[MHml] Catamaran vs Trimaran

[Larry Forgy]

A variation on this theme, which I always wondered about (being a 
catamaran owner), was the claim that trimarans were better going to 
windward and catamarans were better on reaches.

One argument for the better windward ability of the tris was that with a 
center hull, they could get better tension on the forestay.  This made 
sense to me in my old fixed-mast monohull days, but is that still true 
with more modern three-stay rotating-mast rigs?  I don't see how tris 
with that configuration could have better forestay tension than a cat.

I would suppose then that it comes down to the fact (dare I use that 
word?) that tris can withstand more heeling force on a beat, and a cat's 
bow can withstand more bow burying force than a trimaran ama on a reach.

Uh, please address the rig question before telling me I'm wrong about 
the second statement.

Thanks,
Larry Forgy
Macgregor 36
"We're not lost"

Bill Gibbs wrote:

>Old and long thread, which I did not just completely re-read.
>
>As I recall, prior discussions on this topic concluded that the "rule" was the primary determiner of advantage.
>
>Limit length, a tri can be faster.
>Limit beam, a cat can be faster.
>Limit $, a cat can be faster for the construction cost.
>Limit sail area, a cat can be faster
>
>Using length as a primary speed class criteria is a holdover from monohulls and hull speed limits.  It has no more inherent validity
>with multihulls than any other parameter limit.  It is a popular one though.
>
>Bill
>Afterburner
>
>
>  
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