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Best power catamarans: 6 of the best models on the market right now

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Power catamarans have become so popular in recent years. Alex Smith talks us through 6 of the most exciting models we've covered in the past 12 months...

With the promise of extra volume stability and running efficiency it’s easy to see why power catamarans have become so popular in recent years.

Established players like Sunreef , Leopard and Lagoon have been joined by new builders like Vandal, Archipelago and Moon Yachts.

Big brands like Prestige have also made them move into twin hulled motorboats in recent years, and the likes of Bluegame and Wider Yachts look set to follow suit.

So with the trend showing no signs of slowing here’s our round-up of some of the most exciting new power catamarans you can buy right now.

Article continues below…

Prestige M48 sea trial review: The smartest multihull on the planet?

Moon Power 60 review: Is this £3.7m adventure cat the next big thing?

6 of the best power catamarans available right now.

Prestige M48

Prestige’s first ever power catamaran is designed to provide the volume of a 60 footer alongside the running efficiency of a 40 footer, but the way it manages all that onboard space is also quite attractive.

A three-part aft swim platform features a raising central section to help extend the cockpit party out over the water. The foredeck mimics that with freestanding furniture right at the forepeak and between them the saloon includes a big-aft galley, a large port lounge and a compact helm with a handy starboard side door.

From here private stairwells to the forward owner’s cabin and each of the two guest cabins provide plenty of privacy, and the split design of the port ensuite means it works really well as a day head.

In terms of styling the freestanding bow furniture looks a bit odd, and in terms of dynamics the stooping bridge deck does tend to touch down when the swells get beyond a couple of feet.

But if you want an accessible, novice-friendly boat that provides a party platform way out of proportion to its length, the first model in Prestige’s M line has a lot going for it. And if you have the budget, the more recent Prestige M8 is an even more convincing piece of work.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Prestige M48

Moon Power 60

As a modified sailing cat, the Moon Power 60’s beam stands at a massive 53% of its overall length and that has a very clear impact on the inside.

In spite of huge side decks with dual access to the flybridge , the internal saloon occupies an enormous footprint. It’s used for a pair of peripheral seating areas plus a forward door to access a lovely sunken bow lounge.

Visibility from the lower helm is restricted by the big stuts that sit sailboat-style toward the centre of the screen, but performance is pretty impressive: a pair of 3,500L tanks give you a 2,000nm range at 8 knots with a fuel flow of just 3lpm, and if you really want to boost the range there’s plenty of space for extra fuel capacity too.

Up on the flybridge there’s a big symmetrical lounge and a hot tub flanked by sunbeds, and down below the two hulls borrow a bit of inboard space for four ensuite cabins.

The simplistic saloon arrangement, the absence of a day heads, and the sheer masculinity of that styling might prove a bit problematic for some, but if you’re okay with a modified sailing cat, and you’re happy to work with the yard to refine that deck layout, this big imposing long-distance boat is unlike anything else out there.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Moon Power 60

Invincible 33

Invincible is a well-respected American Builder with a strong offshore sports fishing heritage and close links with the US Navy, but it also builds high-performance power catamarans, and this impressive 33-footer is the entry point to that fleet.

It uses quite a narrow beam with asymmetrical chines and spray rails, which enable it to heel into a turn in much the same fashion as a monohull and to ride the chop without spitting clouds of spray over that bow.

Capable of 56 knots with twin 400hp Verado outboards , it can also reportedly achieve cruising economy of just 2.5lpm for a range of around 500nm.

The internal arrangements are also really practical – with high capacity deck drains and an automatic fresh water flushing system for the outboards you can simply hose this boat down after a trip and get on with your day.

The fuss-free fit out includes multiple bait wells as well as lots of drained, insulated lockers that do a great job as ice chests and storage spaces, and the squared off bow provides lots of seating to supplement the big open deck of that half cockpit.

It might be built with fishing in mind, but as a rapid offshore performance machine, this might just be the perfect power catamaran for monohull lovers.

Watch our yacht tour video of the Invincible 33

Archipelago 47

The Archipelago 47 is a seriously good looking boat. Built from aluminum on the Isle of Wight with design input from commercial specialist Chartwell Marine, its low roofline, reverse screen, wide beams, slender forward hulls, and raised bridge deck give it a seriously potent profile, and that’s precisely what this boat is all about.

The idea is to deliver proper long distance offshore performance alongside a handy turn of pace in a homely fit out, and the Archipelago delivers that.

Built from 8mm hull plating with 6mm topsides, this Category A boat is rated to carry 12 people and sleep up to eight people in four cabins.

Reserving one entire hull for the owner’s suite is a really attractive option, but in all cases headroom is great and huge vertical picture windows provide amazing views from bed level.

The saloon features a large galley and lounge, as well as a raised helm with a shut-off partition for night nav. There are still some design tweaks required, particularly at the helm and the aft end, to maximise this boat’s potential, and if you want a flybridge you’ll need to look toward the Archipelago 52 instead, because on this particular boat that’s not an option.

But with space up top for all kinds of expedition friendly tenders, toys, cranes and solar panels, this tough go anywhere power catamaran has plenty going for it.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Archipelago 47

Vandal Explorer

As a foil-assisted, outboard-powered, flybridge equipped, aluminium power catamaran, the Vandal Explorer is certainly not the mainstream choice, but of course it was never designed to be.

Created by Ben Mennem, who wants to enjoy the sun-drenched waters of the Med, in collaboration with Norwegian designer Espen Oeino, who loves outdoor adventures in the Nordic States, it seems to straddle both camps.

It uses a wide open main deck with skeletal bars rather than rigid bulkheads to keep you properly in touch with the sea. There’s also a big aft platform between the Verado XTO outboards, which operates as a passerelle, and thanks to a ladder and rain shower does a great job for watersports too.

Ahead of the cockpit lounge there’s a big transverse galley tucked inside the shelter of the pilothouse structure, and there’s also a raised full-beam bow cabin with a separate incinerator toilet.

It’s a bit noisy on that main deck when you’re underway and the limited two-berth arrangement of the base boat is likely to compel some people to question its overall practicality.

