Multihulls World n° 186

But where have all the little multihulls gone?

It came as no surprise at the Cannes Yachting Festival that we got to discover lots of ever more luxurious multihulls. It’s a boat show that has become one of the most important events in the yachting calendar, and it has always claimed a high-end positioning - only units over 30 feet in length can be presented to the public. The smallest multihulls on display were 37 feet, in terms of sailboats. Therefore, no new models under 45 feet.

In the Vieux Port, the historic home of the show, we noted the presence of the brand new Four Winns, the TH36, the Aquila 36 and the Invincible 37. Unfortunately, that was about it... Of course, the shipyards point to the ever-increasing demand from their customers for models over 60 feet. Certainly, we at the editorial office don’t deny ourselves the pleasure of testing these palaces capable of carrying you from one continent to another. But surely the yards need alerting to the fact that isn’t it time, given the craze for nautical activities in this post-Covid period, to propose an offer better suited to newcomers, to beginners who also want to live on the water, to sail with their families? Multihull charter is obviously a possibility, but we are convinced that there’s a market for 30 to 40-foot cruising multihulls. In fact, not so long ago, most shipyards were producing them. Aboard a small multihull, you’re not going to expect the same marine qualities as those offered by a unit ten feet longer - nor the same comfort. But at a time when raw material costs are soaring, as well as those of energy, and at a time when preserving our environment is becoming an urgent necessity, isn’t it a sensible choice to see things... smaller?

Enjoy reading!

Emmanuel van Deth - Editor in Chief

Gerbert Rambaud - CEO of Jours de Passions

SAIL TESTS
Aura 51 Smart Electric
MG5
McConaghy MC60

VINTAGE TEST
Exocet Junior

EVENT
Route du Rhum : The legends of the Rhum Multi Class

CRUISING
Postcards
Samaná – Dominican Republic
South Island – New Zealand

PRACTICAL
Diagnostic: Choosing the right skipper

FEATURES
Readers’ posts
The photographer’s eye
News from the builders
Multipower news
Multiyacht news
Multi forever green
News from the pontoons
Shopping
List of boat tests
Whos’ who: Sam Goodchild

• Articles

  • Choosing a skipper - How to pick the right person?
  • New Zealand - Discovering South Island! Part 1
  • Route du Rhum - A multihull race open to everyone (or almost) and to sailing legends?
  • The photographer's eye - My declaration: An Ode to our multihulls

• Postcards

  • Azyu - A Pentecostal race around Taha’a
  • Biotrek - Crossing the Pacific bound for the Gambier Islands
  • Eagle - Our first crossing as a family
  • Jeredam - An amazing stopover with the fishermen on the Isla de Aves
  • Ohana - A family world tour on board a Samana 59
  • Perry - Around the world in 2,869 days!
  • Sail & Surf - Starting with the Bay of Biscay

• Tests

  • 80. Aura 51 Smart Electric - The first electric catamaran from Fountaine Pajot
  • 86. MG5 - In praise of delightful simplicity on two hulls
  • 94. McConaghy MC60 - A one-of-a-kind catamaran
  • 102. Exocet Junior - A unique catamaran for €200!

• Destinations

  • The Dominican Republic - Are you ready to discover the secrets of Los Haitises?