Different horses for different courses they say!

It was spacious, comfortable, big fridge, nice coloured fluffy cushions…BUT !!! Is the catamaran I have chosen at the boat show safe to cross oceans?

It really depends on your plans, you want to cross oceans, sail the Mediterranean, BVI Island hopping, what do the charter companies want? What do you want?
This cringeworthy Broker Speak the “Blue Water” aspect being bantered about in the sailing community, does that mean the catamaran will be ready to take on anything the ocean can throw at it?

Let's take a look at the most popular sized cruising catamarans on the market in the 45 - 50 ft range and forget for a moment the upsurge in performance brands.

Lagoon vs Fountaine Pajot vs Leopard vs Bali and now Aquila joins the fray, which brand actually fits you? — one of the most-asked comparison questions, and there does not seem to be a head-to-head brand guide.

Let's face it all of the above brands give space, they all look nice and all of the big builders offer owners versions and all seem to bring out a new model every year.

Fly Bridges are another great level and give you a commanding position for a view in any marina!
Personally I feel the American market has led these innovations, the demand for big American size fridges and freezers and all the comforts of home combined with many converting from power to sail. The ability to make this home from home experience sailing between islands in the BVI, Bahamas and cruising down the inter coastal is an easy choice for some and why not?
The charter market has also capitalised on this and providing what the customer wants, this is very much evident in their designs. Each competing to bring out new features or unique selling points that will drive buyers to fall for their latest idea's.
For the cruising experience the sea keeping abilities of some of these catamarans is not necessarily driving the market, but the thought of someone with their family, small children looking to do a circumnavigation choosing the wrong catamaran to perform that task is a scary proposition. Yes, I have heard that comment “they have crossed the pond in a bath tub” maybe perhaps they were lucky with the weather!

Let us first talk about the undisputed Kings of the production builders and that is Lagoon Catamarans. These boats were aimed squarely at the Charter market make no mistake, until both them and their competitors “invented” the owners version. Lagoon pump out 450 catamarans a year approximately from their shipyard in Bordeaux.

Bali is up there now with them and is producing over 300 boats per year…and Leopard states about 200 per year and surprisingly 50% of their production sold into the Moorings, Sunsail ownership programs.

Fountaine Pajot in peak times have been pushing out 280 - 300 models per year from their production line in Aigrefeuille d'Aunis close to the lovely town of La Rochelle, France.

Now let's get to the point, I watched a video by a Broker on the New Aquila and he gave a great walk around video and a great description, the seating looked great a really spacious saloon, great Galley, spacious cabins and great deck space on the bow. What he then said was Aquila has filled in the bows now, no nets, “a catamaran does not need them anymore” !!!
Bali has already included that concept….. So immediately, in my opinion that counts out both of those models out of real offshore cruising, I don't care what category the C.E. decided to give them!
It is not a new concept, and to me that design is going backwards to the days of Prout, Solaris etc. Sure these old cats are proven designs, but still they had their drawbacks….

Sure Bridge deck clearances have increased, but the oceans dynamics have not changed, you can't convince me that this will not encourage slamming for starters, and the nets that they claimed were “not needed on a catamaran anymore” were not there just to sunbathe on or for the kids to jump up and down on or for watching dolphins.

Let's look at this in detail for a moment because some people will be convinced this design is for crossing oceans, its NOT!
Draw a wavy line in your imagination for a moment representing the ocean as that wavy line gets more wavy and steeper and the sails are up, it comes to a point where you not only need to reef or even resort to bare poles as the sea state increases you start having to slow the catamaran down by deploying a drogue anchor keeping your catamaran pointing into the wind.
As your catamaran slides down into a large wave trough what happens? It comes to a complete stop buries the bow into the green water, with those forces still driving you forward slamming into that trough that's what those nets were for Charlie Brown, the buoyancy in the hulls lifts the bow and the water is immediately dispersed draining from the deck. With solid bows and no nets what happens to those tons of green water that have just dumped on your solid spacious bow?
All of that power driving you forward is now looking at a Pitch Poling situation, which is more of an issue with a catamaran than a capsize!
Ask any Naval Architect that has half the brain of a Mallard Duck what the nets are for on a catamaran!
Now saying that if your content on island hopping or fine weather sailing fine, but even experts get caught out some time and lets face it even with those four little drain holes in your forward cockpit, it must disperse that green water pretty quickly it has a C.E. Certificate………?
Weight should be kept to a minimum on the bows and maybe that chunk of GRP is a little heavier than those nets and aluminium cross beam.
Do you need that extra deck space or will it be nice that the kids can have some jumping up and down or you can sunbathe on the net and watch the Dolphins! :)

Lagoon on the other hand are building so many catamarans now, they must be doing something right and many have circumnavigated the globe, they are fairly strongly built and retail values have remained reasonably high.
This is where really the “Condo Cat” was born Love em or hate em they are here to stay. The first thing anyone can say looking at them is “Windage”. All of that Freeboard, Bridge deck clearance coupled with a high flybridge is going to have an effect handling in any marina in gusty conditions. With the boom up so high, either pushes your mast up higher or reduces your main sail area, which changes all of the catamarans dynamics, when really all of the weight should be kept down low to lower the centre of gravity.
Saying that Lagoons have a great amount of Space, stylish and cater for most families and the worlds best selling charter option.

Then there is Fountaine Pajot, and anyone is familiar with the fact that a catamaran needs to be light to sail well, combining an element of performance and arguably lighter build and sail better than the Lagoon, mostly sticking to that halfway house design rather than a full flybridge on the smaller models. The result is that the boom is lower better centre of gravity, (Less rock and roll)

Now Leopard built by Robertson and Caine in South Africa supply both the Moorings and Sunsail the two main Charter Companies and have a good reputation on build quality as most of the South African catamarans. mainly sold through one of the Yacht ownership programs with a captured audience within the programs.

All of these models are attractive, they sail, they are spacious and comfortable are they safe for crossing Oceans? You tell me….

We have thrown our Weight behind VOYAGE YACHTS for a few reasons.

VOYAGE YACHTS only build 12 - 14 catamarans per year in their clinically controlled new shipyard in South Africa.
Superb build quality using modern vacuum infusion techniques and an experienced skilled workforce of real boat builders.
A choice of Galley up or down
The two most popular sizes for cruisers 51 ft and 59 ft
A choice of Flybridge or non flybridge models.
Shaft Drive
Proper Engine Rooms with safe easy access
Low Berths
HYBRID OPTION
3 cabin Owners Versions available

They are nice people to work with and they care about their customers which is refreshing.
Voyage have a reputation of building strong, but lightweight cruising catamarans for over 32 years.
Tried and tested in some of the worlds most demanding conditions.

The Rise of “The Condo Cats”!

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