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F1x A-class foiling catamaran

World champion, lighter = better, craftsmanship, meet the foiling f1x a-class catamaran.

This is the ultimate singlehanded foiling catamaran of the moment: ultramodern, incredibly fast, very agile, extremely strong and feather-light, in an aerodynamic and ergonomic design. The perfect total package, packed in 1 foiling catamaran. This is the world’s coolest boat for singlehanded races and the winner of several A-cat world championships and many other sailing races.

The 2020-F1x A-cat is exactly the same foiling catamaran that made Mischa Heemskerk Vice-World Champion at the Herveybay Worlds 2018 in Australia and World Champion at Weymouth 2019. All our foiling F1x A-class catamarans come straight, ready to race and ‘Mischa-tuned’ from our factory.

Unique design enables top performances

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran is the ultimate reflection of our current design language. The aerodynamic design accentuates the performance qualities of this super fast foiling racing boat. The sophisticated deck plan provides clear control and minimal air resistance.

Foils The rudders and daggerboard foils used on the F1x A-class foiling catamarans are produced with the highest quality carbon pre-preg fibers. The foils are cured in our own Autoclave . Our winning foil design was created in close cooperation with Glenn Ashby and the designers of AC Team New Zealand .

Construction The F1x A-cat is manufactured entirely according to the carbon pre-preg/ Nomex production method, and cured in our Autoclave. This technology is the same as used in the aerospace industry and within other foiling boats like for example, the America’s Cup.

Design The design of the F1x foiling A-class catamaran was completely conceived by the DNA design team and made at DNA’s own yard. In the DNA design team Pieterjan Dwarshuis, Mischa Heemskerk and the renowned Dutch industrial design engineer Rudo Enserink worked closely together to create the perfect foiling A-class catamaran.

We build your new foiling boat!

Technical details.

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran has a number of unique features that improve performance. For example:

• Semi ridged trampoline. Gives extra torsional stiffness to the boat and increases its aerodynamic characteristics.
• Patented main-sheet-wheel-system. For more direct and faster trim of the main sail.
• Aerodynamically placed traveller car.
• Flexible daggerboard casings. For minimal water absorption in floating mode.
• Aerodynamically shaped ‘beams’.
• Adjustable T-rudders. Foiling with rudder differential is possible.

Specifications

LOA: 5.49 m BOA: 2.30 m Max. draught: 1.20 m Sail area: 13.94 m Total weight: ca. 53 kg Top speed: 31 kn Extra: All measurements according to IACA Class regulations.

Buy a champion's boat!

Are you excited to buy a F1x A-class foiling catamaran from DNA Performance Sailing? Please fill in our contact form:

Yes, I want a F1x A-cat!

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The ‘A’ Class Catamaran – Its place at the top table.

At 18ft long with a total allowed rig area of 150ft2, but weighing in at a mere 75kg, the ‘A’ Class is very much a Formula One car in catamaran form and in the last few years, developments have seen this class take off more than ever before, quite literally.

Anyone with an interest in the hi-tech aspects of sailing will probably know something of the ‘A’ Cat.  They are spread worldwide with large fleets in Australia, USA/Canada, throughout Europe and there is even a growing fleet emerging in Argentina.  They have had some 55+ years of open design resulting in them now being amongst the most highly developed small sailing boat classes on the planet.

Some History.

Originating from a desire in the late 1950’s by the IYRU (Later renamed ISAF and now World Sailing), to encourage racing and design development of catamarans. They proposed four classes with simple size criteria based on length, beam and sail area, and crucially, with minimal design rules.   The A-Class logo was chosen by the IYRU when their committee decided in 1956 to classify the catamarans into those 4 categories. A, B, C and D as construction classes. To symbolize the two hulls the letter "A" had a double underlign, same  as the B's,  the C's and the D's. From the beginning the A-Cats had the double underligned letter "A" on the sails and it was used on the letter heads. (Examples were the A-Lion, Australis, Unicorn, Quest A, Catalina, Rhapsody a.s.o.).  The ‘A’ class is by far the largest remnant of the four classes.  The ‘B’ class was a 20ft twin hander with 235ft2 of sail and developed into the Tornado and a few offshoots such as the F18.  The ‘C’ class was another twin, but at 25ft with a 300ft2 rig, has become a super sophisticated monster and the pinnacle of small cat design that races for the Little America’s Cup.  The ‘D’ Class was 32ft and a sail of 500ft2 with three crew, but rapidly dwindled away. 

Various designs for the ‘A’ bubbled away until the IYRU held trials to seek out the best designs in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classes and to award them international status.  At the Catamaran Club on the Isle of Sheppey in 1967, the Tornado won the ‘B’ class, and in the ‘A’ class category the British Unicorn competed, along with with several other boats, against Graham Johnston’s Australian Australis design.  At that time the spec was simply to be a single-handed cat with sliding seat or trapeze restricted only by length, beam and sail area.  The Australis design won and gained international class status.  However, the Unicorn design still gained popularity in the UK and Europe. It eventually became a strict one-design class with rules on hulls, weight and mast diameter, which accounts for the vastly different sail shapes now seen on the two boat designs.  Today the Unicorn still measures and is still accepted as an ‘A’ Class cat.

