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QuickCat Catamaram

Discussion in ' Multihulls ' started by Louch , Dec 30, 2007 .

Louch New Member

Hi I just bought this catamaran. I'm told that it is a Quickcat. I have Googled to my hearts content and I'm not findind any information about it. Does anyone know any more about these cats? I'm looking for design plans so that I will be able to restore it. The hulls are sound, but the upper wood structure is a bit worse for wear. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Cheers, Gus  

Bruce Woods Senior Member

quick cat Louch, sure looks like a quick cat. length 16' beam 6'4" SA 126 ft2 weight 170 lb crew one with hiking plank designer charles and lindsay cunningham Provided a lot of fun as a young fellow sailing one. So much fun in fact I lost all my front teeth in cartwheel. Have fun regards  

Bruce, I understand everthing you mentioned here except "SA 126 ft2". What does this mean. And all your front teeth, must have been a hell of a cartwheel! Gus  

masalai masalai

Sail area 126 square feet for Bruce.???? I was just reading the page when your reply popped up Louch. got most of mine still  

loveskunk77 New Member

quick cat Hello It certainly looks like a quickcat to me. It should have an identification plate with a four digit number on it and it may even be the same as your sail number if it is the original sail. I would definately recomend restoring it. I have been chasing information about them for about fifteen years now, and i still havnt managed to get hold of the plans to build one. as long as the wood on top isnt too rotten you can just clean it up and it should be ok, the main area where they apparently break is where the top stucture joins to the hulls. if you can lift one hull up and the other follows then you probably have a very sound old boat there. keep in contact and ask me if you want any advice about your boat. I still have one holed up in a shed in victoria. i repaired it over my christmas holidays, and it was a lot of work but that is mainly because mine is not painted, it is done in marine varnish. it is a lot harder to keep looking nice. Good luck with it, and i will let you know if i ever find a set of plans. you probably dont need them though. Ben  

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I would make inquires through the McCrae Yacht Club. http://www.mccraeyc.com.au/ I would hazard a guess that someone there knows where to get the info or even how to contact Lindsay Cunningham.  

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Sea Speed Design can redesign and reconfigure these working designs to suit your exact needs.

Note: Most pictures will expand or open another page if you click on them. Use the back button to return to the original page.

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This 17 metre whale watching cat was launched in July 2003 and is now operating at Hervey Bay Queensland.  Custom designed to meet the owners specifications using a combination of many years of owners experience in successful whale watching and innovation by the designer Paul Birgan of Sea Speed. In trials she exceeded her predicted speed by two knots and is proving a very successful vessel.

(Recent photo of Quick Cat 11)

The vessel is powered by twin 430 hp Cummins engines with a top speed of over 26 knots carrying 80 passengers and 5 crew.

During the whale watching season the vessel does two trips per day and in the off season the catamaran operates as a passenger ferry between harvey bay and frazer island., click here to go to the new owners of quick cat's web site and see what they think of their new vessel. go to the news section of their site., click here to read about the innovative design allowing wheelchair access on quick cat., specifications.

Contact Information

Sea Speed Pty Ltd. P.O. BOX 773 Aspley 4034, Brisbane Australia

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Aqua Cat 14 Catamaran

The larger version of one of the world's most popular one design catamarans brings you performance, simplicity and weight carrying capabilities not offered in other catamarans this size. Featuring wide, flat bottom hulls with turned up bows and a small keel skeg, the pontoon design is unequaled in weight carrying capacity and planing speed. The small keels have replaced the daggerboards used on the smaller Aqua Cat and allow for easy beaching thru the surf. Designed for ocean sailing or inland lakes this cat has it all. The Aqua Cat 14 is ideal for four large adults or where capabilities to support 1,000 lbs. are needed.

The boomless sail rig supported by the tubular "a" frame provides simplicity and safety not found in traditional wire shroud designs. One sheetline and a simple tiller arrangement result in sailing simplicity, fun and excitement. Weighing in at 230 lbs. and with a 6-1/2 foot beam, it can easily be car topped or trailered to your favorite spot on the beach. Constructed of hand laid fiberglass, anodized aluminum tubing and stainless steel fasteners, maintenance is at a minimum. The rudder system is durable all aluminum construction with gudgeons through bolted to aluminum plates inside the hull and features wide performance designed aluminum blades. Positive foam flotation in each hull, plus the added feature of the mast flotation ball provide a measure of confidence and safety.

Standard features include spring loaded kick up rudders, 105 sq. ft. Dacron two colored sail, a 360 quick release cleat and rudder lift systems. Available with white hulls with red side stripes and four sail combinations, the Aqua Cat offers a performance fun package not to be missed. Experience the Aqua Cat feeling.

RESORT SPECIAL VERSION OF AQUA CAT 14 CATAMARAN

Exceedingly popular as a resort rental craft, the Aqua Cat 14 has proven itself as an excellent investment. Its simplicity allows use by the most inexperienced and offers a stable, safe and fun filled package for the Hotel Guest.

American Sail manufactures a slightly slower version of this popular catamaran for use in resort locations where most sailors are novices. The resort special features a smaller sail (90 square foot), a shorter mast and eliminates the 360 main sheet cleat to require the sailor to hold the rope controlling the sail thus reducing capsize possibilities.

*AquaCats Temporarily Unavailable at this time due to supply chain issues.

Contact Us for Current Special Discounts and Freight Quote

Aqua Cat Parts

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• Whale Watch Tours
• Sunshine Coast Whale Tours
• Brisbane Whale Tours
• Gold Coast Whale Tours
• Quick Cat II

Hervey Bay Whale Watching

Whale tour price

Family: 2 adults + 2 children

Child: 4-14 years (infants free)

• 4 hours, half-day whale watching cruise
• Guaranteed sightings (free return ticket if no whales sighted)
• Morning/Afternoon tea and refreshments
• Low passenger numbers

About Quick Cat II

Quick Cat II is one of Hervey Bay's most well known vessels having been originally built and operated by Hervey Bay's first whale watch operator family.

Quick Cat II is an award winning, purpose built whale watch vessel and one of the few in the fleet that is truly wheelchair and pram accessible.

The tour boasts amphitheatre seating, multiple viewing decks, low passenger numbers (max 80), a fully licensed bar and courtesy morning/afternoon tea. All backed by excellent, friendly customer service from the experienced local crew.

Departure details

Boarding: 15 minutes prior to departure.

Available: July - November.

*Please note that the morning tour makes a short detour on route to the whales, to pickup passengers from Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island.

Vessel facilities

• Twin engine, fast and stable super catamaran
• Hydrophone equipped to listen to the whale song
• Fully licensed
• Three, easy access viewing decks
• Wheelchair access to main decks including fore deck

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Craft - Catamaran, Ray Goodwin from a design by CH & LN Cunningham

Quick Cat Catamaran

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Have a question? Contact Queenscliffe Maritime Museum

Historical information

Around the 60s and 70s the most popular catamaran sailing on Port Phillip was the Cunningham designed Quickcat.

Significance

Popular marine ply catamarans mostly owner built and used extensively in Port Phillip

Physical description

Quick Cat 16 foot, timber catamaran with trailer, beach buggy and construction blueprint

Inscriptions & markings

Y Wood Ya, RGYC

• quick cat ,
• catamaran ,
• marine ply cats
• McCrae Yacht Club – the First Fifty Years People, Memories and Reminiscences Around the 60s and 70s the most popular catamaran sailing on Port Phillip was the Cunningham designed Quickcat. This was a 16’ply hull and deck with wooden beams. The Elwood Sailing Club was the strongest Quickcat Club at the time. However, McCrae YC had the prototype – owned by Pat and Anne Galbally.

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Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.

• Our Vessels

17m Whale Watching Cat

Details and specifications of quick cat (this design is available for construction).

This 17m Whale Watching Cat was launched in July 2003 and is now operating in Hervey Bay Queensland. Custom designed to meet the owners specifications, using a combination of the owners many years experience in the Whale Watching industry and innovation by the designer Paul Birgan. In trials she exceeded her predicted speed by two knots and is proving a very successful vessel.

