Cathedral hull - wikipedia Cathedral hull This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. ( June 2014 ) A cathedral hull is a hull shape used in modern boats, usually power - driven. It can be thought of as a kind of vestigial trimaran in which the center hull has two smaller side hulls which are so close to the main hull that there is no longer any open space. A cathedral hull is a vee - bottomed boat with sponsons which extend almost as far forward as the main hull. The airspace between the hulls may be very small or nonexistent -- a good example would be the classic `` Boston Whaler 13 '' which is nearly a flat - bottomed scow at the stern. Depending on the proportions of the side skirts and the depth of the main hull, the cathedral hull can approach the handling characteristics of either the Hickman sea sled, or the deep - vee hull. The naval architect first credited with the successful use of the deep - vee hull form, C. Raymond Hunt, also invented the Boston Whaler. The term `` cathedral hull '' refers to the resemblance of a section through an inverted boat to that of a medieval cathedral. The cathedral hull configuration tends to result in a very broad bow ; many such boats are completely rectangular. This provides the maximum cargo or working space for a given length and beam. The hull shape is also very stable compared to a conventional v - shaped bottom, and in either light chop conditions or above 40 knots or so is faster than a flat bottom, for the same weight, length and beam. Cathedral hulls became popular in the 1960s and 1970s, when the use of fiberglass made economical production of this hull - form possible. The undesirable aspects of the cathedral hull are greater weight and cost, pounding in rough water, and a boxy appearance. Their advantages include high waterplane area at rest ( good initial stability ) a dry ride in light chop, and reasonable fuel economy at planing speeds. In exposed waters this hullform has been almost totally replaced by the modified - vee and deep - vee hull forms. After a period of reduced popularity, they live on in modified form as `` deck boats '' which are very popular in the inland lakes and rivers. The Catheral hull design was originated by Naval Architect Richard C. Cole for Thunderbird boats in North Miami, Florida in 1958. See also Tunnel hull Supercavitation propeller Hull References http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cathedral+hull http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/reviewpages/boatusf/project/info1b.htm http://www.huntdesigns.com/rayhunt.htm Specific Jump up ^ `` Richard C. Cole Dies, Developed Cathedral Hull ''. Soundings Online. May 27, 2005. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cathedral_hull&oldid=799111072 '' Categories : Shipbuilding Hidden categories : Articles lacking in - text citations from June 2014 All articles lacking in - text citations Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 5 September 2017, at 18 : 12. About Wikipedia

Question: the cathedral hull allows a boat to do what
Answer: high waterplane area at rest