Beneteau Excess Catamarans Launched

[Ken Pole]

Think I'd brand them Wretched Excess, not much more than a floating cottage!

[Valmika]

I Love the Catanas steering set up at least where it is warm. The visibility forward and of your sail trim is great. I had a FP 35 and hated the bulkhead steering location. Forward visibility was terrible. The same with a Gemini I sailed a few time. You had to look through the cabin to see forward. At least with the FP you looked over it

[nuvaslacker]

I really like catamarans but ....

1. How do they get to a light (!) displacement of 10 tonnes (22,000#) on a length of 38'?

2. I know for the sake of lightness, heavy timber fitout is not on, but for the high price demanded I would want something better than plastic wood veneers on particle board; it's so depressing.

I think the external design is quite nice; not too top heavy or multi-storey condo like, and I would be happy with side deck steering, as most passage making would be on 'autopilot' with a dodge remote; manual steering positions would be mainly used for docking and close in manoeuvring.

All imho obviously.

[singlespeed]

Bulkhead mount if you are going to make long tropical passages. Nothing worse than getting sunburned, sunburned and soaked on this require ally exhilarating tradewind passages. You need to be able to find cover from the elements and still sail the boat. Being wet, sunburned and or windburned sick more than uncomfortable, it saps your energy levels when you may need it most. Try sailing a night passage in 25+ knot winds and six to seven foot seas to weather or on a beam reach. On a no moon night you can't see the wave that is going to hit you like a firehouse on a forward cockpit or outside stern helm location. A lot of these types of multihulls have made long arduous passages, but I'll stick with being comfortable in my cockpit bulkhead helm position. Having a helm on the coachroof gives you a lot of visibility, but the motion is increased and few biminis constructed over those types of helm stations offer even reasonable sun protection from broad beam or astern sun. Rain protection is also minimal. The very high placement of the boom means doing any work on the reefing lines or sail itself will have to wait until becalmed or a quiet a anchorage can be found.

[Mad Multi]

Man, it does not look like much bridge deck clearance, she's gonna be a pounder :-(

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Isn't Benetau and Lagoon the same company?

Almost.
The three companies: Beneteau, Jeanneau & Lagoon are sister companies, all owned by C.N.B.

[B23iL23]

Not quite. Beneteau yachts, Jeanneau, Lagoon, CNB, Prestige , MonteCarlo, Wellcraft, Four Winns and a bunch of others all owned by the Beneteau Group.


https://www.beneteau-group.com/en/brands-services/

Originally Posted by meirriba

Almost.
The three companies: Beneteau, Jeanneau & Lagoon are sister companies, all owned by C.N.B.

[Mike Banks]

I saw things that I did not like immediately--and mistakes that are so EASILY avoided. Unless there is a forward helm station as well, having the steering so far aft is looking for a man overboard the moment the seas get really nasty. Even on an easy swell, the helm person is going to be up and down like a lift in rush hour.

Also--large areas of clears down the sides of the vessel are going to be a HUGE problem in any kind of beam wind. If this open side is deemed desirable, make the side panels rigid sandwich reinforced, and hinge them so that they fold upwards and out of the way under the roof of the coach house. Roll down clears are USELESS when riding out a severe storm. They are likely to tear like cheap toilet paper, leaving the storm water to flood the saloon.

The last cats Beneteau made were good vessels if basic. They are very hard to find and even harder to buy--Maybe these will eventually come right, but I would not be buying one as these pictures present. That too-far-aft helm stations would rule it out for me, assuming the side panels were fixable or an option for better permanent sides was offered.

[Simi 60]

Those hulls seem so fat looking at the accom layout.
Hard to imagine there'd be much performance there at all, despite the claims.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Mad Multi

Man, it does not look like much bridge deck clearance, she's gonna be a pounder :-(

Standard for that kind of cat, similar to Leopard, Lagoon, etc. They use nacelles to reduce flat surfaces, but of course these boats are not primarily designed for sailing in wavy conditions. Notice how low the davits are.

[Arthurwg]

I'd rather have a Wharam.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by nuvaslacker

I really like catamarans but ....

1. How do they get to a light (!) displacement of 10 tonnes (22,000#) on a length of 38'?

2. I know for the sake of lightness, heavy timber fitout is not on, but for the high price demanded I would want something better than plastic wood veneers on particle board; it's so depressing.

.

You may have answered your own question there: Particle board is ridiculously heavy.

Good for the profit margins though.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by nuvaslacker

I really like catamarans but ....

1. How do they get to a light (!) displacement of 10 tonnes (22,000#) on a length of 38'?

2. I know for the sake of lightness, heavy timber fitout is not on, but for the high price demanded I would want something better than plastic wood veneers on particle board; it's so depressing.

I think the external design is quite nice; not too top heavy or multi-storey condo like, and I would be happy with side deck steering, as most passage making would be on 'autopilot' with a dodge remote; manual steering positions would be mainly used for docking and close in manoeuvring.

All imho obviously.

Who wants a boat filled with old wood in this day and age? It's dark and gloomy like monos of a decade ago or older.

Surely, simple easily cleaned, light waterproof surfaces are much better in a marine environment.

[Gin-N-Sonic]

I have what may seem to be a stupid question, is having a galley down option strictly the domain of 55ft+ cats? Or is galley up considered de rigeur when it comes to modern catamaran cruisers?

Again, quite sorry, I can't seem to fully grasp this. I have spoken to manufacturers and have gotten various answers but would really like some feedback from people who are already out there?

I looked at the offerings for the 14m or 15m version, it's a bit "meh" and I'm willing to bet it's going somewhere near $1M.

[mikedefieslife]

Galley up for me looks like it's designed for young bachelor that mostly orders take out. The workspaces are tiny, and there is little to hold on or brace oneself against.

Galley down on the other hand you normally get a good portion of the length of the hull for the sink and hobs, plus the other side for worktops and cupboards.

The galley up works for people that can't stand to be apart for a little while whilst cooking. Perhaps day trips, charters and those that easily get seasick, or for parties. Galley down seems more suited to long term cruising and families.

I think Broadblue have Galley down options still.

I've mentioned them twice now in this thread. Never really though about them much before. I suppose that means I'm going to have to buy one now.

p.s All that being said, I've been on a 60' cat with galley up, but it was big enough that its galley was large and spacious and like a whole other room.