a class catamaran manufacturers

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eXploder AD3 is A-Class sailing catamaran – one of the fastest singlehanded sailing boats on the water. The eXploder A-Class cats have been in production since 2013 and in that time won a staggering 6 World Championship titles and 15 Continental titles Since it’s conception the eXploder platform has been improved over and over again. The focus behind the current boat has been aerodynamics. Optimised hulls and foils / rudders / daggers are constantly being tested and improved.

OPTIMISED DAGGERBOARDS/RUDDERS OUTLINES AND PROFILES

Tweaked and tested foils are not only incredibly fast, but also easy to control. This is a race-winning combination. When a customer buys a new boat, it is always provided with the latest, fastest, tested foils / rudders / daggers.

FOCUS ON AERODYNAMICS

Hulls, beams, double-layered trampoline, hull-beam connections – all these parts are optimised for drag reduction. Together with D3 Applied Technologies we’ve ran countless tests and CFD simulations to try to understand where the biggest efficiency gain lies. This is not a hydro story anymore, it’s a flying object! Also the whole package is designed to be very clean and as visually appealing as possible.

EASY ANGLE TRIM

All the foil trimming systems are clean and easy to operate on any course, allowing on the fly trimming, including rudder differential in either displacement of foiling mode.

All boat elements are designed to be durable, failure-free and easy to operate and manufactured using the latest in material and technology

READY TO SAIL

The eXploder AD3 is provided with all needed systems and even trim markings making initial boat set-up intuitive. To go out on the water, everything what is needed is to put a mast on, insert foils / rudders in their slots, hoist a sail and attach a Cunningham and a mainsheet.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PROVEN

In our business the only way to determine performance is through results. The eXploder AD3 has won 6 World and 15 Continental titles in the last 7 years.

DESIGNER / R&D TEAM COMMENT

“The AD3 2020 model is the result of over a decade of learning, testing, failing, succeeding at times, and overall, developing these boats. With the previous platform we made some compromises from a design perspective, enabling us to build test boats over the years with different board and beam locations. It has been a very successful platform, widely used by the majority of the class. However, in the last couple of years we have been considering changing the daggerboard cases, but in order to respect our philosophy, that would require a new platform. So last year we tested a few systems on the 2019 AD3 (carbon traveller car, rudder differential, etc), and prepared the grounds to design a new model in 2020.

You have limited opportunities to design a new platform, and in most projects, new ideas sometimes fade away in the design process as we face boatbuilding realities (materials, tooling, custom hardware, etc). On this model we were given plenty of freedom in terms of shapes and surfacing, and for once this was maintained until the end. The aero-package of an upwind-foiler is one of the main drivers of performance, and this boat is very clean in that aspect.

We took the opportunity to update the foils (Z42) and the rudder elevators. We not only changed the rondure and planform but also the family of foil sections following the most recent design tool developments. As of rudder lift control, we can sail now with a more extreme rudder differential. Righting moment is the horsepower of any boat, so this is a huge performance gain, particularly upwind.

The rest was our typical process of designing a racing boat: countless design iterations, CFD for aero and hydrodynamics, VPP iterations to update polars etc From a hydro point of view, this hull is designed as a foiler, so we ended up reducing the volume, rocker and freeboard of the hulls. Interestingly, we managed to reduce drag at lower speeds (2 hull downwind and non-foiling upwind).

The bar was set as high as it gets with it’s predecessor but we are 100% confident that the AD3 is another step towards the ultimate performance. “

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F1x A-class foiling catamaran

World champion, lighter = better, craftsmanship, meet the foiling f1x a-class catamaran.

This is the ultimate singlehanded foiling catamaran of the moment: ultramodern, incredibly fast, very agile, extremely strong and feather-light, in an aerodynamic and ergonomic design. The perfect total package, packed in 1 foiling catamaran. This is the world’s coolest boat for singlehanded races and the winner of several A-cat world championships and many other sailing races.

The 2020-F1x A-cat is exactly the same foiling catamaran that made Mischa Heemskerk Vice-World Champion at the Herveybay Worlds 2018 in Australia and World Champion at Weymouth 2019. All our foiling F1x A-class catamarans come straight, ready to race and ‘Mischa-tuned’ from our factory.

Unique design enables top performances

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran is the ultimate reflection of our current design language. The aerodynamic design accentuates the performance qualities of this super fast foiling racing boat. The sophisticated deck plan provides clear control and minimal air resistance.

Foils The rudders and daggerboard foils used on the F1x A-class foiling catamarans are produced with the highest quality carbon pre-preg fibers. The foils are cured in our own Autoclave . Our winning foil design was created in close cooperation with Glenn Ashby and the designers of AC Team New Zealand .

Construction The F1x A-cat is manufactured entirely according to the carbon pre-preg/ Nomex production method, and cured in our Autoclave. This technology is the same as used in the aerospace industry and within other foiling boats like for example, the America’s Cup.

Design The design of the F1x foiling A-class catamaran was completely conceived by the DNA design team and made at DNA’s own yard. In the DNA design team Pieterjan Dwarshuis, Mischa Heemskerk and the renowned Dutch industrial design engineer Rudo Enserink worked closely together to create the perfect foiling A-class catamaran.

We build your new foiling boat!

Technical details.

The F1x A-class foiling catamaran has a number of unique features that improve performance. For example:

• Semi ridged trampoline. Gives extra torsional stiffness to the boat and increases its aerodynamic characteristics.
• Patented main-sheet-wheel-system. For more direct and faster trim of the main sail.
• Aerodynamically placed traveller car.
• Flexible daggerboard casings. For minimal water absorption in floating mode.
• Aerodynamically shaped ‘beams’.
• Adjustable T-rudders. Foiling with rudder differential is possible.

Specifications

LOA: 5.49 m BOA: 2.30 m Max. draught: 1.20 m Sail area: 13.94 m Total weight: ca. 53 kg Top speed: 31 kn Extra: All measurements according to IACA Class regulations.

Buy a champion's boat!

