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HH Catamarans Newsletter June 2021

On the water: Four HH50s set sail, HH66 Nemo steals the show.

With Lickety joining the fleet in January, we now have four HH50s and one OC50 on the water, racking up the blue water miles from Baja to Hawaii, the mid-Atlantic, Bahamas and the Med. The 50s are all owner-operated, with a wide range of sailing experience and itineraries amongst the group. Follow @hh.catamarans on instagram where we share snapshots of the adventures of S/Vs Lickety, Avalanche, Off Piste, Tribute and Seabbatical. For a more in depth look at the all-carbon HH50, click the video links above to see gorgeous footage of Lickety sailing in Key West and an interview with owners Catherine and Todd describing their ownership experience thus far.

While the HH50s learned the ins and outs of cruising, the most recently launched, turbo charged, HH66 Nemo, cut its teeth on the racecourse. At the third annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge , Nemo flew around the racecourse and took line honors in all four races, much to the delight of event organizers, participants and spectators. From the regatta press corp: "In these windy conditions the boat to watch was of course HH66 Nemo. It is hard to imagine that she came straight from the production factory to Sint Maarten and sailed her first race yesterday morning. With the fastest recorded speed of 27 knots, this boat is designed to outperform anything of equivalent size and class - anywhere."

As the HH fleet grows and sets off further afield, so does the need for knowledgeable and experienced support personnel. After a two-year stint captaining the HH66 Flash, HH is excited to welcome Chris Bailet back to the concierge team. Along with HH president Chris Doscher and after-sales service and warranty specialist Rogan VanGruisen, Chris is available around the clock to answer questions, chase down gremlins, and provide excellent customer support ranging from route planning to rum selection.

In the yard: Eight new sailing cats currently under construction.

2020 proved to be a busy year for HH Catamarans and we're seeing continued momentum in 2021, with production running at near max capacity. Three HH50s, one OC50, two HH55s, one HH60, and one HH88 are all currently under construction and the factory is abuzz. This level of activity keeps the production team positive and fresh, and the skills on the factory floor honed to producing perfect boats. We are currently operating four CNC routers (from 12’ to 60’), a full sized spray painting booth, and two computer controlled fabric cutters that run nearly 24 hours a day cutting carbon, bulkhead foam, molds and furniture panels. Factory enhancements in the environmental and safety departments are ongoing. Air and waste water from our building halls are fully filtered and treated before being discharged outside, and garbage is separated and recycled wherever possible. EPA required trees have been planted to surround all buildings, and are now thriving. We take pride in the steps we're able to take to minimize the environmental impact of building boats. Combine this with light air performance, extensive solar powered systems, and the fact that an HH Catamaran is a quality sailing yacht built to last for decades, maybe even centuries, and you have an excellent platform for exploring the globe with a relatively small carbon footprint.

On the drawing board: HH Catamarans is excited to announce the introduction of two new models: the HH44 Open and the HH60.

Developed in partnership with the Disabled Sailing Association , the HH44 Open is a bit of a departure from the original range, a creative and ambitious 44ft, wheelchair accessible, performance cruising cat. Leading the project for Hudson Yachts is naval architect and engineer James Hakes (yes, son of Paul), who worked for a period of time in England with Mike Wood MBE, founder of the Disabled Sailors Association UK. The eye catching design has no transom steps, instead closed transoms to keep following seas out and keep everyone safely aboard with an aggressive, sporty look. Capable of ocean passage making, all aspects of boat operation are handled in the exceptionally large salon to keep crew safe and dry. When conditions clear the cabin top literally "opens", so the sailors feel the wind as if on deck. Equipped with lifts on and off the boat, into the water, and down into the hulls, this is the world's first high-end catamaran designed for disabled sailors to cruise and/or race without restriction.

Introducing the new HH60.

The new HH60 is now under construction. An evolution of the much loved global cruising HH55, this new sleek catamaran boasts a restyled aft cockpit with 21sqm (226sq ft) of space, and the same 21sqm of area in the salon, larger aft cabins with full king size beds, a new taller carbon mast, a new longer carbon longeron and sprit with an incredibly innovative martingale to keep safe when setting downwind sails, an upgraded sail plan, and even deeper daggerboards drawing 3.8m (12.5 feet) for great upwind performance. Designers extraordinaire Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering have taken the 55, a multi award winning, large luxury cat, and added a whole new dimension that makes the outstandingly good simply the best.

HH60 #01 has gone one step further and created the HH60GT with a turbo charged, spreaderless and rotating mast, a longeron with a sprit that is over 3.5m (11.5 feet), and new asymmetric daggerboards. Furthermore, with clever input from ocean racing expert Ryan Breymaier, we have configured all the furling and tack lines, halyards, reefing lines and sheets to be completely hidden below deck and lead to both port and starboard helms. This configuration will give the owner exceptional speed and the ability to sail his boat short handed and even single handed.

The HH60 will deliver ocean cruising that is sure to excite those wanting to tour the globe with speed and style. This new format allows for internal stairs to the raised twin aft helm stations in complete safety, it also comes with two styles of hard top protection overhead. The dimensions have grown and so has the performance. Drop our sales team a line if you're seeking a new yacht that will provide a greater-than-windspeed sailing experience.

A Supercat built to your super specification. By HH chief of operations Paul Hakes.

