone really needs us & we are not alone. This is true that man cannot live alone. True friends are needed in every stage of life to survive. A true friend can be an old person or a child. But it is generally believed that we make friend with people who are of the same age as ours. Same age group can give you the freedom to share anything.

The selection of a true friend is also a challenging task. We have to carefully make our friend selection. Friends might come & go. They will make you laugh & cry. Wrong selection can create various problems for you. In the modern world, many youngsters become a social nuisance. The reason behind it is wrong & bad friendships.

But if we successfully choose the right person as a friend then our life becomes easier. It doesn’t matter who you are, what type of clothes you wear. The most important thing is trust because the relation of friendship stands on the pillars of trust.

Friendship is a relation which can make or break us in every stage of life. But in other words, friendship is an asset which is really precious. Obviously, it is also not so easy to maintain friendships. It demands your time as well as efforts. Last but not the least, it is hard to find true friendship but once you succeed in this task you will have a wonderful time. In exchange for that a friend will only need your valuable time and trust.

The idea of friendship is either heartwarming or gives cold feet depending on individuals and the types of friendships. In the current world, friendships have had different definitions based on the morality and civilization of the society. Ideally, friendship is defined as the state of mutual trust between individuals or parties. Trust is an important component of friendship because it determines the reliability and longevity of the friendship. Trust is built through honest communications between the individuals and interested parties.

Once trust has been established, mutual understanding and support being to form the resulting in a friendship. This friendship can be broken through lack of trust. Trust can be breached through deceit and/ or some people, it differs with the frequencies. There are people who will break friendships after only one episode of dishonesty whereas some people give second chances and even more chances. Friendship types determine the longevity and the causes of breakups. The importance of friendship in the lives of individuals is the reason why friendships are formed in the first place.

Types of Friendships:

According to Aristotle’s Nichomachean ethics, there are three types of friendships. The friendships are based on three factors i.e. utility, pleasure and goodness. The first type of friendship is based on utility and has been described as a friendship whereby both parties gain from each other.

This type of friendship is dependent on the benefits and that is what keeps the friendship going. This type of friendships do not last long because it dissolves as soon as the benefits are outsourced or when other sources are found outside the friendship. The friendship was invented for trade purposes because when two people with opposite things that depend on each other re put together, trade is maximized.

The second type of friendship is based on pleasure. This is described as friendship in which two individuals are drawn to each other based on desires of pleasure and is characterized by passionate feelings and feelings of belonging. This type of friendship can ether last long or is short-lived depending on the presence of the attraction between the two parties.

The third type of friendship is based on goodness. In this friendship, the goodness of people draw them to each other and they usually have the same virtues. The friendship involves loving each other and expecting goodness. It takes long to develop this kind of friendship but it usually lasts longest and is actually the best kind of friendship to be in. the importance of such a friendship is the social support and love.

In conclusion, friendships are important in the lives of individuals. Trust builds and sustains friendships. The different types of friendships are important because they provide benefits and social support. Friendships provide a feeling of belonging and dependence. The durability of friendships is dependent on the basis of its formation and the intention during the formation. Friendships that last long are not based on materialistic gain, instead, they are based on pure emotion.

Friendship is an emotion of care, mutual trust, and fondness among two persons. A friend might be a work-mate, buddy, fellow student or any individual with whom we feel an attachment.

In friendship, people have a mutual exchange of sentiments and faith too. Usually, the friendship nurtures more amongst those people who belong to a similar age as they possess the same passions, interests, sentiments, and opinions. During the school days, kids who belong to the similar age group have a common dream about their future and this makes them all of them get closer in friendship.

In the same way, employees working in business organizations also make friends as they are working together for attaining the organizational objectives. It does not matter that to which age group you belong, friendship can happen at any time of your life.

Benefits of Friendship:

Sometimes friendship is essential in our life. Below are a few benefits of friendship.

1. It’s impossible to live your life alone always but friendship fills that gap quickly with the friend’s company.

2. You can easily pass the rigidities of life with the friendship as in your distress period your friends are always there to help you.

3. Friendship teaches you how to remain happy in life.

4. In case of any confusion or problem, your friendship will always benefit you with good opinions.

True and Dishonest Friendship:

True friendship is very rare in today’s times. There are so many persons who support only those people who are in power so that they can fulfil their selfish motives below the name of friendship. They stay with friends till the time their selfish requirements are achieved. Dishonest friends leave people as soon as their power gets vanished. You can find these types of self-seeking friends all around the world who are quite hurtful than enemies.

Finding a true friendship is very difficult. A true friend helps the other friend who is in need. It does not matter to him that his friend is right or wrong but he will always support his friend at the time of his difficulty.

Carefulness in the Selection of Friendship:

You must be very careful while choosing friends. You should nurture your friendship with that person who does not leave you in your bad times easily. Once you get emotionally attached to the wrong person you cannot finish your friendship so soon. True friendship continues till the time of your last breaths and does not change with the passing time.

Friendship with a bad person also affects your own thoughts and habits. Therefore, a bad person should not be chosen in any type of circumstances. We must do friendship with full attention and carefulness.

Best Qualities of Good Friendship:

Good friendship provides people an enormous love to each other.

The below are the important qualities of good friendship:

1. Good friendship is always faithful, honest, and truthful.

2. People pay attention and take note of others thoughts in good friendship.

3. Persons quickly forget and let off the mistakes of the other friend. In fact, they accept their friend in the way they are actually.

4. You are not judged on the basis of your success, money or power in it.

5. Friends do not feel shy to provide us with valuable opinions for our welfare.

6. People always share their joyful times with their good friends and also stay ready to help their friends in the time of need.

7. True friends also support others in their professional as well as personal life. They encourage their friends in the area of their interest.

Friendship is established over the sacrifice, love, faith, and concern of mutual benefit. True Friendship is a support and a blessing for everybody. All those males and females who have true and genuine friends are very lucky really.

Friendship can simply be defined as a form of mutual relationship or understanding between two people or more who interact and are attached to one another in a manner that is friendly. A friendship is a serious relationship of devotion between two or more people where people involved have a true and sincere feeling of affection, care and love towards each other devoid of any misunderstanding and without demands.

Primarily friendship happens between people that have the same sentiments, feelings and tastes. It is believed that there is no limit or criteria for friendship. All of the different creed, religion, caste, position, sex and age do not matter when it comes to friendship even though friendships can sometimes be damaged by economic disparity and other forms of differentiation. From all of these, it can be concluded that real and true friendship is very possible between people that have a uniform status and are like-minded.

A lot of friends we have in the world today only remain together in times of prosperity and absence of problems but only the faithful, sincere and true friends remain all through the troubles, times of hardships and our bad times. We only discover who our bad and good friends are in the times where we don’t have things going our way.

Most people want to be friends with people with money and we can’t really know if our friends are true when we have money and do not need their help, we only discover our true friends when we need their help in terms of money or any other form of support. A lot of friendships have been jeopardised because of money and the absence or presence of it.

Sometimes, we might face difficulty or crises in our friendships because of self-respect and ego. Friendships can be affected by us or others and we need to try to strike a balance in our friendships. For our friendship to prosper and be true, we need satisfaction, proper understanding and a trustworthy nature. As true friends, we should never exploit our friends but instead do our utmost best to motivate and support them in doing and attaining the very best things in life.

The true meaning of friendship is sometimes lost because of encounters with fake friends who have used and exploited us for their own personal benefits. People like this tend to end the friendship once they get what they want or stab their supposed friends in the back just to get what they think is best for them. Friendship is a very good thing that can help meet our need for companionship and other emotional needs.

In the world we live in today, it is extremely difficult to come across good and loyal friends and this daunting task isn’t made any easier by the lie and deceit of a lot of people in this generation. So, when one finds a very good and loyal important, it is like finding gold and one should do everything to keep friends like that.

The pursuit of true friendship Is not limited to humans, we can as well find good friends in animals; for example, it is a popular belief that dogs make the best friends. It is very important to have good friends as they help us in times and situations where we are down and facing difficulties. Our true friends always do their best to save us when we are in danger and also provide us with timely and good advice. True friends are priceless assets in our lives, they share our pains and sorrow, help provide relief to us in terrible situations and do their best to make us happy.

Friends can both be the good or the bad types. Good friends help push us on the right path in life while on the other hand, bad friends don’t care about us but only care about themselves and can lead us into the wrong path; because of this, we have to be absolutely careful when choosing our friends in this life.

Bad friends can ruin our lives completely so we have to be weary of them and do our best to avoid bag friends totally. We need friends in our life that will be there for us at every point in time and will share all of our feeling with us, both the good and bad. We need friends we can talk to anytime we are feeling lonely, friends that will make us laugh and smile anytime we are feeling sad.

What is friendship? It is the purest form of relationship between two individual with no hidden agenda. As per the dictionary, it is the mutual affection between people. But, is it just a mutual affection? Not always, as in the case of best friends, it is far beyond that. Great friends share each other’s feelings or notions which bring a feeling of prosperity and mental fulfillment.

A friend is a person whom one can know deeply, as and trust for eternity. Rather than having some likeness in the idea of two people associated with the friendship, they have some extraordinary qualities yet they want to be with each other without changing their uniqueness. By and large, friends spur each other without censuring, however at times great friends scrutinize do affect you in a positive manner.

Importance of Friendship:

It is very important to have a friend in life. Each friend is vital and their significance in known to us when certain circumstances emerge which must be supported by our friends. One can never feel lonely in this world on the off chance that he or she is embraced by true friends. Then again, depression wins in the lives of the individuals who don’t have friends regardless of billions of individuals present on the planet. Friends are particularly vital amid times of emergency and hardships. On the off chance that you wind up experiencing a hard time, having a friend to help you through can make the change simpler.

Having friends you can depend on can help your confidence. Then again, an absence of friends can make you feel lonely and without help, which makes you powerless for different issues, for example, sadness and drug abuse. Having no less than one individual you can depend on will formulate your confidence.

Choosing Your Friends Wisely:

Not all friends can instill the positivity in your life. There can be negative effects as well. It is very important to choose your friends with utmost wisdom. Picking the right friend is somewhat troublesome task however it is extremely important. In the event that for instance a couple of our dear friends are engaged with negative behaviour patterns, for example, smoking, drinking and taking drugs, at some point or another we will be attracted to their bad habits as well. This is the reason behind why it is appropriate to settle on an appropriate decision with regards to making friends.

Genuine friendship is truly a gift delighted in by a couple. The individuals who have it ought to express gratitude toward God for having genuine pearls in their lives and the individuals who don’t have a couple of good friends ought to always take a stab at better approaches to anchor great friends. No organization is superior to having a friend close by in the midst of need. You will stay cheerful in your one-room flat on the off chance that you are surrounded by your friends; then again, you can’t discover satisfaction even in your estate in the event that you are far away from others.

Types of Friends:

There is variety everywhere, so why not in friends. We can see different types of friends during our journey of life. For instance, your best friend at school is someone with whom you just get along the most. That friend, especially in the case of girls, may just get annoyed even if you talk to another of your friend more than her. Such is the childish nature of such friendships that at times it is difficult for others to identify whether you are best friends or competitors.

Then there is another category of your siblings. No matter how much you deny, but your siblings or your elder brother and sisters are those friends of yours who stay on with you for your entire life. You have a different set of friendship with them as you find yourself fighting with them most of the times. However, in times of need, you shall see that they are first ones standing behind you, supporting you.

There is another category of friends called professional friends. You come across such friends only when you grow up and choose a profession for yourself. These friends are usually from the same organisation and prove to be helpful during your settling years. Some of them tend to stay on with you even when you change companies.

Friendship Examples from History:

History has always taught us a lot. Examples of true friendship are not far behind. We have some famous example from history which makes us realise the true value of friendship. The topmost of them are the Krishna and Sudama friendship. We all must have read or heard as to how after becoming a king when Krishna met Sudama, his childhood friend, he treated him with honour even though Sudama was a poor person. It teaches us the friendship need not be between equals. It has to be between likeminded people. Next example is of Karna and Duryodhana, again from the Mahabharat era.

Despite knowing the fact that the Pandavas were his brothers, Karna went on to fight alongside Duryodhan as he is his best friend and even laid down his life for him. What more example of true friendship can one find? Again from the same era, Krishna and Arjun are also referred to as the best of the friends. Bhagavad Gita is an example of how a true friend can guide you towards positivity in life and make you follow the path of Dharma. Similarly, there are numerous examples from history which teach us the values of true friendship and the need to nourish such for own good.

Whether you accept or deny it, a friend plays an important role in your life. In fact, it is very important to have a friend. However, at the same time, it is extremely important to choose the friends wisely as they are the ones who can build you or destroy you. Nonetheless, a friend’s company is something which one enjoys all through life and friends should be treated as the best treasure a man can have.

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This I Believe Essay

In the realm of personal expression and introspection, the “This I Believe” essay stands as a testament to the power of individual beliefs and narratives. Rooted in the context of personal experiences and convictions, these essays provide a platform for individuals to articulate their core principles, values, and perspectives. Through the use of various literary devices and elements , authors craft narratives that illuminate their unique outlook on life. In this article, we will delve into the definition of a This I Believe essay, present a step-by-step guide on how to craft one, address common questions, and explore the essence of this expressive form.

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31. This I Believe Essay Transcript Example

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What is a This I Believe Essay?

A This I Believe essay is a written composition that encapsulates an individual’s personal beliefs, values, and philosophies. Often reflective and intimate in nature, these essays offer readers insight into the author’s subjective understanding of the world. They provide an opportunity to explore the depth of one’s convictions, making use of various literary devices and characteristics to convey a sense of authenticity and sincerity. Through the exploration of individual experiences and convictions, these essays aim to connect with readers on a personal and emotional level.

How to Write a This I Believe Essay

Step 1: choose your core belief.

