8 



CHAPTER 



One-Design Class Catamarans 



No hotter controversy exists in sailing circles today than the case of the 

 conventional type of hulls or monohulls (discussed in Chapter 2) versus 

 those of catamarans or multihulls. Many old sailors can't consider cata- 

 marans as true sailboats. While they may have a point, no book or class 

 or one-design sailing craft today would be complete without mention of 

 this type of boat. 



What's a catamaran? According to Webster's New International Dic- 

 tionary, a "catamaran" is defined as: "1. a kind of raft or float, consist- 

 ing of two or more logs or pieces of wood lashed together, and moved by 

 paddles or sails, used as a surfboat and for other purposes on the coasts 

 of the East and West Indies and South America. 2. Any vessel with twin 

 hulls side by side, whether propelled by oars, sails, or steam; especially, 

 one of a class of pleasure boats, remarkable for speed, having two hulls 

 joined by a light framework which supports the mast. 5. A scolding, 

 quarrelsome person, especially a woman." The last definition seems to 

 have nothing to do with boats ... or does it? 



The catamaran was used centuries ago in the Pacific and Indian Oceans 

 by primitive tribes. However, it is only in recent years that the catamaran 

 has been perfected to perform in various wind conditions and on all 

 points or positions of sailing. 



For those unfamiliar with the modern sailing catamaran, the craft 

 consists of two separate hull units rather than the one hull of a conven- 

 tional boat. When turned upside down, the "cat," as it usually is called, 

 gives the appearance of two broad-beamed planing hulls joined side by 

 side with an indention or a tunnel in the place of the keel of the stand- 

 ard type of construction. Viewed from broad abeam, the catamaran looks 

 almost like an ordinary boat. However, when viewed from the bow, the 



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