Are you excited to buy a F1x A-class foiling catamaran from DNA Performance Sailing? Please fill in our contact form:

Yes, I want a F1x A-cat!

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The ‘A’ Class Catamaran – Its place at the top table.

At 18ft long with a total allowed rig area of 150ft2, but weighing in at a mere 75kg, the ‘A’ Class is very much a Formula One car in catamaran form and in the last few years, developments have seen this class take off more than ever before, quite literally.

Anyone with an interest in the hi-tech aspects of sailing will probably know something of the ‘A’ Cat.  They are spread worldwide with large fleets in Australia, USA/Canada, throughout Europe and there is even a growing fleet emerging in Argentina.  They have had some 55+ years of open design resulting in them now being amongst the most highly developed small sailing boat classes on the planet.

Some History.

Originating from a desire in the late 1950’s by the IYRU (Later renamed ISAF and now World Sailing), to encourage racing and design development of catamarans. They proposed four classes with simple size criteria based on length, beam and sail area, and crucially, with minimal design rules.   The A-Class logo was chosen by the IYRU when their committee decided in 1956 to classify the catamarans into those 4 categories. A, B, C and D as construction classes. To symbolize the two hulls the letter "A" had a double underlign, same  as the B's,  the C's and the D's. From the beginning the A-Cats had the double underligned letter "A" on the sails and it was used on the letter heads. (Examples were the A-Lion, Australis, Unicorn, Quest A, Catalina, Rhapsody a.s.o.).  The ‘A’ class is by far the largest remnant of the four classes.  The ‘B’ class was a 20ft twin hander with 235ft2 of sail and developed into the Tornado and a few offshoots such as the F18.  The ‘C’ class was another twin, but at 25ft with a 300ft2 rig, has become a super sophisticated monster and the pinnacle of small cat design that races for the Little America’s Cup.  The ‘D’ Class was 32ft and a sail of 500ft2 with three crew, but rapidly dwindled away. 

Various designs for the ‘A’ bubbled away until the IYRU held trials to seek out the best designs in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classes and to award them international status.  At the Catamaran Club on the Isle of Sheppey in 1967, the Tornado won the ‘B’ class, and in the ‘A’ class category the British Unicorn competed, along with with several other boats, against Graham Johnston’s Australian Australis design.  At that time the spec was simply to be a single-handed cat with sliding seat or trapeze restricted only by length, beam and sail area.  The Australis design won and gained international class status.  However, the Unicorn design still gained popularity in the UK and Europe. It eventually became a strict one-design class with rules on hulls, weight and mast diameter, which accounts for the vastly different sail shapes now seen on the two boat designs.  Today the Unicorn still measures and is still accepted as an ‘A’ Class cat.

So, the free reign given within the ‘A’s development class spec allowed several other designs to arrive, each an attempt to improve on the other.  All modern designs can trace their evolution back to these early boats in one way or another.  Many home built designs turned up, and home building of ‘A’ Cats continues today, particularly in the USA, where home building tends to be more popular.

As building and materials technology improved, the stitch and glue plywood built and the glass fibre built boats, in order to save weight and get down to the absolute minimum, needed to be made with the strength only in certain high load areas – shroud plates, beam mounts, foil cases etc., This resulted in the class getting a bit of a reputation for being fast but rather delicate.  Gradually these materials gave way to the carbon foam and carbon nomex sandwich construction.

Fast Hull Shapes

The Australis hulls were pointed at both ends similar to a canoe, in an attempt to produce a drag-reducing hull.  The designs were often determined by the materials available and nowadays space age construction techniques are possibly one reason that the modern boat is now becoming increasingly popular, as it is producing immensely stiff and strong yet light boats, capable of withstanding hard racing for several years. 

Currently, the modern ‘A’ cat bears a striking resemblance to its rather higher profile cousin, the AC45 .  The distinctive Dreadnought shaped bows of the  ‘wave-piercing’ hull design reduces the pitching moment when in waves.  The hull is essentially upside down when compared to many boat hulls.  The widest part is towards the bottom with the result that the hull won’t sink as far before the buoyancy starts to push it up again so floats higher. They also tend to have the beams bonded in making it a very stiff one-piece unit.  Hull sections and profiles continue to change.  The requirements of a boat designed to foil mean that the underwater hull shapes are starting to be optimized for lighter wind sailing, as the hull should be out of the water when it is going fast in a higher wind. 

On the latest 2016 boats, aerodynamic drag is now recognized as increasingly more important as the airflow over the boat, with the added apparent wind, can sometimes be as high as 30 or 40 knots.  Beams are now aerodynamically streamlined, smoothing the airflow over the drumskin tight trampoline.  Double skin trampolines are also a new design feature.  Previously the underside of the tramp was a mass of ropes, chords and bungees.  Now these are sandwiched between two airtight skins.  On one new design, the Holland Composites DNA, even the tiller bar is now streamlined to match the rear beams curved profile!

There are several elements key to the ‘A’ cats speed and success.  Over the last 15 years much work has been done on the design of foils (rudders and daggerboards).  Initially the foils were all straight as the technology to make them anything else, without risking failure, was simply not available.  However, they could be put in at an angle and canted towards the centerline.  This seemed to give a little lift to the boat, thus making it faster by reducing the drag of the hull when the boat was heeled and flying a hull. They were also made slimmer and longer, and this higher aspect ratio vastly improved the drag effects over a broader chord foil.  Then in 2005, Dutch composites expert and sailor, Pieterjan Dwarshuis, raced in the Worlds with a C shaped foil. This supplied much more lift and helped in getting the windward hull flying when going downwind – doing ‘the Wild Thing’ as it is known in cat circles.  And, as the leeward foil curved under the boat more, it produced much more lift as the angle of attack (Rake) could be adjusted also.  Result – particularly when combined with small winglets on the rudders was that the boats went faster. Within a couple of years these foils became more commonplace and by 2008 German sailor, Bob Baier, had won the European championships using a set. 

