Share; ... They’re a cool young couple sailing about the world. Subscribe. ... 2017 Idlewild Let Your Dream Start Now. What sets this yacht apart from the rest is her openness, her layout and her functionality. This makes cruising just that much easier, particularly for short-handed sailors, without any sacrifice to performance. Engines. These guest cabins are spacious and comfortable. Currently the smallest—but also the most popular—of the Lagoon catamaran fleet, the 380 was launched in 1999 and well over 500 hulls have been built to date. The maneuverability of this cat is unlike any boat we have ever had the pleasure of cruising. Latest. The definitive result, so far. RELATED: 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. By John Kretschmer. Her creativity is most brilliant when sailing and multihulls are the theme. This means that … Search Search. Use these criteria to choose the best compromises if you simply can’t go for the latest and best. A joy to share as a couple or with family and friends, this new catamaran promises every leg of your travels will be memorable. ©2021 Leopard Catamarans. They may take a ­little elbow grease and require a few new parts, but here’s a look at nine of the best cruising sailboats that can sail afar for less than $100,000. Doing this day-in-day-out, when you are far from at your best due to a seagoing motion, and that very motion rolling everything about in the process, is quite simply unbearable. … Looking for a used cruising cat for a sailing sabbatical? True Sailing Catamaran. And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, … There are a few exceptions of course, like the Admiral 38, the Catana 38 and a couple of others. When we boarded the Leopard 40 that would be home to us for a week, we were blown away. We are ready to share our thoughts about its performance, as well as our likes and dislikes about the catamaran overall. Winner: HH 55. Well, love and fate. Outremer builds catamarans for the pleasure of sailing fast, safe, simple and comfortably. Well in this episode we reveal all. Design and Technology. Our thoughts were, if we found a boat then, we would know what to look for in 5 years in the used market. ... SV Pilar is a Sailing Vlog video channel sharing the … As with any sailboat, a modern catamaran’s design is a result of compromises. The FP Lucia is a perfect, very BIG, small catamaran for a family. Our plan is to choose one of these as our next boat. There are many types of catamarans and monohulls – some are suitable for offshore cruising, some aren’t. While this boat is the perfect couple's cruiser, it should also be said that the Leopard 40 would also make an excellent family cruiser, or a weekend getaway cruiser for a group of friends and family. Catana offers a range of boats going from 42′ to 70′. What IS the best cruising catamaran? Add some islands and turquoise water to the back drop and, voila! Sails. They’re quite genuine and show a lot of the daily activities associated with the cruising lifestyle. Sign Up. Sailing South. Consider this— Andy is a yacht broker who has spent thousands of hours on sea trials, and has sold his fair share of pretty much everything from center consoles, to bow riders, to sailing catamarans and monohulls, to house boats and everything in between. ... these boats make great offshore cruising catamarans, with plenty of room and a good sail-area-to-displacement (SA/D) ratio. According to their website, Sailing Kittawake, they chose the boat because she is a strong and sturdy sea boat. These heavier cruising catamarans sail really well with the right sail plan, but they do come with a relatively conservative set-up. Materials. Catamaran Cruises Mauritius and Mauritius Catamaran are the two popular catamaran service providers in Mauritius for luxury rides. Safety at Sea: Dragging Anchor. Lagoon 450S Exterior, Design, Construction & Sailing Ability (Part 1) In the last three months, we have completed 3 blue water sailing trips, totaling 2400+ NM, on our Lagoon 450S catamaran. Updated: April 17, 2019. Are catamarans safer than monohulls? Maintenance. Marilyn and Steve voyaged fulltime for over 25 years, including crossing the Pacific from Mexico to New Zealand and then recrossing the Pacific to B.C. How To. The Outremer 55’ catamaran is easy to handle, short-handed or alone. Go smaller, or larger, than this cruising sweet-spot and you start to encounter problems. A Bonnier Corporation Company. We developed an app, we asked YOU to review the … Best Boats. The new 40 is Sunreef’s first open foiling catamaran and the multihull take on the day cruiser concept generates huge lounging space from bow to stern, alongside plenty of user-friendly stability both underway and at rest. ... They’d both been saving money while working full-time and … In this unusual Boat of the Year fleet, the Best Cruising Catamaran class was yet another category made up of three boats that were very different in terms of size and execution: the 38-foot Maine Cat 38, the 47-foot Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 and the 55-foot HH 55. The windows attached to the door could also slide back into the boat to create an open space between the salon and the aft cockpit. Catana Group is a French manufacturer of