Key Moments 2025

Australia has a long history with multihulls which is understandable, given our shoal waters and year-round sailing weather. I'm often asked to recommend various kinds of boats and this year my friend Jill wanted help finding a particular Australian catamaran, a Fastback, made in Queensland during the 1990s. She had decided to change from her classic monohull to a boat more suitable for the shallow bays of our east coast. During my voyaging and travels by land, I located several of these Fastbacks – designed by Australian John Gross and ranging in size from 30 to 43 foot and said to be shaped like the E-type Jaguars the designer loved. They have fiberglass hulls with lifting rudders and daggerboards; so ideal for shoal water. Well, the good news is Jill chose one. She has just moved aboard a Fastback 32 with her cat and, she says, has become an instant convert to catamarans.

Kevin Green
Australian Correspondent