http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpie_(boat)
Sharpies are long, narrow sailboats with flat bottoms, extremely shallow draft, centerboards and straight, flaring sides. They are believed to have originated in the New Haven, Connecticut region of Long Island Sound, United States.
This is the simplest construction I've ever heard of. Do you suppose it would lend itself to small cats & tri's?
Mike Lenehan's L-7 trimaran and John Marple's Seaclipper trimarans both use plywood hulls in arrangement similar to the sharpie. More info on sharpie construction using modern technique can be found in J.R. Watsons
Building a wood/epoxy sharpie
in Epoxyworks. The L-7 is also featured in Epoxy works. Seaclipper 20 has been featured recently in SmallTrimarans.com
JT
Sharpies are flat bottomed and sail well heeled, otherwise they would most likely pound like crazy, and catamarans don't heel unless half the boat is out of the water.