The vessel is powered by twin 430 hp Cummins engines with a top speed of over 26 knots carrying 80 passengers and 5 crew.

During the whale watching season the vessel does two trips per day and in the off season the catamaran operates as a passenger ferry between Harvey Bay and Frazer Island.

Click here to go to the new owners of Quick Cat’s web site and see what they think of their new vessel. Go to the ‘news’ section of their site.

Click here to read about the innovative design allowing wheelchair access on Quick Cat.

Specifications

Quick Cat Gallery

CraigCat E2 Elite

Since 1990 the patented CraigCat horizontal Catamaran is unique in form and function. Super high quality and made of only the finest materials available, and built in Orlando Florida. This state of art craft not only appeals to all ages, men and women alike, but defies the world of regular boats and personal watercraft. CraigCats are super stable, comfortable side-by-side seating, unsinkable and have an amazingly dry ride even in rougher conditions. Low maintenance and easy to use, all in a compact powerboat that you can tow with practically anything. Freshwater or saltwater, fishing or cruising, the CraigCat will amaze you! Discover the CraigCat difference for yourself, test drive one today!

Features With amenities that no other small boat on the planet has to offer! Convertible bimini top, full remote (steering, shifting and throttle), electric key start, electric engine tilt, custom deluxe bucket seats, twin docking lights, NAV lights, LED position light, LED courtesy deck light, high performance JBL saltwater rated AM/FM/USB/ Bluetooth sound system with twin HD 2-way waterproof marine speakers, fishing rod holders (4), custom composite full-width storage compartment, polished stainless steel beverage holders, splash-off and cooler.

E2 Elite Fully loaded (white and blue) Tohatsu 30HP – $13,985 | 25HP – $13,785, Mercury 30HP – $14,985

E2 Elite Fully Loaded Gulf Stream Edition (seafoam and white) Tohatsu 30HP – $14,484 | 25 – $14,284, Mercury 30HP – $15,484

E2 Elite Fully Loaded Tahitian (tan and beige) Tohatsu 30HP – $14,384 | 25HP – $14,184, Mercury 30HP – $15,384

E2 Elite Fully Loaded Key West Edition (yellow and red) Tohatsu 30HP – $14,384 | 25HP – $14,184, Mercury 30HP – $15,384

Custom Ez Loader trailer – $1,488

Specifications Speed: Up to 30 mph Length: 11’4”. On the trailer15’. Width: 5’5”. On the trailer 6’. Draft: (Engine full down) 13”, (Engine up) 3” Average full consumption: 1 gallon per hour. 6 gallon capacity. Weight: 550 LBS. On the trailer 800LBS. Rated Capacity: 250 LBS per seat, 600LBS total Power: Mercury, Tohatsu 30hp

E2 Elite model build sheet with prices. Click here to download.

Available in these styles: Click the bars below to see photos. Click on photos to enlarge.

E2 Elite - Click for Photos

E2 Gulf Stream - Click for Photos

E2 Tahitian - Click for Photos

E2 Key West - CLICK for PHOTOS

e2 CAMO - CLICK FOR PHOTOS

$975 / Exclusive Package Add-On

Exclusive Package- CLICK FOR DETAILS

Exclusive package.

CraigCat has taken cool to a whole new level! Introducing the Exclusive Package where high tech meets luxury. The Exclusive Package features high intensity LED NAV lights with a polished stainless steel finish, LED courtesy deck light, QUAD (4) super high intensity forward facing LED docking lights with port and starboard facing LED docking lights, top-of-the-line Infinity sound system – 3.5” color LCD display AM/FM/USB/Bluetooth/weather-band, additional HD rail mounted 2-way Kicker speakers (total of 8 speaker system), and custom exclusive badging.

• Upgrade any E2 Elite or Catch-it model with the exclusive series package: $975

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Little Cat, Big Attitude

• By Dave Reed
• August 15, 2022

If we want to start somewhere today on a path to high-performance multihull sailing, there are plenty of age-old designs from which to choose, but why go old school when you can sail the new school with the Nacra 500 Mk2 , an entry into the 2023 edition of Sailing World ’s Boat of the Year Awards. That “Mk2” is important here as Nacra Sailing has taken one of its timeless recreational cats and modernized it into a weapon of a beach cat or what they’re calling a “freerider.”

The Nacra 500mk2 is completely redesigned “following the latest innovations and using new technologies, the Mk2 is built to Olympic standards,” says Nacra Sailing. With additional performance upgrades available, the base boat is not a cruiser or a racer they add, “It’s a true next-gen sailing experience. And with this, a new segment in small catamaran sailing is created: high-end leisure.”

At 16 feet and 319 pounds, the Nacra 500Mk2 has been redesigned from the skegs up (no daggerboards or foils here), improving the hull shape and skeg designs for better stability and performance, which amounts to a wave-piercing bow profile, deeper skegs and a better distribution of volume for pitch balance. Nacra Sailing says the sail plan has also been updated with a more efficient radial mainsail design (“semi deck-sweeper”) and batten-tension system, as well as having the option to add a furling jib or gennaker to take it to the next level.

The hull is a vinylester composite and the kick-up carbon-reinforced rudder blades are glass as well. The rig is aluminum and the Professional model has double trapezes as standard. With the listed price at the time of entry of €13.364 (ex. VAT), the 500 Mk2 fits in nicely price-wise with similar-sized recreational racing craft. With its ability to accommodate a wide range of sailors and combined weights, it is positioned well to be both a family freerider and recreational one-design racer with international fleets that will no doubt soon follow.

Boat of the Year testing will resume in October in Annapolis, so stay tuned for reports from our sailing sessions.

Nacra 500mk2 Key Measurements

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10 Affordable Cruising Catamarans

• By Phil Berman
• Updated: May 24, 2024

So, you want to get a catamaran , sail off into the sunset, and capture some magic with your lover or family for a few years. You have no ambition to sail around the world or to live aboard forever, but think a one- or two-year sabbatical might be life-changing. You’d like to sail the US East Coast, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, perhaps the Med—or up and down the West Coast and on to Mexico and Central America. You have $300,000 or less to spend and want a catamaran you can sell at the end of the journey without consuming a bottle of Tylenol to blunt the pain. 

The good news is that this is quite achievable. The bad news is that there is a vast wave of baby boomers who are all looking for the same thing—and for right around the same price. This makes finding a good deal on a great used catamaran a lot of work, even working with a broker. But, it’s possible. You just need to keep an open mind.

The other good news, which might seem surprising, is that an older catamaran, besides being more affordable, might sail just as well—or even better—than the same-size new cat that will cost considerably more. Yes, the older model might have less room inside and lack the latest condo-on-the-water styling, but it was designed and built before the current trend to supersize the newer generations of multihulls at the expense of sailing performance.

Here’s my advice to the cat hunter on a budget: Don’t get too hung up on the length of the boat. Instead, focus on the spatial and payload requirements you seek and which can be achieved within your budget. And best not get too focused on must-have features—what I jokingly call “surround-sound beds.” Catamaran designs and interiors have gone through massive changes in the past 10 to 20 years, and most older designs simply cannot compete with the new ones in terms of space and high-end amenities.

None of the cool cats I have in mind are over 47 feet. This is not because there aren’t bargain boats out there that are 47 feet and longer, but because any larger multihull that you can buy for $300,000 or less will most assuredly need a significant refit or is either very old or very odd. Buying a fixer-upper is, to my mind, the most dangerous thing a budget-minded consumer can do. It’s just too easy to underestimate the cost of yacht refits and repairs due to the extremely high prices charged in most boatyards. 

RELATED: 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations

Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. What we were selling a Lagoon 440 for eight or 10 years ago is nearly the same as what they sell for today. The difference between a good deal and a bad deal is tied solely to a yacht’s condition and refit history. As they joke in private-equity circles, “Any idiot can buy; you deserve congratulations only when you sell.”   

So, when your search gets underway, focus on ­condition—it is far more important than the year, brand or features you might crave. And when you find the cat of your dreams, the best way to remove financial-downside risk is to get a great survey and to choose the newest, smallest cat that will work for your agenda, not the oldest and biggest.