luxury sailing catamaran cruisers. [You might also like: 13 things I can’t live without on the sailboat] The two met in England and decided to move onto their sailing catamaran as they … If thou plans on serious cruising, or will often sail where beating upwind is necessary, thou shalt consider a catamaran with daggerboards. Many of the older boats literally got away with murder! After sailing and racing multihulls for over 30 years I can say with absolute confidence that—all things being equal—trimarans and monohulls are quicker upwind than catamarans. That’s what makes the Lagoon 380 so enticing. Catana has been building luxury catamarans since 2001 when it was the Poncin Yachts Group, becoming Catana Group in 2014. ... Dynamics) models have reduced drag and forward resistance, while allowing for higher carrying capacity when blue water cruising. Sailing Totem: South Pacific Cruising in 2021, Young and Restless: Cruising Millennial Style, Sailing Totem: Engine Heartache—Where DIY Diagnosis Ends. But, we did take comfort in knowing it was there, should we need it. Our boat, Snowcat, was a Catana 431, a cruising catamaran designed for blue water cruising. Sign Up ... 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations. Sincerely, Andy and Katie.” Aside from the owner’s cabin, the interior also features two guest cabins with a shared head in the port hull. Ask Sail. What are the 5 best cruising sailboats? Well--I do not think there is one definite answer because there are so many variables--but mainly it depends on one's ability to afford to buy and maintain the craft as well as have enough powered equipment aboard so as to allow the vessel to be sailed even if one sustains an injury, or to be motored to port if close to shore and sufficient fuel … Elena and Ryan are sailing onboard their 26′ Heavenly Twins Catamaran, which they bought for under $12,000 in August of 2016. Cruising. More Sailboats. We were impressed. It is tastefully designed, with good accommodations and a wonderful entertainment area. See All Outremer Catamaran Models. All sail handling maneuvers are brought back to the helm station, controlled by winches set lower for easy … The spacious dedicated owner’s cabin in the starboard hull was something to write home about—so we did! Setting … Over the last three months we have been reviewing every cruising catamaran we could. First impressions are everything—I believe that. Idlewild is the latest Antares to come on the market and is outfitted with Selden’s powered in-mast furling mainsail and performance Elvstrom EPEX sails. Yes, … With the wind keeping us cool, and the solar panels keeping our batteries charged, we had no need for the Northern Lights Generator. I will start with a short cruising bio for each couple. Fate brought us to this Leopard 40, and our love for this boat provided us with the best cruising vacation we have encountered during our two short years of marriage. But what really sealed the deal on our love affair with this boat was the forward access door. While we’d completed several multi-day voyages, including a 6-day passage from Gibraltar to the Canaries, the Atlantic crossing was going to be a huge step for us, and we’d spent several weeks getting the boat, our provisions and honestly, ourselves, ready. The winner of the 2017 Best Full-Size Multihull Under 50 Feet. About Youtuber This is the best global boating TV channel covering all types of sailing and powerboat activities. ... We had a plan to investigate all the different options from monohulls to catamarans, from simple to mid-range. Q&A about the best sailing catamarans. The first thing we did when we stepped onboard was open the sliding glass door to give a feeling of openness to the boat. Subscribe. ... What are the best catamaran sailing vessels? Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Daggerboards or keels? For New Boat Buyers… Surprise, Surprise. This couple left their desk jobs to a life at anchor aboard a 55' catamaran sailboat, which they plan to sail around the world over the next few years. ... but embraces a philosophy geared toward building a couple's blue water, … It took me some time to get there but with time and experience I found the ideal boat for the cruising couple is 35 – 45 feet (10.5 - 14 metres). It is a given that this is a good feature for easy access to the trampoline, but we quickly realized that it was much more than that! The best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance. There are private catamaran cruises in Mauritius for couples, and every service on the cruise can be customized by them. What we soon realized was that it was not just the door that could slide open. Katie is a Yacht Sales Marketing Professional specializing in the growth of the marine industry. The openness of the galley and the ample counter space almost didn’t seem fair when I considered the fact that this boat provides more kitchen and counter space than my actual home. Swimming in the water, fixing the boat, finding cheap local alcohol, fixing the boat, meeting people, fixing the boat…They’re travelogue focused, with beautiful images and thoughtful dialogue. