fastest production catamaran

My Cruiser Life Magazine

Fastest Catamarans for Cruising in 2023

Catamarans appeal to sailors and would-be sailors for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is the need for speed—cats have a reputation for being faster. There are dozens of brands and tons of great boat designs that capitalize on this, and designers are constantly pushing the bounds and asking, “Really, how fast can a catamaran go?”

Performance sailing catamarans may look like your run-of-the-mill Leopard or Lagoon from a distance. But these boats are full of little tricks to boost their speeds—narrow hull designs, retractable daggerboards instead of keels, and extensive use of cutting-edge lightweight materials like carbon fiber. All of this adds up, so expect to pay double, triple, or maybe much more for a truly fast catamaran. And that means there are far fewer boats on the water, and owning one puts you in an exclusive club.

Neel trimarans, what is a fast catamaran, how fast can a catamaran go, are fast catamarans the boat you’re looking for, fast catamarans faqs, top brands of fast catamarans.

Here’s a list of some of the best-known and trail-blazing fast catamaran makers. These companies are making luxury performance catamarans suited for owners who want to cruise fast. These aren’t barebones race boats built for nothing but speed. Instead, these are comfortable boats that will outperform most others in their class.

Most performance boats will be 45 feet long or more. Small catamarans don’t fall into this category, and most production liveaboard catamarans are built too heavily in order to save money.

For more than two decades, Gunboat has been setting the bar on what a performance catamaran can be. They took state-of-the-art technologies from the racing world and applied them to family-friendly cruising catamarans. The company started in the US in 2002. One of the company’s stated missions is to create boats that sail faster than the wind in anything more than 6 knots of breeze.

Since 2016, Gunboat has built top-quality boats at their La Grande-Motte, France, facility. However, they are still a boutique builder making only a handful of boats yearly. Their current offerings include the 68, 72, and 80. All boats have narrow hulls, retractable boards, high-performance sail plans, carbon fiber construction, and luxurious living accommodations.

The first hull of the Gunboat 68, CONDOR, was launched in 2019 and set out on a trans-Atlantic crossing immediately after its sea trials. The crew wrote a detailed report of the experience and the boat’s performance. CONDOR exceeded 30 knots occasionally, but average speeds were between 14 and 17 knots. Their best 24 hours saw 328 nm (an average speed of 13.7 knots).

The company motto says it all. “Life is too short to sail a slow boat.”

Outremer Catamarans is one of the original makers of French performance cats, in business since 1984. According to their website, the company has made over 300 boats since then. A large-scale production boat maker they are not. These are custom-built fast catamarans of the highest quality, made for safety, comfort, and speed. Outremer recently received much attention when popular YouTubers Sailing La Vagabonde sailed aboard an Outremer 45 for several years.

Currently, Outremer offers boats ranging from the 45 to the 5X (48 to 60 feet long). The X models (4X and 5X) are even more performance-oriented, with more extensive use of carbon fiber and a more race-inspired sail plan.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Riley Whitelum (@riley.whitelum)

Catana is yet another French performance brand of luxury cruising catamaran. Today, Catana Group also makes Bali cruising catamarans, effectively marketing Catanas to the performance set and Bali’s to the cruising and charter set. https://www.catana.com

Presently, Catana is only making two models, the OC50 and the 53. Historically, however, Catana has made many beautiful boats. Notably, the 471 is a fast cruising catamaran that is a favorite among long-distance cruisers. On the smaller side, the 431 and even the 401 and 381 are quick and fun sailers that move better than their competition.

Catanas are easily recognizable by their daggerboards and narrow hulls with asymmetrical designs. In addition, they use a lightweight composite layup that results in a very stiff boat that weighs less than their competitors. Still, Catanas are not on the same level as an Outremer 5X or Gunboat–these are fiberglass boats that are built better than the competition and made to outperform many other boats.

HH Catamarans is Gunboat’s first real competitor in the high-end performance cat market. They started in 2012 and are part of the Hudson Yacht Group. The boats are designed by Morrelli & Melvin, a highly-regarded multihull design firm, and are built in Xiamen, China, or Cebu, Philippines.

HH has boats in their model line from 44 to 88 feet long. The company focuses on providing what owners and sailors want and are looking for, so you’ll see lots of customizability within the lineup. They include features you won’t find from a lot of builders, including lots of planned real estate for solar panels (5kW or more!), hybrid drive systems, and ocean cruising OC (keels) or sport cruising SC (daggerboard) models to pick from.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by HH Catamarans (@hh.catamarans)

Balance started in South Africa in 2013. They focus on making semi-custom, comfortable performance yachts that are strong and safe and can be easily operated single-handedly or by a couple. They are live-aboard boats that strike a balance between comfort and performance. But, compared to the current offerings from Lagoon or Leopard, it’s clear that Balance cats skew far more toward performance than others do.

Models currently range from the 442 to the 750. They’re available with daggerboards or keels and made with extensive carbon fiber and all epoxy-resin composites. According to their website, the current record speed for a Balance 482 while surfing is 28 knots. She’ll cruise all day between 8 and 14 on a reach, though. They describe the 482 as a “trend-setting circumnavigator”—the perfect boat for your sail around the world route .

Kinetic Catamarans are designed by Simonis Voogd and built in Knysna, South Africa. Like others on the list, these are semi-custom, luxury, performance cruising cats with an emphasis on speed. They have all-carbon construction, carbon spars, laminated sails, and a forward sailing cockpit deck layout.

Since they are truly semi-custom, each boat is spec-ed out to each buyer’s vision. This includes standard or racing rigs, centerboards or daggerboards, and many furnishings, layouts, and outfitting options. Kinetic currently offers 54 and 62-foot versions.

What’s better than two hulls? Three, maybe. That is, three might be better if your goal is truly fast sailing. Neel Trimarans is a new French builder attempting to capitalize on this simple fact by merging the best of all worlds—the space and liveability of a cruising catamaran with the performance, sail efficiency, and stability of an offshore-capable tri.

The company presently offers models between 43 and 65 feet. They say cruising speeds are reliably over 10 knots, with 15 to 18 knots when the breeze freshens. Compared to cats, these boats’ rigid central hulls allow for stronger rigging and better upwind performance, and the central keel allows better tracking and rudder control.

Now you’ve looked at some fast cats, you might wonder what constitutes “fast.”

You will be wowed if you’re selling your 30-foot monohull and moving up to a 50-foot cat. But if you’re coming from the world of car and plane travel, sailboats of any ilk are anything but “fast.”

The first thing to accept is that all sailboats are slow . This shocks many people who think they’d like to travel and see the world by sailboat. The marketing of these “fast cats” is everywhere, and the idea that the faster boat is safer because you can “beat the weather” is especially pervasive. No sailboat at sea can outrun a front or storm cell moving at 30 or 40 knots.

In truth, the fastest catamaran you can comfortably live aboard and cruise on will average out under 15 knots . In similar conditions, production catamarans might be doing 10 to 12. The monohull speeds of the same length might be 7 or 8 knots, and a bigger monohull with similar living space might be doing 10 or 12.

So don’t be lulled or wowed by these vessel’s maximum speed or “surfing” claims—they’re fun numbers to kick around with your dock neighbors, but what really matters is how many miles you can tick off in a day of travel.

To get more speed than this, you’ll either push the boat in ways that are not safe or comfortable at sea, or you will have to find bigger, more advanced, and even more expensive vessels. Most boats on this list are luxury liveaboard that is safe to travel the world.

But are they fast? As the old sailor saying goes, “Nothing goes to weather like a 747.” Sailing is still sailing. And sailing is a slow, slow, slow way to see the world.

Traditional monohull sailboats are displacement vessels that are limited by a few rules. As they push the water out of their way, they build up bow and stern waves. Push too much water, and the waves get bigger, pulling the vessel farther into the water. So no matter how you power it, it’s limited to hull speed. Hull speed is a factor of waterline length, width of the hull, and displacement.

Modern designs favor flat bottoms like powerboats, with the idea that they can surf and plane to get more speed. Catamarans take this even further, and with some clever design tricks , it’s possible to get a catamaran well above displacement speeds for extended runs. Of course, a lot depends on the hull type, and other factors are also at play.

Catamarans are very sensitive to weight . Their speed comes from being a lightweight boat with the ability to fly across the water, contrary to how a heavy monohull plows through it. The heavier the boat, the lower it sits in the water.

Therefore, adding weight to any catamaran will slow it down. To this end, finding a performance-oriented liveaboard catamaran less than 47 feet long is difficult. Less than this, and the narrow hulls simply can’t hold the weight of you and your stuff.

Finally, there’s the consideration of the environment you’re sailing in. The wind is obvious—they sail fastest on a broad reach. And, just like any other type of boat, they are slowest when close-hauled and on a run.

Rough seas are another of the catamaran characteristics to consider in your need for speed. Often the boat is capable of more, but the ride is rough and uncomfortable.

So you shorten sail and slow down to find the sweet spot of comfortable sailing speed—enough power to maintain a good speed without pounding your brains out and causing undo fatigue on the crew. And, of course, the rougher the conditions, the slower the boat’s performance as she slows and in the troughs and speeds “downhill.”

While they are faster than other vessels, that’s certainly not the only thing catamarans have going for them. Fast is a relative term, and “fast” sailing is still awfully slow. So unless you already love sailing, sailing fast might not have as much appeal as you’d expect.

Catamarans are great vessels with a lot of pluses. And these fast modern catamarans are some of the best—luxurious living space aboard comfortable, top-quality vessels.

What are the fastest catamarans?

Like those used in recent America’s Cup races, pure racing catamarans use foils to lift their hulls out of the water. Whether performance-oriented or not, regular catamarans for cruising are much slower, averaging between 10 and 15 knots. Still, they generally outperform monohull sailboats of similar lengths in most conditions, especially when sailing downwind.

How fast does a 50 foot catamaran sail?

There are many designs of catamarans, and they all sail differently. In some conditions, a pure racing catamaran may sail significantly faster than the wind speed. Most cruising catamarans, whether designated as “performance” or not, will max out around 12 to 15 knots. Momentary peak speeds may be significantly higher.

What is the fastest point of sail catamaran?

As with all sailboats, the fastest point of sail will be near a beam reach, where the apparent wind is 90 degrees from the boat’s bow. Since cats travel faster over the water, this usually means that the true wind is off the quarter, with a true wind angle of about 120 degrees off the bow.

How fast is the Gunboat 68?

