Catamaran Sailboats
Catamaran Sailboats are some of the most interesting sailing boats I have ever seen. With there twin hulls and large sailing area, they are also some of the fastest sailing boats on the market.
With a wire mesh of plastic and space for over 4 people to sit comfortably on some, the catamaran is an incredible maritime innovation that is changing sailing forever.
I was fortunate to be able sail one of these on a Sunsail holiday in Greece. I sailed a Hobie Cat, which had a trapeze for 2 people and a very long rudder. There was no spinnaker and only a small gib, but that catamaran flew across the water in just Force 4 winds.
It was enormous fun and I thoroughly encourage anyone who has never tried to sail a twin hulled catamaran to do so and find out what all the fuss is about.
Catamarans are speedy, light and require no centreboard; what more could you want! Sailing them is very different to sailing a dinghy with a whole lot of new things to learn and new parts of it to become accustomed with before you actually go out and sail one.
For instance did you know that too much rudder will kill all speed even if you are going at full pelt?
They are great to just lie on and soak in the sun as their decks are huge in comparison to boats of a similar length and type. Other day tripper boats don't really have enough space for a family, but these wide gargantuans can easily give you the space you need for up to 5 or 6 people.
What other boat could do that (except for yachts of course - but I did say day trippers!)
There are some catamarans that out perform all others. There are some that go to so fast that they can fly above the water. There catamarans are high performance.
These are the extreme of the extreme the creme de la creme of the entire class. If you ever get to sail one of these, you won't forget it in a hurry!
Over 1500 years old and still going, the concept behind the catamaran's unique hull design is still a wonderous thing to see and sail in. Such sitting on it is a real experience. The size and comfort of catamarans, is also staggering.
For a boat this old, it can only get better by becoming more streamline, more buoyant and less water resistant, but at the moment I am comfortable with what we have right now!
Small Catamarans like the Hobie Cat are great fun. They are gigantic for dinghies and yet go as fast or faster than any dinghy I have ever sailed and the only downside is the lack of planing!
In this article, I give a review of the Hobie Cat and how it is just as much fun as any other boat as well as my favourite to sail.
I always knew that Catamarans were fast, but I didn't know that yacht catamarans were fast! This catamaran breaks through world records in the speed it takes you to even think about chartering a catamaran as it flies through the water with breath taking technology and the latest navigation systems.
Apparently the Myth that catamaran yachts were slow has been broken...
Return from Catamaran Sailboats to Started Sailing
