Catana 42

The prestige production catamarans from France feature exotics in their construction, advanced hull designs, clever sailing controls and great living spaces. Speed is their mantra, not only reaching and running, but also in light airs where other production cats -- let alone heavy monos -- are forced to start their engines. Thanks to their retractable daggerboards, Catanas tend to go to windward better than other cats, too.

The Catana 42 is the smallest cat in the range that currently tops out at 70 feet on the drawing board. The second-biggest model, and an impressive cat by any measure, the 59 has also arrived in Australia. More on that one soon.

Released about three years ago, the 42 is based on the former 41 and the extra waterline furthers its performance under sail. The sleek coachroof adds to the aerodynamics, while the tall hulls defy their 'footprint', offering plenty of living and headroom throughout.

David Renouf, from the Catana importers Multihull Solutions, which has a new office on Pittwater, was the world’s biggest Catana dealer when he was based in San Diego. He makes the point that even in a good year, the French yard builds only 30 or so cats. So it’s a more boutique than run-of-the-mill French production builder.

Owners tend to be serious around-the-world sailors, Renouf explains, and pickups in Europe are quite common. Cruising couples typically sell the house, hit the ocean road for four or five years, then return to buy their retirement home on terra firma. The other buyer is the mid-life-crisis guy who heads out into the wide blue yonder with his pre-teen kids for a couple of years’ sabbatical. In the Catana 42, you certainly make the most of your time.

Leading French sailmaker Indences provided the upgraded wardrobe with fully-battened square-top main that stows in lazy jacks and bag without needing to remove the top batten. The main and genoa were cut from Spectra Hydranet for performance and longevity. A gennaker or screecher/Code Zero in Stormlite was bundled with the boat to improve reaching in those tropical airs. It’s set from the optional fitted bowsprit and there’s a dedicated furler and running rigging.

The engine was upgraded from the standard twin 30hp Volvo Pentas with Saildrives to 40hp models fitted with folding three-blade props and electric engine controls. The impressive navigation station had an upgraded Garmin electronics package with Navpilot remote among the kit, so you can ‘steer’ from inside the cat.

The four 80W solar panels on the hardtop and the additional two 80W panels on the coachroof should more than meet electrical demands. There was an extra 115A gel battery, a charger/inverter (feeds two GPOs) and LED transom and cockpit lights. Other deck gear upgrades included aluminium tender davits, canvas cockpit and cabin shade curtains and screens, gas struts on all deck hatches, and complete cockpit and sunpad cushions.

The saloon upholstery and vinyl liners were upgraded to Alcantara, blinds and insect screens were fitted, and the boat had a separate 60-litre freezer to complement the standard 130-litre fridge. Anchoring ground tackle, fenders and warps, safety gear and antifouling were included in the $895,000 sail-away price. This was a discount on the usual retail of $962,000 rrp at the time of writing. You still pay a premium, but the Catana is definitely a premium cat.

The two-pack painted aluminium mast and boom is a single-spreader double-diamond model and, as with all good modern-day cruising conveyances, all the lines (except headsail halyards) lead aft to the helms. Headsail sheets, furlers and daggerboard lift are immediately ahead of the leatherbound wheels, while the mainsheet, its halyard and reefing system, and topping lift are located centrally on the rear beam, where there’s the electric winch. The foresail halyards are controlled from a winch on the mast base.

The double mainsheet system gives complete control and eases the drama in gybes, while the reefing system was demonstrably simple, with Renouf putting in a reef then shaking it out in less than a minute from the helm. More on the sailing later.

On the bow, the Catana 42 has nice big tramps for hanging out -- albeit not as big as some -- and plenty of storage in compartments in each bow and either side of the recessed windlass for the self-stow anchor. Clip-out lifelines let you access the anchoring bridle.

The pulpit seats on the bows are complemented by moulded seats either side of the stick on the cabin front. Add the tramp and there are plenty of places to hangout up front. There are even sunpad cushions for the coachroof. Access along the side decks is nice and safe thanks to teak toerails, twin lifelines and concealed running rigging. Not that the cat’s deck teeters, mind you.

The cockpit is a beauty, nice and broad, with plenty of comfortable seats including flip-up helm seats with padded rails, from where you are afforded terrific views while steering. The other helm pedestals have Volvo engine-starts and throttles, windlass control and electric winch buttons, with Garmin nav data viewable nearby. Astern, the obligatory moulded steps lead to the water.

Mid-transom are teak seats and there’s storage in the twin underfloor cockpit lockers nearby. But the big dinette is the centrepiece, able to seat six with the addition of the supplied designer loose chairs. The weight-saving carbon and composite hardtop casts shade and has integrated grab rails, cockpit lights and scroll-down canvass side curtains.

