cruisingworld.com95june/july 2016
june/july 2016cruisingworld.com95row hulls, generous standard sail area (980 square feet) and clever
weight-saving gimmicks. For example, instead of running wires
from every single light fi xture to a switch on the wall and back
to the fi xture, the Open 40’s switching mechanism has been
incorporated into the light itself. It may not sound
like much of a savings until one calculates the many
hundreds of feet of wire (and, by extension, weight)
that’s been eliminated. That attention to weight re-
duction throughout the boat translates into a lean 7.8
tons of displacement over 40 feet of waterline.
Like the Bali, the Open 40 features a fi xed bimini
over the length of the cockpit, but with roll-down side
fl aps. When the main doors (located in a traditional
cabin bulkhead) are open, this creates a single large
space between the interior saloon and the exterior
cockpit. Because the large cockpit table is so well pro-
tected, only a small cocktail table is required with-
in. This space doubles as the navigation station, and
when the table is dropped down and cushions are in-
serted, it becomes a perfectly secure playpen for tod-
dlers.
Lombard has tapered the bimini in such a way that
twin helms are neatly tucked in at deck level, but
well outboard and aft, resulting in outstanding visi-
bility from either steering station. This emphasis on
visibility and light is apparent throughout the vessel,
as in the wraparound front deadlights with minimal
sills to impede the view. Recessed diesel fi lls and a
water catchment system built into the bimini are just
two of many clever features found on the 40 that I
hope will catch on with other builders.
The Leopard cats, no doubt inspired by the work of designer
Chris White, further popularized the forward cockpit theme
with a stout door opening from the main saloon directly forward,
eliminating the need to go aft and around the coachroof to reach
the foredeck. On larger models, the builder created a cockpit-
like area with seats and a table. In the Leopard 40, however,
this is simply a passage. The Leopard bucks the aforementioned
trend in open fl oor plans; rather than meld living spaces, the
builders intentionally broke them up into well-defi ned areas of
privacy, providing the option of sun and breeze forward or shade
and protection aft, as well as a choice of indoor or outdoor din-
ing at two substantial tables.
Visually, these areas are all connected by very large
deadlights, so there is no sense of confi nement. Their interior
volume was substantially increased by adding two inches to
the hull width, but only from the waterline up, which should
not impact performance. Ultimately, however, extra space
equates to extra weight, and this approach will reach a point of
diminishing returns.
By maintaining an interior saloon dining area and a cockpit
dining area off set to port, the Voyage 480 featured the most tra-
ditional layout of this year’s entrants. The company kept the
relatively small, disc-shaped hardtop and eschewed any physical
connection with the foredeck. The boat’s proportions are well
balanced, resulting in an attractive vessel (see “Hassle-Free Sail-
ing,” p. 98). One distinctive feature is the lack of dinghy davits
aft. The Voyage instead has two adjustable rubber notches for the
keel of the tender to sit in on the aft crossbeam.
At 58 feet in length and with 29 feet of beam, Fountaine Pajot’s
Ipanema 58 has no need to be overly clever with space. Instead,
the company has seemingly done everything in triplicate (see
“Tall Order,” p. 97). There is a large cockpit area with a table
for 10 and separate, commodious cushioned seating. The main
saloon sports its own large convertible cocktail/dining table, and
on the upper deck lies an enormous area with cocktail tables,
high-backed lounge seats, a wet bar, refrigeration and a barbecue
area. You can almost hear someone ask, “Sir, madam, would you
perhaps like to sit at the bar while your table is being prepared?”
As for lounging spaces on the 58, take your pick — the enor-
mous expanse forward, the voluminous protected cockpit, or a
cruise-ship-proportioned sun deck aft of the upper lounge area.
All sailing functions lead directly to the central bridgedeck helm,
which off ers excellent visibility when docking. It is protected
from the sun with a notably small bimini and from spray with an
equally small splash screen. If it feels a bit open to the elements,
remember that, in fairness, the design’s core concept is based on
chasing the endless summer, so the upper steering station proba-
bly won’t see much use on tempestuous days when the autopilot
takes over.
Inherent in all contemporary catamaran designs are sleeping
quarters located below the sunny main-deck level, down in
the hulls. Following the “let there be light” trend, all of 2016’s
multihull nominees created ample interior brightness with
multiple deadlights in the hulls and hatches above. Putting the
extra cost aside, recessing those hatches at deck level would
greatly enhance safe and unimpeded fl ow forward.
Other noticeable trends? The mainsheet traveler, which in the
past was often found running along the aft coaming, has almost
universally been moved to the top of the hard bimini. This clears
the cockpit and opens the space for recreational use, as seento good eff ect in the Open 40, which installed a plush seat and
backrest there.
Water toys are integral to the modern cruising lifestyle. All
the cats boasted built-in stowage facilities for kayaks, surfb oards
and paddleboards. The Voyage 480 even had designated stowage
lockers for scuba gear. Meanwhile the ease of entrance aft, from
the water, was well thought out across the board, with low plat-
forms, drop-down ladders and good handholds.
A tacit assumption that twin rudders are suffi cient steering
redundancy was found in the minimal attention to emergency
steering mechanisms, except on the Open 40, which, despite
having the built-in redundancy of twin helms, also provided good
access to the rudderheads and space to swing emergency tillers.
With the expansion of social spaces on the foredeck, multihull
galleys are being swung around on many designs to a forward-
facing orientation. Multiple cabins mean larger crews to feed.
Increasingly, those galleys are being equipped with standard-size
kitchen appliances.
None of these trends are relevant to those who feel the need
to go bashing about the northern ice fi elds. Rather, they are
responses to an unabashedly languid, recreational market with
tropical sailing in mind. But I believe that at the core of this
movement, there is also an important social component. Quite
simply, people want to share these white sand, aqua-blue experi-
ences with family and friends. And modern multihull manufac-
turers have focused on providing the platforms, amenities and
space — both private and communal — to optimize that quest.Author and adventurer Alvah Simon, a two-time circumnavigator and
CW editor-at-large, served on the judging panel for the 2016 Boat of
the Year competition.THE MULTIHULL VS. MONOHULL
MATTER IS DONE AND DUSTED.
NOW THE ISSUE IS HOW CATS WILL
CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND DEVELOP.BILLY BLACK, ALVAH SIMON (TOP RIGHT), COURTESY OF FOUNTAINE PAJOT (BOTTOM)