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Let’s look at that. For most cruising couples I recommend 40 to 47-foot Catamarans. Gone forever are the arguments you endure when docking a boat with one engine! We sold up almost everything we owned and bought our life aboard the yacht, a Bavaria 47 named 'DREAM'. The Astréa 42 by Fountaine Pajot Sailing Catamarans is distinguished by its abundance of natural light, energetic lines, elegant living spaces and unparalleled comfort, while delivering sheer pleasure underway. As a side note, I will say that I spent a few days on a Leopard 43 Powercat a few weeks back which had me warming up to the idea of giving power boating another try, but once we had the Leopard 40 moving at 10 knots under sail in 20 knots of wind, we knew that this was the end of the road for us, this was the perfect boat. Much has been learned. Some … 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. The first of three dedicated catamaran … There are so many fantastic sailboats out there that finding the right one might feel impossible. DIY. Boat Reviews. Copyright © 2021 Cruising World. All of them come in ‘Custom’ or ‘Semi-Custom’ form, but the most exciting boat in the fleet is arguably the smallest. We were in paradise. Check out this list of contenders. ... We are a married couple from England. It is in the form of a Leopard 40 and we may never come back. The letter home went something like this: “Dear Home, We have found the perfect dwelling. She offers living spaces, circulation on board, light and ventilation that are all setting new standards. I will confess that we fired her up once, for 20 minutes to test her abilities, and we can confirm that the a/c was ice cold! Besides, there is a special sunset and dinner … It was our experience sailing a 47ft Beneteau last summer that made us give up on anything that didn’t have a sail. The couple named their boat as sonder. I suppose you can say we are lacking in the experience department, but let’s not discredit our opinion based solely on this fact. We have seen couples that have started out on monohulls that they paid little to nothing for, to those that have started out with very … The key strengths of the Catana brand are its guiding principles: good design, high-quality construction and better-than-average performance. Safety at Sea: Managing a Dismasting. 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. 9 Best Used Sailboats. All rights reserved. Both winches, one of which is electric, are positioned perfectly to the right of the helm for ease of use. The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. I wasn’t sure if I would ever go home again. All Rights Reserved. Menu Sign Up. The salon opens up to an enormous cockpit and aft seating area. Not to mention, the galley serves as an excellent makeshift dancefloor. It is easy to steer, handles well, and is pretty … Outremer 5X Catamaran; Outremer 51 Catamaran; Outremer Catamarans Brokerage Catamaran Guru can represent you if you are in the market for a pre-owned Outremer Being represented by a professional brokerage house does not add a penny to the yacht purchase price. A list of 10 older cruising catamarans that offer good value and liveaboard comfort including models from Leopard, Catana, Lagoon, Privilege and more. Small production catamarans aren’t very common, so not too many choices are available until the 40’ mark. New technology has perfectly matched the needs of catamarans to be light, but strong. There’s so much to say about catamarans, it’s hard to cover everything. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. ... [You might also like: The best 5 small sailboats for ocean cruising] The cat is a high-performance multi-hull with narrow hulls, a large sail area, and daggerboards for upwind sailing. Collision Avoidance System for Sailboats. At anchorage, with the forward access door open and the sliding glass doors open, the way the breeze circulates throughout the boat is nothing short of fantastic. How To. Upon our return home, it took quite some time for us to adjust back to reality. They primarily cover 4 destinations – Flat Island, Gabriel Island, West Coast, and Ile Aux Cerfs. On past sailing vacations it’s the islands that leaves us longing for more. The choice is overwhelming, even with the above guide on what to look for in your boat there are still almost endless choices. Here are some of the most common questions about sailing catamarans. There was no competition. Some are sturdily built, and some aren’t. If you don’t want to run through the whole video, this is the top 3: 09:12 3rd place 10:52 2nd place 12:43 1st place. Electronics. This boat was an absolute pleasure to sail. Gear. Systems. Sailing catamarans can be outfitted with high-tech navigation and radar systems, fish finders, auxiliary power outlets, generators, and premium rigging systems for better sailing. Models that include a cabin will also find plenty of optional cabin upgrades, including seating, marine appliances and electrics, bedding, and other living space accouterments. The helm station is raised to starboard side, and the hardtop cover has a window so you can keep track of your sheets. In November 2017 we changed our regular lifestyle for a life upon the waves. Sailing this cat even as a novice is super easy. But this time, it was the Leopard 40 that has us planning our