But as a tough and lightweight 40-knot boat with space for 14 people, a cool off-grid aesthetic and all the custom friendly flexibility you could want, its simplicity is actually a really key part of its appeal.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Vandal Explorer

The Aquila 44 is a proper wide-beam cruising cat

Built at Sino Eagle’s 1million sqft facility in China and developed in collaboration with the renowned J&J Design Group, Aquila is a specialist power catamaran builder and that absolutely shows.

Capable of up to 20 knots with the top rated Volvo Penta D4 420s, the Aquila 44 uses bow bulbs for extra waterline length, a softer ride and improved stability at displacement speeds.

But is the way it uses its 21ft beam that really impresses. In the aft cockpit a convivial c-shape dinette sits opposite a fold-out bar at the aft galley.

At the bow a set of steps connects the foredeck lounge directly to the flybridge, which is great for practicality as well as for large partie, and up top a central walkaround helm pod keeps things more sociable and inclusive than on any other boat in this class.

There’s a proper main deck helm too if you want it, plus sleeping for six in three private ensuite cabins, including a brilliant owner’s cabin that occupies the full beam beneath that foredeck.

If you need extra performance and style you could of course look toward the brand’s smaller, narrow-beamed, outboard-powered sport line, but for proper power catamaran lovers this big, cleverly arranged entertainment platform feels exactly right.

Watch our yacht tour video of the Aquila 44

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Revolutionary All Electric Perfomance Catamaran

The most exciting performance-focused catamaran to hit the sailing world, the Open Waters 40 is an all-electric catamaran that leverages the latest in yacht construction technologies designed to maximize the thrill of sailing yet still provide the creature comforts of a multihull.

Great handling and speed

The ESC40 is a 40-ft catamaran designed to be two to three times faster than the typical cruising cat – using carbon fibre to reduce weight and provide increased hull strength.

The twin helm stations are covered by a solar cell-covered roof and come with a 59m2 main sail in addition to three headsails: Jib 26 m ² , FRO 65 m ² and Asail 121 m ² .

The hull is rated to handle boat speeds in excess of 20 knots. With curved retractable daggerboards providing better upwind handling and performance at speed.

The retractable rudders, together with the low draft of 2 ft, allow the boat to cruise in shallow waters and to be beached on the bow or stern.

Regenerative Energy

Thanks to the low weight, higher boat speed and the solar/hydro regeneration systems on-board. The boat is a 100% energy self-sufficient.

The twin electric drives and advanced battery technology allows for quiet, fossil fuel-free cruising.

Using 10 kW motors, the close-quarter power and handling is unrivalled. The folding propeller generates electricity while sailing together with the  roof-mounted solar cells , recharging the battery while in operation.

The integrated drives, battery and battery management systems are intelligently inter-connected and provide real-time and predictive insights on power consumption, generation and operational range.

The boat comfortably accommodates four adults and two children, and is sure to bring you all modern comforts such as a 400L water reserve shower and an electric stove.

The hull interior boasts 6’4” of head room with the coach offering even more generous space with 6’8” of head room up to 7 at the aft dinette. The wet deck, spacious with 300 ft ² between hulls features the main stateroom.

Each hull features three deck hatches and six portlights for excellent ventilation while the trampoline across the beam is 305 ft ² of play, relaxation and dolphin viewing.

Our unique construction techniques allows us to manufacture the boat in Canada in a quarter of the time compared to traditional boat building.

We can also build and ship your boat in as early as four months, greatly surpassing the industry standard of 12+ months.

From order to build and delivery, our price compares very favourable to other fast cats.

Faster, cheaper delivery

The boat can be packed in a standard 40ft freight container and be shipped safely anywhere in the world at a much lower cost (up to $50,000 savings) and in a fraction of the time.

Boat owners can now also ship their boat one or both ways between North America, the South Pacific, Mediterranean or the Carribean for a one way cruise or an overwintering.

Vacuum Resin Infusion

Vacuum resin infusion is the process at the heart of our technology and is used for all parts.

The vacuum resin process removes all of the air between the fibres of a part prior to the introduction of the resin.

After the process, our parts are meticulously sanded with variable grit — allowing for maximum paint adhesion on surfaces and smooth, stylish edges.

Core Materials

Core materials are introduced into the part to increase stiffness without increasing weight.

The core is a structural-grade foam with a high shear strength characteristic: if the part is of a complex shape, we cut the foam into sections, thermoforming it to the required shape.

We use five different sizes and densities of foam on the boat, optimized for local strength requirements.

We purchase carbon fiber by the roll and over 35 rolls are used in each boat. We have engineered the laminate schedule to be most efficient in the various areas of the boat maximising strength and reducing weight.

Each meant to be the most efficient for their respective areas. The fabrics are stitched, instead of weaved.

Stitched fabrics do not need to bend over or under other fibre and lay flat, making a stronger part.

At Open Waters, it is our mission to make catamaran cruising more exciting and environmentally sustainable. We’ve set out to create a performance cruising catamaran that will be a joy to sail and that will raise the bar in environmental sustainability.

We have developed a unique  design and manufacturing process, selected high performance  materials that enable us to build a boat that uses less materials and is 50% lighter. As a result it is a lot faster and as a result it is able to generate and store the energy needed to propel it electrically for hours and provide enough energy for on board equipment.

We use high performance carbon fibre and a vacuum infusion process to maximize strength and reduce the use of resin and eliminate resin vapour emissions. We use 100% recycled PET foam core wherever possible and we see the opportunity for incremental use of bio-based epoxy and natural fibres in our future.

As we continue to develop our sustainability roadmap for our boats we will perform a full lifecycle analysis to identify other opportunities to minimize our carbon footprint. 

The unique processes and skills we have developed can be applied and licensed to other marine and recreational vehicles businesses.

Simon Angus

Simon Angus P.Eng is a professional mechanical engineer with a background in project management and a passion for sailing.

He spent his university summers travelling around Europe searching for the best combination of wind and waves in addition to teaching both sailing and windsurfing.

After moving to Canada in 2004, Simon bought a Catalina 27 in Kitimat, BC, and enjoyed sailing in the Douglas Channel with his young family. A career move to Alberta paused his sailing career until he discovered the joys of chartering sailboats in the Caribbean.

