Multihulls Today, Fall 2023

AMERICA’S PREMIER MULTIHULL MAGAZINE

MULTIHULLS TODAY 19 NEW MULTIHULLS FOR 2024 A LATE SEASON CHARTER IN THE BALEARICS

SACRE BLEU’S CARIBBEAN ADVENTURES

LITHIUM BATTERIES: 8 KEY CONSIDERATIONS fall, 2023

MULTIHULLS TODAY fall 2023

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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ON CHARTER A Late Season Balearic Islands Charter

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ON THE LEVEL Caribbean Multihull Challenge 2024

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GONE CRUISING

Sacre Bleu’s Caribbean Adventure

Cover shot: Enjoying a sail abaord a Lagoon 42.

2 Multihulls Today • summer 2023

TECH TALK

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MODERN MULTIHULLS 19 New Multihulls ofr 2024

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Publisher’s Letter

Trends in New Cats and Tris THE MULTIHULL WORLD HAS ALWAYS SPAWNED innovation and now that multihulls are completely mainstream and popular, that innovation has only accelerated. In this issue’s 2024 Boat Show Preview, we offer 19 new multihulls that will be setting the pace for the years ahead. Many of these were at the Annapolis Sailboat show, the largest multihull show in North America. And, in that group, we see new trends emerging and innovations worth noting.

The trend to add flying bridges to cruising and charter cats seems to be changing a bit. While the larger production cats often have flying bridges, designers have worked hard to integrate them into the cockpit hardtop with more subtly and grace. The days of floating wedding cakes are in the rearview mirror. And designers at the performance end of the spectrum are eschewing them altogether.

Daggerboards continue to gain in popularity because they seriously enhance a design’s sailing performance, both up wind and in a wide range of sea states and angles. Boards can help stabilize the hulls when reaching and can dampen pitching.

Plus, the new C-shapes boards add lift to the hulls that reduces wetted surface and improves speed.

MULTIHULLS TODAY

Editor and Publisher George Day Ph: 401-847-7612 Fax: 401-845-8580 george@bwsailing.com Contributing Editors

Bill Biewenga Rebecca Childress John Neal

Sandy Parks Art Director Ph: 401-847-7612 Fax: 401-845-8580 sandy@bwsailing.com Advertising Sales & Tom Casey Marketing Consultant tomcat911@comcast.net

Hybrid and electric propulsion, powered by solar, wind and hydrogen generators are much more common than they were just a few years ago. While diesel engines will be with us for years to come, the new sustainable systems are truly maturing and coming down in price.

Trimarans are growing more popular by the year and with folding hull technology in boats up to and over 40 feet, the new designs will fit in most marinas.

Plus, the raw performance advantage of modern tris over cats and monohulls add a true thrill to the cruising life. And, with NEEL building tris that have the space of big cats and tri performance, the liveaboard and voyaging life has truly interesting new players.

Enjoy the fall shows and check out these amazing, innovative new designs.

4 Multihulls Today • summer 2023

MT-Multihulls Today is published by Blue Water Sailing LLC in February, May, August and November. Copyrighted 2023. All rights reserved.

Reprinting, photocopying and excerpting passages is forbidden except by permission of the publisher.

Blue Water Sailing ISSN: 1091-1979

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Sixth Annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge 2024

AFTER COMPLETING A VERY SUCCESSFUL fifth edition of the unique Caribbean Multihull Challenge, the organizers have decided to add a fourth day to the event, which will run from February 1 through 4 in St. Martin. In 2023, 32 multihulls of all sizes and designs showed up for the serious racing for the competitive types and rallies for the cruisers. And, you don’t

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have to bring your own multihull since The Moorings and others have cats based in St. Martin for charter.

Racing sailors in class one will have three distances on days one, two and three as they compete for the Trifecta Award. The fourth day will be for two inshore races. Those in racing class two will have four distance races with one being around St. Martin.

The rally for cruising sailors will be a cruise in company to four different ports, including the start at Simpson Bay, a visit to the island Tintemarre, Great Bay and a run down to St. Barts. The final day, the boats will sail back downwind to

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Simpson Bay and the closing party at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club.

All sailors will have a third choice for Challenge. The organizers will put

on four Time Trials for Cruising Multihulls so skippers or charterers can compete in a non-racing, destination format and determine just how fast these cruising cats and tris can go. The fleet will overnight at each destination and finish up with the whole fleet in Simpson Bay. The event is hosted by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club and all multihull sailors –owners and charterers are invited. Learn more about this fun-filled four days in the Caribbean here.

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THE RISE OF STARLINK IN THE CRUISING fleets around the world has been nothing short of a tidal wave, with good reason.

The ability to live stream the internet and thus all forms of communications and tasks while at sea at a cost that is within most cruisers’ budgets (as opposed to INMARSAT) was a dream a year ago. Now it is real and flat antennas are popping up on boats everywhere.

While Starlink is a valuable addition to the comms repertoire offshore sailors need, there are issues with the system that make it less than perfectly reliable.

First, the low earth orbit satellites have not been deployed over the mid-oceans in the numbers that are flying over earthbound population centers. A few failures of the at-sea satellites and the system can become sketchy.

Second, Elon Musk owns Starlink and has complete control over which satellites are “turned on” and which are not. And, Musk has proven to be both a genius and impulsive. In the end, you can’t entirely trust him.

Third, Starlink did not envision sailors to use the RV mobile antennas at sea instead of the more expensive Maritime systems and contracts. Right now, RV mobile antennas and contracts are being honored for cruising boats. But, will that be the case tomorrow? Only Musk knows.

