So a bunch of my friends and I went down to Mexico for Spring Break and of course we wanted to engage in some kind of cool tropical water sport. Unfortunately, on the day we were going to Catamaran, I swear I saw fins in the water (they were probably dolphins) and I started having flashbacks to Jaws 2 (sharks are my biggest fear in life) and decided to be the on shore photographer…but don’t worry, I saw and learned a lot!!

A catamaran looks a lot like a sailboat, but it has two hulls, rather than one, joined by some sort of frame. The boat my friends were on had a mesh bottom, which was cool because when they’d catch a wave the water would come through the bottom. The difference between a sailboat with one hull and one with two, is that single hull boats focus on weight distribution to maintain and balance whereas a boat like a catamaran with two hulls bases maintaining balance on geometric concepts. While catamarans have the capability to go faster than sailboats and are less likely to capsize, they are actually more difficult to learn on if you are a beginner.

Ok so the front most small sail on a catamaran is called the jib. The jib essentially manages and channels the wind onto the main sail and it allows the sailor to know how much wind he is dealing with. Ideally, the sailor must pull the jib line until the jib isn’t flapping anymore: if this is the case, then the main sail has the proper amount of wind directed onto it to achieve maximum speed. This is a lot to say let alone understand and accomplish when wind and water is flying at your face….thankfully my friends had an instructor close by and were quick learners.

Everyone was laughing the entire time and undoubtedly getting in a good upper body workout in while on vacation. By the end they really looked like they were starting to get the hang of it. I’m sure, like anything, with a little practice one could totally become a pro! Bottom line: Jaws did not eat them…and if you ever have the opportunity to try your hand at a catamaran, you should take it! I know next time I will!

-Ashley Johncola