NEEL 51

A trimaran in the cat world

When the first Neel 50 prototype was displayed at the La Rochelle show in 2011, nobody could have predicted how this radical builder, who had only recently appeared in an already very competitive multihull market, would see such development. However, the twenty five Neel 45s already built demonstrate the significance of the formula. The 51 was completed in time for the latest show at La Grande Motte, and demand has indicated that an extension to the factory is required! We spent two days on board number 2 in the series, and here are our first impressions.

In medium airs, the Neel picks up fast and is well-balanced with very little pitching

The float sections are smart, with no static dihedral angle (which would make the trimaran “waddle” from one hull to the other at anchor). They gradually go down in the water, allowing the windward hull to lift very early, reducing the wetted surface

A generous and effective sailplan

This oceanic limousine goes well in light airs

A very large multihull that pushes the boundaries of the living space whilst remaining agile and lively.

The helm station is divided into two distinct parts: the helm and sail handling console. The stability underway, the ergonomics and the efficiency of the autopilot allow easy management of the deck when short-handed or solo

The perspective of the 3 bows is enticing!

The “Cockloon”: Neel’s name for the multi-zone living space which includes the nacelle, the cockpit and the aft areas. Note the fully open look, forward

A successful deck lounge with bench seat and sunbathing area: it gives the pleasure of conviviality and a spectacular vantage point which is both safe and accessible

Neel did not invent the open space between the coachroof and the deck salon, nor flush-decked access, nor even the lounge deck, helm station or full forward vision. Yet these concepts from catamarans, placed on a 3-hull geometry, positioning the main cabi

The considerable volumes are highlighted by a high build quality and a trendy design

The galley is a work of art! The chart table, away from the general traffic, constitutes an enviable watchkeeping position

The master cabin has an exclusive view!

A double bunk in the port aft cabin

The layouts in the hulls easily rival those of a 40' catamaran. They are optional; a two-cabin version in the center hull will prove much lighter

A Neel 51 at the end of the composite infusion phase. The mold in 3 parts includes the central hull and the inner half-hulls. The outer half-hulls can be seen, before the "structural box" is closed by the installation of the deck and the coachroof (by ha

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Practical info

Boat Test price5.00€ Inc. tax

Purchase

Boat Test price5.00€ Inc. tax

Purchase

A genuine background

The founder of Neel Trimarans is an experienced sailor/businessman. The French sports cat champion in 1987 and specialist in Class C, he joined Fountaine Pajot and launched the Corneel 26 - a French extrapolation of the American Stilleto. It was a small multihull which combined a sports cat with a cruising cat. It was an efficient and playful machine which introduced the concept to many future enthusiasts. After this success and for the following 25 years, Eric Bruneel was involved in the yard’s development. He became the export manager, then the deputy managing director. He took a little break during the 2000s and got involved in the new M50 class at the helm of his Trilogic, with which he won The Transat 2004 and was placed second in the 2006 Route du Rhum, before embarking on the adventure which has become Neel trimarans.

Back to the roots of the cruising trimaran

Although there is much evidence of proto-catamarans (since the 18th century in England), the Western rediscovery of trimaran geometry is quite recent (André Sandrin's inaugural crossing of the Atlantic aboard Amanda dates only from 1946!). If we look for precursors of the Neel brainwave (...

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