Most offshore rallies and races require two forms of email communication so event organizers and shore-side crews can track their fleets and respond quickly to any emergencies. Starlink will certainly will be one of those comms tools, but what is a complimentary second choice as a back-up?

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PredictWind, the New Zealand based weather and routing provider to sailors around the world, has had a long relationship with Iridium and has been selling Go! and Go!Exec devices and contracts for a few years.

The Go!Exec is the perfect, and relatively inexpensive second comms device that will give skippers offshore the redundancy they need. Plus, the Go! has some features like automatic tracking and a built in SOS alarm that are not part of the Starlink program. And, with PredictWind’s new 5MB offering at $69.95 a month, the Go! can handle very large files making it much more versatile than the existing Go! Conveniently, you can subscribe to Go! Exec on a month by month basis, so it can be turned on for long passages and turned off when not offshore.

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gone cruising

SACRE BLEU’S CARIBBEAN ADVENTURES Part 4: After their transatlantic passage, the crew of Sacre Bleu explores the Eastern Caribbean

by Jim Toomey

WE HAD SETTLED INTO A CRUISING ROUTINE that was very different from our lives in the Mediterranean. We were spending more time in remote anchorages and less time in marinas and restaurants. Our boat was built to be off the grid, and we were finally there. With a generator, solar panels, and a watermaker, we could stay put in any sheltered harbor as long as we wanted. We were also engaged in more outdoor activities: swimming, scuba diving and paddle boarding. We had evolved from a family that once drove from one quaint Mediterranean village to the next in search of better gelato into true seafarers.

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As we worked our way up the west coast of Martinique, we ran across the occasional boat we recognized from the Atlantic Odyssey. These chance meetings happened far more frequently than I would have expected, and they made me appreciate how few of us are wandering the world in a sailboat. As time went on, at any given anchorage, we also came to recognize many of the boats around us from previous anchorages. The entire cruising community seemed to be made up of only a hundred lucky souls.

As we approached the northern end of Martinique, the weather forecast brought the threat of a major storm that forced us

to find a secure anchorage. The shallow waters off the beachfront town of SaintPierre offered the best prospect for the night, so we dropped anchor about 500 feet offshore. To make sure the anchor was properly set, I put on snorkeling gear and dove 30 feet to the sandy bottom to get a closer look.

The wind and waves were furious that night, and we were unable to sleep as the incoming swells gently lifted and dropped Sacre Bleu with a slow cadence.

Valerie and I anxiously sat in the dark salon, feeling like we were stuck on an elevator, slowly rising and falling, as we kept an eye on shore to make sure the town lights were not getting any closer.

I was thankful I dove the anchor, but considering the forces at play that night, I was still skeptical about its ability to keep us attached to the loose sandy bottom.

When I dove it again the next morning, the anchor had plowed a 30-foot-long trench in the sand.

With the morning light, we discovered we were the lucky ones. On shore, a 36-foot ketch was lying on its side like a beached whale, a Danish flag still proudly fluttering at its stern. The crew was frantically removing belongings from the boat and neatly laying them on the beach to dry.

They were living the nightmare that had haunted me the entire cruise. Having lost the battle, they were methodical about We had settled into a cruising routine that was very different from our lives in the Mediterranean. We were spending more time in remote anchorages and less time in marinas and restaurants.

gone cruising

a pleasant beach town had sprung up around the charred ruins that told the story of a tragic past. The twin-spired cathedral was one of the few structures to survive the 1902 volcanic eruption that destroyed the town and killed all but two of its inhabitants.

The Zoo de Martinique was a short hike out of town. There, we saw an impressive collection of native birds, butterflies, the surrender, carefully arranging the lizards, and monkeys, all reproduced ship’s galley items in rows in one part of in plush miniature in the zoo gift shop, the beach, clothing and personal effects where we spent at least half our time. in another, sails and rigging in another, The woman who ran the shop suggested their lives and shattered dreams on we visit the Neisson Rum Distillery for a display for all to scrutinize. quintessentially Martiniquais experience.

I thanked her very much and asked how We devoted the next day to exploring we might find a taxi or rideshare. Without Saint-Pierre. As with Herculaneum in Italy, a second thought, she handed us her car keys. Her kindness left us all speechless.

The idea of driving a borrowed car on unfamiliar, winding mountain roads to visit a rum distillery did not seem like a good idea at first, but she insisted. That afternoon, at the open-air Neisson Rum Distillery, deep in the forested hills, a soft-spoken guide made the process of turning sugarcane into rum seem like alchemy. Later, we returned the car, thanked our new friend with a bottle of rum, and returned to Sacre Bleu with fond memories of the people of Martinique.

After a three-week transatlantic journey starting in the Canary Islands, landing in the Caribbean brought welcome change to our cruise.

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Continuing our island-hopping north, we arrived at the southern tip of Dominica in the afternoon, taking a mooring ball off Newtown, a suburb of Roseau, the capital city. We tied the dinghy to a dock that was missing most of its planking and walked tightrope-style into an abandoned building and then out the door into a noisy sidewalk filled with pedestrians and food vendors. In the frenetic street, we found a cab driver

who was more than happy to give us a tour of the island.

The next morning, we slipped the mooring and made our way up the coast to Portsmouth on the north end of the island, anchoring in Prince Rupert Bay. There, we found a more traditional Dominica: artisanal fishing boats, street vendors, an easygoing vibe, restaurants and beach clubs. The Indian River is the principal attraction here, with its mangrove-lined banks providing a home for snakes, lizards, butterflies, waterbirds, and parrots. As we wound our way through the dense jungle in the dinghy, we made use of Valerie’s almost supernatural powers of observation: a tree frog here, a snake there, a butterfly over there. She can see right through their camouflage, and I suspect animals are irked by that.

