A funny thing has happened in the evolution of cruising catamarans. The category, at the outset, was defined by straightforward simplicity. This was true going back to the double-hulled Polynesian voyaging canoes, through the iconic designs of the visionary James Wharram, on to the custom cats built on Caribbean beaches by Peter Spronk, and including the early production cats of the modern era from Fountaine Pajot and Lagoon. Cruising catamarans were basically a pair of narrow hulls with a rather minimalistic living and working space sandwiched between them. 

It wasn’t too long before builders and designers realized that if they added a bit of volume to those hulls and stretched them, they could fill them with comfortable double-berth staterooms, en suite heads and other amenities. And, thanks largely to the ­catamaran’s emergence as an excellent platform for bareboat charter, designers could also make them taller (the “wedding-cake effect”). That brought us not only upper-deck lounges with day beds, grills and refrigerators, but also dedicated flybridges with steering stations that were once the exclusive domain of trawlers and sport-fishing craft.

Everything’s gotten bigger these days. Certainly, here in my hometown of Newport, Rhode Island, and in nearby destinations including Long Island, Cape Cod and Nantucket, modest seaside homes have been razed to make room for garish mansions with gyms, pools and astronomical square footage. In contemporary cruising cats, I’m feeling comparable vibes. 

As a judge for the 2024 Boat of the Year awards, I was struck by the technology, sophistication and similarities of the contestants vying for Best Cruising Catamaran Over 50 Feet. Both were from French builders, both were 51 feet, and both had seven-figure price tags. The Lagoon 51 was a very different beast than the first Lagoon I ever stepped aboard, the compact Lagoon 37. And the winning boat, the Fountaine Pajot Aura 51, was a far cry from the basic Louisiane 37 that launched the company’s foray into cruising cats back in 1983. 

Fountaine Pajot has certainly placed a big bet on the Aura 51, as it’s replacing the Saba 50, of which some 300 hulls were sold. Describing the overall aesthetic by Berret-Racoupeau Design is no simple task. The lines are actually pretty sweet for a gargantuan 51-footer with a beam of more than 25 feet. As with all contemporary cats, the waterline is maxed out, with a plumb bow and an extended boarding step in the squarish transom. The hull windows and the wraparound window treatment in the coachroof complement each other well.

Clearly, the goal was to optimize comfort at anchor. There are cushioned seats in the forward deck, just abaft the trampolines. What the company calls the “sky lounge” is topside on the roof of the Bimini hardtop over the cockpit, with a 2,000-watt array of solar panels sharing this space.

The steering wheel is to starboard, a few steps up from the cockpit, putting the skipper in a strategic location to communicate with mates on the lower or upper level, which is another four steps up from the wheel. Everything’s a compromise when it comes to boats, and the drawback here is that there are blind spots to port, particularly if coming along a portside berth. You’re going to want a mate calling out the distance. (There is no flybridge wheel.)

That said, I’m actually a big fan of the split steering station, with the wheel, engine controls and Garmin instruments on a pedestal under a canvas Bimini top, and a trio of Lewmar self-tailing electric winches, a pair of Spinlock rope clutches, and all the running rigging led to a dedicated pod just forward of the helmsman. This is a signature Fountaine Pajot feature on several models. Frankly, with imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, I’m surprised more builders have not adopted this layout. It really does allow for solo sailing; the driver can put the boat on autopilot, slip a couple of steps forward, and trim and reef to the heart’s delight. 

Unfortunately, for our sea trial on Chesapeake Bay, we didn’t have the double-digit windspeeds needed to put the Aura 51 through its proper paces, but the boat moved well in the 5- to 8-knot northerly, making over 4 knots closehauled, and an even 4 when cracked off on a beam reach. A company rep suggested that in better breeze, the boat would generally make speeds about half that of the true-wind pressure. There’s an optional bowsprit arrangement with all the associated hardware to set a code-zero-style headsail.

There certainly is no lack of sail area, particularly the square-topped full-battened mainsail that’s set off a whopping 76-foot spar. We see quite a few sails from French sailmaker Incidence on French-built boats, like the ones on our test ride, and they are always top-notch. The boat we tested also had optional twin 75 hp Volvo Pentas with saildrives (60 hp engines are standard). The boat galloped along at over 8 knots at 2,400 rpm. Decibel-wise, it was one of the quietest in the entire 2024 Boat of the Year fleet. The composite construction is a rather straightforward combination of resin injection and infusion with balsa core in the hulls and Divinycell foam in the deck.

All of which brings us to the vessel’s true raison d’être: the open floor plan with condolike cabins and accommodations, which are impressive. 

The sliding doors separating the main cabin and cockpit can be fully opened. The main dining table is in the cockpit and can be fully enclosed with canopies. The straight-line galley is inside and to port, bordered by an island that doubles as counters and a workspace for the cook. There’s plenty of seating, and the views through the coachroof windows are terrific. Surprisingly, there is no dedicated navigation station, which to me seems like an oversight on a boat of this size.

Several layouts are available. Our test model had the “double maestro”: a master stateroom aft in each hull, accessed from the interior or through a pair of gullwing doors in the cockpit. Guest staterooms are forward. Boat of the Year judge Mark Pillsbury noted that this could be a nice setup for two owners to share, whether sailing separately or together. Regarding our choice of the Aura 51 over the Lagoon for Boat of the Year, our panel collectively felt that both boats would do well in charter, but that the Aura was better suited to real cruising as opposed to being aimed more toward vacation sailing. 