– CHECK THE WEATHER – The weather changes all the time. Always check the forecast and prepare for the worst case. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

And a word of caution: Your problem will be knowing a good deal from a bad one after the survey is over if you are not well-schooled in pricing. Besides steering you toward potential boats to consider, this is where a broker, working on your behalf, can provide knowledgeable advice. It’s been my experience that this is the point when so many yacht sales come apart: a dispute over the value of a given yacht when the survey results come in. All too commonly we see buyers reject yachts they should have accepted and purchase cats they should have rejected. Remember, a used yacht is a used yacht—not a perfect yacht. A catamaran need not be perfect to remain a perfectly good deal. Here, then, are 10 cool cats to ­consider in the ­$300,000-or-less range:

1. Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 (above)

Fountaine Pajot had the misfortune of tooling up this boat just before the global financial crisis, so not that many of them were built between 2007 and 2012. But these were the first of the larger-space charter cats in this size, but not yet so porky that they still could not sail decently. In the three-­cabin owner’s version, they designed the living space very nicely; even in the four-cabin version, the aft starboard bed was very well-done. 

During this period, Fountaine Pajot had problems with the resin it was using, which led to blistering on the hulls and undersides. Affected models therefore had new bottoms done at approved shipyards throughout the world. Make sure the one you are considering had this done or that it doesn’t show evidence of significant blistering. Honestly it is only cosmetic, but it will impact resale if not repaired. Many consumers think blisters are the end of the world; frankly, they are not.

2. Catana 431

Built in France by a long-­standing yard, the Catana 431 was always a very viable vessel because it is big enough to go anywhere, but not too large for a competent owner to handle. And because the 431 has good underwing clearance and daggerboards, it sails smartly to windward. 

That said, there are a few things to watch for. The primary bulkheads on many of these boats were not tabbed on the outer ends, and over time tended to distort. Often this led, or will lead, to a costly replacement of some bulkheads. So be careful to survey these areas properly. 

The 431′s furniture is all foam-cored and handmade, but the banding on the outer edges in some cases slowly starts to peel, which allows moisture to infect the wood veneer. This can create a somewhat unsightly appearance in the cabinets and drawers. It is only a cosmetic issue, but it can make the interior feel a bit worn out. 

During the period when the 431 was being built, Catana used a distributive electrical card system, and the boats had several modules, each a zone, to which electricity was run. If one thing in a zone stops working, the only solution is to jury-rig a wire from that nonworking item back to the main breaker panel. Replacing the modules or getting them repaired can be done, but it is getting harder by the year. For this reason, the best 431 is a boat that someone else had rewired at some point along the way.

3. Lagoon 470

If you need a larger escape pod, the Lagoon 470 is one of our favorites. This model of older Lagoons was built at CNB’s yard in Bordeaux, France, and the build quality was high. The 470 was the first design to have the more-vertical windows that are a Lagoon signature, and ample saloon headroom. The 470s are also old enough that the hulls were not so supersize that it compromised sailing performance. They have decent underwing clearance, so they are not persistent pounders to windward. Many were built with a galley-down layout, some in galley-up style. You will always pay more for an owner version of this or any model. 

The big thing you have to concern yourself with on Lagoons of this vintage is that the hulls and decks are made with a balsa core, so it is not uncommon to find moisture problems, especially around deck fittings or hatches. This can sometimes require rebedding or recoring areas, and this sort of repair, in North America, can be a costly undertaking. Make sure you get good moisture-meter readings near all deck fittings and, of course, on the hulls. Hulls, however, tend less often to have moisture issues because there are few fittings through which water can enter the core. Were that to happen below the waterline, it is a real mess that must be repaired immediately and properly.

– CARRY A BEACON – Satellite beacons such as EPIRBs or PLBs allow boaters to transmit distress signals and their exact coordinates from anywhere on the planet, no cell service required. It may be the best $400 you ever spend. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

4. Privilège 435

Back when the Privilège 435 was built, Privilège catamarans were constructed by Alliaura Marine in France, and they were truly the Mercedes of the multihull world at that time. While not a performance cat by any means, the 435 was a super-solid yacht, built with great care and the finest components. The 435 is large enough to go anywhere but small enough to handle easily. 

The largest negative of this model—and many cats of this vintage—is that the saloon windows slope dramatically, so the interior gets very hot unless the windows are covered most of the time. When they legalize growing pot on catamarans, here’s the perfect greenhouse for it! Seriously, if you should buy a used 435, you really have to get strong sunblocking external UV covers, as well as interior blinds or shades to inhibit heat buildup. 

Some of the 435s were laid out with the galley down in one hull, and these days most people want a galley-up arrangement, where cooking and food preparation are done in the saloon. A three-cabin galley-up owner version will be far more sought after and cost more than a four-cabin galley-down version. 

5. Leopard 46

This was the first of the Morrelli & Melvin collaborations with South African builder Robertson and Caine and the charter companies owned at the time by TUI Marine to create a catamaran that could be sold both into charter under the Moorings brand and also privately as a Leopard, so effort was made to design a boat with good sailing performance. Gino Morrelli did a good job creating a lot of underwing clearance, the 46 has a powerful rig, and yet its interior still offers spacious sleeping areas and nice flow from the cockpit to the saloon. These can be bought as ex-Moorings charter boats for less than $300,000 but are more costly in the sought-after Leopard owner version.

Because these are balsa-­cored boats, you must inspect deck fittings carefully for moisture incursion. Some of the earlier ones also experienced structural problems on the aft bulkhead and over-door-frame areas between saloon and cockpit. Also, during this period, the windows in the main saloon had a tendency to leak and, when they did, required rebedding or replacement. This was a costly job, so check this out carefully during survey.

6. St. Francis 44/Knysna 440

If you wish to spend under $250,000, the older Saint Francis 44 and Knysna 440 are worth a look.

Back in 1990, Duncan Lethbridge started St. Francis Catamarans in South Africa with the St. Francis 43. The boat was meant to be a fast, strong bluewater voyager—and it was. The 43 was made with foam core, keeping the structure light, and it was very strongly built, with a powerful rig. The 43 loved to sail. And so too did the St. Francis 44, an updated version of the original. 

The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, having less than 6-foot-2-inch headroom in the hulls. Also, the engines were installed amidships, which made the boat noisy inside under power. It also made the amidships areas of the hulls too narrow to have centrally located heads and showers, which in turn meant the only layout available was a four-­cabin, four-head design. In the forward cabins, the heads and showers had to be far forward; in the aft cabins, the heads and showers were located far aft.

St. Francis sold the tooling for the 44 to Knysna Yachts in 2004, and Knysna raised the headroom in the saloon and moved the engines aft to each stern. The hulls remained fundamentally the same, but the design was improved nicely. 

The largest negative of both the Saint Francis 44 and the Knysna 440 is that they have very low underwing clearance. Things can get pretty noisy when pushing against ­washing-machine seas. 

But you cannot have it all and still pay less than $250,000 in a midsize cat; compromises must be made. And these boats do sail quite smartly compared with many in their size range.

7. Lagoon 440

This was the most popular catamaran ever made, and it started the catamaran flybridge craze, which helped to convert many powerboaters to sailors. 

What I like about the 440 is that it is an infinitely better sailer than some of its peers, and has decent underwing clearance, vertical windows, and nice cabins for sleeping and living. While the aft cockpit is rather small, the saloon is quite large.

Flybridges are a bit of a love-hate thing. There is no question that in a cat of this size, the windward performance suffers a bit due to the boom positioned so high off the water. When piloting, the skipper is separated from those on the bridgedeck. Part of the reason flybridges are so popular in charter is that most of the parties take place up there while sailing and at anchor. In private ownership, however, it is seldom that everyone is hanging out on the flybridge during a long passage. 

As always with Lagoons, these are balsa-cored boats, so a careful survey is in order. Pay attention also to bulkhead ­tabbing to make sure they have not separated from the hulls.

Because so many of the 440s were built to go into charter, there are a lot of four-cabin, four-head models for resale. These will sell for considerably less on the ­brokerage market than a ­coveted three-cabin, ­private-owner model.

