Catamarans: The Complete Guide for Cruising Sailors by Gregor Tarjan, Adlard Coles,£30.
Gregor Tarjan, regarded as one of the world's leading experts on multihulls, has produced a sumptuously illustrated hardback which the publisher describes as “a dream-book combination of how-to manual, buyer's guide and coffee table showpiece.”
It covers every aspect of cruising multihulls, from basic concepts of design, construction, performance and handling, to the latest developments. The author examines how muiltihull seamanship differs from sailing a ballasted monohull, and explains how to get maximum speed from a cruising cat, as well as what to look for when buying your own.
There is a comprehensive catalogue of noteworthy production catamarans which will help potential buyers compare and evaluate different types. But the real strength of this book is the wealth of illustrations, covering every aspect of life aboard a catamaran. It's easy to see why they are becoming increasingly popular among liveaboard sailors, for their sheer volume of accommodation and creature comforts - and what Tarjan calls “the no-heel environment.”.
The book also contains plenty of advice and information of equal interest to monohull sailors, notably the useful appendices on such subjects as equipment for long distance cruising, general maintenance, and photography!
