2025 Sail Buyer's Guide

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: 30/40-footers are now the most popular market sector among buyers (along with multiyachts), yet the big manufacturers are reluctant to launch models under 40 feet. Nevertheless, we welcome the appearance of a few new models, such as the Cape WT10, the Dragonfly 36 and the New 41 from Fountaine Pajot.

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Published 29/11/2024

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

Subscribers Only

Issue: 199

Published: jan. / mar. 2025

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Palma 30 Grand Voyageur

Going Green

NEW

Forever Green

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. The builder also offers two larger models, the Ponza 35 and the Ponza 60.

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: 365 sq ft (34 m²)
Self-tacking solent: 205 sq ft (19 m²)
Drivetrain: 2 x 6 kW
www.windpearl.com

Tricat 30

On Course for Semi-offshore Cruising

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)
Drivetrain: 10/15 HP outboard
Price: € 193,977 ex-tax
www.trimaran-tricat.com

Xquisite 30 Sportcat

Just for Fun!

Xquisite Yachts is used to building comfortable cruising catamarans, so this sporty model, unveiled at Annapolis last year, came 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 be fitted instead of the standard skeg keels.

Builder: Xquisite Yachts
Hull ...

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