And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, … ... We had a plan to investigate all the different options from monohulls to catamarans, from simple to mid-range. We developed an app, we asked YOU to review the … ... What are the best catamaran sailing vessels? It is a given that this is a good feature for easy access to the trampoline, but we quickly realized that it was much more than that! Sailing catamarans can be outfitted with high-tech navigation and radar systems, fish finders, auxiliary power outlets, generators, and premium rigging systems for better sailing. Systems. Lagoon 450S Exterior, Design, Construction & Sailing Ability (Part 1) In the last three months, we have completed 3 blue water sailing trips, totaling 2400+ NM, on our Lagoon 450S catamaran. Elena and Ryan are sailing onboard their 26′ Heavenly Twins Catamaran, which they bought for under $12,000 in August of 2016. It is in the form of a Leopard 40 and we may never come back. The first of three dedicated catamaran … The salon opens up to an enormous cockpit and aft seating area. Sign Up ... 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations. Gear. She offers living spaces, circulation on board, light and ventilation that are all setting new standards. There’s so much to say about catamarans, it’s hard to cover everything. Our boat, Snowcat, was a Catana 431, a cruising catamaran designed for blue water cruising. All rights reserved. All of them come in ‘Custom’ or ‘Semi-Custom’ form, but the most exciting boat in the fleet is arguably the smallest. First impressions are everything—I believe that. The new 40 is Sunreef’s first open foiling catamaran and the multihull take on the day cruiser concept generates huge lounging space from bow to stern, alongside plenty of user-friendly stability both underway and at rest. (the hard way), before transiting the Panama Canal to cruise both sides of the Atlantic. ... but embraces a philosophy geared toward building a couple's blue water, … Safety at Sea: Dragging Anchor. About Youtuber This is the best global boating TV channel covering all types of sailing and powerboat activities. The maneuverability of this cat is unlike any boat we have ever had the pleasure of cruising. Consider this— Andy is a yacht broker who has spent thousands of hours on sea trials, and has sold his fair share of pretty much everything from center consoles, to bow riders, to sailing catamarans and monohulls, to house boats and everything in between. Well in this episode we reveal all. After sailing and racing multihulls for over 30 years I can say with absolute confidence that—all things being equal—trimarans and monohulls are quicker upwind than catamarans. It is easy to steer, handles well, and is pretty … The helm station is raised to starboard side, and the hardtop cover has a window so you can keep track of your sheets. The key strengths of the Catana brand are its guiding principles: good design, high-quality construction and better-than-average performance. As a side note, I will say that I spent a few days on a Leopard 43 Powercat a few weeks back which had me warming up to the idea of giving power boating another try, but once we had the Leopard 40 moving at 10 knots under sail in 20 knots of wind, we knew that this was the end of the road for us, this was the perfect boat. For New Boat Buyers… Surprise, Surprise. We sold up almost everything we owned and bought our life aboard the yacht, a Bavaria 47 named 'DREAM'. Search Search. Maintenance. The first thing we did when we stepped onboard was open the sliding glass door to give a feeling of openness to the boat. According to their website, Sailing Kittawake, they chose the boat because she is a strong and sturdy sea boat. ©2021 Leopard Catamarans. Besides, there is a special sunset and dinner … ... [You might also like: The best 5 small sailboats for ocean cruising] The cat is a high-performance multi-hull with narrow hulls, a large sail area, and daggerboards for upwind sailing. By John Kretschmer. What sets this yacht apart from the rest is her openness, her layout and her functionality. Doing this day-in-day-out, when you are far from at your best due to a seagoing motion, and that very motion rolling everything about in the process, is quite simply unbearable. While this boat is the perfect couple's cruiser, it should also be said that the Leopard 40 would also make an excellent family cruiser, or a weekend getaway cruiser for a group of friends and family. Q&A about the best sailing catamarans. This makes cruising just that much easier, particularly for short-handed sailors, without any sacrifice to performance. The Astréa 42 by Fountaine Pajot Sailing Catamarans is distinguished by its abundance of natural light, energetic lines, elegant living spaces and unparalleled comfort, while delivering sheer pleasure underway. If you are planning on living aboard your catamaran with 8 children, then you will need a larger boat and a good psychiatrist. There was no competition. Re: What is the best Catamaran to cruise and retire on? Menu Sign Up. The choice is overwhelming, even with the above guide on what to look for in your boat there are still almost endless choices. But what really sealed the deal on our love affair with this boat was the forward access door. Gone forever are the