Catamarans

A catamaran is a ship that has two hulls joined by a frame. The design of the catamaran is not a new one, as these boats have been used for centuries by the native tribes of the South Pacific. They were traditionally rowed with oars or powered by sails and today they can be powered by sail or by engines. However, they are relatively new in their use for leisure and sports.

Modern catamarans have multi-hulls and there are three main terms used to describe their components. These terms do come from the language of Micronesia and are the terms used for an outrigger canoe. These terms are:

• Aka – this is the part of the hull that connects the hull to the outrigger

• Ama – the term for the outrigger

• Vaka – the main part of the hull

A catamaran consists of two Amas that are separated by two Akas. The Akas may be suspended on a platform or have a structure similar to a trampoline between them. The Amas are mainly flotation devices for about 40 feet. They can be very large.

There are different types of catamarans. The pontoon boat is the cheapest form of this ship and the easiest to build. They are powered by engines and they do not need any ballast. SWATH (Small Watercraft Area Twin Hull) vessels are specially designed for use in rough waters and a large proportion of the deck area is designed for the displacement allowing them to be large without being heavy in the water. There are many passenger ferries of this type used today because of their speed, allowing them to transport more passengers on more trips.

Catamarans used for sailing can be harder to tack but they do have a greater speed than traditional sailing boats, reaching speeds greater than 1.5 times the speed of wind. They are also less likely to capsize in the ordinary sense, but they do have a tendency to pitch forward capsizing from the front.

There are several reasons why catamarans are becoming more popular for sport and recreational uses. They are lighter because of the lack of keel counterweight. Since they are wider, they can accommodate wider sails and have more stability in windy conditions and rough waters.