No pun intended, but there’s a definite aura to this rangy cat that separates it from the other models that Fountaine Pajot produces. This is a boat meant to be lived on and in, for extended periods, in high comfort bordering on true luxury. Bring friends and family. On the Aura 51, there is definitely room for the whole gang. 

Herb McCormick is a CW editor at large and was a 2024 Boat of the Year judge.

Did You Know?

■ Fountaine Pajot is pioneering a “zero-emission energy system” in the Aura 51. The Smart Electric version of the boat incorporates electric motors, folding props, solar panels, a generator, and a pair of lithium-ion battery banks capable of storing 54 kilowatt hours. Under sail via hydrogeneration, the system can recharge the batteries in 48 hours. 

■ Founded in 1976 by a quartet that included Olympic sailor Jean-François Fountaine and offshore racer Yves Pajot, Fountaine Pajot specialized at the start in racing dinghies and IOR-rule monohulls. The company later delved into large, record-setting transoceanic catamarans and trimarans. It wasn’t until 1983 that the yard pivoted to cruising cats, beginning with the Louisiana 37. 

■ During the past four decades, Fountaine Pajot has produced more than three dozen models, many named after the destinations or islands that inspired them: Tobago 35, Saba 50, Eleuthera 60 and so on. Today, the company also includes Dufour Yachts, a range of power cats, and eight cruising/sailing cat models from 40 to 80 feet.

The post Sailboat Review: Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 appeared first on Cruising World.

Before he became a cruising sailor, Aussie yacht designer and boatbuilder Richard Ward was a surfer. Yes, the driving force behind Seawind Catamarans for more than four decades now was already more than a little familiar with the abundance of inviting point breaks up and down the coast of New South Wales. His surfing experiences have played a major role in his design career. He creates clean, straightforward lines that translate into easily driven hulls. His innate love of the ocean, also informed from the nose and rails of a surfboard sluicing down waves, is icing on the cake. 

Seawind’s latest offering, the 39-foot Seawind 1170, is a compact package that combines well-tested features from previous models with a fresh helping of new technology. In spirit and layout, it is expressly geared toward cruising couples. Cruising cats seem to be getting larger and rangier; delivering all the necessary amenities and performance in a vessel under 40 feet is a challenge—one that the 1170 addresses quite nicely. 

In profile, the cat looks sleek and contemporary. The bows are raked slightly aft, and the generous freeboard is accented by a reverse sheerline. There’s a fixed carbon bowsprit for setting a code-zero-style screecher forward, and there are molded-in steps from the deck to the waterline in the transoms. A chine in the hull that increases the interior volume in the belowdecks staterooms extends almost the length of the waterline, and is aligned with the parallel windows in the hull. The solid coachroof extends aft over the entire cockpit, offering protection from the elements. The visuals all come together nicely. 

The first two boats off the line, including our test boat for the 2024 Boat of the Year contest, were built in Seawind’s longtime Vietnam facility. Going forward, the boat also will be produced in the company’s new boatyard in Turkey. The infused hulls and deck are vinylester with a PVC foam core that is cut with kerfs to accommodate the curved surfaces. The bulkheads are composite laminates, and there is carbon reinforcement in high-load areas. Molded ­channels in the coachroof serve as a gutter of sorts for catching rain, and a hose with a filter can be led directly to the water tanks to get topped off in the squalls.

The test boat we inspected had a CZone digital switching system, a set of lithium-ion batteries, and a full suite of coachroof-mounted solar panels (all options). A company representative said that this arrangement offers the juice necessary to power an air-conditioning unit overnight. 

The owner’s stateroom occupies the entire port hull, with an island berth forward and an en suite head with a walk-in shower aft. To starboard, the straight-line galley is sandwiched by a pair of double staterooms fore and aft. This galley-down plan opens up the main cabin, with a wraparound settee whose port side doubles as a day bed and the bench for the navigation station. An offset table can be spun around to seat guests or dropped down to make a double berth—a good option for the off-watch crew to stretch out on passage but still be close to everything. The coachroof windows can be raised to let plenty of fresh air course through. 

Topside, the features will be familiar to Seawind fans, including a trifold door that can be raised to the underside of the coachroof to integrate the cockpit and main cabin into an open space. The twin wheels are mounted well outboard and on the same level as the cockpit sole, providing terrific 360-degree visibility of the entire boat when sailing or docking. The mainsheet and traveler arrangement is overhead on the coachroof to keep the cockpit uncluttered. All the gear is top-shelf, including the Harken furlers, Gori propellers and Maxwell windlass. 

We sailed the boat on a pleasant fall Chesapeake Bay day with a breeze between 8 and 12 knots. The 1170 acquitted itself well. With the self-tacking Doyle jib employed sailing to weather, we touched almost 6 knots. When we stashed the jib and swapped over to the screecher, things got lively. On a tight reach sailing at about 60 degrees apparent, the boat zipped along at more than 7 knots. Cracked off to a beam reach, the speedo notched up to nearly 8 knots. Steerage was sweet and light, and it was a lot of fun dashing from one helm station to another on tacks and jibes. 

