Seawind 1250

Overview
Building on the experience of its smaller brethren, the 1160 which sold more than 80 and the entry-level 1000XL that’s reached an impressive 200 hulls, the 1250 cruiser intends to continue the winning recipe, but with more of it. Apart from the simple equation of more water line equalling more speed, managing director Richard Ward aimed to build a “true bluewater boat to sail around the world with confidence”. The other proviso was ease of handling with functionality preferred over ostentatiousness, which allows a bigger boat but without any more hassles; so that a couple could manage it easily.

Price and equipment
Cruising comfort and accommodation are major advantages catamarans enjoy over similar-sized monohulls but these come at price, and at $697,595 the Seawind 1250 may compare unfavourably against some of its mass-produced European competitors.  However, reflecting the company’s $1million investment in its new Wollongong factory, what the buyer gets is a very high-quality boat with superb attention to detail.

The design remit of the 1250 was to maximise the best features of its existing range, beginning with the area sailors spend 80 per cent of their time in: the cockpit. Retaining the open space of previous models, segregated by the company’s popular tri-folding doors but sensibly partitioned with a lip to prevent water ingress, the new boat now comes with a daybed as part of the U-shaped lounge seating. This portside daybed area also adjoins the navigation table which is across the saloon from the chart plotter, the latter is near the port helm and swivels to allow both steerer and saloon-based crew to view.

Quality finishes are evident all around the saloon with real leather coverings and polished hardwood finishes, while 360-degree views are afforded – so that you could lounge inside and simply steer by the optional Raymarine remote control, should the weather turn foul. Nice features include the swivelling table that allows different seating positions and folds down to become a double bed. The area is further enhanced thanks to Seawind’s preference for a ‘galley down’ which means the entire saloon can be open to the stern; great for entertaining.

Raymarine electronics are used throughout with a C90 plotter portside and ST60 readouts on both helms. The helms are shaded by the hardtop targa but wisely skylights above each give a view of the mainsail, and the adjoining cabin windows drop down easily for clear views forward, through the front saloon windows. The review boat came with an electric Harken 46 winch neatly located beside the port helm with another manual one forward of it, with the same one to starboard. As we found out during our sail this entire setup worked well, with both the sheltered helms comfortable and the running rigging controls all tidily dealt with.

Another plus was the flat coamings which allowed the steerer to sit out and adopt a more race-style posture; also handy when docking with the twin portside power levers right beside the Muir digital chain counter, another advisable option for relaxed cruising. Clever design is evident throughout this area, including the moveable helmseat backrests, a hidden icebox and already mentioned sliding helm windows. The fun and function theme continues back to the stern rail where generous seating surrounds the midships barbeque.

Protecting the outside cockpit is a wide targa walkway, a similar setup as previous models which includes the mainsheet track, controlled by a neat targa-side winch and behind it, optional solar panels. Davits support the small dinghy and swim access is good on both hulls with wide steps and a ladder.

Climbing up the three steps and walking across the saloon and down again into the starboard-side galley, panoramic views from the twin sinks could persuade even the most reluctant crew to wash up. Good design points here include a top-loading pull-out 60-litre freezer on the inboard side and a 170-litre fridge nearby. The entire area is surrounded by cupboard space as well.

The remaining two double cabins are forward and aft of the galley, with an ensuite bathroom up front, completing a well conceived layout. A light wood finish of Ash laminates throughout the interior contrasted nicely with the ambience from neutral coloured soft furnishings, proving that it’s not just big European builders that can turn on the style. An option to be noted is the increasingly popular ‘galley up’ layout which Seawind can also offer. One personal niggle, especially as this a bluewater cruiser, is the lack of escape hatches as standard but again the company can fit these if required.

Nearby is the track for the self-tacking jib, yet another clever cruising feature of the 1250, that rolls out and once set, allows you to forget about. The big roachy mainsail fitted to the review boat was a performance orientated Kevlar-Taffeta combination from Barracouta Sails with full battens, sitting in obligatory lazy jacks. Single-line reefing, again all operated from the cockpit, finished off a user-friendly sailplan, which can be enhanced with overlapping genoa as tracks are already laid on the wide side decks. For downwind sledding big sail options include an asymmetric and screetcher with prodder. Holding all this up are Dieform wire shrouds outboard, attached to a 7/8 single spreader rig supplied by Tempo Spars in Brookvale.

With the familiar gurgling sound of water along the hulls we sped past Sydney CBD effortlessly, dodging ferries while at the helm visibility was good with a skylight above to ensure inadvertent gybing didn’t happen. Hardening up on the 12 knot breeze I sat out on the flat coamings to point the 1250 hard on the wind, with a tweak of self- tacking jib sheet and then mainsheet the full bodied mainsail began to pull hard as we crept up to 38 degrees. In the flat conditions acceleration was understandably good and without any hint of hull slap, a common annoying catamaran trait, we managed 7.8 knots SOG before tacking through 90 degrees. 

Handling felt nimble and the twin spade rudders spun the hulls quickly. Gybing was controlled thanks to the self-tacking jib and a quick prod on the electric Harken to trim in the mainsail. But the foredeck beckoned because it was time to hoist the asymmetric spinnaker which went up without incident thanks to its snuffer bag, allowing it to be deployed by two crew. Bearing away and accelerating steadily with 90 degrees apparent wind  the GPS showed 9.5kts speed over the ground, with the speed through the water probably 10 knots. With the rocks of Middle Head nearing we gybed the big sail easily and the sheets ran cleanly. Interestingly, the asymmetric tack is attached to a bridle that can be adjusted to change the angle of attack.

Deploying the snuffer, we dropped the  asymmetric, rolled out the jib and turned for home in the increasing breeze, which I thought would be a good time to throw in a reef. This was all done from the portside helm with the main halyard released on one winch while the other electric winch wound in the first reefing line. Undoing the reefing simply involved swapping the lines between the winches and hey presto we were at full sail again. This kind of easy sail handling has won Seawind many customers, such as the American couple, the Hennings, who sailed their 1160 across the Pacific to attend the 2009 Seawind Rally. Husband Tim pointed out that a big selling point for them was doing all the sail handling from the enclosed cockpit, a big safety factor when crossing an ocean shorthanded.

Heading for the marina under motor I opened up the engines and the triple-bladed folding Gori props propelled us to a respectable 8.4knots and interestingly, with one engine then throttled back, we continued on at 7.1knots.

Overall the Seawind 1250 is a complete package with enough options, including generator set and water maker, to make it a genuine bluewater cruiser, and with a build quality that proves Australian built boats can successfully compete with mass produced foreign competition.

Specifications - Seawind 1250
Price base boat: $697,595
Price review boat : $745,705 (with Coastal Cruise Pack)
Berths: 10
Cabins: 3 or 4
Heads: 2
Overall Length:  41ft/12.45m
Waterline Length :  11.97m
Beam: 6.8 m
Draft: 1.16 m
Underwing Clearance: 0.80m

Distributor/builder:
Seawind Catamarans,
Birkenhead Point Marina
Sydney
Tel: 02 4285 9985
www.seawindcats.com