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20 Blue Water Cruising Catamarans Under $100k
October 13, 2021 by Martin Parker 1 Comment
The debate between single-hull sailboats and blue water catamarans has raged since the beginning of time, and it’s unlikely ever to end! Both types of yachts have dedicated followers who are unlikely to ever be swayed by the benefits of the other. A lot of this is based on misconceptions and the influences of the people around them, though. We recommend that if you’re considering a blue water catamaran, get in a few good hours of sailing through varied conditions before making a decision.
What Makes Blue Water Catamarans Great for Cruising?
Stable platform s.
Bluewater catamarans offer fantastic stability, despite what you may hear from single-hull yacht owners. There’s no high lean angle when sailing into the wind and no need to strap everything down to prevent it from moving. Add to this little or no rolling when moored, and a catamaran is a lovely place to be.
Additional Space
An excellent beam to length ratio is essential on bluewater catamarans, and a 40-foot yacht will usually have a 20-foot beam. That gives you a 20-foot bridge deck, plenty of space on the hulls, and even more space forward on the netting.
Cruising Speed
The amount of wet surface area on a catamaran is significantly reduced compared to a monohull yacht. Without the need for a prominent, heavy keel for ballast, the catamaran can easily outperform a single hull yacht.
Shallow Draft s
Shallow draft boats allow easy navigation through shallow waters and exceptional stability for maximum comfort. You are far less likely to make mistakes with tide height predictions when sailing on a cat.
Enclosed Cockpit s
Bluewater catamarans virtually always have an enclosed cockpit. Not only does this shield you from the sun in winter, but the elements in winter making cruising far more comfortable.
Safety
The enclosed cockpit makes sailing safer, plus of course, when you need to get out on the deck, the stable catamaran is not pitching and rolling.
Our Top Choices For Blue Water Catamarans Under $100,000
Designed and built by Rajen Naidu, the Rayvin 30 is a 29.5-foot cruising catamaran built for comfort. With a draft of just one meter, there are few places you can’t go on the Rayvin. The hull is constructed of epoxy glass fiber, but carbon-kevlar has been used for added strength below the waterline.
Inside, you’ll find three cabins, plenty of space, and even a bath! These are great value blue water catamarans with excellent performance.
Prout Snowgoose 37
Probably one of the most well-known blue water catamarans available, the Snowgoose 37 was designed and built by Prout and Sons in the United Kingdom. With a displacement of 6 tons, this is not a light boat, but the 600 square feet sail area gives a healthy hull speed of up to 10 knots. Many people have completed a circumnavigation in a Snowgoose.
It has a cutter design, but the overhang is substantial, leaving it susceptible to bridge slam, particularly on a close reach.
Over 500 examples were built, with plenty available under the $100,000 mark.
Prout Quasar 50
Sticking with Prout, the Quasar 50 was the largest catamaran designed and built by the company. The company was still making the Quasar until its closure in 2020, so you can find plenty of examples.
Constructed with fiberglass, the cutter design has a displacement of 10 tons and a sail area of almost 1185 square feet, giving a maximum hull speed of around 14 knots.
It has to be said the Quasar is not a pretty boat, but it makes a perfect large cruiser.
Catalac 12M
Catalac was a British boat building company owned by Tom Lack, hence the Catalac name. Over 600 examples of Catalac’s (9M, 10M, 11M, and 12M) were built. All around, they’re known as solid boats that handle well.
Designed as a sloop, the 12M displaces almost 9.3 tons. With a sail area of just 700 square feet, this cat offers a relatively slow hull speed of 9.5 knots.
An interesting point is the double thickness hulls, designed to withstand the North Sea weather.
Maldives 32
The Maldives 32 is a more modern design by Joubert-Nivelt. It features a short overhang with a netting deck to avoid bridge slam, initially built by Fountaine Pajot in 1988. The Maldives has a light displacement of 3.3 tons thanks to the fiberglass and foam sandwich construction. Add in a sail area of 592 square feet, and the Maldives can cruise at up to 11 knots.
The Maldives 32 is an excellent basic boat readily available well under our $100,000 price point.