However, some feared that complex hydrofoils could possibly be fitted to the boat, rendering it fast but impractical and expensive.  So in 2009 a rule was brought in with the intention of preventing this hydrofoiling from happening.  The now famous ‘A’ class ‘Rule 8’ stating that all foils must be inserted from the top of the hull, and that there must be a minimum distance between the tips of the bottom of the boards of 75cm from the centreline.  That seemed to do the trick and for a few years things went along nicely.  But the foil building technology steadily improved and a consistent way was found of producing extremely strong shaped daggerboards from carbon composites. In 2013 the foils had developed from a C shape into a J shape and as a result of redesigned rudder winglets, positioning them at the bottom of the blade, the boats started leaping about like salmon. So the next logical move for this development class boat was obvious and was to make it fly. The boat has about the same power to weight ratio as a foiling Moth so it was assumed that it should be able to fly, but for one crucial potential problem – Rule 8.  This meant that conventional L shaped boards, similar to the AC boats foils, are not class legal.  But thinking around corners is what designers and sailors like to do and before long, designs for foils emerged that complied with the top insertion, limited span restrictions and provided enough lift to get the boat clear out of the water. A movable rake system allowed the angle of attack of the boards to be varied combined with fore and aft movements of the crew weight.  The real turning point came in 2014 before the Worlds in New Zealand. 

Many of the America’s Cup crews are also ‘A’ cat sailors.  In fact the most successful ‘A’ Class World Champion is the ETNZ skipper Glenn Ashby.  

The ETNZ America’s Cup team took delivery of half a dozen ‘A’ cats and set about with gusto seeing how far they could be pushed.  Improved, redesigned and strengthened boards and rudders started flying around the world on express carriers as they broke and re-broke the foils in an attempt to push the boat to it’s limits.  It worked and the boats started to fly, albeit in the hands of these sailing superstars, but techniques were discovered for getting the boats foiling for longer each time.   As a result of this, Glenn Ashby won yet another world title.  This paved the way for the current developments. 

Optimized designs, where daggerboard positions and beams are moved slightly, and newer, more stable foil sections that have lower drag are now arriving, with a Z and J/Z shaped board proving more stable when combined with T or L shaped rudder tips.  However, the holy grail of upwind foiling is still being worked on.  And this is all still done within the restrictions of Rule 8.  The top insert only rule has prevented earlier, more stable, and probably easier foiling to happen if an L shaped main foil were to be fitted.  However, the very fact that it is less stable probably results in a faster boat and the need to raise windward foil, as would be the case of the higher drag L foil, is unnecessary and something a single-handed sailor’s workload can do without.

Fast Rigs .

The ‘A’ class rules allow you to do anything as long as the total area, including the mast, does not exceed 150ft2.  This area has traditionally seen the greatest developments in the past.  Shape is entirely up to the sail maker based on mast shape and flexibility.  The original masts were flexible tapered affairs as still seen on the Unicorn today.  But in the early 1980s the ‘A’ class moved more towards an untapered wing type mast which was able to be rotated, somewhat like the leading edge slat on an aircraft wing, and thus create the sail shape more efficiently and to adjust it to cope with the windspeed changes created by the apparent wind.   Techniques developed and composite masts began to appear in Europe about 25 years ago.  The sails design paralleled the mast designs. 

Initially they were fully battened but conventionally tapered towards the head.   Then, in the mid 1980s the ‘Fat Head’ sail appeared on the ‘A’ cat for the first time.  This lower drag high-aspect ratio rig, much like a glider wing, allowed and helped the boat to fly a hull much earlier downwind with the resultant reduction in drag.  Upwind, powerful 12:1 downhaul and 9:1 mainsheet systems could flatten the sail and when the carbon mast arrived, this was even more efficiently achieved.  As the sail area is the determining factor, not the shape, variations were tried at various times.  Really ‘Fathead’ sails, with the heads at over 1000mm were the thing for a while.  These required the leech to be cut away in a concave manner to conform the area rule, but now the more popular ‘800’ head offers a good compromise of power and heeling moment. Rigid wing type rigs were also seen occasionally.  Back in 1978, at the European championships, a wing sail proved unbeatable in light winds.  More recently designers, such as the US mast maker and ‘A’ cat ace Ben Hall, have experimented with a wing sails.  But, their practical handling off the water still proving troublesome.

The most current sail development is the ‘Decksweeper’ sail.  This is a sail that uses the trampoline as the end plate, making it more efficient, similar to winglets seen on airliners.  The sail has its centre of effort lower down, and thus reduces the heeling force created by the fatter head sail and is ideal for a foiling design.  The byproduct of this is that going upwind, where any heeling force, above just flying a hull, is not wanted with either foil design, is that it feels like you have another gear.  Now much more of the power is pushing you forward.  And this is usually sufficient to compensate for the higher drag created by the more complex shaped foils with their higher surface area.  So, faster uphill, faster downhill, what’s not to like?  However, the downside is that when it’s not foiling conditions, the decksweeper is less powerful and thus the C board, or ‘Classic’ boat is still king.

The decksweeper was first tried on the ‘A’ cat in 1987 in Australia but proved to be unbeneficial compared with more conventional designs.  It was tried again a few years ago, by former World Champion Mischa Heemskerk, who was interested in exploring it again on a more modern boat design.  The trials were inconclusive and the project was shelved for a while.  Then 2015, in the search for more power but with less sideways pressure, as required by a foiling boat’s need to be sailed flatter, he reappeared with one at the 2015 Dutch Nationals and wiped the floor with everyone, including Glenn Ashby, who was there getting ready for the Worlds a few weeks later.  But you can’t keep that friendly little Aussie down for long.  When he arrived at the Worlds, he’d simply chopped one of his older sails down along the leech, and sewn an extra bit onto the bottom to reach the tramp.  This was enough to get him back on track speedwise, and in a variety of conditions, he managed to beat Heemskerk by an increasing margin each race to retail his World title.

