cAtamaran Design

[Fergus]

I would like to know where and/or how to obtain design information or training for subject: "sailing catamarans". I am not interested in monohulls, power boats, or commercial boats. I am not necessarily interested in obtaining a degree, although that would be alright.

Problem is that formal universities appear to offer the full gammit of courses, the vast majority of which hold no interest for me. I have not found one that is able or willing to offer select courses. I have also not been able to find in-depth design books specifically aimed at sailing catamarans. Most design information, relating to monohull sailboats, do not apply to catamaran sailboats.

Any and all suggestions would be wecome.

[Gades]

Well, it´s not that I´m an expert at all, but before I´d try with cats I´d go for monohulls. Just because you´ll find a lot more literature to sutdy, and once you get the principles and you are sure to understand what´s going on; then, I think you should move to the cats field.

There are quite a few design courses, but I´ve never heard of one that would be specialized in cats. What I would do, is start a "normal" course, and when you have to do your final project (you will for sure), then you can design a cat.

What do you think about this option?

[Stephen Ditmore]

Try http://www.dcss.org/ayrs/

For information on a school in France that might be relevant try http://www.dcss.org/ayrs/newsltrs/july97/
Scroll down the choices on the left side and click on "L'Ecole Nationale Superieure de Techniques Avancees".

Also ask Richard Roake at
http://members.aol.com/AdvTranSys/private/Fp.htm
Gino or Pete at
http://www.morrellimelvin.com/
Giles Ollier at Multiplast, or other well known cat designers.

See also Michlet available again (but no longer free)

[Stephen Ditmore]

You might also try asking at
http://www.crowther.com.au/powerboa...ler/trawler.htm
and
http://www.tennantdesign.co.nz/

[Stephen Ditmore]

Related to Leo L. of Michlet fame:
http://www.maths.adelaide.edu.au/App...ds/people.html
http://www.maths.adelaide.edu.au/App...azausk/leo.htm

[Stephen Ditmore]

The Crowther link should have been
http://www.crowther.com.au/

[Stephen Ditmore]

Studying composite engineering with this guy:
http://structure.stanford.edu/people...tsai/tsai.html
Would be another way to go, and if you have the chance you should ask Dirk Kramers or Ben or Eric Hall at www.hallspars.com their opinion.

[Stephen Ditmore]

I guess this subject has my attention! One more note -- that's it. You might want to speak with Dr. Zborowski at http://www.fit.edu/catalog/eng/ocean-eng.html
I think hydrofoil designer Sam Bradfield taught in this program at one time.

[Stephen Ditmore]

See also
Multihull Resistance
(Joe Norwood is a physicist and multihull broker in St. Augustine, FL, and is or was head of the Southeast U.S. chapter of AYRS)

Thanks very much for all your good suggestions and especially the contact addresses. It is far more information that I had to begin with.

Also I was wondering if the following books are known and if you can comment on their worth?

High Speed Sailing: Design Factors, A Study of High-Performance Multihull Yacht Design. by Joseph Norwood

Yacht Design Explained: A Sailor's Guide to the Principles and Practice of Design. by Steve Killing

Boats With an Open Mind: Seventy-Five Unconventional Designs and Concepts. by philip C. Bolger

[Stephen Ditmore]

I know both Bolger and Norwood personally. Bolger's a good designer in many respects, and I credit him with making me think in a less constrained way. He's good on traditional rig types, but I don't think his understanding of performance multihulls is good. He has done some interesting tinkering with canard rudders, though, and on that subject may well have worthwhile insights. He's a good read, but not a good source on performance cats.

Norwood is a physicist, and if you like reading the equations of a physicist I suspect the book (I haven't read it but have read other things he's written) is worthwhile. I would treat his work as theoretically interesting, but not the last word in naval architecture. I regard both Bolger's work and Norwood's as stimulating starting points for further investigation and creative work.

Steve Killing is one of the original developers of Fastship computer software, and designed a pair of 12 meters for the 1987 America's Cup. I have not read the book, or anything he's written as far as I recall, but from the title I suspect the book is pretty basic. I'm not sure why, as I have little doubt that Killing is capable of technically demanding stuff.

I hope someone who has read these books will comment...

Originally Posted by Fergus

I would like to know where and/or how to obtain design information or training for subject: "sailing catamarans". I am not interested in monohulls, power boats, or commercial boats. I am not necessarily interested in obtaining a degree, although that would be alright.

Problem is that formal universities appear to offer the full gammit of courses, the vast majority of which hold no interest for me. I have not found one that is able or willing to offer select courses. I have also not been able to find in-depth design books specifically aimed at sailing catamarans. Most design information, relating to monohull sailboats, do not apply to catamaran sailboats.

Any and all suggestions would be wecome.

Westlawn Institute of Marine Sciences has courses on multi hull design but they are only offered with the complete program leading to a degree in naval design. I suggest you go online to see the site, www.Westlawn.com. I think you ought to try building a multi hull first. there are plenty of sites on the internet where plans are available.