This thread has brought forth many different opinions and ideas relating to catamaran design...always interesting to hear different perspectives.
However, when it is all said and done, to the best of my knowledge, no one who has responded to this thread has the "proven track record" (encompasing both race winning sailing and design expertise) that Bill Roberts has exhibited over the course of his life time.
It is one thing to theorize about what may or may not work based on opinion, or a computer model, it is a different story to have a solid history to back up your position. We have to remind ourselves that while computers make many things easier to calculate, it still is in essence a tool. It is only as good as what you put into it...
It is amazing how bold we can be when sitting behind a key board...basicly challenging a successful and inovative aeronautical engineer/catamaran designers whole carrier based on our elementary understanding of sailing and boat design (in most cases)...Or at very least without the benefit of his years of practical experience and experimentation.
It is a real blessing that Bill comes on this forum and take the time and energy to respond to questions with detailed technical explanations. Blending engineering skills and practical experience, he is uniquely qualified to help us all...Let's make sure we continue to give him the level of respect he has earned.
Bob
