Next message: (no name): "Re: lv-ab: Catamaran life..."
In a message dated 07/09/2001 2:31:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
>
> The point = Rolling a properly designed cruising cat (theoretically)
> requires :
>
> 65 knots of wind on the beam
> Full genoa (not reefed)
> Full main (not reefed)
> Both sails sheeted in tight as a drum.
>
> That would be insanity. It doesn't matter if the wind sneaks up on you or
> not. 65 knots is still 65 knots.
>
> I submit that the above scenario would be very dangerous for any sailing
> vessel, monohull or multihull. A prudent sailor deals with it...he/she
> doesn't sit in the cockpit drinking tea when all hell breaks loose.
>
>
The above may be true if one is considering the force of the wind, the
stability of the boat, and the sea to be flat. However, I know that
monohulls with little or no sail can be rolled completely over by a breaking
sea even with all their ballast - such reports abound. I am certain, given
the seas I have seen from the bridge of a ship in 27 years in the Merchant
Marine, that there are conditions, inescapable at sea, which could easily do
the same to a multihull, without the righting forces of a ballasted monohull
to return the vessel to the upright position.
Although I must admit that multihulls have sailed the world over
successfully, a multihull is more stable upside down, the monohull more
stable rightside up. In a confrontation with a breaking sea, I would prefer
to be rightside up after the sea has passed.
Norm
___________________________________________________________________________
|| The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request ||
|| in body of message to: ||
