2024 Sail Buyer's Guide

From 30 to 40 feet

Between 30 and 40 feet, the first proper cruising catamarans rub shoulders with coastal rally-raid trimarans, but there’s also some really fast boats. Whichever your choice, these multihulls remain on a human scale, easy to handle and easy to maintain. Today, this category is something of a paradox: 30 to 40-footers are now the leading segment for buyers, yet the big manufacturers are far from rushing to their aid... Worse still, some models, such as the Aventura 14, are dropping out of the catalog without being replaced. We can, however, count on two new innovative catamarans this year: the HopYacht 30 and the Xquisite 30 Sportcat.

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Published 08/12/2023

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

Réservé aux abonnés

Issue: 193

Published: jan. / feb. 2024

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PALMA 30 GRAND VOYAGEUR

Going green

Forever Green

The hulls and deck of the Palma 30 are made using a PVC foam/glass/vinylester sandwich in infusion. Light and well-canvassed, this catamaran is switching to electric mode in its Grand Voyageur version: its electric motors will offer a range of 30 miles (on batteries alone) to 50 miles (batteries + solar panels). The coachroof extends back to the transom, allowing the installation of almost 85 square feet (8 m²) of panels with a charging capacity of 1,320 Wp. In addition, the hydrogeneration function of its two electric pods will produce 1,200 W at 8 knots to help fully recharge the batteries in just one nice day under sail. The Navigateur version offers a completely open nacelle, while the Palm 30 GT features a semi-open superstructure.

Builder: Windpearl Yachts
Architect: Nicolas Purnu
Material: PVC foam/glass/vinylester sandwich
Length: 30’2” (9.2 m)
Beam: 18’8” (5.7 m)
Draft: 3’3” (0.99 m)
Displacement: 8,700 lbs (3.95 t)
Mainsail area: 365 sq ft (34m²)
Self-tacking solent: 205 sq ft (19 m²)
Motors: 2 x 6 kW
Price: from € 200,000 ex-tax
www.windpearl.com

TRICAT 30

On course for semi-offshore cruising

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The Tricat 30 offers all the comfort a crew of up to 6 could wish for, thanks to a very comfortable central hull - panoramic saloon - and a vast cockpit. Powerful, the Tricat 30 remains easy to handle for the whole family or on your own. In port, it folds easily while afloat to limit its beam to 11’6” (3.50 m). Its structural stiffness allows it to have exceptional speed potential: the 30 has already been caught at over 20 knots. And you’ll be reaching these speeds all the more easily as the mainsail is now bigger thanks to a new rig. More than ten Tricat 30s have been delivered since 2016. An excellent platform for semi-offshore cruising.

Builder: Tricat
Length: 30’2”/35’9” (9.2 /10.9 m)
Beam: 11’6”/23’ (3.5/7 m)
Light displacement: 5,180 lbs (2.35 t)
Draft: 16”/5’3” (0.4/1.6 m)
Mainsail: 425/484 sq ft (39.5/45 m²)
Jib: 237/264 sq ft (22/24.5 m²)
Spinnaker: 893/1,076 sq ft (83/100 m²)
Engine: 10/15 HP outboard
Price: from US$ 186,516 ex-tax
www.trimaran-tricat.com

XQUISITE 30 SPORTCAT

Just for fun!

Forever Green

Xquisite Yachts is used to building comfortable cruising catamarans, so this sporty model comes as something of a surprise. With its completely uncluttered cockpit, the boat is reminiscent of the Kat 28, Corneel 26, Edel Cat 33 or the very early Aventuras. The program is therefore sporty day sailing, with option to stay overnight on board - only the hulls are fitted out. The Xquisite 30 SportCat can be dismantled and transported by trailer. Its sail area-to-weight ratio is 50.59 m²/t, a value that is unambiguously dragster-like on two hulls... the rotating mast and carbon beams leave no doubt about the sportiness of this catamaran. As an option, daggerboards can ...

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