Gunboat 68, hull number 1 (68-01), was launched in 2019. Immediately after sea trials, CONDOR crossed the Atlantic . The crew reported the vessel’s max speed exceeded 30 knots occasionally, with averages between 14 and 17 knots. Their best day was 328 nm, making the average speed for those 24 hours 13.7 knots (15.8 mph).

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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Top 10 Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers: For Families, Comfort and Performance!

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Cruising steadily and relaxing without a care in the world may sound like a fantastic idea. However, you need the right boat and the right support from the builder. I believe that catamarans are the way to go, but which brand should you go with? Today I have chosen a little bit different perspective on how to evaluate the best catamaran brands.

Leopard, Nautitech, and Catana are some of the best cruising catamaran manufacturers. They offer safe and easy to handle cats with impressive speeds. Leopard boasts the best family-friendly vessels, Antares is environment friendly, and Nautitech offers impressive performance.

If you’re ready to buy yourself a high-end cruising catamaran, read on. Prepare yourself to spend some money and land the life of your dreams. Pack your sunscreen, lean back, and relax—adventure is on its way!

If you are on the hunt for a catamaran (just as I am), I would recommend you check out my other articles, and maybe they can help you find the boat that suits your needs the best.

Best catamarans under $200k
Best catamarans under $100k
Best catamarans for blue water solo sailing
Best catamarans under 50ft
Best catamarans under 30ft


1. Leopard	95	20%
2. Outremer	72	15%
3. Lagoon	57	12%
3. Seawind	57	12%
4. Fountaine Pajot	45	9%
5. Catana	20	4%
6. Nautitech	19	4%
6. Balance	19	4%
7. Privilege	16	3%
7. Antares	16	3%
Other	63	13%

Table of Contents

1. Best for Families: Leopard Catamarans

As a fine example of build quality, we have the Leopard 48 , which has an excellent design and great handling. The brand is also known for pushing the standards of catamarans well past industry norms.

Leopard catamarans are known for being very sturdy and great oceangoing vessels

This sturdiness and high build quality have made leopard a somewhat pricier alternative than, let’s say, lagoon. But as we have come to learn the recent years (with bulkhead problems on the Lagoons), this price increase is probably something that you will save in the long run anyway.

Looking at the Leopard 42 above, we can see that comfort and space are offered in plenty; there are also other versions, but the most common is for the owner to make their own modifications suiting their specific needs.

2. Best Racing-Cruising Experience: Outremer

Even though Outremers haven’t built nearly as many cats as Leopard they definitely have managed to build a reputation equally as strong. Outremer, even though low in production numbers, comes in 2nd place in this poll of the best catamaran brand.

When you first look at Outremer’s website , you’ll see the words:

“Ultimate Blue Water Cruiser” outremer.com

For many this is true, for those of you who follow the youtube channel La Vagabond, they have an Outremer 45 and beautifully showcase how this vessel operates in all types of conditions.

Outremer is famous for continually improving and producing high-performance cruising catamarans in the ranges of 45 to 55ft. This can be seen by their after sales reputation which is said to be next to none.

Outremer also has an interesting perspective on being environmentally friendly, just read this quote from outremer’s commercial director:

“If you can sail at 5kts, you can sail 95% of the time” Matthieu Rougevin-Baville

Slow windspeed sailing is a priority for Outremer, this means less motoring, less noise, less pollution and opens up for better electric propulsion alternatives?

3. Best Customer Experience: Lagoon

Online shopping for catamarans can be complicated, but when it comes to Lagoon , they make sure you can easily navigate to find the right boat for you. The front page advertises their newest additions along with an educational blog.

“[You should get an] Early 2000s Lagoon. We own a 2001 Lagoon 470. Incredible boat” Jacob, Lagoon 470 owner

When you go shopping, Lagoon reminds you that delivery may be difficult due to the recent pandemic. However, they are committed to making sure you’re still able to enjoy your experience. Their cat variety is nice, but the features are even better.

Lagoon even has something called Club Lagoon, which provides extra benefits, including privileged events and personalized meetings. The main goal of Lagoon is to establish a friendly experience with its buyers. It’s quite clear that Lagoon sees you as more than just a customer.

Lagoon has come in some bad weather for the bulkhead issues of the L450, but to be fair this is only one model of many ever produced. Lagoon still stands as one of the top catamaran manufactures in the world.

They make sure that you feel comfortable and prove they care about you, not just your money. So, if you’re ready for a friendly experience, go with Lagoon!

4. Best Overall Experience: Fountaine Pajot

Fountaine Pajot states that their boats are designed for the best living space to provide comfort to help you enjoy the cruising experience the right way.

“ Fountaine Pajot – been living aboard our Astrea for 6 months and love it. Easy living, fun to sail, rides well. “ Jay, poll respondant

With features such as sunbathing areas, well-designed kitchens, comfortable cabins, Italian-style bathrooms, and more, this brand clearly focuses on making sure you get the best experience. So, if you’re looking to sit back and let the boat speak for itself, get a Fountaine Pajot. Remember that your comfort is their number one priority.

5. Best Reviews: Catana Catamarans

Much like the Nautitech, Catana designs their cat with a somewhat more open and “unprotected” helm oftentimes seen in racing, this allows for great visibility but can be stressful on the crew during long passages.

Catana remains one of the fastest production catamarans out there and you got to love their slogan:

“Performance by Nature” Catana.com

Everywhere you look, on Youtube, websites, or talking to owners, almost all of them love the Catana, some might not favor the helm position (but usually those are people who haven’t actually sailed a Catana) but all love the general feel and look of the boat.

The Catana is one the highest praised catamarans that I have researched but for some reason this doesn’t reflect in the poll.

6. Best Performance: Nautitech

Nautitech has a variety of catamarans such as the 40 Open, the 46 Open, the 46 Fly, the 54, and the 47 Power.

The 46 Open has a reputation for its unique experience with great safety and luxurious interiors. As for the 46 Fly, it’s best known for its revolutionary flybridge on a sailing cat.

“ Nautitech 46. Simple to sail. Great safety. Easy docking single handed. Fabulous access to engines water maker. Calorifier. Fast boat if kept light. “ Alan, poll respondant

According to their website , Nautitech is known as a brand that keeps in touch with the living at sea experience, all while providing immense comfort.

Nautitech was the first to create the idea of “open living” onboard by combining the saloon and cockpit into a large and functional living space. After all, their catchphrase on the opening page is “elevate your dreams.”

While they focus on comfort, the might behind it all sets it apart from other companies. With 200 employees producing 80 boats per year, you would almost assume the quality wouldn’t be as good. That’s where you’d be wrong. It operates at the perfect speed so you and your friends or family can enjoy ocean life.

So, if you want a catamaran with comfort and exciting history, get ready to sail with Nautitech.

7. Best Semi-Custom: Privilege Catamarans

Make no misstake these are not bad boats, but they are somewhat more rare to be seen and as such numbers will always lean towards the more common brands.

If you know what you want it’s a pretty high likelihood that privilege will be able to construct it for you, the brand is known as the midway between custom and production cats. Bringing benefits from both worlds into its own genre of boats.

The list of customizations is impressive and I would be surprised if you didn’t find what you were looking for, just remember, with custom boats comes custom problems , so maybe with semi-custom boats, you get semi-custom problems?

In some ways, this model is the opposite of let’s say Lagoon 380, which has hundreds of identical vessels and a large community of people around it.

Privileges are usually not the fastest cats out there, but if you are prepared to give up a little bit of speed you will most definitely enjoy sailing in great comfort on this masterpiece.

8. Best For Environment: Antares Catamarans

When it comes to vacations, you want to relax, but you still need to focus on safety, and Antares takes that cruising aspect seriously. If you decide to buy a catamaran from Antares (here´s a buyers guide ), you will find that they recommend you “get to know” your boat.

“ As far as actual cruising cats I love my Manta and getting a solid blue water boat under $300k is amazing. But I’ve been on a Antares. Wow. “ Jim, poll respondant

Antares is known for building blue-water capable vessels that are sturdy and excellent for liveaboards.

With a brand new design that focuses not only on space and comfort but also on bringing modern technology onboard and making it environmentally friendly, it’s clear that Antares wants the best experience for its cruisers and for the planet.

They redesigned the electrical system to create a diesel hybrid so you can cruise without having to worry about running low on battery power, all while doing your part in protecting the planet.

Something that is all too common on cruising cats is their poorly sized battery and electrical system making cruisers more often than necessary rely on the genset. With 1800w of solar panels, this is no longer an issue.

A few of their great features include a lightweight cherry wood interior, Corecell construction, and superior steering. This company clearly stands for comfort, relaxation, and safety.

Bonus Boat: Most Popular For Coastal Sailing, Gemini Catamarans

For nearly three decades, their Gemini 105mc has been the most popular catamaran ever built (measured by number of units sold).

According to the website , the Gemini 105mc surprises newcomers with its legendary performance. I would take this with a grain of salt, or two, or maybe a bucket full.

Although Geminis aren’t as beautiful or fast as the other cats on this list, they are much cheaper and smaller . Some Geminis even fit inside a regular monohull slip which will save you tons of money in marina fees.

These are no bluewater I-am-going-to-sail-the-world type of boats, but they are perfect for coastal and inshore cruising whether it be a weekend or full-on liveaboard.

When it comes to their new catamaran line-up, they have the Hull 1227, Hull 004, Hull 012, Hull 106, and the Hull 1223. While the prices may still be high, they offer discounts, and they recently announced they’d have price drops.

The popular Gemini 105mc that has been a legacy since 1981. It’s spacious, light, and airy .

Another interesting model is the Gemini Legacy 35 . While it’s not as popular as the Gemini 105mc, it still has some unique features.

They also have the Gemini Freestyle 37 , which is best known for its flexibility. It can be tailored as a basic family catamaran, day-charter boat, or for single-handed sailing . It also has a low starting price and can be tailored to suit all of your needs for the perfect cruising vacation.

In addition, they have the Gemini Freestyle 399 Power . It’s essentially a power version of the Gemini Freestyle 37. This new catamaran includes several storage areas, comfortable cabins, a vanity unit, a lounge area with seating for up to six people, and air conditioning.

This would be the perfect catamaran for a group of friends or family on a weekend sail.

Bonus Boat: Best Affordability, Manta

This fantastic brand has eight different models that range from coastal to offshore cruising.

Mantas are one of my favorite boats, but as soon as they show up for sale, they are gone.

There is also a Manta owners club which doesn’t seem to be very active at the moment as far as I can tell.

