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Tactics and Rules
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Catapult's development was honed at Weymouth speed week,
catching opportunities provided by strong winds (dramatically shown below)
using reduced rigs. Catapult had a
timed 500m run of 17.9 knots, with bursts over 20 knots, and helped
shape the development of catamaran sailing in the UK.
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John Peperell (above) and Alex Montgomery (right) pound Weymouth
Harbour. Alex is using a sleeve sail (6sqm) which Jon Montgomery
developed in the early 90's wth a tapering sleeve to reduce sail
twist.
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Right:
John Peperell demonstrates "Slewcat" on shore, a standard
Catapult hybrid with a fixed 20 degree slewed hull angle (with
longer cross beams to retain standard beam.)
Slewing pushes the lee hull further forward to counter the pressure
from the rig, and takes the weight of the windward hull (and helm)
further back.
The boat is set up with the starboard hull slewed forward, for timed a run
south to north in the prevailing SW wind at Weymouth -- by
inverting the deck, the set up can be reversed, with port
hull forward.
20 degrees was the largest slew tried---for the larger 5.5 boat, Jon
Montgomery settled on 10 degrees.
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Above,
and above right: John
Peperell blasting across a windswept Weymouth Harbour,
showing both the steep mast rake used, and the ability to tilt
the the rig to windward to gain lift, with a 7 sqm
Sobstad sail on a standard Catapult frame
Below: Alex at speed again, sailing
with a 7sqm Sobstad in an F6 NW.
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Above:
John Peperell takes the principle that high speed comes
from
a small rig in a high wind to its limit. This early (mid
90's) Classic rig, about 5sqm, needed a 30+ knots south
westerly to make it go.
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