As the days quickly approach Christmas and the only sailing I am doing is in my dreams, I wanted to see if someone could answer some questions for me as it relates to sailing and sailboats. They are simple to ask and perhaps difficult to answer but here goes:

What drives the regional popularity of some classes of sailboats? Let me explain. When I visit my birthplace of WI, I see large fleets of C-scows or 'A-scows (the A's are for those with bucks). When I tell them I own a catamaran, all they say is 'oh, a catamaran, is it a Hobie?' That is the end of the conversation and their attitude is reflected in the lack of catamarans on many of the local lakes (Pewaukee, Monona in Madison). I know Michigan has a very large fleet of catamarans so maybe this region of Wisconsin is unique with its large fleets of scows.

Here is the next question that may stir some responses; the attitude of some of these scow sailors is that catamarans are a novelty or a toy sailboat (dare I say, not worthy of their respect). I have never understood why some sailors look down their noses at catamarans. Maybe someone could explain that to this novice. I have heard some say 'you can't tack a catamaran'. Perhaps this is their logic for dismissing catamarans and cat sailors. Again, correct me if I am wrong.

Now, here is the simple question that my kids want to know; what happened to the multicolor sails of catamarans from days past? My son was really bummed when I showed up with a catamaran with white sails! He has seen pictures of my old Hobie and loved the bright colors. Catamaran sails were the subjects of many photographs that we still see in travel brochures. I know some cats still come with colored sails but many do not.

Thanks everyone. I will now go back to planning my first sailing outing of the spring.

Happy Holidays to all.

Bob Klein
Inter 18 with White Main and Jib

I don't know why anyone would consider a catamaran a "toy" boat. Perhaps it comes from the fact that at one point, H16's were so abundant that it seemed that they were being made along with plastic trinkets in the sweat shops of hong kong. As to the fact about catamarans not tacking, I'm sure that at one point, they tried to tack a catamaran just like a monoslug, and they started cussing the boat out, because they couldn't figure it out. As to the multicolor sails, Hobie still makes them.

I used to be a monohull sailor, but when I sailed on my friends 18SX, I was converted immediately. I don't know if they "look down upon" catamarans more than they just haven't had the opportunity to sail them.

As with almost any sport, there are people tied to it because of status or a sense of traditionalism. Monohull yachting and racing has been traditionally seen as a rich man's sport, with a high price to enter and stay competative. It has also been around for many, many years and is in many people's perception, what "real" sailing is.
Then about 35 years ago these small, inexpensive catamarans started popping up. For the traditionalists, these did not constitute real sailing and also threatened the exclusivity of their sailing. Many of those people would not want to be involved in a boat that you have to set up before you race and get wet and sandy while racing on it. I think a good comparason is thinking of the traditional monohull racing as F1 and the beach cats as NASCAR - a home grown, cheaper alternative but even more fun than the higher priced, technology advanced monohulls.
Over the last 20 years the improvements and advances in cat sailing have been tremendous. A cat with a spin was unthinkable to most 20 years ago and the latest cats are technilogically advanced (in design and materials) to rival the America's Cup racers.
This has been highlighted by the increase in top-notch sailors that are now sailing multihulls exclusively. I think the talent available in the cat classes rivals any other sailing group.
I think that many of the monohull sailors would really like cat sailing if given the opportunity to try one out that appeals to what interests them about sailing, wether it's a boat with wings, a spin or snuffer, or mylar sails and an 18 lb carbon mast. As for the others, they are where they want to be and there will be no changing their minds or opinions, just as many of us couldn't be convinced to leave catamarans to sail only "monoslugs".

i agree with your kids. there does seem to be more cats with white sails. my cat has colored sails, but many don't. it might be price. when you are talking about a relatively inexpensive boat, a few hundred dollar add for color sails may not be acceptable. personally, i like the color sails. we take a boat and add a huge rig with a really large mainsail (all that roach). it is just one more way to show off and get attention.

With regards to colored sails. I heard back in the early '80s, that colored sails streched more than white. Any truth to it ?

As one who converted from monohulls to cats some time ago I can attest to the fact that there is a bias against cats in the establishment sailing community. This is regettable and the result of ignorance. I have however also witnessed a similar attitude among many cat sailors towards monohulls. I think we will would do well and gain acceptance sooner if we keep our own house clean. One place to start is to avoid using derogatory terms like "monoslugs" ...Dan

[color:"green"]> . . . what happened to the multicolor sails of catamarans from days past?[/color]

Could it have been an attempt to move the beach cat out of the "toy boat" category? (How often do you see multi-colored main and jib on racing monohulls?)

If you want to get back at the "'oh, a catamaran, is it a Hobie?" people all you have to do is ask about their boat (monohull) and after they get all fired up about it ask them if you can take a look at their boat. By this time none will refuse this. Than you take an admiring look at their craft while you see their chest increase size and their noses slowly reach for the sky. Then after a throrough examination of their boat you say in a mildly curious but lost manner "where is the other halve?" and look at them. Most will reply :"what other halve" and that will be your cue to answer back : "I see only one hull, where is the other one ?"