At the heart of your essay lies your core belief. Choose a belief that holds personal significance and represents your worldview. This belief should be something you feel passionately about and can articulate convincingly.

Step 2: Develop a Compelling Context

Create a context for your belief by providing background information. Explain why this belief is important to you and how it has shaped your experiences and outlook on life. A relatable context will engage your readers and make your essay more relatable.

Step 3: Employ Effective Literary Devices

Incorporate literary devices to enhance the impact of your essay. Metaphors, similes, and anecdotes can help convey your belief in a vivid and relatable manner. Consider how these devices can strengthen your narrative and connect with your audience emotionally.

Step 4: Craft a Strong Conclusion

Summarize your belief and its significance in your life, reinforcing the message you want to leave with your readers. Reflect on the journey you’ve taken them on and inspire them to reflect on their own beliefs.

Can I write about a commonly held belief?

Absolutely. While it’s important to maintain authenticity, even exploring a cliché belief can be powerful when you provide a fresh perspective or personal context. Your unique experiences and reflections make your essay stand out.

Can I use proper nouns in my essay?

Yes, proper nouns can add specificity and authenticity to your essay. Mentioning specific places, people, or events can help ground your beliefs in real-world experiences.

How can I make my essay more impactful?

Focus on using strong verbs to convey emotions and actions. Instead of saying “I felt sad,” consider saying “I crumbled under the weight of sorrow.” This adds depth to your writing and engages the reader’s senses.

In the realm of personal expression, the This I Believe essay shines as a vehicle for exploring one’s deepest convictions. By carefully selecting beliefs, weaving context, employing literary devices, and crafting strong conclusions, authors can create narratives that resonate with readers on a profound level. Through the power of words, these essays bridge the gap between individual experiences and universal truths, reminding us of the strength and diversity of human beliefs. So, take the plunge into introspection and share your beliefs with the world through the art of the This I Believe essay.

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Essay on Friendship: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 14, 2023

Friendship is a lovely connection that thrives on pure love and care, free from demands. It’s recognized through respect, support, open communication, shared joys, empathy, and unwavering presence. True friends cherish and express this bond in countless meaningful ways. Mentioned below are the essay on friendship that you can write in your school assignments to express gratitude towards them.

Table of Contents

• 1 Friendship Sample Essay in 100 Words
• 2 Friendship Sample Essay in 200 words
• 3 Friendship Sample Essay in 300 Words

Friendship Sample Essay in 100 Words

Everybody needs friends in their life because friends with friendship fill that gap of proper understanding that at some point even our family fails to meet. Whenever challenges come up in life, this friendship becomes a path to overcome those challenges and boosts us toward progress. In the dark and bleak world of reality, friendship fills vibrant and vivid colours of life, enthusiasm, and motivation. Every occasion becomes extra happy when celebrated with that special circle of friends. Every moment spent and lived with your friends, be it sad or happy, dull or motivating, shapes us into who we are. It also helps us see the good in life. 

Also Read- Essay on Waste Management

Friendship Sample Essay in 200 words

Friendship is something exceptional. Whenever life gets rough, one thing that we can always rely on is our friendship. We know that we have our friends to support us through the tough times in life. Not only that, friendship is such a deep-rooted emotion that even when we don’t share what we are feeling at the same moment, just by looking at our faces, our friends can figure out that something is bothering us. And they, just by having a thoughtful talk with us, have the strength to make all the bothering go away in a snap. Such is the power of friendship. It’s more than meets the eye. However, there are times when we have those life tests that make us reach our limits and test us through thick and thin. 

Everything in life isn’t always smooth and happy, there are phases when even friends get into a fight with each other, but when they come out of that situation with their friendship still intact, then that bonding reaches new heights of strength.

If you have deep friendships with people, always be grateful to god for that, because not every bond of friendship lasts forever. Those people who have friends who last a lifetime are truly blessed because friendship truly is beautiful.

Also Read: Essay on Badminton

Friendship Sample Essay in 300 Words

In this vast world, there are innumerable people we meet every day, yet we still meet people who are there with us for a lifetime. The term for those people is “Friends” and the emotion that sustains them is “friendship”. The word friendship may have a particular number of alphabets, but the meaning it conveys cannot be measured in numbers. The word “friendship” is more than meets the eye. The depth it holds in terms of emotions, bonding, trust, understanding, support, communication, and much more is unparalleled. At every phase of our lives, we come across people and don’t even realize the bonds that get forged with time. These bonds are filled with the spirit and essence of trust, honesty, support, etc. hence becoming the pillars of friendship. 

In every person’s life, friendship plays different roles but one thing that every person can agree on without a doubt is that friendship sustains you. Now, there are basically 2 types of friends, first ones are those who are good friends while the other ones are best friends. The best friends are the ones that we share a special bond of affection and love with. They make our lives much richer and easier

In true friendship, there is no place for judgment. True friends can share anything they are feeling without the fear of being judged by the other. To put it simply, we can say that true friendship gives us a reason to become even stronger in life.

Friendship makes us stronger in all aspects. No matter how much we fight our friends, we always come back to them. This is what teaches us the virtue of understanding and being patient. Without an iota of doubt, we can conclude that there is nothing out there that is nearly as beautiful, and as strong as friendship. Lucky are those who have this blessing in their life. Forever cherish it. 

True friendship is one where there is mutual respect, good communication, honesty, and trust. When you know that no matter what, you can rely on your friend and that friend has got your back in every situation. 

The full form of “FRIEND” is” Few Relations In Earth Never Die”.

The word “friendship” is more than meets the eye. The depth it holds in terms of emotions, bonding, trust, understanding, support, communication, and much more is unparalleled. At every phase of our lives, we come across people and don’t even realize the bonds that get forged with time. The power of friendship is such that it can turn a dull day in any person’s life into a really happy one. Every moment spent and lived with your friends, be it sad or happy, dull or motivating, shapes us into who we are. If you have deep friendships with people, always be grateful to god for that, because not every bond of friendship lasts forever. Those people who have friends who last a lifetime are truly blessed because friendship truly is beautiful. 

Hence, we hope that this blog has assisted you in comprehending what an essay on friendship must include. If you are struggling with your career choices and need expert guidance, our Leverage Edu mentors are here to guide you at any point of your academic and professional journey thus ensuring that you take informed steps towards your dream career.

Deepansh Gautam

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Importance of Friends in our Life for Students and Children

500+ words essay importance of friends in our life.

When we are born, we get associated with our family by blood relation. However, there is a relation, which we choose ourselves. That relation is a friend.  Friends make our life beautiful.  The adventure of life becomes beautiful when good friends surround us. We all belong to a family, where we have our parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, etc. We get immense love, care, attention and guidance from our family. However, our entire life does not revolve around our family members only. We all have our own purpose in life. Some members of our family go to school, some go to college, and our parents go to work. We all have a life outside our family. No journey of life seems interesting when traveled alone. We tend to make friends outside our family boundaries as that makes all life activities enjoyable.

Friends are Essential in Every Sphere of Life

We connect very quickly with people with whom our interests match. Infants are playful by nature. They always look for the company with whom the can play and explore their curious nature. Hence, when they meet any other infant of their age they connect easily over their common interest of playing.

In school, we make friends over our common interests. For example, students who like playing sports like cricket connect quickly and they become friends. Friends meet and discuss their common interests and nurture their interests together. Friends in school help each other in understanding the class activities, and homework. They often exchange notes and reference materials among themselves.

During our college life, we get independence in taking many decisions on our own. Also, many live in a hostel and are hence away from their family. Studying together, staying together, nurturing interest together, adjusting to conflicts with each other, helping each other all these makes the bond of friendship stronger.

A friend highlights mistakes and guides us in many ways. They also motivate us to realize our full potential. Also, we can easily discuss and share such issues and thoughts with our friends which we cannot share with our parents.

In our professional life also, friends also help us handle failure positively and multiply our joy of success. During midlife, we have huge responsibilities for family, job, etc. Discussing professional and personal stress with our friends makes us feel relaxed. They are our mental support and when we are in crisis, a good friend joins hand and helps in solving the problem.

Because of the nuclear family structure of the current society in old age, people mostly stay alone. Friends hang out and travel together to explore various places and enjoy several hobbies together. Friends thus eliminate boredom and loneliness from life. They add color to life. They become big support for any help needed.

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Famous Friendship stories

In history, we get examples of many friendship stories, which shows the importance of friend in life. From the stories of Lord Krishna and Arjun, Ram and Sugreev, Lord Krishna and Sudama, Duryodhan and Karn it shows that friends have always been a person who helps and supports us. They help us come out of distress and grow in life.

Friendship is not only between two people. We become friends with animals around us. Hence, we tend to keep pets. Pets eliminate boredom and stress from our life. Spending time with pets give us immense joy.

Animals also become friends among themselves. They also help and support each other in the process of survival and existence. The biggest example of the need of friend among animals is there in the story Lion and the Mouse where they both help each other come out of difficult situations.

In our lifetime we choose our own friends. The journey of life becomes memorable because of friends. Friendship is a lovely relation without which life seems dull. It is the relationship with our friends that teaches us to share, love, care and most importantly helps us to fight odds and be successful. Having true friends acts as a boon. Friends increase the sense of belongingness and generate a feel-good factor. We all thrive and look for at least one that friend who at times criticizes and appreciates too. Emotional and psychological attachments are important and can only be experienced with friends.

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Essay on Friendship in English (1000 Words)

Everyone, including me, has friends. I do, in fact, have a vast circle of friends. But you can bet on one thing: not every buddy is the same. In our lives, we always have one unique buddy. As his closest buddy, we address him as such. So every one of us has at least one or two best buddies. Today, I’m going to teach you all you need to know about my closest buddy, as well as how to recognize a good friend.

Qualities of My Best Friend

I believe that one of the key reasons I developed such a strong friendship with my closest friend (—–) is due to her attributes. Her bravery in confronting her tormentors motivated me to speak out against injustice. She is also one of the class’s smartest students, excelling in both academics and life. I’ve never seen a dancer as talented as my closest friend, and the awards she’s received attest to that.

Above all, I believe her compassion is the attribute that I am most drawn to. She takes the same technique whether she’s dealing with people or animals. For example, when my closest friend saw an injured stray dog screaming in anguish, she not only healed him but also adopted him.

Similarly, she came across a destitute elderly lady on the street who just had enough money to buy her lunch. My closest buddy wasted no time in handing over the whole sum to the miserable woman. That encounter increased my admiration for her and motivated me to volunteer more often to aid the less fortunate.

In summary, one of my most valued things is the friendship I have with my closest buddy. We both strive to be better people. We motivate one another to be our best selves, and we are always there for one another when we need one another. A best friend is a priceless jewel, and I consider myself lucky to have discovered mine.

In English, lines about a good friend

• When you are in danger, a good buddy would always support and assist you.
• When you need to weep, a good friend will always provide a shoulder.
• A true friend will be there for you at all times and love you completely.
• Brotherhood and empathy are the foundations of a good relationship.
• In friendship, there is no such thing as an age restriction.
• Almost anybody, young or old, may form a strong bond with us.
• Friendship requires commitment.
• A good buddy would never make you feel reluctant, unhappy, or inadequate in any situation.
• Respect is what distinguishes real friendship. Even if a buddy has strong beliefs and disagrees with you, friendship between two people is crucial.
• True friendship endures. Despite all obstacles and adversity, it continues.

Definition of a Good Friend.

There are a lot of friends, but not all of them are helpful. We must follow a few guidelines in order to comprehend a buddy, whether good or negative. I’ll provide them to you today. A good buddy would never lead you to do anything that is not in your best interests.

He’ll constantly tell you that you can’t perform any bad job. He will leave you if he is unable to manage you, but he will never condone your negative behavior. A bad buddy, on the other hand, will aid you in your evil deeds. If one of your pals smokes and asks you to do the same, he is not a good buddy.

A good companion may save you from falling into harmful habits. There are a plethora of approaches to comprehending a person’s friendship. As a result, we must all seek out and spend time with excellent friends. This will protect us from encountering issues and impediments.

Who Is Deserving of Becoming Your Best Friend?

Before you consider someone to be your best friend, you must first comprehend what qualifies someone to be your best friend. A trustworthy buddy with whom you can simply place your confidence. With their actions, they’ll gain your trust.

So, before you choose the best buddy, think about whether or not he can be trusted. A person who lies often will not be accepted as a friend. It’s also crucial to do well in school. If your companion is an excellent student, you will have the opportunity to improve your studies and innovate. Friendships are stronger when pupils are good.

My Best Friend?

____ is my closest buddy. In class three, we’re studying together. She’s a stunning young woman. Her danceability has made her quite popular at school. She is an amazing dancer who last year won the district championship.

She is adored and revered by everyone at school. Her accomplishments make me very proud. She also does well in school. She never skips class and always goes above and above in assisting me with my assignments. She is a resident in my area. Her family is a long-time acquaintance of ours. They pay us visits on a regular basis, and we reciprocate. We have a lot of fun together, and she’s a great comedian. Her sense of humor is excellent. She tells me many fascinating tales.

It is quite difficult for everyone to be involved in meaningful friendship, but those that do become extremely fortunate in a large population. It is the most divine and priceless gift of life. Having a true buddy is an uncommon occurrence and is seen as a major life achievement.

 We’re both in class 7 and doing well in school. My best buddy is a beautiful person who is adored by everyone, including my parents, my class teacher, and my neighbors.

 He is one of my class’s ideal pupils. He is very punctual and always arrives at school on time.

Introduction.

Friendship is one of life’s greatest gifts, yet it is not given to everyone. On our journey through life, we encounter a lot of people, but only a few of them leave an impression on us. One of the persons who have had a positive impact on my life is my best friend. 

We have been in each other’s lives for a long time, and our friendship is still growing. Most importantly, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had a best friend in my life.