Final Thoughts

As we’ve seen, the best cruising catamaran brands focus on comfort just as much as they focus on safety. With luxurious experiences and tons of opportunities to relax while also experiencing the adventure of a lifetime, who wouldn’t want to cruise away?

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you hopefully start your sailing adventures. Here are some resources that I use as a sailor that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact things that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family. Sailboats: If you’re looking for the best boat to suit your needs, I would recommend a catamaran. If you’re interested, I can show you the differences between catamarans and other types of sailboats .

Books: For getting started, I really like Cruising catamarans made easy . It is actually a textbook from the American sailing association; it is used to get a cruising catamaran certification. There are some other great books, and I have compiled a list of books about cruising catamarans that you will find useful.

Communication: Being out on adventures, whether it be sailing or climbing mountains, good communications are essential to being safe. I recommend two things Google fi (incredibly simple cellular data all over the world) and Garmin inreach mini (for text and voice in remote areas without cell coverage)

Sailing courses: Online sailing courses are great for beginners starting out their sailing career; it’s an efficient way of learning the basics of navigation, throttle controls, and maritime safety. I suggest starting with two free courses from NauticEd .

To see all my most up-to-date recommendations, check out this resource that I made for you!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

Specifications

General Details

Length: 18.1m (59.3 ft)
Beam: 11.7m (38.4 ft)
Draft: 1.0m (2.5 ft)
Average light displacement (subject to final options): : 9,700 kgs (21,385 lbs)
Displacement (max load): 12,000kg (26,456 lb)
Headroom (average): 2.1m (6 ft 11 inches)
Mast height above water: 25.3m (83 ft)
Storage volume of floats (at greatest dimension): (l) 4.5m x (w) 1.3m x (h) 1.5m
Storage volume under cockpit (at greatest dim.): (L) 2.2m x (W) 3.3m x (H) 1.4m

Further information:

For detailed specifications, click onto Rapido 60 Specifications (30 Nov. 2021)
Click to download Rapido 60 General Arrangement .

Sailing La Vagabonde post a video of the launch of La Vagabonde III (Rapido 60 #04) on 2 November 2023. See video below.

Mainsail: 125m² (1,345 ft²)
Solent: 71m² (764 ft²)
Reacher: 130m² (1,399 ft²)
Asymmetric Spin: 225m² (2,422 ft²)
Stay sail: 25m² (269 ft²)

General Information

“I sailed Rapido Hull #01 on the Mediterranean Sea the other day and we were doing 14 knots upwind while cooking in the spacious kitchen!" Ferdinand van West (former F18 World Champion working with designers, Morrelli & Melvin ). ( Click here for original article in Catamaran Racing.)

Billed as the World’s Ultimate Ocean Cruising Trimaran , the Rapido 60 really is the Queen of the Oceans . It offers speed, safety, performance – and luxury.

The inspiration behind the Rapido 60 comes from Paul Koch (co founder of Rapido Trimarans), arguably, the man who has built more production trimarans than anyone else on the planet.

The design is by world renowned naval architects, Morelli & Melvin Design and Engineering who use some of the most sophisticated technology in the world. Triac Composites is our exclusive builder.

While the foam sandwich and carbon construction is lightweight which gives the boat its speed, it also provides an extremely strong and rigid structure that has been designed to withstand the might of the oceans.

An additional benefit of the foam sandwich construction is the high degree of insulation, protecting the Rapido when the sun beats down.

Morelli & Melvin enjoy a very strong international reputation. Their designs even include entries for the America’s Cup .

https://www.facebook.com/raceweek/videos/1868118026600225/UzpfSTM1ODI2NDQ5MTAwMzkyMjoxMDU2MjY4MzMxMjAzNTMx/

[Video caption: Take a tour onboard Rapido 60, Romanza with owners, Dougall and Jaz Love, during Hamilton Island Race Week.]

Morrelli & Melvin’s computer modelling said that the Rapido 60 was very strong. And so we tested it.

We bolted the centre hull of the Rapido to the factory floor in HCMC. We then brought in two mobile cranes – each took a diagonal corner of the two outer hulls. With one diagonal corner each, the two cranes began to lift while the trimaran’s centre hull remained bolted to the floor, causing it to twist. One tonne of lifting pressure… Two tonnes… Three tonnes…

As the trimaran twisted it began to creak and groan. But the sensitive electronic equipment we had measuring every move and twist remained unphased. Everything was within design parameters.

Seven tonnes… Eight tonnes… Nine tonnes…

The pressure was eased and the Rapido spring back into its original condition – totally unaffected by the enormous twisting pressure that had been placed upon it.

The computer modelling had accurately predicted the incredible structural strength of the composites used in the Rapido. The Rapido is built to take on the oceans.

Rapido is, simply, the Queen of the Oceans.

Incredible storage capacity

The Rapido 60 has amazing storage capability in the floats (4.8m x 1.3m), beneath the seats in the cockpit (2.1m x 0.5m) and in the forward cabin (1.4m x 1.2m x 1.2m).

The Rapido 60 has amazing, dedicated storage capacity. Floats (4.8m x 1.3m). Beneath the cockpit seats (2.1m x 0.5m). Beneath the cockpit floor (2.1m x 2.9m x 1.3m). Forward of forward cabin (1.4m x 1.2m x 1.2m).

FAST AND POWERFUL

Trimarans are safe, powerful and fast as demonstrated by the fact that they consistently win races and hold the solo speed record for circumnavigating the world.

Safety at sea is the No. 1 priority and this thinking is reflected throughout the design and construction of the Rapido.

The Rapido 60 has some truly amazing living spaces which provide more open, private and intimate areas than monohulls or catamarans.

stable and comfortable

Trimarans are comfortable on all points of sail.

The combination of safety, performance and comfort put the Rapido in a league of its own. The enormous trampoline nets add fun and excitement as you watch the blue water rush underneath you – or as you lounge on the nets while gently floating over a reef. You will be instantly hooked..

look inside the

Rapido 60 in action.

See more Rapido Trimarans videos (You Tube)

View all Rapido 60 photos

60 in the media

Below is a list of articles which have appeared in various publications regarding Rapido Trimarans.

Sailboat Review, Rapido 40, A sailor’s dream boat , by Mark Pillsbury, Cruising World magazine, 6 May 2024
Rapido host much anticipated launch of first Rapido 53XS , Sails magazine, 1 May 2024
Rapido 53XS – a peak speed of 24 knots during initial sea trials , by Emmanuel van Deth, Multihulls World, 19 April 2024
Rapido 53XS, the new 16m globetrotter of a trimaran , by Aldo Fumagalli, Vela magazine, 24 January 2024
First look – Rapido 53XS, a 20 knot cruiser , by Toby Hodges, Yachting World, 29 December 2023
Video. Sailing Bliss: Unveiling the Rapido 40 Trimaran – GIDDY UP!!! , by Naval Gazing at Camp David, December 2023
Video. The Rapido 53XS: Tour, review and ideas , by Naval Gazing at Camp David, December 2023
Rapido 53XS Review , by Yachting World, 9 November 2023
Video. Der Kat-Jäger: Carbon-Trimaran Rapido 40 aus Vietnam (“The cat hunter: carbon trimaran Rapido 40 from Vietnam”) by Yacht TV, 12 October 2023
Cruising World announces Rapido 40 as Boat of the Year 2024 nominee , Cruising World, 26 September 2023
Rapido 40 carbon trimaran from Vietnam – the test , by Michael Good, German Yacht Magazine, 21 September 2023
C-foils on a fast cruising trimaran? This looks rapid!, Rapido 40 tour, Yachting World magazine video by Toby Hodges, 8 September 2023
Rapido 40: The Alternative Trimaran , by François-Xavier de Crécy with photos by Ludovic Fruchaud, LE MONDE DU MULTICOQUE #24 by Voile Magazine. July, 2024.
The Rapido 40 is a 20 knot cruising tri , George Day, Cruising Compass, 24 May, 2023
Boat Review of Rapido 40, Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 4 May 2023
Rapido 40: ultra fast cruising in complete safety on three hulls , Maxime Leriche , SailboatNews.com, 25 April 2023
Boat anomaly: Rapido 40 Trimaran , No Frills Sailing, 19 April 2023
Rapido 40 – Fast, foldable and worry free!, Multihulls World magazine, No. 189, May-July 2023
Shipyard Focus: Rapido Trimarans , by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, August / September 2022.
Rapido, changing the game , by Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 23 March, 2022
Rapido 40: A livable sailboat for cruising on 3 hulls , Briag Merlet, Sailboat News, 23 February 2022.
Rapido, changing the game , (takes a detailed look at the cutting edge design and technology of Morrelli & Melvin) by Zuzana Prochazka, Multihull Sailor, December 2021
Boat Review: Rapido 50 , Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
Harnessing Speed , by Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
Rapido 60 Trimaran Boat Review: A Bold Gamechanger For Performance Bluewater Cruising , by Zuzana Prochazka, Yacht World, 23 September, 2021.
Harnessing the wind , by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, September / October 2021 issue, 6 page spread on Rapido Trimarans.
Sailing La Vagabonde choose Rapido 60 to sail world’s oceans , video announcement by SLV to their 1.59 million subscribers, You Tube, 8 June 2021
The Ultimate Racer-Cruiser: Clients on Romanza are turning heads on the racetrack when they’re not cruising at high speed , North Sails, 19 April, 2021
Making Short-handed Short Work – Onboard Rapido 60 , Anna Merchant, Sail-World, 11 February 2021
Rapido 50 News from the Shipyards , Multihulls World, 2 February 2021
Buyers’ Guide 2021, Rapido 50 , Multihulls World, 18 December 2020
“New breed” Rapido 40 & 50 , Yachting World magazine, November 2020
Cruising Helmsman reviews Rapido 60 , October 2020
Romanza takes top spot in Yates Cup , SEA Yachting magazine, September 2020
Rapido Trimarans relocates production arm into Vietnam , SEA Yachting magazine, Nov/Dec 2019.
Rapido Trimarans, On the March, Seahorse Magazine , October 2019.
(French) Rapido 40, un trimaran repliable de 12 m , Bateaux.com, 29 August 2019.
Rapido 60 – The most exciting production multihull in the world? (or click here for selection of quotes), Multihulls Magazine, Summer (July) 2019.
Rapido , Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, June 2019 (pp23-24)
Ineffable’s Steve Bourne: I’m a nutter for sailing , Daily Herald, 26 February 2019.
Rapido 60′ the fastest production multihull in the world? , International Multihulls World, December 2017
RAPIDO 60’ : Le multicoque de série habitable le plus rapide du monde? , Multihulls World, 23 November 2017
Finding Mrs Right , Boating New Zealand, August 2016
Blue Water Cruising Trimaran , Australian Multihulls World, August 2016
Rapido 60 , Cruising World, 25 August, 2016
Rapido 60 , by Emma Bamford, Sailing Today.

