Definition - AMA

[JOFRACON]

Good afternoon
As a newcomer to this sight I have an opening question.
I am building a catamaran . In all of the literature for the design an acronym for the hulls has come into play that I am having trouble locating a definition for. What does AMA stand for? What is the origin for this acronym? Where can I learn more about its origin?

Thanks
John C

[duluthboats]

In multi-hull boats an ama (not an acronym) is an individual hull. I believe the term comes from South Pacific out-rigger canoes.
I will add it would be the float part of the out-rigger. How it would relate to a catamaran I’m not sure. On a tri the amas would be the side floats.

Gary

[SailDesign]

Gary - say it ain't so.....
I always assumed it stood for "American Multihull Association"

[duluthboats]

LOL!!!!

This boat stuff is perplexing.

Gary

[JOFRACON]

Originally Posted by duluthboats

In multi-hull boats an ama (not an acronym) is an individual hull. I believe the term comes from South Pacific out-rigger canoes.
I will add it would be the float part of the out-rigger. How it would relate to a catamaran I’m not sure. On a tri the amas would be the side floats.

Gary

Thanks Gary
I appreciate the rapid response. I am in fact constructing a modified Cat that has a shorter hull in the center. If that makes the outer areas an AMA so be it but, if AMA is not an acronym is it a word? What language? Tribe? Polynesian?
Still curious
John C

[briany]

I believe the word ama originates from polynesia. There is another word proa which also refers to a catamaran, although in this case the sail is set on one hull which is intended to be the windward hull. I seem to recall that even the word catamaran is a corruption of a polynesian word. I need to re-read some books to confirm the above.
If you are interested a good place to start is a book called "Project Cheers" by Tom Follett, Dick Newick and Jim Morris published in Great Britain by Adlard Coles Ltd. This describes the building and sailing of a small boat which nearly beat the big boys in a single handed transatlantic race in 1968
Briany on St Georges Day

[duluthboats]

John,

Welcome to the forum, as you see the answer sometimes takes a little sifting. I often type before I think, and the pro’s here, thankfully put me straight.

A Google search shows no "American Multihull Association", I did find this, maybe they are the offspring.
http://www.catsailor.com/namsa/namsa.html

The best multihull reference I have is Chris White’s, The Cruising Multihull. This is from that book. “All multihulls are made from hulls, not pontoons. ….. No one likes his or her multihull described as a pontoon boat.” And this. “A few designers and multihull sailors use borrowed Polynesian terminology to describe the parts of a trimaran. …. vaka for the main hull, aka for the cross beam, and ama for the float”

Gary

[Robert Miller]

Ama is indeed a word.
It does indeed refer to the outboard hulls (floats).
And I do believe it is of Polynesian origin, as others have said.

But why are y'all slighting the equally interesting word for the cross-members that hold those hulls together?

These are Aka's.
Also Polynesian (or so I have always believed).

So your ama's are held together by your aka's.

Or, to put it another way, what's an aka without an ama?


Robert

[duluthboats]

LoL!!!!

[briany]

Gary and Robert beat me to it. Know we all know.
Briany on St Georges Day

[gonzo]

I believe you are reffering to a "pod" if it is a small hull in between.

[Chris Krumm]

Robert -

I think an aka without an ama is a hiking board, ( or a proa or tri that's come to a bad end...)

Chris Krumm

[SailDesign]

A Google search shows no "American Multihull Association",

Gary - Next time you decide to take me seriously, PLEASE let me know. You owe me a keyboard for that one!

Steve

[duluthboats]

Hey Steve, AMA is perfect, worth the search anyway. Inquiring minds always want to know.

Gary