Following a 20-year career in industrial engineering and project management, Simon decided to make a change. He combined his passion and profession to launch Open Waters Design and Manufacturing in 2016.

He designed and manufactured an 18ft canoe, developing a plug and mold using his proprietary vacuum resin infusion process. After the successful build of the canoe, Simon went on to build a high-performance 18ft A-class foiling sailing catamaran out of carbon fibre, refining both the mold construction and the vacuum resin infusion process.

After researching the various build steps, Simon began with CNC shaping of a plug, hand-finishing, and building the hull molds. He also built the mast, Z foils, and Tee foil rudders. Following successful trials in Vancouver, BC, Simon embarked on his next ambitious project: designing and building the boat he had dreamt about for years.

A boat that could be shipped anywhere in the world, sailed on with his family, and returned to Vancouver for summer cruising — and would be electrically sustainable.

In 2019, Simon was introduced to Hal Whitacre, sparking a design partnership that culminated in the creation of the Open Waters ESC40. Since then Simon Angus has started Open Waters Solar . A marine solar company revolutionizing the marine world.

Hal Whitacre

Hal Whitacre, owner of Whitacre yacht design since 1984 and is responsible for some of the fastest and most luxurious boats ever built.

Hal is Open Waters Chief Naval Architect and has worked closely with Simon over the past 2 years to produce the detailed designs that make up the Open Waters ESC 40.

Hal has a distinguished career in Naval Architecture graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in Naval architecture and Marine Engineering.

Throughout his career he has pushed the boundaries of naval architecture notably designing the Open Class 60 “Imagine”; breaking ground with the largest rig ever put on an Open 60.

Hal also owns and operates Bruce Roberts USA and in that capacity, he has designed over 100 steel and aluminium boat kits in addition to many fiberglass and  wood sail and power boats. Most recently, Hal was the chief Naval Architect for Gunboat Catamarans when they were built in the USA.

Since their move to Europe, Hal has completed 2 gunboat 55’s along with a conversation of a gunboat 55 to a powercat ferry which has recently conducted successful sea trials.

Hal and his wife Tammy split their time between Annapolis, Md and Sister Bay, Wi.  Hal continues to race Lasers during the winter and windsurfs/foilsurfs as much as possible.

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NEW 55′ SUNREEF Open Power Catamaran

The new Sunreef 55 Open Power is the newest hybrid power yacht by Sunreef Yachts. With over 150 large multihulls built the vast experience of the builder shines through in this newest creation.

The Sunreef 55 Open Power is the ideal cruiser to spend a week with family and friends exploring new anchorages or even cruising to exotic destinations. The advanced hybrid propulsion system consist of twin 350kw electric drives and two additional 250kw range extender diesel generators. A large 1,500l fuel tank assures that you will not run out of power.

The luxury hybrid yacht offers a perfect blend of speed, stability and luxury. The yacht’s standout features include walkaround deck, a vast semi-open saloon and spacious aft with two fold-down bulwark platforms.

There are several interior plans available and this innovative boat can be equipped with a hybrid power drive and integrated solar cells in the roof.

The 55 Open Sunreef Power is going to be produced in a new shipyard in the United Arab Emirates.

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Make a Statement With an On-Deck Stateroom or an Open Salon

Horizon pc60.

As a luxury power catamaran, the PC60 rises above other motor & multihull yachts with her on-deck master or expansive open salon layout options. An effortless blend of elegance, stability and efficiency is evident in this four-stateroom, three-bathroom yacht, which features an air-conditioned flybridge and expansive aft deck. With a myriad of high-end features packed into its 24′ 6″ beam, the PC60 is available in an On-Deck Master or Open Salon configurations.

SPECIFICATIONS

• L.O.A: 61′ 7″ (18.78m)
• Beam: 24′ 6″ (7.47m)
• Draft (prop. tip clearance): 4′ 9″ (1.46m)
• Displacement (half load): 83,467 lbs (37.86 tons)
• Fuel: 1,000 US gallons (3,785 ltrs)
• Fresh Water: 300 US gallons (1,150 ltrs)
• Engines: MAN i6 800 HP
• Generator: Onan 17 KW (60Hz)*1

MORE ABOUT THIS BOAT

How the build process works.

Horizon’s Advanced Composites Construction Methods

Aerospace Technology in Horizon

1. Choose your yacht

2. design your yacht, 3. build your yacht, 4. enjoy your yacht, testimonials.

If there is one thing that will convert buyers, it’s the quality of the ride, no monohull comes close, particularly when it kicks up in the Gulf Stream – you simply have to experience it!

I’m betting this cat will turn a lot of monohull adherents her way once they’ve spent some time aboard. Especially if it’s rough.

The PC60 would unquestionably be the best riding big powercat I have ever had the experience to run hard and fast in rough water. It is free of vices and a credit to the builders and designers. Not only does it provide outstanding performance and handling, it also has the now legendary Horizon stamp of quality along with it.

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Horizon Power Catamarans 68 Reviewed

• By Tom Serio
• September 22, 2023

The increasing popularity of power catamarans means more boaters are discovering the brand Horizon Power Catamarans, which has been building for this market for 37 years. Its latest model, the PC68 , blends sea-kindly performance with a high level of luxury in a strong build.

Horizon Power Catamarans has done a lot to optimize the space that this yacht’s 24-foot-6-inch beam affords. The sheer size felt impressive when I boarded from either hull platform (they flank a high-low hydraulic platform) or via the side gates. The cockpit has a 9-foot-long high-gloss wood table that seats eight guests, with real estate to move around unimpeded. The wet bar here has a Corian countertop, a fridge and an ice maker. There is still plenty of room to get to the curved staircase to port, providing access with grab rails to the flybridge.

The salon is through a 6-foot-wide glass door with a stainless-steel frame. Inside is an average of 7-foot headroom, which feels like walking into an upscale club. To port is a sofa, accented by a custom wood-and-metal coffee table. Across from there is the low-profile, open galley with three stools at a center island for informal dining. The galley has Miele appliances, including a four-burner cooktop, a convection oven and a fridge, along with a dishwasher and a cooling drawer by Fisher & Paykel. Corian countertops wrap around the island for added panache.