– CHECK THE FIT – Follow these guidelines to make sure your life jacket looks good, stays comfortable and works when you need it. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

8. Leopard 40

When you get into the 40-foot size range, a four-cabin layout can become pretty cramped and claustrophobic below, but the three-cabin owner version of the Leopard 40 is a very nice pocket cruiser. A Morrelli & Melvin design, the 40 has good underwing clearance and nicely shaped hulls. Not a large cat, per se, and less-suited for significant distance sailing than others because its payload is limited, the 40 is still well-suited for a couple and a child or two for near-coastal and ­island-hopping action.

9. Manta 42

If you are searching for a cat in the $200,000 range, the Manta 42s were well-built in Florida, and their electrical systems were very well-done compared with many other multihulls of that era. While many of the features on the boat are quite dated, these Mantas sail very well, and easily, and have been popular with coastal cruisers for two decades. 

The largest negative of the Mantas is that people taller than 6 feet will find the saloon headroom right on the edge, and the berths are not especially large. Also, forward visibility from the saloon windows is not particularly panoramic, so the interiors are a bit darker inside than current-­generation catamarans.

10. Lagoon 410

The Lagoon 410 was quite a popular cat in its prime, and for good reason. It offers lots of visibility thanks to its vertical windows, good headroom for a cat of its size, nice berths, and a workable, though smallish, galley-up design. The 410 has decent underwing clearance, can sail nicely over the waves, and its singlehanded operation is super easy. In the three-cabin owner’s configuration, it’s just a very cool little cat.

As always, a balsa-core boat must be surveyed carefully, especially on deck, for moisture incursion near fittings and hatches. It can be costly to repair rotted core and to rebed deck fittings. But find a dry one, and it should definitely be counted as a contender for a buyer with a limited budget. 

Phil Berman is the president of the Multihull Company and the founder of Balance Catamarans. He has managed the sale of more than 900 catamarans.

• More: catamaran , lagoon , leopard , multihulls , print june july 2020 , Sailboats
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New catamarans: 2021’s most exciting launches

• April 7, 2021

Fast cruising is the theme this year, say Toby Hodges and Sam Fortescue, who look at some of 2021's exciting new multihull launches

2021 looks set to be a bumper year for new catamarans as the trend for fast cruising yachts, which deliver plenty if living space continues. This year there are set to be several new catamarans on the market, here’s our selection of those about which we are most excited.

A group of wild enthusiasts in the landlocked Czech Republic are the force behind the new IC36 from Independent Catamaran. The debut model is a fully race-tuned cat that aims to appeal to speed freaks as well as performance cruisers. Oh, and it unbolts to fit inside a shipping container or on a trailer!

Perhaps closer in design terms to the Extreme 40 than a traditional cat, the IC36 has super narrow hulls, high displacement bows and an optional rotating carbon rig with composite stays.

A sporty-looking carbon beam braces the bows and doubles as a bowsprit for asymmetric sails. Deep daggerboards help windward performance, and there’s a racy dual carbon tiller providing direct rudder control.

“The first time I saw it, I just felt like it was from one of Jules Verne’s adventures,” says co-founder Jaromír Popek.

The boat has been optimised for electric propulsion with twin 6kW Oceanvolt saildrives and up to 15kWh of lithium-ion batteries giving a range of a couple of hours. Powerful hydrogeneration under sail keeps batteries topped up. For longer spells at anchor , there is also a decent 1.15kW array of Solbian solar panel s which folds away when not required.

As much fun as this boat should be to sail in its Raw racing variant, it is also available with more creature comforts.

The Pacer model has a coachroof, cockpit tent, more storage and cooking and freshwater systems. It can accommodate a reported eight people in the hulls, with a fridge and two-burner hob to port and a shower/heads to starboard. Or you can opt for a fridge and hob in the folding cockpit table.

Construction is in epoxy-glass composite with local Kevlar reinforcement and foam core, helping to keep weight down to less than 3 tonnes (key for trailering). And there are three buoyancy chambers in each hull, which underpin the claim that the boat is unsinkable.

For all the variants, the light weight and high-performance rig means you can sail in a breath of wind. In a blow, the sky should be the limit. Expect reaching speeds of 20 knots plus, particularly if you take the high-modulus carbon wing mast from Pauger.

Specifications:

LOA: 11.00m / 36ft 1in Beam: 6.20m / 20ft 4in Draught: 0.85-2.00m / 2ft 9in-6ft 7in Displacement (light): 2,500kg / 5,512lb Price ex VAT: €295,000 (for RAW) Builder: www.independentcatamaran.com

This new launch from the world’s number one catamaran brand is the largest in the range of ‘regular’ boats, before entering the more luxurious world of the Lagoon 65.

It has been drawn by VPLP and Patrick le Quement, whose design nous has done much to make cats more mainstream. Many of the features, therefore, will be familiar from the smaller boats.

However, that extra length creates more volume below, so the Lagoon 55 can be arranged with up to six true double cabins with ensuite heads. “It’s the first time we have six cabins of the same size and function and a larger flybridge,” explains products developments manager Martina Torrini during a premiere virtual tour of the first model to launch in March.

Another first is the curving steps up from the transom skirt to the aft deck, dubbed ‘the stairway to heaven’. “The surfaces of the transom can be used differently,” adds Torrini. “Not just a way to access the boat, they become in themselves a living area.” This feature extends the size of the cockpit to 25m2, and even offers a plancha grill.

There’s more social space on the huge flybridge (with fridge and bar) and a movable sunpad on the forward part of the coachroof. The boat also features Lagoon’s first ever dedicated forward cockpit, connected to the saloon by a drop-down window.

A 107m2 fat-head main provides grunt, but is coupled with a self-tacking jib. As with all Lagoons, the emphasis is on comfort and ease of use rather than speed and windward pointing ability.

LOA: 16.56m / 54ft 4in Beam: 9.00m / 29ft 6in Draught: 1.55m / 5ft 1in Displacement: 26,500kg / 58,433lb Price: €tbc Builder: www.cata-lagoon.com

Fountaine Pajot Samana 59

Replacing the five-year-old Ipanema 58, this luxurious 59-footer integrates many of the new design features of the 45, which boasted longer, wider hulls that nevertheless showed 10% less drag. Chief among the new attractions is an enlarged cockpit, forward lounge and flybridge, for more socialising space.

“We wanted to emphasise her identity by optimising her interior and exterior spaces to make this 59ft catamaran the equivalent of a larger yacht,” explains designer Olivier Racoupeau.

“Whether it’s the flybridge, the cockpit or the saloon, we’ve worked hard to find harmony between all the living spaces on board, to gain every millimetre inside and outside.”

There’s a door forward out of the saloon, and the option of a hydraulic bathing platform, which doubles up for tender storage. Up to six cabins are offered, and the rare option of putting the galley up in the saloon or down to port. Hull number one is joining the World ARC .

Meanwhile, a new 51 is tipped for launch in 2022, which will focus on sustainability and have 2kW of flush solar panels built into the flybridge.

LOA: 18.21m / 59ft 9in Beam: 9.46m / 31ft 1in Draught: 1.40m / 4ft 7in Displacement: 25,500kg / 56,217lb Price ex VAT: €1,302,900 Builder: www.catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com

The new 42 replaces the Leopard 40, and it draws on the latest design thinking from the larger boats in the range. Like the award-winning Leopard 50, it has continuous hull windows, a hardtop, and contrasting coachroof accents. But it also goes further, with plumb bows and long horizontal chines.

That lounging space on the coachroof adds 65% to the exterior entertainment area. “By integrating the geometry of the lounge into the GRP hardtop, we were able to achieve a lightweight area that added less weight to the boat than one average sized crewmember,” explains Michael Robertson, chief designer at builder Robertson & Caine. It has been cleverly engineered so as not to steal headroom from the cockpit.

In contrast to many modern cats, the Leopard 42 makes a virtue of the separate cockpit and saloon, whose seating is focused on the forward galley. There is lots of glazing and a full-height door out onto the foredeck. Every cabin has a third more floor space and twice the glazed area of the old Leopard 40. Each has an island berth and its own heads with shower.

