one vs. two outriggers for small canoe

[Anau]

Hi, I'm trying to design a simple open outrigger canoe for my first boatbuilding project. I've got the hull down (~14' in length, 2' at it's widest), now it seems just a matter of choosing one or two outriggers. I'm planning on using foam as the material for the floats. So my question is, what are the pros and cons of using single and double outriggers? I like the stability of two outriggers but is it harder to steer? Thanks

[frosh]

Anau, I have built an 18 ft tacking proa as opposed to one that has bow at each end and have written a description of its performance in a different forum. If you are interested, then click on the following web site and scroll down to High performance outrigger part 1 and also part 2 and you will get some feedback.
BTW I am currently converting the proa into a trimaran, and using more bouyant floats. A number of respondents to my article on Proafile did not agree with my views so don't make up your mind without doing further reasearch yourself.
http://www.proafile.com/

[Anau]

Thanks, your article provided me with a lot of insight. I never realized how important the weight of the ama is when it's on the windward side and how it can actually be counter-productive when it's on the leeward.

It seems once you build the hull, you can really play around with different styles of outriggers. I'm now thinking of using two narrow and buoyant floats on either side. I'm guessing since I'm not planning on doing any high-performance sailing, I could get away with more slender/less bulky floats.

Another thing I'll have to experiment with is how far from the main hull I should place the amas.