catamaran boat builders uk

READY FOR YOUR NEXT BOAT?

We have over 30 years of boat building experience catering for a wide range of workboat projects reach out to us and let us know how we can help..

Windfarm Support Vessels

Survey Vessels

Patrol Boats

Fishing Boats

Passenger Vessels

Accessibility Boats

Why blyth catamaran workboats, blyth catamarans.

We are specialist designers of GRP catamaran workboats with over 30 years of experience in building vessels for various marine applications.

We build survey vessels, passenger workboats, fishing, patrol boats, commercial and recreational dive boats and crew transfer boats.

Working alongside our customers, we produce bespoke in-house designs for all our clients, taking into account their specific workboats usage and any specific needs our customer may have.

We offer a unique brokerage service for clients. All boats listed are originally built by Blyth Catamarans Ltd.

SPECIFICATION

All our catamaran boats are built by our vastly experiencd and highly skilled boat builders from the initial moulding to hand-over.

We are constantly investing in new ways and new technology so that all our workboats are on the forefront of design and specs.

Quality, Performance & Stability

Bespoke GRP Boat Builders

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• 07508 126921

Skillfully crafted & engineered to last

Cougar catamarans, uk based manufacturer of, cougar catamaran leisure & workboats, mca approved 10-14 metre work boats, cougar displacement, welcome to audacious marine boats & mouldings ltd, uk manufacturer of mca approved cougar catamarans based in ramsgate in kent, on the southeast coast of england., truly impressive fishing vessels, vessels manufactured to order in 6-14 metres, 3 build options available, quality workmanship & practices, fully scms & mca approved, for a commercial fishing boat, angling boat, workboat, private boat and shallow drafted survey vessel or crew vessel, you can’t get much better than a cougar catamaran, our company, build options, technical specs, choose your build option, mouldings kit, full structure, view technical specifications, cougar catamaran specifications, wheelhouse specifications, engine specifications, other specialist services.

We also specialise in the following  services from our Ramsgate workshop

• Commercial GRP Repairs
• Specialist GRP Parts & Mouldings
• Electrical & Mechanical Work
• Anti-fouling
• General boat maintenance

Our Cougar Catamarans are fully approved by the SCMS  Small Commercial Vessel Authorised Certifying Authority and MCA (Maritime & Coastguard Agency).

We use Technautic Marine Windows ISO 12216 certified aluminium marine windows and doors.

Our business meets the British Marine Federation Code of Practice and complies with UK standards, guaranteeing you top quality manufacturing.

Start planning your new boat...

Take the first step and get in touch with us using this contact form. You only need to tell us brief details about what you’re looking for and we will get in touch to discuss the details. If you like what we say, we can arrange to send you a price guideline.

TESTIMONIALS

A lovely 7 metre Cougar Catamaran by the team at Audacious Marine.  This craft has now completed more than 1000 hours without issue and with exceptionally low fuel consumption, being run at a constant speed of 13kn with the two Selva Murena 25XS Outboards.

Audacious Marine Boats & Mouldings Ltd. Sally Shed, Military Road Ramsgate, Kent. CT11 9LG.

Registered in England, registration no. 12347588.  

Registered address: 3 High Street, St. Lawrence, Ramsgate, England, CT11 0QL.  VAT registration no: 344 294 494.

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James Wharram Designs

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Dream, Build, Sail

Build your own catamaran renowned for its seaworthiness, stability and safe simplicity. All Wharram plans are drawn for the first-time builder.

A Global Family Of Sailors

The Wharram World circles the globe. Wharram catamarans have been built and are sailing in all the World's oceans.

Trusted, Proven Designs

We believe the ancient Polynesians knew a thing or two about building boats to last. Wharram catamarans are proven survivors.

Mana 24: Boat In A Box

Assemble her yourself from pre-CNC-cut plywood parts. Keep it at home, trail it and sail it anywhere.

Seaworthy. Simple. Affordable.

Building your own boat with Wharram Designs is the easiest and most cost effective way to fulfil your sailing dreams. Wharram Self-build boat plans start from only £120.

Wharram designs are based on years of practical, hands-on experience of building and ocean sailing catamarans. They are renowned for their seaworthiness, stability and safe simplicity. Designs from 14’ - 63’ are available for self-building in ply/epoxy with very detailed, easy to follow Plans often described as 'a course in boatbuilding'.

Study our Self Build Boats to familiarise yourself with our range of designs and their unique qualities. Download and read the Wharram Design Book which reviews each design in detail and offers a detailed introduction to the world of self-build catamarans. Order and download Study Plans and immerse yourself into the boat builder's mindset; evaluate the costs; the amount of time required to build your boat; where you will build it and where you will eventually launch it.

Once you have decided on the boat that is right for you, order your Boat Building Plans . All Wharram building plans are drawn for the first time builder, so anyone with a modicum of practical ability can build one of our designs. Our Building Plans present quality instruction, guidance and advice for both novice and professional alike. They are all based on decades of actual building experience and thousands of ocean miles sailed.

Go on adventures and live the life of your dreams. Spend your weekends coastal trekking and camping, or live aboard and spend your days sailing around the world. Become a member of the global family of Wharram builders and sailors. Wharram catamarans have been built and are sailing in all the World's oceans and can be found in far away ports and anchorages.

The quality of the Wharram self-build catamarans is reflected in their popularity, excellence of craftmanship and sound sailing qualities. More than 50 years on - with over 10,000 sets of plans sold and thousands turned into proud vessels - Wharram 'Cats' can be seen in harbours across the world, maintaining the highest reputation for surviving wind and wave.

Find Out More

Self-Build Boats

Index of Wharram self-build catamarans. Familiarise yourself with our range of designs and their unique qualities.

Choosing A Boat

To help you select a design, read our practical advice about basic requirements, building times, building methods, and costs.

How We Design

Several articles giving an in-depth look at our core design principles and how they are reflected as seaworthy, stable vessels sailing the oceans.

