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词条 International A-class catamaran
释义

  1. Background

  2. Specifications

  3. Current situation

  4. Builders

  5. Events

     World Championships 

  6. Class websites

  7. See also

  8. References

{{Redirect|A Cat|other uses|ACAT (disambiguation){{!}}ACAT}}

The A-Class Catamaran, often abbreviated to A-Cat, is a development class sailing catamaran for singlehanded racing.[1]

Background

The class was founded during the 1960s and was part of the 4-tier IYRU (now ISAF) approach to divide up the sports catamaran sailing scene into 4 separate groups. These A, B, C and D classes were governed by a very small set of class rules to which each design had to comply.[2] In the beginning it was just:

  • Maximum hull length
  • Maximum overall width
  • Maximum sailarea

All boats designed and built to these specs would be grouped into one fleet and race each other for crossing the finish line first.

The A-Class is the largest remaining of those 4 main classes. The B-Class quickly splintered into a score of sub classes like the Hobie 16's, Formula 18's and other classes that contain far more and far stricter class rules. The C-Class quickly developed into the really high tech and vanguard boats that were used in the Little America's Cup. These require immense investments of time and money to race. As a result, this class is extremely small but still maintains its status as the ultimate sailing catamaran designs. The D class never really got off the ground in earnest.

Specifications

The official organisation for the A-Class catamaran is the IACA (International A division Catamarans Association).

The A-Class rules were expanded over time to prevent the cost of these boats from rising too high and to ensure fairness in racing.

Currently the main A-Class class rules are:[3]

  • Min overall boat weight : 75 kg / 165.3 lbs
  • Max overall boat length : 5.49 m / 18.3 ft (= still the old IYRU rule)
  • Max overall boat width : 2.30 m / 7.5 ft (= still the old IYRU rule)
  • Max sail area incl. mast : 13.94 m2 / 150.0 ft2 (= still the old IYRU rule)

In handicap racing, the A-Class catamaran uses a Portsmouth Yardstick of 681 in the UK[4] or a D-PN of 64.5 in the USA.[5]

Current situation

The A-Class design has over time converged to a single sail rig using a lightweight carbon mast of about 9 meters length and using lightweight pentex or Kevlar sailcloth. The hulls and beams are often made out of carbon fibre as well. This single sail rig (just a mainsail) allows these boats to truly excel when sailing upwind. Their lightweight and time tested sailing techniques make these boats very fast on reaches and downwind legs as well. They were often unbeatable on the race course and only with the introduction of the asymmetic spinnaker on other catamarans have they lost this position a little bit.

In the decades since their foundation the A-Class has gathered a significant international following and it has class organisations in many countries around the globe. Their world championships often attracts around 100 boats and sailors. It is also a class that still contains a significant portion of homebuilders, although their numbers are decreasing with every year due to the skills required to make a competitive boat. However, nearly all A-Class sailors tinker with their setups and boats. As it is a developmental class and the rules do allow so much variation, it is paramount that a top sailor keeps experimenting with new setups and generally tries to improve the design even more. Because of this general character of the class, the A-Class is often leading over other catamaran classes in terms of design development. Over time these other classes copy new findings for their own setups. Examples of such developments are: the carbon mast, the squaretop mainsail, the wave-piercer hull design and in general the use of exotic materials.

Builders

Apart from the list below of some of the commercial builders, the A-Class catamaran can be home-built:

  • Bimare (Italy) (https://web.archive.org/web/20120823064200/http://www.bimare.org/)
  • Aicher-Egner Technologie GmbH (Germany) (http://www.flyer-acat.de/)
  • Marstrom (Composite AB Sweden) (http://www.marstrom.com/)
  • Performance Catamarans (Nacra) (USA)
  • Scheurer Design & Eng. (Switzerland) (http://www.d3-a-cat.com/)
  • Scheurer Bootswerft AG (Switzerland) (http://www.scheurerwerft.ch/scheurer/)
  • VectorWorks Sail (USA)
  • Wingfox (Poland) (http://www.wingfox.pl/)
  • DNA (Netherlands) (http://dnaperformancesailing.com/)
  • Vision (Netherlands) (http://www.catamaranparts.nl/)
  • Nikita (Germany)
  • Exploder (Poland) (http://www.exploder.info/)

