Characteristics: The Tornado is a one-design racing catamaran which was designed in 1967 for the specific purpose of becoming the Olympic catamaran. Featuring a crew of two, the Tornado first raced in the Olympics in 1976. The boat is for advanced sailors who relish speed and competitive one-design racing. In average winds, sailors typically "fly" one of its two hulls, reducing drag. The boat is capable of attaining speeds of 30-knots on a reach and 18 knots upwind.
Rig Description: Since 2005, the Tornado has sported a carbon mast. Strict certification of mast characteristics and tolerances for weight and deflection are required by class rules. The sail plan includes a spinnaker, self-tacking jib. Both racers are on trapezes, enabling them to hike out further from the boat. Class rules allow a 17 square meter mainsail and a seven meter jib. The spinnaker is a whopping 25 square meters. All this aboard a boat that weighs 320 pounds fully rigged.
Size: Length, overall: 20 feet.
Length, waterline: 19 feet three inches.
Beam: Ten feet, eight inches.
Hull: Epoxy laminates with lightweight cores.
Other Considerations: Because of the high speed of the boat, rudder and centerboard design and dimension are of critical importance to keeping the boat controllable. The correct shapes were achieved in the 1980's, and class rules have locked those in.
The Bottom Line: This flat-out racing sailboat is not for the timid. It has an active, highly competitive class with a full racing calendar. The Tornado class is often referred to as "the formula one of sailing." Catamarans in general have a steep learning curve for keel-boat sailors, and this one -- with it's massive sail plan, aggressive crewing requirements (hiking from a trapeze), and sail handling skills -- has one of the steepest. But for younger sailors seeking the adrenaline rush of high speed and tight racing, it cannot be beat. For the rest of us, the Tornado offers exciting viewing at the highest levels of the sport.
Links: Class Association -- http://www.tornado.org/