James Wharram: Lifetime Achievement Award

A special award was presented to James Wharram for a 'Lifetime Achievement' as Pioneer catamaran builder - sailor and multihull designer.

About James Wharram

In the mid 50's, based on his research into ancient Polynesian boat design, James Wharram built the first off-shore Catamaran in Britain and sailed it out into the Atlantic. While the world's yachting community still did not accept such a design as a worthy sea-going vessel, James was landing his 23'6" 'Double Canoe' called TANGAROA in Trinidad in the West Indies.

There he built a second 40' Polynesian style Catamaran, RONGO, and in 1959 sailed it up to New York and back to the UK accompanied by two German women - being the first to sail a catamaran West-to-East across the North Atlantic. These amazing Trans-Atlantic crossings and the follow up book ' Two Girls, Two Catamarans ' have etched the name 'James Wharram' into the annals of yachting history.

Since then, James Wharram has been designing, building and sailing offshore catamarans longer than any other multihull designer. James was a 'hands-on' designer having, over his lifetime, built personally many of the prototype designs. These prototypes were built in the open, in barns, workshops and all the range of building sites available to self-builders, in a variety of climate types from northern European to the Tropics. James was often referred to as a 'Living Legend' or as written in 'Yachting Monthly' in January 2006: "James Wharram is considered by many to be the father of modern multihull cruising."

James’ last achievement was his autobiography published in 2020 as ' People of the Sea ', which he wrote in conjunction with his design/life partner Hanneke Boon. James died in December 2021 at the age of 93. The design business is carried on by his co-designer Hanneke Boon .

People Of The Sea - German Translation

We are pleased to announce that James Wharram's autobiography 'People of the Sea' has been translated to German and is now available to order. People of the Sea is the life story of iconic catamaran designer James Wharram, from a Wartime childhood in Manchester, to mountaineer, to pioneer catamaran sailor in the 1950s, to designer of modern Polynesian catamarans. It is not just a book about his designs and sailing, but covers many aspects of his philosophy and ideas, on politics, lifestyle, psychology, experimental marine archaeology, boat construction and his relationship with the ocean and its 'people of the sea'- the Polynesians.

• Read more about People Of The Sea - German Translation

Tiki Odyssey

From Kos to Kefalonia. Father and son, in a self-build Wharram Tiki, survive a winter passage across Greece. The call came on Thursday. "Hey, Dad. There's a weather window, all next week. It could take us all the way to Monemvasia, maybe even round the Peleponese." Our plan was to sail our self-built Wharram Tiki 26 from its birthplace in Kos to its new home in Kefalonia, a winter passage of over 400nm east to west across Greece. A compelling read.

• Read more about Tiki Odyssey

Hui Wharram Cornwall Gathering 2024

We are having another Annual Hui! 3rd - 5th August 2024. This Hui will mark 70 years since James designed his first Catamaran 'Tangaroa' and we are excited that we will be mooring at Devoran Quay just a 5 minute walk from the Wharram Headquarters based in Cornwall. It would be lovely to celebrate his achievement with all of you.

• Read more about Hui Wharram Cornwall Gathering 2024

Pacific Islander History Month

This month of May in America is 'Pacific Islander History Month' and we at James Wharram Designs would like to join in and celebrate alongside them! As you may know, double canoes/catamarans are of ancient Polynesian origin. The modern day catamaran is a direct descendent of these original ocean-going vessels.

• Read more about Pacific Islander History Month

James Wharram's Last Ride

On 23 July, a motley fleet of self-built catamarans gathered off Cornwall to give James and Ruth Wharram their final escort. It was a fitting farewell to a legend. The ashes of James and Ruth Wharram were consigned to the sea to be carried by the ebb current out to the open ocean.

• Read more about James Wharram's Last Ride

Hanneke's Atlantic Adventures (Part 3)

My new home for the next two weeks was Ontong Java. She had crossed the Atlantic a week after us and was moored off the beach in Port Louis, on the North West coast of Grand Terre.

• Read more about Hanneke's Atlantic Adventures (Part 3)

James' Eulogy

Hi everyone. I'm Matt. And apart from being truly honoured to be here to help send James on his way to his next adventure, I am here above all as a representative, really, for the many many people worldwide who's lives have been changed, for the better, as a result of James' life work.

• Read more about James' Eulogy

A Living Legend Lives No More

We are very sad to announce that on the 14th December James Wharram left this earthly world, joining Ruth, Jutta and his many close friends that departed before him. At 93 years old his spirit has set out on the voyage to sail the oceans of heaven.

• Read more about A Living Legend Lives No More

People Of The Sea - Compact Edition

The new second edition of the autobiography of James Wharram and Hanneke Boon is now available! This more compact edition at the lower cost of £16 contains all the text and illustrations of the special first edition. An easier size to fit the bookshelf on your boat. A must for all Wharram enthusiasts and other sailors.

• Read more about People Of The Sea - Compact Edition

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Building a future

Of sustainable innovative solar yachting.

Sunreef Yachts is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of luxury sailing and power multihulls.

Each catamaran, motor yacht, and superyacht built is a bespoke creation. Every yacht is a vision brought to life, thoughtfully designed to deliver luxury, style and comfort.

EXPLORE OUR CATAMARANS

Sailing yachts, power yachts, superyachts, with a  360°  approach.

to eco cruising, they offer cutting-edge electric propulsion , naturally-sourced sustainable materials, smart energy management and new technologies including a patent-pending solar skin produced in-house.

Green Propulsion for Eco Catamarans

Renewable energy on yachts, energy efficiency on yachts, sustainable finishing materials.

Equipped with the world’s first and only composite-integrated solar panel system and using the industry’s lightest batteries, the Sunreef Yachts Eco catamarans provide the best of autonomy and energy efficiency for environmentally-conscious luxury cruising.

The Sunreef Yachts Eco harvest power from the sun more efficiently than most solar catamarans. First in the world In-house pattented designed and manufactured by the shipyard, Sunreef Yachts’ solar panels are fully-integrated with the composite bodywork, vastly increasing the amount of solar power generated.

