International C-Class Catamaran
Encyclopedia
The C-Class Catamaran is a high-performance developmental class sailing
catamaran
. They are very light boats which use rigid wing sails and can sail at twice the speed of the wind. They are used for match races
known as the Little America's Cup
and for the International C-Class Catamaran Championship
.
-ISAF) classes as devised at the founding of the IYRU itself. There are 4 development classes, A to D.
The 18 foot x 8 foot A-Class
has a strong following and many one-design classes fall under this category such as the Unicorn. The (20 foot x 10 foot) B-Class sub-class Tornado became the Olympic class and became the dominant B class boat. Other classes like the Hobie 16s, Formula 18s, Formula 16s and other classes that contain far more and far stricter class rules. D-Class boats are rare and the use of D-Class designation has mainly been limited to sail area measurements for speed sailing craft.
The C-class has been the one where most development has taken place mainly due to the existence of the Little America's Cup
.
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
. They are very light boats which use rigid wing sails and can sail at twice the speed of the wind. They are used for match races
Match race
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.The term may be best known as a race between two sailing boats racing around a course...
known as the Little America's Cup
International Catamaran Challenge Trophy
The International Catamaran Challenge Trophy is the formal name for the more familiarly known Little Americas Cup modeled loosely on the Americas Cup series for yachts, and started in 1961 as a match racing series between two catamarans...
and for the International C-Class Catamaran Championship
International C-Class Catamaran Championship
The International C-Class Catamaran Championship, or ICCCC or I4C has taken over from the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy for the International C-Class Catamaran match racing of highly innovative catamarans, predominantly with a wing rig instead of a conventional sail plan.The prior racing...
.
Background
The designation of the C class is derived from the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU, now called the International Sailing FederationInternational Sailing Federation
The International Sailing Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for the sport of sailing....
-ISAF) classes as devised at the founding of the IYRU itself. There are 4 development classes, A to D.
The 18 foot x 8 foot A-Class
International A-Class Catamaran
The A-Class Catamaran, often abbreviated to A-Cat, is a developmental class sailing catamaran for singlehanded racing.-Background:The class was founded during the 1960s and was part of the 4-tier IYRU approach to divide up the sports catamaran sailing scene into 4 separate groups...
has a strong following and many one-design classes fall under this category such as the Unicorn. The (20 foot x 10 foot) B-Class sub-class Tornado became the Olympic class and became the dominant B class boat. Other classes like the Hobie 16s, Formula 18s, Formula 16s and other classes that contain far more and far stricter class rules. D-Class boats are rare and the use of D-Class designation has mainly been limited to sail area measurements for speed sailing craft.
The C-class has been the one where most development has taken place mainly due to the existence of the Little America's Cup
International Catamaran Challenge Trophy
The International Catamaran Challenge Trophy is the formal name for the more familiarly known Little Americas Cup modeled loosely on the Americas Cup series for yachts, and started in 1961 as a match racing series between two catamarans...
.