30 ft sailing catamaran

8 Best Catamarans That Are 30 Feet or Less

30 ft sailing catamaran

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Large-sized catamarans are appealing due to their ample spacing and comfort. Therefore, a cruising family or couple looking to buy a boat is more likely to go for one of these. But are there small cruising catamarans that provide the performance, comfort, and amenities found in larger boats?  

The best catamarans under 30 feet (9.14 m) include the TomCat 6.2, Cadillac 27and 30, Gemini 30, Endeavour 30, and Maine Cat. These time-tested cruising cats are easy to handle, premium built, and are great for daytime sailing, overnight trips, and some even suitable for long-range sea passages. 

In this article, you’ll find a list of the best cruising catamarans below 30 feet (9.14 m). Keep reading to discover which catamarans make this list, what they have to offer, their pros and cons, and how much they cost.

If you are unsure whether or not 30ft is too small for your needs, then I suggest you check out another article I wrote named Best Size Catamaran , it will discuss why length matters and how it affects safety.

Unlike most catamarans designed for racing purposes, the TomCat 6.2 is a medium-sized cat that’s well-suited to daytime cruising. It boasts high-quality construction, vacuum-bagged hulls, and a plywood-reinforced deck.

This 20 footer (6.09 m) comes with an 11-foot (3.35 m) beam and not only offers you safety and comfort but performance and versatility as well. 

This boat has a centrally placed outboard engine and two rudders that allow it to turn quickly and maneuver confidently into and out of marina slips. The 9.9 hp outboard propels it to speeds of around 8 knots (9.21 mph or 14.8 kph), though the boat has the potential to move faster if desired.

This simpler type of cat (just one engine as an example) also allows for cheaper and easier maintenance. Maintenance costs are something most people underestimate when getting a cat, if you want to get some real numbers from actual sailors then I suggest you read this article (How much does it cost to maintain a cat).

The boat sails with minimal heeling, comfortably accommodate 6-8 people, and you can sail it single-handed or take a crew. 

High and narrow hulls bearing arched bottoms allow for a low wetted surface. The hull design provides low resistance and a great deal of reserved buoyancy and also enables you to drive through closely spaced waves.

On most 20-footers (6.1 m), driving through waves generates a smooth but wet ride, but with the TomCat’s enclosed deck (link to parts names explained here ), you are safe and protected behind a windshield and the high bulwark.

The TomCat makes an excellent cruiser because it performs impressively well both under sail and power. It combines the performance of a modern sailing cat with the comfort, style, and convenience of a powerboat. It’s also trailerable since you can detach the hulls from the deck , winch up the deck on a trailer, and slide the hulls underneath.

But the best part is that it’s easy on the pocket, with the price ranging between $36,750 and $44,580 .

30 ft sailing catamaran

Catalac 30 (9M)

The Catalac brand consists of strongly built vessels that sport thick hulls, glass windows, narrow beams, and vertical transoms . Catalac 30 was the first vessel in this popular British cruising line designed by Tom Lack in the late 60s. The boat’s appeal was attributed to its safety, ample spacing, well-built interior, and load-carrying abilities.

These characteristics are extremely important on a safe catamaran, overloading your cat makes it sit lower in the water, increases drag, reduces handling and speed, there is stuff you should know about this (so that you can make an educated buy). I have created an article where I try to explain the basics of a safe cat ( link here )

Sporting 5 berths, a massive galley, plus a cockpit with a sheltered steering position, the 30-foot (9.1 m) Catalac makes an excellent floating home for a cruising family. It sails exceptionally well, doesn’t heel ( heeling explained here ), and delivers a reasonable motor-sailer level of performance.

Furthermore, the hulls provide adequate headroom, allowing those on board to move around comfortably, and there’s enough space on the deck for sunbathing. 

30 ft sailing catamaran

The Catalac’s structure features solid fiberglass, chined hulls, and a staggered sheerline that allows easy aft access. With a modest rig that’s easy to handle, the Catalac can deliver top speeds of up to 12-14 knots (13.81-16.11 mph / 22.22-25.9 kph) under sail.

Given that the boat’s design focuses more on comfort than speed, this is a spectacular performance.  

Catalac 9M requires a skilled hand when turning into the wind as it is prone to blowing sideways. This is because the boat lacks ballast (which helps in keeping momentum during a tack) but also centerboards ( explained here ).

Skills are always the most essential things to bring aboard and you can acquire them in many ways, my two favorite ways are through NauticEd courses (two free courses here ) or by reading books (my top 15 books here )

Back to the boat! This model came in two versions; the standard layout contained a 30-40hp outboard, while the second option had duo engines. The latter is easier to maneuver into a marina. 

30 ft sailing catamaran

These cats retain their value pretty well. However, they might not be easy to come by since most owners find it challenging to get their hands on a larger boat with similar qualities and performance.

A Catalac 30 (9M) goes for between $33,000 and $55,000.

30 ft sailing catamaran

Catalac 27 (8M)

The Catalac 27 8M is a pocket cruiser that boasts a strong reputation for high quality, durability, and strength. Besides, the boat’s design makes it somewhat suitable for bluewater sailing ( understand why the small size is an offshore problem).

Built like a battleship, the boat contains solid fiberglass hulls. Additionally, it comes with double engines, a large cockpit fitted with cushions all around, and features standing headroom in each hull.

30 ft sailing catamaran

Like the Catalac 9M, this boat comes with two different layouts; a twin inboard diesel engine or an outboard engine. The twin-engine models can motor up to 1000 km (621 miles, read more on cat fuel consumption here ) without needing to refuel, while the 70 amps of charge plus water tanks (70 gallons / 265 liters) make these vessels remarkable coastal cruisers. 

Catalacs equipped with outboard engines sail faster since you can raise the engine during sailing and are also lighter. This helps to minimize drag . Catalac 8M sports a short but thick mast that helps make the boat stable. 

30 ft sailing catamaran

Though small in size, this catamaran packs a lot of features in its small frame. It has a full-sized berth, a large galley that’s almost 8 feet (2.4 m) long, a quarter berth, head, and navigation station.

What’s more, the cockpit is as large as that of a 38 to 40-foot (11.5 to 12.1 m) cat.

Catalac 27 costs about $31,836.

30 ft sailing catamaran

The Endeavour 30 

The Endeavour 30 catamaran is a boat characterized by stability, ample deck space, and a spacious interior. It boasts fast cruising speeds under both sail and power.

The boat has mini keels and rudders plus symmetrical hulls separated by a hydra-cell. The latter is a center section with a characteristic V-shape. 

The boat’s vacuum-bagged construction helps enhance strength and stiffness while reducing weight. Furthermore, the interior has a fiberglass mold, providing extra strength and rigidity. With sufficient breeze, this vessel can deliver reasonable off-the-wind and doable upwind speeds.

As such, you can expect to attain speeds of about ~10 knots (11.51 mph or 18.5 kph) on power reaches. Below is a video showing a panoramic tour of the Endeavour 30:

This vessel has the internal capacity of a 40-foot (12.1 m) monohull. And you can tell this from the unique layout merging the cabin and cockpit with wide doors to the numerous features packed into this 30-foot (9.14 m) vessel.

It has a spacious salon, an enormous galley, two queen berth staterooms with plenty of storage space, a head with separate showers, and a sizable U-shaped dinette. 

You can get this boat for under $50,000 .

30 ft sailing catamaran

The Geminis by Tony Smith were the United States’s first production cruising cats. Today, these vessels remain the most appealing American-built cruising catamarans. Built between 1981 and 1990, the Gemini 30 does not have a contemporary design, but it works remarkably well for cruisers desiring generous living space in a small affordable sailboat.

At only 14 feet (4.2 m) across, Gemini cats are somewhat narrow. But this mean s they can easily fit into most of the regular marina berths.

Besides, the boats still contain enough interior space for a queen-size double berth and two smaller doubles housed in separate guest rooms.

There’s also a modest but serviceable saloon with duo settees and a collapsible table that can transform into an additional double berth.

30 ft sailing catamaran

For the Gemini 30, this translates to a cruising cat with standing headroom that can comfortably accommodate 3 couples in private cabins or a family with small children. A good-sized galley, a spacious head with a shower, nav desk, and a large comfy cockpit make up the Gemini 30’s cruising palace.

Catamaran layout is highly personal and if you want to learn more about different characteristics then I suggest you read my article Designing the perfect catamaran layout ( Link )

While not that fast, the Gemini 30 will easily outsail the Endeavor 30 discussed above. Its daggerboards (which are explained in detail here ) can point well, and if you keep it light, it can do 7-8 knots (12.9-14.8 km/hr) under sail.