Events

World Championships

1981 Bontan BayBill Anderson|AUS}}
1982 CesenaticoAlberto Babbi|ITA}}
1984 WellingtonAllan Goodall|AUS}}
1985 Spray BeachAllan Goodall|AUS}}
1986 BrenzoneScott Anderson|AUS}}
1987 BlairgowrieBrad Schafferuis|AUS}}
1988 Turkey PointGreg Goodall|AUS}}
1990 NapierGreg Goodall|AUS}}
1991 GrömitzPaul McKenzie|AUS}}
1992 SilvaplanaPaul McKenzie|AUS}}
1993 SanguinetEgidio Babbi|ITA}}
1994 Lake CootharabaMitch Booth|AUS}}
1995 AndijkEgidio Babbi|ITA}}
1996 L'EstartitGlenn Ashby|AUS}}
1997 Long BeachPete Melvin|USA}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Francesco Marcolini|ITA}}
1999 Port PhillipNils Bunkenburg|GER}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Cameron Owen|AUS}}
2000 CesenaticoNils Bunkenburg|GER}}Glenn Ashby|AUS}}Egidio Babbi|ITA}}
2001 CastelldefelsSteven Brewin|AUS}}Glenn Ashby|AUS}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}
2002 Martha's VineyardGlenn Ashby|AUS}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Steven Brewin|AUS}}
2004 New PlymouthGlenn Ashby|AUS}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Steven Brewin|AUS}}
2005 SanguinetPete Melvin|USA}}Glenn Ashby|AUS}}Steven Brewin|AUS}}
2006 VästervikGlenn Ashby|AUS}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Manuel Calavia|ESP}}
2007 IslamoradaGlenn Ashby|AUS}}Lars Guck|USA}}Pete Melvin|USA}}
2008 NOT HELD
2009 Belmont (AUS)Glenn Ashby|AUS}}{{flagathlete}{{flagathlete}
2010 CesenaticoGlenn Ashby|AUS}}{{flagathlete}{{flagathlete}
2011 Århus (DEN)Steve Brewin|AUS}}Scott Anderson|AUS}}Jack Benson|AUS}}
2012 Islamorada KeyMischa Heemskerk|NED}}{{flagathlete}{{flagathlete}
2013NOT HELD
2014 Takapuna NZLGlenn Ashby|AUS}}Blair Tuke|NZL}}Peter Burling|NZL}}
2015 (ITA)[6]Glenn Ashby|AUS}}Mischa Heemskerk|NED}}Manuel Calavia|ESP}}
2016 Medemblik (NED) [7]Mischa Heemskerk|NED}}Darren Bundock|AUS}}Steve Brewin|AUS}}
2017 Sopot (POL) [8]Steve Brewin|AUS}}Tymoteusz Bendyk|POL}}Jakub Surowiec|POL}}

Class websites

  • International A-Division Catamaran Association (IACA) (http://www.a-cat.org)—National A-Catamaran Organisations:
  • Australia (http://www.a-cat.org.au/)
  • Austria (http://www.aaca.at/)
  • Belgium (http://www.baca.be)
  • Brazil (http://www.abca.esp.br/acat/default_por.asp)
  • Denmark (http://www.a-cat.dk)
  • Germany (http://www.a-cat.info)
  • Great Britain (http://www.aclasscatamaran.co.uk)
  • France (http://www.afcca.org)
  • Italy (http://www.classeaitalia.it)
  • New Zealand (http://www.a-class.org.nz)
  • Netherlands (http://www.a-cat.nl)
  • Poland (http://www.katamaran.sopot.pl/aklasa.htm)
  • Sweden (http://www.a-cat.se/)
  • Switzerland (http://www.saca.ch)
  • Spain (http://www.adecat.com)
  • United States of America (http://www.usaca.info/)

See also

  • List of multihulls

References

1. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.eyeforlife.com/acat/?file=kop1.php |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-01-13 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307133929/http://www.eyeforlife.com/acat/?file=kop1.php |archivedate=2010-03-07 |df= }}
2. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.a-cat.org.au/history.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-01-13 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221030740/http://www.a-cat.org.au/history.html |archivedate=2010-02-21 |df= }}
3. ^{{cite web |url=http://a-cat.dk/prog/class_rules.asp?Language=&Menu=2 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-09-05 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418054114/http://www.a-cat.dk/prog/class_rules.asp?Language=&Menu=2 |archivedate=2012-04-18 |df= }}
4. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/technical/Web%20Documents/py-general/2012%20listv3.xls |title=Portsmouth Number List 2012 |publisher=Royal Yachting Association |accessdate=31 July 2012}}
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://offshore.ussailing.org/Portsmouth_Yardstick/Current_Tables/Multihull_Classes.htm |title=Multihull Classes |publisher=US Sailing |accessdate=30 July 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816160222/http://offshore.ussailing.org/Portsmouth_Yardstick/Current_Tables/Multihull_Classes.htm |archivedate=16 August 2012 |df= }}
6. ^http://www.aclassworlds2015.it/
7. ^http://www.acatworlds2016.nl/
8. ^http://aclassworlds2017.pl/test/
{{Classes of the International Sailing Federation}}

2 : Classes of World Sailing|Catamarans
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