Forward is the primary gathering spot, with a deep, soft, L-shaped sofa. It’s surrounded on three sides by windows. A custom coffee table houses dual ottomans. This area can also be set up as an on-deck master stateroom (see sidebar).

Dismiss the thinking that lower staterooms on a multihull yacht are small and constricted. Horizon Power Catamarans performed some design magic and created four spacious dwellings. In the starboard hull, the master stateroom has a private entrance with a walkaround king-size berth athwartships in the peak, giving the owner an exterior view via a frameless hullside window. The master’s en suite head has his-and-hers sinks and a shower stall. A vanity, cabinets and cedar-lined, full-height closets are included.

The en suite VIP stateroom in the port hull has a queen-size berth. Two additional en suite staterooms, each with twin berths, are in either hull.

Sizable entertaining space is on the flybridge. Most of this deck is open for rest and relaxation, with the helm to port. Twin Stidd helm seats allow for a companion to assist in navigation or take in the views underway. Three 22-inch Garmin multifunction displays show navigation data, camera feeds, engine specs and more, while individual displays for the MAN diesels are neatly laid out in the dash, along with switches, thruster joysticks and throttle controls. Helm air conditioning is via two outlets.

Two windshields are split by a pass-through electric door. Guests can also enjoy the ride from the forward benchseat to starboard. A filler cushion can be used to make this a lounge-pad area.

Abaft the flybridge helm are a tiered bar, three chairs, Corian countertops, cooler drawers, an ice maker and a wet bar. Across from there is a C-shaped settee for several guests with a fold-out wood table. The seating is a touch higher than I expected, but Horizon builds in a raised footrest to ensure folks are comfortable. The height adds to the visibility.

This space also has a sky lounge option with side windows and an after bulkhead, but the versatility of the open bridge with Sea Crylic curtains for the sides and aft provides the best of both worlds.

What is really exciting is the PC68’s Portuguese deck. Through the flybridge forward door are two L-shaped settees with high-low tables. Guests can easily transit from the flybridge without having to walk around the boat’s sides. Also, the tables lower and have fill-in cushions that convert them to sun pads and loungers. A portside staircase leads guests to the foredeck with pulpit seats at the bow. All these areas have railings up to 33 inches high, in stainless steel, for safety.

Aft on the flybridge is room for a 17-foot tender with a 1,750-pound-capacity crane. There’s also room for lounge chairs. A grill station is in one corner, and a day head with a shower is in the other.

“I’m very pleased with the way the 68 came out,” Richard Ford, Horizon Power Catamarans founder and CEO, says with a grin, adding that production will never be mass-scale because the company wants to ensure quality control and resale value. “We don’t build a lot of boats. We don’t want to.”

Quality, he adds, promotes reliability—so much so that he gives each owner his personal cell number. The commitment to quality is also evident everywhere on board the Horizon Power Catamarans 68.

On-Deck Master

As an option, the standard salon space forward can be ordered as a full-beam master stateroom with wraparound windows, a centerline king berth and an en suite head in the lower port hull. In this layout, the two twin-bunk guest staterooms belowdecks remain, as does the VIP, which is relocated to starboard.

Powered by twin 850 hp MAN i6 diesel engines spinning five-blade Veem props, the PC68 cruises easily at 19.7 knots, burning 52 gallons per hour and offering a range of approximately 644 nautical miles based on the 1,500-gallon fuel capacity. At wide open and 2,400 rpm, this power cat hit 24.8 knots, burning 82 gph with a range of 514 nm. Pull back to 10 knots at 1,200 rpm for a 1,417 nm range at a miserly 12 gph.

Multihull yachts ride differently than monohulls, often counteracting the sea’s motion for a smoother, more stable ride. On the PC68, sharp hull entries make head seas seem gentle, and a Humphree stabilization system with blades reduces roll. Horizon Power Catamarans uses SCRIMP construction for resin saturation that maximizes strength with an 111,112-pound displacement. And with a 5-foot-4-inch draft, the PC68 invites island cruising.

Take the next step: horizonpowercatamarans.com

• More: August 2023 , Horizon Power Catamarans , Reviewed , Yacht Reviews , Yachts
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MAKAI Power Catamarans

MAKAI places its core values at the forefront of everything we do. With a primary focus on crafting high-quality and innovative power catamarans, we ensure all of our fleets offer an elevated cruising experience that maximize the true pleasures of boating. Explore our debut models MAKAI M37 and its open-roof counterpart, MAKAI M37, crafted for sun-soakers who crave boundless agility and space.

Unveil the MAKAI M37: Where meticulous design meets unmatched performance. This fusion marries exhilarating power with two spacious cabins, embodying our brand's sporty aesthetics. With refined cabins for couples and families, plus an expansive deck hosting up to 12 guests, this masterpiece intertwines catamaran advantages with unwavering dedication to style and comfort – a testament to our values.

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Discover a Different Kind of Power Catamaran

At aspen power catamarans, we use real innovation to enhance performance and efficiency in every model. the secret is an asymmetrical design that delivers straight tracking and a comfortable ride, with less resistance than a typical catamaran..

Discover A Different Kind Of Power Catamaran

At Aspen Power Catamarans, We Use Real Innovation To Enhance Performance And Efficiency In Every Model. The Secret Is An Asymmetrical Design That Delivers Straight Tracking And A Comfortable Ride, With Less Resistance Than A Typical Catamaran.

Find Out What Sets Aspen Power Catamarans Apart

Modern power catamarans come in many different styles and configurations. Benefits of catamaran designs typically include increased stability, deck space, ride, and cruising efficiency. At Aspen we think differently and refined the concept further by developing a unique PRO cat that maximizes fuel efficiency and range while improving ride and seaworthiness.

Patent No. US 8,109,221 B2

Check out the latest Aspen Innovation: The Aspen Carbon Cat tender.

Matchless efficiency and performance.

Aspens offer all the advantages of a catamaran, but in a design that can use a single, efficient diesel inboard or two outboards of different horsepower.

True Innovation in Design

The Aspen hull design offers the stability and space of a catamaran, but tracks straight with a single diesel inboard or two outboards of different horsepower.

