Some poetry of note, on cruising in a Covid world, and something from Dick Dorworth's back catalog...
The other day someone questioned why I was so anti-multihull. A sentiment that always surprises me because I really love multihulls and I'd love to write more on new interesting affordable catamaran, trimaran, and proa designs.
The thing is, interesting and affordable multihull designs are as rare as hens teeth. For instance, Paul Bieker's B53 catamaran is all kinds of interesting but it's not a design I could afford to build or maintain and I know very few people who could.
Most production cats (or should I condomarans) I come across are of the same old same design brief that seems to have most owners using them as motorsailers if they sail at all. The truth is that multihull design suffers from the fact that it's the nature of multihulls to be weight sensitive and the accommodation that is currently fashionable inhibits performance which adds up to a problematic equation.
Made worse, of course, as most folk attracted to multihulls these days are more interested in creature comforts rather than performance. A situation that adds on the poundage to the point where it is no longer a surprise to sail past boat with immersed bridgedecks.
So, if anyone is aware of any interesting multihull designs being developed by some unknown designers out there do drop me a line because I'd really like to see some interesting boats to write about.
Listening to Admiral Fallow
So it goes...
