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06-01-2025, 11:40
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 42
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Trim for Catamarans
Where is the best detailed information on proper trim procedures for Catamarans? I have read the Nautical Manuals on Sail $ Rig Tuning but just looking for information on detailed cat trimming?
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06-01-2025, 16:13
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: SE Asia, for now
Boat: Outremer 55L
Posts: 4,173
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Do you have specific questions (e.g. how do I trim for optimum upwind VMG?) or do you want generic information? If the former, specific questions are need to be able to answer. If the latter, this Google search returns decent results: how to trim sails on a catamaran
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06-01-2025, 17:04
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 42
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Thank you Fxykty, I am just looking for an all-around resource for trimming sails on a cat on all points of sail, that would include all things regarding adjusting draft, lift, twist, Fairleads, etc. Everything I read is more oriented to Monos that include boom vang adjustments, outhauls tweaks and so on. I am just looking for a resource for detailed catamaran or trimaran trimming.
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07-01-2025, 01:18
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: On the boat
Boat: LAGOON 400
Posts: 2,373
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
i dont think there is anything specific available. still kind of a secret held mainly by french.
best you can do is to challenge another cat with top sailor - gaining against them if you lucky - and force them to display one of their tricks. have binoculars ready to see what they are doing. They often sail ordinary (french) cruising cat.
i also learned from others, like some seawind sailors have noteworthy skills.
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07-01-2025, 02:15
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK
Boat: Woods Flica catamaran
Posts: 530
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Google search
Look at images - loads of info and diagrams.
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07-01-2025, 04:54
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#7
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Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 10,281
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
The questions is pointlessly broad. There is no single guide for monohulls; a TP52 and an overweight AWB with baggy sails are totally different. Same with a performance cat vs. a charter cat with a fridge. Masthead genoa and pin head main, or fractional blade with a fat head main? Often, cats are not faster than monohulls and thus, the trim rules really are not that different. The greatest difference is that cats with shallow keels generally make more leeway and are better trimmed out a little and sailed a little freer. Another difference is the handling of gusts.
I have owned 4 multihulls (3 cats and a tri) and the trim requirements of all three where very different. The joy of sailing is reading up, building an understanding, and then figuring out what is best for your boat, which BTW, will change with the conditions. Learning how to trim to how the boat is handling, at that moment, is the art of sailing.
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07-01-2025, 05:15
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Boat: Seawind 1000xl
Posts: 7,462
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
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07-01-2025, 06:01
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 292
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Bethwaite, HIGH PERFORMANCE SAILING
Rick White, CATAMARAN RACING FOR THE 90s
Google ‘Randy Smyth sail trim’
Le Sueur, MULTIHULL SEAMANSHIP
get you started
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07-01-2025, 17:55
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 42
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Thanks to all who have replied and especially those that shared the links without the snarky comments, except for you arsenelupiga... that is hilarious.
Fair winds to all.
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08-01-2025, 14:20
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Boat: Swarbrick S-80
Posts: 1,009
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
You could also hire a sailing instructor with lots of catamaran experience to spend a day on your boat showing you the way to trim your boat for your expectations.
Your local sailing school will probably be very happy to oblige.
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08-01-2025, 17:38
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 21,199
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
Trim is the same. Only tools may differ.
Also, your standing rigging may force you to trim in sub optimal ways, which is less common in monos. This will apply to running mostly.
There is good news too. Running wing and wing is easier done in a cat. And a spinnaker can be flown without the pole too. Not so in a mono.
b.
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13-01-2025, 08:12
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Everywhere
Boat: Razzle Dazzle - 61ft Simpson / Crowther Daggerboard Cat ‘93
Posts: 409
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
There is one guy on here that has good diagrams. He may show up. Twixter on FB.
The failure I see in most guides is three things that are very different on cat's to monos.
a) Limited boom angles due to shrouds (result - reef earlier downwind to help keep sails off shrouds)
b) No mast bend adjustment. Sail shape more by batten tensions.
c) Rapid roll moment on beam seas affecting top 1/3 of main. Very few talk about this, but the banging and snapping of the main will get your attention.
There is also some chat of use of main with different spinnakers. I prefer mine down but opinions vary heavily.
Preventers with a wide traveller are an interesting discussion.
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13-01-2025, 09:29
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Portland, Oregon USA
Boat: Island Packet, Packet Cat 35
Posts: 1,059
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Re: Trim for Catamarans
You don't mention what kind of cat you have. I have a 1994 Islad Packet Cat. Vintage. I searched for books etc from that time era to learn about sailing these cats vs modern speedsters I have Captained on.
And if you haven't heard of Internet Archive, they have zillions of books available for free.
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