OUR AMBASSADORS

Fernando alonso.

brand ambassador since: September 2021

Two-time Formula 1® World Champion Fernando Alonso commissioned a custom 60 Sunreef Power Eco catamaran with Sunreef Yachts.

brand ambassador since: June 2022

An unstoppable and passionate adventurer, Mike Horn has accomplished a series of groundbreaking expeditions including a legendary solo journey around the equator without motorized transport

LATEST NEWS

Creating History in Custom Yachting: Sunreef Yachts X Manutti

Hailing from Belgium, Manutti is a renowned outdoor luxury furniture brand founded by CEO Stephan

Sunreef Super Cat on the Rise: 100 Sunreef Power 2.0 Launched

Sunreef Yachts, the world’s leading luxury catamaran shipyard, proudly announces the 100 S

E1 Team Rafa & Sunreef Yachts Eco

A New Partnership begins Sunreef Yachts Eco joins Rafael Nadal’s E1 team as Official Partner. T

80 Sunreef Power Eco wins the International Yacht & Aviation Award

Sunreef Yachts Eco celebrated a spectacular victory at the International Yacht & Aviation Awa

IYC Appointed as Sunreef Yachts Exclusive Dealer in the UK

Sunreef Yachts is proud to announce a new partnership with IYC, appointing them as the Exclusive

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Pre-Owned Catamarans

2015 RAPIER 550 BY BROADBLUE

• Build Year: 2015
• UK - Emsworth

2018 BROADBLUE 346

• Build Year: 2018

Luxury Cruising Catamarans

Luxury performance catamarans, latest news & events.

• 07 Jun 2023

ARC Bluewater Open Day June 10th 2023

We are pleased to be attending the ARC Bluewater Open Day in Lymington. We will have the Rapier 550 on show, and be available to advise about all aspects of offshore cruising in a catamaran.

• 20 Mar 2023

Multihull World show Broadblue 346

Multihull World will be exhibiting a Broadblue 346 at the South Coast and Green Tech show 21 - 23  April at Ocean Village on Southampton.

• 18 Jan 2023

New Broadblue 425 catamaran

Our latest long range family cruiser with Broadblue qualities of easy sail handling, build quality and effortless performance

World class luxury cruising and performance catamarans.

Broadblue Newsletter

The Cheetah range has been developed over the last 25 years by Sean Strevens. Each series is introduced by length, although it is the beam which remains fixed. Length variations mean Cheetah can build to each customers load carrying requirements whilst maintaining similar waterlines and optimum fuel economy. It also allows greater flexibility with licensing and moorings.

Cheetah Adventure Series 2.55m Beam, 6.9m Length, 7.2m

6m series     2.4m beam   length: 6.2m, 6.9m, 6m series   2.55m beam length 6.2m 6.9m, 7.2m series   2.55m beam   length 6.9m, 7.2m, 7.9m series   2.7m beam   lengths: 7.9m, 8.5m series   3m beam   typical lengths: 8.5m, 8.9m, 9.95m series 3.6m beam   lengths: 9m, 9.95m, 9.2m series   3.7m beam lengths: 9.2, 9.98, 10.2, 11.2m, 11.2m series 3.7m beam flybridge and long foredeck options, 8.9 x 3.4m beam       typical lengths: 8.5m 8.9m, cheetah r630 – 6.3m rib – eco/ev ready, deck mouldings.

Adventure Beyond Your Horizon

FOR THE GLOBETROTTERS,

TRAIL-BLAZERS, DAY-TRIPPERS, CAMPERS, STARGAZERS, EXPLORERS;

FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY...

ARCHIPELAGO EXPEDITION YACHTS BREAK THE MOULD TO OFFER YOU EXCEPTIONALLY ENGINEERED BLUE-WATER CATAMARANS. WE OFFER ATTAINABLE LUXURY, WHILST PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF PERFORMANCE.

Our yachts are equally at home crossing oceans, exploring high-latitudes, or simply taking your friends and family out for a day in the sun.

Based in Hampshire on the South Coast of England, Archipelago Expedition Yachts are designed by a close-knit team of exceptional British naval architects, and are built on the Isle of Wight: the home of world yachting.

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CAPABILITY

Each yacht is built from aluminium and designed from the outset as a hybrid, ocean-capable motor catamaran, engineered to push the boundaries of capability as well as providing luxurious living space for your family and friends. Their striking appearance defies what a catamaran has been, and opens your world to all it can be.

FOUNDED BY A LIFE-LONG SAILOR

Archipelago was founded by Dr Stephen Weatherley, a life-long sailor and boat enthusiast, who expected and wanted more… more adventure, more space, more exciting design, more sustainability, and more accessibility for those who are less able to access the traditional yachting market. He wanted to share all this with other sailors, and so Archipelago was born. Find out more about the Archipelago Expedition Yachts adventure here .

ARCHIPELAGO 47

The yacht that defined the brand: the 47 foot (14.5m) ocean-capable Archipelago 47. Bridging the gap between performance, range and luxury accommodation, the Archipelago 47 offers the ultimate adventure.

Born from the highest-quality design and engineering, the Archipelago 47 offers ultimate performance, functionality and comfort.

The Archipelago 47 is also now offered in collaboration with Twisted Marine to showcase the ultimate in engineering and design.

SUSTAINABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL

Sustainability and a reduced environmental impact are also paramount in the philosophy of Archipelago Expedition Yachts. Aluminium has a lower environmental impact than traditional fibreglass, and has the added benefit of being able to be recycled at the end of the vessel’s life. We engineer silent running, with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion as standard. We can harvest rainwater, and use solar for ultimate off-grid living. Expect more... demand more. 

BESPOKE COMMISSION

Everyone’s requirements are different and so, included in the price of every Archipelago Yacht, are a number of hours of naval architecture to allow us to customise to your requirements. 