arguments you endure when docking a boat with one engine! Are catamarans safer than monohulls? More Sailboats. This couple left their desk jobs to a life at anchor aboard a 55' catamaran sailboat, which they plan to sail around the world over the next few years. A Bonnier Corporation Company. These guest cabins are spacious and comfortable. The spacious dedicated owner’s cabin in the starboard hull was something to write home about—so we did! … This large catamaran makes use of its double hulls for increased width and stability. Boat Reviews. A joy to share as a couple or with family and friends, this new catamaran promises every leg of your travels will be memorable. The ease of pulling into a slip and the simplicity of picking up a mooring ball with the dual 29 hp Yanmar engines is a real relationship saver. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Cruising. But this time, it was the Leopard 40 that has us planning our next trip in June. 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. Subscribe. Sailing this cat even as a novice is super easy. New technology has perfectly matched the needs of catamarans to be light, but strong. A list of 10 older cruising catamarans that offer good value and liveaboard comfort including models from Leopard, Catana, Lagoon, Privilege and more. In this unusual Boat of the Year fleet, the Best Cruising Catamaran class was yet another category made up of three boats that were very different in terms of size and execution: the 38-foot Maine Cat 38, the 47-foot Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 and the 55-foot HH 55. Setting … Not to mention, the galley serves as an excellent makeshift dancefloor. Add some islands and turquoise water to the back drop and, voila! Sailing Totem: South Pacific Cruising in 2021, Young and Restless: Cruising Millennial Style, Sailing Totem: Engine Heartache—Where DIY Diagnosis Ends. Over the last three months we have been reviewing every cruising catamaran we could. Latest. Her creativity is most brilliant when sailing and multihulls are the theme. Outremer 5X Catamaran; Outremer 51 Catamaran; Outremer Catamarans Brokerage Catamaran Guru can represent you if you are in the market for a pre-owned Outremer Being represented by a professional brokerage house does not add a penny to the yacht purchase price. Sails. How To. Some are sturdily built, and some aren’t. ... these boats make great offshore cruising catamarans, with plenty of room and a good sail-area-to-displacement (SA/D) ratio. There are a few exceptions of course, like the Admiral 38, the Catana 38 and a couple of others. Electronics. For most cruising couples I recommend 40 to 47-foot Catamarans. The best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance. Marilyn and Steve voyaged fulltime for over 25 years, including crossing the Pacific from Mexico to New Zealand and then recrossing the Pacific to B.C. Here are some of the most common questions about sailing catamarans. The windows attached to the door could also slide back into the boat to create an open space between the salon and the aft cockpit. With the wind keeping us cool, and the solar panels keeping our batteries charged, we had no need for the Northern Lights Generator. Many of the older boats literally got away with murder! But, we did take comfort in knowing it was there, should we need it. These heavier cruising catamarans sail really well with the right sail plan, but they do come with a relatively conservative set-up. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. The winner of the 2017 Best Full-Size Multihull Under 50 Feet. At anchorage, with the forward access door open and the sliding glass doors open, the way the breeze circulates throughout the boat is nothing short of fantastic. Catamaran Cruises Mauritius and Mauritius Catamaran are the two popular catamaran service providers in Mauritius for luxury rides. RELATED: 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. Idlewild is the latest Antares to come on the market and is outfitted with Selden’s powered in-mast furling mainsail and performance Elvstrom EPEX sails. I will start with a short cruising bio for each couple. Catana has been building luxury catamarans since 2001 when it was the Poncin Yachts Group, becoming Catana Group in 2014. They primarily cover 4 destinations – Flat Island, Gabriel Island, West Coast, and Ile Aux Cerfs. Best Boats. Materials. ... 2017 Idlewild Let Your Dream Start Now. Engines. Collision Avoidance System for Sailboats. Our plan is to choose one of these as our next boat. The openness of the galley and the ample counter space almost didn’t seem fair when I considered the fact that this boat provides more kitchen and counter space than my actual home. They may take a ­little elbow grease and require a few new parts, but here’s a look at nine of the best cruising sailboats that can sail afar for less than $100,000. The definitive result, so far. When we boarded the Leopard 40 that would be home to us for a week, we were blown away. Small production catamarans aren’t very common, so not too many choices are available until the 40’ mark. They’re quite genuine and show a lot of the daily activities associated with the cruising lifestyle. Yes, … It took me some time to get there but with time and experience I found the ideal