All in all, the 1170 did ­everything we expected it to do, with style and panache. The seasoned surfer responsible for it wasn’t around that day, but his spirit and intent most certainly were evident.

Seawind 1170 Specifications

The post Sailboat Review: Seawind 1170 appeared first on Cruising World.

With  a bright and inviting interior, numerous on-deck places to relax or socialize, good sailing manners, and a versatile array of layouts for couples, families or chartering, the Lagoon 51 does a number of things right.

The 51, designed by Lagoon’s longtime naval architect collaborators at VPLP Design, replaces the Lagoon 50, which was introduced roughly five years ago. The new model lands dead center in the company’s lineup of cruising catamarans that range from 40 to 77 feet. The Lagoon 50 is the largest model intended for an owner-operator; starting with the Lagoon 55, there’s likely to be a captain and/or crew involved.

The company, which builds some 275 boats a year, projects that it will build 45 to 50 hulls of the new 51, with about a third sold for private use and the remainder going into charter. With that in mind, it makes sense that the interior design of the 51 includes multiple accommodations layouts. 

The four-stateroom version is more likely to appeal to a private owner, whose suite takes the entire starboard hull. It has a queen-size berth aft that’s adjacent to one of three rectangular ports in the hull, providing a tremendous view of the world outdoors. Amidships, there’s a desk and seating area outboard with a view. Opposite are hanging lockers along with a walk-in closet/dressing room. A head and shower are forward, and are kept bright in daylight hours with natural light.

Three guest staterooms occupy the port hull. The aft stateroom has an en suite head and shower. The remaining two staterooms—one ­forward and the other located inboard and amidships—share a head and shower. 

A four-stateroom, ­four-head version is also available, and there’s a charter-friendly six-stateroom, four-head option as well.

The 51 is built in Lagoon’s yard in Bordeaux, France, on the same production line as the Lagoon 55. Lagoon infuses its balsa-cored composite hulls and decks, a process that helps to control weight during construction. The Bimini top over the flybridge is injection-molded. The 51 has a 12-volt electrical system.

On recent Lagoon models, VPLP designers placed the mast farther aft than on older models, employing a shorter boom and high-aspect main, a trend made popular on big racing multihulls. On those boats, race crews rely on a quiver of headsails, often set on furlers, to quickly power up or down the sail plan to match conditions. Most cruisers and charter boats, though, are rigged with a single jib or small genoa, a setup that can affect performance in light conditions. On the 51, Lagoon returned the rig to a more forward position, and the mainsail will be cut for a bit more power. This should mean better performance in light air. Moving the mast ahead also opens up space in the salon. 

Another interesting design choice on the 51 is the placement of large transoms on either side of a swim platform that can be lowered into the water at anchor, or be raised and used to store a tender underway. The oversize transoms extend abaft the sides of the hull, making it easier to step aboard from a dock or tender. And they make a good place to sit and dangle your feet in the water. 

There are essentially four places to congregate on the 51. A padded, U-shaped seating area is on the foredeck, with a window abaft it that opens from the salon, and through which snacks can be passed. That window also provides increased indoor ventilation.

The open salon has a galley aft with L-shaped counters on either side of the sliding cockpit door. Stove, oven and sink are to port; fridges and freezer drawers are to starboard. There is a side-facing nav desk in the forward starboard corner, adjacent to a dining table with seating all around. Visibility is great forward, aft and to either side, thanks to Lagoon’s signature vertical windows.

The cockpit offers a second alfresco dining option, with a table to port. A sun lounge is opposite, and more couch-style seating is across the stern between transom stairs. There’s an outdoor sink too, along with a fridge and ice maker.

The real party place, though, is one level up, on the flybridge. My guess is that’s where people will hang out most of the time. 

There is access to the ­flybridge from the cockpit below via steps on the port side next to the outdoor dining table, or from the starboard deck. The helm station with a bench seat is forward; abaft it is U-shaped seating surrounding a cocktail table. A pair of sun pads is forward of the helm on the cabin top, on either side of the mast.

I know there’s debate about whether flybridge steering is better for chartering than long-range cruising, when a helmsman might prefer to be more protected from the elements, but on the 51, I really liked the flybridge setup. First off, there’s good all-round visibility. Second, the person driving has space to work but can still be part of the conversation. 

Three Harken electric winches are within an arm’s reach of the wheel, and all sail-control lines except for the traveler are led to them (there’s a Harken side-wind winch for the traveler nearby). During my trick at the wheel, I found that tacking the boat singlehanded was quite easy. Underway, a window overhead in the Bimini top gives the skipper a clear view of the square-top mainsail. That’s a nice feature when trimming or hoisting sail. One caveat, however: The combination of flybridge and Bimini top means the height of the boom is fairly high off the water.

Though it was not available on the boat that our team got aboard in Annapolis, Maryland, a unique roller-­furler boom is available for the 51. Lagoon developed it in conjunction with Wichard and Incidence Sails. Buyers can watch a video of it in action.

As I said at the start, the 51 has good sailing manners. In 10 to 14 knots of breeze, we saw speeds in the low 6s closehauled and nearly 7 knots on a broad reach. The top speed of the day that I jotted down in my notebook was just over 7.5 knots. In these conditions, it would have been fun to roll out a big reaching sail, if we’d had one. The boat is set up for it with an aluminum sprit.