Besides, raising the daggerboards reduces the wetted surface area, and increases the speed downwind.

30 ft sailing catamaran

The Gemini 30 tends to pound and hobbyhorse a little when sailing in choppy waters – particularly when overloaded (more on load carrying capabilities in this article ), but the deep pivoting daggerboards provide stability and lift underwater.

Furthermore, the Gemini’s retractable rudders enable it to venture into shallow waters.

This is a very popular cruising cat that’ll give you a lot of bang for your bucks.

You can find a Gemini for less than $65,000.

30 ft sailing catamaran

Maine Cat 30 

The Maine Cat 30 combines premium quality construction materials with the most advanced building techniques to create a lightweight vessel capable of handling most offshore conditions. What’s more, this boat can remain trouble-free for years on end with little effort.

If you are in the market for a simple liveaboard cruiser that you can use for a short weekend getaway or a cruising voyage, this is it.

The boat has a sizable primary stateroom berth with ample overhead space and a dresser fitted with a hanging storage cabinet. The enormous head includes a toilet, sink, 20-gallon (75.71 L) holding tank, vanity, and a pressurized shower.

Covering the open bridgedeck is a permanent hardtop. This spacious bridgedeck can hold quite a crowd and comes with a convertible dinette that turns into an extra berth. If need be, you can even enclose the entire space using acrylic windows or screens. Gabo

30 ft sailing catamaran

The 360-degree visibility from the cockpit allows the captain plus the crew a panoramic view, and all sail controls go back to the cockpit, which is very useful if wanting to sail single-handedly.

I believe that most boats should be set up in this way since sooner or later you might be in a situation where there is only one person to handle the controls, such as in an emergency. But more on that in another article ( Link ).

The Maine Cat 30 is a classic boat that delivers on high-performance multihull sailing. Designed to offer much better performance than catamarans bearing tall and heavy bridge decks, this cat weighs less and suffers less windage thanks to the acrylic windows.

The boat’s interior layout allows for easy cleaning as surfaces sport a smooth gel coat and satin-finished cherry trim. The solid but lightweight furniture bears the same Core-Cell foam core employed on the hull, deck, and hardtop. Plus, there’s ample storage for all your sailing equipment, cleaning supplies, and provisions.

A Maine Cat 30 can cost up to $110,000.

Heavenly Twins 27

The overall design of this well-equipped catamaran makes it a superb pocket cruiser.

Heavenly Twins 27 manages to fit not one but two coachroofs on hulls that are only 27 feet (8.20 m) long. Canoe sterns and a central cockpit separating the duo coachroofs form the boat’s other prominent features. 

Famous for their excellent build quality, medium-depth draft, and narrow beams, Heavenly Twins 27 appeals to a wide range of boating enthusiasts.

These include solo sailors, weekend sailors, cruising families, circumnavigators, beginner sailors, and experienced liveaboards such as this famous Youtube channel “Kittiwake”.

The vessels house double cabins in the hulls while the forward starboard contains the heads and, to port, the galley. You can easily access the bar from the well-protected cockpit while the Comfordesk accommodation converts into a double dock. 

A stoop through allows access from below-deck to the aft compartment without going through the cockpit. There’s ample storage space throughout the boat, plus you can section off the large stateroom into smaller double compartments if desired.

The price range for this boat is $ 20,098 to $24,193. (I believe that kittiwake is for sale too)

30 ft sailing catamaran

The last cruising catamaran on my list is the Aquilon 26 . This French-built cruising vessel is light in weight and trailerable, which means you can disassemble it in a few hours or transport it as-is.

Designing a boat that is possible to disassemble usually means that it is structurally less strong, which by no means is a problem during coastal sailing but the Aquilon 26 is mostly attractive to sailors who prefer inland lake sailing. It’s also suitable for beginner sailors.

Although there are no real “beginner cats” there are specs to consider if you are a beginner with catamarans, most of them I have listed in another article ( here ). Gabo

This 26-footer (7.92 m) has the potential for good speed though its layout is anything but conventional- which forms part of its appeal.

The cockpit works as the saloon, and a full bimini protects the crew from lousy weather. The starboard hull contains a dinette and galley, and the port has a double berth stateroom. The windows are quite unusual, but they provide lots of light, remarkably enhancing interior visibility.

Aquilon 26 can deliver an average cruising speed of 10knots (11.51 mph or 18.5 kph).

On a beam reach, you can expect around 25 knots (28.77 mph or 46.3 kph) with an adequate breeze ( I have never sailed at 25knots but researching this boat supposedly it is possible).

You can get this boat for under $50,000.

What Makes Small Cruising Cats Attractive?

Small cruising cats are ideal for sailing along the coast. But that’s not all. Under capable hands, properly fitted smaller cats can also deliver spectacular offshore passages similar to their larger counterpart (Heres a list of full-sized bluewater cats).

They can operate over long cruise ranges, cross oceans , and circumnavigate the globe . Smaller cats are also suitable for day sailing, overnight trips, and coastal or inland voyages. 

For most sailors, comfort on board is crucial, so they’ll look for a vessel that guarantees a comfortable cruising experience. The good thing is that smaller vessels provide almost the same qualities and amenities that bigger vessels offer. Plus, you can do quite a bit with the available space, especially if it’s well laid out.  

You’ll find that most 30-footer (9.14 m) or more miniature cruising cats comprise a galley, head, bunks, navigation and entertainment electronics, and refrigeration.

Sailors usually talk about these benefits of smaller cats:

  • They’re less expensive. Large boats are costly to buy. They also cost more to hire, maintain, and dock. You can buy a small-sized boat at a much lower price, and parts tend to cost less too. Besides, you get to use smaller sails, winches, and lighter lines than those applicable on a larger boat. And since marine services such as moorings and haul-outs get billed via boat length, a smaller cat makes sailing more affordable.
  • They boast superior builds. Most cruising boats under 30 feet (9.14 m) feature designs that are 30+ years old. In those days, weather forecasts were hard to come by and not as accurate, so boat builders used hulls with thicker fiberglass than the type found in today’s builds. Furthermore, everything in the boat, including rigs, rudders, hulls, keels and decks, was designed to withstand strong winds and high waves. 
  • They have simpler systems. This means less time spent fixing and maintaining your boat. For instance, most small cruising cats often lack water-makers, hot water systems, or electric anchor windlasses. 
  • They’re easier to handle. Smaller cats are simpler to sail than larger cats. It’s also easier to sail one single-handed or with a small crew.

What is the largest cat on person can sail?

The Disadvantages of Smaller Cruising Cats

Below are some of the most discussed downsides of small cats:

  • They have limited living space, storage, and amenities.
  • Though they don’t heel much, they are less comfortable than larger boats since they get tossed around much more easily in big ocean swells.
  • It’s not easy to accommodate crew for extended periods; hence there are fewer hands to share work.
  • They are slower and take longer to get to their destination.

Though fewer are on the cruising trails than their larger counterparts, small catamarans make ideal cruisers because they are simple, seaworthy, and pocket-friendly.

When choosing the best cat for your needs, focus on quality rather than size. A well-planned 30-footer (9.14 m) is reliable and provides ample space for your accommodation, dining, and relaxation, plus a storage room for provisions and any spare parts you might need. 

And if you want even more info than I have presented to you in this article I would recommend a book from Serj, he makes it easy to understand why size matters and how to find a cat suited for your needs (amazon link )

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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Designed for fast and fun sailing, island and beach hopping and occasional overnighting.

Xquisite 30 Sportcat

The Xquisite 30 Sportcat innovative and trailer transportable, designed to deliver the ultimate sailing experience. Easily handled by even non-seasoned sailors, and it can accommodate up to 8 persons onboard.

Very light weight construction, carbon beams, rotating carbon mast and high performance sails are part of the standard package and assures the sporty sailing experience.

The mini keels offer a convenient solution to navigate shallow waters while the optional dagger boards boost the performance even further.