So, the free reign given within the ‘A’s development class spec allowed several other designs to arrive, each an attempt to improve on the other.  All modern designs can trace their evolution back to these early boats in one way or another.  Many home built designs turned up, and home building of ‘A’ Cats continues today, particularly in the USA, where home building tends to be more popular.

As building and materials technology improved, the stitch and glue plywood built and the glass fibre built boats, in order to save weight and get down to the absolute minimum, needed to be made with the strength only in certain high load areas – shroud plates, beam mounts, foil cases etc., This resulted in the class getting a bit of a reputation for being fast but rather delicate.  Gradually these materials gave way to the carbon foam and carbon nomex sandwich construction.

Fast Hull Shapes

The Australis hulls were pointed at both ends similar to a canoe, in an attempt to produce a drag-reducing hull.  The designs were often determined by the materials available and nowadays space age construction techniques are possibly one reason that the modern boat is now becoming increasingly popular, as it is producing immensely stiff and strong yet light boats, capable of withstanding hard racing for several years. 

Currently, the modern ‘A’ cat bears a striking resemblance to its rather higher profile cousin, the AC45 .  The distinctive Dreadnought shaped bows of the  ‘wave-piercing’ hull design reduces the pitching moment when in waves.  The hull is essentially upside down when compared to many boat hulls.  The widest part is towards the bottom with the result that the hull won’t sink as far before the buoyancy starts to push it up again so floats higher. They also tend to have the beams bonded in making it a very stiff one-piece unit.  Hull sections and profiles continue to change.  The requirements of a boat designed to foil mean that the underwater hull shapes are starting to be optimized for lighter wind sailing, as the hull should be out of the water when it is going fast in a higher wind. 

On the latest 2016 boats, aerodynamic drag is now recognized as increasingly more important as the airflow over the boat, with the added apparent wind, can sometimes be as high as 30 or 40 knots.  Beams are now aerodynamically streamlined, smoothing the airflow over the drumskin tight trampoline.  Double skin trampolines are also a new design feature.  Previously the underside of the tramp was a mass of ropes, chords and bungees.  Now these are sandwiched between two airtight skins.  On one new design, the Holland Composites DNA, even the tiller bar is now streamlined to match the rear beams curved profile!

There are several elements key to the ‘A’ cats speed and success.  Over the last 15 years much work has been done on the design of foils (rudders and daggerboards).  Initially the foils were all straight as the technology to make them anything else, without risking failure, was simply not available.  However, they could be put in at an angle and canted towards the centerline.  This seemed to give a little lift to the boat, thus making it faster by reducing the drag of the hull when the boat was heeled and flying a hull. They were also made slimmer and longer, and this higher aspect ratio vastly improved the drag effects over a broader chord foil.  Then in 2005, Dutch composites expert and sailor, Pieterjan Dwarshuis, raced in the Worlds with a C shaped foil. This supplied much more lift and helped in getting the windward hull flying when going downwind – doing ‘the Wild Thing’ as it is known in cat circles.  And, as the leeward foil curved under the boat more, it produced much more lift as the angle of attack (Rake) could be adjusted also.  Result – particularly when combined with small winglets on the rudders was that the boats went faster. Within a couple of years these foils became more commonplace and by 2008 German sailor, Bob Baier, had won the European championships using a set. 

However, some feared that complex hydrofoils could possibly be fitted to the boat, rendering it fast but impractical and expensive.  So in 2009 a rule was brought in with the intention of preventing this hydrofoiling from happening.  The now famous ‘A’ class ‘Rule 8’ stating that all foils must be inserted from the top of the hull, and that there must be a minimum distance between the tips of the bottom of the boards of 75cm from the centreline.  That seemed to do the trick and for a few years things went along nicely.  But the foil building technology steadily improved and a consistent way was found of producing extremely strong shaped daggerboards from carbon composites. In 2013 the foils had developed from a C shape into a J shape and as a result of redesigned rudder winglets, positioning them at the bottom of the blade, the boats started leaping about like salmon. So the next logical move for this development class boat was obvious and was to make it fly. The boat has about the same power to weight ratio as a foiling Moth so it was assumed that it should be able to fly, but for one crucial potential problem – Rule 8.  This meant that conventional L shaped boards, similar to the AC boats foils, are not class legal.  But thinking around corners is what designers and sailors like to do and before long, designs for foils emerged that complied with the top insertion, limited span restrictions and provided enough lift to get the boat clear out of the water. A movable rake system allowed the angle of attack of the boards to be varied combined with fore and aft movements of the crew weight.  The real turning point came in 2014 before the Worlds in New Zealand. 

Many of the America’s Cup crews are also ‘A’ cat sailors.  In fact the most successful ‘A’ Class World Champion is the ETNZ skipper Glenn Ashby.  

The ETNZ America’s Cup team took delivery of half a dozen ‘A’ cats and set about with gusto seeing how far they could be pushed.  Improved, redesigned and strengthened boards and rudders started flying around the world on express carriers as they broke and re-broke the foils in an attempt to push the boat to it’s limits.  It worked and the boats started to fly, albeit in the hands of these sailing superstars, but techniques were discovered for getting the boats foiling for longer each time.   As a result of this, Glenn Ashby won yet another world title.  This paved the way for the current developments. 