But it’s not all about space. “Performance potential remains one of the top priorities,” says naval architect Alex Simonis of Simonis-Voogd Yacht Design. “We spend a lot of time refining the rig geometry and the sail layout to boost the efficiency of the rig plan. At the same time, the ongoing refinement in hull and appendage design allows us to create a yacht with better sea motion and more agility.

LOA: 12.67m 41ft 7in Beam: 7.04m 23ft 1in Draught: 1.40m 4ft 7in Displacement: 12,460kg 27,469lb Price ex VAT: €399,000 Builder: www.leopardcatamarans.com

The new entry-level yacht from France’s Neel Trimarans is designed to bring the world of three hulls to a new clientele.

Building on the success of the larger Neel 47 and Neel 51, the 43 takes the fight to the catamaran, with a big superstructure that includes two double cabins as well as a galley and saloon.

There’s a further double cabin forward in the central nacelle, and cosy singles in either bow. A sliding door and window allows the saloon and the cockpit seating areas to be socially connected, although they remain two very different spaces.

The bulkhead helmstation to starboard has commanding views out over the huge coachroof. From the drawings, this appears to allow a tight sheeting angle for the genoa, but brings the mainsheet, which is fastened to the transom, close to the davits and skirt of the central hull.

The main is square-topped with two full battens and there is also a high-performance carbon spar option.

Though the lay-up is in standard foam-cored glassfibre, Neel says it is leaning towards more environmentally friendly construction. Interior joinery is from sustainable Alpi wood and recyclable material.

LOA: 13.11m / 43ft 0in Beam: 7.50m / 24ft 7in Draught: 1.50m / 4ft 11in Displacement: 9,000kg /19,841lb Price ex VAT: €329,800 Builder: www.neel-trimarans.com

Marsaudon Composites has quietly built an enthusiastic following for its TS42 and TS50 catamarans since the smaller boat was launched six years ago.

That these have been the first boats to cross the Atlantic in the last two ARC s has also done its reputation no harm.

The yard is based at Lorient La Base, at the heart of the French offshore racing scene, so it’s perhaps no surprise these designs are lightweight and offer plenty of performance.

The direct tiller steering, which gives a responsive feel to the helm, is an example of the thinking that sets these boats apart from other multihulls and makes them sought after models. Yet they also have enough space both on deck and below to offer very comfortable living.

A 57-footer from the board of Marc Lombard will be the third design to join the stable. It shares the same hallmarks as the existing models, although a wheel steering option will also be offered.

In suitable conditions this is a cruising yacht that can be expected to hit speeds of well over 20 knots.

The hull shape is clearly a progression from the earlier models, while following the same light displacement principles with fine hull shapes. Lombard drew a new shape for the bows to increase efficiency and reduce the tendency for bow-down trim. He told us: “The bows are shaped so that, when the boat is powered up and starts to heel, the lee bow will generate extra lift to push the bow up.”

The additional size makes the interior spaces of this boat significantly larger than those of the 50-footer, especially in the hulls. Much thought has also gone into ergonomics and weight saving, stripping out and simplifying anything that is not essential. CEO Damien Cailliau likes to draw on a quote from Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars: “Simplify, then add lightness.”

As an example, there are no hull linings, which saves weight and complication, but requires extremely neat moulding. “A core competency of Marsaudon Composites is that we produce excellent mouldings,” says Cailliau, “so we don’t need to hide our work.”

Article continues below…

Outremer 4X on test – a high-performance liveaboard cruiser that is built to last

It’s a mix of everything you need for cruising and what you want to feel for performance,” Loïck Peyron said…

Seawind 1260: Lightweight catamaran making waves on both sides of the Atlantic

The Seawind 1260 has been well received in the States, where the brand has a strong following, but these multihulls…

As a low volume builder – only 28 of the smaller boats have been built in total – Marsaudon Composites can offer semi-custom interior arrangements, providing they don’t add unnecessary weight. The boat can also be built with varying amounts of carbon to reduce displacement further.

At the same time as announcing this design Marsaudon launched a rebranding of the range, which will now be known as Ocean Rider Catamarans (or ORC). The new name is a better fit with the qualities with which owners identify than the Très Simple concept that led to the original TS designation.

To underscore the difference between these boats and the majority of catamarans in this size range a tiller has been incorporated in the logo.

Tooling for the ORC 57 is under construction and the first boat is scheduled to be unveiled in September 2021.

Base price ex VAT: €1,085,000 Builder: www.marsaudon-composites.com

Current Marine CM46 & CM52

The founder of RS Sailing , Martin Wadhams, is a racing sailor who now spends more and more time cruising.

Martin and his wife, Amanda, enjoy sailing fast boats and have spent some time looking to upgrade from their Pogo 12.50 to a multihull. Their search for a true performance cruising catamaran – and one that wouldn’t cost seven figures – turned out few viable options.

Australian-based designer Jeff Shionning put them onto some fresh designs he has done for Current Marine, a new South African brand formed from an experienced team of composites experts at Knysna, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on the south coast.

It has been set up to build the new CM46 and CM52 in low-volume semi-custom production. On visiting the yard a year ago, Wadhams was impressed enough with the high tech builds to order the second CM46.

He reports that the joinery is all laminated in, there is plenty of opportunity for layout customisation (in three or four cabins) and, owing to the lower labour costs in South Africa, pricing is keen.

Shionning’s CM designs are lightweight, efficient catamarans that should be able to sail well in light breeze and outrun weather systems in the open ocean.

Key features include daggerboards, fine bows, centralised weight of engines and tanks, and high bridgedeck clearance. The rig is also positioned amidships for optimum weight centralisation, while also helping to create a large foretriangle for flying a range of furling headsails. Aluminium or carbon spars and diesel or hybrid propulsion are offered.

Wadhams says there is good stowage space and payload capacity for comfortable liveaboard cruising. “They’re built using post-cured epoxy, carbon, E-Glass and PVC foam-cored laminates – a level above mainstream brands,” he insists. “This brings the construction found in a few larger, high-end boats into smaller-size catamarans.” The first CM46 is a full carbon racing version destined for an Auckland-based owner and is due to launch early 2021. The second boat (for Wadhams) has a more cruising-oriented spec.

Prices ex VAT: CM46 €635,000, CM52 €787,000 Builder: www.currentmarine.co.za

Seawind 1370

Is this the most popular new design of 2021? Although the first of this new 45ft model is not due to launch until later in the autumn, there has already been a phenomenal uptake in orders.

Publicity has been helped by vloggers Sailing Ruby Rose ordering one of the first boats, but a staggering 55 have been sold already. This has led to the Australian/Vietnamese yard establishing a new technical department that is separate from the production department.

European sales manager Jay Nolan says this 13-strong team is tasked with working up every system on the boat and looking at hybrid solutions.

Price ex VAT: €599,000 Builder: www.seawindcats.com

Outremer 55

A contemporary fast cat set up for short-handed world cruising, Outremer’s exciting new 55 launches this winter.

We previewed this VPLP design in our September issue and hope to test it during the spring. Much focus has been placed on weight and stiffness to help increase performance and ensure the boat can sail in the lightest breezes and therefore rarely need engine power.

Price ex VAT: €1,215,000 Builder: www.catamaran-outremer.com

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In 2006, we teamed up with world-renowned marine architect Michael Peters to craft a revolutionary innovation that would change the entire industry, the Stepped Vee Ventilated Tunnel (SVVT), giving this new hull design unprecedented speed and ride quality, combined with best-in-class fuel efficiency and stability.

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ArrowCat Power Catamarans Unmatched Craftsmanship Meets Unyielding Spirit

Experience the thrill of the open water with unparalleled comfort and tailored craftsmanship. Whether you are cruising the coastlines or anchored in serene bays, your ArrowCat power catamaran is your gateway to a life of adventure and tranquility.

Introducing Our Newest Addition, The 20' Power Cat Center Console Model

We intentionally designed this model to be simple and plain – simple to take the boat out, simple to use and to maintain, plain by allowing you the flexibility to customize it according to your preferences.