The Xquisite 30 Sportcat: A Trailer-Transportable Catamaran for Ultimate Sailing Fun

30 Sportcat Gallery

30 ft sailing catamaran

Xquisite 30 Sportcat Specifications & Extras

Length overall9.25 m30.34’
Length at waterline8.95 m29.36’
Beam overall5.15 m16.89’
Beam CL-CL4.1 m13.45’
Light displacement850 kg1872 lbs
Draft (inc. outboard)0.872 m2.86’
Draft Mini keel
(daggerboards optional)
0.75 m2.46’
Full displacement1450 kg3196 lbs
Mast height13.20 m43.30’
MS area29 m²312 sqft
Self-tacking jib area14 m²150 sqft
Gennaker area37 m²398 sqft
Outboard Engine
(electric optional)
10 HP

30 ft sailing catamaran

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Xquisite 30 Sportcat Nominated for Sailing World Boat of the Year

  • By Dave Reed
  • September 8, 2023

Xquisite 30 Sportcat overhead

Like most things in life, innovation is born of either necessity or discovery, and for Tamas Hamor, founder of Xquisite Yachts , the necessity after 11 years of bluewater sailing with his wife was profound: on most production boats it’s nearly impossible to access mechanicals and even more difficult to get after-sales service. One experience in particular following a Pacific Ocean dismasting was the final straw that sent him into the boat building business: “It took months to get a rigging drawing from the manufacturer,” Hamor says. “It got to the point where we said there must be a better way to do this.”

Hamor’s solution was to launch his own brand with a focus on building boats with “the highest build quality and design, where every component, every tank and every pump is accessible and serviceable.” The result over the past 10 years has been a fast-growing line of ever larger award-winning cruising sail and power catamarans and a base of operations in the Bahamas where owners are trained on all aspects of their million-dollar yacht before being cast out to the big blue sea. The company’s base has since grown to be an Xquisite Yachts Charter operation and a sailing school as well.

And to the point of innovation through necessity once again, Hamor and his expanding team—with builders in South Africa, Portugal and Poland—have now launched their new Xquisite 30 Sportcat as a means to upskill owners on the nuances of big-cat sailing by schooling them in a fast and nimble package. In Freeport, it’s envisioned, Xquiste owners and guests will be able to island hop on the Sportcat to familiarize themselves with the feel of a catamaran. And someday in the near future, Hamor says, there will be a fleet of them in Freeport, with inter-island one-design poker racing and a school for the local kids to get up to speed.

Xquisite 30 Sportcat sideview

It’s been long since the heyday of the slick and fast Stiletto Catamarans that a production builder has offered a sporty mid-sized day sailing catamaran. The industry focus is trimarans with basic cruising accommodations, but the Xquisite 30 Sportcat does not claim to be a liveaboard cruiser whatsoever. Sure, you could take it overnight and sleep on deck or in one of the two small aft cabins, but that’s not the point. Hamor says this boat is all about day sailing and experiencing the sensations and movements of a big cat at a much smaller scale.

“I don’t believe we’re going to sell a lot of them, but Xquisite is not about mass manufacturing anyways,” he says.

The Sportcat 30 model nominated for Sailing World ’s upcoming Boat of the Year testing is a 2,000-pound shallow draft version with kick-up rudders and skegs. Homas says the boat can be built with retractable daggerboards for those who are keen to race it or sail it in deeper waters, but again, day sailing and catamaran skill development for Xquisite owners is the priority.

At $285,000 all-in the Sportcat 30 is an expensive day sailor, Homas admits, but he never wanted to build it on the cheap, reasoning the better it’s built the fewer service calls he’ll get. The sailplan is plenty powered up with a North Sails 3Di inventory (main, self-tacking jib, and gennaker) on a rotating carbon spar from French spar maker AG+ and all considerations were made to keep the carbon-reinforced vinylester infused platform as lightweight as possible. “It costs as much as it does because it’s built right and has everything on it—all the top equipment and sails,” Hamor says.

The boat’s modular trailer concept is designed to allow the boat to be assembled on land before slipping it down the ramp or into the hoist with a lifting bridle. The rig, Hamor, says, can be raised with two people easily. Disassembled, the entire operation is designed to be packed into a 40-foot container for shipping or off-season storage.

Xquisite 30 Sportcat bow view

For propulsion, an outboard bracket on the aft beam will accommodate a gas or electric outboard, and Homas likes the new electric engines from Mercury—which at the moment would be his recommendation over a gas-powered option.

Would be owners apprehensive about assembling, launching and sailing the boat for the first time need not worry, Hamor says. “We can do the training right here in the Bahamas and ship the boat in the container to wherever you are in the world. Or we can fly in a team to assemble it and spend a few days getting the owner up to speed.”

Because that’s the level of service he wished he always had.

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30 ft sailing catamaran

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  • Sailboat Reviews

Gemini 31/3000

Long america's only production cruising multihull, this boat has many fans..

Tony Smith sure knows how to make the most of a good thing. The British multihull lover has gotten more mileage out of one design than any boatbuilder we know. And why not? With more than 200 Geminis built to date, and interest building, why switch?

Gemini 31/3000 sailboat

In 1972 Smith designed and developed the 26-foot folding trimaran Telstar in England. He brought the molds to the U.S. and built 350 of them before a devestating fire destroyed the molds in 1981. Desperate to resurrect his business, he grabbed some old catamaran molds he had—the Aristocat—changed the name and that same year launched the first Gemini 31.

Three years and 27 boats later, he retooled to produce the Gemini 3000, which is essentially the same boat, but longer. Today, yet another incarnation of that first design—the Gemini 3200—continues to sell well.

Several years ago, Smith planned to introduce a larger 37-foot version, but the cost was much higher and despite building one boat, he changed his mind. The multihull business in this country has been slow to take off. And as even the established monohull builders like Pearson and C & C have found out, there ain’t much room for error. Instead, Smith has refined the Gemini much like the Volkswagen Beetle. By listening to owners’ comments, and by incorporating his own evolving ideas, the boat has changed a good deal, though one would be hard pressed to distinguish, at a glance, between a 1984 Gemini and a 1992 model.

The funny thing about the Gemini is that it’s an old design. Ken Shaw drew the lines in 1969. There’s nothing particularly contemporary about it. However, by painting the cabin sides black (Euro styling), adding a swept-back fiberglass “pilothouse” and gradually adding length to the full-bodied hulls, the Gemini has always looked like she belonged with her contemporaries, whether that was the 1980s or 1990s.

The most important thing to remember when evaluating this design is that the Gemini is essentially used as a 30-foot live-aboard, cruising catamaran. While faster than most monohulls of equal length, it has no pretense of being a racer. How could it be with such a spacious interior? Further, many of Smith’s customers are older folks who are tired of heeling, don’t have $200,000 to spend, and don’t plan to circumnavigate. In fact, most Geminis we’ve seen are happily puttering up and down the Intracoastal Waterway along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast. It’s perfect for that.

Summing up the design gets a little dicey when offshore work is discussed. The Gemini’s liabilities here are several. Because of the substantial accommodations built on the bridge, which necessitates lowering it for headroom, and the solid bridge forward (as opposed to netting), it’s a bit heavy. Smith says that if loaded for extended cruising, there is not a lot of clearance between the bottom of the bridge and the surface of the water, and it will pound going to weather in choppy seas. Sailed light, the Gemini will do quite nicely and be much more comfortable.

The performance of full bridgedeck cats, such as the Gemini, also suffer a bit from the extra weight and windage. Smith, a racer at heart, admits that if he had his druthers he’d build an open bridge forward, but for his cruising clientele, the full bridge makes more sense.

Nevertheless, Geminis have, according to Smith, crossed the Atlantic, cruised the South Pacific and Caribbean.

Having spent a week cruising the Chesapeake Bay aboard a Gemini 31, we found the boat extremely comfortable and fun to sail. With a large queen-size stateroom forward and double staterooms aft in each hull, there’s room for Mom and Dad, Junior and Sis, each in their own private cabins.

Gemini 31/3000

Speed reaching and sailing upwind was about 50 percent faster than what we could do in our 33-foot Pearson Vanguard. We hit double digits just once. But sailing in moderate winds we’d make eight and nine knots when our Pearson would do five and six. Three or four knots may not seem like a lot, but for sailboats on an all-day passage, the difference cuts hours off sailing time.

Best of all, it’s level sailing. This makes for very restful cruising.

Punching to windward in a chop, we did buck a bit, and the quicker motion of a multi takes some getting used to. All in all, we came away impressed with its space and performance.

Construction

The key to high-performance multihull construction is lightness and strength. The rapid evolution of composite building techniques now makes possible the use of lightweight core materials, specialized fibers such as Kevlar, and strong resins that in combination yield a panel that is much lighter and stiffer than solid fiberglass or fiberglass with just “traditional” core materials such as end-grain balsa and PVC foam. Vacuum bagging helps assure uniform bonding of all the “parts.” Naturally, such construction is costly.