Much design work was done over the winter of 2015/16 and two of the major manufacturers both produced more optimized designs.  The Polish Exploder came out with their Ad3, with a design input from the Spanish based D3 Applied Technologies design team.  The other was the Holland Composites DNA F1 design.  A radical looking boat with advanced aerodynamic features and a fully carbon fabric stiff trampoline.  Both designs have proved to be game changers and with little to choose from as regards performance.  Misch Heemskerk won the 2016 Worlds on the F1 with Darren Bundock 2nd on the Ad3.   Both designs foil earlier and are more stable when doing so making them easier to control.  It would appear that the design curve is starting to flatten out again now as regards hull and foil design with these two boats setting the standard of performance. 

The ‘A’ Class Future

The two foil types are causing a little debate within the class though.  Although all the boats measure as ‘A’ Class cats equally, the foiling/floating thing appears to irk some in a few national class associations.  Some want separate races for foilers, claiming that is not fair now to race both on the same course.  A movement to start a ‘Classic’ class of non-foiling boats has been suggested.  But, most associations simply prefer to split out the results and run a parallel results system.  And, at those lighter wind events, or in areas like Southern Germany, you don’t hear many complaints. 

New foiling boats arrive and older second hand straight or C board boats find ready new homes with some being converted to a foiling configuration with new foil cases and rudders, whilst others are sold to the encouraging number of new sailors entering the class.  This is often the best place to start, as it’s not actually a hard boat to sail initially. (The class has a minimum of 5kts and max. limit of 22 kts of wind for racing)  Beautifully fast and responsive yet without many of the unpleasant characteristics that some other cats will catch you out on, e.g. the long bows tend to reduce pitchpoling. The added benefit of being 75kg makes it really easy boat to handle ashore; a true single hander, the only thing where you might need someone else’s help for 2 minutes is with stepping the mast.

The next jump looks like it will be in rig design.  It’s open design rules means that it will continue to see innovation and development within its rules as yet more ways are found to make them go even faster. Their ability to be altered, modified and improved will also continue to see the ‘A’ cat being used as a test vehicle for design ideas on larger boats.  Who knows what is around the corner designwise, but the ‘A’ cat should be able to meet the challenge.

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A guide to cruising catamaran manufacturers in 2022.

• Post Written By: Boater Jer
• Published: July 19, 2022
• Updated: July 19, 2022

Disclaimer: You might notice that we recommend products in some articles. We may earn a commission for referring you if you click the link and buy a product.

We only recommend products we’ve tried/tested/own (that’s why you won’t find thousands of affiliate links on my site). If you have experience with one of the products we’ve mentioned, please share your experiences in the comments at the end.

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So, you finally decided that a multi-hull will serve you way better than a single-hull but can’t choose which one of the catamaran manufacturers on the market will provide you with your dream vessel. Well, I’ve done a ton of research on the top 13 current manufacturers, so you don’t have to.

Fountaine Pajot

Voyage yachts.

I must say decisions like this can be pretty tricky. One minute you’re sure you want a Lagoon catamaran; the next, Nautitech appears to have a better offer. 

The best way to make headway in situations like this is to familiarize yourself with all the options and offers. Once you do this, you can quickly narrow down your choices by selecting brands that offer vessels that best suit your needs or taste and are within your budget.

Let’s look at the catamaran manufacturers spearheading the industry and what makes these ventures stand out. 

Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers Snapshop

You can’t talk about catamaran manufacturers without mentioning Leopard. 

This brand came into existence in 2000 through the charter market and steadily rose to South Africa’s largest boat manufacturer.

Leopard catamarans are known for their balsa-cored decks and hulls. This component adds to their stability on water and high sails performance.  

These sailing vessels aren’t the most affordable on the market, but they’d give you your money’s worth.

Go to the Leopard official website here .

If considerable interior space or volume is your number one priority, look no further than a lagoon catamaran. 

Lagoon is one of the few catamaran manufacturers using dry layering to attain lightweight and innovative boat designs. 

Although their vessels come under fire for lacking speed while also possessing tall rigs and weak bulkheads, Lagoon catamarans provide a pretty decent sailing experience.

Another noteworthy feature of catamarans manufactured by Lagoon is their super luxurious interior and exterior finishes.

Go to the Lagoon official website here .

Since its inception in 1976, Fountaine Pajot has built an excellent reputation for building power and sails catamarans.

Features like anti-shock fixed wings, engine rooms separated from cockpits, and saloons with 360 degrees panoramic views, are peculiar to catamarans produced by this brand. 

Of all the catamaran manufacturers there are, Fountaine Pajot is one brand that does an impeccable job at producing homey and inhabitable vessels. 

Incorporating advanced technologies into their power and sailing catamarans gives them a competitive advantage. 

Go to the Fountaine Pajot official website here .

Catana is a French company that manufactures both yachts and catamarans. They’ve been around since the 1980s. 

What sets this company apart from other catamaran manufacturers is its use of foam vacuum infusion technology to make its vessels less weighty and faster. 

You can usually tell a Catana catamaran by its noticeably open and isolated helm, not many people like this feature. 

Go to the Catana official website here .

Catamarans produced by Outremer are environmentally friendly and designed to provide a slow windspeed sailing experience; this reduces their motoring and emissions. 

Alongside exceptional craftsmanship, Outremer offers quality customer support by providing seminars, training courses, and skill assessments to both new and experienced sailors. 

Outremer may not be among the catamaran manufacturers that produce the most significant number of cats. Still, they have earned their spot as remarkable producers of quality and luxurious sailing vessels. 

Go to the Outremer official website here .

Nautitech was founded in 1994 as a conglomerate in Rochefort, France. In 2002, it was sold to Bruno Voisard and became a privately-owned company. 

Catamarans produced by Nautitech are fast, easy to dock, and made for living aboard. They are also super safe and secure. 

The most popular catamarans produced by this manufacturer include the 47 Power, the 46 Fly, the 40 Open, and the 54.

Go to the Nautitech official website here .

Seawind 

Only a handful of catamaran manufacturers can effortlessly keep up with new technological trends. One of them worthy of mentioning is Seawind.  

Seawind is an Australian company designing and manufacturing catamaran boats for over 35 years.

With their dual helm stations and fine bow entries, Seawind Catamarans remain one of the best sailing vessels on the market. 

