multihulls-world.com: the essentials of catamarans and trimarans

Open Ocean 650

The South African architect, Du Toit Yacht Design, and the builder, Two Oceans Marine, in Cape Town, have just started construction of 63-foot custom catamaran in composites, the Open Ocean 650.

A day charter boat from Nautitech

Nautitech is continuing its development, and has just presented a boat which should appeal to a good many people looking for a day charter boat at a knock-out price...

Extreme Series: the fun cat

If we said: spectacular, intense, rich in emotions and excitement, fast, and above all fun, fun, fun, what would you think about? The Extreme Sailing Series, of course, which is starting a new year of putting on a colourful show...

Hobie Cat + by Starck

Hobie Cat Europe took advantage of the Paris Boat Show to present its major new boat: the Hobie Cat +.

Swiss S2C 55

The Swiss builder has just embarked on the construction of its second 55-foot S2C, after having presented the n°1 at Cannes in 2009, and validated the concept with a return trip between Turkey (where it was built) and France.

Seawind 1250

The brand-new Seawind 1250 has just been launched in Australia, and was named in a suitable manner, with champagne, by Richard Ward, the builder's director.

Albatross Marine 44' Catamaran

Albatross Marine Design, a prolific designer based in Thailand, has just presented a brand new 44-foot catamaran for a Swedish customer.

Fusion 40

After 13,000 miles' cruising round the Atlantic, Kangaroo, the first European Fusion 40, built in La Rochelle, is continuing its trip, and still attracts as much interest from visitors.

Edel 42.1 RC

Here is the latest from the ADN - Lelièvre & Vignier drawing board, the Edel 42.1 RC.

New Absolu 50

The Absolu 50 has been developed...

Fountaine Pajot in the Mediterranean

The agreement between Fountaine Pajot and Bizerte Marina was sealed at Paris.

Self-promotion: everyone behind Gilles

Go on, a little bit of self-promotion doesn’t do any harm, especially when it’s in a good cause.

6CAT

The 6Cat is the final result of a long process, as it is the development of the Contact, from the builder Dorguloff.

Aventure Power Catamaran

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Aventure Power Catamaran has just launched its new boat, the 48.5 Passagemaker.

USA win 33rd America's Cup match

BMW ORACLE Racing Team’s revolutionary wing sail powered trimaran USA convincingly won Race 2 off Valencia today to win the 33rd America’s Cup match outright.

The Hydroptère.ch will soon be in the water

The flying boat has finally taken the two speed records it has been chasing for so long.

The MOD 70s are on the way

The programme is for a 70-foot multihull championship, combining ocean races, a round-the-world, a round-Europe and various town races.

Dean Jag 55

The 5th Jag 55 is at the moment under construction at the South African builder, Dean Catamarans.

Skippers dIslande

Spread the word, the race is open to multihulls!

Voiles de Saint Barth

If you are in the Caribbean, why not take advantage and continue racing around St. Barth.

Multihull regatta in St. Martin

West Indies Events has just announced the creation of a new regatta around St Martin - the ‘Around St Maarten - St Martin MultiHull Regatta'.

Operation: Marins sans Frontières

As from 1st January 2010, the French law concerning safety at sea has changed.

PlanetSolar: its tomorrow, today

What was still just a dream a few months ago will become reality on 25th February next.

Atlantique 2011

The ‘Atlantique 2011' project is taking shape...

MaxSea training

MaxSea needs no further introduction. It is the navigation programme which is as essential for Vendée Globe sailors as for those sailing round the world, the Atlantic, or the Rade de Brest (delete as appropriate) as a family aboard their favourite multihull.

Multihull babies

In our (already impressive) series of multihull babies, we are pleased to celebrate the birth of Clément, whose mum, Cécilia, works at Alliaura. Welcome also to Romane (bravo - Marie-Dominique) in the aficionados' catamarans team. Mothers and babies are fine, and they are wearing the Multihulls World t-shirt very elegantly...
Congratulations to the happy parents, and a welcome to the babies...

CYAM pirated

All Multihulls World readers know CYAM, the Outremer 42 with hybrid propulsion which we tested. On its return from a charter, the police discovered a (very) large quantity of drugs aboard. Its owner asked us to pass on this update, after the appearance of fanciful news in the press:

Diamante: the 444 in the tradition of the 555

Did you like the Diamante 555, presented at the last Cannes and Genoa Boat Shows? Well you will love the 444 that the Italian builder has just presented...

Herreshoff: designer of the first modern multihull!

Not a lot a lot of people know this, yet: Nathaniel Herreshoff was, at the end of the 19th century, the first architect to design a modern multihull.

Lagoon and the ARC

The ARC, which each year allows many sailors to cross the Atlantic without any problems, has had Lagoon as its sponsor for a long time now.