A friend is anybody with whom you have a strong bond and share a mutual affection. Depending on one’s social personality and ability to relate to others, a person may have a large number of friends.

Friendship’s Benefits

• Friendship creates a sense of trust that serves as an alternative to the fight-or-flight reaction to stress and disagreement.
• Every now and then, it serves as a wake-up call.
• Friendship gives you a sense of security and belonging.
• During difficult times, friendship is a stepping stone.
• Friends keep us on track by telling us when we’ve done something wrong.
• They give you a spot in the world where you can be yourself without fear of being judged or scrutinized.
• In one’s life, friendship is a type of amusement.
• Friendships improve our ability to interact with others.
• Friends help us make decisions.
• Friendship serves as a source of motivation.
• When we’re uncomfortable or awkward about something, our friends give us courage.
• They offer both social and financial assistance.
• Friends are a good source of information.
• When we have friends nearby, we feel better about ourselves.

Friendship’s disadvantages

• If you don’t fit in, you risk being judged negatively. It also opens the door to bullying, ignorance, and bothers if fights arise as a result of their intimate knowledge of you.
• Some friendships give you the opportunity to be tormented, teased, and have your reputation tarnished behind your back.
• When it comes to friendship, a difference in values might lead to aggressiveness and antagonism.
• When there is a disagreement among friends, depression can result.
• Being abandoned by a buddy can completely devastate your life.
• Some of your buddies may waste your money.
• Having too many friends wastes your time since you have to pay attention to each one.
• Friendship can develop to over-dependence, which can be upsetting at times.
• Friends can make you the target of blame in the event of a problem.
• Some pals are untrustworthy, and as a result, they may betray you.
• Peer pressure can be a source of friendship.
• Some buddies may influence you to make poor life decisions.
• Friendship can become an unhealthy source of competitiveness.
• Friends that aren’t as ambitious as you are will limit your possibilities.
• If you stay with friends, we can never read.

Importance of Friendship

Best buddies help you have a fantastic time..

 It is frequently sharing your happiest moments with friends that enrich your life. When you do something major in life, they share your joy and improve your feeling of contentment. There’s no use in having success if your friends aren’t there to share it with.

In difficult circumstances, good friends can assist you.

Always be fair with your strongest or loyal friend and stick by their side through thick and thin. They wipe your tears, help you up when you fall, and listen sympathetically when you’re upset.  

They are present in many aspects of your life, including heartbreak, job loss, business losses, breakups with loved ones, and parent separation they assist you by listening to your failures and advising you on how to recover from failure in life. 

Friends assist us in more ways than we can think, but most importantly, they assist us in broadening our perspective on life.

Essay On the Importance Of Friendship

Friendships can have a big impact on one’s health and happiness, but they’re not always simple to make or keep. Discern the pleasantness of friendships in your way of living and what you can do to accommodate them grow.

What a bit of the benefit of having friends?

Friendships are good for your health. Friends can assist you in celebrating pleasant moments as well as providing support during bad times. Friendship keeps you from feeling lonely and allows you to provide much-needed company. Furthermore, friends can:

• Boost your sense of purpose and belonging.
• Boost your self-esteem and self-worth.
• Aid you in coping with traumatic events such as divorce, large sickness, job loss, or a loved one’s death.

Friendship’s Importance in Our Lives

Physical health benefits from friendship.

Healthy relationships, it turns out, correlate to good physical health. Having a small group of friends can help you avoid health issues such as diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.

Having strong social links can also help you feel less lonely, which has been shown to shorten your lifespan. People who have strong relationships had half the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, according to a 2010 study.

Healthy Habits are encouraged by Friends

One expounding for these health comfort is that friendships might aid you in making fate changes that have a direct influence on your health. Your buddies, for example, can assist you in setting and maintaining goals to eat healthier and exercise more. They can also keep an eye on you and alert you if any harmful habits (such as binge drinking) become problematic.

Furthermore, when people participate in a weight loss or exercise program with a friend, they are more motivated and more likely to stay to it. When you have a friend at your side, it’s lot easier to get out and keep active.

Emotional Support from Friends

If you’re going through a difficult period, having a friend by your side can help you get through it.

Depressed high school kids were twice as likely to recover if they had happy companions, according to one study. Similarly, children who had “good mood” peers were half as likely to develop depression.

Friends Assist You in Developing Your Self-Assuredness

Every now and then, everyone has self-doubts and insecurities.  

When you’re feeling unsure, supportive friends might help you feel more confident by offering praise and reassurance. They’ll manifest you how incredible you are and how much you come across to offer to supplementary.

Friends Assist You in Reducing Stress

Everyone is subjected to difficult situations. You may be less inclined to see a difficult period as stressful if you know you can rely on others.

Spending time with friends might also aid in stress reduction. “Social synergy can alleviate pitch of pressurized, which can impair the heart’s arteries, gastrointestinal ramification, insulin regulation, and the immune system,” according to Harvard Medical School.

Friends can also assist you in coping with difficult situations. According to one modest study, kids who hang out with their pals during a difficult scenario create less cortisol, a stress hormone.

Friendships can also have a positive impact

Friendships with great people have the amplitude to physique you into the pre-eminent version of oneself.  They see you through who you truly are, and they adore you because of it.

In times of adversity, he is there for us.

Everyone passes through terrible times in their lives. Those are the times when you need someone to cry on. Friends can provide just that. They’ll be there to listen to your meaningless conversations but yet acknowledge anything you’re saying to make you feel better.

They’ll be there to offer you guidance on how to get through the terrible moment you’re going through. When you’re in distress, they’ll show you the kindness you need. They are the ones who understand you and will provide you with positive energy regardless of the situation.

Enhances one’s quality of life

Consider how life would be if you didn’t have friends. You won’t have somebody to cheer for your favorite team with, and you won’t have anyone to hang out with when you’re bored. They liven up our otherwise dull days.

In general, they enrich your life. You laugh out loud with pals, which helps you feel energized and healthy. It can assist you in overcoming depression and so enhancing your mental health.

Finally, friendships play a significant role in people’s lives. Friendships of many kinds are valuable because they provide benefits and social support. The bedrock on which friendships are built and the objective for which they are built affects how long they last. Long-lasting friendships are built on pure feeling rather than monetary gain.

Is it possible to define friendship using scientific criteria?

Pursuant to behavioral scientists and psychologists, an unplumbed companionship is one that entails a long-term tie of sacrifice and portioned escape. True friends put your pleasure first, never asking you to sacrifice your principles for your connection, and you miss them when they’re gone.

What is Friendship in the Workplace?

I retired in 2012, but I still write a former coworker who is now employed, visit and frequently email another former coworker who is now retired, and have just written my yearly Christmas letter to another retired coworker.

I consider these folks to be actual friends, as opposed to others with whom I got along well at work but did not maintain contact once I stopped working. These were referred to be ‘workplace pals.’

Do you believe that religious holidays truly strengthen friendships and cooperation or do you believes that their prominence simply shifts the scale to having holiday times throughout the year?

Yes, dear professor Illhami, since religious days truly do that by purifying our souls and clearing our minds of envy and other negative feelings, as well as opening our hearts to all people… and for us as Muslims, this is especially evident during Ramadan, Omrah, and Haj days.

Why is having a best friend so important?

Everyone should have the best buddy because they are our well-wishers with whom we can share anything. In other words, it’s difficult to reveal things with your parents or siblings, yet we never hesitate to do so with a best friend. They also constantly motivate us and boost our self-esteem.  

What are the attributes that a best friend must possess?

A best friend should be patient with you. Without fear of being judged, one must be able to discuss everything with them. They should be supportive and encouraging of one another.  As a result, in times of need, one must always watch for one’s best friends.

What Makes a Good Friend?

 A good friend is someone who sticks with us in good times and bad. He or she never passes judgment on our actions and always serves as a guiding light in the dark. A good buddy can inspire us to attain our goals by reminding us of our strengths.

What makes the best buddy so important?

Everyone should have the best buddy since they are our well-wishers with whom we can share our lives. In other words, sharing things with your parents or siblings might be difficult, but we never hesitate to disclose things with our closest friends. They also consistently show their support and faith in us.

What attributes do you think a best friend should have?

A best friend must be patient. Without fear of being judged, one should be free to discuss everything with them. They should encourage and support one another. As a result, in times of need, one should constantly keep an eye out for one’s closest friends.

Conclusion 

I want to maintain our relationship for the rest of my days. Rahul is the only one who really understands me and regards me as his closest friend. We’re overjoyed to have each other as friends.

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Friendship Essay

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Disclaimer: This paper has been submitted by a student. This is not a sample of the work written by professional academic writers.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of StudySaurus.

Topic: What is friendship?

People around the world have different views of friendship which equals different friendships being made around the world. Pop culture often reflects what our society thinks about friends. Some people follow what our society thinks what friends should be while others make friends based on culture, morals, and history. What makes my friends close and unique to me is the simple decision that they were chosen by me. My friends were not born into my family instead they were chosen based on my definition of what I believe friends are and what friendship is.

With my personal experience friendship can help or break habits, for example, my friends can help me break a habit of playing video games when it is too late to play them at night. Friends for me help me change for the better good they can suggest what actions are acceptable to do and not to do in the environment I’m in with them. Friends do not criticize all my actions I do but instead, tell me what actions I should improve on in important matters or situations and in return I would do the same to them. Friendship is all about having the trust to tell one another the good and bad and not taking offense to their comments but instead, listen to what they have to say. It is about the care and respects you have for the person and not wanting their actions to hurt someone.

In addition, conflict should not mean the end of friendship but taken as growth. Conflict is natural for any relationship and friendship is just another form of a relationship. Any conflict can be resolved through talking, I believe talking between friends can show the different perspectives to help resolve the conflict. Talking can help strengthen the trust within the relationship between friends and help avoid or confront more conflicts. I don’t agree with avoiding conflicts between friends because the situation must be addressed at one point of time, knowing how to talk and argue with a friend can help the bond of friendship be stronger and grow with other friends.

I personally believe an important aspect of friendship is trust. I believe trust plays an important factor in making friends because without trust I cannot bond with someone. Friends who do not trust each other cannot help one another grow or even support one another. Trust helps friends feel comfortable with each other because they feel like they can express their ideas or feelings. Trust helps form friendships because without trust all relationships and connections are empty.

Another important aspect of friendship is the different adventures I can share with my friends. Going out with friends is important because it can help bring relationships closer, and I can get a deeper understanding of who they are. My friends are not just people who make me laugh but also people who help have new experiences without going against my morals. Friends should not cause conflict with one another because of the morals of another but instead find solutions around to share new experiences together.

Humans are social animals wired for connection. But pop culture and society tend to dictate what a friend is and who they should be. I believe friendship has no real definition, but people share a similar concept of what a friend is. Someone who is trustworthy to keep the relationship alive and someone who can openly discuss with you and debate against you. Someone who can help break a habit, what makes friends unique is they are not born into a family they are chosen by me.

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Importance of Friendship Essay Example, with Outline

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Importance of Friendship Essay Outline

Thesis: Friendship brings people together in a bond that helps them realize and experience a meaningful life.

Paragraph 1:

A good friend is always available irrespective of the circumstances.

• A true friend cares for their friends, accepts them unconditionally, tolerates their shortcomings, and encourages them even in the face of hopelessness.
• A loyal friend makes one to be who they are without fearing victimization or judgment.
• A good friend can know one more than one knows themselves.
• A friend can tell one without fear what one does not want to tell oneself.

Paragraph 2:

Friendship is like a partnership since it brings two people together on equal terms that are binding to both of them.

• Friends give their all and love each other unconditionally and do even more so as to sustain it.
• The ugly, the bad, and the good should be endured in friendship.
• A good friend brings out the best in someone.
• A person in friendship expects their initiatives to be attended to even when they are down with illness.

Paragraph 3:

Friendship can be compared to family and can even do more than a family could do for a person.

• Sometimes, the friends one has are the family they wish they had or the family they find easier to deal with as compared to their blood family.
• One’s blood family may ignore, ridicule, judge, or even misunderstand them.
• One may get from their friends that which they do not get from their family.
• A true family is not linked by the bond of blood but the bond of joy and respect in each other’s life.

Paragraph 4:

“A friend in need is a friend in deed” is an old cliché that speaks about true friendship.

• It essentially means that a true friend will always help in times of need.
• I fully understood the meaning of this saying when a classmate friend of mine once handed in my takeaway assignment in my absence.

Friendship brings people together to form a greater and stronger whole than its individual parts. Friends act and react in ways that show that they love and care for each other.

Importance of Friendship Essay Example

Almost every human being has friends or at least a friend with whom they spend time together. Friendship is about knowing someone better than others do and counting on them whenever the need arises. A friend is like a gift that one gives oneself. It is doubtless that out of friendship, one lives the fullness of life. Some of the qualities that are expected from friendship include trust, honesty, and authenticity. These are qualities that are majorly concerned with remaining true to a friend and providing them a shoulder to lean on all the time. Friendship brings people together in a bond that helps them realize and experience a meaningful life. Gudwriter offers two paragraph essay examples from any topic.

A good friend is always available irrespective of the circumstances. A true friend cares for their friends, accepts them unconditionally, tolerates their shortcomings, and encourages them even in the face of hopelessness. Even at that moment when everyone decides to walk away from a person for whatever reason(s), their true friend would walk in and be with them and support them. With a loyal friend, one can be who they are without fearing victimization or judgment because they know the friend fully understands them. A good friend can as a matter of fact know one more than one knows themselves. In addition, a friend can tell one without fear what one does not want to tell oneself. If one is on a wrong path, the friend would tell them as soon as they notice it.

Additionally, friendship is like a partnership since it brings two people together on equal terms that are binding to both of them. They give their all and love each other unconditionally and do even more so as to sustain it. In a friendship, there should be expected to be the ugly, the bad, and the good, all of which should be endured. A good friend brings out the best in someone by encouraging them and prevailing upon them to make the best out of their abilities and strengths. Just like in a business partnership, a person in friendship would expect their initiatives to be attended to even when they are down with illness. This is why it could be true to say that life is partly what one makes it and partly what the friends they choose make it.