Go to the Seawind official website here .

Privilege 

Privilege is the brand for you if you want to be able to contribute to the design of your catamaran and have a very luxurious sailing experience. 

The downside to catamarans produced by this brand is that they aren’t so fast, and they’re not widely distributed compared to other brands of catamarans. The cats are also quite expensive.

Most sailors consider these vessels a unique or prestigious buy because they’re pretty rare and have a very appealing design, unlike any other brand of catamaran boat. 

Go to the Privilege official website here .

Gemini 

Catamarans manufactured by Gemini are great for in-shore and coastal sailing. They’re pretty small and have straightforward designs.

Although this company no longer produces sailing vessels, used or old models of their ships are still chartered and acquired today.

Gemini defeats most catamaran manufacturers when it comes to affordability. Their vessels are probably the cheapest on the market.

Go to the Gemini official website here .

Sunreef 

Sunreef is among the catamaran manufacturers on the market with a good reputation. It focuses on providing custom-made sailing vessels to both new and experienced sailors. 

In 2003, Sunreef designed and produced the first-ever oceangoing luxury multi-hull. It put them on track to becoming one of the leading manufacturers of shipping vessels. 

Sophisticated engineering and impeccable craftsmanship are core features of all catamarans produced by Sunreef.

Go to the Sunreef official website here .

Voyage Yachts is a South African family-run company founded in 1994. They produce high-performing luxury cruising catamarans, among other things. 

Unlike most catamaran manufacturers on the market, Voyage Yachts isn’t overly popular, but they provide functional and well-designed sailing vessels.

Their electric catamaran, available in two models, provides a unique sailing experience with its electric motors and auxiliary generators. 

Go to the Voyage Yachts official website here .

Features like high speed, spacious interiors, and affordability make catamarans produced by Antares popular. 

Catamaran manufacturers like Antares prioritize efficiency and security when designing and manufacturing their shipping vessels.

Thanks to well-designed electrical systems, Antares catamarans provide a superior sailing experience by enabling sailors to enjoy long cruises even when the vessel’s battery is running low.

Go to the Antares official website here .

Balance is the last but not the least significant of catamaran manufacturers on our list. Balance is part of the prominent catamaran manufacturers based in South Africa. 

They produce quality high-speed catamarans and yachts. The most famous model of their catamaran available on the market is the 526. 

Balance catamarans can sail both downwind and upwind and are not so difficult to maintain. They’re highly stable on the water and easy to sail.

Go to the Balance official website here .

How Much Do Cruising Catamarans Cost?

Cruising catamarans are generally expensive. In case you don’t have any idea of the cost of these vessels, here’s an overview,

On average, brand-new cruising catamarans cost about $500,000. You can get this specification of vessels for as low as $200,000 and as high as $1,000,000.

Recreational vessels that aren’t so large cost about $50,000, while used catamarans cost between $200,000 to $600,000.

As you may know, how much you pay for a catamaran depends on the type, style, and size of the catamaran you wish to own.

There are three popular catamarans; personal watercraft catamarans, cruising catamarans, and recreational catamarans. Although technically, pontoon boats are a form of catamaran, we will ignore them in this article. 

Cruising catamarans are considerably larger than recreational catamarans. This fact is why they’re costlier than recreational catamarans. 

Additionally, if you want your catamaran customized or in a specific style, this would cost you additional money. 

Catamaran manufacturers like Fountaine Pajot, Lagoon, Leopard, and Catana aren’t brands you should consider if you’re looking for affordable sailing vessels. 

Prout, Gemini, and Antares are your best bet if you’re looking for budget-friendly catamaran manufacturers.

If you want to tell if a catamaran is a reasonably priced vessel, join an online community of catamaran owners or consult a boat appraiser or catamaran dealer. Try leaving us a comment, and we’ll see if we can help.

Final Thoughts 

With so many catamaran manufacturers offering similar specs of vessels, shopping for a catamaran can be pretty frustrating. 

One thing that can simplify the process is outlining the features or functions of these vessels that are the most essential to you. 

Once you’ve made a clear outline, you can quickly narrow your search to brands or companies that give high priority to the features you’re interested in getting in a cat.

Your budget is another factor that’d help you choose a sailing vessel that best suits you. Consider acquiring used or older ships if your budget isn’t so high. 

Additionally, research is essential if you want to be able to spot a good bargain. 

We wish you the best of luck on your quest to acquire a catamaran and hope you found the article helpful.

Sources and References

If you missed where we got our information, look at the following list of sources. All sources were accessed on July 19, 2022.

• Leopard’s official website
• Lagoon’s official website
• Fountaine Pajot’s official website
• Catana’s official website
• Outremer’s official website
• Nautitech’s official website
• Seawind’s official website
• Privilege’s official website
• Gemini’s official website
• Sunreef’s official website
• Voyage Yacht’s official website
• Antares’ official website
• Balance’s official website

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Published on April 10th, 2023 | by Editor

A-Class Catamaran having it both ways

Published on April 10th, 2023 by Editor -->

The singlehanded A-Class Catamaran has a strong presence in the USA, which was strong enough to host the 2022 World Championship, and strong enough for the country’s Ravi Parent to win the Open division world title.

Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck checked in with Florida A-Class sailor Axel Issel for an update:

The A-Class Class rules allow for development, which is good for improving the boat but can get expensive as gear becomes obsolete. How does this impact participation?

The A-Class is divided into two sub-classes separated by different sets of measurement rules; the Foilers (Open) and non-foiling (the Classics). In the case of the Classics that have been around 67 years, most development has occurred in the last decade or so with the change from straight dagger boards to C foils and the deck-sweeper mainsail with curved booms.

Older hulls and masts remain competitive but the newer configurations do provide a slight advantage. Today, Classic boats from 10+ years keep winning Nationals and Continental championships and boats with straight booms and daggerboards still are in the top 5 in the Euro circuit.

