Catamaran

What is a catamaran? Simply put, a catamaran is a boat with two hulls. The term is derived from the Tamil word kattumaram, meaning "tree trunks bound together". Far from their rudimentary beginnings, today's catamarans are generally built in fiberglass or carbon, with two hulls joined by a deck, and are designed in many sizes and for a variety of activities.

Sailing catamarans have made great strides in recent decades. Small day sailing catamarans are popular because they provide a safe and simple learning platform. You'll find fleets of them in seaside resorts, where they're used by people with very little sailing experience. These small boats are generally made of roto-molded plastic or fiberglass and usually have no auxiliary engine, their only source of propulsion being the sails.

Tall ships have invaded the world of long-distance cruising and bareboat charters. Almost all bareboat charter companies based in the tropics now offer more sailing catamarans than monohulls, and their numbers are also increasing in destinations such as the Mediterranean. As a rule, sailing catamarans have two engines, one in each hull, for maneuvering, as well as a mast supporting a mainsail and at least one headsail.