Bot owner

Judging by the recent orders for

Sunreef catamarans following the

Qatar Boat Show, it seems that

multihull fever is finally gaining

momentum in the Middle East.

Particularly for the owner who enjoys

group entertaining, bluewater cruising,

shallow water exploring or fast-paced

sailing, with its maximized interior

spaces and ample sunbathing areas,

multihulls are perfectly suited to the

flat sea Arabian Gulf environment.

The modern cat is a far different feline

than the purist Polynesian designs of

Wharram that brought the multihull

concept to Europe, but by adapting and

developing design to suit the owner

needs, catamarans have become easier

to sail and better platforms for families

and friends. Here we look at three new

models available from UAE dealers.

T

he Hélia from experienced

French multihull builder

Fountain Pajot, boasts an

expansive helming bench with

plenty of room for a couple of friends to

keep you company and a solid tubular ‘roof’

overhead that shades the entire cockpit and

provides support for solar panels.

The first point of interest is the elevated

helm station, which more than a ‘flying’

bridge is more of a true flybridge, with a

wide helm bench and a nifty little lounging

area, complete with a bench and recliner, all

set under a stolid tubular “roof” overhead

that shades the entire cockpit and provides

support for solar panels.

The helm station is further linked to

where the action is by a wide set of steps

that transition into a short passageway

leading directly to the starboard side deck.

This short passageway also doubles as the

working area for trimming the boat’s sails.

While the winches and stoppers for the

sheets and halyards are out of reach from the

wheel, at the same time this opens things

up nicely, providing plenty of room for

cranking winch handles or sheeting

in without the pilot getting attacked by

flying elbows.

The cockpit is spacious, elegant and

comfortable, with a large dining table

coupled with benches and served by an

exterior fridge. Allowing guests to witness

the action, aft of the lounging portion of

the cockpit an athwartships passageway

runs the width of the boat as a means of

scampering from one hull to the other

without disturbing guests and provides

a clear working area for retrieving or

launching the dinghy from a pair of

beefy davits.

Saloon and galley are large, practical,

suffused with light and configured to

provide a seamless transition between

the indoor spaces and

cockpit. All cabin

layouts are en-suite,

while the three-cabin

version gives over the

entire starboard hull to

the owner’s quarters.

The combination of hull

windows, conventional

opening portlights and

overhead hatches provide

a level of lighting and

air circulation, which

combined with the

generous headroom,

Fountain Pajot

• Hélia 44

LOA:

BEAM:

DRAFT:

CONTACT:

TEL:

WEB:

13.3m

7. 4 m
   1.15m
   Duboats
   +97143994554
   http://www.duboats.com

Specifications

Cat Contest

The UAE is slowly accepting the two hulls are better than one.

creates a truly airy experience. The aft

cabins in particular are well lit, thanks to a

pair of nifty rectangular portlights looking

out over the aforementioned athwartships

passageway.

With a light and responsive helm, expect

easier handling under sail and manoeuvres

than cats of old, particularly with the

assistance of an electric halyard winch

that makes short work of raising the main.

A fixed sprit projects beyond the forward

crossbeam for flying a reaching spinnaker

and in terms of speed, expect reaching up to

10 knots in high teen winds, with the twin

saildrives pushing a solid eight knots when

powered up to rush home before sunset.

50

Three cats go head-to-head