New Catamaran Buyers' Guide: All the big launches

You only have to visit major boat shows like Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS May 24-27) and Sydney International Boat Show (SIBS August 2-6) to see how far cats have come in the popularity stakes.

From being the 'Kaftan-wearing fringe' of sailing they're become a mainstream boating choice. In fact, cats are now very much the in-fashion purchase for many wealthy sailors.

As for their avant-garde designers, large catamarans in the 50ft-plus class are very much like a cart blanche, where they can push the boundaries and stretch the possibilities on a bigger canvass, thereby creating new, clever, commodious lifestyle boating areas we haven't seen before.

THE 2018 CAT RELEASES
There's a lot to keep buyers excited in 2018. Take the latest trend to push helm stations 'upstairs' to a flybridge. This not only frees up cockpit space but gives skipper and guests a commanding view plus the pleasure of a cooling breeze.

Club sailors who once shunned catamarans are now taking a serious look because of the huge on-deck space and seamlessly merging of saloon and 'patio' cockpit. With dual transom swimming access cats quite literally can become a floating beach-resort!

Other exciting trends in cats for 2018 include rear hydraulic swim platforms that can be raised or lowered into the water. Stepped chine hulls are also delivering even bigger private cabins for owners with en-suite bathrooms and air-con as standard.

Meanwhile, the foredeck is becoming a 'terrace' with sunken lounge area. You couldn't get a more a magic location to enjoy sunset cocktails under sail, or at anchor.

BIGGER CATS
All these abovementioned improvements have been achieved by cats getting bigger…
So far, the focus has been on 40-45 foot. However, in 2018 the emphasis is on new 50-footers that nicely meet the demand for onboard luxury living within a size still manageable by a family crew.

Thanks to modern technology like furling sails and electric winches it is possible to handle such big beasts with a few people.

Meanwhile, as brands like Sunreef and the McConaghy push into Super Yacht territory with 90 foot and upwards models, there's a need for professional crew assistance. That's why separate crew quarters are de rigueur in new 50-foot and bigger cats.

CRIUISING CATS
Let's face it, the majority of sailors just want to get on the water to relax and enjoy the peace and serenity of being under sail. That's why most cats on offer today are in the cruising-class.

Such cats pack the most accommodation. They're also easy to sail into lagoons and beaches thanks to shallow keels and reinforced bottoms that ensures beaching is easy and safe.

The rig is modern, high-aspect and often with a T-top mainsail so performance is quite good in a breeze, especially reaching and off-wind. However, in light airs the cruising cat doesn't point as well and needs to foot off to maintain speed.

Cruising sailors aren't too concerned though — if the wind gets fickle they simply furl the sails and start the 'diesel topsails.' A bit like on the new Lagoon 50 pictured above.

Modern cruising Cats come equipped with twin diesels so they perform very well under power. Indeed, many can do several hundred miles under power if needs be. They are also easy to manoeuvre in a marina thanks to the engines being so far apart in each hull.

PERFORMANCE CATS
For the keen sailor with the racing bug Performance Cats are the way to go. These cats pack more sailing performance and the emphasis is on sailing more and motoring less.

These Jaguar's of the sea typically have lifting daggerboards to greatly improve performance sailing upwind. They set the 'I mean business' black carbon sails on a tall rig. Not surprisingly these speedsters deliver much faster sailing performance, yet you pay a premium price for that hi-tech edge in weight-saving.

The Seawind 1600 is a great example of the latest Performance Cats on offer. The first one to be delivered to Australia will soon be operating as a VIP Whale-Watch vessel out of Mooloolaba, Qld.

Seawind has also just released the smaller, more affordable 1190 model for the keen club sailor. It features a tall performance rig plus daggerboards that are fitted into the hull sides so they don't affect interior accommodation, or poke above the deckline when raised.

POWER CATS
The third option is the power catamaran. This is an exciting new sub-group of the catamaran market which is starting to gain popularity not with power-boaters but yachties who no longer have the time, or crew to sail.

