The modern catamaran was invented 3000 years ago by the Polynesians. Do the research. The hull tech isn't that different, only the materials have changed.
Suggest "We the Navigators" David Lewis
Gosh, I had no idea about what the Polynesians did.
I'm always up for a good read, but who doesn't know the Polynesian side. No doubt the inspiration for what we sail these days. Familiar with Wharram and the like (although I have never owned or sailed one like you guys).
I was thinking modern in the sense of appearing in the midst of what everybody else thinks/thought is modern, or the crossover that more resembles what we sail today. For instance the attempt to build a catamaran warship by Sir William Petty or Herreshoff adding the gaff and sprit rig and taking on the yachts of the time in what sounds like modern beach cat fashion. Many years later we consider a sprit/pole to almost be a required part of modern cat design. True that depending on what you sail the difference may be less rather than more. Didn't mean to offend Polynesian sensibilities.
Where would one draw the line between modern and not? Would a 3000 year old Polynesian design be considered modern next to a Reynolds 33 or a maxi cat from the The Race? Or an A-Cat for that matter. Sure the concept and basic design are there, and people tend to learn from them by looking back (using lashings for hull to crossbeam connections as an example - Wharram, CLC MBuli, others). I'll go out on a limb and say there's more difference than simply building a Polynesian design from carbon fiber. Is a Wharram modern next to a Gunboat? Is the difference only materials? Interesting questions.
Anyway, I think the Amaryllis story is interesting on this thread if for no other reason than the original thread is about multis and monos racing together. I have always regarded that as the beginning of the modern multi/mono "feud", at least in the US.
