Cruising_World_2016-06-07

cruisingworld.com

98

june/july 2016

cruisingworld.com

98

A

s I stepped aboard the

new Voyage 480 catama-

ran last fall, I thought, “My, it

would be easy to keep this baby

looking good.” The boat had

just sailed across the Atlantic

to make its North American

debut at the U.S. Sailboat Show

in Annapolis, Maryland, and to

be honest, she didn’t look a bit

worse for wear.

A little pre-show washdown

had left the exterior gelcoat

and stainless-steel hardware

gleaming. Inside, composite

paneling, acrylic counters, a

rugged vinyl sole, and a dis-

tinct lack of woodwork to ding

up blended into a Spartan but

pleasant look that would be a

breeze to keep spiff y.

That’s no coincidence, as it

turns out. The same company

that builds Voyage catamarans

in Cape Town, South Africa,

manages them for owners and

services them for charterers

in Soper’s Hole, Tortola, in

the British Virgin Islands. By

design, Voyage’s cats — four

models ranging from the 480

to a 60-footer — feature prac-

tical layouts and easily handled

sail plans. They come packed

with creature comforts and

gear that make them luxurious

to vacation upon — but with as

little downtime as possible, so

they can earn their keep.

Voyage Yachts is a family-

owned company that’s been

building boats since 1994 to

supply Voyage Charters, which

opened two years later. About

40 percent of its boats are put

to work carrying vacationers,

and the remainder have been

sold to private owners.

Boat of the Year judge Tim

Murphy began his discussion

of the 480 with a few of the

things he liked, including the

fact that the builders “did some

nice things to keep weight out

of the boat,” like using cored

furniture and doors.

Murphy also praised the

textured gelcoat panels used

in the saloon and guest cab-

ins, as well as the mainsheet

handling system, which we’ll

get to in a moment.

With catamarans, there’s a

direct link between weight and

performance. By using foam

coring in the hulls, deck and

cockpit bimini, and vacuum-

bag construction to control

the fl ow of resin, the builder

managed to produce one of

the lightest boats we looked

at — a displacement/length

ratio of 116, the lowest of any

of the cats, and less even than

the performance cruisers we

test-sailed. And they did it

without eliminating amenities

like built-in dive-tank storage;

a front-opening fridge and

top-opening freezer, stove,

oven, microwave, and ice maker

in the galley; indoor and cock-

pit tables; and a hardtop bimini

over the cockpit that incorpo-

rates a composite traveler arch.

On that arch are attachment

points on both sides to anchor

two bridles that control the

mainsail. By toying with the

sheets, you can dial in sail

shape no matter the condi-

tions, as well as control the

boom when jibing.

The 480’s helm station is

built into the starboard side of

the aft bulkhead and includes

a two-person helm seat.

Overhead, a sliding hatch in

the bimini lets you stand and

see over it or view the main-

sail when seated; depending

on your height, you may have

to try a few alternatives for a

clean sightline forward. That

and the camber of the side

decks would take some getting

used to, I think.

What would feel quite like

home are the comfortable

indoor living spaces. King-

size berths are featured in the

four-cabin, four-head-and-

shower layout (a three-cabin

owner’s version is also off ered).

Aft cabins have in-line bunks;

athwartship beds are located

just forward of the mast, and

there’s a single bunk perfectly

sized for kids in each forepeak.

All up, the charter version of

the 480 is $770,000, while the

base price for a private owner’s

boat is $572,000; the diff erence

in cost is attributable to the

long list of options available.

Bottom line, if you’re looking

to either own a cat of your own

or put one in charter to pay the

bills, the builder can work with

you to make sure you have the

right Voyage for your voyage.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

For more photos and model

specifi cations, go to cruising

world.com/1606voyage.

VOYAGE 480

HASSLE-FREE SAILING

WITH THE RIGOROUS DEMANDS OF THE CHARTER TRADE EMBEDDED IN ITS DNA, THE VOYAGE 480 IS DESIGNED

TO KEEP THE MAINTENANCE LOG BRIEF WHILE YOU BULK UP ON SAILING MEMORIES.

BY MARK PILLSBURY

Lewmar hatches and portlights let in lots of natural light. The ports on the cabin top open

both fore and aft, which means even in the marina, there will be plenty of fresh air to keep

the crew comfortable while lounging in the saloon or creating in the galley.

COOL BREEZE

In light winds, the speedo hovered at 5.5 knots closehauled

and a little over 7 knots on a reach (above). The chef on

board will appreciate the generous counter space (below).

BILLY BLACK