I imagined them saying, “Damn. How’d that woman find me?”

It was Shrove Monday on the Christian calendar, making the next day Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras in other parts of the world. Islanders who are practicing Catholics use this time for last indulgences before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. These three days mark the climax of the Caribbean carnival season, culminating in a grand parade and the burning of King Vaval, a 30-foot-tall totem made of wood. Carnival is an event not to missed, and we were told that the best one in the entire Caribbean was just up the west coast of Guadeloupe in the capital city of Basse-Terre.

In Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, the carnival procession of marching bands, dance troupes—women wearing enormous hats with feathers, flowers, and beads, floats, jugglers walking on stilts and young men cracking whips—went on for over a mile. www.MultihullsToday.com 17

gone cruising

There was no protected anchorage off Basse-Terre, and we had no choice but to anchor outside of the breakers off the beach. I was not comfortable leaving Sacre Bleu in such an exposed location, so I spent most of my time onshore glancing down the beach to check on the boat while Valerie and the kids shopped for costumes. If the anchor dragged in that easterly wind, I thought, Sacre Bleu would end up in Venezuela.

On Tuesday morning, the streets of Basse-Terre were choked with hundreds of costumed participants assembling themselves into groups and eventually into a parade. The procession of marching bands, dance troupes—women wearing enormous hats with feathers, flowers, and beads, floats, jugglers walking on

stilts and young men cracking whips— went on for over a mile. The parade meandered through the streets from one end of the city to the other, lasting all day and well into the night. By early evening, we returned to our quiet boat, which was, much to my relief, still anchored down the beach.

Ash Wednesday arrived, bringing a different complexion to Basse-Terre.

Whereas the theme on Shrove Tuesday was bright colors, sparkle, and feathers, the theme on this first day of Lent was black and white. This funeral procession for King Vaval was visibly toned down, so we stayed late into the night and even joined the parade at one point.

The musicians and dancers had worked glow sticks into their costumes and as darkness fell on Basse-Terre, the parade route resembled a luminescent river, its banks ebbing and flowing with the music.

At the end of the parade route stood Vaval, King of the Carnival, awaiting his sacrifice. We took our leave in the dinghy as Vaval went up in flames, watching the final, fiery act of Carnival from our inconspicuous home bobbing in the dark waves offshore.

From Basse-Terre, we sailed north to Plage de Malendure, a popular beach midway up the west coast of Guadeloupe known for its black sand. While I was at the helm, I saw what looked like a bright white submarine passing quickly across our bow, port to starboard, about five feet under the surface. I threw the helm to port, anticipating a collision with the mysterious object. When I looked to starboard, I saw an enormous adult humpback whale, ten feet across, surfacing close enough for me to step off the boat and onto its

18 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

As we approached the northern end of Martinique, the weather forecast brought the threat of a major storm that forced us to find a secure anchorage. The shallow waters off the beachfront town of Saint-Pierre offered the best prospect for the night, so we dropped anchor about 500 feet offshore.

back. The leviathan ignored us and kept swimming, apparently in a hurry to get someplace. Later that day, we heard a distress call over the radio from a sailboat that had hit a humpback whale and needed a tow. We barely escaped the same fate; Sacre Bleu was still a lucky boat.

Valerie Toomey moved to the U.S. from her native France twenty-five years ago.

Since then, she has worked in international shipping, run a children’s boutique, and for the past ten years worked in the boating industry, currently as a yacht broker for Atlantic Cruising Yachts.

Famiy Afloat available on Amazon Prime: Jim Toomey is an internationally published More about the voyage here. humor writer and syndicated cartoonist best known as the creator of the popular comic strip Sherman’s Lagoon, published daily in over 150 newspapers, including The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune.

on charter

A Late Season Balearic Islands Charter A week is not long enough to really explore the harbors and towns of Mallorca by Erik Westgard AFTER SEVENTEEN CHARTERS, EUROPE and the Med are still a draw, as the ports are beautiful and the food and history are amazing. Thinking mostly of tapas, we decided on Spain. We had all the right training paperwork in hand (IPC certificates from the ASA) and a core of interest. The best prices are in the shoulder seasons, so it was to be May or October. Published accounts suggested the season officially ended on October 31and after some negotiations got our charter to end on Halloween.

Mirador Hotel, which has a rooftop patio bar and is across the street. There is a good supermarket behind the base one block north.

There is a lot to do in and around Palma.

The stunning cathedral marks the old town. This area can be reached after a quick walk around the harbor on a wellmaintained sidewalk. The maze of back streets has good choices in local and international cuisine.

We had a spare half day so we took The Moorings base is at Marina Naviera the wooden narrow gauge railway Balear, part of a massive harbor complex from central Palma to Soller. Lovingly in Palma, Mallorca. There are lots of maintained, the train and the series yachts and many flight options. Taxis of tunnels are a wonder of early 1900s are cheap and plentiful. We chose the engineering. Nestled in a valley, the town 20 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

has a storybook atmosphere and features epic dining and shopping. It feels like a cross between Switzerland and Napa.

You can take a wooden trolley from the town to the actual port of Soller, which is also a sailing destination.

The Moorings chart briefing focused on weather and Calas—tiny harbors. There is no tide to speak of and the area has “no unmarked hazards.” In the Med, the weather is really lovely, except when it is not. Then, you must be safely tucked in someplace. After a few Med charters, we have finally decided that the weather here is not as complicated as we thought; use the radar, common sense and a range of forecasts.

interesting and often have fine beaches.