Optimized designs, where daggerboard positions and beams are moved slightly, and newer, more stable foil sections that have lower drag are now arriving, with a Z and J/Z shaped board proving more stable when combined with T or L shaped rudder tips.  However, the holy grail of upwind foiling is still being worked on.  And this is all still done within the restrictions of Rule 8.  The top insert only rule has prevented earlier, more stable, and probably easier foiling to happen if an L shaped main foil were to be fitted.  However, the very fact that it is less stable probably results in a faster boat and the need to raise windward foil, as would be the case of the higher drag L foil, is unnecessary and something a single-handed sailor’s workload can do without.

Fast Rigs .

The ‘A’ class rules allow you to do anything as long as the total area, including the mast, does not exceed 150ft2.  This area has traditionally seen the greatest developments in the past.  Shape is entirely up to the sail maker based on mast shape and flexibility.  The original masts were flexible tapered affairs as still seen on the Unicorn today.  But in the early 1980s the ‘A’ class moved more towards an untapered wing type mast which was able to be rotated, somewhat like the leading edge slat on an aircraft wing, and thus create the sail shape more efficiently and to adjust it to cope with the windspeed changes created by the apparent wind.   Techniques developed and composite masts began to appear in Europe about 25 years ago.  The sails design paralleled the mast designs. 

Initially they were fully battened but conventionally tapered towards the head.   Then, in the mid 1980s the ‘Fat Head’ sail appeared on the ‘A’ cat for the first time.  This lower drag high-aspect ratio rig, much like a glider wing, allowed and helped the boat to fly a hull much earlier downwind with the resultant reduction in drag.  Upwind, powerful 12:1 downhaul and 9:1 mainsheet systems could flatten the sail and when the carbon mast arrived, this was even more efficiently achieved.  As the sail area is the determining factor, not the shape, variations were tried at various times.  Really ‘Fathead’ sails, with the heads at over 1000mm were the thing for a while.  These required the leech to be cut away in a concave manner to conform the area rule, but now the more popular ‘800’ head offers a good compromise of power and heeling moment. Rigid wing type rigs were also seen occasionally.  Back in 1978, at the European championships, a wing sail proved unbeatable in light winds.  More recently designers, such as the US mast maker and ‘A’ cat ace Ben Hall, have experimented with a wing sails.  But, their practical handling off the water still proving troublesome.

The most current sail development is the ‘Decksweeper’ sail.  This is a sail that uses the trampoline as the end plate, making it more efficient, similar to winglets seen on airliners.  The sail has its centre of effort lower down, and thus reduces the heeling force created by the fatter head sail and is ideal for a foiling design.  The byproduct of this is that going upwind, where any heeling force, above just flying a hull, is not wanted with either foil design, is that it feels like you have another gear.  Now much more of the power is pushing you forward.  And this is usually sufficient to compensate for the higher drag created by the more complex shaped foils with their higher surface area.  So, faster uphill, faster downhill, what’s not to like?  However, the downside is that when it’s not foiling conditions, the decksweeper is less powerful and thus the C board, or ‘Classic’ boat is still king.

The decksweeper was first tried on the ‘A’ cat in 1987 in Australia but proved to be unbeneficial compared with more conventional designs.  It was tried again a few years ago, by former World Champion Mischa Heemskerk, who was interested in exploring it again on a more modern boat design.  The trials were inconclusive and the project was shelved for a while.  Then 2015, in the search for more power but with less sideways pressure, as required by a foiling boat’s need to be sailed flatter, he reappeared with one at the 2015 Dutch Nationals and wiped the floor with everyone, including Glenn Ashby, who was there getting ready for the Worlds a few weeks later.  But you can’t keep that friendly little Aussie down for long.  When he arrived at the Worlds, he’d simply chopped one of his older sails down along the leech, and sewn an extra bit onto the bottom to reach the tramp.  This was enough to get him back on track speedwise, and in a variety of conditions, he managed to beat Heemskerk by an increasing margin each race to retail his World title.

Much design work was done over the winter of 2015/16 and two of the major manufacturers both produced more optimized designs.  The Polish Exploder came out with their Ad3, with a design input from the Spanish based D3 Applied Technologies design team.  The other was the Holland Composites DNA F1 design.  A radical looking boat with advanced aerodynamic features and a fully carbon fabric stiff trampoline.  Both designs have proved to be game changers and with little to choose from as regards performance.  Misch Heemskerk won the 2016 Worlds on the F1 with Darren Bundock 2nd on the Ad3.   Both designs foil earlier and are more stable when doing so making them easier to control.  It would appear that the design curve is starting to flatten out again now as regards hull and foil design with these two boats setting the standard of performance. 

The ‘A’ Class Future

The two foil types are causing a little debate within the class though.  Although all the boats measure as ‘A’ Class cats equally, the foiling/floating thing appears to irk some in a few national class associations.  Some want separate races for foilers, claiming that is not fair now to race both on the same course.  A movement to start a ‘Classic’ class of non-foiling boats has been suggested.  But, most associations simply prefer to split out the results and run a parallel results system.  And, at those lighter wind events, or in areas like Southern Germany, you don’t hear many complaints. 