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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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12 Best Catamaran Sailboats

Best Catamaran Sailboats | Life of Sailing

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

The appeal of the catamaran sailboats in terms of speed , stability, and the ability to embark on long-range cruising has made them hugely popular with today's sailors. But what are the best catamaran sailboats?

Even though catamaran sailboats have become increasingly popular in the last few years, they have a truly rich legacy as one of the most sought after vessels for bluewater cruising.

Thanks to their incredibly wide beams and bigger daft, catamarans have become remarkably favorable for sailors looking to go for long-distance voyages, overnight cruising, and day sailing.

And if space is paramount for you when out there on the water, a catamaran sailboat is the only way to go as they offer extraordinary space to allow you to spend more time on the water with friends and family.

But even with all these amazing features, you're probably still wondering; what are the best catamaran sailboats?

Like their monohull counterparts, choosing the best catamaran sailboat can be quite overwhelming since there are lots of them out there. They come in a wide variety of designs and sizes ranging from small catamarans to huge ones.

The best catamaran sailboats can easily clock 250-mile voyages, offer incredible performance, and have layouts that can be easily optimized for individuals, charter markets, and great accommodation. In essence, the best catamaran sailboats offer respectable performance and offer good load-carrying ability.

That being said, here are some of the best catamaran sailboats that you can get your hands on.

Table of contents

Best Catamarans

Even though many multihulls are no longer built in the United States these days, the Manta 42 is a true American-built catamaran that brings good living and good value into one package. Designed cleverly for easy handling, this American built catamaran is a great choice for a liveaboard cruiser for sailors looking to go for long-distance voyages. Thanks to its trademark high bows and an enormously curved incorporated forward crossbeam, this catamaran is easily recognizable even from a distance.

It is designed with a uniquely fixed crossbeam, which is very different from conventional aluminum cross beams that support the tension of the forestay. This fixed crossbeam allows for a little bit of movement thereby helping in absorbing enormous twisting forces of the bows. As such, you have to keep in mind that there may be resultant stress crack particularly in the bow area of the vessel.

All in all, the Manta 42 is a superb offshore cruising catamaran that offers a good sail-area-to-displacement ratio as well as plenty of space and accommodation. The cockpit area is refined, luxurious, and is designed with additional stainless pushpit contraptions to help in holding objects such as wind vanes, dinghies, and solar panels. The boat's quality in terms of performance and stability is the benchmark of what a catamaran should be.

Fountaine Pajot Elba 45

Recently named the "Boat of the Year" for 2019 by Cruising World Magazine and Sail Magazine, the Elba 45 is the latest model in the incredible line of Fountaine Pajot catamarans. This boat was designed to replace the outgoing Helia 44 and stands to be one of the most popular catamarans with Fountain Pajot having sold over 100 Elba 45 hulls long before even the first one emerged from production.

This French-built cat brings to the fore a well-thought-out, safe, and dependable features with 10% less drag, efficient motoring, top-notch performance, and high speeds. It's also designed with fixed stub keels and slightly aft-raked bows, which are all essential in enhancing windward performance; something that most catamarans struggle with.

To improve on safety, the keels of this amazing catamaran sailboat are glued into a particularly designed recess in the hulls. This is to ensure that there are no keel bolts that can rip out and put the boat in danger if the boat gets grounded or in the event of a collision. The rig is also ICW friendly and is a true representation of a standard catamaran setup.

This is, without a doubt, a modern-looking cruising catamaran that has a low-profile lounging space on its deck, high topsides and bows as well as a more pronounced reverse sheer that's essential in minimizing the bulk of the windows while creating additional and useful volume below. This is a true catamaran that occupies a sweet spot for those looking to sail along the bay or for those adventurous sailors looking to set sail for more ambitious offshore cruising plans.

With its fine design, straightforward systems, and easy handling, the Leopard 48 has everything it needs to be ranked among the distinguished category of the best catamaran sailboats. This is an excellent multihull that is structured with advanced materials, designs, and innovations that are meant to be fun, spacious, and comfortable.

Designed in South Africa by Simonis-Voogd, is probably the best design in the Leopard family of catamarans. Its two hulls are vacuum-bagged using balsa core to offer maximum firmness while ensuring that the weight is on the minimum. This is done by articulately regulating the level of resin in the layup. With such types of hull shapes, this catamaran sailboat is very fast and can consistently clock 12 knots of speed against the currents.

The boat is also designed with shallow keels as they're filled with closed-cell polyurethane foam that's of great importance in increasing buoyancy and preventing water ingress. To enhance the safety of the vessel, the stern and bow both have bulkheads that are essential in keeping out that water if the sailboat is involved in a collision.

The hulls of this boat are deep and narrow, particularly below the waterline. They also curve higher up to practically reduce the wetted surface area while offering enough deck space and plenty of room for accommodations. Its cockpit is another excellent feature thanks to its lavish spaces that give you the chance of kicking back and relaxing.

This boat is designed to offer superior livability, quick and easy to handle features, as well as enough space for friends and family. It is designed with beautiful lines and immense practicality for those who want to go on long cruising voyages.

Antares 44i

While many people often believe that voluminous cruising catamarans should be used as charter boats, the Antares 44i brings a very different perspective altogether. Designed in Argentina as a complete bluewater catamaran, this is a boat that's specifically built for private boat owners looking for a sturdy and well-equipped bluewater cruiser. This is an absolutely gorgeous catamaran that has a fully-equipped cockpit just to ensure that you can safely operate it even when shorthanded.

Like most catamarans, the Antares 44i is designed with features that allow for long-distance voyages. It comes with a minimum bridge deck clearance of 30 inches, which is essential in mitigating bridge deck slap. The helm station is designed to offer excellent visibility over the coach roof without having to perch the helmsman high above the cockpit.

If you're planning to make those long-distance cruising to exotic places, you'll appreciate this boat's layout. The galley is put down in the port hull so that it doesn't compromise the size of the galley and the saloon. The forward-facing navigation station is up there with the best and is up to offshore standards. And that's not all; the Antares 44i comes with good mounting points for electronics, a large table, comfortable seats, and provides brilliant visibility outside.

This boat is perfectly suited for extended offshore cruising and is a great reminder for anyone who thinks that all catamarans are charter boats and all offshore boats are monohulls.

Designed by Philipe Pouvreau in northern Brazil, the Dolphin Ocema 42 is a truly unique catamaran sailboat that goes against the conventional norm of catamarans. It is equipped with daggerboards, which are essential in enabling it to point higher on the wind while reducing the wetted surface when running or anchoring in shallow surfaces. This, however, requires a higher level of expertise in sailing. This is because lifting the daggerboards higher up will expose the rudders while the daggerboards can also interfere with the hulls in the event that the vessel runs aground.

But even with that, the Dolphin 42 balances incredible performance and cruising comfort in a very compact package; something that is not very easy in bluewater cruising. That's why it's designed using a foam core to make it lightweight by reducing weight wherever possible. This vessel will most likely never let you down if you want to circumnavigate the bluewater on a high-performance boat that is safe and comfortable.

So if you've been looking for a real sailing catamaran that doubles up as a very comfortable liveaboard sailboat , look no further than the Dolphin 42.

Regarded as the best built and most stylish cruising multihull, the Catana 50 is a very huge catamaran sailboat. Measuring about 50 feet long with a beam of about 26 feet, this is an amazing catamaran that will test your sailing skills as a single sailor or if you're planning to sail shorthanded.

This boat is designed with a rig that gives you the option of using either a screecher or a self-tending jib. This may seem complex since the sheets are led to winches near each wheel while all other controls lead to a centerline winch that's located in the cockpit. But even with that, this sailboat can be easily tacked once on the course.

This is a real performance-oriented catamaran with efficient hulls and rigs allowing for top speed. This vessel is also designed with a long waterline and a subtle underwater shape at the bow to help in increasing volume while minimizing wave drag. The stern platforms can help in stretching the waterline length while also providing easy access from a dock or a dinghy. The board trunks are also very strong and sturdy to protect the integrity of the hulls if a collision occurs.

In essence, this is a very modern catamaran that's designed to safely make long-distance passages with ease. It is subdued in terms of styling but this doesn't mean that it falls short as far as performance is concerned.

Atlantic 42

Designed in 1993, the A42 has cultivated a legion of fiercely loyal fans thanks to its efficiency and aesthetic. This is the smallest of the Atlantic cruising catamaran line and is hugely popular with sailors thanks to its ease of handling, ocean-going capabilities, and superb use of space. From the forward cockpit, pilothouse to the sleeping cabins, and brilliant galleys everything about this cat is a true classic.

Unlike most catamarans, the Atlantic 42 is designed with a waist-high cockpit that's located forward of the pilothouse just behind the mast. It brings forth a solid construction thanks to the large metal girder-like bearers that run across the bulkheads. This helps the vessel in having the utmost strength, better air circulation under the engine, and a high level of flexibility as far as the size of the engine and its positioning is concerned.

Initially, the boat's style and its outlook were considered conservative but it soon became clear that it is built of high-quality materials and to last. The internal construction of the boat is impressive, to say the least. The exterior looks very beautiful and perhaps much more beautiful than most boats today. Its large aft cabin accommodation is a top drawer while the space separating en suite heads and shower compartments are considered a bonus.

If you were to board the French-built Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46, you'll agree that the high-quality of workmanship, layout, and efficient use of space is quite exciting, to say the least. This cat remains very popular among sailors thanks to its easy handling features and incredible performance under the sails. Well, this may not come as a surprise to many of us given that the Fountain Pajot is known for building some of the most remarkable cruising catamarans out there that it can be quite overwhelming to narrow down to a single vessel, but the Bahia 46 simply stands out.

This vessel is designed with hulls that are broader than those of many other catamarans. It's also designed with centerboards and daggerboards that are meant to enhance its performance. These are essential in minimizing draft while ensuring reliability, generous bilge, and in helping to protect the rudders and propellers.