Edel Cat 33
Thanks to the fiberglass construction, the Edel Cat 33 is another light boat, at just 3.6 tons and with a shallow draft of just 2.6 feet.
The Edel was designed by Yvonne Faulconnier and built by the Edel company in France, with the first bots being produced in 1985.
The 635 square feet of sail is enough for a good turn of speed for such a light boat without over-powering the hull.
A notable feature is the very short bridge hull, avoiding almost any bridge slam problems.
Endeavourcat 30
Designed by Cortland Steck and built in America by the Endeavour Catamaran Corp, the Endeavourcat 30 is a lightweight 30-foot catamaran constructed using fiberglass with a foam core.
It has to be said; the Endeavourcat is not pretty, but you get a lot of space for your money. Another issue is the enclosed bridge deck, making this suitable for gentle cruising only.
The sloop-rigged catamaran is a good, reasonably priced starter boat for taking the first dip into blue water catamarans.
Island Packet Packet Cat 35
If you are looking for comfort with a bit of style, then the Island Packet Cat 35 could be it. Designed by Robert K. Johnson and built in the USA by Island Packet, the Cat 35 makes the perfect boat for cruising the Keys.
The displacement of 6.25 tons gives the boat a solid, dependable feel, while the 2.6-foot draft allows you to explore water-restricted areas.
Inside there’re acres of room, but the fully enclosed bridge deck will cause issues in heavy weather.
Gemini 105MC
The Gemini 105MC is a sloop-rigged boat designed by Tony Smith and built by Performance Cruising in the United States. It was in production for over 27 years, and they delivered over 1000 boats, so there are plenty available to suit most budgets.
An interesting design feature is a lifting centerboard, giving excellent stability when down but a draft of just 1.65 feet when lifted.
A displacement of 4 tons combined with 690 square feet of sail area gives the 105MC outstanding performance characteristics.
With 760 examples of the Lagoon 380 produced, there are plenty on the market at reasonable prices. Built by Jeanneau, it is one of the most popular bluewater catamarans ever made.
The distinctive vertical windows offer maximum internal space, and it has a spacious interior, but the tradeoff is a displacement of 8 tons, so performance suffers a little. You can cruise comfortably at 7 knots, and with the short bridge deck, you won’t suffer too much bridge slam.
If you can track down a Dean 365, it’s well worth a look. You can find these solidly built boats for $50,000 upwards. Designed by Peter Dean and built by his company, Dean Catamarans, they have an excellent reputation.
For a 36 foot boat, the 6-ton displacement is not light, but it does benefit from twin engines, and with the sloop rigging, it can sail downwind at up to 11 or 12 knots. With the genoa providing the main sailing power, sailing into the wind is not great.
Sold as a self-build design, the Tiki 38 is a solid cruising catamaran designed by James Wharram. There are plenty available, but all will be different depending on the builder. With a displacement of around 6 tons, it’s not the lightest, and the cruising speed is about 5 or 6 knots.
With a ketch rig, using two 30-foot masts, the sail area is around 730 square feet, but you can also use a 530 spinnaker. The draft is shallow at 2.5 feet.
The Tiki makes an interesting – perhaps quirky choice.
Crowther Spindrift 40
If you are more interested in performance than interior space, the Crowther Spindrift 40 could be an excellent choice. Designed by Lock Crowther, the Spindrift features narrow hulls, reducing the wet surface area and increasing your sailing speeds. The downside is a lack of space.
The sloop rigging gives you a total sail area of 791 square feet combined with a light 4-ton displacement, making the Spindrift excellent in light winds.
MacGregor 36
Three hundred of the Roger Macgregor designed 36-foot boats were built, so there are plenty available. It’s built as a racing catamaran, so space is at a premium. There is only a trampoline between the two hulls, but the weight saving makes the displacement just 1.4 tons, and with the 534 square feet of sail, you can achieve speeds touching 28 knots.
Accommodation is restricted to the two hulls, but there are bunks for four people and a galley in the starboard hull.
