The Cruising Multihull

By Chris White

Book Overview

Long typecast as the hotrods of the sea--fast but dangerous--modern cruising multihulls actually are among the safest and most comfortable cruising sailboats available. Modern multihulls offer significant advantages over single-hull sailboats: They sail faster, have more living space, they're more comfortable, more stable, they can sail safely in much shallower water, and, because their stability comes from widely spaced hulls and not from tons of lead hung off the keel, they don't sink. Given the ultimate disaster, which would you choose: A capsized yet habitable boat, floating awash, or a self-righting boat sitting at the bottom of the ocean? And multihulls are fast. A typical weekend cruiser's circle of operations might double if he switches to a multihull. A transatlantic voyage might be cut by a third. No less an organization than the U.S. Navy decided that applications requiring an extremely steady platform at sea were best suited to, of all things, a catamaran.

The Cruising Multihull supplies the reader with all the latest information about design, construction, rigs, seamanship, safety, and a point-by-point rebuttal of the "accepted wisdom" concerning multihull dangers. It will help you decide whether a multihull is right for you; which multihull--cat or tri--is best for your needs; whether you should build one yourself, have one built, or buy one off the rack. And, of course, The Cruising Multihull shows you how to get the most from your boat.

"I don't know of a more thorough survey of modern cruising multihulls than this book. For strangers to these boats who want to know more about them, as well as for multihull sailors eager to learn from a capable, articulate designer and sailor with his own point of view, I enthusiastically recommend The Cruising Multihull."--John Rousmaniere

"Finally, a multihull voice which does not proselytize. Instead, logic and information pack the pages of Chris White's . . . The Cruising Multihull."--WoodenBoat

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0070698686
• ISBN13: 9780070698680
• Release Date: September 1996
• Publisher: International Marine Publishing
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Must read for people considering purchase of a multihull

Chris White's designs are certainly among the best, if not the best, in the world for performance multihulls. His book does a great job of explaining the various factors related to safety and performance in multihull sailing vessels. The book is a bit dated and could stand a re-write to bring it up to modern standards, but I still give it a 5 for the excellent coverage of the material presented. I'd like to see some discussion of the idea of placing two masts, one in each hull discussed. I'd also like to hear his opinions of the Wylie Cat monohull flexible masts. I'd also like to see more discussion of his own designs and his performance competitor the Gunboat series of catamarans. Finally, I'd like to see more analysis of the various production catamarans compared to each other and mono-hulls in various wind conditions, and citations of the situations where mono-hulls perform better--for example sailing upwind is less than 10 knots of wind. Basically, I feel Catamaran design still has a way to go in the area of rig design, while the use of high tech composites is 95% perfected.

Buy it and keep it

This and Gavin LeSuers book (Multihull seamanship)are two definite keepers. I have reread Whites book time and again, it is probably the best book on the subject, certainly more value than Kanters book. I dont know chris white but I do thank him for his efforts in this book.

Far and Away the best book about cruising multihulls.

If you can only buy one book about multihulls, this is it. I have a library of over 100 sailing books, and about 20 of those are about multihulls, and out of those 20 some books, this one is the only one worth keeping for its contents and excellent information.

"The" Book

If you're considering buying a new/used multihull or building your own, this is THE book to read. The author provides plenty of information that you can use to make your own intelligent decisions.

I cannot find a better understanding of the multihull.

I am preparing to cruise around the world in a multihull. Mr. White taught me more than I have learned in two years of reading other books and talking to yachties. It is an invaluable resource.