Attention to detail

The Morrelli & Melvin Gunboat 48 featured last month is simple to sail and very fast; but behind the simplicity there is considerable technical prowess. Torbjørn Linderson and Pete Melvin examine the boat's all-carbon forward beam system

For a long time the forward beam system on all catamarans was pretty much the same, an alloy transverse beam pinned to metallic fittings on each hull. To take the headstay load, twin-spreaders configured as an A-frame plus a seagull striker with wire stays was used. There have been other configurations, such as the curved composite forward beam with no seagull striker used by French designer Erik Lerouge, but for many years the stayed set-up was considered the norm.

Similarly with spinnakers that were generally symmetrical and rigged with a sheet to the stern and a guy to the bow on each side. Then along came the asymmetric revolution which added a bowsprit to the forward beam and often a compression pole from the forward beam running back to the mainbeam (or the bridgedeck on more Œcruisey' designs).

To read the remainder of this and many other topical technical articles, please purchase your copy of the April 2006 edition of Seahorse International Sailing, available at selected newsstands or by calling: + 44 (0) 1590 671899 or by email at: info@seahorse.co.uk

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