A Thirst for Adventure

Because Aspen owners tend to go on long trips exploring remote areas, we have included a double-bottom construction method.

Intelligent Interiors

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Discover the excitement and elegance of a Leopard Power Catamaran.

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Introducing the Leopard 40 Powercat. Unveiled in Cape Town, South Africa, our newest addition to the fleet celebrated rave reviews from the press and media, earning the title “European Multihull of the Year”. Reinvented from bow to stern, the Leopard 40 Powercat delivers outstanding volume and comfort. And you can rest assured knowing this yacht meets the highest standards of seaworthiness, making it the epitome of blue water cruising excellence.

The Leopard 46 Powercat is the embodiment of elevated living on the water. As part of the new generation of Leopard Powercats, the Leopard 46 Powercat marries comfort and performance in a cruising catamaran designed to fit your every need. From ambient lighting to optimized spaces, the Leopard 46 functions like a home, with intuitive touchpoints and efficient functionality. Make no mistake, theLeopard 46 Powercat offers power and agility for those bold enough to seek it. Get ready todiscover the exhilarating promise of a Leopard Catamaran.

The Leopard 53 Powercat, flagship of the Leopard Catamaran Fleet and recipient of the Multihull of the Year Award, now boasts over 110 yachts in service worldwide. This, among other accolades, has solidified the vessel’s standing as a leader in its class. The Leopard 53 Powercat is easy to maintain and up to 50% more fuel efficient than any monohull motor yacht counterparts. A reincarnation of her predecessor, the Leopard 53 Powercat has been reimagined to provide greater speed, comfort, performance and luxury. Live your passion aboard the Leopard 53 Powercat and enjoy the journey ahead.

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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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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.

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Crafting Versatility and Adventure on the Water Since 2008

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A Guide to Power Catamaran Boats

If you’re into offshore fishing or water sports, the Power Catamaran or “multi-hull powerboat” offers you a great option for your first vessel. These powerboats provide you an excellent combination of performance, stability, and maneuverability.

These boats have a catamaran design, relying on two hulls to float the vessel instead of the typical deep-V hull found on other powerboat models. The multi-hull powerboat is ideal for cruising, and you can set it up for fishing or watersports as well.

With the multi-hull powerboat, you get options for multiple fishing stations over each hull without disrupting the boat’s balance on the water. They are ideal for use in lakes and estuaries, and they excel on the open ocean.

These boats come in lengths ranging from 16 to 30-feet, with plenty of customizable options and accessories. Typically, you get a stern-drive or outboard motor configuration, with center consoles for the driver and loads of storage space onboard.

These boats can carry from six to eight passengers easily, and most models will fit on trailers. This post gives you all the information you need on selecting the right multi-hull powerboat to suit your aquatic needs.

What Is a Multi-Hull Powerboat?

The multi-hull powerboat features a catamaran design, with two hulls running down the boat’s length, featuring a gap between the two. This configuration makes the boat exceptionally stable at higher speeds, allowing fast movement through choppy water inshore or offshore.

The catamaran might seem like a niche boat design. However, it offers you several advantages on the water, such as a smooth ride, stability, and economy. These boats come in a wide range of designs and lengths, with the smallest versions measuring around 12-feet, and the largest extending up to 70-feet or longer.

The longer vessels come with liveaboard facilities and all the amenities you need to spend days out on the water. We like to think of the multi-hull powerboat as the catamaran design of the cabin cruiser or cuddy cabin boat. You get all the same advantages as these models but with an added performance on the water.

You get plenty of options for live wells, rod holders, gear storage, and integrated coolers for drinks and fish. Whether you’re planning a weekend trip or just going out for the day, the multi-hull powerboat is a great choice for your ocean-going excursion.

While the catamaran model is the most popular choice in this category, there are models featuring a tri-hull design. Typically, these vessels cater more towards fishing than performance or watersports, offering slightly less steering maneuverability than the dual hull setup. However, the addition of the third hull brings superior stability to the boat, making them ideal for fishing in choppy water or cruising from island to island on rougher seas.

The ripple hull models typically feature more liveaboard space, with some models having multiple separate living areas beneath the deck.

Benefits of Multi-Hull Powerboats

The Multi-hull powerboat offers you plenty of advantages for fishing, cruising, and watersports. Here are our top reasons for adding this boat to your shortlist of considerations.

Speed and Handling

The multi-hull boat relies on two separate hulls contacting the water. As a result, there is less drag from the hull when cutting through the water. You get faster speeds than you do with a mono-hull design and excellent handling with tight turning circles. These boats do well on open water, allowing for superior stability in rough waters when fishing offshore.

Dynamic Cruising

The multi-hull powerboat features dynamic cruising capability. These boats are most popular with recreational users that want to cruise down the coastline on the weekend or take a few days out on the water for a fishing trip. The built-in accommodations in many designs make it suitable for staying out on the water overnight.

Stability and Performance

Multi-hull powerboats can come with several engine configurations. The motors on these boats offer excellent performance, propelling the watercraft up to speeds of 50 to 80-mph, depending on the model. They also make suitable watersports boats, allowing for skiing and wakeboarding.

Plenty of Storage

The multi-hull boat offers you more storage capability than mono-hull models. You get loads of storage room above and below deck for your dive gear or fishing equipment. There is under-seat storage, and the v-berths in the bow of these models can include plenty of amenities.

Center Console Design

The center console driver configuration is common with the multi-hull performance boat. This driver position gives you more control over the vessel when turning. Some consoles may position closer to the bow or aft of the boat, depending on the length and design features of the boat.

Hardtop Designs

Most multi-hull powerboats come equipped for long ocean-going trips. As a result, they may have a covered driver cockpit leading to below deck accommodations or storage facilities. Some models have wraparound cockpits with doors sealing the cabin, allowing for air conditioning inside the boat on hot days. Other models come with an open plan design and a hard roof.

Trailerable

Most models of multi-hull power bats range from 16 to 24-feet, but there are plenty of longer models. The shorter lengths are easy to trailer, allowing for easy removal for the water and transportation. However, some models may be wider than 10-feet, requiring a special license to operate the loaded trailer. Check with your local authorities for trailer regulations and laws.

