They seem preternatural, our navlight giving the dolphins an oily reflection as they launch like dark green torpedoes in unison with our surfs. The fizzing noise when they clear the…
Bluewater multihulls
New mutihulls take on an Atlantic crossing
The explosion in multihull and catamaran sales has been well documented, with many yards reporting lead times of two years or longer as build slots sold out as quickly as…
Catamaran cruising: everything you really need to know
It has become routine now for me to bookend the summer sailing season with a trip to the south of France for the biannual ‘Outremer Week’. This hugely popular event…
First look: Sunreef 60 Eco
There’s a rapidly accelerating trend towards maximising the amount of solar power installed on cruising catamarans, which can be seen being taken up a step on the new Sunreef 60…
From ocean racing to catamaran cruising: an adventure for all the family
Nobody could ever accuse my wife Sophie and me of taking the easy route in life. For one of our first proper ‘dates’ we cycled from Land’s End to John…
First look: Ovnicat 48 aluminium multihull
It’s easy to assume that all rugged metal yachts are very heavy. While that was the case at one time for steel designs, it’s a different matter for aluminium which,…
4 best bluewater cruisers of 2022
The results are in from the European Yacht of the Year Awards as the judges have announced their top four bluewater cruisers of 2022. The European Yacht of the Year…
Catamaran sailing: expert multihull techniques
There has been a huge surge in the sales of performance multihulls and with them a need to know how to handle them particularly when it comes to specific multihull…
First look: Nautitech 44 Open – an ideal bluewater cruiser
It’s been many years since we’ve seen an all new Nautitech catamaran, but it may have been worth the wait, with the first details of the new Nautitech 44 Open…
Best bluewater multihulls: ITA 14.99
A combination of sharp design from François Perus, whose Yacht Design Collective has worked with brands such as Catana and North Wind on their multihulls, and high build quality brings…
Best bluewater multihulls: Neel 51
Neel trimarans, and the Neel 51 specifically, blend the extreme space offered by the family/charter catamarans together with good average speeds. First impressions of the Neel 51 are sure to…
Best bluewater multihulls: Privilège 510 Signature
Privilège was the creation of Vendée Globe founder Philippe Jeantot 35 years ago and with its yard in Les Sables d’Olonne has grown to be a leader in the luxury…
Best bluewater multihulls: Gunboat 48
Gunboat is the forerunner of the ongoing current trend for fast composite carbon catamarans. The Gunboat 48 is a very popular model, despite only a handful being made – though…
Best bluewater multihulls: HH OC50
The Xiamen-built HH range of catamarans found popularity for its high-performance, all-carbon, hull-flying designs such as the HH66 and HH55. But the HH OC50 is designed as a more affordable…
Best bluewater multihulls: Lagoon 450
For those in any doubt as to what is the most popular cruising catamaran, it’s a Lagoon – and by a substantial margin. Over 120 Lagoons have crossed the Atlantic…
Best bluewater multihulls: Fountaine Pajot Saona 47
In a similar fashion to market leaders Lagoon, the area of mass appeal lies in the mid-40ft sector for Fountaine Pajot – now captured by the Fountaine Pajot Saona 47.…
Best bluewater multihulls: Balance 526 and 482
Balance is a shrewd name for these catamarans, which target that elusive balance of comfort, speed and space, typified by the Balance 526. Founded in 2013 by Phillip Berman, Balance…
Best bluewater multihulls: Seawind 1370 and 1600
The first Seawind 1370 is not yet on the water, but comes with a strong heritage of bluewater multihull design. For nearly four decades, the Australian Seawind brand and its…
Best bluewater multihulls: Atlantic 47 and 49
Anyone considering performance bluewater cruising multihulls should have a look at Chris White’s designs, typified by the Atlantic 47. The Dartmouth, Massachusetts-based designer has three decades experience of drawing fast…
The best bluewater multihulls of all time: a complete guide
What are the best bluewater multihulls for long term cruising? The one you own, or the one you can afford is the simple answer. There is a wealth of proven…