Monohull and Multihull

Most of the sailboats seen in major international sailing competitions are of single-body structure, but occasionally catamarans and even trimarans are seen. This standard for classifying sailboats based on the structure of the hull is also the current mainstream classification standard for sailboats.
Generally speaking, monohull sailboats need to be equipped with a heavier lower suspension keel, or install a stabilizing plate at the bottom of the ship. The purpose of this is to counter the wind during navigation and prevent the hull from rolling over.
A catamaran is a sailboat that connects two hulls horizontally. Compared with monohull sailboats of the same tonnage, catamarans have a larger overall width, so the ship has a larger deck area. People originally created this type of ship not only out of the consideration of spaciousness, but mainly because it can enhance the stability and the ability to resist wind and waves. Since the width of a catamaran is much larger than that of a monohull, its stability is also significantly better than that of a monohull, and can withstand larger winds and waves. The more significant advantage of a catamaran is that it is compared with a monohull under the same conditions. , Its speed advantage is more obvious. According to the principle of fluid dynamics, the catamaran splits the original single hull into two, which can make the cross section of each hull relatively thinner, thereby effectively reducing the resistance of the water flow to the hull. In addition, the keel of a catamaran does not require counterweights, and the entire hull of a catamaran is lighter than a monohull that needs to be equipped with a stabilizing plate or keel ballast to support stability. Moreover, it is also obvious that as the width of the catamaran is enlarged, the deck area has been enlarged, so the sail area on the catamaran can also be widened to varying degrees. Sails are the main source of sailing power, which is also one of the key factors for the speed advantage of catamarans.
The design of the trimaran combines the characteristics of a monohull and a catamaran. It uses a hull as the main body, and a smaller hull is attached to both sides of the main hull. This structure can make the sailing ship larger Deck area. Due to the lateral widening of the hull, compared with the narrow monohull, the stability of the trimaran is definitely better than that of the monohull and catamaran. However, it is precisely because its width has been significantly increased, which has increased the distance between the working areas of the deck, so the difficulty of maneuvering a trimaran is greater than that of a monohull or a catamaran.
However, whether it is the Fastnet Yacht Race, which is famous for challenging the harsh natural environment, the Sail Di Global Challenge, which pursues unlimited sports, or the America’s Cup that detonates the unlimited enthusiasm of sailing fans around the world every four years, As well as the Olympic sailing regatta, which is full of sportsmanship, the protagonist seems to always be a monohull.
Why after the appearance of catamarans and even multihulls, monohulls, which are not the best in terms of stability and speed, can still play the leading role in the sailing race? The reasons for this are nothing more than monohull sailboats, especially heavy monohull sailboats, when faced with different sea conditions, they will lack stability. At this time, the tacit cooperation of the entire fleet is needed. In a sense, monohull sailboats are more comprehensive than multihull sailboats in terms of maneuvering skills and the spirit of cooperation of the entire fleet, and for spectators who appreciate the sailing regatta, they can also learn from the competition of monohull sailboats. Get a stronger visual impact.
Of course, not all sailing regattas are limited to the area of ​​monohull sailboats, and not all sailors are particularly fond of monohull sailboats. The pursuit of novelty and adventurous spirit is the long-cherished wish of these warriors, so being able to rely on their own power to manipulate a relatively complex multihull sailing boat to challenge the limits may mean a greater sense of accomplishment for them.
Of course, nowadays sailing is not only active in the field of sports competitions. More players who pursue aquatic adventures have long been dissatisfied with just playing the role of sailing enthusiasts. They have also personally raised a sail, with amateur qualifications and professional enthusiasm. Pour into sailing and enjoy the tranquility and comfort of cruising. This is the reason for the rise of leisure sailing.