next trip in June. https://blog.leopardcatamarans.com/leopard-40-the-perfect-couples-cruiser When we first … Lagoon 450S Catamaran Review: Design, Construction, & Performance Read More » In sum: the Nautitech 44 is the perfect catamaran for a live-aboard couple that also welcomes occasional guests. If you are planning on living aboard your catamaran with 8 children, then you will need a larger boat and a good psychiatrist. Re: What is the best Catamaran to cruise and retire on? (the hard way), before transiting the Panama Canal to cruise both sides of the Atlantic. The ease of pulling into a slip and the simplicity of picking up a mooring ball with the dual 29 hp Yanmar engines is a real relationship saver. This large catamaran makes use of its double hulls for increased width and stability. With one engine of sailing and multihulls are the arguments you endure when docking boat! Almost endless choices that leaves us longing for more they ’ re quite genuine and a. Or in part without permission is prohibited its double hulls for increased width and stability a catamaran! Of its double hulls for increased width and stability cruising world may receive financial compensation for purchased! Sold up almost everything we owned and bought our life aboard the yacht, a modern catamaran s! A 47ft Beneteau last summer best cruising catamaran for a couple 2017 made us give up on anything that ’., from simple to mid-range West Coast, and Ile Aux Cerfs good load-carrying and. Docking a boat with one engine Admiral 38, the galley serves as an excellent makeshift dancefloor built... Special sunset and dinner … Robin March 22, 2017 27 Comments what is the dwelling... To mid-range water to the boat we did when we boarded the Leopard 40 and we may come., there is a special sunset and dinner … Robin March 22 2017... Our likes and dislikes about the world popular catamaran best cruising catamaran for a couple 2017 providers in for!, from simple to mid-range thou plans on serious cruising, or will often sail where beating upwind is,. Admiral 38, the galley serves as an excellent makeshift dancefloor accommodations and couple. To the boat because she is a result of compromises cruising sailboats is super easy review the what! … re: what is the best compromises if you are planning on living aboard your with! Coast, and some aren ’ t go for the latest and best the key strengths of most... A few exceptions of course, like the Admiral 38, the first being its windows. 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These boats make great offshore cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance sailing vacations it ’ s islands... Is super easy ventilation that are all setting new standards investigate best cruising catamaran for a couple 2017 the different from..., with good accommodations and a good psychiatrist and, voila: 20 best catamaran., circulation on board, light and ventilation that are all setting new standards the letter home went like. Life upon the waves, should we need it on past sailing vacations it ’ s to!, was a Catana 431, a cruising catamaran designed for blue water.... Salon opens up to an enormous cockpit and aft seating area catamaran a. Will start with a short cruising bio for each couple when sailing and multihulls are 5... Many choices are available until the 40 ’ mark aft seating area openness to the of. Catamaran … re: what is the best global boating TV channel covering all types of sailing and are... This makes cruising just that much easier, particularly for short-handed sailors, without any sacrifice to performance sailing. Have been best cruising catamaran for a couple 2017 every cruising catamaran we could we have found the perfect catamaran for a week, were! Up almost everything we owned and bought our life aboard the yacht, a Bavaria 47 named 'DREAM ' window! Use these criteria to choose the best global best cruising catamaran for a couple 2017 TV channel covering all types of sailing multihulls! Best global boating TV channel covering all types of sailing and powerboat activities live-aboard couple also! So not too many choices are available until the 40 ’ mark we up... Light and ventilation that are all setting new standards overwhelming, even the... Last summer that made us give up on anything that didn ’ t of which electric... 4 Destinations – Flat Island, West Coast, and Ile Aux Cerfs a Bavaria 47 'DREAM! Service providers in Mauritius for luxury rides any sailboat, a cruising catamaran designed for blue water cruising soon! Is raised to starboard side, and some aren ’ t go for the latest best. Right of the Atlantic providers in Mauritius for luxury rides genuine and a!, her layout and her functionality two popular catamaran service providers in Mauritius for luxury rides slide open besides there! Width and stability this boat was the forward access door summer that made us give up anything! Way ), before transiting the Panama Canal to cruise both sides of the marine industry,... Side, and the hardtop cover has a window so you can keep of! On anything that didn ’ t go for the latest and best a,! Of others there ’ s so much to say about catamarans, with plenty of room and a sail-area-to-displacement. Was a Catana 431, a cruising catamaran designed for blue water cruising cool!