Five outboard catamarans to spend a weekend in comfort

Multihull is a concept about which we know frighteningly little. We could paraphrase a cult quote this way to talk about the surprising, but not unpredictable, evolution of catamarans. Once upon a time there was the sailing cat, cruiser par excellence. Then, by dint of keeping the sails down, it was realized that perhaps it was better to do them directly by motor. Too wide, unattractive lines: all sorts of things have been said and yet the market has grown. Meanwhile, in the U.S., and closely around the world, outboard-mania began, with these engines gaining the stern of all kinds of hulls. Today we see something that was science fiction 10 years ago: the era of the weekender outboard catamaran, but not only that. Here are 5 outboard catamaran models you can’t miss.

Eagle 36 Sports

You can’t talk about motor catamarans without comparing yourself to Aquila. The Sino-American giant Aquila Power Catamarans, a collaboration of Sino Eagle Group and MarineMax, does not contemplate sailing and, with strong knowledge of the motor market, was among the first to realize the potential of the “daycruiser” with two hulls. But where do you want to go without outboards in America? The Aquila 36, and before that the Aquila 32, have somewhat led the way in this regard for the same reasons that outboards are depopulating everywhere: space gained below deck, performance and ease of maintenance. Sure, the Eagle 36 doesn’t have that sporty supercar line that makes your head spin when it goes by, but when you’re aboard and you’re that comfortable, it’s easy to find that, after all, the judgment of others matters less than comfort. The new Aquila 36 Sport has an overall length of 10.96 meters with the aft platform, but in Italy it can be natant. The habitability, however, climbing aboard is reminiscent of that of a forty-footer (12 meters) also accomplice to the 4.45 meters of width exploited to the fullest, with no side passages. It is in fact a bowrider because of the somewhat recessed bow seats accessed through the windshield while the aft cockpit can be equipped with a galley, refrigerator and sink, all covered by a hard-top. At the stern is a platform, between the two outboards, from which the water can be accessed for bathing. To give an idea of space and safety, the boat is approved for up to 26 people. Below deck there are two cabins and two bathrooms (1+1 per hull), which therefore enjoy total privacy because they are totally separate. With the latest generation of outboards, also connected with joysticks, mooring is also much easier than one might expect. At the propulsion level for balanced performance, one can opt for a 300-horsepower torque, but two 400-horsepower outboards can also be installed for an estimated maximum speed of about 36 knots.

Data Sheet – Aquila 36 Sport

Outboard Catamarans: Four Winns TH36

The U.S.-based Four Winns, part of the Beneteau Group, assembled a top international team to design this hull-Marc Lombard and Garroni Design. The result is an 11-meter weekender catamaran with a 4.47-meter beam that has the space aboard of a much larger open. One only has to see the aft cockpit, spacious and protected at the same time, to understand. There is more, becausethe layout is modular, allowing you to create a more intimate social area, a sundeck, or have a more airy, open space with separate sofas and tables. For preparing lunches and appetizers there is, in the center of the deck, a kitchen with refrigerators, sink, and an optional cooktop with barbecue. In the bow we find the wheelhouse with a single seat to maximize livability with dual co-pilot seats on the left. Completing this level is a forward cockpit, accessible from starboard and port, capable by itself of accommodating six people. On a stylistic level, Camillo Garroni and his studio have worked to decline the Four Winns style on a totally new and different design than what has been done so far by the original Cadillac yard in Michigan, States. For example, from Four Winns’ successful HD series comes inspiration for the sleek lines and the idea of a bow-rider cockpit, very enveloping and therefore accessible even through an opening in the center of the windshield. The TH36’s open-air space is virtually unmatched by any other one-hulled peer, aided by the large beam while, below deck, despite the dayboat footprint of the exteriors, there is the option of sleeping between two double cabins complete with private baths and shower. Performance-wise, there is the hand of Marc Lombard, a naval architect ranging from large cruising catamarans to ocean racing sailboats, to sign off on the hull driven by outboard propulsion from 600 to 700 horsepower.