Since they share similar DNA to sailing cats the power cats feature easy-driven hulls that require relatively modest engine power. This means they're more fuel efficient than the monohull cruiser and more spacious below and on deck.

Without the height limitations of a mast these sans-sail cats are ideal for exploring river systems otherwise barred by bridges.

AGE OF THE CAT
It's fair to say cats have come of age in the 21st Century as a great pleasure boat. They are now made by top international yacht builders that ensure top quality engineering and a high level of finish and luxury details.

Meanwhile, the old yachting prejudices against multihulls has melted away as the product has improved and cats are safely racing and cruising around the world.

The technological flow-down from racing means an experienced sailor can confidently sail the modern production model on long offshore passages. It's no wonder then cats are now the most popular choice with professional charter operators.

About the only real drawback with cats is higher berthing fees at a marina. However, some marinas now provide special catamaran-wide berths and in some instances 'outside arm' berths will be no more expensive than for a monohull yacht.

Overall, the main drawcard of a catamaran is being able to sail on the level without spilling the drinks! It's also about having so much more space to entertain your friends and just have fun.

Oh, and also the undeniable pleasure of a good night's sleep because twin hulls stay steady at anchor.

BUYING OPTIONS
Since so many of the top brands today are built in Europe, or Asia, a popular buying option is to take delivery overseas and enjoy sailing there before shipping your cat back to Australia.

Also, there are some great share-ownership deals. For example, the Outremer Australian agent is currently offering shares in a new 45-foot model that will be delivered in France so it can be cruised in the Med before shipping home. Cost of a tenth share is $135,000 with running costs also broken down into tenths.

AQUILA
This is a purposed-designed power cat range from China that blends something of the power cat with sailing cat technology. The blend of tunnel and hard-chined full-volume hulls allows the Aquila to do top speeds of 20 knots or more in rough water. It also has an incredibly soft ride.

There are three models on show this year at 2018 Sanctuary Cove and at SIBS — the all new Aquila 36 sports cruiser with hardtop helm, the super comfortable, triple deck Aquila 44, and all new Aquila 48, another twin diesel live-aboard cruising cat with flybridge helm station.

Aquila is currently increasing sales success in Australia as the word gets around these cats are great riding craft and pretty good value-for-money.

Further information: Multihull Central, Rozelle Bay, Sydney ph 02 9810 5014 or email info@multihullcentral.com

BALI
Without doubt one of the most innovative new range of cats is the Bali that's built in France by the long-established Catana Catamaran yard.

Bali Cats take apartment living to a whole new level with the deck saloon extending well forward of the mast. The new 4.0 Day Charter model gives direct access to the for'ard lounge and there is a large sun-bed area as well. These cats are ideal for entertaining during the day or evening cocktails at sunset.

A raised flybridge helm station and clever opening doors and saloon windows are other great innovations of these funky French cats. Sailing sizes go 40, 43, 45, 52 and 58-foot and there is the Bali 43ft Loft power model as well.

Further information: Dream Yacht Sales ph 0457 036756 or visit website: www.dreamyachtsales.com.au

BAVARIA NAUTITECH
German Bavaria brand came late to the cat market with the purchase of the French Nautitech line. Since then the giant German brand has used its industrial expertise to refine the catamaran range with fresh new styling. This is illustrated by the latest Bavaria 40 Open. Her big sister, the Bavaria 47 also shares the same face-lift.

Apart from the striking two-tone exterior colour scheme the Open models literally 'opens up' the saloon to the cockpit so it forms a continuous living space with the dining table semi-outdoors.

This 40 Open design also features a chine-hull to provide generous size cabins wide enough for a double berth. Also the helm stations in each quarter give more 'yacht-like' steering and shallow keels easy access to shallow bays and lagoons. You can see both the 40 Open and latest 47 Power Cat at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show.

Further information: Ensign Ship Brokers Main Beach QLD ph 07 5532 1122 or website www.ensignbrokers.com.au

DUFOUR
The French Dufour brand has been famous in fibreglass yachts since the 1960s but only this year makes it first venture into the cat market.

