The multihull has become the go-to sailboat for offshore cruising in recent years. But a catamaran can also be an excellent boat for sailing along our coastlines, whether for a weekend getaway or a summer week. In France, there are many shipyards that build catamarans, and the used market is becoming more accessible. But which are the best used catamarans?
As usual, there’s no easy answer to this question. It depends on your plans, your needs, and what you’re drawn to. But don’t give up just yet; we’ll try to find some top-rated used multihulls.
Before going any further, on the best used catamaransLet’s revisit the major advantages of multihulls for coastal or offshore cruising. Indeed, if Catamarans for long voyages are gaining momentum in the market used multihullsThere are reasons for this. And among these good reasons, we have the following:
- They are faster than monohulls
- They are more stable when sailing
- They offer significantly more volume than a monohull or trimaran of equivalent size.
- They can fail easily, in general
But if many recreational boaters still sail in monohulls, it’s because these catamarans also have disadvantages:
- They are more expensive to buy
- They are asking for more investment in maintenance
- Berths are scarcer (at least on the French coast).
- The living space is smaller in units under 9 meters.
- The sensations of steering, and more generally of navigation, are less appealing than on a monohull (although some catamarans, such as those built by the Marsaudon shipyard in Lorient, or the designs of Erik Lerouge, prove otherwise).
The main catamaran shipyards
Before presenting the best used catamaransLet’s see what forces are at play. The number of multihull builders has increased significantly since the 1970s. The British were the first to build catamarans. The Prout construction site offered excellent multihulls up until the 1990s. But these were heavy and did not sail upwind.
Subsequently, the French embarked on the construction of faster catamarans, with Fountaine Pajot or LagoonThe other country that has developed strong expertise in multihulls is South Africa.
Today, the main multihull shipyards are:
- Fountaine Pajot, one of the pioneering shipyards
- Nautitech
- Catana, a shipyard that stands out for its sporting temperament
- Leopard, a South African manufacturer
- Lagoon, the star shipyard of rental bases
- Outremer, the builder of the famous cruising catamarans
- Sunreef
- Bali, from the same group as the Catana shipyard
- African Cats
- Gunboat
- Excess, a shipyard specializing in fast catamarans
- Marsaudon, in Lorient, offers high-performance racing-cruising catamarans.
- Tournier Marine, which builds many Lerouge designs
- Adventure
- Jeantot Marine, then Privilège, which was bought by the Hanse Yachts group.
The best coastal cruising catamarans
We will begin our selection by coastal cruising catamaransYes, they do exist. For me, there are a few models that stand out for their simplicity, essential for coastal sailing, and their affordable price. These catamarans are reasonably under 10 meters long and equipped with outboard motors. These features help keep costs down for coastal cruising. Here are four Interesting catamarans under 9 meters.
- Maldives 32: This small 9.90-meter catamaran, offered by the Fountaine-Pajot shipyard from 1987 to 1993, is an excellent sailboat for coastal cruising. It is very well designed and can comfortably accommodate four people. Ideal if you have a mooring available.
- Wharram Tiki 26: This English catamaran, less than 8 meters long and designed by James Wharram, is the quintessential coastal camping multihull. This multihull is a true star across the Channel and a dream for many boaters.
- Edelcat 28: This 8.5-meter boat didn’t achieve the success it deserved, in my opinion. A real oddity, somewhere between a raid sailboat and a small cruising catamaran. Very pleasant on the water.
- Rackam 26: This catamaran, less than 8 meters long and designed by Erik Lerouge, is an excellent multihull, well-built and very fast. It was offered in several versions.
The best budget offshore catamarans
Now, let’s turn our attention to offshore cruising multihullsFor this type of program, we need a minimum level of comfort and a seaworthy, safe boat. At the same time, many of us don’t have exorbitant budgets. Therefore, we will limit our budget to €250,000. For your information, you can find more details here. 5 cruising catamarans for under €100,000.
- Mahe 36: This 11-meter catamaran, from the shipyard Fountaine-Pajot was designed by the firm Joubert-NiveltThis multihull has enjoyed great success thanks to its ingenious optimization of space and volume. A sailboat that will be easy to handle in coastal sailing.
- Overseas 45: This plan Gérard DansonThis 15-meter sailboat, launched in 2000, is not only comfortable for living aboard, but also lively, seaworthy, well-built, and elegant. A benchmark for exploring the world’s oceans.
- Prout 45: Prout catamarans were considered the gold standard until the 2000s. Buying a Prout meant seeking interior comfort and layouts designed for onboard living. These layouts are completely different from what French shipyards offer. The build quality is there, and so are the seaworthiness.
- Freydis 46: This Lerouge map This 15-meter yacht is undoubtedly one of the best sailboats in its class. fast catamaran is designed to go far, and fast. The layout will be simpler and the volume smaller than its competitors. It was built by the Soubise construction site.
- Catana 48: This Catana, designed by Christophe Barreau It’s also a fast boat, and well-built. An excellent choice for anyone looking for a fast sailboat that’s more spacious than the previous two.
- Lagoon 42: With this Lagoon 42We are changing our plans and becoming more sensible, despite the reputation of the two architects: Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-PrévostA boat that offers plenty of space. Smaller in size, the Lagoon 400 is one of the great successes of the construction site and is easily found on the second-hand market.
Recent used catamarans
Okay, let’s indulge in a little daydreaming. What if we had an unlimited budget? What if we could choose whatever we wanted, like the latest Lagoon or Leopard 45If we had the right to choosing a used catamaran Which catamaran, recent or even nearly new, would we choose? Well, I’ve selected four that I dream about (and that’s probably where it will stay). Here they are:
- Freydis 49: This catamaran, designed by Lerouge and built by the Tournier marine shipyard, is a 15-meter multihull launched in 2007. An excellent, very fast, centerboard sailboat.
- ORC50 This catamaran, built by Marsaudon, is also a fast multihull, designed for cruising, or even racing.
- Outremer 4X: The Outremer 4X is a 14-meter catamaran designed by Christophe Barreau and Frédéric Neuman. It has been built by the shipyard of the same name since 2016. This multihull is a true cruising boat, for owners
- SeaWind 41: Little known in France, the American shipyard Seawind offers catamarans in a style completely different from what European manufacturers produce. The layouts are entirely different and very well thought out.
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