The Flica 36 was designed by Richard Wood is a proven design capable of crossing oceans. A displacement of 5 tons gives a good balance between speed and stability, and the cutter rigging allows for a main and two foresails.
The hulls have been made from ply and fiberglass, which accounts for the slightly heavier weight and strength. The bridge deck offers plenty of space with a small overhang but will suffer from bridge slam in heavier weather.
Mirage Yachts 37
Only a few of the open deck Mirage 37’s were produced, but consider them in your search. Designed by David Feltham and built by Thames Marine, the ketch-rigged boats are sturdy and safe.
At 7.3 tons, it’s heavy for a 36-foot cat, and the small sail area of just 548 square feet makes it slow, with a hull speed of only 7.4 knots. As a coastal cruiser, it certainly makes sense to give you a comfortable base for exploring.
Simpson 35 Wildside
The Simpson 35 Wildside is an excellent cruiser, with three double cabins, two of which are across the bridge deck. Roger Simpson is the designer, and he’s well known for his sturdy, reliable boats.
The Bermuda rigged sloop design features a fully covered bridge deck, so expect bridge slam if you sail in anything more than slight to moderate conditions. With a displacement of 5
tons, and a small sail area, the performance will never be exciting, but it’s okay for coastal cruising.
Gemini 3400
The Gemini 3400 is the predecessor to the Gemini 105 mentioned earlier. If you can’t find a 105 at your price, then a 3400 is a good alternative. Although weighing the same as the 105, at four tons, the sail area is smaller at just 490 square feet, giving a reduced performance.
As with all Geminis, the 3400 features retractable centerboards for better tracking when on a close reach, without increasing the draft.
The 3400 was designed by Tony Smith and built by Performance Cruising in the US, who still produce catamarans now.
Seawind 850
Originally built in Australia by Seawind Catamarans and designed by Scott Jutson, the 850 is a 28-foot cat featuring fractional sloop rigging. At a relatively light displacement of 2.4 tons, the 350 square feet of sail gives good performance and comfortable cruising.
The short bridge deck overhang is filled with a trampoline, allowing the 850 to sail in rougher weather without too much bridge slam. The Seawind makes an excellent cruiser despite its 28-foot LOA.
Aventura 23.5
Our last catamaran is the smallest in the review. The Aventura 235 is just 23 feet long, has a light displacement of only 0.77 tons, and a sail area of 312 square feet. Two cabins offer four berths despite its diminutive size, making it a comfortable cruiser for a small family.
There are, of course, compromises, with just a single outboard engine on the centerline, and internal space is limited. But with its lightweight design, easy handling, and shallow draft of 1.8 feet, it is a perfect first step into catamaran ownership.
Blue Water Catamarans Are a Fantastic Budget Option
Remember: When buying a bluewater cruising yacht for less than $100,000, compromise is inevitable.
The best advice for buying a boat is to be truly honest with yourself by defining your needs and separating them from your desires.
Need more advice on buying great blue water catamarans? Get a conversation started on our community forum by leaving a question or comment!
If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment below, share it on social media, and subscribe to our email list., for direct questions and comments, shoot me an email at [email protected].
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July 2, 2022 at 2:52 pm
Surprised you don’t list the PDQ 32.
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20 to 30 feet
Up until 2010, this was a category still dominated by catamarans. Today, most builders loyal to twin hulls have deserted the under 30-foot niche. It is therefore trimarans that are now more popular. Most of the models on offer are equipped with a folding or telescopic float system. These units can fit into a standard marina slip, and can even be transported by road. And these features make them ideal for coastal sailing and for discovering waters far from your home port.
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This model, first presented to the public in 2018, is as fun to helm as it is practical and easy to set up. The Astus is a pocket trimaran designed by VPLP that has seen remarkable success, with 44 examples already built in less than three years. The most active owners have got together and are working, in association with the Astus Boats shipyard, to establish a one-design class. The immediate objective is to participate in the next Spi Ouest France regatta in France. The 20.5 is particularly exciting in the Sport version, as it offers 260 sq ft (24 m²) upwind for a weight of less than half a ton. Enough to have fun and sensation, especially when the gennaker is out! Like the other models in the range, it adopts a telescopic link system for the arms. The interior layout is compact, but still offers a mini saloon and a double berth. The strong points of the 20.5 for coastal cruising: pivoting appendages and a large 172 sq ft (16 m²) sailing platform.
