Multi's

[Noah]

This video shows just how fast they really are:

http://www.gryphonsolo.com/video%20clips/multihull.mov

[mmd]

Cool video, Noah. Interesting to note that the cat's bows are shaped more like a planing hull than the elliptical sections of boats of only a couple of years ago.

There is an article in the latest edition of Professional Boatbuilder on French multihulls. On the last page of the article it mentions that the 120-ft catamaran Orange II constructed by Multiplast has smashed the record for the longest 24-hour run, gobbling up 703 nautical miles in one day. To do this, she will at times have had to be running at speeds close to 50 knots. That is 57.5 mph! :eek: :D

http://images.sail-online.fr/Large/8809.jpg

[Noah]

Yes they are amazing...Orange was only 30 minutes off the trans-atlantic record I believe. It's always scary to think what happens when you crash...and you sure hope you don't hit anything.

Noah

[TimothyB]

I'm proud to be an employee of Orange, and if she ever comes our way I intend on exercising as much clout as I can to get a look at her! ;)

I've been very happy that she has done as well as she has, but dissapointed that Orange got out of F4 racing. Ah well..

PS: Found this link.. 360 degree tour of the vessel.

http://195.154.238.164/home/orange2004en/default.htm

And her main web site

http://www.maxicatamaran-orange.com/

[ 09-02-2004, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: TimothyB ]

[Billy Bones]

Wow! And reefed no less.

Is that strut between the mastheads still known as a triatic? Spoiler? Floatation?

[John Bell]

I downloaded the video and played it for a sailing colleague. We both give it two thumbs waaaayyyy up.

Very cool. I love how it passed the Open 60 like it was sitting still.

Can you imagine spending days at a time aboard that thing, though? It's got to be noisy! And the spray! And the motion! That thing would beat you to death. :eek:

[John Bell]

Stepped hulls, biplane rig, only 10,000 lbs.

http://www.parlier.org/hydraplaneur/images/bateau/grand_legende.jpg

[Noah]

One interesting thing is that the foils on the rudder aren't for lift, but rather to keep the stern down so you don't pitchpole.

[John Bell]

Somebody last week posted a picture of a pitchpoled trimaran with the little foils on the rudder. It doesn't always work.

That's why the real innovation on this boat is the stepped hulls. They claim this design produces enough lift at speed to greatly reduce the tendency to bury the bow and pitchpole. I still think this would be brutal boat to spend more than a few hours on, though. But what fun/fear would those few hours be!

Sign me up!

[brian.cunningham]

The stepped hull cat ran in the the TransAt (http://www.thetransat.com/) to Boston.
http://www.thetransat.com/en/Images/RowesWharf.jpg
I saw the boat, real neat looking.
http://www.thetransat.com/dbimages/600x400/mediatis_finish_3409_sd.jpg
But he had to back off, the hulls just pounded to much. :( He wound up finishing several days behind the rest of the field.

The speed these boats reach is unreal, and the fact that can keep it up, the average speed is the real kicker! And alone at sea to boot!!

Even multihull cruisers can reach 20+ knots.

[ 09-02-2004, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[TimH]

must be fun when you have to put in that second reef :D

[Doug Wood]

holy smokes...now that's scootin'

[kpenokie]

Yes yes fast..... but lets see them go to wind.

[John Bell]

Got to wind compared to what? Over what course?

With the speeds these things can attain, who cares that they can't point?! I don't have any hard data, but the VMGs have still got to be pretty darned impressive.

The Transat is considered a mostly uphill race, isn't it? The multi's got to port before anyone, so they must have something to windward.

[TR]

they must have something to windward. Of course multihulls can sail to windward, the idea that they can't is left over from some poor designs done in the 1960's.

As any boat sails to windward the apparent wind moves aft, and increases in speed proportionate to vessel speed. Multihulls are light, therefore fast, so the apparent wind angle and speed increase more than for the average mono. So good multihulls achieve better VMG to weather than good monohulls. That’s why multihulls have been wining the Trans Atlantic races for the past 20 years.

For some awesome sailing check the video of the Outremer 50 sailing at 18 knots in 20 knots of wind.

multihull videos (http://www.aeroyacht.com/OUTREMER/SlideShows_Videos.htm)

Tad

[Thad]

I think the apparant wind moves forward and increases -- vectors.

[John B]

We have a fleet of multis start behind us in our winter racing . They end up crossing us a few times as they truck on through over the day. Most of them can sail just as high as us and we are competitive.

edited to add. I mean competitive at a certain level.old fart club racing. The hot shots with the kevlar and stuff can go a few degrees higher.

[ 09-05-2004, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: John B ]

[TR]

Erk....Of course you are right Thad. I do not know what I was thinking, but I had it all figured out while I was writing it. I was completely incorrect to state apparent angle moves aft, it moves forward and increases with boat speed, as you stated. Nevermind.

But, nonetheless, the number of hulls a boat has or doesn’t have, makes no difference as to whether or not she will sail to windward.

I read a small joke the other day. "There are three kinds of boats; cats, half-a-cat, and cat-and-a-half."

All the best, Tad