The Lightwind-Beast development

I get many emails on how to make catamarans more effective for lighter winds. We can see many sails which is not so efficient. It has power, but cannot go forward fast. I have seen several cases on different regattas that the boat is flying a hull in really low wind, , but was very very slow. It means it has too much drag.

This whole light wind passion started several years ago, when we bought our Tornado. We have lots of light wind days on Lake Balaton. I have started to think how to pimp her. Now let's see what was done in the last two years.

Chupacabra XL

For the 2008 Olympic Games some Tornado class teams developed a gennaker which could be used sailing upwind in very light breeze. This sail and the mystery around it made a huge storm within the class, and a South-American sailor started to call the sail Chupacabra.

This sail is a slightly bigger version for a different boat, but using the famous Chupacabra development.