Grant Dalton broke several speed records for sail-powered vessels. In the Southern Ocean in January 2001, Club Med reached a speed of 39 knots. Dalton’s records did not last long however, as larger and faster catamarans were soon built. Early Polynesians valued the double hull for its stability and space to accommodate passengers and cargo. But traditional materials could not take the huge strain that winds placed on a tall mast and sails. Masts had to be much lower, and the sail area had to be smaller than on present-day catamarans.
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New Zealand Herald
Reference:
3 February 2001
Photograph by Mark Mitchell
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