With the 51, Lagoon has what I might call a Goldilocks boat: not too big, not too small, capable for cruising, and comfortable for chartering. In a lot of ways, it’s pretty much just right.

Mark Pillsbury is a CW editor at large and was a 2024 Boat of the Year judge.

Toward a Green(er) Machine

From resin and cloth to solar power and more-efficient systems, the Lagoon 51 takes advantage of ongoing development work that Groupe Beneteau employs across its many brands to make boats cleaner to construct and operate.

Let’s face it: While the act of sailing might be considered a green pastime, building boats definitely isn’t. A lot of resin, fiberglass, adhesives, and sealants are required to build a structure that’s 50 feet long, nearly 27 feet wide, and three stories tall—and strong enough to hold its own in a bluewater environment.

A boat that size needs a pair of beefy (80 hp) diesel engines for motoring. And it has numerous energy-gobbling systems and appliances such as air conditioning, fridges and freezers, a washer and dryer, and the like, all of which need to be fed.

Any steps toward greater sustainability are strides in the right direction. With the 51, Lagoon began to add bio-sourced resin when laying up nonstructural small parts. In place of fiberglass cloth, the company is experimenting with natural fibers such as hemp and linen. And for years now, Lagoon has infused its hulls, which allows better control of the resin while reducing vapors released into the atmosphere.

An array of custom XXL solar panels—more than 3,400 watts’ worth—line the perimeter of the flybridge and its hard Bimini top, helping to reduce (or eliminate, if the air conditioner is not on) the amount of engine (or diesel generator) run time needed to keep the battery bank topped up. Adding to the power equation is the use of more-efficient cooling units and LED lighting.

Throughout the boat, Forest Stewardship Council-approved Alpi wood is used, and upholstery is made from 100 percent recycled materials. New Lagoons come with eco-friendly cleaning products. Starting this year, the boats also will be equipped with UV water filters to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles for drinking water.

“In a nutshell, Lagoon is committed to sustainability through various initiatives such as using FSC-certified wood, recycled materials for upholstery, and bio-sourced resins,” says Lagoon Americas director Andre Hernandez. “Our production sites are ISO-certified for environmental management. We incorporate XXL solar panels on our boats and offer biodegradable maintenance kits. Lagoon also invests in hybrid-propulsion research and supports projects such as Anima Mundi and Escape to Nature to promote environmental conservation.” —MP

The post Sailboat Review: Lagoon 51 appeared first on Cruising World.

The Windelo 50, which first grabbed our editors’ attention at last year’s Cannes Yachting Festival, is an eco-conscious cruising cat that prioritizes functionality in a comfortable package that’s capable of crossing oceans. Add to that a powerful rig, modest displacement, daggerboards and genuine electric autonomy, and it’s easy to understand why the boat turned heads at its US premiere in Miami this past spring. 

Since Hull No. 1 rolled off the factory line in Canet-en-Roussillon, France, in fall 2019, the Windelo naval architecture team of Christophe Barreau and Frédéric Neuman has given this crossover cat a racy, stylish look. The new version is billed as the Windelo 50 Yachting, and it underscores a substantial move upmarket with a sleek, dynamic appearance and solid craftsmanship. Significant upgrades have been made to the decks and superstructure, and the layout is reimagined for greater comfort and flow. 

The aft deck is expanded to create a more comfortable relaxation area with enhanced protection from the elements. The builder uses large molds, which is why the surfaces have a notably smoother finish. A new nonslip surface, with a more attractive diamond-shaped texture, is directly integrated into the mold.

The Windelo 50 is also built with a composite sandwich structure that includes environmentally friendly materials, basalt fiber and PET foam, which reduce the boat’s carbon footprint by nearly 47 percent, according to the builder. The integration of two electric motors, 5,880-watt solar panels and an under-sail hydrogeneration system facilitates zero-emission sailing. The combination also allows daily recharging of the battery bank, providing up to four hours of autonomous ­propulsion using exclusively green energy sources when cruising at 6 knots.

At the base of the mast, the forward cockpit centralizes all boathandling activity, while enabling the skipper to remain near the center of social activity. The cockpit can be fully enclosed, providing protection from the elements. The deck housing creates additional space for relaxation, and the living area can be transformed into a terrace via a winch mechanism and sliding or removable bulkheads, along with sliding glass doors. 

According to the builder, even in light air, the Windelo 50 can sail at true-wind speed, courtesy of the hull-design weight distribution.

The post Sailboat Preview: Windelo 50 Yachting appeared first on Cruising World.

As winds of change continue to sweep through our sailing community, and as more participants enter the world of cruising, a startling question has emerged: Could the traditional monohull actually lose its market dominance to the up-and-coming catamaran? 

For years, the monohull-­versus-cat discussion has ignited passion among sailors worldwide. As we all continue the great debate about which type of boat is better, sales figures offer a hint at what kinds of boats we might see along the docks in the future.

According to market research by the Maryland-based Fact.MR, the global ­catamaran market stood at $1.9 billion in 2023. It is expected to see an annual growth rate of around 5.6 percent during the next 10 years. Interestingly, although sailing catamarans held a share of more than 50 percent globally in 2022, power catamarans are projected to see a noticeable increase compared with sail.