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CORSAIR PULSE 600 - RADICAL AND EFFICIENT TEST in MW148
The Pulse 600 is the smallest of the Corsair trimarans, but is no less attractive! As the name suggests, this little rocket weighing less than 1,000 lbs (500 kilos) is above all, made for racing, and some small fleets have begun appearing, notably in Australia. Its three sharp and inverted bows give it a great look... a design as radical as it is efficient because on the water, you’re immediately won over by the potential of this machine. The cockpit is large enough to accommodate three people – and you can quickly hike out onto the floats to give the Pulse even more power. The removable coachroof houses a large watertight locker. No fitting-out or berths: it’s simply a shelter that can be used at anchor. The Pulse 600 is of course transportable and foldable
Builder: Corsair Marine Architect: François Perus Length: 19’6” (5.95 m) Beam: 8’/14’9” (2.45/4.50 m) Weight: 992 lbs (450 kg) Draft: 9”/4’ (0.22/1.20 m) Mainsail: 205 sq ft (19.1 m²) Jib: 76 sq ft (7.1 m²) Spinnaker: 345 sq ft (32 m²) Price: € 29,999/US$ 35,900 ex-tax
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TRICAT 20 - FOR RALLIES AND PERFORMANCE TEST in MW163
Introduced in 2018, the Tricat 20 is the smallest model in the range. Though designed primarily for day-sailing, it also excels on coastal trips, where its compact size, maneuverability and performance are outstanding. The Tricat 20, with over 40 units already built, naturally reflects the success of its predecessors, ...
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Best Cruising Catamarans
- By Cruising World Editors
- Updated: July 1, 2021
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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Saylon 20 inshore bridgedeck cabin trailable cruiser
DOWNLOAD Plan price GBP240
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THE FACTS AND FIGURES LOA 6.1m 20ft LWL 5.9m 19ft4in BOA 2.5m 8ft2in Sail Area Mainsail 13sqm 140sqft Jib 7sqm 75sqft Mast height 8.8m 28ft9in Empty weight 680kgs 1500lbs Displacement to WL 920kgs 2030lbs Draft 285 11in (1000 3ft3in boards down) 2 single berths in hulls 1 double in aft cabin Headroom 1.85m (6ft) moored 1.35m (4ft6in) sailing
Owner reports "Saylon is very nice and is a like a rockstar to the Danube River, both sides (Romania and Serbia). Very comfortable"
Scroll down to see a great sequence of build photos for the boat above
I have resisted designing a small bridgedeck cabin catamaran until now because I was brought up sailing in the generally rough and windy English Channel and so have always designed boats that would suit those conditions. However as I travelled the world I began to realise that many areas have much more benign conditions than we do in the UK, particularly in the USA and Australia. Both places where people may live a long way from the sea and sailing on lakes is their only option.
Which is probably why the small trailable bridgedeck cabined catamarans are popular in those areas.
Saylon is my version of the concept. It will appeal to those who want to gently cruise for the weekend with a young family (or maybe with grandchildren!) in sheltered sailing waters. It is not intended as an offshore boat, nor for those who want to race. Please check out my other trailable designs if that is what you want to do.
It is a very small boat - some beachcats are longer - so at most it is really only suitable for two adults and two small children. Most small boats trim by the stern when the crew sit in the cockpit. Furthermore, with a single forward cabin the parents get no privacy.
So the major difference between Saylon and other similar boats is that there is a centre cockpit and an aft double cabin. That helps keep the weight out of the ends, it also makes sail handling easy and separates the living and sleeping areas.
I call Saylon a "motorsailer" because it will not be as fast a boat as my Acorn or Janus designs, for example. The hulls are simply too fat and too close together. The rig is small because the narrow beam means that stability is limited. That's also the main reason why I call it a "Sheltered Water" only boat (Category D under Europe's RCD).