New foiling boats arrive and older second hand straight or C board boats find ready new homes with some being converted to a foiling configuration with new foil cases and rudders, whilst others are sold to the encouraging number of new sailors entering the class.  This is often the best place to start, as it’s not actually a hard boat to sail initially. (The class has a minimum of 5kts and max. limit of 22 kts of wind for racing)  Beautifully fast and responsive yet without many of the unpleasant characteristics that some other cats will catch you out on, e.g. the long bows tend to reduce pitchpoling. The added benefit of being 75kg makes it really easy boat to handle ashore; a true single hander, the only thing where you might need someone else’s help for 2 minutes is with stepping the mast.

The next jump looks like it will be in rig design.  It’s open design rules means that it will continue to see innovation and development within its rules as yet more ways are found to make them go even faster. Their ability to be altered, modified and improved will also continue to see the ‘A’ cat being used as a test vehicle for design ideas on larger boats.  Who knows what is around the corner designwise, but the ‘A’ cat should be able to meet the challenge.

Published on April 10th, 2023 | by Editor

A-Class Catamaran having it both ways

Published on April 10th, 2023 by Editor -->

The singlehanded A-Class Catamaran has a strong presence in the USA, which was strong enough to host the 2022 World Championship, and strong enough for the country’s Ravi Parent to win the Open division world title.

Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck checked in with Florida A-Class sailor Axel Issel for an update:

The A-Class Class rules allow for development, which is good for improving the boat but can get expensive as gear becomes obsolete. How does this impact participation?

The A-Class is divided into two sub-classes separated by different sets of measurement rules; the Foilers (Open) and non-foiling (the Classics). In the case of the Classics that have been around 67 years, most development has occurred in the last decade or so with the change from straight dagger boards to C foils and the deck-sweeper mainsail with curved booms.

Older hulls and masts remain competitive but the newer configurations do provide a slight advantage. Today, Classic boats from 10+ years keep winning Nationals and Continental championships and boats with straight booms and daggerboards still are in the top 5 in the Euro circuit.

The Classic fleet keeps growing in most countries due to the speed and simplicity of the boat; very competitive, tactical, fun races, with plenty of accessible boats around the globe. In many parts of the world, the Classics are very popular with larger numbers than Foilers like in the US/Canada, Italy, France, Australia, etc.

Sailors in Classics are competitive at all ages, many well into their 70s so it is a class where you can grow and be at the top for decades with your same boat for many, many years.

The Foilers have seen the most recent development. Here newer boats (2019-20 and newer) make a difference over older ones since they are easier and more stable to foil. Participation in the class is achieved in Classics due to very even and fun races with skippers with 20 years fighting 70s-year-olds. Participation in Foilers comes from younger sailors trying to master the fastest single-handed catamaran in the world.

Most of the top sailors in the world raced A-Cats at some point, even though it is a non-Olympic class. The A-Cat has consistently proven itself in the international scene whereby the World, European, and North American Championships are frequented by some of the most famous sailors in the world.

However, it’s always taken the dedication of a pure A-Class sailor to win the Championships. This demonstrates the high level of performance within the class and it leads to amazing numbers of entries for such events. Today, almost all top professional regattas are raced in foiling boats, like the America’s Cup, the Ocean Race, SailGP, etc, so learning and growing in a foiling A-Cat gives you experience and advantage, attracting young talents to the fleet.

When was the shift to foiling? How did the class endure that transition? Were there kits? Foilers started around 2015, but in 2018 the class decided to create two sets of rules to keep the non-foiling boats competitive, and two sub-classes were born. I believe this was a wise decision, to make the class appealing to a wider population.

Today you can be competitive in your 20s and into your 70s, with a newer Foiler or with an older Classic. Regattas are usually scored in two fleets, and some, like the North American Championship regatta, have the two fleets + the “Overall NA Champion” who is the best skipper among the two classes.

The transition was progressive, initially some folks modified the trunks on the hull to insert the newer foiling blades. Today, to be competitive in Foilers, you need a newer foiling specific boat. Manufacturers build two models: the Foiler and the Classic. The Classic is lighter, simpler and less expensive. The Foiler has a lower hull profile; is heavier due to extra carbon needed to support extreme foiling forces, and needs better physical input.

Has the foiling equipment stabilized or is it still evolving? For the last three years (late 2019-2020), there have been no new developments. The latest one was the rudder differential. Some have been working on differential for center foils with no success. Also, cambered sails with specific masts have been designed, but nothing new has come out. Until measurement rules for Foilers are changed, it will be difficult to see any new significant design improvement.

How is the used boat inventory in North America? Today, there are around 20 used boats for sale. Some used boats for sale are almost new, like a 2022 Foiler and newer Classics. You can buy an old Classic for less than $5K and be competitive in the Classic fleet. Used boats and parts can be found in https://usaca.info/ and in https://www.facebook.com/groups/922063451790001/ .

Who are the suppliers for North America? Are there any in the continent? Boats and masts builders are in Europe. Today, the largest manufacturer of boats is eXploder from Poland (with accessible labor), which provides new Classics and Foilers. Fastboatstuff.com is their representative in the US, and they carry new boats and parts for almost all new and older model boats. North America is getting shipments from Europe usually two times per year with new boats and parts. I have been in the class three years and I always find the parts needed quickly. Top competitive sails are built here in the USA by Glaser, Sail Technologies, etc.