The idea is you can zip in and anchor for lunch and a swim. The general harbor situation is best described as crowded.

The local authorities have put in over 1000 moorings, which seems a drop in the bucket compared to strong demand. We were told harbor berths are “no problem” this time of year. In fact, Palma was very full all week, likely due to the fact that the charter fleets and locals were in port and not out sailing.

The sailing area also includes Ibiza.

Published routes include going all the way around Mallorca or staying on south side of the island. There are interesting harbors such as Cala Formentor up in the northeast, but these are a long way from The numerous calas around Mallorca are Palma and there are not a lot of harbors

www.MultihullsToday.com 21

on charter

unable to cure the noise of mooring balls rubbing on the hulls all night.

We enjoyed the Moorings 3900. I (but not my crew) prefer a small monohull given a choice. I decided the cat hull had the windage of an aircraft carrier, so I was concerned about trying to Med Moor in a of refuge on the northwest shore. tiny harbor in say 30 knots of crosswind.

I was always happy to have a mooring Marinas in general here seem to belong ball. My crew was entranced by all the to two operating entities. Ports IB is the room and the well-lit saloon area. The cheaper of the two, and private yacht fancy electric dinghy davit setup was a clubs (Club Nautico) have the other cross between luxurious and decadent. concession. Reservations are online or you can call ahead. In all cases, the After a long discussion on weather, we harbor people came to us, so we did not decided to go to Port D’Andratx first. The have to visit the harbor offices. We got descriptions were a bit over the top, ie. an excellent education on the tying up home of the rich and famous, etc. We process for moorings- use two separate used one of the online sites to check on dock lines and use both loops on the berth prices: 116 Euros in late October. I painter if available. On our cat, we were let that proposed online booking (and 30 Euro convenience fee) expire.

We got to D’Andratx and found a single yellow with red numbers mooring ball on the starboard side going in. (The excellent Graham Hutt guidebook says a 13 M yacht should use a white buoy). My crew was sure my choice would be overturned. In a few minutes an orange dinghy appeared and the driver said “this 22 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

is not possible- please follow me”. We followed him to the larger mooring field on the other side of the channel. As we approached him at another orange buoy he held up the painter for us, making the sign of the cross with his other hand and shouting “I have insurance.”

Once ashore, the books were right. We passed white tablecloth places on the waterfront promoting 30 Euro dinners, and saw empty tables and bored waiters.

A block up from the harbor the family Italian place and crew hamburger bar were both packed. We peeked into a classy wine and tapas shop and asked for some low end local vintages, which were fine. And we found a five for eleven Euro

tapas special (sardines and calamari) with an awesome view at ROMA. After a successful evening we marveled at the pretty lights overlooking the harbor. This is a great stop.

The next day, we made the long haul (30 miles) from D’Andratx over to the park island at Cabrera, where we found an excellent natural harbor. Overlooking it is a cute castle and ashore is the Government Cantina. That was sleepy with a couple of dogs keeping us company, but I had a local draft beer on the patio and felt like I was back in time.

The permit and mooring ball reservations web site is daunting but it is well worth the trouble. The park islands otherwise restrict

www.MultihullsToday.com 23

on charter

anchoring and are ringed with hiking trails; some require an organized tour.

The weather was supposed to deteriorate.

We called ahead to La Rapita marinanearby - and got a reservation. We headed out the next day right at noon with predicted light winds. We were baffled that the radar showed a front coming in. We put in one reef and half a jib and ventured out. In a matter of minutes, we had gusts of 30 knots and driving rain and huge seas. We had too much sail up and managed to heave to for a bit before turning around.

We waited a day for the front to clear and headed out again. This time La Rapita was full. I decided on Porto Petro, a town that had more to offer than a marina in bad weather in terms of services.

Porto Petro is easy to find and had two 24 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

mooring fields for us and room on the pier. The moorings were being taken up for winter storage as we arrived. You can stay for about 30 Euros and there was an extra charge for a shower card. The town is adorable and there was a supermarket very nearby. We found an excellent dinner at Es Bergant; the seafood was amazing.

As we were weather experts now, we decided to leave the boat for a day, as the trip back to Palma was to be 35 miles and, according to Windy, we’d have 30 knots and large seas on the nose. The next day was forecast to be a bit better.

We called the car rental place and they came and picked us up right away. The crew had a long list of places to see.

The Caves of Drach were charming. The crew were thrilled by the Pearl Factory aka House of Majorica nearby, overlooking Porto Colom. We drove up a steep hill to the beautiful monastery Santuari de Sant Salvador, which is now also a hotel and bar.

The trip back to Palma featured mountainous wind driven seas, and 22 knots on the nose. I was reminded of perilous voyages around Cape Horn but the powerful twin engines could be adjusted to a reasonably comfortable pace. We arrived safely back at The Moorings docks and were greeted by the manager and crew, happy to see us despite the bad weather. All in all Mallorca and the Balearic Islands are a marvelous region for a charter vacation.

tech talk

Lithium Batteries: 8 Key Considerations

Upgrading to lithium batteries is not a simple plugand-play swap

by Ryan Ellison

LITHIUM BATTERIES HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED energy storage, offering a multitude of benefits over conventional battery technologies. Their remarkable features, including high energy density, longer cycle life, and impressive powerto-weight ratios, have made them particularly appealing for use in sailing yachts and motor vessels.

As a result, numerous sailors and liveaboards are transitioning from traditional lead-acid batteries to lithium to harness these advantages.