This boat is big enough to manage any type of serious offshore sailing. This is one of the best cruising catamarans for anyone looking for the right vessel for long-distance sailing. This vessel has a very more generous rig than most cruising catamarans, which is essential in enhancing its performance. The six-post Bimini is very strong and clean and can perfectly hold dinghies.

In terms of its look, the Bahia 36 is designed with gorgeous lines with the deck and hulls sculpted with lines that add a touch of elegance to the overall look of an already excellent catamaran sailboat.

Gemini 105MC

Whether you're looking for a comfortable catamaran vessel to take you for a weekend sailing trip or a long sabbatical vacation on the oceans, the Gemini 105MC is a very satisfactory liveaboard catamaran vessel that offers spacious accommodation, thoughtful design, and a stable cruising platform for anyone who wants to have some good time on the water.

Designed by the legendary Tony Smith, this is somewhat a sailing cottage. Like a land cottage, it is cozy, comfortable, and very safe. This is essentially a 35 feet catamaran that offers great value for any sailing looking for a reasonably-priced catamaran sailboat for the weekend or holiday cruising.

This boat is designed with incredibly slim hulls, which are teardrop-shaped with flat bottoms and smaller wetted surface area. This is to ensure that drag is minimized and to lead to more leeway under sail. Each of the boat's hull is designed with a kick-up centerboard is of great importance in enhancing the vessel's windward pointing capability. This boat also has its rudders raised to enable it to seamlessly cruise in shallow waters where most vessels would otherwise run aground.

The eccentric narrow beam, which measures about 40% of the boat's length, is very different from today's 50%. However, its low center helps in keeping its stable, upright, and of course, safe.

Lagoon 450 F

If you're looking for a catamaran sailboat that offers prestige at its peak, look no further than the Lagoon 450. This cat is widely known for offering an all-around comfort without compromising its beauty, spaciousness, class, and elegance. This is an elaborate French catamaran that brings to the table fantastic craftsmanship while leaving nothing to chance.

This is a very safe 45 feet catamaran that's not just comfortable but also very luxurious. The deck layout is centered on an amazing flybridge, which has been redesigned and redefined to offer both the traditional and modern outlook. You can very easily access the bridge, engine controls, steering station in a matter of seconds. As a result, this boat is efficiently designed to give you the ultimate control of almost every situation while on the water.

The spacious and luxurious interior of this boat is worth experiencing. The cabins and saloons are perfectly lit. We're talking about four to six cabins, eight to twelve berths, and up to four bathrooms. In essence, this boat can comfortably sleep eight to twelve people. This boat is designed to offer ultra-modern accommodations and amenities that come with little but amazing touches; all designed to make your life inside the catamaran enjoyable.

An original performance catamaran cruiser from the iconic Gunboat manufacturer, the Gunboat 62 has truly cemented its place as one of the best catamaran sailboats to ever grace the oceans. Honestly speaking, this cat-inspired a whole range of other incredible boats including HH66 Catamaran and the Balance 526.

This is a boat that can perform admirably well in storms with a speed of over 35 knots despite being built using epoxy and E-glass with carbon-fiber structural components. It's designed with a distinct angular outline than most catamaran sailboats of its size and category. This is a vessel that was built for people looking to add more stuff and more gear for their voyages. In other words, you can have all the gear and equipment on this boat and still outperform a racing monohull of the same size.

Thanks to its lightweight feature, this vessel can sail upwind at speeds of over 17 knots and pinch up to 30 degrees. Just for comparison, the Gunboat 62 can tack through 95 degrees and still outperform the best racing monohulls. This boat is designed with a comfortable helm seat that offers 360-degree visibility as well as plenty of storage space, a functional working surface, and a luxurious cabin. Like many performance catamarans, the Gunboat 62 can attain about 20 knots if the conditions are right.

Privilege 615

Combining elegance, comfort, and style, the Privilege 615 is a lovely catamaran sailboat that seems to be always ready for a long offshore voyage. The roots of this incredible cat can be traced back to the 1980s when Philippe Jeantot opened up a boat-building company in France. As one of the best productions from the company, the privilege 615 sports a flybridge that comes complete with twin wheels, a sprawling sunbed, and other excellent features that will make your bluewater cruising a breeze.

Whether you want the charter version or a privately-owned version, the Privilege 615 is one of the most versatile catamaran sailboats. Step inside this vessel and you'll instantly notice the quality of the wood finish and the elegance of design. The advanced navigation station is not only ultra-modern but is perfectly stationed at a dedicated corner where you can control everything while still having a conversation with your friends and family.

This boat comes with multiple sleeping configurations to ensure that you and your guests can live aboard the boat for months on end. Although the boat appears like some sort of maze on the inside, you'll easily get used to it when you enter the forward section. That's not all; this boat has gorgeous lines that make the exterior beautiful just like the interior. Its sleek profile, incredible volume, and versatile interior make it one of the best catamaran sailboats out there.

There you have it; these are the best catamaran sailboats out there. It doesn't matter the one you choose, these cats will make your day out on the water and will serve you just right for your offshore voyages or for day sailing along the bays.

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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6 of the fastest boats you can buy right now

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Serial boat owner and adrenaline junkie Elliott Maurice picks out 6 of the fastest boats available on the market…

A rarefied segment of the boating industry is dedicated to creating some of the fastest boats in the world. They’re the Bugatti Chirons and Koenigseggs of the seas. Builders of these boats work to extreme tolerances, using exotic materials and construction methods usually found in the aviation industry.

Of course, at this level, low volume production and the aforementioned construction methods combine to create an exclusive product with an even more exclusive price tag. These super high-performance boats will be hugely impractical for most purposes, when compared to a typical leisure vessel, and the skipper will need significant ability to get the most out of it.

In reality any boat capable of speeds more than 60 knots (69mph) is very fast indeed. Given the hugely changeable nature of water compared to tarmac, this is akin to driving a car at around 120mph.

Most of the fastest boats use race-derived hulls with roots dating back to the 1980s when the ‘Go-Fast boat’ became synonymous with the glamor and excesses of the time. TV shows like Miami Vice , with Don Johnson catching drug dealers in his iconic Wellcraft 39 Scarab , helped make these boats extremely popular.

In reality, high performance offshore boats of this type were extensively used by cartels to run drugs into Miami, with the DEA commissioning a fleet of Blue Thunder powercats to help combat the problem.

Fast forward to today, some of the fastest boats are capable of exceeding 180mph with specialist engines and are in fact faster than the boats in Class 1 Offshore racing, where horsepower is limited to twin 1,100hp.

This list is by no means exhaustive – there are also a number of phenomenal offerings out there from legendary builders like Nortech, Sunsation, Donzi and Fountain.

6 of the fastest boats you can buy

Goldfish 46 Bullet

World’s fastest RIB

Top speed: 85 knots (99 mph) Price: $1.2million

Starting with one of the most revered names in the world of performance RIBs, Norwegian yard Goldfish Boats build exceptionally capable open water powerboats. They are also the fastest Ridged Inflatable Boats on the market today.

The 46 Bullet is the fastest of them all – with triple 500hp V10 Mercury outboards 85 knots is achievable. Around $1.2 million will put you in the driving seat of this exquisitely built boat with a carbon superstructure, state of the art electronics and custom racing seating for six.

Perfectly capable of cruising for hours in excess of 60 knots in challenging conditions, the Goldfish is capable of holding its own in rough water against almost any offshore powerboat challenger.

Article continues below…

Fastest boat: The current holder and contenders for the world water-speed record

fort-lauderdale-boat-show-2022-Mystic-M5200-4

Mystic M5200 yacht tour: On board the 70-knot, 2,400hp Bentley GT of the seas

Outerlimits SV50

World’s fastest production monohull

Top speed: 156 knots (180 mph) Price: $900,000

At 50ft 1in LOA and only 9ft in the beam, this rocket ship is a pure raceboat in design, with five steps in the hull and staggered engines to keep the driver as close to the centerline as possible.

At the 2023 Lake of the Ozarks shootout an SV50 with enclosed cockpit and twin 2,000hp engines ran 180.47 mph on a 1km run making it the fastest production monohull on the water.

More impressive is that a standard boat with twin Mercury Racing 1,350/1,550hp can easily top 140mph. However, this is a boat requiring an exceptional skill to drive, with handling characteristics as aggressive as its outright speed suggests. Starting at around $900,000 the SV50 is the ultimate in its class.

MTI Pleasure 52

Top speed: 156 knots (180mph) Price: $2 million

Another brand known for its offshore race winning boats, MTI produces nothing but high-performance boats. From its V series center consoles to its outboard -powered cats, this semi-custom builder doesn’t make a boat that does less than 80mph.

The 52 Pleasure is the fastest of the breed, with a full race version available using the same hull. With twin 1,750hp Mercury racing engines, this boat can achieve over 180mph.

With full custom options, MTI have even built a Lamborghini-inspired 48 footer to match the owner’s Lamborghini Aventador. Fitted with Aventador style tail lights and dashboard, the boat even had a matching covered starter button.

Needless to say, all this glamour doesn’t come cheap. You can expect a starting price of around $2 million for this level of exotica.

Cigarette 515

The most legendary go-fast boat

Top speed: 113 knots (130mph) Price: $2.2 million

No go-fast boat comes with as much pedigree as the Cigarette. Founded by the legendary Don Aronow, Cigarette Boats dominated offshore racing worldwide for over a decade, so much so that the brand name has become synonymous with offshore racers.

Still built in Florida, the brand has development ties with Mercedes AMG and Mercury Racing alike. As the largest high-performance boat in the range, the 515 offers peerless attention to detail and quality alike.

It is not the fastest production monohull, with a top speed of just over 130mph achievable with twin staggered 1,350/1,550hp Mercury Racing engines. It is, however, the best riding and one of the most capable offshore powerboats for handling rough water.

Its carbon fiber, vacuum bagged construction helps to justify its $2.2 million starting price and above all, it is the ultimate Cigarette boat.

Photo: Tom Leigh

Mystic C4000

Top speed: 108 knots (125mph) Price: $699,000

Mystics founder John Cosker is responsible for some of the fastest offshore raceboats in the world. Throttling his American Ethanol 50ft Catamaran, he hit 204mph this year setting the record on the Lake of the Ozarks sprint course.

Mystic will custom build a race winning boat for you on request, however Mystic now has a range of three high performance center consoles, with the C4000 outboard cat being the fastest production boat in the range, equipped with twin 500hp Mercury Racing outboards.

