Powercats – The Disruptors
If the number of multihulls on display at the major boat shows this year is anything to go by, their popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Manufacturers are at full capacity, and the brokerage multihull market is booming.
Not only are multihulls making an impact in the sailing world, but power multihulls are now considered a key player in the motorboat sector too. Several well-known motorboat builders, such as Prestige and Bluegame, are recognising this trend and adding multihull power ranges to their brands, a sign this once-marginalised sector is a serious contender in the powerboat market.
Often at the forefront of design and technology, the rise of the power multihull looks set to continue.
Space
With approximately 20% - 25% more volume than an equivalent-sized power monohull, two hulls, particularly hulls that carry their beam forward, provide a huge gain in interior space. This allows additional layout creativity, as well as increased privacy. For example, by placing the owner's cabin above the platform, the new M48 from Prestige creates a vast owner's suite across the full beam of the boat, almost 6m wide!
The exterior spaces also benefit from the wide beam with an extra large flybridge and aft and forward lounging areas as standard, resulting in multiple spaces to spread out and relax. Ergonomics is always at the forefront of catamaran design, too, with ease of movement around the boat a priority.
Stability
and Comfort
Due to their wider beam, catamarans have a higher righting moment compared to monohulls. This also prevents them from rolling from side to side at anchor and keeps them sitting level, both underway and at rest. Power cats also experience less deceleration through wave impact, reducing slamming significantly. All this adds up to a very comfortable ride, allowing drier, safer movement around the boat and, of course, less chance of spilling that nice chilled glass of rosé! This is regardless of load placement and eliminates the need for trim tabs.
Manoeuvring with Confidence
Docking is a breeze in a powercat, even when compared to a twin-engined monohull. A wide separation between the port and starboard engines drastically improves manoeuvrability, with most powercats able to turn 360 degrees within their length. Some of the larger power multihulls have bow thrusters and/or joystick control, making close-quarter manoeuvring even more like child's play. Video from The Multihull Group.
New Boat Dealers
These are just a few reasons why power multihulls are becoming more and more popular. If you would like to know more about power multihulls, please contact us. We are dealers for Lagoon, McConaghy, Prestige and Bluegame multihulls, both sail and power, and we have a large selection of brokerage multihulls for sale. Click on the logos below for more.