Friendship can also be compared to family and can even do more than a family could do for a person. Sometimes, the friends one has are the family they wish they had or the family they find easier to deal with as compared to their blood family. One’s blood family may ignore, ridicule, judge, or even misunderstand them. In such a case, they would get from their friends that which they do not get from their family. However, in the best case scenario, friendship can also develop between or among family members. Normally, a true family is not linked by the bond of blood but the bond of joy and respect in each other’s life. One should consider a good friend of theirs as their greatest relation because just one loyal friend is more than a thousand relatives.

“ A friend in need is a friend in deed ” is an old cliché that speaks about true friendship. It essentially means that a true friend will always help in times of need. I never really gave much weight to this saying until I once had to rely on a friend and classmate for an important favor. I had missed school due to an unavoidable circumstance on a day everyone in the class was to hand in their final takeaway assignment in print format. I tried calling people I had thought were my friends among my classmates but none was willing to help. When I was just about to give up, Jasmine, a classmate who was not so close a friend, called and asked me to email her my assignment. I later learnt she downloaded the assignment, printed it, and handed it in together with hers. From then, I am careful about people I treat as friends.

Friendship brings people together to form a greater and stronger whole than its individual parts. Friends act and react in ways that show that they not only love each other but care for them too. It is akin to striking a partnership in which one partner is always there for the other partner in his or her absence. Friends broaden each other’s horizon by opening new doors for each other. They seek to soar beyond limits as a single determined force. Indeed, friendship guarantees one a meaningful and fulfilling life.

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What does friendship look like in America?  

Americans place a lot of importance on friendship. In fact, 61% of U.S. adults say having close friends is extremely or very important for people to live a fulfilling life, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey . This is far higher than the shares who say the same about being married (23%), having children (26%) or having a lot of money (24%).

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand Americans’ views of and experiences with friendship. It is based on a survey of 5,057 U.S. adults conducted from July 17-23, 2023. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the  questions used for the analysis , along with responses, and its methodology .

We decided to ask a few more questions to better understand how Americans are experiencing friendship today. Here’s what we found:  

Number of close friends

A narrow majority of adults (53%) say they have between one and four close friends, while a significant share (38%) say they have five or more. Some 8% say they have no close friends.

There’s an age divide in the number of close friends people have. About half of adults 65 and older (49%) say they have five or more close friends, compared with 40% of those 50 to 64, 34% of those 30 to 49 and 32% of those younger than 30. In turn, adults under 50 are more likely than their older counterparts to say they have between one and four close friends.

There are only modest differences in the number of close friendships men and women have. Half of men and 55% of women say they have between one and four close friends. And 40% of men and 36% of women say they have five or more close friends.

Gender of friends

Most adults (66%) say all or most of their close friends are the same gender as them. Women are more likely to say this than men (71% vs. 61%).

Among adults ages 50 and older, 74% of women – compared with 59% of men – say all or most of their close friends are the same gender as them. Among adults younger than 50, the difference is much smaller: 67% of women in this age group say this, as do 63% of men.

Race and ethnicity of friends

A majority of adults (63%) say all or most of their close friends are the same race or ethnicity as them – though this varies across racial and ethnic groups.

White adults (70%) are more likely than Black (62%), Hispanic (47%) and Asian adults (52%) to say this.

This also differs by age. Adults 65 and older are the most likely (70%) to say all or most of their close friends share their race or ethnicity, compared with 53% of adults under 30 – the lowest share among any age group.

Satisfaction with friendships

The majority of Americans with at least one close friend (72%) say they are either completely or very satisfied with the quality of their friendships. Those 50 and older are more likely than their younger counterparts to be highly satisfied with their friendships (77% vs. 67%).

The survey also finds that having more friends is linked to being more satisfied with those friendships. Some 81% of those with five or more close friends say they are completely or very satisfied with their friendships. By comparison, 65% of those with one to four close friends say the same.

The survey didn’t ask adults who reported having no close friends about their level of satisfaction with their friendships.

What do friends talk about?

Of the conversation topics asked about, the most common are work and family life. Among those with at least one close friend, 58% say work comes up in conversation extremely often or often, while 57% say family comes up this often. About half say the same about current events (48%).

There are differences by gender and age in the subjects that Americans discuss with their close friends:

Differences by gender

Women are much more likely than men to say they talk to their close friends about their family extremely often or often (67% vs. 47%).

Women also report talking about their physical health (41% vs. 31%) and mental health (31% vs. 15%) more often than men do with close friends. The gender gap on mental health is particularly wide among adults younger than 50: 43% of women in this age group, compared with 20% of men, say they often discuss this topic with close friends.

By smaller but still significant margins, women are also more likely than men to talk often about their work (61% vs. 54%) and pop culture (37% vs. 32%) with their close friends.

Men, in turn, are more likely than women to say they talk with their close friends about sports (37% vs. 13%) and current events (53% vs. 44%).

Differences by age

Those ages 65 and older (45%) are more likely than younger Americans to say they often talk with their close friends about their physical health.

There are two topics where young adults – those under 30 – stand out from other age groups.

About half of these young adults (52%) say they often talk with their friends about pop culture. This compares with about a third or fewer among older age groups. And young adults are more likely to say they often talk about their mental health with close friends: 37% say this, compared with 29% of those 30 to 49 and 14% of those 50 and older.

Note: Here are the  questions used for the analysis , along with responses, and its methodology .

• Family & Relationships
• Friendships

Isabel Goddard is a research associate focusing on social trends at Pew Research Center

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Among parents with young adult children, some dads feel less connected to their kids than moms do, how teens and parents approach screen time, most east asian adults say men and women should share financial and caregiving duties, among young adults without children, men are more likely than women to say they want to be parents someday, most popular.

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Don’t Believe What They’re Telling You About Misinformation

By Manvir Singh

Millions of people have watched Mike Hughes die. It happened on February 22, 2020, not far from Highway 247 near the Mojave Desert city of Barstow, California. A homemade rocket ship with Hughes strapped in it took off from a launching pad mounted on a truck. A trail of steam billowed behind the rocket as it swerved and then shot upward, a detached parachute unfurling ominously in its wake. In a video recorded by the journalist Justin Chapman, Hughes disappears into the sky, a dark pinpoint in a vast, uncaring blueness. But then the rocket reappears and hurtles toward the ground, crashing, after ten long seconds, in a dusty cloud half a mile away.

Hughes was among the best-known proponents of Flat Earth theory , which insists that our planet is not spherical but a Frisbee-like disk. He had built and flown in two rockets before, one in 2014 and another in 2018, and he planned to construct a “rockoon,” a combination rocket and balloon, that would carry him above the upper atmosphere, where he could see the Earth’s flatness for himself. The 2020 takeoff, staged for the Science Channel series “Homemade Astronauts,” was supposed to take him a mile up—not high enough to see the Earth’s curvature but hypeworthy enough to garner more funding and attention.

Flat Earth theory may sound like one of those deliberately far-fetched satires, akin to Birds Aren’t Real, but it has become a cultic subject for anti-scientific conspiratorialists, growing entangled with movements such as QAnon and COVID -19 skepticism. In “ Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything ” (Algonquin), the former Daily Beast reporter Kelly Weill writes that the tragedy awakened her to the sincerity of Flat Earthers’ convictions. After investigating the Flat Earth scene and following Hughes, she had figured that, “on some subconscious level,” Hughes knew the Earth wasn’t flat. His death set her straight: “I was wrong. Flat Earthers are as serious as your life.”

Weill isn’t the only one to fear the effects of false information. In January, the World Economic Forum released a report showing that fourteen hundred and ninety international experts rated “misinformation and disinformation” the leading global risk of the next two years, surpassing war, migration, and climatic catastrophe. A stack of new books echoes their concerns. In “ Falsehoods Fly: Why Misinformation Spreads and How to Stop It ” (Columbia), Paul Thagard, a philosopher at the University of Waterloo, writes that “misinformation is threatening medicine, science, politics, social justice, and international relations, affecting problems such as vaccine hesitancy, climate change denial, conspiracy theories, claims of racial inferiority, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine .” In “ Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity ” (Norton), Sander van der Linden, a social-psychology professor at Cambridge, warns that “viruses of the mind” disseminated by false tweets and misleading headlines pose “serious threats to the integrity of elections and democracies worldwide.” Or, as the M.I.T. political scientist Adam J. Berinsky puts it in “ Political Rumors: Why We Accept Misinformation and How to Fight It ” (Princeton), “a democracy where falsehoods run rampant can only result in dysfunction.”

Most Americans seem to agree with these theorists of human credulity. Following the 2020 Presidential race, sixty per cent thought that misinformation had a major impact on the outcome, and, to judge from a recent survey, even more believe that artificial intelligence will exacerbate the problem in this year’s contest. The Trump and the DeSantis campaigns both used deepfakes to sully their rivals. Although they justified the fabrications as transparent parodies, some experts anticipate a “tsunami of misinformation,” in the words of Oren Etzioni, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington and the first C.E.O. of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence. “The ingredients are there, and I am completely terrified,” he told the Associated Press.

The fear of misinformation hinges on assumptions about human suggestibility. “Misinformation, conspiracy theories, and other dangerous ideas, latch on to the brain and insert themselves deep into our consciousness,” van der Linden writes in “Foolproof.” “They infiltrate our thoughts, feelings, and even our memories.” Thagard puts it more plainly: “People have a natural tendency to believe what they hear or read, which amounts to gullibility.”

But do the credulity theorists have the right account of what’s going on? Folks like Mike Hughes aren’t gullible in the sense that they’ll believe anything. They seem to reject scientific consensus, after all. Partisans of other well-known conspiracies (the government is run by lizard people; a cabal of high-level pedophilic Democrats operates out of a neighborhood pizza parlor) are insusceptible to the assurances of the mainstream media. Have we been misinformed about the power of misinformation?

In 2006, more than five hundred skeptics met at an Embassy Suites hotel near O’Hare Airport, in Chicago, to discuss conspiracy. They listened to presentations on mass hypnosis, the melting point of steel, and how to survive the collapse of the existing world order. They called themselves many things, including “truth activists” and “9/11 skeptics,” although the name that would stick, and which observers would use for years afterward, was Truthers.

The Truthers held that the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center were masterminded by the White House to expand government power and enable military and security industries to profit from the war on terror. According to an explanation posted by 911truth.org, a group that helped sponsor the conference, George W. Bush and his allies gagged and intimidated whistle-blowers, mailed anthrax to opponents in the Senate, and knowingly poisoned the inhabitants of lower Manhattan. On that basis, Truthers concluded, “the administration does consider the lives of American citizens to be expendable on behalf of certain interests.”

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The Truthers, in short, maintained that the government had gone to extreme measures, including killing thousands of its own citizens, in order to carry out and cover up a conspiracy. And yet the same Truthers advertised the conference online and met in a place where they could easily be surveilled. Speakers’ names were posted on the Internet along with videos, photographs, and short bios. The organizers created a publicly accessible forum to discuss next steps, and a couple of attendees spoke to a reporter from the Times , despite the mainstream media’s ostensible complicity in the coverup. By the logic of their own theories, the Truthers were setting themselves up for assassination.

Their behavior demonstrates a paradox of belief. Action is supposed to follow belief, and yet beliefs, even fervently espoused ones, sometimes exist in their own cognitive cage, with little influence over behavior. Take the “Pizzagate” story, in which Hillary Clinton and her allies ran a child sex ring from the basement of a D.C. pizzeria. In the months surrounding the 2016 Presidential election, a staggering number of Americans—millions, by some estimates—endorsed the account, and, in December of that year, a North Carolina man charged into the restaurant, carrying an assault rifle. Van der Linden and Berinsky both use the incident as evidence of misinformation’s violent implications. But they’re missing the point: what’s really striking is how anomalous that act was. The pizzeria received menacing phone calls, even death threats, but the most common response from believers, aside from liking posts, seems to have been leaving negative Yelp reviews.

That certain deeply held beliefs seem insulated from other inferences isn’t peculiar to conspiracy theorists; it’s the experience of regular churchgoers. Catholics maintain that the Sacrament is the body of Christ, yet no one expects the bread to taste like raw flesh or accuses fellow-parishioners of cannibalism. In “ How God Becomes Real ” (2020), the Stanford anthropologist T. M. Luhrmann recounts evangelical Christians’ frustrations with their own beliefs. They thought less about God when they were not in church. They confessed to not praying. “I remember a man weeping in front of a church over not having sufficient faith that God would replace the job he had lost,” Luhrmann writes. The paradox of belief is one of Christianity’s “clearest” messages, she observes: “You may think you believe in God, but really you don’t. You don’t take God seriously enough. You don’t act as if he’s there.” It’s right out of Mark 9:24: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

The paradox of belief has been the subject of scholarly investigation; puzzling it out promises new insights about the human psyche. Some of the most influential work has been by the French philosopher and cognitive scientist Dan Sperber. Born into a Jewish family in France in 1942, during the Nazi Occupation, Sperber was smuggled to Switzerland when he was three months old. His parents returned to France three years later, and raised him as an atheist while imparting a respect for all religious-minded people, including his Hasidic Jewish ancestors.

The exercise of finding rationality in the seemingly irrational became an academic focus for Sperber in the nineteen-seventies. Staying with the Dorze people in southern Ethiopia, he noticed that they made assertions that they seemed both to believe and not to believe. People told him, for example, that “the leopard is a Christian animal who observes the fasts of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.” Nevertheless, the average Dorze man guarded his livestock on fast days just as much as on other days. “Not because he suspects some leopards of being bad Christians,” Sperber wrote, “but because he takes it as true both that leopards fast and that they are always dangerous.”