Data Sheet – Four Winns TH36

Outboard Catamarans: Invincible 33

Let’s step out, in part, of the weekender logic, but stay in the orbit of outboard catamarans to talk about a model, very American, that was born a couple of years ago. The shipyard is Invincible, based in Florida, which in not even two decades has built a major reputation among sport fishing boats. Monohulls or catamarans, the important thing is to go strong in all conditions and have a deck suitable for sport fishing. Can a 33-foot motor cat do this? The answer, it seems, is yes and even with merit, according to what is being said about him. Behind this multihull, as well as the others in Invincible, are Morrelli and Melvin, world-renowned catamaran designers. Its length is, indeed, 33 feet, just over 10 meters, with a 10-foot beam that characterizes the boat from stern to bow. This makes movement on board, around the steering console, extremely comfortable while fishing. On board, then, there are two live tanks and four catch tanks. The center console of this outboard catamaran is served by seating for three, and storage/tool space is provided under the cushions. Behind, on the same structure are three more seats that in the back hide a space for all the fishing equipment and underneath an icebox. The dashboard can accommodate two screens to which all the various gauges are added, while inside the console we also find a bathroom accessed through a port opening. In the bow of the console we find a double sundeck, and additional storage space has been made underneath. Performance-wise, this little gem doesn’t mess around because it starts squarely from a pair of Yamaha or Mercury 300-horsepower outboards, but goes all the way up to a twin Mercury Racing 450R for a total of 900 horsepower.

Data Sheet – Invincible 33′ Catamaran

Vandal Explorer

Shipyards must also build boats with trends in mind in order to go, rightly, toward the taste of owners and, therefore, sell. Of course, there is also that, but here those who built it worked primarily for themselves. Ben Mennem, co-founder of the shipyard could not find a hull that suited his demands: the largest possible boat with the largest possible outboards manageable by one person in all conditions with which to tour the Mediterranean with his wife. He wanted a good cruising speed, all around low fuel consumption, and enough range to do, for example, from Ibiza to Sardinia without stopping. Around this came a 14-meter outboard aluminum catamaran, the Vandal Explorer, designed by superyacht designer Espen Oeino, who now uses one, called Bruttino, for his summer cruises. The naval architecture, on the other hand, is by Scott Jutson who, with two 425hp Yamaha XTOs, achieved an impressive 400 miles of range at about 30 knots and top speed of 40 knots. Among the secrets of this cat are fixed passive foils (not the kind that “fly,” mind you), but which partially raise the hulls to reduce friction and lower fuel consumption by up to 25 percent. On deck, we find a large aft cockpit that is open to the water and can be modulated, and can be fully closed with a curtain system, expanding the salon. On the flybridge, in addition to the second wheelhouse and ‘relaxation’ space, a sort of opening tent is also being developed that adds two bunks on board. To port we find access to a comfortable sleeping cabin that extends between the two forward hulls and reaches an interesting width. To starboard, however, is access to the bathroom, which includes toilet and shower. The focus in this section of the boat was mainly on developing an aerated space where we could stow what is needed for medium-range cruising.

Data Sheet – Vandal Explorer

Outboard Catamarans: YOT 36

If Catana Group moves, this is serious. This group is one of the historical names in the two-hull world, and the decision to enter this segment is an important confirmation of its potential. To do so, he decided to debut in 2023 with a new brand and a new model: the YOT 36. The size of this multihull, around 36 feet, seems to have been identified as the right compromise for the type of use identified, precisely, by weekender. This is because in a boat about 11 meters long and 3.99 meters wide, there are 38 square meters of deck space combined with two cabins. Add to this the fact that the YOT Outboard has folding bulwarks on both sides to further increase deck space with a modular rear XL cockpit capable of becoming an 8-person dining table or a large sundeck. Toward the bow we find a central wet bar in two modules with a refrigerator, sink and lockers. In the front, however, there is a second cockpit with a rather large sunbathing area and a seating area accessed by a walkaround-style double walkway, which also does not seem to detract from what are livable areas on board. The dashboard is designed to accommodate up to 4 people, in a rather protected position, either from the windshield or a hard-top. We are talking about weekender and therefore also about volumes below deck: in this case the shipyard opted for a two-cabin layout each with its own bathroom and toilet. Propulsion-wise, the choice has fallen on two 225-horsepower Mercury V6 outboard engines, but it is also possible to opt for two Mercury V8s of 300hp each. In terms of fuel, there are two tanks of about 575 liters each with which a good sailing range is also guaranteed, especially added to the 300 liters of fresh water available on board, which allows even longer sailing trips to be tackled in peace.

Data Sheet – YOT 36

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