The rig can come from a beach cat eg Hobie 16. The mast is stepped on the cockpit floor so that it is easy to raise. It would be a real struggle stepping the mast from the cabin top. Hoisting the mainsail and reefing can be done safely from the front of the cockpit. With a furling jib there is no need to go on the foredeck when underway.
The sails are small enough that no winches are required, the jib has a 2:1 purchase. The mainsail has a good downhaul and a "gnav" (an upside down kicking strap as seen on many racing dinghies) to control sail twist, yet not intrude into the cockpit. So the sails can still be set efficiently.
The steering is "monohull friendly" with a central tiller and cockpit seats as on a monohull. However extending "wings" can be used for more crew righting moment for keener crews.
Saylon may be a small boat, but it's huge compared to a 20ft monohull. In part that's because it is basically a rectangular shape, there's no "pointy bit" at the front! but also because the whole deck is usable space, on a monohull you're generally restricted to the windward side.
The whole deck area is maximised, there is no forward trampoline, and the bridgedeck is taken as far aft as possible, leaving room for the rudders and outboard. Transom steps are built into each hull. Watertight compartments are built in for safety in case of collision or damage when grounding, but there is still plenty of storage space both above and below deck.
The Saylon is small and light enough to be towed behind a small family car on a simple flat bed trailer. And, with no assembly required - apart from raising mast - you'll spend no longer at the slipway than you would launching a monohull. If you wish to make your own wood spars, or regularly go under low bridges then a gunter rig is an option with a reduced roach mainsail.
One unusual feature of the Saylon is also seen on my Wizard and Sango designs - the "pop-bottom". "Pop tops" are common on camper-vans and small boats alike, indeed one is used on the Saylon. The pop-bottom is a similar concept, but in reverse.
The forward part of the bridgedeck is lowered when at rest, giving extra sitting space and standing headroom, and raised when underway. A waterproof "bag" surrounding the pop-bottom keeps you dry! That gives Saylon nearly 1sqm (10sqft) of standing area in the saloon. A table can fold against the aft bulkhead to port, but probably a better solution wold be a cheap picnic table, as that could also be used in the cockpit.
The interior layout shown suits a couple with young children. However other layouts are feasible providing the main bulkheads are not moved. For example the toilet could be fixed in one hull forward
The hull shape is based on a combination of my very successful Strike trimarans and my Skoota designs. It is basically a flat bottomed dory hull but V'eed near the bow to reduce slamming. The topside chine, as used on the Skootas, increases space below without changing the overall beam, which obviously is limited by the trailerability requirements.
The side decks allow easy boarding and walking forward when coming alongside (remember there is no need to go forward when sailing as everything is controlled from the cockpit.)
It is a flat panel ply/epoxy boat that is very easy to build singlehanded in a regular garage. Allow 500 building hours ready to paint.
Boat weights are notoriously difficult to predict, the 680kg I give is probably pessimistic, but is based on known weights of similar boats ready to sail, ex crew. For example, our slightly longer Wizard was weighed at 700kgs ready to race. Other designers may well give the weight of a bare shell, so be careful when comparing designs!
You can see more details in the provisional study plan HERE .
This article , which is based on the talk I gave at the "Sail Havasu" pocket cruisers meeting in Arizona in 2012, should help you decide whether a small multihull is the right boat for you.
Photo shows a Saylon being built in Romania. Great building frame! Then a few days later
Photo from February 2017, build started at Christmas 2016
Planking dry fitted March 2017. Note slots for daggerboard cases and cutout for "Pop bottom"
and then this from the end of March
and then just a few days later
and not long after that (Apr 19th)
and just a week later!
paint, filler etc as reqd
All plywood to be best quality marine grade Gaboon/okoume ply. Sheet sizes are 8' x 4' (2440 x 1220) All timber to be "Joinery Quality" or better softwood. Use Douglas Fir, Yellow Cedar, Sitka Spruce or similar. Sizes given are nominal "PAR" (Planed all Round) ie 2" x 1" has a "real" size of approx 45mm x 20mm
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