Sperber concluded that there are two kinds of beliefs. The first he has called “factual” beliefs. Factual beliefs—such as the belief that chairs exist and that leopards are dangerous—guide behavior and tolerate little inconsistency; you can’t believe that leopards do and do not eat livestock. The second category he has called “symbolic” beliefs. These beliefs might feel genuine, but they’re cordoned off from action and expectation. We are, in turn, much more accepting of inconsistency when it comes to symbolic beliefs; we can believe, say, that God is all-powerful and good while allowing for the existence of evil and suffering.

In a masterly new book, “ Religion as Make-Believe ” (Harvard), Neil Van Leeuwen, a philosopher at Georgia State University, returns to Sperber’s ideas with notable rigor. He analyzes beliefs with a taxonomist’s care, classifying different types and identifying the properties that distinguish them. He proposes that humans represent and use factual beliefs differently from symbolic beliefs, which he terms “credences.” Factual beliefs are for modelling reality and behaving optimally within it. Because of their function in guiding action, they exhibit features like “involuntariness” (you can’t decide to adopt them) and “evidential vulnerability” (they respond to evidence). Symbolic beliefs, meanwhile, largely serve social ends, not epistemic ones, so we can hold them even in the face of contradictory evidence.

One of Van Leeuwen’s insights is that people distinguish between different categories of belief in everyday speech. We say we “believe” symbolic ones but that we “think” factual ones are true. He has run ingenious experiments showing that you can manipulate how people talk about beliefs by changing the environment in which they’re expressed or sustained. Tell participants that a woman named Sheila sets up a shrine to Elvis Presley and plays songs on his birthday, and they will more often say that she “believes” Elvis is alive. But tell them that Sheila went to study penguins in Antarctica in 1977, and missed the news of his death, and they’ll say she “thinks” he’s still around. As the German sociologist Georg Simmel recognized more than a century ago, religious beliefs seem to express commitments—we believe in God the way we believe in a parent or a loved one, rather than the way we believe chairs exist. Perhaps people who traffic in outlandish conspiracies don’t so much believe them as believe in them.

Van Leeuwen’s book complements a 2020 volume by Hugo Mercier, “ Not Born Yesterday .” Mercier, a cognitive scientist at the École Normale Supérieure who studied under Sperber, argues that worries about human gullibility overlook how skilled we are at acquiring factual beliefs. Our understanding of reality matters, he notes. Get it wrong, and the consequences can be disastrous. On top of that, people have a selfish interest in manipulating one another. As a result, human beings have evolved a tool kit of psychological adaptations for evaluating information—what he calls “open vigilance mechanisms.” Where a credulity theorist like Thagard insists that humans tend to believe anything, Mercier shows that we are careful when adopting factual beliefs, and instinctively assess the quality of information, especially by tracking the reliability of sources.

Van Leeuwen and Mercier agree that many beliefs are not best interpreted as factual ones, although they lay out different reasons for why this might be. For Van Leeuwen, a major driver is group identity. Beliefs often function as badges: the stranger and more unsubstantiated the better. Religions, he notes, define membership on the basis of unverifiable or even unintelligible beliefs: that there is one God; that there is reincarnation; that this or that person was a prophet; that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate yet one. Mercier, in his work, has focussed more on justification. He says that we have intuitions—that vaccination is bad, for example, or that certain politicians can’t be trusted—and then collect stories that defend our positions. Still, both authors treat symbolic beliefs as socially strategic expressions.

After Mike Hughes’s death, a small debate broke out over the nature of his belief. His publicist, Darren Shuster, said that Hughes never really believed in a flat Earth. “It was a P.R. stunt,” he told Vice News. “We used the attention to get sponsorships and it kept working over and over again.” Space.com dug up an old interview corroborating Shuster’s statements. “This flat Earth has nothing to do with the steam rocket launches,” Hughes told the site in 2019. “It never did, it never will. I’m a daredevil!”

Perhaps it made sense that it was just a shtick. Hughes did death-defying stunts years before he joined the Flat Earthers. He was born in Oklahoma City in 1956 to an auto-mechanic father who enjoyed racing cars. At the age of twelve, Hughes was racing on his own, and not long afterward he was riding in professional motorcycle competitions. In 1996, he got a job driving limousines, but his dream of becoming the next Evel Knievel persisted; in 2002, he drove a Lincoln Town Car off a ramp and flew a hundred and three feet, landing him in Guinness World Records.

When Hughes first successfully launched a rocket, in 2014, he had never talked about the shape of the planet. In 2015, when he co-ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund the next rocket flight, the stated motivation was stardom, not science: “Mad Mike Hughes always wanted to be famous so much that he just decided one day to build a steam rocket and set the world record.” He got two backers and three hundred and ten dollars. Shortly afterward, he joined the Flat Earth community and tied his crusade to theirs. The community supported his new fund-raising effort, attracting more than eight thousand dollars. From there, his fame grew, earning him features in a documentary (“Rocketman,” from 2019) and that Science Channel series. Aligning with Flat Earthers clearly paid off.

Not everyone believes that he didn’t believe, however. Waldo Stakes, Hughes’s landlord and rocket-construction buddy, wrote on Facebook that “Mike was a real flat earther,” pointing to the “dozens of books on the subject” he owned, and said that Hughes lost money hosting a conference for the community. Another of Hughes’s friends told Kelly Weill that Flat Earth theory “started out as a marketing approach,” but that once it “generated awareness and involvement . . . it became something to him.”

The debate over Hughes’s convictions centers on the premise that a belief is either sincere or strategic, genuine or sham. That’s a false dichotomy. Indeed, the social functions of symbolic beliefs—functions such as signalling group identity—seem best achieved when the beliefs feel earnest. A Mormon who says that Joseph Smith was a prophet but secretly thinks he was a normal guy doesn’t strike us as a real Mormon. In fact, the evolutionary theorist Robert Trivers argued in “ Deceit and Self-Deception ” (2011) that we trick ourselves in order to convince others. Our minds are maintaining two representations of reality: there’s one that feels true and that we publicly advocate, and there’s another that we use to effectively interact with the world.

The idea of self-deception might seem like a stretch; Mercier has expressed skepticism about the theory. But it reconciles what appear to be contradictory findings. On the one hand, some research suggests that people’s beliefs in misinformation are authentic. In “Political Rumors,” for example, Berinsky describes experiments he conducted suggesting that people truly believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim and that the U.S. government allowed the 9/11 attacks to happen. “People by and large say what they mean,” he concludes.

On the other hand, there’s research implying that many false beliefs are little more than cheap talk. Put money on the table, and people suddenly see the light. In an influential paper published in 2015, a team led by the political scientist John Bullock found sizable differences in how Democrats and Republicans thought about politicized topics, like the number of casualties in the Iraq War. Paying respondents to be accurate, which included rewarding “don’t know” responses over wrong ones, cut the differences by eighty per cent. A series of experiments published in 2023 by van der Linden and three colleagues replicated the well-established finding that conservatives deem false headlines to be true more often than liberals—but found that the difference drops by half when people are compensated for accuracy. Some studies have reported smaller or more inconsistent effects, but the central point still stands. There may be people who believe in fake news the way they believe in leopards and chairs, but underlying many genuine-feeling endorsements is an understanding that they’re not exactly factual.

Van der Linden, Berinsky, and Thagard all offer ways to fight fabrication. But, because they treat misinformation as a problem of human gullibility, the remedies they propose tend to focus on minor issues, while scanting the larger social forces that drive the phenomenon. Consider van der Linden’s prescription. He devotes roughly a third of “Foolproof” to his group’s research on “prebunking,” or psychological inoculation. The idea is to present people with bogus information before they come across it in the real world and then expose its falsity—a kind of epistemic vaccination. Such prebunking can target specific untruths, or it can be “broad-spectrum,” as when people are familiarized with an array of misinformation techniques, from emotional appeals to conspiratorial language.

Prebunking has received an extraordinary amount of attention. If you’ve ever read a headline about a vaccine against fake news, it was probably about van der Linden’s work. His team has collaborated with Google, WhatsApp, the Department of Homeland Security, and the British Prime Minister’s office; similar interventions have popped up on Twitter (now X). In “Foolproof,” van der Linden reviews evidence that prebunking makes people better at identifying fake headlines. Yet nothing is mentioned about effects on their actual behavior. Does prebunking affect medical decisions? Does it make someone more willing to accept electoral outcomes? We’re left wondering.

The evidential gap is all the trickier because little research exists in the first place showing that misinformation affects behavior by changing beliefs. Berinsky acknowledges this in “Political Rumors” when he writes that “few scholars have established a direct causal link” between rumors and real-world outcomes. Does the spread of misinformation influence, say, voting decisions? Van der Linden admits, “Contrary to much of the commentary you may find in the popular media, scientists have been extremely skeptical.”

So it’s possible that we’ve been misinformed about how to fight misinformation. What about the social conditions that make us susceptible? Van der Linden tells us that people are more often drawn to conspiracy theories when they feel “uncertain and powerless,” and regard themselves as “marginalized victims.” Berinsky cites scholarship suggesting that conspiratorial rumors flourish among people who experience “a lack of interpersonal trust” and “a sense of alienation.” In his own research, he found that a big predictor of accepting false rumors is agreeing with statements such as “Politicians do not care much about what they say, so long as they get elected.” A recent study found a strong correlation between the prevalence of conspiracy beliefs and levels of governmental corruption; in those beliefs, Americans fell midway between people from Denmark and Sweden and people from middle-income countries such as Mexico and Turkey, reflecting a fraying sense of institutional integrity. More than Russian bots or click-hungry algorithms, a crisis of trust and legitimacy seems to lie behind the proliferation of paranoid falsehoods.

Findings like these require that we rethink what misinformation represents. As Dan Kahan, a legal scholar at Yale, notes, “Misinformation is not something that happens to the mass public but rather something that its members are complicit in producing.” That’s why thoughtful scholars—including the philosopher Daniel Williams and the experimental psychologist Sacha Altay—encourage us to see misinformation more as a symptom than as a disease. Unless we address issues of polarization and institutional trust, they say, we’ll make little headway against an endless supply of alluring fabrications.

From this perspective, railing against social media for manipulating our zombie minds is like cursing the wind for blowing down a house we’ve allowed to go to rack and ruin. It distracts us from our collective failures, from the conditions that degrade confidence and leave much of the citizenry feeling disempowered. By declaring that the problem consists of “irresponsible senders and gullible receivers,” in Thagard’s words, credulity theorists risk ignoring the social pathologies that cause people to become disenchanted and motivate them to rally around strange new creeds.

Mike Hughes was among the disenchanted. Sure, he used Flat Earth theory to become a celebrity, but its anti-institutionalist tone also spoke to him. In 2018, while seeking funding and attention for his next rocket ride, he self-published a book titled “ ‘Mad’ Mike Hughes: The Tell All Tale.” The book brims with outlandish, unsupported assertions—that George H. W. Bush was a pedophile, say—but they’re interspersed with more grounded frustrations. He saw a government commandeered by the greedy few, one that stretched the truth to start a war in Iraq, and that seemed concerned less with spreading freedom and more with funnelling tax dollars into the pockets of defense contractors. “You think about those numbers for a second,” he wrote, of the amount of money spent on the military. “We have homelessness in this country. We could pay off everyone’s mortgages. And we can eliminate sales tax. Everyone would actually be free.”

Hughes wasn’t a chump. He just felt endlessly lied to. As he wrote near the end of his book, “I want my coffee and I don’t want any whipped cream on top of it, you know what I mean? I just want this raw truth.” ♦

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What the future looked like 60 years ago

Looking at a 60-year-old magazine is an exercise not only in history but also in humility..

I am not sure why, amid my collection of miscellaneous old magazines, I have a copy of The New Yorker from April 1964, but I do. And on a rainy April 2024 morning, I sat down to read through it, curious to open a time capsule from exactly 60 years ago.

Well, first there are the ads. There are a lot of them, and they are uniformly and snobbily aspirational, with an undertone of anxiety. “Where money is no object, taste sets the criteria,” says an ad for sheets and towels. A tweed suit is “impeccably tailored to our exacting British Sportswear standards.” Even a cheap New York state champagne is bottled “under the artistic management of European wine masters.” The many travel ads appeal to the reader’s wish to be sophisticated (“Don’t bother going to Buenos Aires to keep up with the Joneses. They haven’t been there yet”) while also offering reassurance that the food will not be too spicy and you can still get a good steak. There is a distinct message here that Americans — the white middle-class Americans who read The New Yorker, that is — are on top of the world.

There are no clouds on the horizon. The future is good. The New York World’s Fair is about to open, a two-year extravaganza including exhibits on rockets, computers, and “modern living underground, with pseudo-sunlight.” General Electric will be running demonstrations every six minutes on nuclear fusion. General Motors offers rides to a city of the future. The magazine’s listing of the fair’s attractions includes something for everyone. In the Vatican Pavilion you can see Michelangelo’s Pietà, and in the Wisconsin Pavilion you can see the world’s biggest piece of cheese.

The New Yorker of that era was known for its long pieces of in-depth journalism, and there are several in this issue. One is about Southeast Asia: an analysis by Robert Shaplen of the enigmatic political strategies of Cambodia’s leader, Norodom Sihanouk, who had recently alarmed the United States by renouncing American aid and threatening to ally himself with Communist China. Shaplen explains that Cambodia is caught between volatile competing outside interests: the United States, Russia, China, France, Thailand, and North and South Vietnam. Sihanouk has “a growing conviction that the tide of war in South Vietnam was going against the Vietnamese and their American backers.” He is quoted as saying, “Communism will sooner or later take over all of South Vietnam, and by consequence us also,” but he hopes to preserve Cambodia as a neutral country.