The Classic fleet keeps growing in most countries due to the speed and simplicity of the boat; very competitive, tactical, fun races, with plenty of accessible boats around the globe. In many parts of the world, the Classics are very popular with larger numbers than Foilers like in the US/Canada, Italy, France, Australia, etc.

Sailors in Classics are competitive at all ages, many well into their 70s so it is a class where you can grow and be at the top for decades with your same boat for many, many years.

The Foilers have seen the most recent development. Here newer boats (2019-20 and newer) make a difference over older ones since they are easier and more stable to foil. Participation in the class is achieved in Classics due to very even and fun races with skippers with 20 years fighting 70s-year-olds. Participation in Foilers comes from younger sailors trying to master the fastest single-handed catamaran in the world.

Most of the top sailors in the world raced A-Cats at some point, even though it is a non-Olympic class. The A-Cat has consistently proven itself in the international scene whereby the World, European, and North American Championships are frequented by some of the most famous sailors in the world.

However, it’s always taken the dedication of a pure A-Class sailor to win the Championships. This demonstrates the high level of performance within the class and it leads to amazing numbers of entries for such events. Today, almost all top professional regattas are raced in foiling boats, like the America’s Cup, the Ocean Race, SailGP, etc, so learning and growing in a foiling A-Cat gives you experience and advantage, attracting young talents to the fleet.

When was the shift to foiling? How did the class endure that transition? Were there kits? Foilers started around 2015, but in 2018 the class decided to create two sets of rules to keep the non-foiling boats competitive, and two sub-classes were born. I believe this was a wise decision, to make the class appealing to a wider population.

Today you can be competitive in your 20s and into your 70s, with a newer Foiler or with an older Classic. Regattas are usually scored in two fleets, and some, like the North American Championship regatta, have the two fleets + the “Overall NA Champion” who is the best skipper among the two classes.

The transition was progressive, initially some folks modified the trunks on the hull to insert the newer foiling blades. Today, to be competitive in Foilers, you need a newer foiling specific boat. Manufacturers build two models: the Foiler and the Classic. The Classic is lighter, simpler and less expensive. The Foiler has a lower hull profile; is heavier due to extra carbon needed to support extreme foiling forces, and needs better physical input.

Has the foiling equipment stabilized or is it still evolving? For the last three years (late 2019-2020), there have been no new developments. The latest one was the rudder differential. Some have been working on differential for center foils with no success. Also, cambered sails with specific masts have been designed, but nothing new has come out. Until measurement rules for Foilers are changed, it will be difficult to see any new significant design improvement.

How is the used boat inventory in North America? Today, there are around 20 used boats for sale. Some used boats for sale are almost new, like a 2022 Foiler and newer Classics. You can buy an old Classic for less than $5K and be competitive in the Classic fleet. Used boats and parts can be found in https://usaca.info/ and in https://www.facebook.com/groups/922063451790001/ .

Who are the suppliers for North America? Are there any in the continent? Boats and masts builders are in Europe. Today, the largest manufacturer of boats is eXploder from Poland (with accessible labor), which provides new Classics and Foilers. Fastboatstuff.com is their representative in the US, and they carry new boats and parts for almost all new and older model boats. North America is getting shipments from Europe usually two times per year with new boats and parts. I have been in the class three years and I always find the parts needed quickly. Top competitive sails are built here in the USA by Glaser, Sail Technologies, etc.

Why do Foilers and Classics race together? Because it is way more fun, and way more competitive. The fleet is well mixed during races. In addition, it is a good way of keeping the fleet growing, making an easy and fun entry point to the class with more options. For example, I started in Classics two years ago and after the Worlds in Houston last year, I sold my Classic and I switched to the Open class.

Usually, the top Foilers will have an advantage but most part of the fleet is mixed. In lighter winds like sub 10 knots, the boats are even and in lighter non-foiling conditions, Classics are faster. Top light sailors can start foiling downwind around 8 knots but most of the foiling fleet foils closer with 10 knots of wind 100% air time, and upwind foiling is mastered only by the ultra-top sailors, and usually they need 12-13 knots of wind to make real gains over the top Classics going upwind.

For us, the newer foiling sailors, learning to foil (like me!), will always have Classics around showing how much ground is lost while we are trying to fly……and once on air, if we do not do the correct angle, Classics will pass you by. .Racing with 50 boats on the line, is always more fun than 20-30 boats, and chances are you always will have someone next to you on every mark.

What is the ideal sailor weight for the A-Cat? I believe 170-195 pounds is the ideal range, NED 007 Mischa Heemskerk won the world championship several times and he is 225+ lbs; the latest World Champion USA 76 Ravi Parent (2022 Rolex Yachtsman of the year) weighs around 165lbs . Who knows….!

Where are the hubs of class activity in North America? Florida concentrates 30% of the fleet, with Key Largo, and the Sarasota/Tampa Bay area being the most popular spots, followed by Fort Walton and Melbourne, FL. Lake Lanier in Georgia has one of the largest fleets, Annapolis/West River area is popular as well.

Lake Carlyle in Illinois, where we raced the 2021 North Americans, have several active boats. Also, there are 10 boats in Alamitos Bay in California, and there is a large fleet in Ontario Canada where we raced the 2022 North American Championship.

I heard a new fleet will grow soon in Mexico City as well. This year we are all looking forward to race in October the ‘Alter Cup’ in Pensacola, Florida, only for Classic boats, where skippers from other multihull fleets join the A-Catters to determine the best multihull skipper!

Tags: A-Class Catamaran , Axel Issel , Craig Leweck

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With plants covering over 60 000 sqm, manufacturing a range of six models by a Team of 2000+ persons, Robertson and Caine is focused upon producing world-class catamarans of exceptional build quality. Adhering to sustainable and safe production practices.

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To build for solid blue water performance, Robertson and Caine use superior materials, fit for purpose, with every step of the build process, adhering to global standards and subject to stringent quality control. Robertson and Caine catamarans dominate the charter fleets of The Mooring and Sunsail, thus are built to be reliable, with low maintenance.

