This is a thumbnail biography of the man who designed and built the first modern, light weight modern multihull, 1947.

The manuscript had to be somewhat condensed for Cruising World Magazine, where it served as a eulogy after Woody Brown’s death in 2008. Woody’s life has been well chronicled in two David Brown documentaries, “Surfing For Life” and “Of Wind And Water,” both are meaty, inspiring and recommended (visit David Brown Films). Shortly after the latter was released, Jim Brown and Scott Brown had the opportunity to take Woody for what probably was his last blast in the wind and water. The story of that peak occasion is written here.

There is a brief video counterpart in the OutRig video “The Multihull Pioneers” (Part One, see Timeline).

More detail on the emergence of the early Hawaiian-type Catamarans appears in Chapter 3 of Among The Multihulls (see Timeline).

We have hours of Woody on video as shot by Scott Brown in 2006,, and intend to release portions once it is edited. Keep an eye on OutRig!

Note: Woody, Jim, Scott and David Brown are not closely related, as far as is known.

Click here to read "THE FAILED DROWNING OF WOODY BROWN" by Jim Brown.