High speed catarmaran or monohull? How do you chose?

A decision-making tool has been developed to aid designers when confronted with the choice between two different hull form configurations for a particular route. It incorporates both economic and technical issues, which are the two major components to influence the comparison and evaluation of vessels. A number of technical factors have been taken into account including resistance and powering, passenger comfort and structural configuration; they have different weightings depending on the vessel's operational requirements. The use of the system is demonstrated by way of a case study for a prospective ferry route in South Australia. Conclusions are drawn on its performance and recommendations made for future development.