Why the sustained rise in popularity? In my experience, there always seems to be a “wow” moment whenever a monohull sailor sets foot aboard a catamaran for the first time.

Who can blame them? These sporty, twin-hulled vessels have spacious layouts, stability, and impressive speed. Catamarans come with expansive accommodations, making them ideal for extended cruising with family and friends. Their shallow drafts enable better access to skinny water, opening up new horizons for adventurous cruisers. Some proponents go so far as to suggest that catamarans represent the future of sailing.

But there is also reason to pump the brakes on wild-eyed predictions. Even amid this catamaran craze, the venerable monohull refuses to be sidelined. With its time-tested design and seafaring heritage, the monohull remains the stalwart of the sailing world. Monohulls are renowned for their stability and seaworthiness. They excel in challenging conditions. They are a dependable choice for extended offshore journeys. They slice through waves with grace and precision. Many sailors favor monohulls for their responsiveness and feel, making them the preferred option for racing enthusiasts and purists alike.

According to Grand View Research, the monohull segment dominated the overall market with a share of 59 percent in 2023 and will grow at an annual rate of 4.4 percent through 2033. That steady growth suggests that, while multihulls undoubtedly have carved out a significant niche in the sailing market, ­monohulls continue to hold their own. 

Yet, it would be remiss to ignore the challenges that monohulls face in the age of catamarans. As demand for spaciousness and comfort grows, some monohulls might struggle to compete with multihulls. Catamarans’ stability at anchor and under sail has prompted many sailors to make the switch—raising questions about the future of monohull design and innovation. But that’s a conversation for another day. 

The debate about ­catamarans and monohulls extends beyond mere preference. It’s a reflection of the evolving landscape of sailing. Both types of vessels have their strengths and weaknesses, catering to different sailing styles, preferences and priorities. But the question of whether catamarans are killing off traditional monohulls is more nuanced than it might seem. While catamarans have shaken up the sailing scene, monohulls continue to endure, driven by the timeless art of sailing. 

As for me, give me a favorable breeze, a big patch of water and some Bob Marley, and I’ll gladly take the helm, whether it’s one hull or two.

The post Are Cats Killing the Monohull? appeared first on Cruising World.

According to Kurt Jerman, head of West Coast Multihulls, the questions come hard and fast at a boat show anytime a ­lifelong monohuller is ­considering a move to the multihull side. 

• Is multihull cruising really all that different from the monohull experience? 
• In what ways? 
• What are the key differences between catamarans and trimarans? 
• Could a multihull flip over? Then what? 

With the great debate between monohulls and multihulls having drawn on for decades, we sat down with Jerman to get some honest ­answers to questions he ­typically fields from the “cat curious” crowd.    

CW: You often hear about the comfort factor of the multihull platform. What’s the root of that appeal?  

KJ: The most noticeable thing about sailing a catamaran or trimaran versus a traditional monohull is the lack of heeling. Even when powered up, a cat or tri will rarely heel more than 5 to 10 degrees before it’s time to reef. Gone are the days of bracing yourself in the cockpit and living your life underway at 20 or more degrees of angle. In my opinion, it’s a much more relaxing and convenient way to sail. No question about that. There are a few exceptions when it comes to the newer breed of large performance cruising cats (which can heel 10-plus degrees), but these are still fairly fresh to the cruising market.  

What can multihull owners expect in terms of speed and sailing performance?

Cruising catamarans will typically be 25 percent to 30 percent faster than a cruising monohull of the same length. You basically reach near-­racing monohull speeds, but with all the creature comforts that come with a cat. Trimarans are an entirely different deal because they trend more toward the performance end of the spectrum, and can regularly double the sailing speed of monohulls on nearly any point of sail.

Keep in mind that catamarans and trimarans are, however, much more sensitive to loading. Performance will suffer more on a cat that is loaded for cruising than on a comparable monohull. Keeping the boat light can be difficult, but it is critical if fast passages are your goal. Reefing also becomes more important. 

Sailing catamarans and, to a lesser extent, trimarans too, require vigilance when it comes to reefing. Because they don’t heel much, almost all additional wind force is converted to load on the rig. That’s where the speed comes from. But since the pressure on the sails quadruples as the windspeed doubles, crews must keep an eye on the weather and make sure to reef in good time to keep the boat safe and sailing flat. In fact, a properly reefed cat or tri will sail faster too, in freshening breezes. All manufacturers supply written guidelines denoting apparent-wind speeds that require additional reefing.  

What about safety? And are multihulls really unsinkable, or is that a myth? 

There are many aspects to safety where catamarans and trimarans shine. Often overlooked is the safety margin introduced with level sailing. It is much easier to keep crew aboard in rough weather when the boat stays level and is pitching less. Also, large cockpit spaces keep crew better protected and situated well away from the lifelines. 

The speed of a multihull is another safety factor. With decent weather information, it’s relatively easy to sail around severe weather systems before they can bear down on you. Should something go horribly awry and the boat gets flipped—which is highly rare and requires extreme circumstances—the lack of ballast and additional positive flotation means that nearly every catamaran and trimaran produced in the past few decades will remain on the surface of the water, right side up or not, until a rescue can be made. Nearly all cruising cats and tris have a substantial amount of reserve buoyancy, in the form of closed-cell foam, stashed in the nooks and crannies of the boat. Because of this, most of these boats could literally be cut into pieces, and all of those pieces would still float. 

