What are the primary contributors to capsizing catamarans??
1) Tall Full-Battened Mainsails
They are the primary contributors. They have the height/lever-arm to take those BIG multiple increases in the force exerted by those sudden gust of squall conditions, and turn them into overturning forces. Why do all the knowledgeable sailors, and the manufacturers themselves suggest taking a reef of the main as a first defense,...and not only a
single reef, ...but often a double reef for
safety purposes !! and hopefully one will have the time and extra person to perform that task.
Have a look at those 2 previous examples I posted,...experienced crew that were anticipating foul
weather, and yet were overwhelmed and capsized.
2) Tall Full-Battened Mainsails
They are a primary contributor to pitch-poling. They are contributor to diagonal stability,...bow down attitude. Look at their height and the design of the drafts in their construction,..
The
draft pocket of the main is inclined to the vertical such that the sail drives forward and downward. On reaches and broad reaches this contributes lots of
downward pressure on the hull(s), and particularly the bow(s). I talked about it long ago on my website,... Equally important the
draft pockets on these two headsails are both in harmony,
lifting and driving ahead as opposed to the old Bermudian
mainsail which drove
downward on a reach.
If you really want to
experience it first hand, go take a beach cat for a sail downwind in some heavy air.
So a question is, 'Why do all of the manufactures continue to design and build their catamarans with these big full-battened, Bermudian mainsails ??
...good luck!
