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One-Design Class Sailboat Handbook 

 MAJOR ONE-DESIGN CLASS 



Because catamarans are a late entry on the sailing scene, there are few 

 racing associations formed. This is due: 1. to the lack of concentration in 

 any given area; and 2. the design problems that arise when their solutions 

 require changes in sail plan, hull form and other features, making it 

 difficult to set class standards. But, as the popularity of cats increases, 

 racing regattas are bound to get started. Actually, many yacht clubs have 

 added catamaran starts to their regatta schedule, and they have even been 

 included in the big race weeks at Larchmont and Marblehead in the 

 East and at San Francisco Bay in the West. 



foot 



Sail measurement for handicap rule used by the Eastern 

 Multihull Sailing Association 



Where there is a variety of catamarans, and not enough for separate 

 classes, they are usually raced in an open catamaran class with som^ type 

 of handicap. The handicapping system employed by the race committee 

 may vary greatly and all too often, favors one class. Also, as noted pre- 

 viously, the larger boats will usually outperform the smaller ones even 

 with well formulated handicaps. For this reason, it is a good idea to have 

 the catamarans grouped closely according to size, with at least two groups, 

 starting at different times. Sixteen feet has been most widely accepted 

 as the dividing point of sizes when handicapping. 



At the present time there are three different organizations governing 

 overall catamaran racing in North America. They are the Pacific Cata- 

 maran Association on the West Coast, the Eastern Multihull Sailing 

 Association in the East and the Canadian Catamaran Association in 



