Catamarans have come a long way from their origins--the double canoes used by Polynesians and Micronesians as far back as the 1700s. The first modern, fast ocean catamaran was built in 1947 in Hawaii, and since then these craft have stretched the limits of speed and luxury for racing and cruising. The largest catamarans have become a phenomenon of naval engineering--the superyacht of tomorrow. Building on his previous book Catamarans: Every Sailor's Guide, Gregor Tarjan analyzes the impact of big ocean racers, the luxury charter environment, and new technologies, on the development of the luxury catamaran.

With a focus on craft 65' or larger, this lavishly illustrated book, with numerous photos by Billy Black, incorporates interviews with naval architects, interior designers, experienced multihull skippers and seasoned ocean racers to paint the big picture of today's luxury performance catamarans and their evolution. The advantages of multihulls versus monohulls are examined.

Readers will discover what building a large catamaran entails, and what considerations are most important in choosing and sailing such a craft, from seaworthiness to aesthetics to practical seamanship and crew training. Tarjan ends with a look at "Future Perspective" on these remarkable vessels.