Hello Dennis, Georgs, etc. Unfortunately I can't offer any scientific data or analysis on whether or not the catamaran hull configuration offers any ride dampening effect by virtue of trapping air between the hulls or 'smothering' rough water. I have had some limited experience with this effect many years ago with another designer that I worked for at the time. These planing hull cats, which typically had a very low wing deck clearance, definitely performed better and were planing quicker if they were heading into the wind and a head sea. I am sure that at least part of that benefit was related to breaking the wetted surface 'suction' onto the low wing deck due to the wave action and allowing the boat to accelerate and lift. Related to this topic and more particularly associated with planing and semi displacement cats is the effect of wake/wash water that is thrown up into the tunnel area and again I would say that low wing deck type, high speed hulls would benefit from any dampening effect that this creates more so than a full displacement type cat. The planing and semi displacement type cats that we do have sufficient wing deck clearance to not require any wave or wind assistance to plane or lift and I think that any cat with reasonable tunnel clearance forward and aft would not benefit from any air entrapment cushioning effect due to open ended nature of the tunnel between the hulls. The Hickman 'Sea Sled' was definitely a hull type that was designed in a specific way to benefit from lift and ride cushioning due to entrapped air and wash under the hull but it was a monohull. I have no experience with high speed racing power cat design but I would assume that these types of craft also benefit from lift generated by the air under the wing deck. I do not think that round bilged displacement hull cats with good wing deck clearance would gain any benefit at all from air compression or wash between the hulls. You asked for my comments and there you have them. I am sure others will express theirs also! Regards Roger Hill.