Nevertheless, upgrading your system isn’t as straightforward as merely swapping in new lithium batteries. Lithium batteries represent a unique technology that demands proper understanding and handling.

it is important to consult your insurer.

Some insurers may require professional installation and compliance with best practices to maintain coverage.

Installation Expertise and Planning Planning a lithium installation is not a ‘one size fits all’ and while it may be tempting to cut corners, it is important to assess your yacht’s entire electrical system to accommodate the unique characteristics of lithium batteries.

Hire a skilled marine electrician with experience in lithium battery installations to ensure proper wiring, cable sizing, and component placement, which is critical for safety.

Planning an installation can be difficult without experience, particularly in the case of having to locate new components Insurance such as fuses, breakers and switches into Before you start a lithium installation, a small space. Keep detailed records 26 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

of the installation process, component including alternators, solar panels, and specifications, and a wiring diagram shore chargers must be configured to the lithium battery’s recommended specific to your installation. charging specifications. Each battery has a specified charge current rating, Battery Chemistry Selection Lithium batteries are comprised of cells typically around 0.5 times the battery that can be either prismatic, cylindrical, capacity (C2) or higher. In practice, a 170 or contained in a pouch. These cells amp-hour battery can typically handle a utilize an anode, a cathod and an charge rate of 85 amps or more. If multiple electrolyte through which electrons flow batteries are connected in parallel, to release stored energy. Differences in the total charge capacity increases. these materials result in different lithium- However, even if one or two batteries fail, ion chemistries, each suiting different the remaining capacity should still align applications. Lithium Iron Phosphate with the charging device’s capability.

(LiFePO4) is the most common for use in marine environments due to their low Alternator Regulation internal resistance, high cycle life, and One of the most important charging a higher threshold for reaching thermal practices is alternator output regulation.

Alternators are designed to provide runaway. power without considering the battery’s Battery Management System (BMS) Every lithium battery system will require a BMS to prevent issues like overcharging, excessive discharge and thermal runaway. The BMS serves as a small computer either integrated within a battery pack or externally connected to multiple packs. BMS’ can either be internal or external to your battery. Its main purpose is to protect the cells and prevent thermal runaway incidents, with most monitoring charge and discharge current, pack or system voltage, temperature, and cell balancing to ensure consistent charge levels. If any of these parameters are exceeded, the BMS will shut down the current flow to safeguard the cells and battery pack.

Charging Infrastructure When it comes to charging lithium batteries, it’s essential to adhere to safe charging practices. The charging system, www.MultihullsToday.com 27

should be given to secure cable connections that can withstand heavy vibration or rough seas.

Component Quality Source lithium batteries and components from reputable suppliers with strong technical support to ensure reliability and safety. characteristics. When the alternator runs at a high output for an extended period, it generates heat that is typically cooled by the engine-driven fan.

In situations where the engine operates at low RPM, the fan may not supply sufficient cooling air, leading to potential alternator damage or fire hazard. There are various ways to safely overcome this issue. The most common is to use an alternator regulator. Another approach involves using the alternator to charge a lead-acid starter battery and employing a battery-to-battery charger to charge the lithium bank.

Dump Load Protection Dump loads are a potential concern when using high-amperage charging devices like high-output alternators or shore chargers. If access to the battery is abruptly cut off or the BMS shuts off charging, a voltage surge occurs in the system. In a 12-volt system, this surge can reach anywhere between 40 volts and 120 volts and take up to 400 milliseconds to decay. Such voltage spikes can cause significant damage to voltage-sensitive electronics, alternators, and chargers, similar to the effects of a lightning strike.

Proper installation is crucial for mitigating the risk of a dump load and attention 28 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

Once you have completed your lithium installation, it is important to regularly monitor the battery’s performance, temperature, and charging status. Schedule regular maintenance and inspections to address any issues promptly. It is best practice to check for any loose connections, which may generate heat. It is also worthwhile educating yourself and your crew about your lithium installation and best safety practices, including handling, storage, and emergency procedures.

By taking note of these key considerations and seeking expert guidance, you can ensure a successful and secure lithium battery installation on your yacht, enhancing your vessel’s performance and safety.

Ryan Ellison is a founding member of Dakota Lithium and an ABYC technician.

He also is a popular YouTube blogger as half of the team on the channel Ryan and Sophie Sailing – Sophie being the actual blogger. Ryan has tested Dakota Lithium batteries on board his yacht, Polar Seal, throughout 25,000 nautical miles and three Atlantic crossings.

Check out Ryan and Sophie Sailing here.

Check our Dakota Lithium here.

19 New Multihulls for 2024 MT takes a look at the new catamarans and trimarans that made 2023 one of the most innovative years in multihull history The world of cruising multihulls continues to evolve and innovate as established brands and newcomers alike bring out new models and upgraded versions of their existing designs. And there is no question that multihulls are making serious inroads in the blue water cruising fleet; in the 2022 Fall Salty Dawg Rally, of the 120 boats that signed up, 30-percent were multihulls with cruising couples aboard. And, the first to finish honors went to the HH 50 Tribute, an all-carbon cat that simply flew down the 1,400-mile rhumb line.

For 2024, here are 19 cats and tris that will be setting the standards for luxury, speed and comfort both offshore and at anchor.

Balance 56

modern multihulls

Balance 442 BALANCE 442

space, both inside and out.

The Bali line was developed

by Poncin to build boats for his Dream Charter fleets and the boats are built in France under contract with Catana Yachts.

Since the boats, like the 4.4, are meant to be used in charter as well as by private owners, they are robustly built and have moderate rigs and fixed keels.

