How to choose a catamaran or trimaran

A catamaran has two hulls, with the saloon and cockpit on one level between them: plenty of space, very little heel, easy to live aboard as a family.

A trimaran has a main hull and two floats. It offers even more living space than a catamaran of the same length, and is just as comfortable.

The difference is in how they sail and how they are built. A trimaran points higher upwind and needs no daggerboards to do it: the design itself does the work. A trimaran has one engine, a catamaran one in each hull.

The downside of a trimaran is its beam: a marina berth is harder to find and costs more.

The right choice usually depends on where and how you will sail. We’ll work it out for your plans.

Many popular catamarans are designed mainly for charter and coastal holidays: cabin and saloon volume come first, weight and sailing performance second.

Ocean-class catamarans are designed for the open ocean: a lighter build, a well-sized sail plan and structural strength let them sail faster and more confidently in a breeze. They are typically built to CE category A for unlimited offshore sailing.

A new boat is built for you: layout, options, electronics. It takes time to build, usually around a year.

A pre-owned boat is available now and costs less, but history matters: maintenance, engines and rig condition, where it was kept. A survey before purchase is essential.

We define your needs and choose the model, put together the options and get the yard’s offer, sign the contract and pay the deposit, follow the build, then accept the boat and complete the paperwork.

I’m with you at every stage: choosing options, dealing with the yard and supporting the paperwork.

The main items are marina berth, insurance, scheduled engine and rig service, antifouling and consumables. It depends heavily on region and boat size — I’ll work it out for your situation.