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New Cutting-Edge Multihulls

Three new designs—including a couple of cruising cats and a red-hot trimaran with minimal accommodations and speed to burn—provide even more evidence that the multihull world is the place to be in terms of innovation.

Three new designs—including a couple of cruising cats and a red-hot trimaran with minimal accommodations and speed to burn—provide even more evidence that the multihull world is the place to be in terms of innovation. The challenge from a buyer’s perspective is deciding which one of these boats best matches his or her particular sailing style. 

McConaghy Boats SC49

Australia-based McConaghy Boats has turned out a string of good-looking, nicely built multis and monos from its yard in China. The latest cat in build is this sleek design from fellow Australian Kurt Schionning. The SC49 is a lightweight performance cruiser of Corecell foam sandwich construction, with E-glass and vinylester resin used in the layup.

The galley and saloon integrate nicely into the large, open cockpit, and because the construction allows the mast to be stepped on the cabin sole instead of on the cabin top, there is no need for a ring frame or structural bulkhead, which opens up the bridgedeck even more. Electric winches deal with sheets, reefing lines and halyards, so this powerful cat can be handled with ease by a small crew. McConaghy Boats; mcconaghyboats.com

Leopard 40

Leopard Catamarans is replacing its 5-year-old 39-footer with a new Simonis Voogd design that has better accommodations and a more modern look. The Leopard 40 is available in three- and four-cabin versions to suit both owner operators and the charter market.

It’s a compact-looking boat with some novel features. Among them are a forward door and walkway leading from the saloon to the foredeck and tramp, which will provide a cooling flow of air at anchor and easier access to the favored lounging area. The galley is set forward in the saloon, which is also unusual; most cats have the galley aft, handy to the cockpit.

The boat is conventionally rigged, with a single headsail and heavily reached mainsail set on an aluminum mast. Displacement is a moderate 20,500lb. Look for an introduction at Strictly Sail Miami in February. Leopard Catamarans; leopardcatamarans.com

Dragonfly 25

Denmark’s Quorning Boats has for many years produced a small line of beautifully built folding trimarans. Its latest and arguably cutest design is the Dragonfly 25, a little gem of a boat that could make many big-boat owners re-evaluate their sailing needs. Imagine ripping past your friends at double-digit speeds, then nosing into some protected gunkhole and stepping off the bow onto the beach.

Auxiliary power is courtesy of a 6hp outboard. The compact interior has 4ft 9in of crouching headroom, a Porta-Potti and a small galley, and will happily house a couple for a long weekend, or a small family, with the kids sleeping on the tramps under the stars. Add to that the possibility of trailering your boat to new cruising grounds and new adventures, and the Dragonfly 25’s attributes stack up quickly. Dragonfly; trimarans.com.

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