Anyone interested in cutting edge marine materials and design can’t help but turn their attention toward the most recent catamaran designs. Catamarans: Every Sailors Guide covers the latest details on cats and is authored by the leading expert in the multihull industry, Gregor Tarjan. A naval architect, founder and president of Aeroyacht Ltd., designers of cruising multihulls and large luxury catamarans, Tarjan has logged more than 80,000 miles in 30 years of sailing both mono and multihulls. Alongside gorgeous color photographs by renowned French marine photographer Gilles Martin-Raget, Tarjan has filled the guide with both coffee table book style and useful technical information.
Multihulls have definitely become more popular and Catamarans aims to both assist first timers with educating themselves and inform aficionados to the latest in design technology and catamaran sail technique. Cruising catamarans have established themselves as a design that is here to stay. They are fast, have shallow draft, don’t heel and have plenty of space above and below decks. Tarjan balances his bias by also including multihull drawbacks and some of the challenges facing cat manufacterers.
If you have chartered a Caribbean cruising yacht in the last 10 years you’ve probably stepped aboard a catamaran and seen firsthand the desirable qualities of this type of boat. Or if you are a type who loves to stay on the edge of modern boat design, pick up a copy of Catamarans. It will serve as a perfect introduction to the possibilities of sailing a catamaran or as an indispensable reference for owners. It is Tarjan’s affectionate lifetime contribution to the world of multihulls.
Susan Viets