We love nothing more than working closely with a future owner, and our naval architects, builders and interior specialists to ensure every detail is how you want it to be. We encourage those future owners to visit the build, and have a hands-on experience of seeing their yacht take shape. We are with you every step of the way and approach every yacht as a partnership.

CHARTER OPPORTUNITIES

Our Archipelago 47 is available to charter. She is based in Ocean Village, Southampton and available for either bare-boat or skippered charters. She is coded for diving, fishing, filming, and general leisure use. Please contact us with your requirements.

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Phantom Marine Ltd

Professional boatbuilders, repairs and

marine engineering services.

 Phantom Marine is the builder of the well known British boat the Aquafish 185, 23’, 28' and more recently the PMC 9m or 10m work catamaran, added to our line up now is the Aquabell 33'. 

The Aquafish name has been trusted by many for its excellent sea keeping qualities and tough boat build quality.

At Phantom Marine we pride ourselves in building high quality fishing boats;  we do this by engaging with our customers to gain a clear understanding of their needs before creating a bespoke or custom specification to suit their needs.

We maintain our high standards by building every boat from scratch on our site on the river Yare, Great Yarmouth, ‘from mould to sea’, carrying out all installation and fit out works in house.

We also offer the  following full boat repairs, insurance quotations, lift outs, marine engineering, Marine electrics and Fibreglass trade counter. 

Services we offer

• Boatbuilding
• Marine engineering
• Repairs and maintenance
• Fibreglass fabrication/subcontracting
• Boatyard Facilities/ Lift outs
• UK Wide Offsite repairs
• Insurance Quotes/repairs
• Fibreglass trade counter
• GRP hatches/doors, parts etc.

Great Yarmouth Marine Base, Breydon Road, Great. Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 0AJ

07909 997777 | [email protected]

Copyright © 2023 Phantom Marine - All Rights Reserved.

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production Strider 24

plywood Romany 34

lightweight 14ft Zeta mainhull

Strike 15 trimaran at speed

28ft Skoota in British Columbia

10ft 2 sheet ply Duo dinghy

24ft Strider sailing fast

36ft Mirage open deck catamaran

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• Download Eclipse logbook (300 page pdf)
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Welcome to this, the Woods Designs web site which we hope you will find is an interesting and useful introduction to our range of boat designs.

Based in the UK, Woods Designs is run by Richard Woods and specialises in the design of multihulls for both home and professional builders. Founded in 1981 we now boast possibly the most comprehensive range of catamaran designs in the world.

Click here for stock designs, which range in size from 8' to 38' and types include beach catamarans, open deck cruising catamaran, bridgedeck cabin cruisers, racing catamarans and trailable boats. We also have six small trimaran designs, eight power cats and a few dinghies. Over the years we have designed a number of one-offs, up to 70ft, so if you don't see your ideal boat here please contact us with your requirements and we may be able to help you with an unlisted design.

Click on the photo, right, or use the link in the heading menu, to see the complete list.

Boats can be built in a range of materials of which the most popular include sheet ply, cold moulded ply, strip plank cedar and foam sandwich. Like most designers we do not offer plans for catamarans built in steel or aluminium.

Nearly 3000 plans and over 200 production catamarans have now been sold. Boats are sailing all over the world. Cruisers have made many comfortable ocean crossings in complete safety while the number of trophies won is testament to the speed of the racing designs.

This site is now very large, so please use the Search Button top left to help you navigate round the site.

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Experience an Oyster for yourself this summer at one of our international boat shows or private views. Book your exclusive tour today

ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

The Oyster 675. A versatile sub 70 foot ocean sailboat, designed for global adventures

ENTRIES OPEN

Entries for the oyster world rally 2028-29 are now open. embark on the sailing adventure of a lifetime.

OYSTER 565SII

The new Oyster 565 Series II. The pursuit of perfection continues

BUILDING MY OYSTER

Watch as Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey builds his Oyster 885

Náutica y Yates Magazine

Oyster World Rally: A new world for adventurers

Oyster yachts.

Explore our award-winning, rally-proven fleet of luxurious bluewater sailing yachts

The world's finest bluewater yachts

The DNA of our 50ft to 90ft ocean cruising yachts is rooted in over 20 million bluewater sailing miles and more than 100 sailing circumnavigations. We use this experience to refine our explorer sailing yachts so they are capable of taking you anywhere in the world in complete luxury, comfort and safety.

Our luxury sailboats are the ultimate hybrid adventure machines, offering owners life-enhancing experiences. Safe, well-provisioned and hand-crafted with exceptional materials, each Oyster liveaboard yacht for sale displays an unparalleled attention to detail and the outstanding skills of our British master craftsmen and women. We are committed to building something great that nurtures the passion of the Oyster family in ways that are always beyond expectation. As a result, Oysters are renowned the world over as the finest luxury sailing yachts for sale. On an Oyster, the world is yours.

Effortless adventure

Embark on the Oyster World Rally, the sailing adventure of a lifetime

The latest from Oyster

OYSTER SERVICES

Discover world-class services and customer support

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OYSTER WORLD RALLY

The new 565 Series II

The pursuit of perfection continues

Oyster Charter

Experience exhilarating sailing, luxury and style on an Oyster charter

New 565 Series II

LUXURY CHARTER

Experience exhilarating sailing, luxury and style on an oyster charter. personal, exclusive and uniquely oyster.

Oyster 825 iSNL

Discover this exceptional late model 825 with a unbeatable spec and a bespoke layout.

oyster ownership

Personalised care, unforgettable experiences and lifelong yacht support, oyster world rally.

Embark on the sailing adventure of a lifetime. Entries are now open for the Oyster World Rally 2028-29

Follow the Oyster World Rally 2024-25 fleet live

Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. She is a new breed of luxury 50 foot yacht, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A magnificent, award-winning sub 60 foot sailing yacht, offering luxurious living space and outstanding shorthanded sailing capability.