Why do Foilers and Classics race together? Because it is way more fun, and way more competitive. The fleet is well mixed during races. In addition, it is a good way of keeping the fleet growing, making an easy and fun entry point to the class with more options. For example, I started in Classics two years ago and after the Worlds in Houston last year, I sold my Classic and I switched to the Open class.

Usually, the top Foilers will have an advantage but most part of the fleet is mixed. In lighter winds like sub 10 knots, the boats are even and in lighter non-foiling conditions, Classics are faster. Top light sailors can start foiling downwind around 8 knots but most of the foiling fleet foils closer with 10 knots of wind 100% air time, and upwind foiling is mastered only by the ultra-top sailors, and usually they need 12-13 knots of wind to make real gains over the top Classics going upwind.

For us, the newer foiling sailors, learning to foil (like me!), will always have Classics around showing how much ground is lost while we are trying to fly……and once on air, if we do not do the correct angle, Classics will pass you by. .Racing with 50 boats on the line, is always more fun than 20-30 boats, and chances are you always will have someone next to you on every mark.

What is the ideal sailor weight for the A-Cat? I believe 170-195 pounds is the ideal range, NED 007 Mischa Heemskerk won the world championship several times and he is 225+ lbs; the latest World Champion USA 76 Ravi Parent (2022 Rolex Yachtsman of the year) weighs around 165lbs . Who knows….!

Where are the hubs of class activity in North America? Florida concentrates 30% of the fleet, with Key Largo, and the Sarasota/Tampa Bay area being the most popular spots, followed by Fort Walton and Melbourne, FL. Lake Lanier in Georgia has one of the largest fleets, Annapolis/West River area is popular as well.

Lake Carlyle in Illinois, where we raced the 2021 North Americans, have several active boats. Also, there are 10 boats in Alamitos Bay in California, and there is a large fleet in Ontario Canada where we raced the 2022 North American Championship.

I heard a new fleet will grow soon in Mexico City as well. This year we are all looking forward to race in October the ‘Alter Cup’ in Pensacola, Florida, only for Classic boats, where skippers from other multihull fleets join the A-Catters to determine the best multihull skipper!

Tags: A-Class Catamaran , Axel Issel , Craig Leweck

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@media screen and (min-width: 70em){.css-1c47y9x{color:var(--chakra-colors-blue\.brand);}} A Cat Class buy/sell second hands, ads and prices

Launched in 1950, this is a class that aims for the best performance in a single-handed sport catamaran. Often made of carbon, now equipped with foils, the A-Class is the most technologically advanced class for solo racing. It is a very dynamic class and the level of the racers is very (very) high.

The Classe a would be the catamaran equivalent of the foiling Moth : light, technological, extreme, fast and bringing together the best in the discipline.

the last A Cat Class ads at the best price

Classe A parts for sale in Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys

Trolley / Trailer for sale in Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys

Classe A Exploder for sale in Barcelone

Classe A Autre marque for sale in Vannes

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A Cat Class presentation

The model A Cat Class has 2 differents versions : Classe A classic , Classe A foiler .

The A class catamaran, a unique spirit

The A-Class is a single-handed class, the freedom given by the gauge has allowed it to be always at the forefront of technological innovations. The result is a sports catamaran with a magnificent look, impressive and performing around 3 buoys. This open gauge allowed her to be one of the first light sail series to be equipped with foil. The A-Class now flies above the water.

Class A program

It is a boat intended more for regatta sailors than for sailors looking for "calm" rides. There are many shipyards producing A Class boats, including Marstrom, Bimare , Nacra, Addiction, Askell and DNA.

Second hand Class A catamaran

The second-hand A Classes remain quite expensive for recent productions, however, if one is looking for a catamaran for sailing more oriented towards leisure than performance: the bill will be much less expensive.

The entry prices for Class A boats are very low: sometimes 1000$ for old boats, on the other hand, recent Class A boats, those which can perform in championships, are traded for 20000$.

Buying or selling an A Class

This is where it all happens, you can find a lot of A-Class ads on iWannaboat.

Some figures of the A Cat Class catamaran  :

Min price  :

Max price  :

Average price  :

Median price  :

Available boats  :

Launch year  :

Used A Cat Class price table

RACING CALENDAR

W est r iver s ailing c lub.

THE A CLASS

The A- Class Catamaran (A Cat) offers incredible speed, amazing responsiveness and is totally addictive. The A-Class catamaran is a single handed open development class. Both foiling and non-foiling boats are included in class.  

Carbon hulls 18’ long - 7’6” wide and a 30’ carbon mast

Fully Battened Sail with sail area of 150 sq. 

Weight 165-175 lbs 

Competitive for a wide range of ages and weight.  Participants in the recent North American Championships ranged in weight from 135 to 220 lbs and ages from 16 to 75. Club races and many regional and national regattas regularly attract 15-50 boats. 

For more information on the United States A Class Association please visit our website at   https://usaca.info/  and our Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/USAClass .

The West River Sailing Club is an ideal location for sailing catamarans. It offers an easy launch that's protected from most wind directions with quick access to the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The A Cats are part of a special catamaran community at the club.  During the season all fleets race together on Tuesday nights, which is usually followed by food and drink, and sailing tales.

In 2009 I came to an open house at the West River Sailing Club.  I had never sailed before and wanted to learn about the club and look into sailing lessons. While I was at the open house I was offered a ride on an A Cat.  That's all it took.  3 months later I was in my 1st A Cat regatta.  Now I do 12-15 regattas a year in locations from Florida to Canada and I even went to Australia for a World Championship Regatta.  