ArrowCat 20cc

This 20-foot center console is built with strength and purpose, designed for ease and simplicity. Effortlessly take it out on the water, and enjoy straightforward maintenance and operation. Its clean, adaptable design allows for extensive customization, whether on your own or through a dealer.

Fully Planing Hull Design LOA: 19′ 4″ / 5.89 meters Beam: 8′ 4″ / 2.54 meters Draft: 10″ / 0.254 meters

Explore Our 32' and 42' Signature Cabin Models

Perfect for inshore and offshore cruising, long distance and overnight trips, cold off seasons and hot boating seasons, and much more. The ArrowCat 32-foot and 42-foot models provide an exciting and versatile experience on the water. Explore to see which one could best suit your boating lifestyle.

ArrowCat 320

Merging express cruiser elegance with catamaran stability, the ArrowCat 320 Coupe features a planing hull design for smooth, swift rides. Powered by twin outboard motors, it promises dynamic performance and exhilarating adventures on every voyage.

Standard Layout: 2 Cabins/ 1 Wet Head Optional Tower Option LOA: 31′ 2″ / 9.5 meters Beam: 10’ / 3.05 meters Draft: 20″ / 0.508 meters

ArrowCat 420 Coupe

The ArrowCat 420 Coupe combines the luxury of an express cruiser yacht with the stability of a catamaran hull. Designed with a planing hull for agile, efficient navigation and powered by twin outboard motors, it delivers unmatched performance for your ocean adventures.

Standard Layout: 2 Cabins/ 1 Full Head LOA: 41′ 9″ / 12.73 meters Beam: 14′ 9″ / 4.50 meters Draft: 18″ / 0.46 meters

ArrowCat 420 Flybridge

 This luxury express cruiser yacht boasts a catamaran hull for superior stability and a planing hull design that ensures efficient, agile handling. Powered by twin outboard motors, it offers robust performance. The addition of a flybridge enhances your view and enjoyment, making every journey unforgettable.

Standard Layout: 2 Cabins/ 1 Full Head LOA: 41′ 9″ / 12.73 meters Beam: 14′ 9″ / 4.50 meters Draft: 20″ / 0.51 meters

Our Unique Design

Enjoy your boat year-round and stay warm and dry during cooler weather or overnight trips, while also having a comfortable and private space to retreat for whenever you need a break. Here are a few reasons why an ArrowCat power cat is an excellent boat to consider.

Catamarans have two hulls, which provide more stability in the water. They are less likely to roll or pitch, which means they offer a more comfortable ride, especially in rough conditions and for people who are prone to seasickness.

Power catamarans are typically more fuel-efficient than monohull boats of the same size. It requires less energy and yields more performance per HP. The two hulls create little to no drag or resistance to get on plane, resulting in greater fuel economy. Allowing for longer journeys with fewer refueling stops. 

Power catamarans have a shallow draft which means they can navigate diverse cruising grounds – beaches, islands, rivers, channels, and coastal areas with limited water depth. 

Express Cruiser

Cabin boats are designed with comfortable sleeping quarters and living spaces. They feature a sleeping space with a bed, a galley with a stove, sink, and refrigerator, and a head with a shower and toilet.

Cabin boats provide protection from the elements, such as wind, sun, and rain. This allows for comfortable cruising in a variety of weather conditions, as well as providing a haven during storms

Express cruisers are designed for efficient and fast navigation, offering higher speeds compared to traditional cruising boats. They usually have powerful engines that enable them to cover long distances quickly, making them ideal for day trips or weekend getaways.

Powered By Outboard Motors

Outboard motors can provide excellent performance and speed. They can often reach higher speeds than inboard motors of the same horsepower.

Outboard motors have a simple and standard design and are relatively easy to install, they do not require additional components such as a transmission, propeller shaft, couplings, and struts, that inboard engines do. They are easily assessable and cost less to maintain than inboard motors because they are mounted outside at the rear of the boat.

Outboard motors are often designed with features that make them easy to maneuver. For example, they can be tilted or rotated to provide precise control and handling in tight spaces and shallower waters.

About ArrowCat

Crafting Versatility and Adventure on the Water Since 2008

At ArrowCat, we believe in creating boats that are ready for anything. Our American-owned company builds versatile, multi-functional catamarans designed not just for a specific activity, but for a lifestyle that demands freedom and reliability. Whether you’re cruising, fishing, or exploring, our boats deliver superior performance in all conditions.

Trusted by seasoned mariners across coastal and saltwater environments, ArrowCat power catamarans embody the spirit of adventure and the promise of quality.

Learn More About Us

Experience A Smooth, Fast, And Stable Ride

Discover the unparalleled stability and speed of an ArrowCat power catamaran. Connect with our experts to schedule your sea trial today and experience the thrill firsthand.

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F1x A-class foiling catamaran

World champion, lighter = better, craftsmanship, meet the foiling f1x a-class catamaran.

This is the ultimate singlehanded foiling catamaran of the moment: ultramodern, incredibly fast, very agile, extremely strong and feather-light, in an aerodynamic and ergonomic design. The perfect total package, packed in 1 foiling catamaran. This is the world’s coolest boat for singlehanded races and the winner of several A-cat world championships and many other sailing races.

The 2020-F1x A-cat is exactly the same foiling catamaran that made Mischa Heemskerk Vice-World Champion at the Herveybay Worlds 2018 in Australia and World Champion at Weymouth 2019. All our foiling F1x A-class catamarans come straight, ready to race and ‘Mischa-tuned’ from our factory.

Unique design enables top performances

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran is the ultimate reflection of our current design language. The aerodynamic design accentuates the performance qualities of this super fast foiling racing boat. The sophisticated deck plan provides clear control and minimal air resistance.

Foils The rudders and daggerboard foils used on the F1x A-class foiling catamarans are produced with the highest quality carbon pre-preg fibers. The foils are cured in our own Autoclave . Our winning foil design was created in close cooperation with Glenn Ashby and the designers of AC Team New Zealand .

Construction The F1x A-cat is manufactured entirely according to the carbon pre-preg/ Nomex production method, and cured in our Autoclave. This technology is the same as used in the aerospace industry and within other foiling boats like for example, the America’s Cup.

Design The design of the F1x foiling A-class catamaran was completely conceived by the DNA design team and made at DNA’s own yard. In the DNA design team Pieterjan Dwarshuis, Mischa Heemskerk and the renowned Dutch industrial design engineer Rudo Enserink worked closely together to create the perfect foiling A-class catamaran.

We build your new foiling boat!

Technical details.

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran has a number of unique features that improve performance. For example:

• Semi ridged trampoline. Gives extra torsional stiffness to the boat and increases its aerodynamic characteristics.
• Patented main-sheet-wheel-system. For more direct and faster trim of the main sail.
• Aerodynamically placed traveller car.
• Flexible daggerboard casings. For minimal water absorption in floating mode.
• Aerodynamically shaped ‘beams’.
• Adjustable T-rudders. Foiling with rudder differential is possible.

Specifications

LOA: 5.49 m BOA: 2.30 m Max. draught: 1.20 m Sail area: 13.94 m Total weight: ca. 53 kg Top speed: 31 kn Extra: All measurements according to IACA Class regulations.

Buy a champion's boat!

Are you excited to buy a F1x A-class foiling catamaran from DNA Performance Sailing? Please fill in our contact form:

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9 Best Power Catamarans For Rough Seas and Coastal!

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Power catamarans are gaining popularity in the cruising world thanks to their enhanced stability and ease of operation. They’re ideal for coastal cruising but can also be used for ocean crossing thanks to their stability and speed.

Here are some of the best power catamarans on the market:

• Fountaine Pajot MY6
• Nautitech 47 Power
• Horizon PC74
• Lagoon Seventy 8
• ArrowCat 420
• Sunreef Supreme 68

In this article, I’ll review some of the best power catamarans out there. I’ll also go over the main features of different power cats and if they can handle rough weather. 

But before we dive in, let’s get a better understanding of what power cats are.

Table of Contents

What Is a Power Cat?