How do multihulls handle under power and in close quarters?  

Cruising catamarans and trimarans, with their easily driven hull forms and light weight, enjoy excellent fuel efficiency when compared with monohulls, and track very straight. Cats almost always have twin engines, set many feet apart, which allows for tremendous control in tight situations. In fact, the boat can be spun in place or crabbed sideways without any way on. Try that on a monohull. 

Prop walk is minimal or nonexistent as well, and the redundancy of a second engine is appreciated should a mechanical issue arise ­underway. Nearly all trimarans have just one engine, so the differences there are slight.  

How much gain can boaters expect in usable living space?  

Typically, a catamaran will have the volume below equivalent to a monohull 10-plus feet larger. When combined with added cockpit space, possibly a flybridge, and more than doubling the deck space, it becomes a whole different ballgame. It’s important to note that you not only gain a tremendous amount of space, but nearly all of that space is very livable and comfortable as well, whether at anchor or underway. 

However, trimarans don’t show an increase in interior volume, and in fact tend to be smaller below than monohulls of the same size. This is mitigated some by the additional stowage in the amas and added net space, but the narrower, performance-oriented main hull tends to be less than palatial. 

How can multihulls get away with such shallow drafts? 

Because a multihull’s stability comes from the beam and extra hulls—form stability—there is no need for ballast or a substantial keel. This reduces overall weight and, importantly, draft as well. It is common for a 40-plus-foot cruising cat to have a draft less than 4 feet, allowing sailors to explore shallow areas where monohullers fear to tread. Belize, the Bahamas, the Great Barrier Reef? No problem. Gunkholing around Mexico and the Chesapeake is easier too. 

If you have some quick underwater maintenance to do, such as replacing prop-shaft seals, zincs or a through-hull, most cats can be dried out at low tide on a flat area of sand or solid ground, resting happily on their stubby little keels. You can also nose right up to that perfect beach if the weather allows. 

Trimarans typically have no keels at all, and instead rely on a centerboard to prevent leeway, making them perfect for beaching. Boom-tent camping, anyone?

What if it flips?  

While a scenario like this is theoretically possible and has happened in very rare, heavy-weather situations when any vessel would be in distress, it takes very high winds, too much sail (see reefing, above), and large breaking waves to flip a modern cruising cat or trimaran.

Multihull sailors might find it reassuring to know that their cat or tri will remain on the surface, as a big life raft and highly visible spotting target.

The post The Case for Multihulls appeared first on Cruising World.

In the wake of the Neel 43, which was a finalist in our 2023 Boat of the Year contest, Neel Trimarans premiered the Neel 52 for the US audience at the Miami International Boat Show this past February. Penned by naval architect Marc Lombard, the Neel 52 is conceived for fast cruising, borrowing ­performance attributes from the Neel 47 and 43.

With an average cruising speed of 10 knots, the boat makes it possible to achieve 200 nautical miles in a 24-hour period underway, ­according to the builder, adding that speeds from 15 to 18 knots are possible when the breeze kicks in. The weight is centered to limit pitching, and the center hull design is optimized to facilitate tacking and ­minimize drag, leaving the side amas only lightly in ­contact with the water’s surface. With rigging derived directly from racing trimarans, and a sail area around 183 square feet per ton, the boat has full cruising speeds as much as two times faster than conventional multihulls, according to the builder. 

The build employs ­vacuum-infused composite sandwich construction with triaxial fiber reinforcements. PVC and PET foams are used in the sandwich core, as opposed to balsa, which can be more susceptible to water infiltration. 

The 52-footer offers a variety of options for sailing preferences, from leisure cruising to competitive racing to charter. The boat is available in a four-, five- or six-stateroom layout, with options for an owner stateroom on one level or a larger saloon. Crew quarters are also flexible. 

According to the builder, the goal is to keep the sailing “looser” for better performance, with a rudder design maneuvered by custom steering lines to improve responsiveness. The sail plan includes a mainsail with three reefs, a staysail on a rolling furler, and an asymmetric spinnaker for downwind sailing. Two rigging options—conventional and high-performance—are available.

Noteworthy features include what Neel calls a “cockloon,” which is an interior/exterior living space created by the opening between the cockpit and the saloon. The full-beam cockpit has multiple seating configurations that can be rearranged for personal preference. The ergonomic helm station has a triple seat and is accessible from the cockpit or deck via side steps. 

Side steps leading to the coachroof allow access to the mast, boom and sun-lounging area, and handrails are strategically positioned for safety underway. 

The open-plan living space includes a forward-facing ­galley and chart table. Staterooms are accessed via private stairways. From what we could tell while we were aboard in Miami, the panoramic views from the saloon should be stunning.

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It’s not every year that the Boat of the Year judging panel has the opportunity to review cool little boats that totally accentuate the pure joy of sailing, and that get a bonus point if they offer simple but functional camper-cruising accommodations. For manufacturers, the all-too-frequent dearth of these boats is a result of Economics 101: Building boats is a tough business, it’s not always easy to make a buck, and the greater profits to be had make a strong case for building larger vessels. 

But at their very core, the BOTY judges are, first and foremost, sailors. So, when not one but a pair of nifty mulithulls received nominations for the 2024 awards, it was a happy occasion indeed. Better yet, once under sail on the Chesapeake, these crafty pocket entries proved to be as much fun to drive as they appeared on the dock. 