Their great attraction for family cruisers is the amount of space provided; you can have four sleeping cabins, and there are communal spaces in the cockpit, saloon and in the larger forward lounge that covers most of the fore deck.

The Bali 4.4, like her sisterships, will be great in warm climates and comfortable for coastal cruising with a gang onboard.

The 4.4 might be a perfect first boat for new cruisers, too. More here.

The new 44-foot Balance 442 is the smallest model in the Balance fleet (44 to 75 feet) but still offers all of the attributes that founder and President Phil Berman deems essential in a performance cruising cat – moderately light weight, narrow hulls, daggerboards, a powerful rig, and simple elegance throughout.

Built in South Africa, the 442 will sail closer to the wind than most cruising cats due CATANA OCEAN CLASS 50 to her high-performance daggerboards and will reach and broad reach at 10 to Catana is a French builder that has 13 knots. With Berman’s innovative Versa a well-earned reputation for building Helm, you can steer the boat from the raised helm station or, in bad weather, from the protection of the cockpit where Bali 4.4 you still have great visibility forward through the huge saloon windows. To my mind, the Balance 442 seems a excellent balance between performance, comfort and style for a cruising couple who love to sail. More here BALI 4.4 Conceived by Oliver Poncin and designed by Xavier Fay, the Bali 4.4 falls in the mid-size range of the Bali fleet and offers an amazing amount of living 30 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

Catana Ocean Class 50

performance cats that are capable of high latitude sailing and circumnavigating. The new Ocean Class 50 replaces the great 47 that so many couples and families have sailed all over the world.

The new design has reverse bows, narrow hulls, a high bridge deck, daggerboards, and a powerful rig with a self-tacking jib and a code zero. The raised helm to starboard has all control lines and sheets handy so a lone watch keepers can trim and reef without leaving the helm. The 50 comes with a standard three- cabin layout with the master suite to starboard and guest cabins to port. A handsome and thoroughly modern new entry in the cruising fleet, the OC 50 will appeal to cruisers with ambitions to sail far, sail fast and sail in both luxury and comfort. https://www.catana.com/en/ CORSAIR 880 TRIMARAN The Corsair 880, built in Viet Nam by the Australian-based Seawind Catamaran company, is an all new completely Corsair 880

modern design intended to replace the venerable F27 that really helped to start the trimaran revolution. With folding amas, like all Corsairs, the 880 can be moored in a slip intended for monohulls and can be trailered behind a family SUV. Although only 28 feet, the 880 will sleep five, has an enclosed head, a large cockpit and plenty of on-deck space.

But the real reason to own a tri and an 880 in particular is the sailing qualities they offer. With her dagger board down, the 880 will match upwind performance with monohulls twice here size; then crack off and hoist a chute and the 880 will leave just any monohull of any size in her wake.

Fifteen knots at a comfortable angle and with a feather-light helm will put a smile on any serious sailor’s face. It certainly did for me when we sail-trialed the boat.

More here.

DRAGONFLY 40 TRIMARAN I had the chance to sail the new Dragonfly 40 in Denmark last fall (2022) with Jens Quorning, the boat’s designer and builder. Jens is an Olympic quality sailor, so it is a huge www.MultihullsToday.com 31

modern multihulls

sailing and very fast passage making, the new Dragonfly 40 should definitely be on your short list.

More here.

EXCESS 14 Dragonfly 40 pleasure sailing with him and his boats in the Dragonfly line reflect his deep knowledge of and need for performance sailing. Suffice it to say that in 15 knots of true wind we often saw 15 knots on the speedo with the spinnaker up. But the new 40 is a cruising boat meant for cruising families who, like Jens, demand superior sailing qualities. The boat is also roomy both in the cockpit and below and finished with beautiful Scandinavian style joinery. It can sleep six comfortably and has a full galley and an enclosed head.

The 40, like all Dragonflys, has folding amas so it can be berthed in a normal marina slip and can be transported on a trailer behind a pickup truck. For those who don’t mind giving up a bit of interior volume in exchange for exciting Excess 14

Groupe Beneteau owns the Lagoon brand and has built it into a leader among cat builders. But the company also discerned that there was a market for younger owners who are active in water sports, adventurous and into a watery sailing lifestyle. Hence the launch of the Excess line of cruising cats with the first two, the 11 and 15, being built on older Lagoon hulls with new decks. The Excess 14 is the first in the line to be designed from the keel up as an allnew cat and it does indeed embody the Excess concept. The 14 has fixed keels, full hulls for interior volume and moderate rigs with a double headsail configuration.

The boat can be sailed from the raised helm without the need for going forward to fly a downwind sail. The layouts include three and four cabin options and it is interesting to note that the hulls are wide enough to allow for walk-around double berths. Spacious, open and airy, the 14 will appeal to those who want a simple functional cruising platform that can take you anywhere.

More here.

FOUNTAINE PAJOT AURA 51 In the last decade as the sailing market adopted

multihulls with a vengeance, Fountaine Pajot, a French builder, found considerable success and market share with their roomy, solid and easy-to-sail cats. The Aura 51 is near the top of their line and represents a couple’s cruising Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 boat that will make a fine home afloat and a capable offshore cruiser. FP does not go for high performance in their as “green” as possible. Since the 72 will designs, but instead, builds boat that sail as fast as the wind in anything over have elegant styles, good sailing qualities 8 knots, her owners will rarely have to and ease-of handling and stability. FP motor once away from the dock. Also, brought raised lounges to the mid-range the 72V eliminates the forward sailing market by putting a low-profile seating cockpit as all lines and sheets will lead area on top of the hard top over the to the helm on the bridge. The 72, like cockpit, and they managed to create the 68, is built more like a Gulf Stream jet this space without making the boats look than a hand-laid composite yacht. Many like layered wedding cakes. The 51 can of its parts are pre-made by third party have four, five and six cabin layouts to vendors which are then assembled by accommodate larger families or those the Gunboat team in La Grande Motte, who want to run crewed charters. A France. The result is an ultra-light, mega booming company, FP is one of the high-tech yacht that also has one of main players and builds cruising cats that the finest, elegant fit and finishes ever compare very favorably to the other big brought to market. The new G 72V may be the ultimate Gunboat. More here. builders. More here.

