Multihull Sails
Whether you’re planning a coastal cruise or preparing for competitive racing, selecting the right sails for your catamaran or trimaran is essential. It’s more than just picking the correct sail construction type—it’s about understanding the differences between monohull and multihull sails. There are unique dynamics in multihull sailmaking that will allow you to optimize your sail plan for performance, safety, and enjoyment. For more details, explore our individual sail pages (Titanium, X-Drive, or Performance Laminate or Dacron) or reach out to our team for personalized advice.
Perhaps the first unique attribute of multihull sails to address is that they need to be relatively much stronger than monohull sails. When a monohull gets hit by a puff, the boat will heel which reduces the lateral loads on the sail and rig. However, with two or three hulls beneath a multihull, that same puff will be felt, but the load relief of heeling over is minimal due to the more stable platform. What that in mind, here is more insight into multihull sails.
Cruising Sails for Multihulls
Cruising sails for multihulls are designed for durability, ease of handling, and performance in a wide range of conditions. Bluewater cruising sails, in particular, are built to withstand long passages and rough seas, offering reliability and comfort for your adventures.
Bluewater Finishing Options
Bluewater cruising sails are crafted with heavier materials and reinforced seams to ensure they can handle the demands of extended offshore sailing. The design and construction focus on longevity, with an emphasis on reducing chafe and wear. Multihulls have extra considerations when it comes to crafting ideal Bluewater sails and are designed for accommodating wider sheeting angles and higher loads.
Racing Sails for Multihulls
Racing sails for multihulls are designed for speed and performance. Compared to Cruising and Bluewater multihull sails, these sails are often made from lighter, more advanced materials that enhance aerodynamics and reduce weight, enabling your multihull to achieve maximum speed and agility on the racecourse.
Performance Materials and Design
Multihull racing sails are designed with higher loads in mind. Titanium and X-Drive products are available to multihull racers, with our loadpath fiber technology providing the strength-to-weight ratio needed for top-tier performance. The design differs from monohull sails, with generally flatter shapes and less stretch, helping multihulls maintain optimal sail shape under higher loads. The density of the fiber layout is increased for Titanium and X-Drive multihull sails compared to their monohull cousins, with additional passes that use more yarns per-pass. Performance Dacron and Laminate materials used for catamaran or trimaran sails are also selected with extra strength in mind.
Mainsails for Multihulls
The mainsail is the powerhouse of your sail plan. For multihulls, the mainsail must be designed to handle the unique stresses of sailing on two or three hulls. Whether your sail plan is designed for a traditional mainsail or a Square Top, each choice has its advantages depending on your sailing goals.
Square Top Mainsails
Square Top mainsails offer increased sail area and improved performance, especially in lighter winds. This design is particularly effective and popular for multihulls, where the additional sail area helps to balance the boat and optimize speed.
Headsails for Multihulls
Headsails for multihulls must be carefully designed to account for the wider beam and different sheeting angles. The choice between a genoa, jib, or other headsail type depends on your boat’s configuration, your sailing style and typical wind conditions.
Roller Furling and Hardware Considerations
Roller furling systems on multihulls need to be robust and easy to operate. Additionally, the hardware must be selected to handle higher loads and more complex rigging configurations. UK Sailmakers has partnered with many reputable suppliers for these specialised accessories.
Code Zeros for Multihulls
Code Zeros are an excellent choice for multihulls, offering versatility in light to moderate wind conditions. These sails bridge the gap between upwind and downwind sails, providing the extra power needed to keep your multihull moving, especially when the breeze is light.
Downwind Sails for Multihulls
Spinnakers allow your multihull to harness the wind from behind efficiently. These sails must be carefully designed to ensure stability and control, particularly when sailing at high speeds. Asymmetrical sails provide the power and control needed for downwind sailing on multihulls, and other options such as the Oxley stabilizing spinnaker are also popular among cruisers. Talk to your sailmaker about your boat’s configuration and options for downwind sails.