A New Breed of Cat
The world’s fastest boats, whether powered by wind or fossil fuels, have one thing in common (well, multiple things actually): they’re multi-hulled catamarans. Why are catamarans faster? It boils down to hydrodynamics. Two slim hulls push less water than one deep V. With less resistance, catamarans run faster. Speed, however, is hardly the only benefit of a cat. A catamaran slices through the seas like a sharp sushi blade through a tuna belly. Cats don’t pound; they ride soft. Why? It’s basic physics.
A catamaran has two sharp edges entering the wave rather than one wide edge. This breaks up the waves and makes for a softer entry in a head sea. The same could be said in a quartering sea. The bow of a catamaran enters the seas one sponson at a time, which splits the waves for a smoother entry and a cushy landing.
When discussing catamarans versus monohulls, you could say the difference is akin to a knife versus a baseball bat. The knife cuts and stays on top of the waves while the bat pushes through. Yes, you can put the trim tabs down