Fishing and Watersports Capability

These boats are excellent fishing vessels, offering you plenty of stability for casting on any side of the boat. The center console design means you have walkways on either side of the console, allowing the angler to chase the fish around the boat if it decides to drag the line. Most models also feature setups for watersports like wakeboarding, with T-tower bars or Bimini tops for higher tow points.

Outboard or Stern Motors

The multi-hull powerboat comes with a design for performance out on the water. As a result, these boats usually feature outboard motors with capacities ranging from 150-HP to 450-HP. Some models may use dual-motor setups or stern-mounted motors that hide out of sight.

Multiple Sizing Options

As mentioned, the multi-hull boat comes in a variety of lengths to suit your requirements. Whether you need a large boat for spending days out on the water or a simple day fishing vessel, there’s a multi-hull design to suit your requirements.

Disadvantages of Multi-Hull Powerboats

While the multi-hull powerboat is a flexible design suited for cruising, fishing, or water sports, it does come with a few drawbacks.

Large Engines and More Fuel

These boats feature design and construction for speed, with large outboard motors. As a result, they are somewhat heavy on fuel, especially with a large-capacity dual-motor setup.

Top Multi-Hull Powerboat Models

You have plenty of choices when selecting your multi-hull powerboat. Here are some of our top picks for the best models available.

Calcutta 480

This multi-hull powerboat has a 51-foot length, and it’s ideal for offshore use, providing exceptional stability thanks to the size and the 17-foot beam. It’s one of the largest models available, featuring world-class multi-hull design.

You get a spacious deck with a center console configuration and enough room to walk down either side of the boat when fishing. The dual hull provides exceptional stability combined with the long length, and you get options for diesel-powered or gasoline engines in outboard or in-stern setup to suit your requirements.

The Calcutta brand custom-builds boats for its clients. You get options for fully enclosed bow areas and fishing-style cabins with a roomy helm deck and a sleeping berth included in the bow. You also have an enclosed head for ablutions, but there is no option for a shower.

This model comes with an enclosed cockpit and air conditioning to keep you cool when cruising. The motors on this boat are monsters, featuring a twin setup of 550-HP Cummins diesel inboards available on the sports version for superior power and speed on the water while maintaining the boat’s maneuverability.

There’s a 600-gallon fuel capacity for the thirsty engines, allowing you to spend days out on the water without running out of fuel.

Insetta 35 IFC Hydrofoil

The Insetta 35 IFC hydrofoil offers you the smooth-sailing benefit of hydrofoils, with premium multi-hull designs. The hydrofoil system generates the lift under the hull, allowing for superior, stable sailing in rough water conditions.

The hydrofoil reduces friction and dragging on the hulls, reducing your fuel consumption by as much as 40% compared to other models with a similar dual hull design. The foil fits between the sponsons, featuring design and construction with stainless steel.

Another interesting design feature with this model is the way the inboard motors have positioning towards each other. This configuration allows for maximum thrust for the propellors on the asymmetrical multi-hull.

The foil and motor setup design also allow for much tighter turns than you get with other multi-hull models, giving you similar performance to what you expect in a mono-hull design.

The boat comes with a large coffin box with 156-gallons of space available and an insulated finish. You get eight rod-holders positioned in the bow and aft of the boat. You also get dual 30-gallon transom live wells and an option for a third below the mezzanine seat.

The Insetta 35 IFC hydrofoil comes with a three-pump sea chest, a folding bait station, and plenty of tackle storage. The boat gets its power and performance from dual Mercury 400 Verados, with the vessel topping out at speeds of 58-mph on open, calm waters.

Invincible 46 Cat

This model is the largest in the Invincible range, and it’s a great choice for offshore fishing. This flagship model comes with a 42-foot length and a center console design for easy driver operation. This multi-hull powerboat relies on a hybrid semi-asymmetrical multi-hull giving it great turning capability and maneuverability out on the open water.

The Invincible 46 Cat features a stepped hull with fast acceleration and plenty of lift. You get a quad engine setup with Mercury 450 Racing outboard motors, and the craft can reach a top-end speed of 78-mph. Other notable features of this boat include a vacuum-infused hull and grid-stringer system for an “invincible” boat that’s virtually unsinkable.

Bali Catspace

If you’re looking for a luxury powercat model, the Bali Catspace Motoryacht is a fantastic – but expensive choice. This model features a design from legendary boat maker Olivier Poncin. This model is a natural cruiser and ideal for the longest ocean-going trips.

The dual hull and high ride height from the water provide exceptional stability for the boat, even in the roughest offshore and coastal waters. The boat comes with a lounge on the deck, and there’s plenty of room around the center console cabin to walk the length of the boat on either side of the vessel. The top level of the boat features the captain’s station and wheelhouse, with luxury living quarters underneath.

You get a huge lounge and a v-berth with sleeping quarters for spending the night out on the water. The cockpit presents the captain with a 360-degree view of the water, and the high riding position gives you a view of the ocean that extends for miles.

The boat comes with all the amenities you need, including tables, a full kitchenette, and luxury sleeping accommodations. There are plenty of entertainment options for TVs and stereo systems down below, with an optional hardtop Bimini.

The Bali Catspace Motoryacht receives its power from a single or dual engine setup featuring 150-HP or 250-HP Yamaha motors.

Wrapping Up

With so much variety available in multi-hull powerboats, you have options for any activity out on the water. These boats are more common in coastal waters, and they make excellent fishing vessels.

Decide on the model that suits your activity, as most have a purpose-built design for fishing, watersports, or cruising. There are plenty of customization options, so make sure you keep a budget in mind as the additions can cost more than 20% of the boat’s initial sticker price, increasing your costs.

John is an experienced journalist and veteran boater. He heads up the content team at BoatingBeast and aims to share his many years experience of the marine world with our readers.

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The power broker leaves us ill-equipped to understand or confront the challenges that face the city today..

It’s been 50 years since the publication of The Power Broker , Robert Caro’s magisterial biography of New York City master builder Robert Moses.

