Readers' Mail

" Hello to all the Multihulls World team!

I hope you’ve recovered from Boot Düsseldorf? I was there around the same time as you - principally to meet Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, so it was also a special moment for me. To briefly return to your report on the show, you wrote that sailing multihulls were few and far between at the show (which is true) but at the same time, their presence was much more noticeable than it was a year, or two or three years ago. For me, the Astus 26.5 was undoubtedly the most interesting multihull on display. I don’t know if you saw the Australian Seawind stand? They didn’t actually have a catamaran on display this time, but their team was very friendly. I had a long and fascinating conversation about their boats and also about Corsair. With the launch of their production in Turkey, Seawind could well shake things up a bit in my opinion. Chinese builders also seem to be gaining a foothold in Europe and are therefore looking for closer locations.

In fact, I am writing to you mainly after reading your recent response to a reader, where you explained the context and current interest in a boat that is no longer in production. I find myself in a similar situation: I recently spotted several very interesting adverts for a Mattia e Cecco T 11 trimaran, but I’ve not had much success finding any reliable information about it online.

What particularly caught my attention was the electro-hydraulic folding system for the floats, which (to my knowledge) is quite unique for a cruising trimaran of this size. I was wondering if you had any additional information in your archives about this boat in general, and this system in particular.

Marcin
Poland "

Hello Marcin,

Being as you’re a subscriber to Multihulls World, you don’t need reminding that we tested the highly successful Astus 26.5 in MW205, but this information may be of interest to the wider Multihulls World community.

As for Seawind, yes, indeed, we met the team.

We also share your observation regarding the European market. Even though it’s largely dominated by French, Italian, and Polish shipyards, it attracts many builders based in the Far East.

But getting back to the Mattia e Cecco T 11 - this Italian trimaran from the early 1980s is unfortunately not included in the list of some 600 multihulls we have tested, but we have managed to gather some information. This folding multihull is characterized by a widened “Leen-style” central hull deck, forward, but rounded at the stern. Closer to the waterline, there is a marked chine, allowing for maintaining a remarkably narrow central hull at the waterline.

The floats, which are short at the after end, appear to be small in volume. They are supported by “Eiffel Tower” structure arms, somewhat reminiscent of those on Pen Duick 4.

Technical Specifications of the T 11

Builder: Mattia & Cecco
Length: 38’5” (11.7 m)
Beam: 12’2”/25’11” (3.7/7.9 m)
Draft: 2’/5’11” (0.6/1.8 m)
Air draft: 49’3” (15 m)
Displacement: 9,900 lbs (4.5 t)
Engine: 15 to 30 HP
Fuel: 40 US gal (150 l)
Water: 52 US gal (200 l)

Message to all the Multihulls World community: please feel free to send us any additional information to the following address: redaction@multihulls-world.com