Modern cruising catamarans and trimarans have unique requirements in terms of sail design and construction. The reason for this stems from the stability provided by their wide beams, which in conjunction with their lack of heeling can make it difficult to determine when to reef ...read more
The French obsession with long-distance sailing, whether solo or fully crewed, has long been a phenomenon of superlatives. But even those superlatives pale in comparison to what French sailing legend Francis Joyon and his five crew managed to accomplish this past winter: smashing ...read more
Multihulls are famously stable. But the fact that they don’t heel also means their rigs carry higher loads. Unlike a monohull rig, a multihull rig must stand up to gusts and changes in wind direction. With regard to running rigging, most modern catamarans now also sport large ...read more
Energy self-sufficiency been a dream of mine since I first started cruising in small sail boats. In fact, it was the sole reason I chose to become a sailor, rather than a powerboater—there is nothing quite as exhilarating as putting your life into the hands of nature and ...read more
The defining feature of most modern multihulls is a large, robustly built mainsail, typically with full battens and a dramatic roach. The sails are cut large to maximize the performance for which multihulls are renowned, especially to windward. They are heavily constructed to ...read more
The story behind the evolution of today’s offshore multihulls is a colorful one, with more than its share of twists and turns. In this excerpt from his book Ocean Pioneers, renowned technical illustrator and marine artist Robbert Das looks at two of the modern multihull’s ...read more
The French love affair with multihulls proved contagious at the 5th edition of the Salon International Du Multicoques at La Grande-Motte. This popular Mediterranean resort and port, built during the 1960s and ’70s, has been described by architects as Frank Lloyd Wright meets the ...read more
You’re trying to decide the best way to rig your new multihull, or you want to replace the original rigging with something more up-to-date. There are a lot of rigging technologies available these days, but are they affordable and cost-effective? We spoke with two pro riggers in ...read more
Upgrades that add comfort, performance and value to your older mulltiLow-drag propellersWhen pushed, even sailmakers will admit that, more than fancy new sails, a low-drag prop is the most effective way to improve a cruising boat’s performance. Most catamarans are sold with ...read more
The British speed sailing boat Sailrocket has set a new world record, before self-destructing in spectacular fashion. Helmed by Australian Paul Larsen, the lightweight flier hit peak speeds of 52 knots in only 22 knots of wind and averaged 47.36 knots over the 500 meter course ...read more