With the aft galley opening up alongside, you are ready to serve at the al fresco setting. Clever clip-in cushions and flip-back fibreglass panels create a separate chaise lounge to starboard when you want to kick back with a book. Then the saloon calls. When not plotting your next port of call or autopilot steering from the big navigation station, from whence views are unfettered of the ocean road ahead,  you will be cooking on the transverse galley up top where you want it.

The Corian counter space is generous so as to double as a servery and flanked by the fridge and separate freezer alongside a three-burner stove/oven. Although not included, a microwave could be fitted and powered by an upgraded inverter. The big aft opening widow and doors keep the internal dinette to starboard well connected. You can seat a family here and it also converts into a quasi berth,

With foam-cored top sides and floor, plus plenty of opening portlights, it’s not a stuffy saloon. Headroom throughout the boat is at least 6ft 2in (185cm) and all the companionways encourage easy thoroughfare. At which point you might notice the composite joinery that saves a claimed 35 per cent in weight over conventional joinery.

Interior designers Linea Concept deserve credit for the pleasant ambience and the fit and finish is certainly superior to mainstream French-built cats. With light timber and flooring, plenty of glass and portlights, you don’t feel like a stowaway stuck below decks. The escape hatches under the stairs leading down to the hull accommodation are CE requirements, but they also add novelty. Dangle a handline for dinner at the anchorage.

As touched on, owners get the run of the portside hull on this three cabin/two bathroom layout. There’s a large aft double bed, dressing area with stool and abundant storage for cruising clobber. The forward hull section features a large walk-in bathroom with enlarged vanity and shower stall atop the manual head. One might expect a separate shower and electric loo at this level.

The folding privacy doors over the companionways to the guest’s cabins, so they’re separated from the main saloon, are a nice touch. This way, kids can hit the hay while adults continue to party in the saloon. There are fore and aft double cabins, split by a communal bathroom with handheld shower, in the starboard hull. But we all know the best shower on a cruising boat is on deck.

The bows are distinctive, bulbed and tulip-shaped to reduce pitching, and fine to cut through the waves without pounding. Tilting outwards, the hulls provide stability beyond that of a traditional catamaran, Catana says. And with the weight out of the ends, the cat doesn’t drag its tail, even in light airs.

As the engines are outboard or aft of the main accommodation area, the Catana 42 is noticeably quiet underway. The reduced operating noise is also good news on the anchor, where you might need to run the engines for hot water or recharging after a big night. The engines are each fitted with an 80 amp alternator.

The external access hatches to the engines are large and each four-cylinder D2 40hp Volvo Penta is surrounding by oodles of servicing room. Owners can easily make at-a-glance engine checks, dip the oil, clear the raw-water strainers and/or fuel filters, and top up the coolant as needs be. The boat has been designed with mounting space for a generator, room for air-cons and a watermaker should you want it.

In standard guise, the Catana 42 carries 670 litres of water. The standard 55-litre holding tank was upgraded on the test boat with a second tank in the port hull. Thanks also to the solar panels, the boat is autonomous and you won’t need to keep it plugged into shore power, even with the fridge running.

Resin-infused and foam-cored, the hulls are strong but light. In any event, Catana claims its cats are unsinkable or, to put it another way, they float. Underway, the whole structure feels stiff, but without the inherent drumming of pure carbon-fibre hulls.

The 70 square metre main and 42 square metre genoa add to the alacrity. With around 20 knots of wind, the 42 was in its element. Reaching, there was a noticeable wake and wave pattern astern and, on the squirts, you could feel the jolt of acceleration. In seconds we were scurrying along at an easy 12 knots and climbing. To windward, we were holding 8-10 knots without trying hard.

Catana says the 42 is at least 30 per cent faster under sail than your average cruising yacht. During official sea trails, the factory says it cracked 20 knots before the breeze and 12 knots upwind. Renouf saw 19 knots on the 56-hour delivery ex-Mooloolaba to Sydney.

By any standard, this is a fast, exciting and comfortably level-deck cruising. The 42 is also a very dry cat when powered up and we love the vision from the outboard helms, although we concede some cruising cat buyers might prefer more weather protection.

In its class, the Catana 42 is a benchmark fast cruising catamaran and first-class ticket to explore the coast and wider Pacific. The cat will enrich your on-water experiences and let you see more of the good places and enjoy the good times while you’re out there. Sail right on past those cruising clunkers, give a friendly wave and reach your next destination while the rest of the fleet is still passage making.