Designs that Shape the Future of Multihulls

May 21 Meeting Presentation

Multihull sailors have a strong interest in sailing technology and innovation. NWMA has often invited designers and home builders to speak at the meetings. For May we will take a look at a number of designs that demonstrate important innovations that foreshadow the designs of the future. We use the extensive knowledge of the members to trigger a lively conversation.



The questions we pose for boat designs are:

  1. How does it sail? How does it handle different wind conditions? To weather, reaching, and running? What effect do the design innovations have on sailing effectiveness?

  2. What are the safety considerations of the design? Do the design innovations have an effect on safety? How does it handle difficult conditions? Are there provisions for capsize or to reduce capsize?

  3. How does it cruise? What kind of cruising is envisioned?

  4. What are the durability considerations of the design? What special considerations are given for ease of repair?



The boat designs of interest are:

  1. Gunboat catamarans - What is the influence of racing on this design? There appears to be an intentional centralization of mass. What are the effects on handling? Key points on accommodations including large main cabin. The boat is driven from the center of the cabin rather than the more common placement. What are the strengths and sacrifices of that design? The designs are in the same arena as the Young Yacht Design series, what are the differences and how will that effect the boat performance for sailing and cruising?

  2. Young Yacht Design - Earthling 57 – There are a number of important innovations here including materials, the mast, the intentional use of shared space and many others. Are some of these better candidates for other designers to pick up? The designs are in the same arena as the Gunboat series, what are the differences and how will that effect the boat performance?

  3. Bimare Javelin beach catamaran - Is this a production rendering of trends in class A beach cats on production cats? 17 knots to weather! Wave piercing bows. Planing surface far forward on the hulls. A very tall mast. Are there design elements that could have an influence on mid sized boats? How do the design features work in longer races such as the Worrell? For example: is the design less tiring over distance than an Inter 20? Does the mast height become a self rescue problem in distance races?

  4. Aegean Catri 27 - Use of hydrofoils in a mid sized production trimaran. Top measured speed is 30+ knots. How does it sail? How does it cruise? It appears to do both well. What are the benefits? What are the costs?

  5. Reynolds 33, 40, 50 and the new trimaran - What are the primary design goals? How are they different than other beach cats on steroids such as the Firebird and Grainger? How are they using modular design to reduce cost? How are they structuring their business and marketing using new methods? With the trimaran design, what is the balance between low and high speed performance? What are some of the other design decisions?

  6. The new Farrier designs – The amas have been significantly redesigned, are there changes in the main hull as well? What experience has inspired the new innovations? What are the desired design outcomes? Where do the new designs outperform the old ones?

Other technologies may alter the multihull of the future.

  1. Solomon Technologies electric drive - Can leaving the motor on really reduce transit time? What are the benefits and costs? Is this our lightweight future for all boats or is this a solution that only works for cruising? Fuel cell is being explored as a way to augment batteries. Will this work here too? How will the new battery technology effect this?

  2. Tacktick wireless electronics - what happens when we don't need wires for signals? These are light enough to put on beach cats. Each module is self powered. LED lighting could do that. Is this part of a revolution in overall electronics designs? What will electronics look like in 5 years for a racing boat or a cruising boat?

  3. Kites - Will they change boat design for racing, cruising? A current design parameter is plenty of flotation forward to keep from pitchpoling downwind under heavy weather. If we get lift in those conditions will designs move toward wave piercing or early planing? What other impacts do they have?

Northwest Multihull Association