Construction of the Gemini, which is marketed as a comfortable, low-priced cruising catamaran rather than a spartan high-tech racing machine, is quite conventional. The hull is built of solid fiberglass—mat and woven roving. The deck is cored with balsa for stiffness. The new Gemini 3200 incorporates a layer of vinylester resin as a blister barrier. Twenty percent of the owners of older models responding to our survey reported “some” blistering—a below average incidence.

The centerboard trunks were laid up separately in the early boats, but Smith said it was difficult getting good tolerances for the centerboards to fit right. Now the trunks are part of the hull mold and the slot is a guaranteed two inches and the polyurethane-coated plywood centerboards 1-7/8″.

Obviously, to keep weight light, a multihull builder isn’t going to use any unnecessary laminations. Consequently, many multihulls feel flimsy compared to monohulls. One Gemini owner said, “The strength is a little lower than I would have liked, but it helps hold the cost down.” And, we might, add, the weight that is so important to multihull performance. The rock steady feel of thick decks is somewhat at odds with the requirements of multihull design and construction.

A frequent complaint of Gemini owners is gelcoat flaws. “Gelcoat has many voids,” wrote one owner. “Some gelcoat yellowing and crazing,” said another. The interior woodwork is acceptable to some owners, and not to others. “Woodwork finish is inept,” said one owner. “Finish work is my biggest complaint,” said the owner of a 1985 model.

Smith admits that leaky windows were a problem in early boats. The design has since been changed, including the use of Lexan in place of Plexiglas, and a new system to bed the large panels allows for thicker beads of sealant to absorb the expansion and contraction of the windows.

Most owners, however, seemed to feel that these are minor problems they’re willing to live with. They rate construction lower than other attributes of the boat, but overall still are satisfied with their choice of the Gemini. We’d like to see a bit more glass in the Gemini, or the use of a core for stiffness and strength, though we acknowledge it would increase the price.

Performance

Besides accomodation space and low heel angles, speed is a major factor in choosing a multihull. Only one owner expressed disappointment in his Gemini’s maximum speed attainable. True, it won’t hit those 15- to 20-knot speeds possible in more performance-oriented cats and tris. Nearly all owners, however, remarked on the Gemini’s good light-air performance. And, as we found during our week’s cruise of the Chesapeake Bay, the boat is definitely faster than a cruising monohull of equivalent size.

A key to performance in any multihull is keeping weight down. Unfortunately, many owners overload their boats and this has a direct effect on speed and pointing ability. It’s a problem with no easy answers for live-aboards and long-term cruisers: Either buy a boat with longer hulls and hence greater payload capacity, or live with sub-par performance.

A significant feature of the Gemini is its centerboards, which improve pointing and tacking considerably. Many production catamarans today have fin keels on each hull. The thought here is that the problems inherent with centerboards (broken pennants, jammed boards in the trunk) are eliminated, while acceptable upwind sailing characteristics are retained. This may be true, but there seems no denying that centerboards improve overall performance. Further, the fins add to wetted surface, which increases drag and adversely affect maneuverability.

It is interesting that author Bernard Perret wrote in the October 1990 issue of Cruising World regarding his search for a cruising cat: “We focused in on exactly what we wanted: two sideboards to help us tack more efficiently against the wind and to maintain a shallow draft…”

Having ourselves sailed on production cats without centerboards that were dogs to windward (close reaching was virtually impossible, leaving motorsailing the only option), we consider daggerboards or centerboards an important criteria in selecting a catamaran. Perret said he tacks his French-built 36-foot Naviplane through 115 degrees true, but that’s nothing to write home about. We’re sure he could do better if he wasn’t loaded down with cruising gear for five. Under optimal conditions, Smith says the Gemini can tack through 80 degrees. Burdened with bicycles, computers, three anchors, a library, and food for six months, that number is sure to increase.

A number of owners noted the boat’s lack of directional stability (because there’s not a lot of boat underwater). But they also acknowledged that it is very easy to steer, and that with the lee board down, it balances nicely.

The wide sheeting angle of the early boats made the genoa inefficient upwind. Smith says this has been improved, by means of lengthening the track, in the Gemini 3200.

Gemini 31/3000

Under power, the Gemini performs well. The outboard turns with the rudders for assistance in close quarters—most multihulls need it. And it retracts for sailing. The arrangement has been modified several times over the years.

The current Gemini 3200 comes equipped with a 40-hp. Tohatsu. Some 31 owners felt more power was needed. The results of our recent Reader Survey didn’t rate Tohatsus very highly, but Smith says a 25-inch shaft is very important for maximum performance.

The Mercury 35, standard on Gemini 31s and 3000s, is no longer made. The Tohatsu, he said, is the only engine in that power range available with a 25-inch shaft. In any case, motoring the Gemini at decent speeds, and in comfort, is certainly possible, though punching into head seas isn’t its cup of tea—multis are too light and their motors often too weak to grind out the miles like a heavy, diesel-powered monohull.

Twin Yanmar and Volvo diesels were available, but at such an increase in cost, few buyers would consider them. We’d take the outboard for cost savings, clean interiors, and ease of repair and maintenance. So what if it’s a little noisier? You’ll motor less with a catamaran than your old monohull anyway.

Accommodations

There are numerous appeals to the cruising cat—the large foredeck, large cockpit and the possibility of three or more private sleeping cabins. The Gemini has all three.

The full bridge means there is no netting between the hulls as seen on many cats. This adds weight, but does help deflect waves. From a particularly hedonistic point of view, the netting is best for lying on face down, watching the water fly by. On the other hand, footing is precarious. The full bridge makes anchor handling easier and provides for possibly a little extra stowage space.

The Gemini’s cockpit is large enough to walk around in, with good footing and stowage. Bulkhead wheel steering is convenient whether standing under the so-called pilothouse (added after hull #10), or sitting either on the bench seat or coaming top.

There is not standing headroom in the saloon forward of the 6′ 2″ pilothouse, but this isn’t a major item. Several interior plans have been offered over the years. The one we chartered had a 64″ x 75″ double berth forward in the starboard sector. The view from the bunk looking through the forward windows is stunning! The head with shower was in the port bow and aft, in each hull, was a quarter cabin. The 48″ x 75″ bunks in these weren’t quite as wide as a couple might like, but tolerable, and certainly more than big enough for kids. The nav station was amidships to port and the galley in the starboard hull, with 6′ 3″ headroom. Headroom forward is 6′ 0″ .

An interesting dilemma of outboard-powered boats is the question of generating power for live-aboard conveniences. Outboard engines aren’t able to generate the amps necessary to run a lot of hungry electrical appliances. To combat the problem, Smith has elected to use RV-type propane/12-volt/110-volt refrigerators. These are well suited to multihulls because they work most efficiently when level. LPG, of course, will be the usual energy source for these units, though at the dock shorepower works well. We sailed with a Dometic three-way refrigerator for several years and found them too poorly insulated for 12-volt service.

An instantaneous gas-fired water heater services the Gemini’s shower, which again eliminates the need for electricity.

About the only appliances that must then be accounted for are cabin lights, fans, stereo and pumps. This can be handled by several good quality batteries, though some owners note the need for alternate energy sources. Solar panels, in our experience, can help a great deal, but several fairly large ones will be needed. They are difficult to place where shadows won’t limit performance, and where they aren’t likely to be stepped on. Plus, their life expectancy is depressingly brief—several years in our experience. A better bet, for many cruisers, will be a pole-mounted wind generator capable of producing, say, six to seven amps in 15 to 18 knots of wind.

The Gemini 31 is a comfortable coastal cruiser that benefits from its builder’s undying devotion. The quality of workmanship isn’t what you’ll find in more expensive monohulls or multihulls, but this is also one of the few cruising multihulls that’s affordable to buyers in the $50,000 to $80,000 range—used or new.

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12 Best Catamaran Sailboats

Best Catamaran Sailboats | Life of Sailing

The appeal of the catamaran sailboats in terms of speed , stability, and the ability to embark on long-range cruising has made them hugely popular with today's sailors. But what are the best catamaran sailboats?

Even though catamaran sailboats have become increasingly popular in the last few years, they have a truly rich legacy as one of the most sought after vessels for bluewater cruising.

Thanks to their incredibly wide beams and bigger daft, catamarans have become remarkably favorable for sailors looking to go for long-distance voyages, overnight cruising, and day sailing.