Perhaps you’ve heard: The New York Times declared 2024 “the year of The Power Broker ,” and New York magazine critic Christopher Bonanos argues that reading it—or saying you have—has become an item on young New Yorkers’ adult checklist. Just in the past decade, the book has inspired an opera, a play, and a movie, and it now has its own exhibit at the New-York Historical Society. Mayor Eric Adams says the 2.3-pound tome is his favorite book about the city (though he’s tight-lipped about his takeaways ).

Its influence is not confined to New York: The Power Broker has been cited by Barack Obama and Pete Buttigieg. The 1975 winner of both the Pulitzer and Francis Parkman prizes is a book-club Goliath and a Room Rater fixture; proof, on Zoom and otherwise, of deep thinking about urban history. The podcast 99% Invisible has run a yearlong reading group whose thoughtful, laugh-out-loud chapter discussions have been downloaded more than 4 million times. And The Power Broker also sells 40,000 copies a year—a huge figure for any book, let alone a 50-year-old, 1,300-page history—and that’s before the first digital edition came out on Monday.

Indeed, The Power Broker is a spellbinding biography that wraps a busy half-century around the finger of a single, unforgettable protagonist. Moses was “America’s greatest builder,” the corrupt, cruel, arrogant man who constructed highways, bridges, parks, and housing projects on a scale not seen before or since.

But some historians have complained that the great-man story obscures our sense of American urban history, mythologizing Moses, sidelining his peers, and overstating his impact. At 50, the book’s totemic status adds new complications, casting all that happened outside New York and after 1974 into shadow. It has been a long 50 years, and as a guide to the American city, The Power Broker leaves us ill-equipped to confront and overcome the challenges that face us today.

As fans of another sprawling good-vs.-evil saga that dominates the worldview of its readers are sometimes told: Read another book!

The Fall of New York

Amid the generally rapturous reception to the book’s publication in 1974, some critics argued that Caro had exaggerated Moses’ singularity and lacked comparative or historical perspective. “Perhaps Moses pioneered,” wrote the historian Richard Wade, “but the physical shape of urban America would look very much the same whether Moses had lived or not.” The builder’s “great success lay in the fact that he was swimming with the tide of history.” Urban renewal czars also cleared out lively urban neighborhoods from Boston to Los Angeles, and no major city was untouched by the urban expressway craze. That was federal policy.

The theorist Marshall Berman, whose family was displaced for the construction of the Cross Bronx Expressway (the tragic story makes up Caro’s finest and most famous chapter, “One Mile”), had a similar view. “Many accounts of the wreck of the Bronx may have placed too much stress on Moses because he was so flamboyantly vicious,” he wrote later . “But his projects got built because they expressed a total elite consensus, both on what to build and on how.”

This revisionist history reached its apotheosis with a 2007 essay collection edited by the historians Kenneth T. Jackson and Hilary Ballon. By that point, Caro’s work was more than three decades old, and New York’s happy fortunes posed another question: If Moses was so uniquely bad, then why had the city fared so much better than its peers? The Power Broker was released the year before the New York City fiscal crisis, with the Bronx fast becoming the national example of urban crisis. Its subtitle— Robert Moses and the Fall of New York , a late addition in the publishing process—captures the grim mood of the era.

But New York didn’t fall. Unlike Newark, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Chicago, New York has more residents now than it did at midcentury. What’s more, the city’s mass transit system is the national success story: When Robert Moses was born, the New York region accounted for 1 in 5 U.S. transit riders; today it is 1 in 3. So too is its public housing system, another Moses-influenced project, which provides shelter for 360,000 New Yorkers, while others wait for years to get in—even as more recently built high-rises have been demolished in Newark, St. Louis, and Chicago.

“Robert Moses will be remembered as a key actor in the rise of New York, not its fall,” wrote Jackson, the now-retired Columbia University historian and author of suburbanization history Crabgrass Frontier . “Had he not lived … Gotham would have lacked the wherewithal to adjust to the demands of the modern world.”

“The book is so massive and intimidating that other historians have been discouraged from writing about Robert Moses,” he told me last week. “All the people on the Upper West Side love it, but at the end of the day it’s not good history.”

He referred, for example, to the book’s three most infamous anecdotes of Moses’ racist decisionmaking, which have since come in for particular scrutiny: the racist placement of playground monkey decorations ( not true , though New York City removed them anyway), the racist parkway bridges ( almost no evidence , though the story was recently cited by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg), and the racist intent of public-pool temperatures ( very dubious ).

The Pendulum Swings Back

Even highway haters (and I count myself among them) must admit that New York has prospered. If it was not because of Moses, it was in spite of him, and the intervening 50 years have brought plenty of other seismic changes to consider. “A whole new generation of immigrants comes to New York in the 1970s,” observed Kara Murphy Schlichting, a historian at Queens College, CUNY, who has taught The Power Broker ’s controversies to her students. The share of New Yorkers born abroad doubled between 1970 and 2000, from 18 percent to 36 percent. “If we get ourselves out of blaming Moses, we can focus on these communities. That, in 2024, is far more salient when we think about how power and planning happen in our contemporary city.”

Despite modern politicians’ insistence on using the book as a political compass (in addition to Adams, his mayoral challengers Brad Lander and Jessica Ramos cite its influence), we are living not in the world of Robert Moses but in the one that arose in his absence. The federal interest in cities was already dead by the time Joe Biden entered the Senate; it is the seesaw of disinvestment and private capital, not overpowering government intervention, that has determined the shape of the urban landscape since. “We’ve transferred our rage about Moses to that corporatized development without fully understanding that Moses offers a more complex picture,” said Samuel Zipp, a historian at Brown University and author of another urban renewal history, Manhattan Projects .

The prototypical modern city planner, meanwhile, is closer to Leslie Knope (a character invented, ironically, by a Power Broker superfan), wielding little influence. Beginning in the 1980s, many critics began to say that Caro had been too critical of Moses’ wily, imperious way of getting things done. Don’t those big plans look tempting now, as New York—and the nation—struggles to construct vital infrastructure from high-speed rail and subways to wind farms and transmission lines, and cities stagnate under a blanket of restrictive zoning, cynically deployed environmental law, and suburban community control? What tools do we have to confront the climate crisis?