The C4000 will top 125mph and cruise in the upper 80s. With a bias on cruising comfort, the C4000 is a tuned down version of the Mystic race boat, with the tunnel compression reduced to hold the boat down rather than create the less controllable lift of the 180mph capable race hull.

The engines are also mounted on hydraulic jack plates to further trim the hull and keep the boat glued down in rough water. At just under 44ft the luxuriously appointed Mystic C4000 can offer performance akin to a light aircraft over distance – think Miami to Bimini in under an hour in the right conditions.

The Mystic is designed to run at speed confidently by most owners without the extreme characteristics of boats at this performance level. Options like a full cockpit sunshade, premium stereo and open transom make the C4000 as comfortable for lounging at a sandbar as it is running at blistering speed in open ocean.

Midnight Express 43 Open

The fastest center console boat

Top speed: 78 knots (90mph) Price: $1million

The center console market has exploded over the past few years, with a ceneter console now available for almost any boating application. The high-performance end of the spectrum has a handful of sublime builders.

However, the fastest arguably goes to Midnight Express 43, when running 5x 500hp V10 outboards. Capable of over 90mph, the 43 can also accommodate up to 20 people in comfort and 9 people at speed in luxurious quilted ultra leather bolster seats.

So good is the hull on the Midnight Express that Miami-Dade County DEA used the 39ft version as its high speed response boats. With its all-carbon superstructure and air-conditioned helm, the 43 is an extremely desirable boat, and over 100 units of this $1 million dollar boat have been sold to date.

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Your source for the latest news on yachts, boats and more. Read through our articles to find out how to compare boats and find the right fit for you!

[Updated] The fastest cruising catamarans of 2020

Jun 26, 2020

less than a min

[Updated] The fastest cruising catamarans of 2020

Catamarans are some of the most interesting boats to roam the oceans. They are not only considered great looking vessels with plenty of space for utmost comfort, but also fast boats that you can use in races. Performance catamarans are categorized as multihulls and offer unique design features in addition to unparalleled speed.

Several lists have been compiled to categorize the best catamarans every year. Here are some of the fastest cruising catamarans of 2020 :

Outremer Catamarans have made a name for themselves for being fast as well as fun. With the Outremer 45 as a wonderful representative, these catamarans are characterized by narrow bows and large rigs. The Outremer 45 features a smart design from Barreau-Neuman, constructed in the Outremer yard in the South of France. It is built in carbon, glass, vinylester and divinycell in order to be durable and strong. This boat can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots, with a comfortable sailing speed at 9-10 knots.
The Privilege Signature 510 is another fast cruising catamaran, recently acquired by the German Hanse Group. It is an elegant and sportive design with an arched coach roof. It features a galley, a living area, a carbon mast, and a very appealing exterior. This catamaran costs 995,000 euros.
The Marsaudon Composites ORC50 also makes this list. What is unique about these vessels is that they can be used for racing as well as cruising. Designed by Christophe Barreau, this boat features a sporty look with an angular coachroof, large inverted bows, a powerful rotating carbon mast, and a high freeboard. In addition, the ORC50 is a lightweight boat that allows it to gain speed quite easily.
Next in line are the Fountaine Pajot yachts. These boats present a good balance between comfort and performance, which has been what boat owners and mariners have been looking for lately. Most of their boats are able to sail at 9-10 knots with less resistance, while still maintaining a smooth voyage for the crew. Some of the fastest cruisers from Fountaine Pajot include Astréa 42 and Elba 45 .
Last but not least, the Gunboat 68 is a lightweight boat that is suitable for many sailing conditions. This multihull sailboat has high-aspect straight daggerboards, strong bows that manage to cut through waves, and retractable rudders. It also features different layouts that can house 4, 5, or even 6 cabins. The interior of the boat is a pure reflection of the external shape of the hull. All in all, this is an ergonomic design that aims to be flexible and easy to use by anyone on board. This catamaran costs 5.5 million euros.

These are the top five fastest cruising catamarans of 2020 according to us . Other impressive cruising multihulls include the Dolphin 42, Privilege 435, Fountaine Pajot Belize 43, Nautitech 44, Lagoon 440, Voyage 44, Outremer 45, Prout 45, and Leopard 45. Explore their features and more catamaran characteristics, keeping also a full record and management of your boating life with TheBoatAPP .

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Performance Catamaran Comparisons

Performance cruising cats are becoming more popular and mainstream. A lot more brands have become available on the market over the last 10 years. Some of the most popular and well known performance cat brands are Catana, Outremer, HH Catamarans, and Balance. These boats’ popularity is not only driven by their amazing sailing abilities but also by YouTube channels like Sailing La Vagabond with their Outremer 45 and Gone with the Wynns who recently bought an HH 50 OC.

We Joined the Performance Catamaran Enthusiasts!

Catamaran Guru acquired a Catana Ocean Class 50. We take possession of the boat in September 2022 at the Cannes Yachting Festival . After a hiatus for a few years to focus on the Bali range, Catana released in 2022 their Catana OC 50 that has the industry abuzz including ourselves. Its new bulkhead helm station, the open plan design, the comfort, interior spaciousness, and the affordability convinced us to take the leap and buy one. Read our review here>>

Let’s Look at Some Fundamentals

Of course, before we bought the Catana OC 50, we did a little research on the most popular performance catamarans. We wanted to see how these boats compare in performance. One of the big factors that determines performance is Power-to-Weight ratio (or sail area to displacement ratio). We calculated the Bruce number and SA/D for the Catana OC 50, HH 50 OC, HH 50 Performance, Balance 482, and Outremer 51 . This is not the be-all and end-all but one do get a good indication of performance for these boats in steady sea conditions.

But before we dive down into it, let’s heed this advice from two veterans in the industry. Measuring a multihull’s performance is a complex issue that we all tend to want to boil down to a simplistic solution, which it is not. In the words of Tony Grainger: “…as a species hard wired for optimism, we’re prone to magical thinking, especially in the hands of marketing pros and advocacy scientists delivering theoretical solutions to complex problems.” As he says, “Prediction of performance and actual Observation are two very different things”. Phillip Berman from Balance Catamarans concurs: “Even the most accurate input, polar performance numbers on cruising catamarans are seldom achieved”. So, take this for what it is, simply numbers on a spreadsheet.

Some definitions:

Bruce Number – a power-to-weight ratio for relative speed potential for comparing boats. It takes into consideration the displacement and sail area of main and jib (100% fore triangle only), no overlapping sails. Light boats are more easily driven than heavy boats and more sail gives you more drive.
SA/D (sail area / displacement ratio): indicates the power of the sail plan relative to the displacement of the boat, regardless of the length.

We used the Bruce-SA/D calculator to calculate the SA/D range of values:

16 to 18 Heavy offshore cruisers
18 to 22 Medium Cruisers
22 to 26 Inshore cruisers, racing boats
26 to 30 Extreme racing boats

Catamaran Measurements

Points of Consideration

We used the published numbers on the manufacturers’ websites to do the calculations and some of those numbers may be slightly off. We tried to verify but have not received feedback. Any input is welcome!
We used only the mainsail and jib area on all the boats to get an apples to apples comparison.
The “Lightship Displacement” quoted in each of the manufacturer’s specifications was used in the Bruce number calculation. Note there is an anomaly in that the Outremer, which is the biggest boat with the least carbon fiber, is quoted as being the lightest boat of the group. We think the lightship displacement quoted on the Outremer website might be inaccurate because it is unlikely that a predominantly E-Glass boat would be lighter than a full Carbon boat such as the Balance or HH performance. If anyone has reliable numbers for Outremer, we would love to hear from you! *We have received new information and have updated the weight of the Balance with new actual published numbers.

Some Observations and Conclusion

For performance cruisers there is a fine balance between speed and comfort and they are not for everyone. Speed does not always make for comfort. Operation of daggerboards, bigger and more powerful rigs and more complex running rigging require more skill, making them not suitable for the average cruising sailor. The conclusion we drew from this exercise is that all these boats are essentially very similar cruisers with very similar performance characteristics, except for the Balance, which stands out as the real performance boat. *Updated information shows that this boat is very similar now to the other boats. We believe that most of these boats are capable of good performance in light conditions, which is of course the beauty of a performance cat. These are our observations:

The measurements for these boats are all very similar.
Balance is the lightest boat (full carbon) at 25,353lbs 29321lbs with a big sail plan at 1,432 sq ft. These boats are super light and fast and moves in very light air. *We updated the Balance weight with new actual published numbers.
According to the SA/D numbers, the Balance is rated in the “extreme racing” category at 26.549 and a Bruce number of 1.292. The Balance turns out to be very similar to the other boats SA/D “inshore cruisers / racing boats” category like the other boats
The rest of the cats all fall into the SA/D “inshore cruisers / racing boats” category. So, these boats should all perform similarly and sail well even in light conditions.
The Catana OC 50 (carbon deck and bulkheads) and the HH 50 Performance (full carbon), surprisingly are rated very similarly. The Catana is heavier but has a bigger sail plan and thus has similar performance to the HH.
The HH 50 OC has mini keels rather than daggerboards and will likely not have the same performance to weather as the daggerboard boats.
The Catana is the heaviest boat at 31,164lbs with the biggest sail area at 1469 sq ft.
The Catana has the highest load carrying capacity of 10,723lbs – great for cruising and living onboard.
The fuel tanks on both the HH catamarans are 4 times the size of the water tanks which is curious and nearly double the size of any of the other cats. That seems a little odd, but we could be wrong.
Fuel capacities vary greatly between the boats, with Outremer having the least fuel capacity at 88 gal.
Water capacity varies slightly, also. Catana and Balance carry around 210 gals while the others carry around 100 gals, which is a bit small for live aboard in our opinion.

We also concluded that while these stats are interesting data, they should not be the overriding factor when choosing a boat in the performance cruising category. Other factors to consider include quality, comfort, livability, equipment, safety, resale value, etc. Price is also a very big consideration. Balance (South Africa) and HH cats (China) are way more expensive than the French-built cats, Catana and Outremer, partly because the Balance and HH Performance are full carbon boats while the others have carbon infused deck and/or bulkheads. We believe that the Catana’s interior volume and comfort make it an extremely livable boat while still having the performance benefits of an express blue water cruiser and it is extremely affordable at around $1.5 million.

Having said all that, with the advancement of technology, more people will be able to sail these performance cats safely and will be able to afford them as more hulls are built and costs come down.