Please contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions about the A Class Catamarans, our fleet or our club.

FLEET CAPTAIN

Fleet communication.

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One-Design Class Profile: A-Cat

November 18, 2014 by Sail1Design Editor 1 Comment

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The British

'a' class catamaran, association.

The official site for the British 'A' Class Catamaran Association.  Designed to inform new and existing 'A' Cat sailors about UK 'A' Class trends.

NEWS  

The 2024 UK Nationals will be at Hayling Ferry SC on 28th-30th June.  More details to follow!

Why Sail the 

'a' class cat.

Whereas most other racing classes are one-design, the A-Class is a development class and as a result it has become the very pinnacle of the high-tech sailing boat.  Many state-of-the-art design developments seen today in, for example, the latest Americas Cup racers, have been first developed and then applied to the 'A' Class cat.

Whilst being a relatively easy boat to actually sail.  They are stable and not particularly prone to cartwheeling or 'pitch-polling' even in the strongest of winds, unless you do something really stupid.  But the 'A' Class Catamaran is difficult to sail well, requiring many subtle tweaks and fine tuning to get it up to it's full potential.  You can be sailing upwind and suddenly realize that everyone else is out-pointing you, for no apparent reason!  A slight sail trim here, a small mast rotation there - it all has an effect, which is more noticeable because you are traveling faster. It suits people who like to fiddle and tune, but the feeling when you hit the sweet-spot is superb! 

It is so responsive that it almost talks to you...... You just have to learn to listen.

Hardly any two 'A' Cats are the same.  Each sailor likes to have things customized to 

suit their own style.  Transom or centre mainsheet, different downhaul and mast rotation systems, even rudder and daggerboard shapes can vary.  You will see many different hull shapes.  Until recently, the trend was for wave piercing bows.

 Now, The class is now in two categories - the Classic: the original non-foiling version, fitted with straight or constant curve C shape boards, and the Open, (or foiling version) fitted with J and Z shaped boards, together with T or L rudders allow skilled sailors to foil the boats downwind.

However, the actual hull shape has a lesser effect on the speed than having the correct rig setup.  The mast and sail are designed to work together for a particular crew weight.  Having the correct sail shape and mast stiffness for you is far more important than having the latest hull design.  A smooth sailing style is also crucial, and with an all up minimum weight of 75kg, this is essential to maximising the potential boatspeed.

Although spectacular to watch, the Open foiling category requires much more agility and movement to sail properly.  They are much more 'on the edge' as regards stability, however, the speeds now reached are in excess of 32 knots in this configuration.

The Classic usually tends to be the more popular version sailed here in the UK, and indeed Worldwide.  The close racing, and comparative ease of sailing keeps many older sailors within the class and the camaraderie as much fun as the sailing.

So, if you are up for the challenge of the Formula One of the sailing boat world, drop us a line.  We can then hopefully put you in touch with someone who can help, as the 'A' class 'scene' is a very friendly and helpful one!

Currently we have A cat sailors at the following clubs;

Thorpe Bay, Whitstable, Rutland, Grafham Water, Weston, Weymouth, Stokes Bay, Bala, Clacton, Farmoor. 

Now you wouldn't want to die not knowing, would you?!

Currently there are A cat fleets here 

Next Events

Rutland Cat Open

18-19 May 2024

If you are a UK registered, or based 'A' Cat sailor, we urge you to join the Class Association.  As the number of entrants we are allowed for the World Champs is based on the registered class membership, we need everyone we can get, so we have a good representation at the Worlds and Europeans. 

We offer a reduced membership of £10 for the first year for all brand new members in 2023!

BACCA Mugs now available!

£13.50 incl pp, applications, join/renew  bacca here..

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A Class Catamaran World Championships at Toulon Yacht Club - Preview

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• Sailboat Guide

A Class Catamaran

A Class Catamaran is a 18 ′ 0 ″ / 5.5 m catamaran sailboat starting in 1962.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The A CLASS CATAMARAN has undergone a steady evolution since the rule was first established in 1962. Dimensions listed are class limits, and beyond these few restrictions, the class is fairly open.

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Build , Life

A Class catamaran – rigging

By telleropnul, February 14, 2021

An A class catamaran has:

Mast rotation

There is a 30cm long horizontal stainless steel ‘arm’ on the bottom of the mast that has a rope connected underneath the trampoline cleated on top of each hull.  The idea is to restrict the mast from over rotating when sailing upwind.

When sailing downwind you leave the rope that restricts mast rotation uncleated as you want the mast over rotated to create more belly in the sail:

Harken outhaul system: https://www.harken.com.au/content.aspx?id=3910

Harken outhaul.pdf

My 38mm diameter boom needed a mounting plate for a small block.  I decided to design and 3D print one:

There is a small block inside the boom for a 2:1 ratio on the outhaul.

No changes were needed.  A single continuous rope comes out of each side of the mast and is secured using a pivot cam cleat on either side.  The downhaul connects to the bottom of the sail through a small block and then hooks onto the bottom of the mast for a 2:1 ratio force lever.