And if space is paramount for you when out there on the water, a catamaran sailboat is the only way to go as they offer extraordinary space to allow you to spend more time on the water with friends and family.

But even with all these amazing features, you're probably still wondering; what are the best catamaran sailboats?

Like their monohull counterparts, choosing the best catamaran sailboat can be quite overwhelming since there are lots of them out there. They come in a wide variety of designs and sizes ranging from small catamarans to huge ones.

The best catamaran sailboats can easily clock 250-mile voyages, offer incredible performance, and have layouts that can be easily optimized for individuals, charter markets, and great accommodation. In essence, the best catamaran sailboats offer respectable performance and offer good load-carrying ability.

That being said, here are some of the best catamaran sailboats that you can get your hands on.

Table of contents

Best Catamarans

{{boat-info="/boats/manta-42"}}

Even though many multihulls are no longer built in the United States these days, the Manta 42 is a true American-built catamaran that brings good living and good value into one package. Designed cleverly for easy handling, this American built catamaran is a great choice for a liveaboard cruiser for sailors looking to go for long-distance voyages. Thanks to its trademark high bows and an enormously curved incorporated forward crossbeam, this catamaran is easily recognizable even from a distance.

It is designed with a uniquely fixed crossbeam, which is very different from conventional aluminum cross beams that support the tension of the forestay. This fixed crossbeam allows for a little bit of movement thereby helping in absorbing enormous twisting forces of the bows. As such, you have to keep in mind that there may be resultant stress crack particularly in the bow area of the vessel.

All in all, the Manta 42 is a superb offshore cruising catamaran that offers a good sail-area-to-displacement ratio as well as plenty of space and accommodation. The cockpit area is refined, luxurious, and is designed with additional stainless pushpit contraptions to help in holding objects such as wind vanes, dinghies, and solar panels. The boat's quality in terms of performance and stability is the benchmark of what a catamaran should be.

Fountaine Pajot Elba 45

{{boat-info="/boats/fountaine-pajot-elba-45"}}

Recently named the "Boat of the Year" for 2019 by Cruising World Magazine and Sail Magazine, the Elba 45 is the latest model in the incredible line of Fountaine Pajot catamarans. This boat was designed to replace the outgoing Helia 44 and stands to be one of the most popular catamarans with Fountain Pajot having sold over 100 Elba 45 hulls long before even the first one emerged from production.

This French-built cat brings to the fore a well-thought-out, safe, and dependable features with 10% less drag, efficient motoring, top-notch performance, and high speeds. It's also designed with fixed stub keels and slightly aft-raked bows, which are all essential in enhancing windward performance; something that most catamarans struggle with.

To improve on safety, the keels of this amazing catamaran sailboat are glued into a particularly designed recess in the hulls. This is to ensure that there are no keel bolts that can rip out and put the boat in danger if the boat gets grounded or in the event of a collision. The rig is also ICW friendly and is a true representation of a standard catamaran setup.

This is, without a doubt, a modern-looking cruising catamaran that has a low-profile lounging space on its deck, high topsides and bows as well as a more pronounced reverse sheer that's essential in minimizing the bulk of the windows while creating additional and useful volume below. This is a true catamaran that occupies a sweet spot for those looking to sail along the bay or for those adventurous sailors looking to set sail for more ambitious offshore cruising plans.

{{boat-info="/boats/leopard-48"}}

With its fine design, straightforward systems, and easy handling, the Leopard 48 has everything it needs to be ranked among the distinguished category of the best catamaran sailboats. This is an excellent multihull that is structured with advanced materials, designs, and innovations that are meant to be fun, spacious, and comfortable.

Designed in South Africa by Simonis-Voogd, is probably the best design in the Leopard family of catamarans. Its two hulls are vacuum-bagged using balsa core to offer maximum firmness while ensuring that the weight is on the minimum. This is done by articulately regulating the level of resin in the layup. With such types of hull shapes, this catamaran sailboat is very fast and can consistently clock 12 knots of speed against the currents.

The boat is also designed with shallow keels as they're filled with closed-cell polyurethane foam that's of great importance in increasing buoyancy and preventing water ingress. To enhance the safety of the vessel, the stern and bow both have bulkheads that are essential in keeping out that water if the sailboat is involved in a collision.

The hulls of this boat are deep and narrow, particularly below the waterline. They also curve higher up to practically reduce the wetted surface area while offering enough deck space and plenty of room for accommodations. Its cockpit is another excellent feature thanks to its lavish spaces that give you the chance of kicking back and relaxing.

This boat is designed to offer superior livability, quick and easy to handle features, as well as enough space for friends and family. It is designed with beautiful lines and immense practicality for those who want to go on long cruising voyages.

Antares 44i

While many people often believe that voluminous cruising catamarans should be used as charter boats, the Antares 44i brings a very different perspective altogether. Designed in Argentina as a complete bluewater catamaran, this is a boat that's specifically built for private boat owners looking for a sturdy and well-equipped bluewater cruiser. This is an absolutely gorgeous catamaran that has a fully-equipped cockpit just to ensure that you can safely operate it even when shorthanded.

Like most catamarans, the Antares 44i is designed with features that allow for long-distance voyages. It comes with a minimum bridge deck clearance of 30 inches, which is essential in mitigating bridge deck slap. The helm station is designed to offer excellent visibility over the coach roof without having to perch the helmsman high above the cockpit.

If you're planning to make those long-distance cruising to exotic places, you'll appreciate this boat's layout. The galley is put down in the port hull so that it doesn't compromise the size of the galley and the saloon. The forward-facing navigation station is up there with the best and is up to offshore standards. And that's not all; the Antares 44i comes with good mounting points for electronics, a large table, comfortable seats, and provides brilliant visibility outside.

This boat is perfectly suited for extended offshore cruising and is a great reminder for anyone who thinks that all catamarans are charter boats and all offshore boats are monohulls.

{{boat-info="/boats/dolphin-ocema-42"}}

Designed by Philipe Pouvreau in northern Brazil, the Dolphin Ocema 42 is a truly unique catamaran sailboat that goes against the conventional norm of catamarans. It is equipped with daggerboards, which are essential in enabling it to point higher on the wind while reducing the wetted surface when running or anchoring in shallow surfaces. This, however, requires a higher level of expertise in sailing. This is because lifting the daggerboards higher up will expose the rudders while the daggerboards can also interfere with the hulls in the event that the vessel runs aground.

But even with that, the Dolphin 42 balances incredible performance and cruising comfort in a very compact package; something that is not very easy in bluewater cruising. That's why it's designed using a foam core to make it lightweight by reducing weight wherever possible. This vessel will most likely never let you down if you want to circumnavigate the bluewater on a high-performance boat that is safe and comfortable.

So if you've been looking for a real sailing catamaran that doubles up as a very comfortable liveaboard sailboat , look no further than the Dolphin 42.

{{boat-info="/boats/catana-50"}}

Regarded as the best built and most stylish cruising multihull, the Catana 50 is a very huge catamaran sailboat. Measuring about 50 feet long with a beam of about 26 feet, this is an amazing catamaran that will test your sailing skills as a single sailor or if you're planning to sail shorthanded.

This boat is designed with a rig that gives you the option of using either a screecher or a self-tending jib. This may seem complex since the sheets are led to winches near each wheel while all other controls lead to a centerline winch that's located in the cockpit. But even with that, this sailboat can be easily tacked once on the course.

This is a real performance-oriented catamaran with efficient hulls and rigs allowing for top speed. This vessel is also designed with a long waterline and a subtle underwater shape at the bow to help in increasing volume while minimizing wave drag. The stern platforms can help in stretching the waterline length while also providing easy access from a dock or a dinghy. The board trunks are also very strong and sturdy to protect the integrity of the hulls if a collision occurs.

In essence, this is a very modern catamaran that's designed to safely make long-distance passages with ease. It is subdued in terms of styling but this doesn't mean that it falls short as far as performance is concerned.

Atlantic 42

{{boat-info="/boats/atlantic-42"}}

Designed in 1993, the A42 has cultivated a legion of fiercely loyal fans thanks to its efficiency and aesthetic. This is the smallest of the Atlantic cruising catamaran line and is hugely popular with sailors thanks to its ease of handling, ocean-going capabilities, and superb use of space. From the forward cockpit, pilothouse to the sleeping cabins, and brilliant galleys everything about this cat is a true classic.