Here is another very interesting analysis Sailing into Freedom. The top 10 performance catamarans – Dazcat 1495, ORC 50, Odisea 48, Balance 526, Outremer 45, Outremer 51, Catana OC, HH 50, OC 50, Balance 482, HH44, Seawind 1370, Seawind 1600, Slyder 49, Privilege, Windelo 50. We would love for everyone to join the discussion. Let us know what you think in the comment box!

Learn how to sail a performance catamaran

Our sailing school facility in Fort Lauderdale will start training on the Catana OC 50 with certified RYA instructors in March 2023. Contact us for more information about our sailing school dates and pricing.

Wanda Anglin

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Exploring the Catana OC 50 Catamaran: A Comprehensive Overview

The Catana OC 50 Catamaran, the latest addition to the Catana Ocean Class series,

For more than 30 years, we have been a part of the catamaran community and created Catamaran Guru™ to encourage and educate all the aspiring sailing out there. We understand the dream of traveling the world by catamaran and created a one-stop-shop to make that dream a reality for you.

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New catamarans: 2021’s most exciting launches

April 7, 2021

Fast cruising is the theme this year, say Toby Hodges and Sam Fortescue, who look at some of 2021's exciting new multihull launches

2021 looks set to be a bumper year for new catamarans as the trend for fast cruising yachts, which deliver plenty if living space continues. This year there are set to be several new catamarans on the market, here’s our selection of those about which we are most excited.

A group of wild enthusiasts in the landlocked Czech Republic are the force behind the new IC36 from Independent Catamaran. The debut model is a fully race-tuned cat that aims to appeal to speed freaks as well as performance cruisers. Oh, and it unbolts to fit inside a shipping container or on a trailer!

Perhaps closer in design terms to the Extreme 40 than a traditional cat, the IC36 has super narrow hulls, high displacement bows and an optional rotating carbon rig with composite stays.

A sporty-looking carbon beam braces the bows and doubles as a bowsprit for asymmetric sails. Deep daggerboards help windward performance, and there’s a racy dual carbon tiller providing direct rudder control.

“The first time I saw it, I just felt like it was from one of Jules Verne’s adventures,” says co-founder Jaromír Popek.

The boat has been optimised for electric propulsion with twin 6kW Oceanvolt saildrives and up to 15kWh of lithium-ion batteries giving a range of a couple of hours. Powerful hydrogeneration under sail keeps batteries topped up. For longer spells at anchor , there is also a decent 1.15kW array of Solbian solar panel s which folds away when not required.

As much fun as this boat should be to sail in its Raw racing variant, it is also available with more creature comforts.

The Pacer model has a coachroof, cockpit tent, more storage and cooking and freshwater systems. It can accommodate a reported eight people in the hulls, with a fridge and two-burner hob to port and a shower/heads to starboard. Or you can opt for a fridge and hob in the folding cockpit table.

Construction is in epoxy-glass composite with local Kevlar reinforcement and foam core, helping to keep weight down to less than 3 tonnes (key for trailering). And there are three buoyancy chambers in each hull, which underpin the claim that the boat is unsinkable.

For all the variants, the light weight and high-performance rig means you can sail in a breath of wind. In a blow, the sky should be the limit. Expect reaching speeds of 20 knots plus, particularly if you take the high-modulus carbon wing mast from Pauger.

Specifications:

LOA: 11.00m / 36ft 1in Beam: 6.20m / 20ft 4in Draught: 0.85-2.00m / 2ft 9in-6ft 7in Displacement (light): 2,500kg / 5,512lb Price ex VAT: €295,000 (for RAW) Builder: www.independentcatamaran.com

This new launch from the world’s number one catamaran brand is the largest in the range of ‘regular’ boats, before entering the more luxurious world of the Lagoon 65.

It has been drawn by VPLP and Patrick le Quement, whose design nous has done much to make cats more mainstream. Many of the features, therefore, will be familiar from the smaller boats.

However, that extra length creates more volume below, so the Lagoon 55 can be arranged with up to six true double cabins with ensuite heads. “It’s the first time we have six cabins of the same size and function and a larger flybridge,” explains products developments manager Martina Torrini during a premiere virtual tour of the first model to launch in March.

Another first is the curving steps up from the transom skirt to the aft deck, dubbed ‘the stairway to heaven’. “The surfaces of the transom can be used differently,” adds Torrini. “Not just a way to access the boat, they become in themselves a living area.” This feature extends the size of the cockpit to 25m2, and even offers a plancha grill.

There’s more social space on the huge flybridge (with fridge and bar) and a movable sunpad on the forward part of the coachroof. The boat also features Lagoon’s first ever dedicated forward cockpit, connected to the saloon by a drop-down window.

A 107m2 fat-head main provides grunt, but is coupled with a self-tacking jib. As with all Lagoons, the emphasis is on comfort and ease of use rather than speed and windward pointing ability.

LOA: 16.56m / 54ft 4in Beam: 9.00m / 29ft 6in Draught: 1.55m / 5ft 1in Displacement: 26,500kg / 58,433lb Price: €tbc Builder: www.cata-lagoon.com

Fountaine Pajot Samana 59

Replacing the five-year-old Ipanema 58, this luxurious 59-footer integrates many of the new design features of the 45, which boasted longer, wider hulls that nevertheless showed 10% less drag. Chief among the new attractions is an enlarged cockpit, forward lounge and flybridge, for more socialising space.

“We wanted to emphasise her identity by optimising her interior and exterior spaces to make this 59ft catamaran the equivalent of a larger yacht,” explains designer Olivier Racoupeau.

“Whether it’s the flybridge, the cockpit or the saloon, we’ve worked hard to find harmony between all the living spaces on board, to gain every millimetre inside and outside.”

There’s a door forward out of the saloon, and the option of a hydraulic bathing platform, which doubles up for tender storage. Up to six cabins are offered, and the rare option of putting the galley up in the saloon or down to port. Hull number one is joining the World ARC .

Meanwhile, a new 51 is tipped for launch in 2022, which will focus on sustainability and have 2kW of flush solar panels built into the flybridge.

LOA: 18.21m / 59ft 9in Beam: 9.46m / 31ft 1in Draught: 1.40m / 4ft 7in Displacement: 25,500kg / 56,217lb Price ex VAT: €1,302,900 Builder: www.catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com

The new 42 replaces the Leopard 40, and it draws on the latest design thinking from the larger boats in the range. Like the award-winning Leopard 50, it has continuous hull windows, a hardtop, and contrasting coachroof accents. But it also goes further, with plumb bows and long horizontal chines.

That lounging space on the coachroof adds 65% to the exterior entertainment area. “By integrating the geometry of the lounge into the GRP hardtop, we were able to achieve a lightweight area that added less weight to the boat than one average sized crewmember,” explains Michael Robertson, chief designer at builder Robertson & Caine. It has been cleverly engineered so as not to steal headroom from the cockpit.

In contrast to many modern cats, the Leopard 42 makes a virtue of the separate cockpit and saloon, whose seating is focused on the forward galley. There is lots of glazing and a full-height door out onto the foredeck. Every cabin has a third more floor space and twice the glazed area of the old Leopard 40. Each has an island berth and its own heads with shower.

But it’s not all about space. “Performance potential remains one of the top priorities,” says naval architect Alex Simonis of Simonis-Voogd Yacht Design. “We spend a lot of time refining the rig geometry and the sail layout to boost the efficiency of the rig plan. At the same time, the ongoing refinement in hull and appendage design allows us to create a yacht with better sea motion and more agility.

LOA: 12.67m 41ft 7in Beam: 7.04m 23ft 1in Draught: 1.40m 4ft 7in Displacement: 12,460kg 27,469lb Price ex VAT: €399,000 Builder: www.leopardcatamarans.com

The new entry-level yacht from France’s Neel Trimarans is designed to bring the world of three hulls to a new clientele.

Building on the success of the larger Neel 47 and Neel 51, the 43 takes the fight to the catamaran, with a big superstructure that includes two double cabins as well as a galley and saloon.

There’s a further double cabin forward in the central nacelle, and cosy singles in either bow. A sliding door and window allows the saloon and the cockpit seating areas to be socially connected, although they remain two very different spaces.

The bulkhead helmstation to starboard has commanding views out over the huge coachroof. From the drawings, this appears to allow a tight sheeting angle for the genoa, but brings the mainsheet, which is fastened to the transom, close to the davits and skirt of the central hull.

The main is square-topped with two full battens and there is also a high-performance carbon spar option.

Though the lay-up is in standard foam-cored glassfibre, Neel says it is leaning towards more environmentally friendly construction. Interior joinery is from sustainable Alpi wood and recyclable material.

LOA: 13.11m / 43ft 0in Beam: 7.50m / 24ft 7in Draught: 1.50m / 4ft 11in Displacement: 9,000kg /19,841lb Price ex VAT: €329,800 Builder: www.neel-trimarans.com

Marsaudon Composites has quietly built an enthusiastic following for its TS42 and TS50 catamarans since the smaller boat was launched six years ago.

That these have been the first boats to cross the Atlantic in the last two ARC s has also done its reputation no harm.

The yard is based at Lorient La Base, at the heart of the French offshore racing scene, so it’s perhaps no surprise these designs are lightweight and offer plenty of performance.

The direct tiller steering, which gives a responsive feel to the helm, is an example of the thinking that sets these boats apart from other multihulls and makes them sought after models. Yet they also have enough space both on deck and below to offer very comfortable living.

A 57-footer from the board of Marc Lombard will be the third design to join the stable. It shares the same hallmarks as the existing models, although a wheel steering option will also be offered.

In suitable conditions this is a cruising yacht that can be expected to hit speeds of well over 20 knots.

The hull shape is clearly a progression from the earlier models, while following the same light displacement principles with fine hull shapes. Lombard drew a new shape for the bows to increase efficiency and reduce the tendency for bow-down trim. He told us: “The bows are shaped so that, when the boat is powered up and starts to heel, the lee bow will generate extra lift to push the bow up.”

The additional size makes the interior spaces of this boat significantly larger than those of the 50-footer, especially in the hulls. Much thought has also gone into ergonomics and weight saving, stripping out and simplifying anything that is not essential. CEO Damien Cailliau likes to draw on a quote from Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars: “Simplify, then add lightness.”

As an example, there are no hull linings, which saves weight and complication, but requires extremely neat moulding. “A core competency of Marsaudon Composites is that we produce excellent mouldings,” says Cailliau, “so we don’t need to hide our work.”