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The other major article in the issue is Christopher Rand’s admiring, curious, New-Yorker-in-Wonderland piece about Cambridge, Massachusetts, focusing mostly on the computer scientists at Harvard and MIT. What are they up to? Where do they think the future is going to take us? Computers are already being used to count the frequency of words in texts, to advise political candidates on whether taking a particular position will gain or lose votes, to help the Indian government manage the agricultural water supply in the Indus River Valley, to teach foreign languages. Will it one day be possible to scan and retrieve all of the written information in libraries? Many experts say this is a pipe dream. But some people at MIT believe that “whole cities, if not whole nations, will eventually be wired up to central computers.”

Looking at the magazine across a retrospective gulf of six decades, a lot of what you see are the blind spots. Some are cultural: There’s a blithely optimistic article on race in America that does not quote a single Black person. Some are due to the absence of vital pieces of information that were deliberately kept hidden at the time; while Shaplen was talking to his diplomatic sources in Cambodia he could not have known that back in the United States, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was secretly urging President Lyndon Johnson to send vast numbers of troops and bombers to Vietnam — an escalation of war that would eventually pull Cambodia into its own genocidal hell. And some are simply due to an inability to predict the future — to imagine the unimaginable. Back in 1964, not even the most innovative computer scientists were envisioning a world where nearly everyone would walk around with a pocket-sized device that could connect with any other device in a global wireless network of information and disinformation.

It can be tempting to view the blind spots of the past with condescension, to believe that we are so much more knowledgeable and enlightened today — to say, with a kind of ferocious impatient self-righteousness, that our predecessors lived in a bubble.

But isn’t our belief that we have no blind spots the very definition of a blind spot? Looking at a 60-year-old magazine is an exercise not only in history but also in humility. The 1964 New Yorker pieces about Cambodia and computers were as informed and intelligent as any journalism could have been back then. But the future went in other directions, as it will.

Joan Wickersham is the author of “The Suicide Index” and “The News from Spain.” Her column appears regularly in the Globe.

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The Crackdown on Student Protesters

Columbia university is at the center of a growing showdown over the war in gaza and the limits of free speech..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

[TRAIN SCREECHING]

Well, you can hear the helicopter circling. This is Asthaa Chaturvedi. I’m a producer with “The Daily.” Just walked out of the 116 Street Station. It’s the main station for Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus. And it’s day seven of the Gaza solidarity encampment, where a hundred students were arrested last Thursday.

So on one side of Broadway, you see camera crews. You see NYPD officers all lined up. There’s barricades, steel barricades, caution tape. This is normally a completely open campus. And I’m able to — all members of the public, you’re able to walk through.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

Looks like international media is here.

Have your IDs out. Have your IDs out.

Students lining up to swipe in to get access to the University. ID required for entry.

Swipe your ID, please.

Hi, how are you, officer? We’re journalists with “The New York Times.”

You’re not going to get in, all right? I’m sorry.

Hi. Can I help please?

Yeah, it’s total lockdown here at Columbia.

Please have your IDs out ready to swipe.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.” Today, the story of how Columbia University has become the epicenter of a growing showdown between student protesters, college administrators, and Congress over the war in Gaza and the limits of free speech. I spoke with my colleague, Nick Fandos.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

It’s Thursday, April 25.

Nick, if we rewind the clock a few months, we end up at a moment where students at several of the country’s best known universities are protesting Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks, its approach to a war in Gaza. At times, those protests are happening peacefully, at times with rhetoric that is inflammatory. And the result is that the leaders of those universities land before Congress. But the president of Columbia University, which is the subject we’re going to be talking about today, is not one of the leaders who shows up for that testimony.

That’s right. So the House Education Committee has been watching all these protests on campus. And the Republican Chairwoman decides, I’m going to open an investigation, look at how these administrations are handling it, because it doesn’t look good from where I sit. And the House last winter invites the leaders of several of these elite schools, Harvard, Penn, MIT, and Columbia, to come and testify in Washington on Capitol Hill before Congress.

Now, the President of Columbia has what turns out to be a very well-timed, pre-planned trip to go overseas and speak at an international climate conference. So Minouche Shafik isn’t going to be there. So instead, the presidents of Harvard, and Penn, and MIT show up. And it turned out to be a disaster for these universities.

They were asked very pointed questions about the kind of speech taking place on their campuses, and they gave really convoluted academic answers back that just baffled the committee. But there was one question that really embodied the kind of disconnect between the Committee — And it wasn’t just Republicans, Republicans and Democrats on the Committee — and these college presidents. And that’s when they were asked a hypothetical.

Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penn’s rules or code of conduct? Yes or no?

If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment.

And two of the presidents, Claudine Gay of Harvard and Elizabeth Magill of the University of Pennsylvania, they’re unwilling to say in this really kind of intense back and forth that this speech would constitute a violation of their rules.

It can be, depending on the context.

What’s the context?

Targeted at an individual. Is it pervasive?

It’s targeted at Jewish students, Jewish individuals. Do you understand your testimony is dehumanizing them?

And it sets off a firestorm.

It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes. And this is why you should resign. These are unacceptable answers across the board.

Members of Congress start calling for their resignations. Alumni are really, really ticked off. Trustees of the University start to wonder, I don’t know that these leaders really have got this under control. And eventually, both of them lose their jobs in a really high profile way.

Right. And as you’ve hinted at, for somewhat peculiar scheduling reasons, Columbia’s President escapes this disaster of a hearing in what has to be regarded as the best timing in the history of the American Academy.

Yeah, exactly. And Columbia is watching all this play out. And I think their first response was relief that she was not in that chair, but also a recognition that, sooner or later, their turn was going to come back around and they were going to have to sit before Congress.

Why were they so certain that they would probably end up before Congress and that this wasn’t a case of completely dodging a bullet?

Well, they remain under investigation by the committee. But also, as the winter wears on, all the same intense protests just continue unabated. So in many ways, Columbia’s like these other campuses. But in some ways, it’s even more intense. This is a university that has both one of the largest Jewish student populations of any of its peers. But it also has a large Arab and Muslim student population, a big Middle Eastern studies program. It has a dual degree program in Tel Aviv.

And it’s a university on top of all that that has a real history of activism dating back to the 1960s. So when students are recruited or choose to come to Columbia, they’re actively opting into a campus that prides itself on being an activist community. It’s in the middle of New York City. It’s a global place. They consider the city and the world, really, like a classroom to Columbia.

In other words, if any campus was going to be a hotbed of protest and debate over this conflict, it was going to be Columbia University.

Exactly. And when this spring rolls around, the stars finally align. And the same congressional committee issues another invitation to Minouche Shafik, Columbia’s President, to come and testify. And this time, she has no excuse to say no.

But presumably, she is well aware of exactly what testifying before this committee entails and is highly prepared.

Columbia knew this moment was coming. They spent months preparing for this hearing. They brought in outside consultants, crisis communicators, experts on anti-Semitism. The weekend before the hearing, she actually travels down to Washington to hole up in a war room, where she starts preparing her testimony with mock questioners and testy exchanges to prep her for this. And she’s very clear on what she wants to try to do.

Where her counterparts had gone before the committee a few months before and looked aloof, she wanted to project humility and competence, to say, I know that there’s an issue on my campus right now with some of these protests veering off into anti-Semitic incidents. But I’m getting that under control. I’m taking steps in good faith to make sure that we restore order to this campus, while allowing people to express themselves freely as well.

So then the day of her actual testimony arrives. And just walk us through how it goes.

The Committee on Education and Workforce will come to order. I note that —

So Wednesday morning rolls around. And President Shafik sits at the witness stand with two of her trustees and the head of Columbia’s new anti-Semitism task force.

Columbia stands guilty of gross negligence at best and at worst has become a platform for those supporting terrorism and violence against the Jewish people.

And right off the bat, they’re put through a pretty humbling litany of some of the worst hits of what’s been happening on campus.

For example, just four days after the harrowing October 7 attack, a former Columbia undergraduate beat an Israeli student with a stick.

The Republican Chairwoman of the Committee, Virginia Foxx, starts reminding her that there was a student who was actually hit with a stick on campus. There was another gathering more recently glorifying Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and the kind of chants that have become an everyday chorus on campus, which many Jewish students see as threatening. But when the questioning starts, President Shafik is ready. One of the first ones she gets is the one that tripped up her colleagues.

Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Columbia’s code of conduct, Mr. Greenwald?

And she answers unequivocally.

Dr. Shafik?

Yes, it does.

And, Professor —

That would be a violation of Columbia’s rules. They would be punished.

As President of Columbia, what is it like when you hear chants like, by any means necessary or Intifada Revolution?

I find those chants incredibly distressing. And I wish profoundly that people would not use them on our campus.

And in some of the most interesting exchanges of the hearing, President Shafik actually opens Columbia’s disciplinary books.

We have already suspended 15 students from Columbia. We have six on disciplinary probation. These are more disciplinary actions that have been taken probably in the last decade at Columbia. And —

She talks about the number of students that have been suspended, but also the number of faculty that she’s had removed from the classroom that are being investigated for comments that either violate some of Columbia’s rules or make students uncomfortable. One case in particular really underscores this.

And that’s of a Middle Eastern studies professor named Joseph Massad. He wrote an essay not long after Hamas invaded Israel and killed 1,200 people, according to the Israeli government, where he described that attack with adjectives like awesome. Now, he said they’ve been misinterpreted, but a lot of people have taken offense to those comments.

Ms. Stefanik, you’re recognized for five minutes.

Thank you, Chairwoman. I want to follow up on my colleague, Rep Walberg’s question regarding Professor Joseph Massad. So let me be clear, President —

And so Representative Elise Stefanik, the same Republican who had tripped up Claudine Gay of Harvard and others in the last hearing, really starts digging in to President Shafik about these things at Columbia.

He is still Chair on the website. So has he been terminated as Chair?

Congresswoman, I —

And Shafik’s answers are maybe a little surprising.

— before getting back to you. I can confirm —

I know you confirmed that he was under investigation.

Yes, I can confirm that. But I —

Did you confirm he was still the Chair?

He says that Columbia is taking his case seriously. In fact, he’s under investigation right now.

Well, let me ask you this.

I need to check.

Will you make the commitment to remove him as Chair?

And when Stefanik presses her to commit to removing him from a campus leadership position —

I think that would be — I think — I would — yes. Let me come back with yes. But I think I — I just want to confirm his current status before I write —

We’ll take that as a yes, that you will confirm that he will no longer be chair.

Shafik seems to pause and think and then agree to it on the spot, almost like she is making administrative decisions with or in front of Congress.

Now, we did some reporting after the fact. And it turns out the Professor didn’t even realize he was under investigation. So he’s learning about this from the hearing too. So what this all adds up to, I think, is a performance so in line with what the lawmakers themselves wanted to hear, that at certain points, these Republicans didn’t quite know what to do with it. They were like the dog that caught the car.

Columbia beats Harvard and UPenn.

One of them, a Republican from Florida, I think at one point even marvelled, well, you beat Harvard and Penn.

Y’all all have done something that they weren’t able to do. You’ve been able to condemn anti-Semitism without using the phrase, it depends on the context. But the —

So Columbia’s president has passed this test before this committee.

Yeah, this big moment that tripped up her predecessors and cost them their jobs, it seems like she has cleared that hurdle and dispatched with the Congressional committee that could have been one of the biggest threats to her presidency.

Without objection, there being no further business, the committee stands adjourned. [BANGS GAVEL]

But back on campus, some of the students and faculty who had been watching the hearing came away with a very different set of conclusions. They saw a president who was so eager to please Republicans in Congress that she was willing to sell out some of the University’s students and faculty and trample on cherished ideas like academic freedom and freedom of expression that have been a bedrock of American higher education for a really long time.

And there was no clearer embodiment of that than what had happened that morning just as President Shafik was going to testify before Congress. A group of students before dawn set up tents in the middle of Columbia’s campus and declared themselves a pro-Palestinian encampment in open defiance of the very rules that Dr. Shafik had put in place to try and get these protests under control.

So these students in real-time are beginning to test some of the things that Columbia’s president has just said before Congress.

Exactly. And so instead of going to celebrate her successful appearance before Congress, Shafik walks out of the hearing room and gets in a black SUV to go right back to that war room, where she’s immediately confronted with a major dilemma. It basically boils down to this, she had just gone before Congress and told them, I’m going to get tough on these protests. And here they were. So either she gets tough and risks inflaming tension on campus or she holds back and does nothing and her words before Congress immediately look hollow.

And what does she decide?

So for the next 24 hours, she tries to negotiate off ramps. She consults with her Deans and the New York Police Department. And it all builds towards an incredibly consequential decision. And that is, for the first time in decades, to call the New York City Police Department onto campus in riot gear and break this thing up, suspend the students involved, and then arrest them.

To essentially eliminate this encampment.

Eliminate the encampment and send a message, this is not going to be tolerated. But in trying to quell the unrest, Shafik actually feeds it. She ends up leaving student protesters and the faculty who support them feeling betrayed and pushes a campus that was already on edge into a full blown crisis.

[SLOW TEMPO MUSIC]

After the break, what all of this has looked like to a student on Columbia’s campus. We’ll be right back.

[PHONE RINGS]

Is this Isabella?

Yes, this is she.

Hi, Isabella. It’s Michael Barbaro from “The Daily.”

Hi. Nice to meet you.

Earlier this week, we called Isabella Ramírez, the Editor in Chief of Columbia’s undergraduate newspaper, “The Columbia Daily Spectator,” which has been closely tracking both the protests and the University’s response to them since October 7.

So, I mean, in your mind, how do we get to this point? I wonder if you can just briefly describe the key moments that bring us to where we are right now.

Sure. Since October 7, there has certainly been constant escalation in terms of tension on campus. And there have been a variety of moves that I believe have distanced the student body, the faculty, from the University and its administration, specifically the suspension of Columbia’s chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. And that became a huge moment in what was characterized as suppression of pro-Palestinian activism on campus, effectively rendering those groups, quote, unquote, unauthorized.