A beautifully proportioned 60 foot, luxury liveaboard bluewater cruiser, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A superb sub 70 foot ocean sailboat offering versatile luxury living space and impeccable sailing performance.

An inspired 75 foot yacht, offering infinite configuration options, generous luxury living space and flexible crew quarters.

Oyster 885SII

The remarkable, iconic 90 foot sailboat, perfect for relaxed luxury voyages of discovery.

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We are specialist providers of bespoke marine & engineer services

Boat Building

Alicat are highly experienced boat builders, specialising in steel and aluminium, across all marine sectors. We also build vessels from the range of sister company South Boats IOW Ltd as well as vessels to customers bespoke designs

Service, Maintenance & Repair

Our naval architects have a portfolio of vessel designs in aluminium, steel or glass reinforced plastic (GRP) to suit most sectors. We can work to existing customer designs, or develop new vessel designs for you.

Engineering

Providing complete fabrication and machining services across sectors including energy, onshore and offshore facilities, industry and plant, food production & manufacture, farming and agriculture, marine and civil engineering

World-class design & build technical resource and capability to turn aspirations into reality

Marine Electrical

Our electrical division design, manufacture and install complete electrical solutions across all sectors including cruise & ferries, yachts, workboats, survey vessels, and military craft

MIKE WALLER 

Yacht design.

WE SPECIALIZE IN BOAT PLANS FOR AMATEUR BUILDERS

We provide stock boat plans for both monohull and multihull sailing vessels, including sailing skiffs and sharpies. Our designs mainly feature timber construction, in plywood or cedar strip plank composite construction, using the W.E.S.T. system (wood epoxy saturation technique). Our designs are intended mainly as cruising boats, although several have done well in racing. All designs are suitable for amateur boat builders.

 MONOHULLS

 multihulls  , photos from our builders.

Photo galleries are provided on each design page where available

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PO Box 900, Morayfield, Qld, 4510, Australia

Email:  [email protected]

Welcome to The Multihull Specialists

Catamaran and Multihull Specialists – Complete Yacht Services

The Multihull Centre Yard is based in South West England

We are situated on the tidal banks of the River Tamar and our location opposite the historic port of Plymouth provides easy access to the yard by sea or land. With our complete multihull specialist services all in one place it is the logical choice of location for any catamaran or trimaran project you are undertaking. It’s also the perfect place to store your boat over winter, or on our pontoons in summer for easy access to the beautiful southwest coastline. Surround yourself with multihull geeks and experts – the people who work here and the customers between them provide a wealth of knowledge and experience you’re unlikely to encounter anywhere else. We welcome all enquiries and are happy for people to work on their own projects in the yard or use our services. Nothing multihull is too big or too small for us – we’re always happy to talk to you about your plans and how we can help.

When Toby Hodges from Yachting World visited our yard he captured the essence of who we are perfectly in his write up “Millbrook – Home of the British Multihull”

What do our customers say?

Our aim is to offer an ‘all in one place’ specialist service for multihulls.

Scroll through for just a few comments from across our services

They treated the boat as if she was their own

WATER SPRITE – Leopard 48

Peter & Elizabeth Mullins

We were 12 months into our circumnavigation on SV Water Sprite, our Leopard 48 catamaran. We’d left Sydney, Australia in April 2019 and were heading up the Atlantic in early 2020 when COVID hit. We had been aiming for the Med but had to divert to the UK and find a safe haven for ourselves and the boat – thankfully the Multihull Centre was recommended to us.  

Water Sprite had taken quite a hammering coming up the Atlantic, so although we were back in Sydney, the Multihull Marine team organised repairs including replacing (and significantly upgrading) the mast and standing rigging, replacing the rudders and engine mounts. As we worked (remotely) with the team we identified a range of possible improvements which morphed into a significant upgrade and refit for Water Sprite.

The work that has had the biggest impact on life onboard is the electrical refit. Water Sprite now boasts 3.4KW of solar panels – four fixed panels on a newly built solar arch; another 12 flexible panels on the bimini; backed up with 4 lithium ion batteries (1320 Amp hr). This enabled us to ditch the generator, replace the gas cooktop and oven with an induction cooktop and combi oven, plumb in the water maker, and an extra fridge, plus install a washing machine! Getting gas out of the saloon is great and access to creature comforts thanks to the sun has transformed life onboard – and it’s great to be able to say ‘no thanks’ to power plug ins at marinas!  

Because we were remote for 2 years while all this work was undertaken, we had to trust the team with so many decisions – our trust was well founded. The guys designed and delivered an amazing upgrade and took incredible care over every detail. They treated the boat as if she was their own. While no-one wanted COVID, there was a silver lining for us, thanks to the Multihull Centre team, and we’re now taking full advantage of that as we resume our circumnavigation.  

If you would like to talk to us about the refit, and our experience of working with the team at the Multihull Centre, please get in touch.

Dazcats have pulled off 'having their cake & eating it'!

Carly & Dom from Sailing Cadoha  – after sailing on D1495 Hissy Fit

“Many of our preconceptions were smashed in only a few short hours onboard. It was a lot of fun to sail that fast and the boat still be so comfortable. It was clear that so much thought has gone into the design over the years to try and strike the perfect balance between the space many seek on a cat, but also high performance speed and the ability to point so close to the wind still.

It really feels as if you’ve managed to pull off ‘having your cake and eating it’!”

The staff are extremely knowledgeable and happy.

Max Liberson

Multihull Centre customer

“Since I have been down in the Multihull Centre I have noticed what good company Dazcat is. The boats look marvellous and the staff are extremely knowledgeable and happy. It’s something that is noticeable.

John Busby the engineer came on board Trinity (the trimaran I am doing some work on) last week and sorted out the generator that was not starting. He is that last of a long list of engineers that have tried to sort that generator over the last 12 years. He found the source of the trouble that no one else has been able too. Just because he really wanted to fix it and had the patience to wade through a wiring diagram that simplified rather than explained. He found two wires had been connected wrongly from the factory! With people like that working for you I cannot but expect that Dazcat will go from strength to strength, enjoy your success, you are earning it!”

