Judging by all the activity and new launches so far, this is shaping up to be the year of the cats. New catamarans, it seems, have leaped into the power cruising mainstream. Several were introduced at the recent Fort Lauderdale show, while others are already in the private or charter markets, and even more are on the drawing boards.
The new Fountaine Pajot MY 40 (pictured above) was a big hit in Lauderdale, and so was the Bali 4.3, which is 42’ 3” LOA and has a massive 23’ 3’ beam. Silent-Yachts had its newly repowered 55 solar cat on display there, with twin 250-kW electric motors replacing twin 135-kWs, and a 210-kWh battery pack that offers 50 percent more energy storage than on previous models. The Silent 55 can run on 100 percent solar power for weeks, and it has trans-ocean range.
The Aquila 32 power cat also drew a crowd. It’s the newest and smallest boat in the Aquila fleet, and it’s powered by twin 250-hp Mercury Verados. Aquilas are for sale to private owners, and they’re also in the MarineMax Vacations charter fleet. On a larger scale, the luxurious Lagoon Sixty 7 power cat, with a 32-foot beam, also saw a lot of interest. Rafael Nadal, the tennis great, is already enjoying his equally luxurious Sunreef 80.
The new Leopard 53 power cat will make its debut at the Miami show in February. It’s an evolution of the popular Leopard 51 (more than 153 have been sold worldwide). It will be known as the Moorings 534 PC in the Moorings’ charter fleet in the BVI.
Looking ahead, Larry Graf the founder and “chief adventurer” of Aspen Power Catamarans, said he’s building a 52-foot cruiser with his patented offset proa hull; the largest Aspen so far is a 40.
It’s easy to understand all this activity on the power cat front. They’ve been popular in Europe for years, but now more and more people are recognizing their strong points closer to home. They offer much more room than can be found on a similar-sized monohull; they’re stable, with a level ride (and a level night’s sleep at an anchorage), and they’re fuel efficient. They also are generally lightweight for their size, which makes them attractive for solar or electric power.
The new Fountaine Pajot MY 40 has all those strong points, and more. It has room to spare, with social areas on the flybridge, the salon, the foredeck and the cockpit, plus three large staterooms (and two heads) below. The latest cat from the prestigious French yard, the Fountaine Pajot 40 has clean, contemporary lines and the interior is filled with light from large windows all around. Sightlines from the lower helm are excellent. (It was named the “best new multihull up to 50 feet” at the Singapore boat show this summer.)
The flybridge has sunbathing lounges and a dining table that can seat six; there’s also an outdoor bar up there, with a sink, fridge and icemaker. There are two more sun lounges on the massive (almost 20-feet-wide) foredeck. All the way aft, a long settee stretches across the transom, and there’s a table and wet bar for entertaining. The swim platform can be lowered for easy access to water sports.
From the cockpit, sliding glass doors lead to the salon, all on the same level. The galley is aft, connecting to the cockpit, while a large L-shaped settee is to port. The style is open, light and easy. Below, the large owner’s cabin is in the port hull, with an athwartships bed and head and separate shower. The two guest cabins are in the starboard hull, separated by a head with shower.
Like most cats, the Fountain Pajot has a relatively shallow draft of 3’ 7”, meaning it can navigate in the Bahamas or anywhere else with skinny water. Standard power comes from twin 300-hp Volvo IPS400 pod drives; twin 370-hp IPS500s are optional. Top speed is more than 20 knots. And maneuvering around the docks is easy with the IPS joystick.
Specs: LOA: 45’9”; Beam: 19’8”; Draft: 3’7”; Disp.: 28,000 pounds; Fuel: 372 gals.; Water: 119 gals.; Power: 2×300-hp Volvo IPS400s.