boat for the cruising couple is 35 – 45 feet (10.5 - 14 metres). ... They’d both been saving money while working full-time and … Currently the smallest—but also the most popular—of the Lagoon catamaran fleet, the 380 was launched in 1999 and well over 500 hulls have been built to date. The letter home went something like this: “Dear Home, We have found the perfect dwelling. Both winches, one of which is electric, are positioned perfectly to the right of the helm for ease of use. All sail handling maneuvers are brought back to the helm station, controlled by winches set lower for easy … Daggerboards or keels? Menu Sign Up. Copyright © 2021 Cruising World. I wasn’t sure if I would ever go home again. Looking for a used cruising cat for a sailing sabbatical? That’s what makes the Lagoon 380 so enticing. We were impressed. Outremer builds catamarans for the pleasure of sailing fast, safe, simple and comfortably. Go smaller, or larger, than this cruising sweet-spot and you start to encounter problems. What IS the best cruising catamaran? On past sailing vacations it’s the islands that leaves us longing for more. In November 2017 we changed our regular lifestyle for a life upon the waves. ... SV Pilar is a Sailing Vlog video channel sharing the … Safety at Sea: Managing a Dismasting. We have seen couples that have started out on monohulls that they paid little to nothing for, to those that have started out with very … Sincerely, Andy and Katie.” Aside from the owner’s cabin, the interior also features two guest cabins with a shared head in the port hull. Check out this list of contenders. Well--I do not think there is one definite answer because there are so many variables--but mainly it depends on one's ability to afford to buy and maintain the craft as well as have enough powered equipment aboard so as to allow the vessel to be sailed even if one sustains an injury, or to be motored to port if close to shore and sufficient fuel … Catana Group is a French manufacturer of luxury sailing catamaran cruisers. Fate brought us to this Leopard 40, and our love for this boat provided us with the best cruising vacation we have encountered during our two short years of marriage. Some … In sum: the Nautitech 44 is the perfect catamaran for a live-aboard couple that also welcomes occasional guests. This means that … https://blog.leopardcatamarans.com/leopard-40-the-perfect-couples-cruiser See All Outremer Catamaran Models. When we first … Lagoon 450S Catamaran Review: Design, Construction, & Performance Read More » Swimming in the water, fixing the boat, finding cheap local alcohol, fixing the boat, meeting people, fixing the boat…They’re travelogue focused, with beautiful images and thoughtful dialogue. There are private catamaran cruises in Mauritius for couples, and every service on the cruise can be customized by them. Updated: April 17, 2019. The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. DIY. Sign Up. 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. I will confess that we fired her up once, for 20 minutes to test her abilities, and we can confirm that the a/c was ice cold! Let’s look at that. Sailing South. Our thoughts were, if we found a boat then, we would know what to look for in 5 years in the used market. I suppose you can say we are lacking in the experience department, but let’s not discredit our opinion based solely on this fact. This boat was an absolute pleasure to sail. Much has been learned. Models that include a cabin will also find plenty of optional cabin upgrades, including seating, marine appliances and electrics, bedding, and other living space accouterments. Winner: HH 55. While we’d completed several multi-day voyages, including a 6-day passage from Gibraltar to the Canaries, the Atlantic crossing was going to be a huge step for us, and we’d spent several weeks getting the boat, our provisions and honestly, ourselves, ready. As with any sailboat, a modern catamaran’s design is a result of compromises. We are ready to share our thoughts about its performance, as well as our likes and dislikes about the catamaran overall. Catana offers a range of boats going from 42′ to 70′. Ask Sail. ... We are a married couple from England. Katie is a Yacht Sales Marketing Professional specializing in the growth of the marine industry. Subscribe. The FP Lucia is a perfect, very BIG, small catamaran for a family. What are the 5 best cruising sailboats? 9 Best Used Sailboats. To choose one of these as our next trip in June our return home, it ’ s so to... 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We had a plan to investigate all the different options from monohulls to catamarans, from simple mid-range! Sum: the Nautitech 44 is the best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance ( hard!, becoming Catana Group in 2014 sailing this cat is unlike any boat have., so not too many choices are available until the 40 ’ mark a family their,. And we may never come back good psychiatrist in the growth of the marine industry longing for more 47-foot.... Up interior heat of its double hulls for increased width and stability 12,000 in August of 2016 in... With plenty of room and a couple of others models have reduced drag and resistance... Endless choices, so not too many choices are available until the 40 ’ mark accommodations a...