GUNBOAT 72

HH 52

Since being bought by Grande Large The new HH 52, built in China to a Morrelli & Yachting, the company that also builds Outremers, Gunboat 72 Gunboat has been reimagined and taken to new design and engineering heights. The G 68 has proven that aiming high and delivering unique all carbon performance luxury cats works. The Gunboat brand is still a market leader. Now, the company has developed the 72V which is the first gunboat with a flybridge and raised lounge and is intended to be

modern multihulls HH 52

Melvin design, is designed to replace the 50 with a big nod to creating a platform for electric propulsion. Two feet longer than the successful HH 50, the new cat can be built in carbon and epoxy (Sport) or in regular GRP composites (Ocean Cruising). The hard top over the cockpit will carry a vast array of solar panels that will in turn charge a large bank of lithium batteries that can run electric motors.

HH usually offers only a forward cockpit configuration but the new 52 can also be ordered with no forward cockpit and after steering stations. Plus, you can add tillers and a helm chair well aft for sailing the oldfashion way. HH creates finely finished yachts that glisten with deep varnish and bright stainless steel.

If you are a cruiser who also wants the thrill of highspeed sailing and the kick of a tiller in your hand, plus the ability to go electric, the HH 52 is for you. More here.

KINETIC 62 The Kinetic 62, which is built in Knysna, South Africa, 34 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

Kinetic 62

and is the big sister to the Kinetic 54, brings so many design and build innovations to the table that both boats have been successful right out of the box. Built in carbon fiber, the narrow hulls are light and designed for performance sailing. The boats come with innovative centerboards standard but can instead be fitted with high-tech daggerboards for enhanced upwind sailing. The standard rig is huge and will power the boats swiftly even in light airs but tall performance rigs are also available that will put afterburners onto the rig. One of the first things you notice about the K54 and 62 is the headroom in the saloon, which has to be close to eight feet. With this comes walls of tempered safety glass that wrap around the saloon.

I’ve never seen such views from the inside of a cat. The cabins can be arranged in a number of configurations to each owner’s specs and the boat is finished to

Knysna 550

a very high degree. The systems on boards are state of the art and provided by world-renown companies. A great new entry onto the performance cat segment of the market the K 62 is a cat to be reckoned with and will show her sterns to most of the competition. More here.

KNYSNA 550 The port city of Knysna, South Africa, has long been a boat building center for both commercial craft and pleasure boats. The Knysna Yacht Company is a boutique builder that was founded about 20 years ago and is now being run by its second owners.

The Knysna 50 has long been the single design the company builds but with the introduction of the new 550, the company has a completely modern cruising cat on offer. The 550 has plumb bows, long waterlines, fixed keels and a large double headsail cruising rig. The cockpit is is large and can be completely enclosed with side panels. The helm is on the centerline and raised so you can clearly see forward over the cabin top.

Lagoon 51

Aft of the helm is a raised lounge. The 550 can be built on a semi-custom basis so owners can choose how many cabins and heads they need and how they want the saloon and cockpit laid out. Knysna is known for their high-quality workmanship and their dedication to blue water quality construction and systems installation. For a couple looking to create a boat just for them, the Knysna 550 will make a great choice. More here.

LAGOON 51 The Lagoon 51 offers as much living and sailing space as you will find on any 50-footer. With a flying bridge and upper lounge, plus a hardtop over it, you have an perfect place for sunny day sailing and evening lounging. With a large aft cockpit with a huge table and seating for eight, you have the perfect spot for al fresco dining with crew and friends.

And, with the large saloon and interior table, you have a place to retreat if weather turns cool or stormy. There is plenty of headroom in the saloon and large windows so www.MultihullsToday.com 35

Leopard 42

modern multihulls

LEOPARD 42

you always feel connected to the watery world around you. The 51 has a range of possible layouts for three to five cabins and the hulls are wide enough to permit walk-around double berths. Lagoons are created to be both good charter boats and fine private yachts and they appeal to owners who want the trusted reputation of a market leader, and Groupe Beneteau, in a boat that is solid, safe and capable of crossing oceans.

This could make a wonderful floating home for a family exploring the world.

More here.

Royal Cape Catamarans Majestic 570 36 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

Built by Robertson & Caine in South Africa, Leopard yachts are built for one client that owns The Moorings, Sunsail and the private label Leopard. According to the company, about half of all Leopards built go to private owners who use them for cruising with family and friends.

The new 42 follows in the wakes of the relatively new 45 and 50 and bears the unmistakable DNA of those successful designs. At 42 feet, the new boat earned a couple of honors in 2022, the Multihulls magazine Multihull of the Year and the Cruising World Boat of the Year for a cat under 50-feet. The reason for this success lies in the boat’s unusual amount of useful living space tucked into a small package. It has a forward lounge, the after cockpit, a roomy saloon and a raised lounge over the main cockpit.

The helm is raised to starboard between the lower cockpit and the raised lounge.