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Australian International A Division Catamaran Association

All you need to know about sailing A Class Catamarans in Australia

A Class Sailing

The A Class Catamaran is the fastest single handed small catamaran in the world. This highly responsive lightweight boat is a joy to sail. The powerful rig means that even the heaviest sailors are on the trapeze upwind in 6 knots of breeze and flying a hull downwind (wild thing). The top sailors in the class have now mastered the art of trapezing downwind, making the boat even faster and more exciting. The boat is very easy for an experienced sailor to sail, but very difficult to sail really fast.

The A Class is a boat built specifically for racing and has very strong fleets both in Australian and overseas. The National Championship in 2011 had a highly competitive fleet of 73 boats, the largest catamaran fleet in Australia. State Championships in Qld, Vic and NSW all had over 30 competitors. Australians consistently perform well at the world championships, in 2010 taking 5 of the top 10 places, including the top 3.

The high quality of racing in the A Class often surprises those new to the class. Regular competitors include Olympic medalists and world champions in several other classes. At recent Australian National Championships, several professional sailors from Americas Cup teams have been shocked to find themselves mid-fleet, although others like Dean Barker and James Spithill have shown their ability to perform at the top of any fleet.

The A Class catamaran is a development class with very simple rules defining the boat. The key rules are:

Full rules are available on the international site.

Several competitive designs of A-Class are commercially available, although which boat is the fastest changes as these products are constantly improved. 50 years of development have produced a very refined boat, so changes are typically incremental and boats usually remain competitive for several years.

If you are interested in a new boat, a number of manufacturers can be found under the Builders/Suppliers list on the right of page.. For secondhand boats and parts our members use the classifieds on this site .

One strong advantage of the development nature of the class is that it allows customization of a boat to suit a specific sailor. For example the weight of a sailor is much less critical on an A Class than any one design class. A heavier sailor will choose a more powerful sail and mast combination than a lighter sailor and a hull shape with more buoyancy. This usually ensures that sailing skill is the most important factor in winning races. It is common to see the top competitors using different hull shapes, mast manufacturers and sailmakers.

Come and give A Class sailing a try. There are a number of clubs where A Classes are sailed regularly and the sailors at these clubs will be happy to talk to you about getting started. Please contact your state representative ( details on our contacts page ) to find out which clubs are active in your area.

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Top 10 Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers: For Families, Comfort and Performance!

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Cruising steadily and relaxing without a care in the world may sound like a fantastic idea. However, you need the right boat and the right support from the builder. I believe that catamarans are the way to go, but which brand should you go with? Today I have chosen a little bit different perspective on how to evaluate the best catamaran brands.

Leopard, Nautitech, and Catana are some of the best cruising catamaran manufacturers. They offer safe and easy to handle cats with impressive speeds. Leopard boasts the best family-friendly vessels, Antares is environment friendly, and Nautitech offers impressive performance.

If you’re ready to buy yourself a high-end cruising catamaran, read on. Prepare yourself to spend some money and land the life of your dreams. Pack your sunscreen, lean back, and relax—adventure is on its way!

If you are on the hunt for a catamaran (just as I am), I would recommend you check out my other articles, and maybe they can help you find the boat that suits your needs the best.

• Best catamarans under $200k
• Best catamarans under $100k
• Best catamarans for blue water solo sailing
• Best catamarans under 50ft
• Best catamarans under 30ft

Table of Contents

1. Best for Families: Leopard Catamarans

As a fine example of build quality, we have the Leopard 48 , which has an excellent design and great handling. The brand is also known for pushing the standards of catamarans well past industry norms.

Leopard catamarans are known for being very sturdy and great oceangoing vessels

This sturdiness and high build quality have made leopard a somewhat pricier alternative than, let’s say, lagoon. But as we have come to learn the recent years (with bulkhead problems on the Lagoons), this price increase is probably something that you will save in the long run anyway.

Looking at the Leopard 42 above, we can see that comfort and space are offered in plenty; there are also other versions, but the most common is for the owner to make their own modifications suiting their specific needs.

2. Best Racing-Cruising Experience: Outremer

Even though Outremers haven’t built nearly as many cats as Leopard they definitely have managed to build a reputation equally as strong. Outremer, even though low in production numbers, comes in 2nd place in this poll of the best catamaran brand.

When you first look at Outremer’s website , you’ll see the words:

“Ultimate Blue Water Cruiser” outremer.com

For many this is true, for those of you who follow the youtube channel La Vagabond, they have an Outremer 45 and beautifully showcase how this vessel operates in all types of conditions.

Outremer is famous for continually improving and producing high-performance cruising catamarans in the ranges of 45 to 55ft. This can be seen by their after sales reputation which is said to be next to none.

Outremer also has an interesting perspective on being environmentally friendly, just read this quote from outremer’s commercial director:

“If you can sail at 5kts, you can sail 95% of the time” Matthieu Rougevin-Baville

Slow windspeed sailing is a priority for Outremer, this means less motoring, less noise, less pollution and opens up for better electric propulsion alternatives?

3. Best Customer Experience: Lagoon

Online shopping for catamarans can be complicated, but when it comes to Lagoon , they make sure you can easily navigate to find the right boat for you. The front page advertises their newest additions along with an educational blog.

“[You should get an] Early 2000s Lagoon. We own a 2001 Lagoon 470. Incredible boat” Jacob, Lagoon 470 owner

When you go shopping, Lagoon reminds you that delivery may be difficult due to the recent pandemic. However, they are committed to making sure you’re still able to enjoy your experience. Their cat variety is nice, but the features are even better.

Lagoon even has something called Club Lagoon, which provides extra benefits, including privileged events and personalized meetings. The main goal of Lagoon is to establish a friendly experience with its buyers. It’s quite clear that Lagoon sees you as more than just a customer. 

Lagoon has come in some bad weather for the bulkhead issues of the L450, but to be fair this is only one model of many ever produced. Lagoon still stands as one of the top catamaran manufactures in the world.

They make sure that you feel comfortable and prove they care about you, not just your money. So, if you’re ready for a friendly experience, go with Lagoon!