What was the college’s explanation for that?

They had cited in that suspension a policy which states that a demonstration must be approved within a certain window, and that there must be an advance notice, and that there’s a process for getting an authorized demonstration. But the primary point was this policy that they were referring to, which we later reported, was changed before the suspension.

So it felt a little ad hoc to people?

Yes, it certainly came as a surprise, especially at “Spectator.” We’re nerds of the University in the sense that we are familiar with faculty and University governance. But even to us, we had no idea where this policy was coming from. And this suspension was really the first time that it entered most students’ sphere.

Columbia’s campus is so known for its activism. And so in my time of being a reporter, of being an editor, I’ve overseen several protests. And I’ve never seen Columbia penalize a group for, quote, unquote, not authorizing a protest. So that was certainly, in our minds, unprecedented.

And I believe part of the justification there was, well, this is a different time. And I think that is a reasonable thing to say. But I think a lot of students, they felt it was particularly one-sided, that it was targeting a specific type of speech or a specific type of viewpoint. Although, the University, of course, in its explicit policies, did not outline, and was actually very explicit about not targeting specific viewpoints —

So just to be super clear, it felt to students — and it sounds like, journalistically, it felt to you — that the University was coming down in a uniquely one-sided way against students who were supporting Palestinian rights and may have expressed some frustrations with Israel in that moment.

Yes. Certainly —

Isabella says that this was just the beginning of a really tense period between student protesters and the University. After those two student groups were suspended, campus protests continued. Students made a variety of demands. They asked that the University divest from businesses that profit from Israel’s military operations in Gaza. But instead of making any progress, the protests are met with further crackdown by the University.

And so as Isabella and her colleagues at the college newspaper see it, there’s this overall chilling effect that occurs. Some students become fearful that if they participate in any demonstrations, they’re going to face disciplinary action. So fast forward now to April, when these student protesters learned that President Shafik is headed to Washington for her congressional testimony. It’s at this moment that they set out to build their encampment.

I think there was obviously a lot of intention in timing those two things. I think it’s inherently a critique on a political pressure and this congressional pressure that we saw build up against, of course, Claudine Gay at Harvard and Magill at UPenn. So I think a lot of students and faculty have been frustrated at this idea that there are not only powers at the University that are dictating what’s happening, but there are perhaps external powers that are also guiding the way here in terms of what the University feels like it must do or has to do.

And I think that timing was super crucial. Having the encampment happen on the Wednesday morning of the hearing was an incredible, in some senses, interesting strategy to direct eyes to different places.

All eyes were going to be on Shafik in DC. But now a lot of eyes are on New York. The encampment is set up in the middle of the night slash morning, prior to the hearing. And so what effectively happens is they caught Shafik when she wasn’t on campus, when a lot of senior administration had their resources dedicated to supporting Shafik in DC.

And you have all of those people not necessarily out of commission, but with their focus elsewhere. So the encampment is met with very little resistance at the beginning. There were public safety officers floating around and watching. But at the very beginning hours, I think there was a sense of, we did it.

[CHANTING]: Disclose! Divest! We will not stop! We will not rest. Disclose! Divest! We will not stop!

It would be quite surprising to anybody and an administrator to now suddenly see dozens of tents on this lawn in a way that I think very purposely puts an imagery of, we’re here to stay. As the morning evolved and congressional hearings continued —

Minouche Shafik, open your eyes! Use of force, genocide!

Then we started seeing University delegates that were coming to the encampment saying, you may face disciplinary action for continuing to be here. I think that started around almost — like 9:00 or 10:00 AM, they started handing out these code of conduct violation notices.

Hell no! Hell no! Hell no!

Then there started to be more public safety action and presence. So they started barricading the entrances. The day progressed, there was more threat of discipline. The students became informed that if they continue to stay, they will face potential academic sanctions, potential suspension.

The more they try to silence us, the louder we will be! The more they —

I think a lot of people were like, OK, you’re threatening us with suspension. But so what?

This is about these systems that Minouche Shafik, that the Board of Trustees, that Columbia University is complicit in.

What are you going to do to try to get us out of here? And that was, obviously, promptly answered.

This is the New York State Police Department.

We will not stop!

You are attempting participate in an unauthorized encampment. You will be arrested and charged with trespassing.

My phone blew up, obviously, from the reporters, from the editors, of saying, oh my god, the NYPD is on our campus. And as soon as I saw that, I came out. And I saw a huge crowd of students and affiliates on campus watching the lawns. And as I circled around that crowd, I saw the last end of the New York Police Department pulling away protesters and clearing out the last of the encampment.

[CHANTING]: We love you! We will get justice for you! We see you! We love you! We will get justice for you! We see you! We love you! We will get justice for you! We see you! We love you! We will get justice for you!

It was something truly unimaginable, over 100 students slash other individuals are arrested from our campus, forcefully removed. And although they were suspended, there was a feeling of traumatic event that has just happened to these students, but also this sense of like, OK, the worst of the worst that could have happened to us just happened.

And for those students who maybe couldn’t go back to — into campus, now all of their peers, who were supporters or are in solidarity, are — in some sense, it’s further emboldened. They’re now not just sitting on the lawns for a pro-Palestinian cause, but also for the students, who have endured quite a lot.

So the crackdown, sought by the president and enforced by the NYPD, ends up, you’re saying, becoming a galvanizing force for a broader group of Columbia students than were originally drawn to the idea of ever showing up on the center of campus and protesting?

Yeah, I can certainly speak to the fact that I’ve seen my own peers, friends, or even acquaintances, who weren’t necessarily previously very involved in activism and organizing efforts, suddenly finding themselves involved.

Can I — I just have a question for you, which is all journalism, student journalism or not student journalism, is a first draft of history. And I wonder if we think of this as a historic moment for Columbia, how you imagine it’s going to be remembered.

Yeah, there is no doubt in my mind that this will be a historic moment for Colombia.

I think that this will be remembered as a moment in which the fractures were laid bare. Really, we got to see some of the disunity of the community in ways that I have never really seen it before. And what we’ll be looking to is, where do we go from here? How does Colombia repair? How do we heal from all of this? so That is the big question in terms of what will happen.

Nick, Isabella Ramírez just walked us through what this has all looked like from the perspective of a Columbia student. And from what she could tell, the crackdown ordered by President Shafik did not quell much of anything. It seemed, instead, to really intensify everything on campus. I’m curious what this has looked like for Shafik.

It’s not just the students who are upset. You have faculty, including professors, who are not necessarily sympathetic to the protesters’ view of the war, who are really outraged about what Shafik has done here. They feel that she’s crossed a boundary that hasn’t been crossed on Columbia’s campus in a really long time.

And so you start to hear things by the end of last week like censure, no confidence votes, questions from her own professors about whether or not she can stay in power. So this creates a whole new front for her. And on top of it all, as this is going on, the encampment itself starts to reform tent-by-tent —

— almost in the same place that it was. And Shafik decides that the most important thing she could do is to try and take the temperature down, which means letting the encampment stand. Or in other words, leaning in the other direction. This time, we’re going to let the protesters have their say for a little while longer.

The problem with that is that, over the weekend, a series of images start to emerge from on campus and just off of it of some really troubling anti-Semitic episodes. In one case, a guy holds up a poster in the middle of campus and points it towards a group of Jewish students who are counter protesting. And it says, I’m paraphrasing here, Hamas’ next targets.

I saw an image of that. What it seemed to evoke was the message that Hamas should murder those Jewish students. That’s the way the Jewish students interpreted it.

It’s a pretty straightforward and jarring statement. At the same time, just outside of Columbia’s closed gates —

Stop killing children!

— protestors are showing up from across New York City. It’s hard to tell who’s affiliated with Columbia, who’s not.

Go back to Poland! Go back to Poland!

There’s a video that goes viral of one of them shouting at Jewish students, go back to Poland, go back to Europe.

In other words, a clear message, you’re not welcome here.

Right. In fact, go back to the places where the Holocaust was committed.

Exactly. And this is not representative of the vast majority of the protesters in the encampment, who mostly had been peaceful. They would later hold a Seder, actually, with some of the pro-Palestinian Jewish protesters in their ranks. But those videos are reaching members of Congress, the very same Republicans that Shafik had testified in front of just a few days before. And now they’re looking and saying, you have lost control of your campus, you’ve turned back on your word to us, and you need to resign.

They call for her outright resignation over this.

That’s right. Republicans in New York and across the country began to call for her to step down from her position as president of Columbia.

So Shafik’s dilemma here is pretty extraordinary. She has set up this dynamic where pleasing these members of Congress would probably mean calling in the NYPD all over again to sweep out this encampment, which would mean further alienating and inflaming students and faculty, who are still very upset over the first crackdown. And now both ends of this spectrum, lawmakers in Washington, folks on the Columbia campus, are saying she can’t lead the University over this situation before she’s even made any fateful decision about what to do with this second encampment. Not a good situation.

No. She’s besieged on all sides. For a while, the only thing that she can come up with to offer is for classes to go hybrid for the remainder of the semester.

So students who aren’t feeling safe in this protest environment don’t necessarily have to go to class.

Right. And I think if we zoom out for a second, it’s worth bearing in mind that she tried to choose a different path here than her counterparts at Harvard or Penn. And after all of this, she’s kind of ended up in the exact same thicket, with people calling for her job with the White House, the Mayor of New York City, and others. These are Democrats. Maybe not calling on her to resign quite yet, but saying, I don’t know what’s going on your campus. This does not look good.

That reality, that taking a different tack that was supposed to be full of learnings and lessons from the stumbles of her peers, the fact that didn’t really work suggests that there’s something really intractable going on here. And I wonder how you’re thinking about this intractable situation that’s now arrived on these college campuses.

Well, I don’t think it’s just limited to college campuses. We have seen intense feelings about this conflict play out in Hollywood. We’ve seen them in our politics in all kinds of interesting ways.

In our media.

We’ve seen it in the media. But college campuses, at least in their most idealized form, are something special. They’re a place where students get to go for four years to think in big ways about moral questions, and political questions, and ideas that help shape the world they’re going to spend the rest of their lives in.

And so when you have a question that feels as urgent as this war does for a lot of people, I think it reverberates in an incredibly intense way on those campuses. And there’s something like — I don’t know if it’s quite a contradiction of terms, but there’s a collision of different values at stake. So universities thrive on the ability of students to follow their minds and their voices where they go, to maybe even experiment a little bit and find those things.

But there are also communities that rely on people being able to trust each other and being able to carry out their classes and their academic endeavors as a collective so they can learn from one another. So in this case, that’s all getting scrambled. Students who feel strongly about the Palestinian cause feel like the point is disruption, that something so big, and immediate, and urgent is happening that they need to get in the faces of their professors, and their administrators, and their fellow students.

Right. And set up an encampment in the middle of campus, no matter what the rules say.

Right. And from the administration’s perspective, they say, well, yeah, you can say that and you can think that. And that’s an important process. But maybe there’s some bad apples in your ranks. Or though you may have good intentions, you’re saying things that you don’t realize the implications of. And they’re making this environment unsafe for others. Or they’re grinding our classes to a halt and we’re not able to function as a University.

So the only way we’re going to be able to move forward is if you will respect our rules and we’ll respect your point of view. The problem is that’s just not happening. Something is not connecting with those two points of view. And as if that’s not hard enough, you then have Congress and the political system with its own agenda coming in and putting its thumb on a scale of an already very difficult situation.

Right. And at this very moment, what we know is that the forces that you just outlined have created a dilemma, an uncertainty of how to proceed, not just for President Shafik and the students and faculty at Columbia, but for a growing number of colleges and universities across the country. And by that, I mean, this thing that seemed to start at Columbia is literally spreading.

Absolutely. We’re talking on a Wednesday afternoon. And these encampments have now started cropping up at universities from coast-to-coast, at Harvard and Yale, but also at University of California, at the University of Texas, at smaller campuses in between. And at each of these institutions, there’s presidents and deans, just like President Shafik at Columbia, who are facing a really difficult set of choices. Do they call in the police? The University of Texas in Austin this afternoon, we saw protesters physically clashing with police.

Do they hold back, like at Harvard, where there were dramatic videos of students literally running into Harvard yard with tents. They were popping up in real-time. And so Columbia, really, I think, at the end of the day, may have kicked off some of this. But they are now in league with a whole bunch of other universities that are struggling with the same set of questions. And it’s a set of questions that they’ve had since this war broke out.

And now these schools only have a week or two left of classes. But we don’t know when these standoffs are going to end. We don’t know if students are going to leave campus for the summer. We don’t know if they’re going to come back in the fall and start protesting right away, or if this year is going to turn out to have been an aberration that was a response to a really awful, bloody war, or if we’re at the beginning of a bigger shift on college campuses that will long outlast this war in the Middle East.

Well, Nick, thank you very much. Thanks for having me, Michael.

We’ll be right back.

Here’s what else you need to know today. The United Nations is calling for an independent investigation into two mass graves found after Israeli forces withdrew from hospitals in Gaza. Officials in Gaza said that some of the bodies found in the graves were Palestinians who had been handcuffed or shot in the head and accused Israel of killing and burying them. In response, Israel said that its soldiers had exhumed bodies in one of the graves as part of an effort to locate Israeli hostages.

And on Wednesday, Hamas released a video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American dual citizen, whom Hamas has held hostage since October 7. It was the first time that he has been shown alive since his captivity began. His kidnapping was the subject of a “Daily” episode in October that featured his mother, Rachel. In response to Hamas’s video, Rachel issued a video of her own, in which she spoke directly to her son.

And, Hersh, if you can hear this, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days. And if you can hear us, I am telling you, we are telling you, we love you. Stay strong. Survive.