Leopard’s 380 was a market leader for a decade or more and was a great boat but this new 42 is a much bigger and more sophisticated creation. You can have either three cabins and three heads or four cabins and four heads. For private use, I would take the former and I would feel confident that this compact

Nautitech 44

and comfortable cruising are what Royal Cape Catamarans are all about and the new 570 promises to provide all of that in spades. More here.

NAUTITECH 44

but roomy new Leopard could take me anywhere I’d choose to cruise. More here.

ROYAL CAPE CATAMARANS MAJESTIC 570 Royal Cape has been building their 53foot Majestic for more than a dozen years so the introduction of their new 570 is welcome news. The new cat takes many of the best qualities of the 53 and expands upon them with innovations that will please new owners. The longer waterlines will add stability and speed.

The higher topsides will keep the decks dry and add volume that enhances the interior cabins. Majestics have always been extremely roomy yet the new 570 will feel like a much bigger boat. The cockpit is huge and has a large table for al fresco dining. The saloon and galley are spacious and there are options for four, five and even six sleeping cabins with en suite heads and shower stalls.

Elegant, stylish living

Nautitech has been building catamarans in France for a generation.

Under new ownership the company has been reinvented with two new designs, the Open 40 and the Open 46. Both boats have proven successful and manage to bridge the gap between production cats and the more rarified world of performance cats. The new 44 fills in the line between 40 and 46 feet and includes innovations developed in the earlier boats. The Marc Lombard design has narrow hulls from the waterline down with fixed keels and then large chines above the waterline to provide interior volume.

The cockpit is partially enclosed and joins the saloon via double folding doors to make one unified space. There are twin helms aft and lines run to them through banks of line stoppers. Visibility from the

like at speeds you might not have imagined. More here.

OUTREMER 4 ZERO

Outremer 4 Zero helms is excellent. The 44 can have three or four cabins and as an owner I would choose the three-cabin option. The fit and finish of Nauticats is modern and very attractive. The 40 and 46 are known for their sailing qualities and the 44 will no doubt be even better. More here.

NEEL 52 TRIMARAN When Eric and Barbara Bruneel came out with their first 45-foot cruising tri a decade ago, it was for me a head-slapping moment. Why had no one thought to build the saloon on top of the three hulls instead of squishing it the center hull? The concept has proven visionary and broadly accepted by scores of new owners. The designs offer the sailing performance of trimarans with the roominess and airiness of a catamaran. The new 52 is a big boat with almost 30 feet of beam. The cockpit is huge and there is lounging space on the trampolines forward. The helm is raised to starboard and on top of the cockpit’s hard top a small raised lounge has been incorporated. The saloon is huge with a full modern galley, a large dining table and an inside lounge. The 52 had six sleeping cabins inside the hulls so, theoretically, you cold cruise with up to 12 people onboard if you wanted to. The new 52 will be a great floating home and is capable of taking you anywhere you 38 Multihulls Today • fall 2023

The new 4 Zero from Outremer is the first of their boats to be offered with all-electric motors and the solar panels and battery bank to drive them. Outremer is a leader in designing and building performance cruisers with dagger boards and big rigs that have really bridged the gap between performance and value in very handsome cats. The 4 Zero is a 48 foot hull and with the massive rig will be able to sail extremely well in a wide range of conditions, meaning you will need the engines less often than you might in heavier cats. The cabin top is quite low and the helm to port provides good visibility of the sails and forward.

Like her sisterships, the 4 Zero has helming chairs and tiller fitting on both sides of the cockpit for days when you want to feel the kick of the helm in yuor hands. The hard top provides weather protection from sun and rain. The 4 Zero has three or Seawind 1370

four cabin layouts and a roomy saloon.

The 4 Zero is a bold step for Outremer and will help them lead the way to a carbon reduced future. More here.

SEAWIND 1370 Seawind Catamarans is an Australian company that moved its production facilities for both Seawind and Corsair to Viet Nam a decade or more ago.

Seawind is by far the most popular bnand of cruising cats in Austral-Asia and their boats are known for being true indooroutdoor designs tailored to the warm and often wet weather conditions of the region. The all-new 1370, at 45 feet, follows the 50 that was introduced five years ago and is a true offshore cruising cat with thoroughly modern styling.

The hulls have reverse bows and sport fairly efficient fixed keels. The cockpit is commodious, has a fixed hard top and twin helming stations at deck level. The saloon is large and airy with a full galley and a dinette for six. The 1370 can be set up with either three or four cabins; in the three-cabin layout the master suite occupies the full port hull. Famous cruising vloggers Ruby Rose spent a year testing cats as they decided on their new boat and ended up landing on the Seawind 1370 as their “it” cat. Their video about their new cat is on the Seawind website. More here.

of cruising experience behind every decision they make. Their boats have always been technologically advanced and the details of construction, systems and installations are truly mega yacht quality. Their new Solar 60 is destined to be a innovative cruising boat that will significantly reduce an owner’s carbon footprint. It will have two Yanmar diesels but the enormous solar array, lithium battery bank and the inverter systems will make the 60 otherwise self-sufficient without the need for a genset. The styling of the new 60 is modern and eye catching and has a large aft cockpit, a top lounge next to the raised helm, and a double headsail rig. The raised helm has a built in dodger to protect you from sun, wind and rain. Since they launched the company, Tomas and Sara have launched 24 Xquisites and the new 60 Solar has all the makings of a huge new success for them and their owners. More here.

Xquisite Solar 60

XQUISITE SOLAR 60 Tomas and Sara, founders of Xquisite Yachts, have always been innovators with a ton www.MultihullsToday.com 39

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