The Dufour Catamaran 48 certainly looks impressive and should be a great sailing machine judging by the design brief.

The same Italian design team behind Dufour yachts (Umberto Felci and Lorenzo Giovannozzi) have drawn the lines and done the hydrodynamic analysis. So there is something of the Dufour look to the new cat especially in the dreadnought bows, fixed bowsprit and mast being well back from the bow.

Key design features include an inclined boom and a raised flybridge helm station. There is a choice of three, four and five-cabin layouts plus separate 'crew' cabin in the bow. The three-cabin layout provides a massive owners suite taking up most of the port hull. The saloon provides a spacious dining area, office navigation area and the galley aft with direct servery to the cockpit.

Further information: Performance Cruising Yachts, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW ph 02 9281 4422 or email matt@performancecruising.com.au

FOUNTAINE PAJOT
The famous French Fountaine Pajot catamaran range hardly needs an introduction. It's new-look sail cruising line was unveiled last year with the FP 47 that features a galley-up design plus flybridge helm station. The same eye-catching styling is carried through the new FP 42 sail cruiser that debuts at SIBS this year (pic below). She features a semi-raised helm station incorporating a double sun-bed on the saloon roof.

Another exciting new model also scheduled for Sydney and Sanctuary Cove is the all-new Pajot MY 44 motor-yacht. This is a fly-bridge craft that suits long coastal cruises as well as exploring local waters. She will be displayed at Sanctuary along with the very attractive Lucia 40 sail-cruiser.

There are a number of other new FP models in both power and sail and SIBS will also display the new Ilaid 50 sail cruiser. However, the head-line act for Fountaine Pajot this year is the stunning new Flagship Class 67 sail cruiser. First model hits European waters mid-2018. Expect an ultra-modern home on water with a full-length flybridge and a foredeck sunken lounge with spar pool.

Further information: Multihull Solutions Mooloolaba QLD ph 07 5452 5164 email: info@multihullsolutions.com.au

Lagoon has seen a significant luxury update in its latest offerings especially with the two newest models, the Lagoon 40 (above) and Lagoon 50 launched at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2018.

The new Lagoon 50 is a massive 50-footer with a full fly-bridge and huge cockpit with ample room for entertaining. Large windows in the hulls make for a true indoor-outdoor cruising experience.

The Lagoon 40 is a smaller version of the 50 also with large windows and amazing living spaces for a cat of only 40 feet overall.

The Lagoon range is extensive and includes power and sail models up to 70 feet.

Further information: The Multihull Group (TMG) Sydney ph (02) 9960 6222 or E Yachts Pittwater (02) 9979 6612 or www.themultihullgroup.com

LEOPARD
The South African built Leopard by Robertson and Caine comes with a strong reputation for blue-water sailing ability and strength. This year you can see the latest models of this highly regarded blue water range — the Leopard 40 sailing and the Leopard 43 power cat at Sanctuary Cove Show, then the much-anticipated Leopard 50 at the SCIBS, along with the Leopard 45 that was previously released.

The L50 is designed to replace the award-winning L48 and features fresh new hull styling. Her main attraction is the option of either having a classic hardtop exterior or the flybridge version (pictured). In the former case you can enhance sailing performance with a Tee-top mainsail.

The Flybridge model will be ideal for those looking to maximise outdoor space having both a lounge space, sun-beds and optional exterior speakers and shade awning. A 4 or 5 berth sleeping cabin are available in both versions.

Further information: Leopard Cats Australia Scarborough Qld ph 0423 700782 email david@leopardcatamarans.com.au

HELIOTROPE
An off-shoot brand of the Sunreef Catamarans is the Heliotrope range. There are now a few power catamarans around but the Heliotrope 48 breaks the mould by projecting a fantastic design, detail-oriented craftsmanship and customer-oriented approach. The H48 power catamaran can easily run at 15 knots, all day, in any weather. When it comes time to pick up the pace and look for fishing grounds or outrun weather systems she can easily cruise at 20 knots.