Winner: Xquisite 30 Sportcat

The South African brand Xquisite Yachts was familiar to the BOTY panelists; the builder’s fully found X5 range of highly sophisticated cruising cats have earned a pair of awards in the past: Most Innovative in 2017 and Best Cruising Catamaran in 2022. But Xquisite’s latest entry in the contest caught the judges by surprise. It’s a trailerable 30-footer with the most basic of accommodations that bears little resemblance to the other models in the Xquisite quiver. 

Tim Murphy summarized the thinking behind the design: “The Xquisite 30 Sportcat is a vinylester, foam-core-infused structure designed for training, racing and cruising with occasional overnights. The prototype we sailed was built in Poland; the actual production run will be in Portugal. The design was a senior project from noted multihull designer François Perus when he was finishing his mechanical engineering degree in Brest, France. The purpose for this boat is to have two or three available at the Xquisite Yachts base in Freeport, Bahamas. Builder and owner Tamas Hamor recognized that many buyers of the Xquisite X5 or X5 Plus [sophisticated 50-foot cruising cats] might not come with much prior sailing experience. The SportCat would give them direct, sporty feedback of pure sailing in Bahamian waters while they learn to operate their larger cruising cats.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury added: “This was a really fun boat to sail once you got the hang of handling its long tiller extension and crossing back and forth across the nearly 16 feet of beam, hull to hull. The boat is intended, in part, to be a training vessel for Xquisite’s big-boat owners. One thing’s for sure: They’ll get a taste of the pure joy of simply sailing.”

Judge Herb McCormick had his own take: “It’s a niche boat, for sure, and at $250,000, I think that the broader market for it is pretty limited. That said, I’d love to own one. It would be a perfect boat for gunkholing around Narragansett Bay and New England waters. The accommodations are pretty spartan, but there are berths in the hulls, and you could rig a boom tent on the trampolines and have plenty of room to camp. And the joyful experience under sail would make up for the rustic one under the stars.”

Runner-up: Astus 20.5 Sport

The BOTY judging team had a unanimous verdict for this unusual little trimaran: For a compact boat, it has grand ambitions, most of which it meets or exceeds. 

Tim Murphy provided the overview: “This is a 20-foot trimaran sportboat built in Brittany, France, by a company that’s been in business since 2004. Astus builds four trimaran models (14.5, 16.5, 20.5, 22.5); its sole US importer is Red Beard Sailing, a Chesapeake Bay dealer. This boat is designed by VPLP Design, named for founders Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prévost, which now has a staff of some 30 designers who specialize in everything from Lagoon cats to America’s Cup winners to foiling Open 60 IMOCAs. Astus’ goal is to offer multihull sailors a boat in a size range smaller than Corsair offers.” 

Judge Herb McCormick said: “That VPLP connection is huge. They’re a big-name player, and the fact that they’ve put their reputation and blessing on this design is a major positive. The hardware and Selden spar they use is first-rate. They’re not cutting any corners. Under sail, it felt like a good, stable platform. I think it’s a great entry-level boat for someone who wants to get into multihull sailing.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury also gave the Astus his thumbs-up: “The Astus tri is a simple little boat with a high fun factor. We sailed the boat in about 10 knots of breeze, and with four of us aboard, we were probably a bit overloaded. But with the screecher set, we saw lots of speeds over 7 knots, and flirted with 8s in the puffs. And sitting on the tramps watching the waves right under us was a real hoot. The amas are mounted on tubes and can be pulled in and out for docking and sailing. I was aboard as they were being deployed, and the process was pretty simple: Sit on the center hull and push out on each ama with your legs (or step in on the tramp to pull it in) until a set pin can be dropped into place. Engage the pins fore and aft for each ama, and you’re off to the races, simple as that.”

To summarize: easy, fast and fun. Hard to beat that trifecta. 

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For the first time ever in the 29-year history of Boat of the Year, we’re introducing a new class to the proceedings: Performance Trimarans. To make things spicier, the two nominees not only shared the same length overall of 40 feet, but they also came in at the near-identical price point of around $800,000 for the base boat. 

Beyond those two parameters, however, the different approaches from these disparate brands were interesting and exciting. Cruising trimarans, though rare, are nothing new; the well-established Neel line of French-built trimarans has enjoyed plenty of success in previous BOTY contests. With that said, the judging panel was champing at the bit to put these fresh three-hull whizzes through their paces. And once under sail, we were definitely not disappointed. 

