Buyer's guide

2024 Multipower Buyer's Guide - Forever Green

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Article published on 27/10/2023

By Mark Bernie, Julie Echelle, Dick Sawyer, Emmanuel van Deth and Kim Wellington

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published inn°SP21dec. / jan.

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For this, our fourth edition of the Power Multihull Buyer’s Guide, the category that brings together the most environmentally friendly multipowers now features right at the beginning of the Buyer’s Guide, rather than at the end. Powered by electric motors and able to recharge their batteries efficiently, some multipowers presented here are capable of cruising for a few hours, some for much longer, provided the speed remains reasonable, all without producing polluting emissions. What if tomorrow, all multipowers were forever green?

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BAGOÙ 8.0

Open and electric

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This power catamaran is original in more ways than one. First of all, the construction is in epoxy plywood, then, it has an open deck - no cabin - and it offers efficient electric motors. During our test of the prototype version, we easily reached 10 knots and were able to appreciate the hull’s excellent passage through the chop. The different power options will allow you to optimize speed or range. The builder now offers its powercat concept in larger models (Bagoù 10 and 12 meters).

Builder: Bagoù Boats
Overall length: 24’1” (7.35 m)
Beam: 9’1” (2.77m)
Draft:18” (0.45 m)
Light displacement: 1,875 lbs (850 kg)
Hull material: Plywood/epoxy
Electric motors: 2 x 2/6/10/50 kW
Batteries: 10 to 60 kWh Max internal combustion engines: 2 x 75 HP

www.bagou-boats.com

TIMESQUARE 20

Mission: boating pleasure

Austrian boat builder Frauscher specializes in high-end craft - their catalog includes 5 different models of runabout and 4 boats with central console. The company is also well established in the electric boat market with 4 models... What is new, though, is that Frauscher are moving into catamarans, with the TimeSquare 20! This day boat is designed for navigating on protected waters and lakes. A hedonistic program for 7 people which does not skimp on the high-tech side of things, since this multihull integrates carbon fiber in order to reduce its displacement, making it barely a ton. The electric propulsion systems on offer range from 2 x 3 kW to 2 x 12 kW with a battery bank from 7 to 30 kWh. The deck plan totals 215 square feet (20 m²); it is modular and integrates a refrigerator, a sunshade and an audio system.

Builder: Frauscher
Length: 27’3” (8.30 m)
Beam: 8’2” (2.50 m)
Displacement: 2,535 lbs (1,150 kg)
Motors: 2 x 3 to 12 kW
Batteries: 7 to 30 kWh
Capacity: 7 persons

www.frauscherboats.com

ORPHIE 29

Pocket-sized electric trimaran

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Designers Jean Marc Piaton and Clément Bercault have created a trimaran powered by an electric motor. Thanks to its moderate displacement and especially the narrowness of its hulls, this multihull equipped with a 50 kW Torqeedo Deep Blue can maintain a cruising speed of 10 to 12 knots with a range of 30 nautical miles. The Orphie 29 has been designed to accommodate 6 to 10 people: the table of 6’7” x 2’8” (200 x 80) cm is in the shade and can accommodate the whole crew while the trampolines will be great for hanging out in the sunshine. Inside, a mini-cabin: this space is dedicated mostly to storage but there’s a small bunk that could be used by a child, and there’s also a toilet. This trimaran is simple, elegant and integrates sustainable and environmentally friendly materials in its plywood epoxy construction. That said, for the sake of keeping it light and rigid, the linking arms are made of carbon. A kite wing is also offered by the ...

This article was published in the issue SP21. To read the full article, purchase this issue or subscribe from $3/month.