“In an era when almost any project can be held up for years by public hearings and reviews by community boards, community groups, civic groups, and planning commissions, not to mention the courts, it is hard not to feel a certain nostalgic tug for Moses’s method of building by decree,” the architecture critic Paul Goldberger wrote in 2007 . “It may not have been democratic, or even right. Still, somebody has to look at the big picture and make decisions for the greater good.”

Caro’s suspicion of the government’s ability to do good is another product of its post-Watergate, post-Vietnam, post–Great Society moment, argues Jacob Anbinder, a historian and fellow at Cornell University working on a book about the origins of the housing affordability crisis. “The book is absolutely dripping with a very particular kind of 1970s liberal suspicion of centralized political power,” he wrote to me. “Insofar as people use The Power Broker as a guide to inform their own political values today, I think there is a risk of overextending its lessons. It makes no more sense to assume The Power Broker explains New York today any more than it would’ve for New Yorkers in the ’70s to think The Gangs of New York offered trenchant insights about Abe Beame.”

Moses vs. Jacobs

Needless to say, it is not Caro’s fault that he seems to have had the last word, 50 years ago, on such an important topic. Another accident of history is that his subject has become joined at the hip with Jane Jacobs, the writer, economist, and activist who fired up the movement against urban renewal with her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities . Jacobs barely figures in The Power Broker , but the Manichaean struggle between the malicious Moses and the benevolent Jacobs has become the public’s favorite (only) story of the urban renewal era.

The binary dumbs them both down, and leaves out the liberal aims of urban renewal and the conservatism in the backlash to its failures.

By portraying Moses as an antidemocratic despot, Caro understates the extent to which his actions reflected the mainstream political thinking of the time. With Moses as boogeyman, we are spared the more challenging question: Why did his worst decisions seem like such great ideas to so many people in the first place? “One thing that doesn’t factor into Caro’s book is how aligned those plans are with some of the central institutions of liberalism. I mean, his most powerful backer is the New York Times,” observed Andrew Needham, a historian at New York University. Other Moses allies of the liberal city: labor unions, universities, hospitals, and cultural institutions. Moses was racist, but several of his urban renewal peers, like Ed Logue in Boston or Elizabeth Wood in Chicago, had sincere progressive motives for tearing down and rebuilding cities.

History has been kind to some of Moses’ projects as well. In one of the past half-century’s amusing twists, many of the “slums” and “firetraps” that Moses tried to destroy are now million-dollar co-ops and creative-class rentals paid for by banking salaries (or the Bank of Dad). The middle-class housing with which Moses replaced them, meanwhile—in Chinatown, in Stuy Town, on the Upper West Side, and so on—now constitute some of Manhattan’s last bastions of affordability.

That has fueled doubts about the moral righteousness of the Jacobs-style community control movement that succeeds central planning as the decisionmaking standard in cities. As the planning historian Thomas Campanella wrote in 2011 , “The literature on grassroots planning tends to assume a citizenry of Gandhian humanists. In fact, most people are not motivated by altruism but by self-interest.” Today a typical house in Jacobs’ home turf, the fastidiously preserved West Village, sells for more than $10 million. Several contemporary observers have tried to split the difference: Think like Jacobs, act like Moses.

Caro doesn’t deserve blame for that shift any more than Jacobs does, but the enduring popularity of his book suggests a widespread misconception: Many city leaders still see themselves as guardians of the public interest against powerful forces. In reality, the most powerful force in the modern American city is the stultifying status quo. We have met the enemy and he is us.

Annemarie Sammartino is a historian at Oberlin College and the author of Freedomland , a history of Co-op City, the Bronx cluster of housing towers that makes up the nation’s largest residential development and one of Moses’ final projects. This urban housing for the middle class built in collaboration with the city’s unions is another Moses legacy, though its spare, modernist aesthetics repelled preservationists of the Jacobs school.

“Moses represented state power, and the willingness of the state to act, in a situation where if the state does not act, you cede everything to the interest of developers,” said Sammartino, who grew up in the complex, which is still restricted to middle-income households. “Caro’s book is more complex and interesting than the way it gets used, but it’s still a morality tale, and becomes a way to criticize not just planning but also render the newer communities inauthentic, not real, not worthwhile.”

Those maligned modernist projects shine more brightly by the light of gentrification, just as the grand pools look good next to the gilded bauble of Little Island, and the diverse crowd at Jones Beach is a public policy success next to the mostly white private towns of Fire Island, and New York City’s abbreviated central-city highway plan (superman Moses failed where his nameless peers succeeded) is a blessing compared with the destruction of New Haven or Cincinnati.

And in Co-op City? A six-room apartment costs about $50,000, and the maximum income for a family of four is $160,000. Occasionally, our sense of what matters most changes over time. It is as Caro says in the book’s epigraph: “One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been.”

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OpenAI's new safety board has more power and no Sam Altman

The company's new board now has the power to pump the brakes on new ai model launches..

OpenAI has announced significant changes to its safety and security practices, including the establishment of a new independent board oversight committee. This move comes with a notable shift: CEO Sam Altman is no longer part of the safety committee, marking a departure from the previous structure.

The newly formed Safety and Security Committee (SSC) will be chaired by Zico Kolter, Director of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Other key members include Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, retired US Army General Paul Nakasone, and Nicole Seligman, former EVP and General Counsel of Sony Corporation.

This new committee replaces the previous Safety and Security Committee that was formed in June 2024, which included Altman among its members. The original committee was tasked with making recommendations on critical safety and security decisions for OpenAI projects and operations.

The SSC's responsibilities now extend beyond recommendations. It will have the authority to oversee safety evaluations for major model releases and exercise oversight over model launches. Crucially, the committee will have the power to delay a release until safety concerns are adequately addressed.

This restructuring follows a period of scrutiny regarding OpenAI's commitment to AI safety. The company has faced criticism in the past for disbanding its Superalignment team and the departures of key safety-focused personnel. The removal of Altman from the safety committee appears to be an attempt to address concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the company's safety oversight.

OpenAI's latest safety initiative also includes plans to enhance security measures, increase transparency about their work, and collaborate with external organizations. The company has already reached agreements with the US and UK AI Safety Institutes to collaborate on researching emerging AI safety risks and standards for trustworthy AI.

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