Article continues below…

Outremer 4X on test – a high-performance liveaboard cruiser that is built to last

It’s a mix of everything you need for cruising and what you want to feel for performance,” Loïck Peyron said…

Seawind-1260-new-catamaran-yachts-bow-running-shot-credit-Salty-Dingo

Seawind 1260: Lightweight catamaran making waves on both sides of the Atlantic

The Seawind 1260 has been well received in the States, where the brand has a strong following, but these multihulls…

As a low volume builder – only 28 of the smaller boats have been built in total – Marsaudon Composites can offer semi-custom interior arrangements, providing they don’t add unnecessary weight. The boat can also be built with varying amounts of carbon to reduce displacement further.

At the same time as announcing this design Marsaudon launched a rebranding of the range, which will now be known as Ocean Rider Catamarans (or ORC). The new name is a better fit with the qualities with which owners identify than the Très Simple concept that led to the original TS designation.

To underscore the difference between these boats and the majority of catamarans in this size range a tiller has been incorporated in the logo.

Tooling for the ORC 57 is under construction and the first boat is scheduled to be unveiled in September 2021.

Base price ex VAT: €1,085,000 Builder: www.marsaudon-composites.com

Current Marine CM46 & CM52

The founder of RS Sailing , Martin Wadhams, is a racing sailor who now spends more and more time cruising.

Martin and his wife, Amanda, enjoy sailing fast boats and have spent some time looking to upgrade from their Pogo 12.50 to a multihull. Their search for a true performance cruising catamaran – and one that wouldn’t cost seven figures – turned out few viable options.

Australian-based designer Jeff Shionning put them onto some fresh designs he has done for Current Marine, a new South African brand formed from an experienced team of composites experts at Knysna, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on the south coast.

It has been set up to build the new CM46 and CM52 in low-volume semi-custom production. On visiting the yard a year ago, Wadhams was impressed enough with the high tech builds to order the second CM46.

He reports that the joinery is all laminated in, there is plenty of opportunity for layout customisation (in three or four cabins) and, owing to the lower labour costs in South Africa, pricing is keen.

Shionning’s CM designs are lightweight, efficient catamarans that should be able to sail well in light breeze and outrun weather systems in the open ocean.

Key features include daggerboards, fine bows, centralised weight of engines and tanks, and high bridgedeck clearance. The rig is also positioned amidships for optimum weight centralisation, while also helping to create a large foretriangle for flying a range of furling headsails. Aluminium or carbon spars and diesel or hybrid propulsion are offered.

Wadhams says there is good stowage space and payload capacity for comfortable liveaboard cruising. “They’re built using post-cured epoxy, carbon, E-Glass and PVC foam-cored laminates – a level above mainstream brands,” he insists. “This brings the construction found in a few larger, high-end boats into smaller-size catamarans.” The first CM46 is a full carbon racing version destined for an Auckland-based owner and is due to launch early 2021. The second boat (for Wadhams) has a more cruising-oriented spec.

Prices ex VAT: CM46 €635,000, CM52 €787,000 Builder: www.currentmarine.co.za

Seawind 1370

Is this the most popular new design of 2021? Although the first of this new 45ft model is not due to launch until later in the autumn, there has already been a phenomenal uptake in orders.

Publicity has been helped by vloggers Sailing Ruby Rose ordering one of the first boats, but a staggering 55 have been sold already. This has led to the Australian/Vietnamese yard establishing a new technical department that is separate from the production department.

European sales manager Jay Nolan says this 13-strong team is tasked with working up every system on the boat and looking at hybrid solutions.

Price ex VAT: €599,000 Builder: www.seawindcats.com

Outremer 55

A contemporary fast cat set up for short-handed world cruising, Outremer’s exciting new 55 launches this winter.

We previewed this VPLP design in our September issue and hope to test it during the spring. Much focus has been placed on weight and stiffness to help increase performance and ensure the boat can sail in the lightest breezes and therefore rarely need engine power.

Price ex VAT: €1,215,000 Builder: www.catamaran-outremer.com

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World’s Fastest Cruising Catamaran Launched in STX
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COMMENTS

The 8 Fastest Cruising Catamarans (With Speedchart)
The TS, or Tres Simple, cruising catamarans, designed by Marsaudon Composites, are some of the fastest cruising catamarans in the world. Marsaudon developed the ship's plans using racing boats' streamlined designs and combined them with a cruising catamaran's comfortable living spaces.
2022 Boat of the Year: Best Performance Catamaran
With a powerful, versatile sail plan—as well as light, solid construction and go-fast daggerboards—the Balance 482 is a go-anywhere cat that puts a premium on performing, which made it the perfect choice as Best Performance Catamaran in the 2022 Boat of the Year contest.
6 Best Performance Cruising Catamarans (Buyer's Guide)
Performance cruising catamarans are impressive-looking vessels that focus on speed above comfort. These fast boats are ideal for racing and long cruising vacations. But with the numerous brands and models on the market, how do you know which is the best one?
High Performance Speed Boats: The Ultimate Go-Fast Guide
Catamarans are the fastest high-performance boats available. There is no speed between a catamaran and a V-hull of the same length with identical- a catamaran will always be faster.
Fastest Catamarans for Cruising in 2023
In truth, the fastest catamaran you can comfortably live aboard and cruise on will average out under 15 knots. In similar conditions, production catamarans might be doing 10 to 12.
Top 10 Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers: For Families, Comfort and
Much like the Nautitech, Catana designs their cat with a somewhat more open and "unprotected" helm oftentimes seen in racing, this allows for great visibility but can be stressful on the crew during long passages. Catana remains one of the fastest production catamarans out there and you got to love their slogan: "Performance by Nature"
5 of the best new ocean cruising catamarans for 2024
This aluminium exploration catamaran has its roots in more than eight years and 50,000 miles of voyaging on a 2005 41ft production catamaran - and the lessons learned and problems encountered ...
Performance cruisers: the best new catamarans for racing and fast
Performance cruisers: the best new catamarans for racing and fast cruising 2018 Toby Hodges August 20, 2018 0 shares TAGS: multihulls
Onboard the beast: the fastest production cruising yacht yet?
Marsaudon Composite's new ORC57 may be the fastest, most powerful cruising cat ever. Toby Hodges tours the first model at its 2022 boat show debut Become a ...
The Neo 400 is claimed to be the 'fastest cruising 40-footer'
A sign that brags 'the fastest cruising 40-footer in the world' is a sure-fire way to attract attention. My first impressions of the Neo 400 stern-to at the Genoa Boat Show made me question ...
The world's fastest sailor on pushing a performance catamaran to the
The world's fastest sailor on pushing a performance catamaran to the limit Yachting World 163K subscribers Subscribed 647 54K views 6 months ago
Performance Cruising Cats Set New Standards in Sailing Speed
"The first [modern] catamarans to emerge came from racing," says Marc Van Peteghem, of the famed French design firm VPLP, which has designed some of the world's fastest multihulls. "The provenance of high-performance multihull cruising goes a long way back. It was the American designer Dick Newick who started this evolution. His concept was about simplicity and lightness. The forms ...
The Cruising Catamaran Performance Debate
While the Fountaine Pajot dealer touts the superior performance of their brand, actual data shows that the Lagoon brand has won more ARC cruising rallies than any other brand of cruising catamaran. These are hardly the statistics of "just a charter catamaran that sails in 50-mile circles and lacks performance", as is claimed by this dealer.
Rapido 60
Billed as the World's Ultimate Ocean Cruising Trimaran, the Rapido 60 really is the Queen of the Oceans. It offers speed, safety, performance - and luxury. The inspiration behind the Rapido 60 comes from Paul Koch (co founder of Rapido Trimarans), arguably, the man who has built more production trimarans than anyone else on the planet.
Best Cruising Catamarans, Sailing Catamaran Brands
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.
12 Best Catamaran Sailboats
The appeal of the catamaran sailboats in terms of speed, stability, and the ability to embark on long-range cruising has made them hugely popular with today's sailors. But what are the best catamaran sailboats?
The Top Catamarans of 2020
Aspen Power Catamarans, a Burlington, Washington-based builder, specializes in its own original take on multihull production boats. Its newest offering is the full-displacement C108.
Fast Speed Boats from Mystic, MTI, Skater, and Outerlimits
The Bristol, R.I., builder does offer a 48-catamaran, but really the company's bread and butter is its stepped hull, epoxy and carbon fiber V-bottom line from 37 to 52 feet long. The fastest Outerlimits ever built reportedly hit 174 mph, but that was a full-canopied 43-foot offshore race boat with twin 1,500-hp engines.
Fast Bluewater Cruisers: the best new performance bluewater catamarans
These bluewater cruisers offer the perfect combination of speed and performance for proper bluewater cruising ability
6 of the fastest boats you can buy right now
Serial boat owner and self-confessed adrenaline junkie Elliott Maurice picks out 6 of the fastest boats available on the market…
[Updated] The fastest cruising catamarans of 2020
This catamaran costs 5.5 million euros. These are the top five fastest cruising catamarans of 2020 according to us. Other impressive cruising multihulls include the Dolphin 42, Privilege 435, Fountaine Pajot Belize 43, Nautitech 44, Lagoon 440, Voyage 44, Outremer 45, Prout 45, and Leopard 45. Explore their features and more catamaran ...
Performance Catamaran Comparisons
Performance Catamaran Comparisons Performance cruising cats are becoming more popular and mainstream. A lot more brands have become available on the market over the last 10 years. Some of the most popular and well known performance cat brands are Catana, Outremer, HH Catamarans, and Balance. These boats' popularity is not only driven by their amazing sailing abilities but also by YouTube ...
New catamarans: 2021's most exciting launches
Fast cruising is the theme this year, says Toby Hodges, who looks at some of 2021s exciting new catamarans from high perfromance cats to cruisers

Fastest Catamarans for Cruising in 2023

Table of Contents

What are the fastest catamarans?

How fast does a 50 foot catamaran sail?

What is the fastest point of sail catamaran?

How fast is the Gunboat 68?

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Top 10 Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers: For Families, Comfort and Performance!

1. Best for Families: Leopard Catamarans

2. Best Racing-Cruising Experience: Outremer

3. Best Customer Experience: Lagoon

4. Best Overall Experience: Fountaine Pajot

5. Best Reviews: Catana Catamarans

6. Best Performance: Nautitech

7. Best Semi-Custom: Privilege Catamarans

8. Best For Environment: Antares Catamarans

Bonus Boat: Most Popular For Coastal Sailing, Gemini Catamarans

Bonus Boat: Best Affordability, Manta

Final Thoughts

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

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