Records

Groupama: damage, stopover in South Africa, and back to the start.

Multihull Boat Show: the first at Lorient

That’s it... The first Boat Show reserved exclusively for multihulls will take place in Lorient in just a few months’ time. We will therefore get together from 15th to 18th April 2010 to look at, test, visit and talk about our favourite boats.

The most beautiful anchorages: Carlisle Bay

The most beautiful anchorages: Norway

The most beautiful anchorages: Tintamarre:

The Ten Commandments of Buying a Catamaran

If you are in the habit of attending boat shows, as I am, it becomes obvious that most catamaran manufacturers would like you to believe they have created the perfect yacht. The general drift of their sales pitches is nearly always the same: “Plenty of room and safety for mom and the kids, loads of performance for dad.” Unfortunately, such hyperbole is not at all helpful when we are trying to decide which sort of catamaran is best for us. While choosing the right catamaran is a highly personal matter, most of us can avoid a serious buying blunder if we pay careful attention to the following ten commandments of catamaran buying:

By Phil Berman

BMW ORACLE Racing back on the water in San Diego.

BMW ORACLE Racing today launched their trimaran in San Diego as the team prepares to sea trial the 90-foot by 90-foot high-tech racing machine.

The most beautiful anchorages: Greece

Alain has sailed round the world quickly (18 months) aboard Kamala. His most beautiful memory?

The most beautiful anchorages: Tuamotu : Rangiroa

Just like many of us, Charles-Henri dreamt of Polynesia, the ‘vahinés’, the tattooing and the Bounty. And once there, he was certainly not disappointed. His most beautiful memory: the Tuamotus, in particular Rangiroa. A group of pale sandy crowns placed on the intense blue of the Pacific. Magical and unique!”

The most beautiful anchorages: Los Testigos

A memory of an anchorage for Marie and Hervé, authors of ‘Histoire de Partir’? Los Testigos stand out, after a year in the Caribbean Sea…

The most beautiful anchorages: Bahamas

Opinions are divided on the Bahamas: there are those who stay close to the ‘main centres’ and those who lose themselves in amongst the thousands of deserted islands, where you can play at Robinson Crusoe or pirates, as you wish.

The most beautiful anchorages: The British Virgin Islands

Aboard Simoust, a Switch 51, three girls are scouring the West Indies.

The most beautiful anchorages: Nice

No need to go to the other end of the world to experience some magic moments aboard your boat… At least, that’s what Joëlle maintains:
“Catamaran outing in November 2006, somewhere off the ‘Baie des Anges’ at Nice… An emotional, moment and a beautiful photo. Taken without a filter for the sun: just a matter of patience!”

The most beautiful anchorages: Secret Island

“On this photo, taken in 2006, we have just anchored ‘Persée’, our Nautitech 44.5, in the tiny lagoon on the small island of Beautemps-Beaupré.

The most beautiful anchorages: Tortuga

An exceptional anchorage? Certainly!
“Anchorage in the crystal-clear coral waters of the west coast of Tortuga, in Venezuela…”

The most beautiful anchorages: King's Bay

What could be more wonderful than the first anchorage where you can rest after a long crossing? All those of you who have experienced this feeling of arriving on the other side know it well. Marine has special memories of her arrival:
“After crossing the Atlantic, a well-deserved rest in King’s Bay, Tobago, a lush haven of peace…”

The most beautiful anchorages: Los Roques Islands

The West Indies are superb. The Caribbean Sea is exceptional… So what are the memories of Los Roques Islands? “We tread this white band; on either side the waves are breaking, sometimes delicately, sometimes violently. At high tide, certain waves briefly cover this virginal passage; the blue-green joins the intense white, and the sand is like flour - it’s the gate to paradise…” according to Geoffroy aboard ‘Kadavu’.

The most beautiful anchorages: Tobago Cays

It would be hard to present the most beautiful anchorages without showing the Tobago Cays, well-known throughout the world as an exceptional destination. Especially when, like Agnès: “We were alone in the world in this anchorage at the Tobago Cays in the Grenadines...”

The most beautiful anchorages: Raiatea

‘Alizé’ has been roaming the world for several years now. Vivianne and Jacques are at the moment in Polynesia, and sent us this superb photo of ‘Alizé’, their Lagoon 410, in the Motu Nao Nao anchorage at Raiatea.

The most beautiful anchorages: Jack Sparrows Island

Don’t tell us you haven’t devoured the three films in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ series … Well you should know that the island where the famous pirate was held prisoner and was supposed to have escaped by tying two turtles together (a catamaran?), exists. To find it, anchor at Tobago Cays and look straight ahead of you… Daytime anchorage only! (Marianne and her family aboard ‘Gloubiboulga’)

The most beautiful anchorages: Sine Saloum

It would be difficult not to mention Africa and its exceptional beauty when talking about a circumnavigation. Here is an anchorage in the Siné Saloum mangrove in Senegal, recommended by Pierre.