This multi-hull paradise is recommended for anyone visiting this coast.

Maarten Bakker

Cruiser stopping off for a visit /

Editor of the club magazine of the Dutch Multihull Association

“…This multi-hull paradise is recommended for anyone visiting this coast. Even if there’s a danger that you’ll stay longer than you had planned…

We are still down in Millbrook creek. Great to catch a breath and enjoy the multihull scene at MultiMarine and the yard where the Dazcats are built. We got a tour dor Simon Baker along the different sheds and were able to see with our own eyes how craftsmanship and dedication lead to fantastic results. And we also met Darren Newton who is working on some lovely new projects…”

The Dazcat 1295 will do everything we want it to do

Owners of the new build Dazcat 1295 pre-launch July 2022

“The whole family did a secret ballot writing pros and cons between different boats, including monohull. The Dazcat 1295 won hands down.”

Extremely good customer service and expertise

Bennett Allen

Adult and Offshore Programs Director, Sail Maine August 2021

 “Simon and Multimarine have provided extremely good customer service and expertise to  SailMaine since our acquisition of the boat in the Spring of 2020. I have been very impressed with how responsive, supportive, and knowledgeable Simon has been, even though we are not the original owner of the boat. It is clear Multimarine takes pride in their craftsmanship and wants to see their boats sailed well and cared for, period.”

It is difficult to think of anywhere else in the UK with the same facilities and experience for multihulls

Bruce Sutherland, Dazcat owner

“We have always found boatyards to be helpful. What makes the Multihull Centre exceptional is that you don’t just get help from other owners; you get help from craftsmen who have been building, maintaining and sailing multihulls all of their lives. From Striders, Heavenly Twins and Prouts to full carbon AC45’s they have done it all. The [yard] guys are always happy to simply advise or to carry out a full-service repair depending on your budget. With the new boat lift and continuing investments in equipment it is difficult to think of anywhere else in the UK with the same facilities and experience for multihulls.” 

You're right up there at the top with the best of them

Nigel Irens – Yacht Designer

Nigel Irens Designs

Safehaven Marine

When You Demand Strength and Sea-Keeping

World Speed Record holders with our own vessel and crew

Safehaven Marine are designers and builders of FRP Pilot boats, Patrol boats, Crew transfer vessels, Hydrographic survey catamarans, Naval & Military craft and unique custom Private Motor Yachts. All our vessels are built to the highest standards of strength & engineering and are renowned world wide for their exceptional sea-keeping abilities. Established in 1996 we have built over150 vessels supplied to 30 countries worldwide, and with over 60 pilot vessels in operation globally  have become leaders in this market.

Based in Youghal, Co Cork Ireland,  Safehaven manufacture our vessels from two modern factories, with all design work carried out in house and built with our own experienced team of designers, engineers, carpenters, electricians, shipwrights and laminators.

Always at the forefront of new technology and designs we continuously develop our range and push the frontiers of design: Safehaven have set multiple UIM World Records including a 862nm North Atlantic crossing World record with our unique  (Hull patented) 22m high speed vessel XSV20, and for 2024 developed an exciting new 20m Motor Yacht, a high speed Explorer catamaran the T-2000 Voyager.

Safehaven Marine launch ‘SOLAS’ a new 15m Interceptor 48 pilot for the Port of Cork, Ireland.

OUR T-2000 VOYAGER DEMONSTRATOR IS INITALLY LAUNCHED

Safehaven Marine deliver new Interceptor 48 Pilot to P&O Maritime for their operations in Maputo, Mozambique.

Safehaven Marine launch new 15m Interceptor 48 pilot ‘Svitzer Oued Laou’ for Svitzer.

NEW 2024 T-2000 Voyager. 20m High performance, long range blue water explorer catamaran revealed.

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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

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!

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Excess 11 review: A very rare sub-40ft cruising catamaran

• Theo Stocker
• September 10, 2024

A cruising cat much under 40ft is a rare beast, especially one that’s meant to be fun to sail. Theo Stocker went to see if the Excess 11 really delivers.

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

Catamarans don’t belong in the UK, I hear you cry. If you’ve been put off by towering topsides, the vast beam and ideas about how much it might cost to keep one in a marina, or their supposed lack of upwind performance, then stay with me. The Excess 11 is a boat that has certainly made me think again.

High-volume production catamarans certainly make fantastic boats for chartering with your family in hot climates and introducing nervous crew to life afloat, but I was eager to find out if a new brand of catamaran could also make a genuinely practical and enjoyable cruising boat for private owners to sail in the UK’s more temperate waters.

If you’re looking for a cruising catamaran you have, until fairly recently, faced a choice between a high-volume, stubby-keeled cruising catamaran, or a dagger-boarded speed machine. Alongside Nautitech , however, Excess has jumped into a niche for high- volume but modest displacement cruising cats that seek to offer the best of both worlds.

Theo found the Excess 11 is resilient with an impressive finish. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The Excess brand emerged from the Beneteau Group just six years ago to fill this perceived void. Employing top racing catamaran and foiling IMOCA designers VPLP means this boat has at least a modicum of performance in her DNA. Could this be a catamaran that’s comfy to live on, reassuringly solid at sea, and still genuinely engaging to sail?

At first glance, the Excess 11 has much in common with other modern cruising cats – high topsides, a generously glazed deck saloon, staggering amounts of space in the hulls, and shallow, long chord keels. But it was her differences that piqued my interest. To start with she’s just 37ft in length – a good 3ft shorter than any of her competitors, and only the Broadblue 345 is smaller than this.

Rather than a single, raised helm station, she has twin helms on the main deck level, aft and outboard of the superstructure. To bring the helm to life, steering uses Dyneema cables rather than hydraulics, and with the wheels where they are, this is a surprisingly short cable run to minimise play and maximise feeling.