We are using the Harken – A Class – 2015 Cascade mainsheet system.  Compared to a traditional 6:1 ratio mainsheet system with two 3 pulley blocks the cascade mainsheet system has a 3:1 ratio horizontal mainsheet section coupled with a 3:1 ratio vertical mainsheet section at the end of the boom.

Traditional 6:1 ratio mainsheet

Tip: it is always a good idea to purchase blocks with a becket (anchor point), even if not directly needed.

Harken – A Class – 2015 Cascade mainsheet system.

This is the 2152 at the end of the boom.  It contains the shackle connecting the outhaul to the clew of the sail.  The boom moves freely in between the dyneema rope:

This is the second 2152 that bolts onto the metal hoop bracket of the traveller:

This is the 2149 closest to the two 2152 blocks.  It connects to the same outhaul shackle as mentioned previously.  Again, the boom slides freely in between the dyneema rope:

This is the mainsheet itself including the 2149 that slides along the middle of the boom.  The 6mm diameter 2.6 meters dyneema ending in a small eye feeds through the blocks mentioned earlier.  The 8mm diameter 10 meters of blue/white rope goes forward to the mast.  The roller of the 2149 block should face forward towards the mast:

Note: buy 3 meters of 6mm dyneema to allow for eye splicing.

This is the HSB411 at the gooseneck of the mast.  One rope around the mast, one rope around the boom (and a short bit of rope to pull it down – not shown):

The blue/white rope feeds through the HSB411, goes back to where it came from, feeds through again and then goes to the trampoline.

And finally the 2149 located on the trampoline.  Note the metal ring that needs to go onto the mainsheet before it connects to the block to make sure the rope stays on the HSB411 properly when the mast rotates. I have tied the metal ring to the shackle for now so I don’t forget.  The metal ring is tied to the boom with a short bit of rope near the outhaul cleat.

UPDATE: I have since replaced this 2149 block with a ratcheting block (Ronstan Orbit ratchet block).  Also, the ring has been replaced with a small block.

UPDATE: I am getting better at sailing my A class catamaran and a 6:1 ratio mainsheet cuts into my hand a lot.  The ratio is not really a problem, but I would really like to be able to cleat / uncleat the mainsheet when sailing upwind.  So I upgraded to a single Harken 40mm Carbo Block with Cam Cleat & Becket HK2646:

I use the surplus tail from the downhaul rope to keep the double block pulled down.

The mainsheet feeds into the traveller and is tied around the center of the rear beam in between two stainless steel ‘Tonneau Cover’  buttons for a continuous loop.

Carrick knot

These Harken blocks do not use metal pivots / shackles but instead have rope spliced directly onto the block or use short bits of tie-off rope instead.  I use two loops of 3mm diameter polyester rope (black/blue) for this purpose (comes on a 20m mini spool).  The knot I use to tie the ends together is a Carrick knot.

Splicing dyneema

This is how a basic Brummel eye splice is constructed:

This is the easy part; feeding / hiding the tail inside the core is the difficult part.

Brand new Dyneema rope is coated in wax which makes it stiff and smooth,  This helps with splicing.  Instead of “splicing fids” and a “D splicer tool” I simply use a ballpoint pen.  Just keep the clear plastic outside and cut it in half.

I use some heatshrink tape to connect the rope to the end of the ballpoint pen and after some practise I was able to perform proper Brummel eye splices using this instruction video:

If I have to feed the eye loop through the rope I use a cable-tie tied to the eye loop to make life easier.  If the other end of the rope is open still, you can perform a Brummel splice without having to feed the eye loop through the rope.  This also allows you to braid the rope directly onto a block.

Feeding the tail through the core of the rope is a bit difficult if you have not done this before.  Using new waxed rope is best for a first attempt.  A ballpoint pen cut in half, some heatshrink tubing and bunching up the outer rope is all it takes.  Try to get a clean pass through the outer rope without catching any loose fine fibers of rope.  It is best to push rather than pull when feeding the tail through the core.

The popular Hobie16 trapeze setup:

Stainless steel cable from the mast to a handle and pulley.  A rope is connected to a dogbone on one end.  On the other side of the pulley we find an adjustable nylon rope lock as stopper to adjust the height of the trapeze. The tail of the rope is then semi permanently attached to a shock cord using two sister clips.

The shock cord is often zig-zagged underneath the trampoline.

The adjustable Nacra trapeze setup:

Sleeved dogbone.  Nacra trapeze block.  Cam cleat.  Barrel bead end stopper.  The small black clip on the rope is to ensure the cam cleat stays vertical when you pull the cord:  The tail of the red rope would normally be connected to the shock cord running underneath the trampoline.

On my A class I want something that is simple, reliable and (on beforehand) adjustable.

Let’s have a look at the nylon rope lock:

This can be adjusted on shore and even on the water when sailing, just not on-the-fly, which is fine.

I would however use a different knot:

If I wanted I could even use a Ronstan barrel bead and a stopper knot (not adjustable):

There is a stopper knot that you are supposed to use with barrel beads called the barrel knot:

I have ordered 10 meters of 3MM Dyneema (blue).  SK75 can hold 200kg+ and SK 78 even more.  I could replace the stainless wire going up the mast with dyneema, but what I have currently suits me just fine.