The most beautiful anchorages: Sandy Island

Bertrand, aboard ‘Bulle d'O’ sent us this wonderful photo of Sandy Island, on Cariacou. “Really, really, really beautiful!”

The most beautiful anchorages: Petite Grenade

Jean-Christophe, aboard a Nautitech 44, is discovering the windward coast of Martinique. Here he found an exceptional place, Petite Grenade, not far from the Vauclin. A completely deserted anchorage, but one which has to be earned, as the pass is ‘a little tricky’…

The most beautiful anchorages: the Saints

Michel and his family are aboard ‘Requin’, a Lagoon 380. In August 2004, a hurricane was announced in the West Indies (Ivan, which was to devastate Grenada). All the boats fled, and they had the Saints Bay to themselves. Magic.

The 10 (wrong) reasons for not yet having left!

You dream about it? But you haven’t left yet for that round-the-world trip on your own sailing boat… Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of the wrong reasons for not leaving!

ORMA 60': the high points

Here are the high points in the history of the 60' ORMA trimarans...

Banque Populaire V: The biggest

In the family of the biggest racing trimarans of the moment, there was William Saurin (a long time ago...), then Poulain, which became Sport Elec, renamed Idec 1. Then Geronimo arrived, with its 32 metres, and later, Groupama 3. But the last two seem quite small compared to Banque Populaire V’s 40 metre length and 47 metre height. Welcome aboard!

Now is the moment to change your life: voyaging as a family...

Nature is finally well-organised, it encourages man, a land mammal, to want to perpetuate the species, to reproduce and thus to live as a couple, man and woman united. And what if this happiness was really to be found on the water...

The essential equipment for a blue water catamaran

It’s all very well to have chosen your catamaran, but before leaving, it will have to be equipped. Here is a short guide to the essential equipment, what it is worthwhile having and what can be seen as superfluous…

Buying and selling your cruising catamaran successfully

It’s the big question… What’s the best way to sell my catamaran? Also, how do I buy at the best price, without being taken for a ride? How much does a catamaran really cost? Here is a little memo to help you sell and buy a multihull…

I skippered a cat for the first time

And the first time… how was it for you? We generally remember it for the rest of our lives; a huge rush of emotions, preceded by several sleepless nights. Michel was kind enough to tell us about his first time as skipper of a charter catamaran in the West Indies.

THE 10 (TRUE) ARGUMENTS TO PERSUADE YOUR WIFE

THE 10 (TRUE) ARGUMENTS TO PERSUADE YOUR WIFE TO EMBARK FOR A SABBATICAL YEAR

You have been dreaming about it since you were small - leaving to live on your boat for a year or more. Only your other half has other dreams in her life. Here are 10 good reasons which may persuade your wife to accompany you. The fruit of 20 (very long) years’ experience…
Friend, sailor of the male sex, this feature was written for you. As soon as you have bought this magazine, tear out this page and hide it in an inaccessible place. Then learn these 10 commandments by heart, to reach your Grail: persuading your wife to accompany you…

sabbatical year: how much does it cost?

However much we say that you just have to take the plunge, you must also have the means to do it. A sabbatical year aboard a cruising catamaran has a cost, for certain! So in real terms, how much does it cost?

BUYING WITH A VIEW TO RESELLING

All potential cruisers ask the same question: which catamaran should I buy, so as not to lose money when I resell? An essential question…

TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC, OR NOT: THE IDEAL PROGRAMME

Families cruising on the oceans are all different entities with their own pleasures, wishes and fears. In an ideal programme, how do you manage the transatlantic leg? The dream for many sailors can frighten others. So, is the Atlantic crossing essential?

Organisation of daily life at sea

Crossing the Atlantic…
We all dream about it! But how do you organise life aboard during these few days at sea?

Crossing the Atlantic as a family

Aboard Talitha Koum, a Lagoon 500, we find Véronique, Philippe and their… 5 children! On a sabbatical cruise around the Atlantic,they tell us here about THEIR crossing!

crossing the Atlantic with a rally

Hervé has just crossed the Atlantic for the second time, fifteen years after the first… A crossing with friends, for the pleasure of being together aboard a superb Catana 50…

Crossing the Atlantic with friends

Serge is the proud owner of an Outremer 42, "Exploreur", with which he left with his wife to discover other skies… Here is the story of his Atlantic crossing with friends.

Extreme atlantic crossing on a sport catamaran

Two years’ work, 1000 hours construction, for a lightning Atlantic crossing in 11 days and 11 hours aboard a sport catamaran… Summed up in a few figures, this is the incredible adventure lived by Benoît Lequin and Pierre-Yves Moreau.