Unlike most catamarans, the Atlantic 42 is designed with a waist-high cockpit that's located forward of the pilothouse just behind the mast. It brings forth a solid construction thanks to the large metal girder-like bearers that run across the bulkheads. This helps the vessel in having the utmost strength, better air circulation under the engine, and a high level of flexibility as far as the size of the engine and its positioning is concerned.

Initially, the boat's style and its outlook were considered conservative but it soon became clear that it is built of high-quality materials and to last. The internal construction of the boat is impressive, to say the least. The exterior looks very beautiful and perhaps much more beautiful than most boats today. Its large aft cabin accommodation is a top drawer while the space separating en suite heads and shower compartments are considered a bonus.

{{boat-info="/boats/fountaine-pajot-bahia-46"}}

If you were to board the French-built Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46, you'll agree that the high-quality of workmanship, layout, and efficient use of space is quite exciting, to say the least. This cat remains very popular among sailors thanks to its easy handling features and incredible performance under the sails. Well, this may not come as a surprise to many of us given that the Fountain Pajot is known for building some of the most remarkable cruising catamarans out there that it can be quite overwhelming to narrow down to a single vessel, but the Bahia 46 simply stands out.

This vessel is designed with hulls that are broader than those of many other catamarans. It's also designed with centerboards and daggerboards that are meant to enhance its performance. These are essential in minimizing draft while ensuring reliability, generous bilge, and in helping to protect the rudders and propellers.

This boat is big enough to manage any type of serious offshore sailing. This is one of the best cruising catamarans for anyone looking for the right vessel for long-distance sailing. This vessel has a very more generous rig than most cruising catamarans, which is essential in enhancing its performance. The six-post Bimini is very strong and clean and can perfectly hold dinghies.

In terms of its look, the Bahia 36 is designed with gorgeous lines with the deck and hulls sculpted with lines that add a touch of elegance to the overall look of an already excellent catamaran sailboat.

Gemini 105MC

{{boat-info="/boats/gemini-105mc"}}

Whether you're looking for a comfortable catamaran vessel to take you for a weekend sailing trip or a long sabbatical vacation on the oceans, the Gemini 105MC is a very satisfactory liveaboard catamaran vessel that offers spacious accommodation, thoughtful design, and a stable cruising platform for anyone who wants to have some good time on the water.

Designed by the legendary Tony Smith, this is somewhat a sailing cottage. Like a land cottage, it is cozy, comfortable, and very safe. This is essentially a 35 feet catamaran that offers great value for any sailing looking for a reasonably-priced catamaran sailboat for the weekend or holiday cruising.

This boat is designed with incredibly slim hulls, which are teardrop-shaped with flat bottoms and smaller wetted surface area. This is to ensure that drag is minimized and to lead to more leeway under sail. Each of the boat's hull is designed with a kick-up centerboard is of great importance in enhancing the vessel's windward pointing capability. This boat also has its rudders raised to enable it to seamlessly cruise in shallow waters where most vessels would otherwise run aground.

The eccentric narrow beam, which measures about 40% of the boat's length, is very different from today's 50%. However, its low center helps in keeping its stable, upright, and of course, safe.

Lagoon 450 F

{{boat-info="/boats/lagoon-450-f"}}

If you're looking for a catamaran sailboat that offers prestige at its peak, look no further than the Lagoon 450. This cat is widely known for offering an all-around comfort without compromising its beauty, spaciousness, class, and elegance. This is an elaborate French catamaran that brings to the table fantastic craftsmanship while leaving nothing to chance.

This is a very safe 45 feet catamaran that's not just comfortable but also very luxurious. The deck layout is centered on an amazing flybridge, which has been redesigned and redefined to offer both the traditional and modern outlook. You can very easily access the bridge, engine controls, steering station in a matter of seconds. As a result, this boat is efficiently designed to give you the ultimate control of almost every situation while on the water.

The spacious and luxurious interior of this boat is worth experiencing. The cabins and saloons are perfectly lit. We're talking about four to six cabins, eight to twelve berths, and up to four bathrooms. In essence, this boat can comfortably sleep eight to twelve people. This boat is designed to offer ultra-modern accommodations and amenities that come with little but amazing touches; all designed to make your life inside the catamaran enjoyable.

{{boat-info="/boats/gunboat-62"}}

An original performance catamaran cruiser from the iconic Gunboat manufacturer, the Gunboat 62 has truly cemented its place as one of the best catamaran sailboats to ever grace the oceans. Honestly speaking, this cat-inspired a whole range of other incredible boats including HH66 Catamaran and the Balance 526.

This is a boat that can perform admirably well in storms with a speed of over 35 knots despite being built using epoxy and E-glass with carbon-fiber structural components. It's designed with a distinct angular outline than most catamaran sailboats of its size and category. This is a vessel that was built for people looking to add more stuff and more gear for their voyages. In other words, you can have all the gear and equipment on this boat and still outperform a racing monohull of the same size.

Thanks to its lightweight feature, this vessel can sail upwind at speeds of over 17 knots and pinch up to 30 degrees. Just for comparison, the Gunboat 62 can tack through 95 degrees and still outperform the best racing monohulls. This boat is designed with a comfortable helm seat that offers 360-degree visibility as well as plenty of storage space, a functional working surface, and a luxurious cabin. Like many performance catamarans, the Gunboat 62 can attain about 20 knots if the conditions are right.

Privilege 615

{{boat-info="/boats/privilege-615"}}

Combining elegance, comfort, and style, the Privilege 615 is a lovely catamaran sailboat that seems to be always ready for a long offshore voyage. The roots of this incredible cat can be traced back to the 1980s when Philippe Jeantot opened up a boat-building company in France. As one of the best productions from the company, the privilege 615 sports a flybridge that comes complete with twin wheels, a sprawling sunbed, and other excellent features that will make your bluewater cruising a breeze.

Whether you want the charter version or a privately-owned version, the Privilege 615 is one of the most versatile catamaran sailboats. Step inside this vessel and you'll instantly notice the quality of the wood finish and the elegance of design. The advanced navigation station is not only ultra-modern but is perfectly stationed at a dedicated corner where you can control everything while still having a conversation with your friends and family.

This boat comes with multiple sleeping configurations to ensure that you and your guests can live aboard the boat for months on end. Although the boat appears like some sort of maze on the inside, you'll easily get used to it when you enter the forward section. That's not all; this boat has gorgeous lines that make the exterior beautiful just like the interior. Its sleek profile, incredible volume, and versatile interior make it one of the best catamaran sailboats out there.

There you have it; these are the best catamaran sailboats out there. It doesn't matter the one you choose, these cats will make your day out on the water and will serve you just right for your offshore voyages or for day sailing along the bays.

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Daniel Wade

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Seawind 1000 1997 Under repair New Mast, reconditioned motors

Seawind 1000 1997 Under Repair New Mast, Reconditioned Motors

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Rogers 31

Rogers 31 performance cruising Catamaran 'RODGER RAMJET' exclusively for sale with ...

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Rogers 10.5 Chi

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Malcolm Tennant 10.5 Cruising Catamaran

Malcolm Tennant 10.5 Cruising Catamaran

True to her designers intentions Dream On is light, fast and a pleasure to sail with great ...

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Seawind 1000 'Summer Wind'

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Fountaine Pajot Tobago 35

Priced Reduced - 35' Fontaine Pajot Tobago Catamaran - This vessel is ready to go. ...

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Seawind 1000 "Irene J"

Seawind 1000 "Irene J"

Irene J is offered for sale for the first time since she was purchased new in 2003. Her owner ...

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Wharram Tiki 30

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Seawind 1000

Seawind 1000

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Easy 32

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Crowther C10 10m Cruising Cat

Crowther C10 10m Cruising Cat

If you want a BIG volume catamaran then look no further than my Crowther C10 Cruising Cat ...

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Best Cruising Catamarans

  • By Cruising World Editors
  • Updated: July 1, 2021

multihulls

Cruising catamarans have been around for decades, but early models—often plywood and fiberglass vessels built by their owners from plans and kits, kept the boats on the fringes of mainstream sailing. That all changed, though, as big roomy cats were discovered by sailors who went off to charter in the Caribbean, where the multihulls proved their worth as comfortable liveaboard and party boats.

Today’s bluewater catamarans roam the globe, carrying families to exotic destinations across the Pacific and beyond. Just as with their monohull cousins, there is no best catamaran. Instead there is a wide variety of designs, ranging from small catamarans that offer the ease of maintenance a couple might enjoy to performance catamarans capable of easily knocking off 250-mile days. Today, the best catamaran brands offer a range of size models and layouts that can be optimized for an owner sailing with family and friends, or for the charter market, where there’s a demand for four, five and even six cabins worth of accommodations.