Nearly five years ago we dreamt of creating a supercat, a carbon catamaran of such extraordinary luxury it would leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that a yacht of this level of quality can not be easily paid for or found worldwide. Now as our first HH88 is well underway , we can discuss what makes a yacht like this so special. There is much to be said about the comfort of a superyacht that will never heel more than four degrees, will not roll at anchor, will draw less than 1.8m (6 feet) and will happily sail at speeds of 24 knots. It's hard to imagine an on-water apartment with 194.4sqm (2091sqft) of exterior living and a staggering 182.2sqm (1960sqft) of interior living space, but you get all this plus an eight person jacuzzi when you order a Morrelli & Melvin designed HH88 . At this size the interior arrangement options are limitless, so we guide you through the design process carefully, starting with a thorough understanding of you and your needs. Will you require four, five, six or seven cabins? Galley up or down? Master cabin forward or aft? Large or small flybridge, or none at all? The list goes on and we are at the ready with our in-house designers to customize to suit just about anything you can dream up aboard your ideal yacht. Interested in learning more? Check out Sketch to Sea on YouTube , where our first HH88 client Sean and his wife Jamie are helping to demystify the design and purchasing process by sharing their experiences from start to finish. This is an invaluable resource for the serious shopper, and a fun watch for anyone fascinated by a large-scale, luxury yacht building project.

While generous size and luxury come standard, the HH88 and HH77 concept goes beyond space and luxury. In fact, my favorite design thus far might be the HH77 with aft helm stations, forward cockpit, and forward internal helm station with sedan style cabin top, sans flybridge. Parallel hybrid propulsion, over 4kW of solar, simple lightweight interior, three or four state rooms with ensuite heads, comfortable crew quarters, and galley down with refrigeration and services up in the salon. Now we have the option to fly a hull at 22kts true wind speed when pushing hard with a full sail plan (this could be considered conservative by some, just ask HH66 ‘Nemo’)! With a sail plan and daggerboards designed to really boogie, now we're looking at a stylish cruiser with a noteworthy presence in any anchorage. In true HH style, this boat will rack up the silver at the world's most highly regarded regattas. This is why the HH88 or HH77 is the best Supercat you could choose, because it's all your choice. Not to mention a serious discussion starts at around $7.5M, an exceptional value and another big advantage of building custom with HH Catamarans.

Back in Boat Show Action

After a year long hiatus we are thrilled to announce that we'll be returning to the Cannes, Newport and Annapolis shows this Fall. The OC50 will make her worldwide debut in Cannes in September. The gorgeous couple's cruiser is sure to steal the show with the European market. US shows goers will have the pleasure of seeing the new all-carbon HH50 on display in both Newport and Annapolis, and the new turbo charged HH66 is set to make a special appearance as well. For more information or to schedule dedicated time onboard with a member of our team, drop us a line [email protected] . We look forward to connecting with you soon.

The Future Is Now - Introducing the HH44

Hh88 construction update.

We Had to Leave our Boat...Here’s Why

When we took delivery and set sail for the Philippines nine months ago, we had no idea our journey would take such an unexpected turn. From sludge in our diesel engines, corrosion, stray current and discovering serious issues with our start batteries, this year has thrown us challenges we never could have anticipated.  

So, in this week’s video we’re sharing why we had to step away from CURIOSITY for a bit, and how we’re finding a path forward.

Boat Problems, Big and Small

We have a general list of cosmetic and typical new boat teething issues.  A few cracks in the laminate here and there, we need a water drainage solution here, a frustratingly unreliable fridge, some delamination on our solar panels… But our small boat problems quickly spiraled into something much bigger.  It has all escalated into issues that make sailing CURIOSITY feel unsafe.

Stray Current & Strained Nerves

Our most serious issue stems from stray current. This elusive problem has been with us since day one, slowly corroding our boat’s metal components.  The rusting and pitting, especially on our anchor and chain (critical equipment that keeps us safe on the water) have put us on edge when it comes to our vessel’s safety.  Then of course, there are our overcharging AGM batteries that we discovered in our last video. 

It's Gutting, having the trust in our vessel shaken so early on. Because when it comes to sailing, we must trust this vessel with our lives, anything less is reckless seamanship. 

There is a lot of work to be done to regain that trust.  So naturally, all these challenges have been frustrating and emotionally draining, especially since CURIOSITY is more than just a vessel—it’s our home, business, dream…

Taking a Break From CURIOSITY

With so many issues going on, we realized that we needed to give HH Catamarans time to work through these warranty problems and to find solutions.  So, after months tied up at the dock, we chose to step away from the boat for our own mental health.

Troubleshooting has been complex and taken much longer than anyone ever expected.  BUT, HH has reassured us they are committed to solving the issues, making it right and extending our warranty for any components impacted by stray current. A promise that allows us to breathe a little easier as we wait for these repairs.

A Spontaneous Trip to the Land of Spontaneous Fermentation, Belgium

Faced with unknown downtime, we decided to dust off a dream that’s been sitting in the back of Jason’s mind.  Taste “the world’s best beer”, so we set off for Belgium!  An unexpected but much-needed adventure that’s already been full of surprises (hello medieval cities by canal boat).

Plus, it gives us a good excuse to attend METS, the world’s largest marine technology show.   So, if you have any gear or products that you want us to investigate, let us know! 

After that??? We’re as in the dark about our next steps as you are—but the adventure continues no matter what happens. Thanks for being a part of it all with us!

Home For The Holidays

This is what travel should feel like, new year, new project, the only country where beer is a unesco world treasure.