I will tie one end to a Ronstan sister clip using an Anchor not.  The other end is tied to the dogbone.  Do not use a Bowline or Half hitches.  Use an Anchor knot for this.  There is no need to splice here but you can if you want.  3mm Dyneema has a small diameter – I was hesitant to but in an eye splice.

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I didn’t know it was impossible when I did it.

Australian International A Division Catamaran Association

All you need to know about sailing A Class Catamarans in Australia

Notice of Race: 2024 A Class Catamaran QLD Championships

Lake Cootharaba Sailing ClubBoreen PointFriday 29 March – Sunday 31 March 2024 Sailor Entry Link https://www.mysailingclub.com.au/event/GHJYT

NoR: 2024 Lake Boga Easter Regatta

Lake Boga Easter Regatta is renowned for its hospitality, beautiful weather and fantastic yacht racing, boasting features such as:• Lawn to the water • Lawn camping sites at the club• Great facilities • Catering at the club. Racing begins on Friday 2pm and concludes Midday Monday. Regatta is open to all OTB Yachts. Bring your […]

Notice of Race: A Class Catamaran Victorian Championships 2024

Bendigo Yacht Club 45 Somerset Drive, Eppalock Saturday March 9th 2024 – Monday March 11th 2024

2024 Zhik Lighthouse Regatta – McCrae YC

This year’s event sees the water sports apparel company Zhik join with McCrae Yacht Club as the regatta’s major sponsor. We hope to see everyone there, but the event is limited to 150 participants so act fast! We expect the entry list to fill up quickly. When: 26-28 January, 2022 What: Three days of fun and competitive racing Where: McCrae […]

Notice of Race: SPASC 2023 Catagatta

Entries are invited for the regatta to be organised by Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club inc.Date: Saturday 21 & 22 October 2023Location: Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, Park Road, Speers Point (within grounds of Speers Point Park). Online Registration. Eligible boats should enter via the Online Registration FormSPASC 2023 Catagatta – Speers Point Amateur Sailing […]

Notice of Race: 2023 Knox Mitsubishi Victorian Catamaran Championships – McCrae YC

Hello from the McCrae Yacht Club 2023 Knox Mitsubishi Victorian Catamaran Championship Organising Committee. McCrae Yacht Club and major sponsor Knox Mitsubishi invite you to return for the 2023 Cat Champs.The event will be held on 25-26 November 2023. Entry fee is as follows: Singled handed: $90Double handed: $120Junior single handed (Skipper U/18): $60Junior double […]

Notice of Race: 2023-24 A-Class Australian Championships

Hosted by South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club (SLMASC)at 1A Sunshine Parade, Sunshine, NSW 2264 6th January to 12th January 2024 Online entries here: https://www.mysailingclub.com.au/event/GHJVS

NoR: 2023 Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club Anzac Day Regatta

Entries are invited for the regatta to be organised by Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club inc.Date: Tuesday 25 April 2023Location: Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, Park Road, Speers Point (within grounds of Speers Point Park).

Notice of Race: Harken 2023 A Class Catamaran QLD Championships, Hervey Bay SC

The Harken 2023 Queensland International A Division Catamaran Championships (The Regatta) will be held between Friday 7th April and Sunday 9th April 2023. The regatta will be held at the Hervey Bay Sailing Club (HBSC) situated at Torquay, Qld. Online entry https://www.mysailingclub.com.au/event/GHJVF

Notice of Race: 2023 A Class Catamaran NSW Championships, Speers Point

The Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club (SPASC) Inc. as the Organising Authority, in conjunction with the Australian A Class Catamaran Association invite entries for the 2023 Australian “A” Class Catamaran NSW State Titles to be sailed on Lake Macquarie, NSW from Saturday 18th to Sunday 19th March 2023.

Official results for both events

Admiral's cup results, classic division.

Open Division

World Championships Results

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• This New 89-Foot Custom Catamaran Has Its Own Nap Station on the Flybridge

The rejuvenating amenity is accompanied by a bar and a plush lounge.

Rachel cormack.

Digital Editor

Rachel Cormack's Most Recent Stories

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Two Oceans Marine’s fleet is about to get larger and more luxurious.

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The main deck acts as a social hub, with an expansive salon, an elegant dining area, a well-equipped galley, and cockpits forward and aft. The aft cockpit has a giant teak dining table for alfresco meals, too. The crew quarters are also located on the main deck, with a cabin in each hull providing space for two crew.

The lower deck is dedicated to guests, with each hull housing two staterooms and two VIPs with en suites. Conversely, the upper deck is reserved for the owner, The owner’s suite features walk-in closets, a coffee station, and a private aft terrace. Higher still, the scenic flybridge is equipped with a plush lounge, a bar, and a nap station, because who doesn’t like to catch zs after cocktails?

The cat is set to deliver not only a lavish onboard experience but epic water adventures, too. The tender and water toys set up was “meticulously planned,” according to Two Oceans. The tender sits aft on the owner’s deck and can be moved about by a hydraulic crane. In addition, the foredeck, or what the yard calls an “aquatic playground,” houses two Jet Skis that can be launched and retrieved by another dedicated crane. The foredeck also has space for other toys and equipment, such as dive compressors.

“This floating haven is poised to redefine the concept of luxury on the water, setting a new standard for catamarans in its class,” Two Oceans said in a statement.

Click here to see all the photos of the Two Oceans 870 Power Catamaran.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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