A power catamaran (power cat) is a motor-powered boat that, unlike traditional boats, has two hulls connected by a bridge deck. These vessels are more stable than monohulls because of their wide base.  

Power cats also don’t have a leaded keel to weigh them down, so they’re pretty lightweight and fast. The lack of a keel also means that power cats are more suitable for shallow waters.

They feature large engines designed to handle their bigger bodies and weights, and serve different purposes, like fishing, cruising, or crossing rough seas. In addition, each hull has a separate engine which makes them more maneuverable, especially at turns and tight spaces.

Power catamarans don’t have sails or masts and get all of their power from the combustion engine (or electric motor), unlike their sailing cousins. In addition, these vehicles are much easier to steer because of their increased stability.

Power catamarans have more interior and exterior space thanks to their multihull design, making them perfect for cruising and liveaboard . They also have ample space for storing everything you need on a cruise without worrying about weighing it down. Catamarans offer increased privacy as well because each hull houses one sleeping area, separated by the living area between them.

Are Power Cats Good in Rough Water?

Power catamarans are good in rough waters particularly because of their multi-hull design. Their wide base makes them stable, and their high speed allows for outrunning bad weather.

Power cats that feature a high bridge clearance, will handle rough waters effortlessly. With the added height, you won’t experience pounding and slamming even in heavy waves, allowing the crew to easily control the vessel in challenging situations.

These boats are also faster than their sailing counterparts, which means they can get you out of rough waters quickly.

In addition, since catamarans are large and tall, maneuvering is easier because you have a better view of the surroundings. Additionally, you can steer from the interior cockpit (on certain models), making it easier to control the vessel in bad weather.

Finally, although a power cat doesn’t have a keel to help it right itself in case of capsizing, it will still float easily because of its positive buoyancy.

Are Power Catamarans More Efficient?

Power catamarans are more fuel-efficient than monohulls because they don’t have leaded keels. While keels are designed to offer stability by weighing down the vessel, they increase the wetted surface and thereby add drag.

Due to the catamarans’ narrow bow entry, there’s lower resistance, leading to smoother acceleration and greater fuel economy in catamarans. In addition, power cats show fewer spikes in fuel consumption in a single power band, especially because of their smooth acceleration and fuel consumption.

The figures reported by cat owners or manufacturers show that power cats have the best power-consumption-to-speed ratios.

That being said, you can improve fuel efficiency by maintaining lower speeds; studies have shown that speed can be the most important factor in fuel efficiency, regardless of the number of engines or hull types. 

Now that you have a better understanding of power catamarans, let’s take a look at the ten best models on the market.

1. Leopard 53

This 53ft (16.19m) power cat is the fourth generation of the widely popular Leopard catamarans, and brings with it all the great features from her predecessor, the 51. 

Although the 51 was the company’s best-selling cat, they added these features to the 53 along with new ones to repeat its success. For example, they have built an enormous saloon, flybridge, and galley by removing the foredeck cockpit in the 51 PC, making it 30 percent larger than the previous model.

This model comes with three or four stateroom layouts, with the 3-stateroom version featuring an owner’s stateroom, two sinks, a loveseat, and lots of storage space.

With two Yanmar 370 hp engines, a maximum speed of 22 knots, and a cruising speed of 17.5, you can enjoy a magnificent ride, whether it’s long-distance cruising or a fun night out with friends.

2. Fountaine Pajot MY6

This luxury power cat is 44ft (13.40m) long, making it super spacious and suitable for families and big parties. With its spacious flybridge, sunbathing lounge, and enormous galley, it’s nothing short of a second home on the water. 

You can steer the cat from the saloon or the 21sqm (68 sq ft) flybridge which features a sunbathing lounge, a pool, and a galley.

This motor yacht continues to delight with its luxurious combination of privacy and pleasure, with views of the sea in almost every interior space. With three cabins, two bathrooms, six cabin beds, ample storage, and a kitchen that opens into the cockpit, you can enjoy practicality and luxury in one place.

The MY6 is exceptionally seaworthy and stable thanks to its wave-piercing hulls and Volvo IPS engines.

Like all power cats, it has straightforward steering, enabling you to control this beast even in the roughest circumstances.

3. Nautitech 47 Power

Powered by dual Volvo Penta D4 engines, this model can output 225-300hp, reaching a maximum of 22 knots and a cruising speed of 18-20 knots . This 46′ 8″ (14.23m) long power cat comes in three or four cabin versions, depending on the customer’s preference.

No matter which layout you choose, you’ll get a spacious, luxurious, and comfortable catamaran with panoramic views from the cabin. The sleek, streamlined exterior design ensures elegant sailing and seaworthiness.

It’s easy for passengers to navigate the deck thanks to its seamless design that connects the saloon to the cockpit and the rear deck. The stern features a big swimming platform that can also accommodate a tender. The cockpit is usable in different weather conditions thanks to the clear covers wrapping the whole area.

This efficient catamaran promises long cruising for big families and groups with two 300L water tanks and a pair of 645L fuel tanks.  

4. Horizon PC74

The Horizon PC 74 is another luxury power cat that can give you the comfort of your home on water. This 73′ 9” (22.48m) long power cat with a 2,000gal (7570L) fuel tank is an enormous vessel that can accommodate more than 14 people.

The enormous hardtop on the three-piece windshield, the teak dining table, the U-shaped bar, the sun pad, and the swing-out stools all guarantee that you’ll have the luxury cruising experience of a lifetime.

This vast and wide catamaran allows you to access the aft deck from the flybridge via a curving staircase. The vast aft deck has a ten-person dining table, a wet bar, and storage space. You can separate the interior and exterior spaces through sliding glass doors and make the space appear bigger by opening them.

Reaching a top speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 19 knots, this enormous catamaran was built for efficiency and practicality.

5. Lagoon Seventy 8

This 78’1″ (23.80m) power cat with two 494 HP engines and a 2246gal (8500L) fuel capacity is one of the largest power cats on the market, offering both comfort and reliability. The enormous flybridge can feature a jacuzzi, a sunbathing area, a large foldable dining table, and a hardtop with a moveable roof. However, you can customize the flybridge based on your preferences.

The designers have compromised nothing in terms of elegance and high-quality materials with top-of-the-line finishes and interior paneling to create the kind of luxury you want.

The saloon is huge, well-ventilated, and separated from the exterior by glass doors and panoramic windows.

But what sets Lagoon Seventy 8 apart from other power cats, in addition to its enormous size, is the wide choice of layouts. You can choose between five different versions, all offering the same amount of storage space, living and sleeping area, and privacy.

Additionally, some versions are fully customizable, allowing you to pick every detail to your liking.

6. ArrowCat 420

This 41′ (12.73m) long express cruiser is a semi-custom catamaran with two-stateroom and three-stateroom layouts. The ArrowCat 420 is designed and built with comfort and strength in mind, and capable of handling rough waters safely.

The two Suzuki 350 hp engines give this model a maximum speed of 40 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots.

The streamlined design and the angled hulls ensure the vessel cuts through the waves effortlessly, making it easy to maneuver.

The fully-equipped head features an electric toilet, a shower, sink, and mirrors, coupled with a dining table, floor storage locker, and teak-finished floors. This cat is built to combine luxury and comfort for both onshore and offshore cruising.

7. Bali 4.3

This 43′ (13.1m) power cat is made for ocean crossing in mind. With five different layouts featuring different combinations of cabins and heads, the company ensures you’ll get the kind of setup you want. Regardless of the layout, this cat offers a spacious master suite with a large double bed and other private sleeping quarters.

You can quickly add to the overall space by removing the adjustable glass doors to merge the cockpit with the saloon.

A feature that sets the 4.1 apart from its predecessor is the fixed aft deck between the hulls, which provides a passageway and eliminates the need to go from one hull to the other without entering the cockpit.

8. Sunreef Supreme 68

According to its designers, this model was built with a radical concept in mind while staying true to the company’s promise of building the most comfortable and spacious power cats in the world.

One of the greatest features of the Supreme 68 is its aft garage that houses a 5m (16 ft) tender and two jet skis in addition to other water toys.

You can also transform the aft to a large platform for water sports by lowering the garage door.

