ncik said:
All design is a compromise. All design is an evolution of a previous design. Design is an iterative process, particularly yacht design. NO ONE gets it correct straight out of the box, if they did there'd be no need to tuning. The best you can hope for is that the person paying for the product is "happy" with the purchase.
What is your definition of "better". Cheaper may be better...faster may be better...faster in light winds may be better...
Very accurate.
Right now, I think "better" -- to define "better" -- is getting
more people to buy the product.
The simplicity and value of jet skis has replaced catamarans at their level of use here, IMHO.
What is missing is something in the 16-foot range that is not over-technical, is moderately priced, and, as Stein says --
...strongly reducing the tendency to pitch-pole would be the biggest improvement. That would enable us to push much harder.
And it would draw many more people to cats. A lot of people are reluctant to sail cats for fear of cartwheels.
The performance cats (they are not beach cats!) are too technical and too risky for popular sailing.
The rotomoldeds have all the right features for popularity except
extra speed and agility. The Wave is a 14-footer that is about right (and I assume this is why Rick and Mary like it), but its speed is limited. The Getaway is a fun boat, but not agile enough.
What is missing is something is the middle category between the fun, beach cats and the performance cats. (The H16 is a performance cat IMO.)
The Pearl (greeeeaaat name choice?!) or TheMightyHobie18 may be the right choice in Europe but not here.
The catamaran is moving from a fun boat to a yacht status, in my opinion. And that is not good. $11K for an N20 mast proves it...