Winner: Dragonfly 40

Let’s cut right to the chase: The Dragonfly 40 had judge Tim Murphy swooning straight from hello: “This is an exquisite yacht in every detail. When you step aboard, the new-boat smell was not of styrene but of a wood shop. Built in Denmark by the Quorning family (designer and builder Jens Quorning took us on the test sail), it’s just a beautiful boat to look at from across the water. The wheel steering—no tiller here—was butter-smooth. Thanks to the boat’s extremely fine hulls, on our test sail we hardly felt any jerks or deceleration as we passed through several Severn River boat wakes. There were AGM batteries on this boat, but a lithium-battery system is an option. The kick-up centerboard and rudder are ingenious: Quorning as much as invited us to ground the boat on a shoal. From barber haulers to boom preventers, it’s full of great sailing details.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury was equally impressed: “As we finished up our all-too-brief sea trial aboard the Dragonfly 40, I scribbled ‘Top shelf!!!’ in my notebook. We had the benefit of sailing the boat with its thoroughly detail-oriented builder, who pointed to the seemingly endless features he’d employed to make this maybe the most memorable sailing boat of the year. At one point, I looked down at the GPS speed-over-ground number, which read 6 knots, then glanced at the true wind gauge: 5.2! Faster than the wind! The interior of the Dragonfly was elegant, with the furniture rendered in elm—not a wood we often see. But most impressive was the walk-in aft cabin instead of the crawl-in bunk often found in the narrow confines of a tri’s slender center hull.” 

Judge Herb McCormick was as astonished as his colleagues: “There isn’t a thing on the Dragonfly that Quorning hasn’t thought long and hard about, and then executed to a stellar degree. Take that centerboard arrangement, which is built into the central dining table and is integrated so well into the interior that it’s a functional piece of furniture as well as a foolproof cruising solution. What else can we say? It’s a magnificent freaking boat.”

Runner-up: Rapido Trimarans 40

The design brief for the Rapido 40 is straightforward: fast cruising and racing for a couple or crew; ocean-ready but able to sail and moor in shallow water. Nobody was more psyched to sail the boat than judge Herb McCormick, who was not disappointed. 

“I was first exposed to the brand at a multihull regatta in the Caribbean, where a larger Rapido 50 was in attendance,” he said. “I was on another boat, and we spent a lot of time looking at the Rapido’s transom. Then I stepped aboard the Rapido 40 for our trials and was handed the tiller extension; under the code zero, in about 15 seconds, we were making 14 knots. Whoa!”

Judge Mark Pillsbury said: “From stem to stern, the Rapido 40 came packed with features, including a double-taper carbon rotating mast, a Park Avenue-style boom for easy sail handling, daggerboards for upwind performance, and a very comfy cockpit. There’s an optional all-carbon version of the boat, including the drawers in the galley. The layout, with a comfortable V-berth and raised table in the salon—offering outstanding views of the great outdoors—is cruising-couple friendly.”

Judge Tim Murphy added: “The Rapido 40 is built in Vietnam by Paul Koch, the previous owner of Corsair Marine who started Rapido Trimarans in 2014. Rapido builds three models, all designed by the renowned team of Morrelli & Melvin. Our test boat had the standard infused construction, which is mostly E-glass with vinylester resin and a PVC core. There’s also carbon fiber near the bulkheads where the crossbeams meet. Carbon-fiber C-foils in the amas are intriguing and provide lift in two directions: up (to reduce sailing displacement but not fly) and to windward. Sailing the boat on the raised web seat with the tiller extension is gorgeous. It feels very sporty. Rapido’s latest claim to fame: The YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabonde has taken delivery of a Rapido 60, which will definitely raise the profile of the brand.”

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Spirits and glasses were raised high as the Outremer team accepted the Multihull of the Year award for its Outremer 52 model at the British Yachting Awards in London at The Royal Thames Yacht Club. Elected exclusively by the general public, the 52-footer was one of five contenders in this year’s multihull category.

The competition was fierce, according to a BYA spokesperson, as all five contenders made strong cases for the top honor. However, it was the Outremer 52’s “undeniable allure” and “outstanding craftsmanship” that secured the most votes from the sailing community. 

“It’s an honor to receive this public acknowledgment of the hard work and innovation that has gone into our 52 design,” said Outremer Sales Director Matthieu Rougevin-Baville, upon receiving the award in London. “The popularity of the 52 has continued to grow our close-knit community of Outremer owners since its official launch in Cannes 2022.” 

The Outremer 52 combines the signature features of the legendary 51 (the model’s successor) with the fresh look and feel of the 55—which won the European Yacht of the Year award in 2022—such as the adjustable helm, the view forward through the saloon, and the helm seat designed for two people. This merging of design elements, in addition to the involvement of renowned names in the industry—such as the naval architects VPLP and the French designers Patrick Le Quément and Darnet Design—have contributed to a design that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional and well-engineered.

Drawing inspiration from its predecessors, the Outremer 52 design brief sought to preserve the qualities that first made the brand a household name among sailors, while introducing new elements to enhance the overall experience. One of the standout features of the Outremer 52 model is its seaworthiness. According to Outremer’s parent company Grand Large Yachting, the naval architects and designers worked tirelessly to create a vessel that can handle even the most challenging bluewater cruising conditions. 

Weight savings achieved by optimization of the 52’s structural build components allowed for an increase in the amount of glazing and openings aboard the boat, without undermining performance. The result was greater visibility for the crew underway. The layout of the interiors and exteriors above deck were also made more conducive to keeping a better lookout. For example, the bar area of the cockpit allows the crew to eat meals while on watch. Night watches can be kept from the bench in the salon, which faces forward.

The Outremer team will present the Outremer 52 at the 2024 Miami International Boat Show in February. Adjacent to the boat show, on February 17, Grand Large Yachting will host a comprehensive day-long seminar featuring industry experts, trainers and seasoned sailors. This event will cover a wide range of topics, from cruising routes and understanding weather patterns, to ensuring safety both on board and at sea.

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