What are catamarans?
If we want to simplify the term, the catamaran is a boat with two hulls. The multihull boat is not just the invention of the modern era, for thousands of years, the Polynesians have relied on the multi-hull boat in the form of the Outrigger. But today we can see them mostly in two forms which are called Trimaran and Catamaran. Modern catamarans are mostly made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. Catamarans were created to be fishing boats though their use has widened and increased manifold in today’s times.
Little history
Catamarans were seldom constructed in the West before the 19th century, but they were in wide use as early as the 5th century by the Tamil people of Tamil Nadu, South India. The word “catamaran” is derived from the Tamil word, kattumaram, which means “logs bound together”, although this did not originally refer to double-hulled boats but to a type of raft made of two or more tree trunks. Today, the word “kattumaram” belongs to a type of single-hulled boat made from various lashed and shaped logs in Tamil-speaking areas in eastern India.
In the present times…
There is a huge change in modern catamarans .not only in the usage but also in the design and construction. In the past, catamarans were only known as a sailboat or a fishing boat but now the time has changed. There are 2 primary design types of catamarans known as Pontoon and SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull). The former is quite small, compact, and uses floats; whereas the latter is quite large and is designed primarily to maintain the balance in areas of the sea which have unpredictable currents and tides.
Some of the main types of catamarans can be elaborated as follows:
- Power catamarans
These types of catamarans are popularly known as “multi-hull powerboats” or “power cats,”
Their bigger motors give them higher top speeds but these cats also need reinforced hulls to handle the weight and power of these engines. Catamarans come in the market with various shapes and sizes. Smaller power cats are marketed as a fishing boat and the bigger ones are marketed as cruising platforms.
2. Cruise Catamarans
Popularly known as luxury catamarans or ferry catamarans. It offers the ultimate luxury to the passengers who take a trip in such ferries. The speedier nature of such ferryboats ensures that the riders get the cruise trip of their choice without any lapse in time. It also has an addition of engines, which has made cruise catamarans more popular within the crowd.
3. Sailing Catamarans
These types of catamarans are used for recreational purposes by people who want to experience the life of a sailor. In other words, catamaran sailing can also be referred to as catamarans that are used as yachts, the average speed of sailing catamarans is 300 nautical miles.
It has to be noted that catamarans are quite novel in their creation and development. Unlike some other types of boats, they have not become inoperative or extinct. Their name still commands unique respect, which is what makes a catamaran adapt more successfully to the changing era and times.
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