Yes, those 1.5" rudder stocks are "massive" in his universe. Also according to him, no other mono or cat would have survived the "rogue" wave like that boat did. If you read his sea trial report, they sailed for 3 days through an "Arctic gale" with "8' seas" - all within Long Island sound, mind you. The actual wind conditions were 25-30kts with gusts to 35 (thus briefly meeting "gale" definition), and the pictures show the usual short steep chop, not 8' waves. I guess the "Arctic" definition was because it was cold?

Yes, the claim is a rogue wave, and I am not arguing that because there is no way to know. However, the statement that they were close reaching at 8kts when a rogue wave suddenly drove them backwards at high speed gives the physicist in me great skepticism trying to imagine a buoyant 18,000lb catamaran traveling at 8kts suddenly stopping and reversing at high speed just because of a wave. There is a lot of velocity and inertia working in your favor there.

That was either a George Clooney type wave or Tarjan just can't take himself out of PT Barnum mode…

Mark