Boot Düsseldorf 2018, which is taking place from January 20th to 28th, will be showcasing the latest trends in multihull yachts, and visitors will be able to experience in direct comparison how the market of new boats is currently set up.
Catamarans are shifting from pure performance to more comfort and luxury on board. The majority of shipyards have in fact placed the issue of comfort ever more clearly at the centre of their yacht design: among the luxury features introduced to multihulls by Lagoon some time ago, the flybridge, a classic motor yacht feature, is now found on quite a few sailing catamarans.
The Outremer 4X and 51, for instance, are still designed consistently for fast blue water cruising: robust and practical in their handling, with a good sailing performance and yet they offer greater living comfort on board.
Catana, which were once really fast but rather sparse multihulls, also grew more and more comfortable in character. However, Catana has not at all lost sight of their aim to design fast and well-sailing catamarans. As an example, the shipyard stays true to the concept of centreboards. One such design is the almost classic Catana 47, light yet solidly built with carbon fibre laminates in all the important places; sailing well and comfortable, designed for circumnavigating the world as well as sailing in local waters.
In southerly destinations or in tropical waters, where onboard living almost always takes place on deck outside, any multihull yacht has obvious and big advantages over monohulls due to its larger deck and cockpit areas. Especially as the cockpit and the saloon are usually on one level. Nautitech has consistently pursued and developed this concept, with hardcover cockpits. But this development came to an end only with the Nautitech Open 40 and the Open 46, on which interior and exterior spaces almost fluently merge into each other.
Multihull yachts designed for the yacht charter market, such as Leopard, Bali of Catana or Fountaine-Pajot, constitute a category of their own, which is, in fact, also rather popular with yacht owners for family and holiday cruising. Also, most Nautitech models have always been conceived as charter catamarans, but in this market segment they, too, have great popularity among private owners who appreciate uncomplicated handling and comfortable living space.
In regard to performance, there is one easily recognizable feature that makes the difference: centreboards. Sailing catamarans with centreboards are sailing faster. Although this is a sweeping statement, it is almost always true. Simply because centreboards with their long and narrow profiles are that much more effective when sailing upwind compared to long, shallow keels. A major issue when talking about performance.
There are, however, good reasons also to have cruising cats equipped with keels. Such keels are easier and cheaper to build, uncomplicated in daily operation as nothing can get stuck or start rattling. Cats with keels can fall dry easily, as they just sit on their keels, rudders and sail drives well protected. It is just when you want to sail really fast that centreboards will be your first choice. As will be a light rigg with masts made from carbon with PBO stays rather than aluminium masts with stainless steel stays.
