Catamaran

Differences between Mono-Hull Boats and Catamarans

Boats are vessels designed to float and move through water. They are available in different shapes and forms.

There are many types of boats that can be ordered from big companies. Most boats are of mono-hull design, which means that the hull is made up of one shell. Also there are boats of multiple hull design. One of these boats is a type called a catamaran.

A catamaran is a boat or ship that has two hulls joined together by a frame. It can be powered by a sail or an engine.

Sailing catamarans at sea are almost similar to sailing and operating mono hulls. However, there are some differences in sailing the former.

For example, catamarans are much more difficult to tack, or to turn its bow through the wind so that the wind changes from one side to another. Sailboats must be able to overcome lateral movement to be able to move in other directions, not only on downwind. A catamaran withstands lateral movement by using its hull design. This gives the boat little resistance to motion in the forward direction and much resistance to lateral motion.

The catamaran’s design places the lateral resistance to the bow and stern which are far from the turning axis of the boat. This makes it harder for the catamaran to turn.

Compared to mono-hulls, catamarans cannot be capsized easily if it lists towards the water on its side. However, it has the tendency to pitch over. This means that the bow has the inclination to sink into the sea as the boat leans over forward.

Catamarans are also faster than mono-hulls. That’s because each hull of a catamaran is slimmer in cross section than those of mono-hulls. This makes them resistant to water drag.

Catamarans are also faster than mono-hulls because they are lighter. That’s mainly because of the absence of any keel counterweight that are needed in mono-hull boats. Also, the materials used in the construction of catamarans are lightweight.

Another reason why catamarans are faster is that they have a wider beam. This makes the boat more stable. Having a wider beam also allows the boat to carry more sail per unit of length compared to an equivalent mono-hull.

This improved stability also means that the catamaran’s sail is more likely to stay upright in a gust. Thus, the sail draws more power than a mono-hull’s sail which usually heels or leans over.