(Our webmaster tells us this is much too long, but if you are considering investing in a tropical cruising catamaran we think you will find this discussion of interest.)

As you look at our different designs you will notice there is a common design thread throughout the entire series. These design and construction features have been derived from a combination of over 30 years of tropical sailing experience and wood-epoxy multihull boatbuilding.

Features common to all the Visayan designs are:

• Very large stern decks without (seemingly) a back beam
• Kick-up rudders with a single retractable Centerboard
• Rotating wing wasts
• Maximized natural ventilation
• Simplified interior arrangments
• Attractive lines

Large stern decks

We are bucking the modern trend here, and we know it, but it pays off big time in living aboard comfort and convenience in the tropical environment.

Examine these 2 cross section comparisons of a typical modern catamaran and the Visayan catamaran. The cross hatched areas are of the required structural beam sections. Only essential hull bulkheads are shown here.Bulkheads in both designs may be pierced with openings for doorways. These are accurate scale drawings of boats that we have built.

The modern design shows a radically cut away transom, deep spade rudders (not shown) and very little or no hard deck area at all aft of the tall vertical after cross-beam.

The Visayan cross-section shows in the stern area a minimally raked flat transom, outboard kick-up rudders (not shown), a very large after deck area, and an effectively invisible aft beam under the broad stern deck area.

When applied to cruising or charter boats the modern stern design arrangement is primarily optimized for style and to a lesser degree performance. Some weight reduction of the hull structure is achieved, which if fully taken advantage of may allow for a leaner hull in the water at the stern and the boat's sailing performance will be moderately improved. It also looks modern (or at least like everybody else these days.).
Also eliminated is the weight of any deck surface between the hulls aft of the after beam. However the problem of how to carry one of the larger dinghies that crusing sailors require must still be resolved. Racers or marina cruisers may be able to sail temporarily without a service dinghy, but you must have one on board when cruising. The frequent result is the weight of the useful deck space eliminated is at least partially returned by the installation of davits or a large swept back "Targa" bar. This bar can provide built in dinghy davits and a support platform for radomes, antennas, and what not, but you cannot walk or lounge on this added bit of windage. We predict this fad, like fins on cars, will eventually fade in favor of more practical, less "styled" elements, such as used on the Visayan arrangement, where we provide multi-purpose useful deck space, and simple lightwight vertical supports for antennas and radomes.

Most modern cruising and charter catamarans with this configuration also have recessed stern platforms and boarding stairs in the transom area. (dotted lines) These became the fashion a decade ago or so, and it seems you can hardly find a boat now without them.

This stern arrangement can provides inconvenience and discomfort however to the cruising catamaran sailor, and even create potential dangers. Continued...