Sheeting angles are controlled by in-and-out haulers for the overlapping genoa. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Winches are at deck level, too, so there’s more for crew to do if they want to get involved, and she comes at a surprisingly competitive price when you compare her to monohulls – the Excess 11 may cost more than boats of a similar length, but for the same space aboard you’d need to be looking at a boat at least five or 10ft longer.

So it was that I found myself motoring down the Hamble river at the bright orange wheel of an Excess 11. With both wheels set right aft and outboard you have a pretty unobstructed view directly forwards and outboard. Look through the glazing, and you then get a surprisingly clear view through the arcs obstructed by the saloon.

Step inboard slightly, still within reach of the wheel, and you can see round the support posts and straight out of the front of the boat. It takes a little getting used to as the tops of the windows were slightly below eye level (I’m 6ft 1in tall), but it’s similar to helming a deck-saloon monohull or even just ducking to leeward to look round a headsail.

The boom is low enough to make stowing the sail easy from atop the coach roof. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Command and control with the Excess 11

As we motored along, I was reassured that I could control the boat from either side, thanks to the electronic throttles controlling the twin 29hp Yanmar inboards; this means command can be taken from either wheel.

While cats are directionally stable, you might notice that, as with many other cats, there’s no prop wash over the rudders. That’s because her rudders are ahead of the propellers – an arrangement that allows the engines to be pushed right aft, saving space for the aft cabins. Not an issue in a cat as you can drive it on the throttles like a tank – not that I’ve ever driven one of those, but I imagine it’s similar.

We didn’t get the sunniest of days – the clouds stubbornly obscured the sun all day and the temperature was remarkably low for mid summer – but at least we had a decent breeze. As you’d expect from a multihull, the main is large and powerful to help propel drive the extra hull, but a two-to-one halyard taken to the powered winch ahead of the starboard helm help us set sail.

The dramatic hull flares are obvious seen from the bows. Photo: Paul Wyeth

On our test Excess 11, Sea Ventures’ stock boat, all lines other than a couple of halyards were led aft to clutches and a winch ahead of the starboard wheel, including both sheets for the overlapping jib. Most owners opt for the self-tacking jib, which simplifies things further.

With all lines taken to one side there’s a lot of rope in one place, which needs keeping tidy, though I can see that splitting controls to both sides would make some of them frustratingly hard to reach for the helm.

Underway, we faced a beat out of Southampton Water and around Bramble Bank into open water. Before I had a chance to remember that multihulls aren’t meant to tack well, I’d put her into a tack just as I would a monohull; she popped through easily and was off again almost instantly.

When it comes to a cruiser that the whole family can enjoy, a catamaran is a sensible option. Photo: Paul Wyeth

A slight bear away helped rebuild any lost momentum and we were back pointing up to 40º-43º off the apparent wind, giving us a compass tacking angle of 115º-120º – not bad for a cruising cat. When you take into account that we were doing over 7 knots upwind, upwind in a Force 4, in a 37-footer, on a completely even keel, that’s actually pretty impressive and probably almost a knot faster than you’d get from the same size monohull. Clearly, in a big seaway, the extra hull and potential slamming from the nacelle might see this drop off, but the Solent chop wasn’t anywhere near big enough to test this.

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Enjoyable helming

Steering from the windward helm, I loved being outboard and able to see forwards and to feel the wind in my face. The helm was light and responsive, and while you don’t get the feedback of the boat heeling and loading up, it was sensitive enough for me to feel the fore-and-aft balance of the sailplan – not something you’d get in your average heavy cruising cat. Seeing the genoa telltales wasn’t the easiest, so helming from leeward helped with this.

The starboard wheel was home to most of the controls, but throttles can be used on either side. Photo: Paul Wyeth

In terms of visibility, it was, if anything, better than when sailing to windward in a monohull, as the sail is above the line of sight from the hull, and the saloon windows remain conducive to looking through.

Bearing away and in a freshening breeze, we accelerated slightly to 7.5 knots on a close reach, but the real speed came from setting the 54m2 Code Zero, which was set and furled on the foldable bowsprit (this hinges away to reduce length when in harbour). We comfortably maintained speeds over 8 knots, with the occasional foray into the high nines and a max speed of 10.1 knots with the wake fizzing off the transoms as the wind gusted to the top end of the recommended windspeed for the Code Zero. The huge asymmetric is an option for lighter airs and deeper angles.

A modest galley and chart table are plenty for cruising as a couple or with a couple of friends. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The sailplan crossover table for recommended wind ranges for each sail option by the helms was a useful addition; without heel angle you need to sail a cat more by numbers. Experienced owners might be willing to bend the rules, but even so, this looks and feels like a boat that can stand up to her canvas well. She’s not going to be planing, but surfs in double digits are well within her reach.

Handling the Code Zero was straight-forward – the headsail halyards are the only lines taken to port, plus the furling line for the Zero, and sheets are led to the winches either side, so you do need a couple of people to release and sheet in after a gybe. Furling the sail is probably the easier way to gybe in reality, though handling the winches is easy enough from the helm. If you did want two winches, you’d have to move up to the larger Excess 14.

Good cruising speeds can be reached with minimum fuss. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The big plus of having the wheels and lines all on deck level with the cockpit is that it is easy for crew to lend a hand, helping them feel involved and making communication easier. It would also feel more secure in a seaway, while the proximity to the water makes the sailing experience more engaging.

Seats fold down behind the helm across the transom access giving two people somewhere comfy to sit and improving the sense of security at the wheel, also helped by the high bulwark outboard. Steps inboard of the wheels take you up onto the wide side decks.

On deck, much of the foredeck is trampoline to keep weight and potential sources of slamming well aft. The anchor mounts to a bow roller next to the forestay with the chain led aft to the vast nacelle lockers ahead of the saloon windows via a moulded channel, which keeps the chain flush underfoot. Most owners will opt for the second 300-litre water tank in this locker, as there’s easily space for it and crew will be happier with less strict water rationing.