The most prolific catamaran manufacturers are in France and South Africa where yards include both large-run production builders and niche companies building fewer than 10 boats a year.

The best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance. As with any sailboat , a modern catamaran’s design is a result of compromises. Daggerboards or keels? Galley up or galley down? Spacious owner’s cabin or extra bunks? There are lots of options to choose from—and that’s what makes looking at these sailboats fun!

Here, then is an eclectic A to Z list of some of the best catamarans that have helped shaped the evolution of how we live and sail on two hulls.

Antares 44i

Antares 44i catamaran

Now built in Argentina as a full-fledged, bluewater catamaran and cruiser that can be safely operated by a shorthanded couple or family crew, the Antares 44i features a fully covered cockpit with a quartet of big, standard solar panels recessed within the hardtop, one example of a yacht capable of long-range passagemaking.

Atlantic 42

Atlantic 42 Catamaran

Almost 30 years ago, yacht designer Chris White revolutionized catamaran design with the first in his series of Atlantic cats, the primary feature of which was the innovative mid-ship sailing cockpit forward of the main cabin. The smallest in the Atlantic line, the 42 remains White’s most popular design ever.

Bahia 46 catamaran

Fountaine-Pajot has built so many outstanding cruising catamarans that it’s difficult to narrow down any single boat, but we’ve always been fans of the good-looking, well-thought-out Bahia 46. At 46 feet, the boat is large enough for offshore forays and has plenty of volume; with its simple but powerful sail plan, it’s also an excellent performer.

Catana 471 catamarans

Beginning around 1996, the French builder Catana was one of the first companies to manufacture fully found cruising cats for private ownership, and this Christophe Barreau design, which enjoyed a nearly 10-year production run from 1997-2006, was emblematic of this first generation of safe, fun, long-legged offshore voyagers.

Click here to see more cats from Catana.

Catana 50 catamaran

When it comes to speed, light boats are fast ones. And if you wish to save weight, that means exotic modern materials like carbon. Catana now infuses the laminates of their entire production line with carbon fiber, and for this list, we’ve chosen the Catana 50 Carbon, one of the zippiest cats now crossing oceans.

Click here to read about a couple’s charter aboard a Catana 50.

Gemini 105M

Gemini 105M catamaran

Pioneering catamaran sailor, builder and designer Tony Smith launched the first of his 33-foot Gemini 105M’s (10.5 meters = 33′) in 1993, and soon after found a ready and willing stream of sailors enamored of the boat’s compact size, affordable price tag, and such innovations as the nifty lifting rudder and transom steps.

Click here to read about the Gemini Legacy 35.

Gunboat 62 catamaran

Built between 2000-2005, the Gunboat 62 firmly established the Gunboat brand: go-anywhere cats that applied race-boat technology to a world-cruising platform. Hull no. 1, Tribe, was built for company founder Peter Johnstone, who then spent a year-and-a-half cruising with his family, smiling all the way.

Kronos 45 catamaran

French builder Henri Wauquiez is best known for his long career building monohulls, but the Kronos 45 cat, which he launched in 1992, was ahead of her time. Classic lines, the aft “targa bar” over the cockpit, the louvered coach roof windows, even the distinctive stripes on her hull: the Kronos 45 remains timeless.

Lagoon 380 catamaran

No roundup of cruising cats would be complete without several Lagoon entries, and the best of that impressive bunch might well be the Lagoon 380. Originally launched in 1999, and revered for its combination of quality, volume and performance, with over 740 boats built the 380 is still going strong.

Lagoon 440 catamaran

Launched five years after the breakthrough 380, the Lagoon 440 was an evolutionary design that featured a raised flybridge helm station, a unique “gullwing” configuration below the bridge deck, expanded windows in the hull and much more. With 400 boats built in a 6-year production run, the 440 was an unqualified success.

Lagoon 620 catamaran

How big can a production cat, still operable by a short-handed crew, really be? The builders at Lagoon discovered that 62-feet hit a sweet spot in the marketplace, and have sold over 70 boats since its introduction in 2010. The centerpiece of this design is the sensational steering station atop the flybridge, with expansive views of the sea and sky.

Click here to see more cats from Lagoon.

Leopard 40 catamaran

With an unmatched pedigree – designed by premier multihull naval architects Gino Morelli and Pete Melvin, built by the prestigious Robertson & Caine boatyard in South Africa, and commissioned by chartering giant The Moorings – the Leopard 40 was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Cruising World ’s Import Boat of the Year in 2005.

Louisiane 37

Louisiane 37 catamaran

Based on the famous French racing cat Charente-Maritime, the Louisiane 37, designed by Joubert/Nivelt and launched by builder Fountaine-Pajot in 1983, was a light, fast liveaboard cruiser with full accommodations that represented a radical departure from the hefty British cats that preceded it.

Maine Cat 30

Maine Cat 30 catamaran

One of the more versatile and clever cats ever created, the central feature of the cool Maine Cat 30 is the open bridge deck/living room sandwiched between the hulls and canopied by a rigid, permanent hard top (the comfortable accommodations/ staterooms are stationed in the hulls). Ideal for a winter in the Bahamas but with the ability to sail offshore, it’s a boat for all seasons and reasons.

Manta 42 catamaran

Built in Florida and beloved by the owners of the over 120 boats built during the company’s existence from 1993 to 2009, the Manta Catamarans range included 38-, 40- and 44-foot cats. For this exercise, however, we’re heralding the original Manta 42, which won the Best Value Overall prize in CW’s 2001 Boat of the Year contest.

Moorings 4800/Leopard 48

Leopard 48 catamaran

Another Leopard/Moorings collaboration built by the wizards at Robertson & Caine (though this boat was designed by fellow South African Alex Simonis), the Leopard 48 was another CW Boat of the Year winner with all the contemporary bells and whistles: forward cockpit, flybridge helm station and solid hardtop dodger, just to name a few.

Click here to read more about the Leopard 48, and click here to see more images.

Nautitech 441

Nautitech 441 catmaran

The Best Multihull Under 45 Feet: So said the CW judging panel in the 2013 Boat of the Year competition, regarding the Nautitech 441. But what makes this versatile platform so intriguing are the different helm set-ups. The 441 employs a single wheel, to starboard, ideal for solo sailors, while the 442 has a pair of helm stations aft.

Click here to see more Nautitech Catamarans.

Outremer 5X

Catamaran

A state-of-the-art all-oceans cat that exemplifies how far multihull design has come, the 59-foot Outremer 5X was a winner on both sides of the Atlantic, taking top honors in the European Boat of the Year competition in 2013, and following up as the Best Full-Size Multihull in CW ’s contest a year later.

Click here to see more cats from Outremer.

St. Francis 50

St. Francis 50

The flagship of the proud St. Francis line – built in South Africa since 1990 to designs by local legends Lavranos Marine Design – the St. Francis 50 is another “luxury cat” that shares much in common with an earlier 48-foot sister-ship, but packs even more payload into its roomier lines.

Click here to read more about the St. Francis 50

Seawind 1000

Seawind 1000 catamaran

Founded by Aussie surfer and sailor Richard Ward in 1982, the 33-foot Seawind 1000 is easily the most popular cruising cat ever built in Australia (the company has since moved its manufacturing and management operations to Vietnam). Roomy and airy, these cats dot the coastline of eastern Oz.

Seawind 1160

1160 catamaran

If the Seawind 1000 was a minimalist approach to cruising cats, the 38-foot Seawind 1160 is the flip side of the coin, a full-fledged long-range voyager. Among the reasons it was named CW ’s Most Innovative boat for 2007 is the unique “tri-folding” door that stashes overhead to open up the saloon and cockpit into a spacious living area.

Click here to read more about the Seawind 1160.

Sunsail 384

Sunsail 384 catamaran

Every sailboat is a compromise, and in the case of the Sunsail 384 (also sold privately as the Leopard 38) that’s a good thing, because designers Morrelli & Melvin and builder Robertson and Caine got the balance just right with this relatively small catamaran. With four cabins, the 384 can carry the same size bareboat charter crowd as her larger siblings, but does so with a decided bounce in her step. Named CW’s Import Boat of the Year in 2010, you can gauge the success of the design by the grins on the crew as they barrel down Sir Francis Drake channel in the British Virgin Islands.