Today’s episode was produced by Sydney Harper, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Olivia Natt, Nina Feldman, and Summer Thomad, with help from Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by Devon Taylor and Lisa Chow, contains research help by Susan Lee, original music by Marion Lozano and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam

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Featuring Nicholas Fandos

Produced by Sydney Harper ,  Asthaa Chaturvedi ,  Olivia Natt ,  Nina Feldman and Summer Thomad

With Michael Simon Johnson

Edited by Devon Taylor and Lisa Chow

Original music by Marion Lozano and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

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Columbia University has become the epicenter of a growing showdown between student protesters, college administrators and Congress over the war in Gaza and the limits of free speech.

Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics and government for The Times, walks us through the intense week at the university. And Isabella Ramírez, the editor in chief of Columbia’s undergraduate newspaper, explains what it has all looked like to a student on campus.

On today’s episode

Nicholas Fandos , who covers New York politics and government for The New York Times

Isabella Ramírez , editor in chief of The Columbia Daily Spectator

Background reading

Inside the week that shook Columbia University .

The protests at the university continued after more than 100 arrests.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Research help by Susan Lee .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Nicholas Fandos is a Times reporter covering New York politics and government. More about Nicholas Fandos

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Missing Clayton mom believed to be dead 6 weeks after vanishing, police suspect boyfriend, his wife

(L-R): Michale Edwards, Briana Winston, Brienna Phillips

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Six weeks after a woman vanished and someone cleaned out her apartment , Clayton County police now say they believe she is dead.

Family reported Briana Winston, a 23-year-old mom of a 4-year-old, missing on April 1 after going to her apartment and finding it had been completely cleaned out by Michale Edwards, her live-in boyfriend the father of her child.

Police say the family then went to her job and were told she didn’t show up to work on March 17.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks ]

Channel 2′s Tom Jones spoke with Winston’s family as they passed out flyers and asking people for help finding her.

Winston’s uncle, Kendrick Langford, said that while he was searching behind her apartment building, he found a bag with something strange inside.

“It was a pair of shoes,” Langford said. “I know it was some bleach because I smelled the bleach in it.”

Investigators say they believe Winston vanished in the early morning hours of March 17. Despite her body not being found, they say all evidence points to Winston being dead. They will proceed with investigating the case as a homicide.

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Police have named Edwards and his wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards, as persons of interest.

The family said Winston’s 4-year-old daughter is with her father and that Winston had a rocky relationship with him.

“The relationship was not good,” Langford said.

Anyone with details on Winston’s disappearance should call investigators at 770-477-3747.

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23-year-old mother missing 3 weeks after someone cleaned out her apartment, family says

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Yemen's Houthis said on Saturday their missiles hit the Andromeda Star oil tanker in the Red Sea, as they continue attacking commercial ships in the area in a show of support for Palestinians fighting Israel in the Gaza war.

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Essay on Friendship: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words. Friendship is a lovely connection that thrives on pure love and care, free from demands. It's recognized through respect, support, open communication, shared joys, empathy, and unwavering presence. True friends cherish and express this bond in countless meaningful ways.

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Catamaran Parts Explained: Interactive Guide (For Beginners)

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Learning a new skill can sometimes be time-consuming, and learning to sail also means learning a new language with tons and tons of new words that, in the beginning, makes no sense at all.

Some of the words you will read about in this article stem from the early days of sailing. Some are only a decade old; in this article, I have tried to compile all the basic terminology that I believe a beginner needs if he or she wants to understand sailing and catamarans.

Feel free to use this article as a resource and come back to it when you want to look something up or just to learn more!

Table of Contents

Main sections on a catamaran

• Hulls; are what separates a cat from other sailboats, a catamaran has two hulls, a trimaran three, and a regular sailboat, aka monohull, has one. The hull is the part of the sailboat which makes it float and to where all other things are attached. The hulls are usually divided into sections, such as usable and non-usable area. An example of a usable area is the engine room.
• Cockpit ; is from where the boat is maneuvered; it is to here that all halyards, sheets, etc. go. The cockpit contains navigation and steering equipment and is from where the sails, rudder, and engine are controlled.
• Deck; is the top part(roof) of a catamaran covering the hulls and bridge deck. The deck is made hard enough to walk on. To the deck, attaches lifelines and other equipment.
• Sugarscoops ; are the aftmost part that gets their name from their scoop-shaped appearance; this is where the deck/cockpit meets that water and usually encompasses a stair or ladder for easy access depending on the size of the boat.
• Cabin; is basically any area on the inside of the boat that is protected from the weather and is made to offer the crew space to rest, eat, and hangout. Inside the cabin, you will find berths (beds), a galley (kitchen), and sometimes specialized areas for repairs or storage.
• Bridgedeck; connects the two hulls; the inside is the cabin, the top part is the deck, and the entire unit is called the bridge deck. Bridge deck clearance, the bridge deck’s height above the water, is an important factor on a catamaran since a too small clearance will create excess noise and vibrations and fatigue not only the crew but also the boat.

Main areas on a catamaran

Bow (front).

Nothing complicated here; the bow is just a nautical term for the foremost part of your boat. This is where the waves and the sea first meet the hull and depending on the type of boat, the bow(s) can be shaped differently.

Center (Middle)

The part between the bow and the stern is rarely called the center part( middle) of a boat; more common is to speak about the specific area situated within the middle part of the vessel, such as the cabin or the mast.

• Cockpit; as mentioned above, here you will (usually) find everything that you need to maneuver and navigate the boat, such as a compass, GPS, sheets, steering wheel, and throttles for the engines. Some boats may not be set up this way and require you to move around the boat to access certain controls.

Cabin (inside of the boat)

The boat’s interior is where you will find everything that is made for the crew’s enjoyment; it is a place to eat, sleep, rest up, and hide away from nasty weather.

• Berths; is a bed; sailors need to sleep too!
• Galley ; is another name for kitchen, usually set up in a very primitive way with a gas stove on a stabilized platform to ensure your food won’t get tossed around.
• Navstation; or navigation station, is a place, usually with a table, chair, and equipment for planning and logging a journey.

Stern (Back)

Stern is the name for the rearmost part of the boat; there is no clear definition as to where the stern stops and other parts begin, so it is something that the crew will have to figure out on their own through good communication.

Communicating directions on a sailboat

Not only will you have to know the different names of different areas on the boat, but it will also be essential to communicate clearly in what direction something is happening, for example, in a situation where you, the captain, want the crew to observe in a specific direction or pick up a piece of gear somewhere on the boat.

Communication on a sailboat is vital when you want to sail safely and efficiently; here, I have listed the words or phrases used to communicate a direction.

• Forward; easy as it sounds, it is the same direction as where the bows are pointing. When giving directions towards or beyond the bow, you will use the word “forward” for example; the fender is located forward of the mast.
• Aft ; is the behind the boat. When you are giving directions towards the stern, you will use the word “aft”; for example, the cockpit is located aft of the mast.
• Port ; this will be your left side. Fun fact, in the good old days, you would always dock with the port on your left side; hence port is the left side. If you ever forget which one is which, “port” has 4 letters and so has the word”left”!
• Starboard ; is your right side!

Types of sails

Sails come in very different shapes and sizes and are a science in itself; in this article, I will focus on the mainsail and three common types of staysail.

• Mainsail; is, per definition, the sail attached to the mast; its sideways movements are controlled by the boom. When the mainsail is triangular in shape, as on most modern sailboats, it is called a Bermuda rig. Most mainsail uses something called battens.
• Staysail; mainly comes in two versions, a staysail that does not overlap the mainsail is called a jib. A staysail that is larger and thus overlaps the mainsail is called a genoa.
• Spinnaker ; is a big balloon-like sail that replaces the jib when sailing downwind.

Parts of a sail

• Luff; the front part of the sail, is connected to the mast through a rail system which makes it possible to hoist or reef.
• Leech; the back part of the sail.
• Foot; the bottom part that reaches from the clew to the tack.
• Clew; back bottom corner.
• Tack; is the front bottom corner (remember “tacking”?).
• Head; is the top triangle of the sail and this is where the mainsail halyard attaches.
• Battens; are pieces of flexible material sewn into the mainsail to increase its aerodynamic shape. Battens can be full length or partial length.

Standing rigging

Everything that keeps the sails and mast upright are parts of the standing rigging; it is comprised of wires, cables, and lightweight metal structures.

• Forestay; usually a metal wire running from the top of the mast to the bow, is sometimes combined with an inner forestay that connects to the mast at a lower point. If the forestay attaches to the top of the mast, the setup is called a masthead rig; if it attaches lower, it is called a fractional rig.
• Backstay ; same as the forestay but attaches to the stern; most catamarans do not employ a backstay system but instead moves the side stays aft.
• Shroud ; much like the forestay but stabilizes the mast sideways and runs from the top to the port or starboard side. Spreaders are used to change the angle of the wire against the mast and better support the mast.
• Sidestay ; connects to the mast below the shrouds and is not pushed outwards with spreaders. On a catamaran, these attach aft of the mast to eliminate the need for a backstay; this makes it possible for a fully battened mainsail with a large roach.
• Jumpers; are used on a fractional rig with diamond shrouds to add structural integrity to the mast without adding excess weight.
• Bowsprit; is a pole amidship at the bow that allows for separation of the tacks (foremost, lower part of the sail) for increasing sail efficiency when using two headsails.

Other stabilizing parts

• Spreaders; act to lessen the angle between the shrouds and the mast; a wider angle will result in forces acting sideways (stabilizing) instead of up and down (bending). This increases stability and decreases the risk of unwanted bending of the mast.

Running rigging

The running rigging on a catamaran is any piece of equipment used to control the shape of the sails, including what is needed to raise them.

• Sheet; are the ropes (or wire, cables, etc.) that connect to the clew of a sail; on a catamaran, it connects to the staysail (genoa or jib, depending on the shape).
• Mainsheet ; is the rope that makes it possible to change the mainsail’s angle; the mainsail can only move in a port to starboard direction(right and left) and not up and down.
• Staysail sheet ; is called after whatever type of sail it is connected to, i.e., jib sheet or genoa sheet. Worth notice is that since the staysail operates on both sides of the catamaran (depending on if your tacking or gybing), it is connected with two ropes, one for the port side and one for the starboard side.
• Halyards ; are the ropes that connect to the top of a sail and make hoisting (or raising) possible. Halyards have different names depending on what sail they are raising, such as Mainsail halyard or jib halyard. Not to be confused with sheets that act upon the sail once they are already hoisted. If the staysail is using a roller furling, then “hosting” is done differently.
• Furling line; is used together with a roller furling and makes it possible to spool up the sail on the forestay instead of raising and lowering. This makes for a faster and easier way to reduce sail area.
• Reefing lines; reefing is when you lower parts of your sail to reduce the sail area and reduce the boat’s power and speed; reefing lines are put through holes in the mainsail and attach to the boom.
• Boom vang; is connected between the boom and deck; it is used to change the mainsail’s shape by pulling downward on the boom. (not very common on Catamarans)

In this category, we will look at the hulls and some of the vital parts that attach to them under the waterline.

• Hulls; differ in their shapes depending on the boat’s purpose, a racing cat would have narrower hulls to reduce drag, and a cruising cat wider hulls to encompass more storage.
• Rudder; is what changes the direction of the boat. When water passes around the rudders(two on a catamaran), it creates a “pushing force” that makes the boat turn. The rudder is connected to a steering wheel or a tiller at the cockpit through chains and linkage.
• Centerboard and daggerboards ; are sorts of keels that can be raised or lowered to attain certain sailing characteristics. When the keel is up, drag is lower, and so is the draft (how deep the boat sticks in the water). A small draft makes it possible to travel in very shallow waters. The difference between a daggerboard and a centerboard is that a centerboard swivels into place, and a daggerboard is pulled straight up.
• Mini-keel; is just what it sounds like; it is a keel but very small (a few inches deep) and has no ballast.
• Crossbeam ; is a multihull-only feature and keeps the two hulls from moving in relation to each other. If the crossbeam is damaged or nonexistent, the bridge deck is the only thing that keeps the hulls in place. This will increase wear and sooner or later lead to cracks, or even worse, separation of hull and bridge deck.

Most catamarans have two engines, one on each hull aft the stern; usually, they are internal with only the propeller in the water. The other option, which is cheaper and most often found on smaller boats, is to have one outboard engine placed amidship (middle).

• Inboard ; engines are situated in a compartment inside the boat at the stern. On an inboard engine, the propeller and the shaft are the only parts outside the hull. Sometimes the prop shaft (propeller shaft) is replaced by a sail drive.
• Outboard ; is a standalone engine usually mounted on the bridge deck amidship(if only one is used) or mounted at the sterns when used in pairs. They are linked together with pushing rods and wires so it can be manipulated from the cockpit.
• Saildrive ; is a type of gearbox that is quieter and vibrates less than a regular propeller and shaft setup.
• Propeller and shaft; are the most common and cheapest way to propel your boat. It is basically just a watertight axel that sticks out of the hull, and at the end of it, you’ll find the propeller.

There are so many pieces of gear aboard a catamaran that an all-encompassing article would probably fill up the entire internet. Below I have listed the most common equipment that you will most likely encounter on any sailboat.

• Winches; makes handling lines and ropes much easier. Instead of pulling them with your bare hands, you loop them around your winch and use the handle to crank. Winches come in mechanical style or electrical style.
• Anchors ; is basically just a big hook made to stick to the bottom of the sea. Anchors have different shapes and weights depending not only on the seabed but also on the boat’s weight and size.
• Navigation ; compass, GPS, and maps are all vital pieces of equipment making your trip safe.
• Cleats ; is any equipment that is made to fasten a rope. Cleats come in different configurations; jam, cam, rope clutch, or the most common horn cleat.
• Block ; is a device that can be used in pairs as a pulley (to reduce the force needed to lift something) or on its own to reduce the friction of a rope when the rope can not be drawn in a straight line.

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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