And now comes the true test. Real sailor worth your attention will be bewildered but break into a smile or laugh; These are the good folk, nothing wrong with them given a little 1-2 hulls rivalry. But then the other kind, the ones will become dismayed or even angry, these are the dangerious bunch. These will be the persons that will try to keep you out of beachings area's, Yachting clubs or try to take away yours clubs beach permit because the claim to the local county that sailing catamarans is unsafe especially considering the thugs sailing these kind of boats. Ignore these folk and walk away

I have yet to encounter a person that was not accurately identified by this test.

With respect to coloured sails. Often white sails have a higher resin content and are stiffer retain a better shape while sailing. White dacron is also the cheapest. With the advent of mylar and pentex the colouration of the sail was more difficult although it is doen (nacra for example). My pentex main pretty much come in two colours : greyish white or dark greyish "smoke"

Mind you yard and sailmakers can be more creative with sail than they are now. A coloured leanding edge or leech is done easily enough because these are often dacraon reinforcements anyway. Also batten pockets are a good and cheap place to get creative.

For the record :

I sail both cats (P16, P18 and F16) as well as monohulls (laser 4000 and sometimes 49-er; did alot of open boat sailing in my past). Each design has its own pro and cons.

Wouter

we always see brightly colored spinnakers on monohulls. the older cats didn't have a spinnaker to "show off". the next best thing is the main sail.

The reason there are so many scows in Wisconsin -- and also in Illinois and Indiana is that the primary manufacturer, Melges Performance Sailboats, is in Zenda, Wisconsin, and the head guy in that company is Buddy Melges, one of the best (and best-known) sailors in the world and winner of two Olympic medals, a bronze and a gold.

You will usually only see scows on inland lakes because they do not handle big waves or chop well. They are flat-water boats.

As far as why Scow sailors would not be interested in catamarans, why should they be? They were the fastest boats before catamarans came along and are still in similar Portsmouth rating brackets. The A-Scow has a rating of 62.1 (a little faster than the Nacra 6.0NA), the E-Scow is 73.2 (rated a little slower than a Hobie 18). The C-Scow is rated at 79.3 (close to the Hobie 16) and the D-Scow at 82.7.

Along with catamarans, Scows are in the lowest (fastest) brackets of Portsmouth ratings for all centerboard boats, along with the 49er at 71.3, Flying Dutchman, 80.2; the International Canoe, 79.5; the International 505, 80.2; and the Suicide, a development boat, at 80.7.

When you already have one of the fastest and most exciting boats in the world and have big fleets to race in, in your area, why would you care about converting to another type of boat? And why would anyone want to try to convert them? When in Scow country, race Scows. You go with what there are there the most of in your area.

I would just like to say that "attitude" works both ways. When you are up there in scow country, you don't talk about catamarans; you talk about scows. I would absolutely LOVE to sail on a scow sometime.

If I were in scow country, I would beg for a ride on one. And then I would casually bring up the similarities between scows and catamarans -- very wide, has two boards -- and point out to them that the scow is actually much more comfortable because you have a deck to sit on and don't have to deal with that spray coming through a trampoline. Always praise the features of the other person's boat rather than extolling the virtues of your own. Once they have taken you out for a ride on their boat, you can invite them to go for a ride on yours (just to be polite, of course).

Here are some reasons why you find concentrations of certain types of boats in certain areas:

*Manufacturer in the area
*Aggressive dealer in the area promoting a specific type of boat
*Hot sailors in the area sailing a specific type of boat
*Long established fleets with strong class loyalty

* * * * *
About brightly colored sails.
I, too, love bright, beautiful, colorful sails. They are a great attention-getter for catamarans. And they are more visible out on the water, which is also a safety feature. But as racing sailors became more "serious" about their racing, they all started going to white sails, because:

*It is easier to read and adjust your sails when they are all the same color.
*White is the best color for holding up in the sun. When you have sails of various colors cloth, different colors can stretch or deteriorate at different rates with exposure to the elements..
*Makes it harder for your competitors to pick you out on the race course.
*Makes it harder for the race committee to tell which boat is over the starting line early.
*And maybe a little bit of a snob factor -- white sails indicate a serious racer, whereas colored sails tend to be associated with "cruisers."

Bob,

I think a lot of the attitude toward cat sailors has to do with what made catamarans so popular initially. My understanding is that as the catamaran sales exploded it was predominantly non-sailors buying them for recreational purposes. For this reason I believe that there is an enduring stigma that cat sailors are not serious sailors. I think this is going to continue to decline with the publicity of events like the Worrell 1000 (aided by the fact that there are some big time mono sailors entering this year - who will probably getted whooped ) and some of the new high tech cats that are getting a lot of magazine coverage lately.

I've got a friend of mine that has a 'gotta go faster' sailing mentality but in two years I haven't been able to get him on my cat. He's bought two sailboats in that time trying to get faster and is now talking about a 3rd (Henderson SRMax, Viper, and now talking skiff). I'm sure if I got him out there double trapped with the chute up on my 6.0 I'ld convert him...but he's strongly prejudice for no reason even he can explain.

Sail color, for the same reason you don't see car tires with colors other than black (except in very special instances), isn't done because adding color to plastics and rubbers weakens them.