The saloon nav station adds practical work space, though too small to hold a chart. Photo: Paul Wyeth

All accommodation hatches are flush in the deck, and in each bow is a cavernous fo’c’sle locker for extra kit and sails. There’s an option for these lockers to be made into extra berths if you want capacity for 12 on board.

The Excess 11’s sociable cockpit

Living arrangements on board the Excess 11 are very practical, especially for a crew of six in the three-cabin layout most owners opt for. We found crew congregate at the back of the cockpit, where there are six seats across the stern, as well as the bench seat to port and an L-shaped seat around the cockpit table, giving plenty of space to relax.

A hard-top canopy keeps weather and sun at bay over the well-sheltered cockpit. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The low boom means packing the sail can be done at waist height from the canopy without any additional climbing, so many owners opt for the hard-top cockpit canopy so that it can be walked on, as well as a place to mount solar panels. A folding canvas ‘targa’ top is also an option, however, if you want to let more light in.

Walk forwards through the sliding doors and you find yourself in a large open space around the saloon table, surrounded by an L-shaped settee against the forward bulkhead, with a couple of stools for extra seating. At the starboard end there is a nav station, though in reality navigation will be done on deck.

Against the aft and outboard sides to starboard is the L-shaped galley, with a fixed oven and two-burner gas hob, front-opening fridge, and a few lockers. To port of the entrance are another set of large lockers, ideal for stowing lifejackets and other sailing kit, or more food, and there’s also stowage under the saloon seats. It isn’t the world’s largest galley, but I had to keep on reminding myself this boat is just 37ft. It’s more than enough for a cruise of a week or two, or longer for a couple.

Space and light make the saloon a pleasant place to be in harbour and underway. Photo: Paul Wyeth

It’s down in the hulls that you really see the merit of the hulls’ volume. A marked flare above the waterline maximises space without adding drag, and the resulting chines keep spray down. Clever contours in the topsides also reduce the visual impact of big slab sides, while adding strength and volume.

To port, there are double cabins fore and aft, both with more-or-less square berths and a good-sized heads with separate shower compartment between them. Each enjoys a large hull window with opening port and a deckhead opening hatch, plus a couple of lockers and under-bed stowage spaces.

The starboard hull is the real selling point, however. How many 37-footers can offer almost the whole length for a single cabin? The owner’s ‘suite’ can be shut off from the rest of the boat with a sliding door across the stairs. There’s a locker and desk/dressing table at the bottom of the three steps, and a huge double berth aft, while the forward end is occupied by a big bathroom – nothing like the cramped heads you and I know – with a separate shower compartment, and more lockers.

Palatial space for the owner’s cabin, thanks to having a whole hull to yourselves. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The Excess 11 is built for resilience

In terms of maintenance, there’s very little you’ll need access to, other than the heads seacocks in the main hulls. Most of the systems are congregated in the large engine bays just aft of the wheels, accessed via deck panels that helpfully hinge aft, so you can access them without having to perch on the bathing platform.

On the whole, access is good, though the engines are mounted the ‘right way’ round with the sail drives aft, but this means that the alternator, impeller and water strainer are all tucked right forwards with no way of tackling them head on. The yard explained that if the engines were mounted the other way round, with the saildrives closer to the rudders, it would have made both rudder and propeller less efficient, though they acknowledged that it was something of a trade-off.

Aft-hinged engine bay hatches allow good access to the aft end of the engine and most systems from on board. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The other possible issue was that the Dyneema steering cables I so liked at the helm run immediately above the engine. While HMPE rope has a melting point of 150ºC, its maximum operating temperature, according to Southern Ropes, is 70ºC, where some engines will run at over 80ºC in normal operation.

In the event of an engine fire, you could well lose the steering cable, though the opposite wheel should continue to give you steerage with both rudders via the tie bar, or failing that, the emergency tiller. Other than this, I was impressed with the finish of the boat, which seemed to be of a good standard and with no obvious rough edges.

Structurally, the Excess 11 has been designed to be pretty bombproof. A cat doesn’t need ballast, so all of the weight can go into structural integrity. The keels are designed with extra GRP reinforced ‘shoes’ and for vertical load bearing so the boat can sit comfortably on the keels. These are moulded as part of the hull, filled with foam and capped with laminate, before the whole structure is vacuum-infused with resin.

Most owners will opt for the larger Pulse Line sailplan and the simpler self-tacking jib. Photo: Paul Wyeth

There are no keel bolts to worry about, but they are designed so that if the keels suffered a large side impact, the keel would fail without damage to the watertight integrity of the hull, acting as a fuse, allowing the boat to sail on and seek repair, which seems eminently sensible to me.

Guests aren’t short-changed either, with huge berths and views out of the hull windows. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Excess 11 specifications:

LOA: 11.42m / 37ft 6in Hull length: 11.33m / 27ft 2in Beam: 6.59m / 21ft 7in Draught: 1.15m / 21ft 7in Displacement: 9,000kg /19, 845 lb Sail area: 77m2 / 829 sq ft (Pulse line 82m2 / 882 sq ft) Disp/length: 173 SA/D Ratio: 18 Engine: 2 x 29hp Yanmar Transmission: Saildrive Water: 300L / 79gal (+300L optional) Fuel: 400L / 103gal Berths: 6-12 RCD Category: A8 Designer: VPLP Builder: Beneteau UK Agent: sea-ventures.co.uk

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I may sail monohull predominantly, but I’ve chartered a few cats and sailed some small multihulls, so I stepped aboard the Excess 11 with an open mind, and found myself quickly warming to the boat. It took much less than you might think for this boat to come alive as a sailing boat, delivering a genuinely engaging and enjoyable experience on the helm, whilst giving your crew a thoroughly civilised time on board too. The layout of the helms, deck and accommodation were all well thought through and user-friendly for a short-handed crew, and I was sold by the one-level sailing and living approach. For what I’d see as a ‘low-maintenance’ boat to sail, the Excess offers performance and fun for eating up miles with ease, at the same time as being staggeringly spacious and comfortable for her length.

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