Hydrofoil vs. Catamaran — What's the Difference?

A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes.

A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stabilized craft, deriving its stability from its wide beam, rather than from a ballasted keel as with a monohull boat.

A winglike structure attached to the hull of a boat that raises all or part of the hull out of the water when the boat is moving forward, thus reducing drag.

A boat with two parallel hulls or floats, especially a light sailboat with a mast mounted on a transverse frame joining the hulls.

A boat equipped with hydrofoils. Also called hydroplane.

A raft of logs or floats lashed together and propelled by paddles or sails.

(nautical) A wing attached to the hull of a ship that raises it out of the water when travelling at speed and thus reduces drag.

A twin-hulled ship or boat.

(nautical) A vessel equipped with such a device.

A quarrelsome woman; a scold.

(nautical) To operate or use or ride atop a hydrofoil wing on a hull so equipped.

(obsolete) A raft of three pieces of wood lashed together, the middle piece being longer than the others, and serving as a keel on which the rower squats while paddling.

A device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through;

(obsolete) An old kind of fireship.

A speedboat that is equipped with hydrofoils that lift it so that it skims the water at high speeds;

A kind of raft or float, consisting of two or more logs or pieces of wood lashed together, and moved by paddles or sail; - used as a surf boat and for other purposes on the coasts of the East and West Indies and South America. Modified forms are much used in the lumber regions of North America, and at life-saving stations.

Any vessel with twin hulls, whether propelled by sails or by steam; esp., one of a class of double-hulled pleasure boats remarkable for speed.

A kind of fire raft or torpedo bat.

A quarrelsome woman; a scold.

A sailboat with two parallel hulls held together by single deck