Victoria 67

Victoria 67 catamaran

The French design office of Berret Racoupeau drafted the lines of Fountaine-Pajot’s new flagship, introduced in 2013, a magnificent world-girdling voyaging catamaran. Like other giant cats launched in recent years, the boat features a sensational upper deck with all sail controls, helm and lounging stations.

Click here to see more images of the Victoria 67.

Wharram Tanaroa

Wharram catamaran

No list of influential multihulls would be complete without the work of James Wharram, and while Tangaroa wasn’t a production cat by any means, it showcases the British designer’s respect for ancient Polynesian craft. Wharram sailed this 23-foot-6-inch “double-hulled canoe” across the Atlantic in the 1950s, and sold countless plans for similar boats for decades afterwards.

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Dismantlable and transportable

30 ft sailing catamaran

A dismantlable powercat can be transported on a simple flatbed trailer... as long as it is of reasonable length and light in weight. Naval architect Richard Woods was able to test the validity of the concept with his own Skoota 28: the Aegean 30 is a development of the Skoota 28, still for building in plywood/epoxy and dismantlable. The objective was to increase the beam - now close to that of a sailing catamaran - and the headroom while offering two additional berths in the hulls. The outboard motors make beaching easier and safer - no rudders and engine legs. Two 40 to 60 HP engines guarantee a cruising speed of 10-12 knots (16-20 knots top speed).

Architect: Richard Woods Design  Material: Epoxy plywood Overall length: 30’2” (9.20m) Waterline length: 289’ (8.85 m) Beam: 16’5” (5.00 m) Draft: 14” (0.36 m) Headroom in nacelle: 6’3” (1.90 m) Light displacement: 5,500 lbs (2.5 t) Laden displacement: 7,000 lbs (3.2 t) Engines: 2 x 40 to 60 HP outboards  Cruising speed: 10/12 knots Max speed: 16/20 knots

L925 SEMI DISPLACEMENT POWER CAT

Amateur or professional construction in plywood/epoxy.

30 ft sailing catamaran

New Zealand-based naval architecture firm Dan Leech is offering a number of power multihulls from 25 to 60 feet (7.5 to 18 m) for amateur or professional construction. Among them, the L925 is the perfect choice for relaxed cruising for a couple. This model is built in ½” (12 mm) plywood - the panels can be digitally cut - with glass/epoxy reinforcements. Its limited beam will allow you access to a marina slip without any noticeable extra cost. On the other hand, the gain in habitability and stability is considerable compared to a single-hulled motorboat. This kind of construction is very accessible to an enlightened amateur (4,000 hours of work were counted for the first model) all the more so as having outboard motors for propulsion considerably simplifies the technical aspects. Despite its semi-displacement hulls, the L925 is capable of making more than 20 knots with two 90 hp engines.

Construction: Amateur or professional Architect: Dan Leech Naval Architect Length: 30’4” (9.25 m) Waterline length: 24’9” (7.55 m) Beam: 11’ (3.35 m) Draft: 19” (0.48 m) - engines up Recommended engines: 2 x 90 HP outboards Cruising speed: 17 knots Max speed: 22 knots Fuel: 79 US gal (300 l)

ARROWCAT 320

Compact but luxurious.

30 ft sailing catamaran

The ArrowCat 320 is a successful model - now in its third generation. The smallest of the Arrowcat range, it features a luxurious finish - rare in compact powercats - such as a wooden steering wheel, or modern, full instrumentation on a carbon-look dashboard. Inside, the manufacturer has paid particular attention to the owner’s cabin. The 320 is powered by two outboard motors. The limited beam of 10 feet (3.05 m) allows the boat to be transported by road in certain countries such as the United ...

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    Beam:  10.2'    Draft:  5'
    Beam:  7'    Draft:  4.5'
    Beam:  9'    Draft:  4.5'
    Beam:  8.67'    Draft:  4.50'
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    Beam:  9.8'    Draft:  5.2'
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    Beam:  9'    Draft:  5'
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    Beam:  8.9'    Draft:  4.25'
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    Beam:  8.75'    Draft:  4.25'
    Beam:  11'    Draft:  4.4'
    Beam:  10.92'    Draft:  4.4'
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    Beam:  9.00'    Draft:  4.75'
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    Beam:  10'10'    Draft:  3'11'
    Beam:  10..5'    Draft:  5.5'
    Beam:  11'    Draft:  4.5'
    Beam:  11'    Draft:  4'
    Beam:  10'11'    Draft:  4'4'
    Beam:  10.5'    Draft:  4.5'
    Beam:  10'10'    Draft:  5'3'
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NS130 Inflatable Skiff

Meticulously crafted to elevate your angling experience, the NS130 features a 5-chamber catamaran hull design. Weighing just 66 lbs and boasting an 650 lb capacity, its portability and versatility are unmatched. Optimized for electric outboards up to 6 HP, this skiff is ideal for on-demand fishing excursions. Eight grab handles ensure easy solo or tandem portages, while fishing-focused features like horizontal rod rests, D-ring tie-downs, track mounting boards, and a sub-floor wire management system streamline your setup. Navigate any water with precision and speed, and fish wherever the adventure takes you with the NS130.

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30 ft sailing catamaran

Portability with Ease

Empowering effortless mobility, the NS130 ensures your adventures are never compromised. For the rugged solo angler, its lightweight design and easy setup guarantee smooth journeys every time.

  • Optimized truck bed and rooftop loading
  • 8 grab handles
  • Stern cone carry handles/loading skids

30 ft sailing catamaran

Fishing-Focused Versatility

Crafted for adventure anglers, this meticulously designed watercraft offers fishing-focused versatility with adjustable features and optimized space, letting you spend less time on gear and more time battling fish.

  • Horizontal Rod Rests
  • D-Ring Tie-Downs
  • Track Mounting Boards
  • Sub-Floor Wire Management
  • Bow-Mount Trolling Motor compatible

30 ft sailing catamaran

Rigid-Hull Performance

Experience the pinnacle of performance with our inflatable skiff, engineered to provide the stability and responsiveness of a rigid-hull design without the added weight.

  • Optimized for Newport electric outboards
  • High PSI Drop-Stitch floor
  • Tapered Catamaran hull with suspended floor
  • 4-Way Adjustable Swivel seating
  • Side tube-rigidity

30 ft sailing catamaran

Rugged Durability

Engineered to tackle the the most demanding waters, the NS130 is purpose-built to navigate any environment with unwavering confidence.

  • 5-Chamber design
  • Hot Welded seams
  • Rub-Rail and Wear Strips
  • Marine-grade transom
  • EVA Floor and Topside Traction

30 ft sailing catamaran

THE SPECS // AT A GLANCE

Unlocking the Potential of Newport Motors

  • Hull Design: 5-Chamber Catamaran with Suspended Floor
  • Hull Material: 1000D PVC w/ Drop-Stitch Floor
  • Length: 13'
  • Hull Weight: 66 lbs
  • Rigged Weight: 90 lbs; includes, boat, mounting rails, seat frame, seat, swivel and paddle
  • Max Capacity: 650 lbs
  • Passengers: 2 passengers
  • Tube Diameter: Tapered; 14” stern → 9” bow
  • Max HP (watts): 6HP (3,000 watts)
  • Fill & Deflate Valvest: (5) Halkey-Roberts Double Seal Valves
  • Rub Rail: Yes; full boat length
  • Skid Guards: Yes; each hull
  • Stern Loading Pads: Yes; each hull
  • Traction: EVA deck + PVC topside traction strips
  • Carry Handles: 8
  • Included Accessories: Seat, Paddle, Pump, Rolling Bag, Track Mounting Boards, Utility Rod Rests

Discover the Superiority of Newport Boats

NS130 Inflatable Skiff

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IMAGES

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VIDEO

  1. BOAT LIFE: Day Sail and fishing on our Catalina 30 // Sailing the Pacific Northwest // Ep. 48

  2. CATALINA 30 Mark III Sailing Yacht Walk Through

  3. Boat Tour Update

  4. Catamaran Works

  5. Our FIRST sail on our Catalina 30!!

  6. 1998 42 ft sailing catamaran walk through

COMMENTS

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  25. Newport NS130 Inflatable Skiff For Anglers

    The NS130 skiff enhances your fishing experience with a 5-chamber catamaran hull, weighing only 66lbs with a 650lb capacity. Designed for electric outboards up to 6 HP, it's portable, versatile, and perfect for solo or tandem trips. Features include rod rests, D-ring tie-downs, and wire management for a seamless setup.