The four-stateroom layout features ample storage, ensuite guest cabins, queen-sized beds, and TVs to create a memorable stay. The white and beige furniture with chrome details and floor-to-ceiling glazing create a soothing atmosphere that blends with the practicality of the well-equipped galley. 

However, if you’re looking for something different, you can opt for a customized model from three different layouts.

9. Hudson 48

The sleek, diamond-cut design of this 46.46’ (14.16m) long power cat is usually the first thing to catch your eye.

It’s a light displacement cat that ensures fast cruising with a top speed of 24 knots and cruising speed of 8 knots thanks to the two 370hp Yanmar V8 engines.

The three-cabin layout features a master stateroom with a spacious and well-ventilated design made possible via the three overhead windows and opening deck hatches.

The saloon’s enormous helm station allows for comfortable and safe accommodation, making it great for rough waters and bad weather conditions.

This model also offers a few entertainment options with its large TV systems and mood lighting. The storage areas and the full-sized walk-in wardrobe give this model a comfortable, homely setting.

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you hopefully start your sailing adventures. Here are some resources that I use as a sailor that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact things that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family. Sailboats: If you’re looking for the best boat to suit your needs, I would recommend a catamaran. If you’re interested, I can show you the differences between catamarans and other types of sailboats .

Books:  For getting started, I really like  Cruising catamarans made easy . It is actually a textbook from the American sailing association; it is used to get a cruising catamaran certification. There are some other great books, and I have compiled a list of books about cruising catamarans that you will find useful.

Communication:  Being out on adventures, whether it be sailing or climbing mountains, good communications are essential to being safe. I recommend two things Google fi (incredibly simple cellular data all over the world) and Garmin inreach mini (for text and voice in remote areas without cell coverage)

Sailing courses: Online sailing courses are great for beginners starting out their sailing career; it’s an efficient way of learning the basics of navigation, throttle controls, and maritime safety. I suggest starting with two free courses from NauticEd .

To see all my most up-to-date recommendations,  check out this resource  that I made for you!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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ATHLETIC EVOLUTION

Action please.

Action please! The EVOLUTION flies at top speeds on just one hull over inland lakes or coastal waters and offers good positioning and stability even in stronger swells and at winds up to force 5 on the Beaufort scale. It is ideal for two sporty sailors but it also packs plenty of fun and space for families with children and luggage. This medium-sized member of the Grabner HAPPY CAT family combines excellent sailing characteristics with speed and fun. This inflatable cat can be stowed away in just 3 bags and is particularly popular with motorhome enthusiasts.

Small packed

The entire catamaran can be packed in only 3 bags for transport and storage. Two long bags (185 x 30 x 30 cm) and a packing bag (80 x 45 x 28 cm). Suitable for many cars, roof boxes and mobile homes.

Convex wavepiercing hulls

The ideal hull shape enables you to sail at maximum speed and provides you more buoyancy for additional extra loads and safety. The modern Wavepiercer bow cuts elegantly through the waves and the convex hull bottom reduces water splashing as well as bow and stern resistance. It has been developed and optimised through tank testing and the boat-skin is hand made from tough Grabner car tyre rubber.

From hull to frame

The hull and frame are firmly and stably connected by sleeve inserts, while the special square profile frame provides high torsional stability with no twisting. The trampoline mesh is integrated seamlessly and directly into the profile frame and offers plenty of space for comfortable sitting. A powerful 6 hp-engine can be mounted to the saltwater-resistant anodised aluminium frame to accelerate the inflatable catamaran to a breath taking speed of 25 km/h.

Foredeck for sitting, lying, sunbathing

The crossbar, which is included as standard, stabilises hulls in the bow area, while the optional foredeck expands the usable area and protects against water splashes when sailing at a high speed. The fixed crossbar allows you to add more luggage and sit, lie, sunbathe or even stand on it when getting into the boat.

Optimum centre of pressure

The hydrodynamically optimised shape of the centreboard extends deep into the water to counteract lateral drift in the best possible way. The inclination is infinitely adjustable so that the centre of pressure by can be optimally trimmed on any course. The aluminium centreboard retracts automatically when it touches the ground and it can also be retracted completely during landing.

Rudder with tiller lock

The high-speed rudder is positioned at the far end of the stern for smooth and stable steering. To ensure the best steering control, the sleek, hydrodynamically optimised blade extends deep into the water and triggers automatically when it touches the ground. For instance, when paddling in harbours, the tiller can be locked with the tiller lock, which is included as standard.

Practical mast foot joint

The practical mast foot joint makes it easy to right the mast, which can be righted and lowered by just one person.

Professional rig

Stable and safe.

For constantly stable sailing: The profile of the four-part mast is generously dimensioned and equipped with angular connectors to prevent the mast from bending and overstressing the sail. Mast and sail form one unit – the mast rotates with the sail, which is integrated seamlessly and directly into the mast profile to enhance the overall performance.

Double shrouds ensure that the mast bends in an optimal and controlled manner without compromising on safety; the additional forestay allows you to adjust the mast independently from the sails.

Optimum use of wind

Extra performance.

Always the best profile: The fully battened mainsail with a surface area of 8 m², provides the ideal profile for a wide range of wind conditions.

In light wind, the wide upper ‘Square Head’ sail section provides extra performance.

Never hit your head again: The modern cut of the catamaran mainsail provides a larger sail surface and creates less turbulence – and since it has no boom, you will never hit your head again. Thick Dacron canvas and large reinforced windows give rigidity and good all-round visibility.

Tow points provide height: The tow points of the 3.50 m² jib are fixed at an ideal position close to the mast in order to be able to sail with more height and to ensure a good foresail profile, even when sailing wind abeam.

The comfortable continuous jib furler makes it easy to furl the foresail.

Traveller and trim

The best trim for the fastest ride.

Flat or bulging, luff or lee:

The traveller allows you to perfectly adjust the tow point of the mainsheet to the course, while the clew plate allows you to adapt the mainsail profile to the wind conditions.

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Big city family sailing in Vienna Sail anywhere!

Technical data

Standard equipment.

Included in delivery:

• 2 wavepiercing hulls
• 2 safety valves
• 1 profile frame 4-parts
• 1 trampoline mesh with snap-buckles
• 1 double toe-strap
• 4 paddle retainer
• 1 net-pouch for lines
• 2 tensioning stays for bowsprit
• 1 crossbar bow
• 1 centreboard
• 1 mast aluminium 4-parts
• 1 mast foot hinge
• 2 double shrouds
• 2 neoprene shrouds protection
• 1 jib sail 3.5 sqm
• 1 mainsail 8.0 sqm
• 1 jib furler endless
• 1 jib halyard pulley
• 1 traveller
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• 2 shroud wind indicators
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HAPPY CAT EVOLUTION

Accessory Set HAPPY CAT EVOLUTION/HURRICANE ( Set contents )

Electric Air Pump with Battery

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SUN AWNING HAPPY CAT EVOLUTION, HURRICANE

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Motor-bracket HAPPY CAT EVOLUTION/HURRICANE long

Torqeedo Travel 903 L (long shaft)

8.990,00 EUR

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HAPPY CAT EVOLUTION - Testbericht in der YACHT 08/15

"Deutlich mehr als nur Luft - Die Konstruktion ist steifer und schneller, als man denkt."

Ein Bericht von Martin-Sebastian Kreplin

Mit dem AUFBLASBAREN Happy Cat Evolution will Ewald Grabner beweisen, dass die alte Idee mit neuer Technik zu einem Gefährt führen kann, das ECHTEN SEGELSPASS bereitet. Ein Selbstversuch.

Testredakteure sind viel gewohnt. Aber ein aufblasbarer Katamaran, der mehr sein soll als eine besegelbare Bedeinsel? Das ist doch nur - das Wortspiel liegt auf der Hand - aufgeblasenes Marketing. Zwei wabbelige Rümpfe, die kaum die Kraft des Seglers ins Wasser übertragen können? Für Camper spannend, aber für Segler?

Lesen Sie weiter ...

YACHT 08/15 Model: Segelkatamarane / Happy Cat Evolution Owner since 2015

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