So far several of the Heliotrope 48 power cats have been produced by the Polish Sunreef yard and two are presently in the build. Key design points include the largest flybridge in-class equipped with spacious lounges, sun pads and outdoor galley. A flybridge BBQ should also should endear this power cat to Aussie boaties!

Further information: VIC Sail Rushcutters Bay Sydney NSW ph (02) 93272088

MCCONAGHY
This high-end range of luxury Catamaran is now available in Australia covers size: 50, 60, 77, 82 and 90ft lengths. They are being built in the companies ultra modern China plant using unrivalled composite knowledge and building expertise.

The McConaghy 50 is the design that will have wide appeal to many Australian sailors due to her ultra-modern interior suitable for relaxed cruising. She also sports a tall, ultra modern rig and daggerboards so she will be fast as well and will be something of a weapon on the race track. Definitely a candidate for fun regattas like Airlie and Hamilton Island Race Week!

Designer, Jason Kerr says this is the perfect cat for sailing together with your friends. To that end she has four separate sleeping cabins and a high-end bespoke finish that is more akin to a Super yacht than a sailboat.

Further information: The Multihull Group (TMG) Sydney ph (02) 8294 4144 or Gold Coast mob 0429 388 443 or www.themultihullgroup.com

OUTREMER
Think Lamborghini sports car and you got an idea of what the French Outremer Cat range is about. Outremer cats delivers exceptional sailing performance through sleek hulls, powerful Tee-top rigs and lifting daggerboards. These cats are ocean grey-hounds and will get you to exotic destinations quickly, and safely.

It might seem a quirky feature but these cats come with tiller as well wheel steering. It means the keen sailor can literally get a more hands-on sailing experience.

The company has the backing of over 30-years experience building long distance, offshore racing multihulls and cruising yachts. The current model range is 45, 51, 4X and the new 5X (59-footer).

Further information: Multihull Central, Rozelle Bay, Sydney ph 02 9810 5014 or email info@multihullcentral.com

SEAWIND
The Australian Seawind range comes with a reputation for safety and bullet-proof strength. Although now manufactured in Vietnam this is still very much an Aussie owned company so quality is not compromised.

The 1260 (our review) is the classic all-round cruiser with a terrific reputation in cruising and racing. It features a more traditional galley-down arrangement, something that some die-hard cruising people still prefer. There's also the 1190 Sports model plus the 1190 Deluxe and 1160 Light models as well.

However, the big news is the all-new Seawind 1600 (52-footer). She is a performance-oriented cat that will set a new benchmark in luxury living. She has lifting daggerboards flush with the hulls so they don't intrude into accommodation space.

Further information: Multihull Central, Rozelle Bay, Sydney ph 02 9810 5014 or email info@multihullcentral.com

SUNREEF
There is a real Super yacht feel to the Sunreef — a high-end brand of catamaran built in Poland with lots of French input. The brand concentrates on the upper size range however this year has released the all-new Sunreef 50 specifically aimed at the family yachting market. You can catch the Sunreef news here.

A key feature is the clever bridge deck design which ensures a superior level of comfort onboard. The generous teak decking, high bulwarks and classy lines also underscore the Sunreef as high-end product. The saloon opens both onto the bow terrace and to the rear cockpit which is extended by a hydraulic aft platform.

The hulls provide impressive volumes to set up a custom layout including airy, luxurious guest cabins and an opulent master suite with a walk-in dressing robe. The latter has its own desk, sofa, retractable TV and an immense bathroom.

With a massive beam of 9.1m combined with a cruise-friendly 1.4m draft the Sunreef can cruise the lagoons of the South Pacific. The Sunreef 50 sports twin 75h diesels and with big 1000-litre fuel capacity she can cruise to far-away island chains.

Further information: VIC Sail Rushcutters Bay Sydney NSW ph (02) 93272088

More on catamarans in our editorial pages.