This is an age-old debate. But when it comes to visuals, the mono argument gets owned. We’ve previously featured the notorious Gunboat video. Now have a look at AC cat Stars & Stripes running wild through a mono fleet (click here). For your edification, here’s a brief summary of this cool cat from the Morrelli and Melvin website:
Stars and Stripes is occasionally raced in the Newport to Ensenada race and has also been to Europe, blowing the doors off all competition. Stars and Stripes is easily one of the fastest sailboats in the world.
Stars and Stripes showed us the extremes in size and power that could be achieved in catamarans. Awesome is an apt description of performance in less than ten knots of breeze, recording fifteen knot boat speeds in less than five to six knots of wind. Intended to last only for the summer of 1988, she looks as good as new in 2001.
The original design was a collaboration of the Sail America Design Team, of which Gino Morrelli was a member. Stars and Stripes is an inspiration of what a true sailing machine can be. With incredible ability to create her own apparent wind, she is a sailor’s sailboat and a joy to sail. Stars and Stripes was sold in the Fall of 2002 and is currently being refitted.
It may be a long time before another unlimited America’s Cup comes to pass. For this reason, the two catamarans emerging out of the 1988 America’s Cup may not be equaled on an America’s Cup race course for years to come.
Stars and Stripes was first to finish in all races started (except the last) during the 3 years of the Steve Fossett’s program.
This video comes courtesy of TWC reader Tami Shelton, and it just proves–once again–that multihulls are fun, fun, fun…
“Hey, Steve, do you see any other monohull-mokes we can embarrass…”
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