Can catamarans handle rough seas?

Yes, catamarans can handle rough seas — modern charter catamarans are designed for ocean passages and routinely cross both the Atlantic and Pacific in delivery legs. In a beam sea or following sea, catamarans are more comfortable than monohulls because the two hulls cancel rolling motion. In a steep head sea, catamarans pound — the bridge deck (the flat section between the hulls) slaps the wave faces, which can be uncomfortable. In truly heavy weather (40+ knots, 12+ foot seas), no charter is happening — the captain stays in port or in a protected anchorage and the trip resets the next day. For Caribbean charter waters, where most seas are 2-4 feet and wind sits at 15-20 knots, catamarans are very comfortable. See the catamaran fleet.