Catamaran and Multihull Classes

Australian clubs support a wide range of beach catamarans and performance multihulls. They differ in crew number, foiling, trapeze use, beam and transport requirements.

Classes in this group#

Class	What it is
Hobie 16	Two-person beach catamaran with long-standing international racing.
Paper Tiger	Light single-handed catamaran with strong Australian roots.
A-Class	High-performance single-handed development catamaran, including foiling configurations.
F18	Two-person Formula 18 performance catamaran.
Nacra 15	Youth two-person performance catamaran.
Taipan	Australian performance catamaran family.

This table is an educational class guide, not a claim that every listed class is active at every club.

Progression#

Sailors may enter through beach-cat recreation, junior multihull pathways or transfer from monohull dinghies.

There is no mandatory universal sequence. Sailors move between classes for reasons including age, body size, crew availability, cost, local fleet strength and whether they prefer recreational or competitive sailing.

Racing in multihull classes#

Multihull classes cover a wide range, from beach catamarans launched off sand to larger offshore multihulls, and what unites them is speed and a different set of tactics.

Because multihulls generate significant apparent wind, the fastest course is rarely the most direct one. Downwind angles that feel wrong on a monohull are correct, and crews coming across take time to stop sailing a multihull like a monohull. Getting that right is where most of the early performance gain sits.

Class racing in multihulls is usually one-design within a class and handicap between classes, using systems designed for multihull performance characteristics. Which applies at your club affects how satisfying your results will be.

The equipment demands attention. Beams, hulls, foils and rigs on fast multihulls carry high loads, and failures tend to be dramatic rather than gradual. Regular inspection matters more than on a comparable monohull.

Practically, confirm facility compatibility before buying. Multihull beam is awkward for racks, ramps, hardstand bays and berths designed around monohulls, and clubs frequently have limited space for them even when they have an active fleet.

Choosing a multihull class#

Multihull classes divide fairly cleanly by how they are stored and launched, and that is usually the most practical way to choose between them.

Beach-launched catamarans need a trolley, a compound or hardstand space and a beach that works in the prevailing wind. They are the cheapest to keep and the most weather-dependent to launch.

Larger multihulls need a berth or mooring with enough beam allowance, which is the constraint that most often decides the question. Berth availability for multihulls is more limited than for monohulls at many Australian clubs.

Within each group, fleet strength should decide the specific class. A multihull class with a local fleet gives you one-design racing, shared knowledge and a second-hand market; one without gives you handicap racing against dissimilar boats.

When buying used, check the beams and their attachment points carefully, look for hull damage and water ingress, and inspect the rig and trampoline for UV damage. Multihull structures carry high loads, and problems there are expensive rather than cosmetic.

The selection framework#

Fleet health, one-design versus development rules, crew and weight fit, storage compatibility, used-boat buying, cost profile and the regatta pathway apply to every class family, so they are set out once in how to choose a boat class rather than repeated on each page.