4. Best Overall Experience: Fountaine Pajot

Fountaine Pajot states that their boats are designed for the best living space to provide comfort to help you enjoy the cruising experience the right way.

“ Fountaine Pajot – been living aboard our Astrea for 6 months and love it. Easy living, fun to sail, rides well. “ Jay, poll respondant

With features such as sunbathing areas, well-designed kitchens, comfortable cabins, Italian-style bathrooms, and more, this brand clearly focuses on making sure you get the best experience. So, if you’re looking to sit back and let the boat speak for itself, get a Fountaine Pajot. Remember that your comfort is their number one priority. 

5. Best Reviews: Catana Catamarans

Much like the Nautitech, Catana designs their cat with a somewhat more open and “unprotected” helm oftentimes seen in racing, this allows for great visibility but can be stressful on the crew during long passages.

Catana remains one of the fastest production catamarans out there and you got to love their slogan:

“Performance by Nature” Catana.com

Everywhere you look, on Youtube, websites, or talking to owners, almost all of them love the Catana, some might not favor the helm position (but usually those are people who haven’t actually sailed a Catana) but all love the general feel and look of the boat.

The Catana is one the highest praised catamarans that I have researched but for some reason this doesn’t reflect in the poll.

6. Best Performance: Nautitech

Nautitech has a variety of catamarans such as the 40 Open, the 46 Open, the 46 Fly, the 54, and the 47 Power.

The 46 Open has a reputation for its unique experience with great safety and luxurious interiors. As for the 46 Fly, it’s best known for its revolutionary flybridge on a sailing cat.

“ Nautitech 46. Simple to sail. Great safety. Easy docking single handed. Fabulous access to engines water maker. Calorifier. Fast boat if kept light. “ Alan, poll respondant

According to their website , Nautitech is known as a brand that keeps in touch with the living at sea experience, all while providing immense comfort.

Nautitech was the first to create the idea of “open living” onboard by combining the saloon and cockpit into a large and functional living space. After all, their catchphrase on the opening page is “elevate your dreams.” 

While they focus on comfort, the might behind it all sets it apart from other companies. With 200 employees producing 80 boats per year, you would almost assume the quality wouldn’t be as good. That’s where you’d be wrong. It operates at the perfect speed so you and your friends or family can enjoy ocean life.

So, if you want a catamaran with comfort and exciting history, get ready to sail with Nautitech. 

7. Best Semi-Custom: Privilege Catamarans

Make no misstake these are not bad boats, but they are somewhat more rare to be seen and as such numbers will always lean towards the more common brands.

If you know what you want it’s a pretty high likelihood that privilege will be able to construct it for you, the brand is known as the midway between custom and production cats. Bringing benefits from both worlds into its own genre of boats.

The list of customizations is impressive and I would be surprised if you didn’t find what you were looking for, just remember, with custom boats comes custom problems , so maybe with semi-custom boats, you get semi-custom problems?

In some ways, this model is the opposite of let’s say Lagoon 380, which has hundreds of identical vessels and a large community of people around it.

Privileges are usually not the fastest cats out there, but if you are prepared to give up a little bit of speed you will most definitely enjoy sailing in great comfort on this masterpiece.

8. Best For Environment: Antares Catamarans

When it comes to vacations, you want to relax, but you still need to focus on safety, and Antares takes that cruising aspect seriously. If you decide to buy a catamaran from Antares (here´s a buyers guide ), you will find that they recommend you “get to know” your boat.

“ As far as actual cruising cats I love my Manta and getting a solid blue water boat under $300k is amazing. But I’ve been on a Antares. Wow. “ Jim, poll respondant

Antares is known for building blue-water capable vessels that are sturdy and excellent for liveaboards.

With a brand new design that focuses not only on space and comfort but also on bringing modern technology onboard and making it environmentally friendly, it’s clear that Antares wants the best experience for its cruisers and for the planet.

They redesigned the electrical system to create a diesel hybrid so you can cruise without having to worry about running low on battery power, all while doing your part in protecting the planet.

Something that is all too common on cruising cats is their poorly sized battery and electrical system making cruisers more often than necessary rely on the genset. With 1800w of solar panels, this is no longer an issue.

A few of their great features include a lightweight cherry wood interior, Corecell construction, and superior steering. This company clearly stands for comfort, relaxation, and safety.

Bonus Boat: Most Popular For Coastal Sailing, Gemini Catamarans

For nearly three decades, their Gemini 105mc has been the most popular catamaran ever built (measured by number of units sold).

According to the website , the Gemini 105mc surprises newcomers with its legendary performance. I would take this with a grain of salt, or two, or maybe a bucket full.

Although Geminis aren’t as beautiful or fast as the other cats on this list, they are much cheaper and smaller . Some Geminis even fit inside a regular monohull slip which will save you tons of money in marina fees.

These are no bluewater I-am-going-to-sail-the-world type of boats, but they are perfect for coastal and inshore cruising whether it be a weekend or full-on liveaboard.

When it comes to their new catamaran line-up, they have the Hull 1227, Hull 004, Hull 012, Hull 106, and the Hull 1223. While the prices may still be high, they offer discounts, and they recently announced they’d have price drops.

The popular Gemini 105mc that has been a legacy since 1981. It’s spacious, light, and airy .

Another interesting model is the Gemini Legacy 35 . While it’s not as popular as the Gemini 105mc, it still has some unique features.

They also have the Gemini Freestyle 37 , which is best known for its flexibility. It can be tailored as a basic family catamaran, day-charter boat, or for single-handed sailing . It also has a low starting price and can be tailored to suit all of your needs for the perfect cruising vacation.

In addition, they have the Gemini Freestyle 399 Power . It’s essentially a power version of the Gemini Freestyle 37. This new catamaran includes several storage areas, comfortable cabins, a vanity unit, a lounge area with seating for up to six people, and air conditioning. 

This would be the perfect catamaran for a group of friends or family on a weekend sail.

Bonus Boat: Best Affordability, Manta

This fantastic brand has eight different models that range from coastal to offshore cruising.

Mantas are one of my favorite boats, but as soon as they show up for sale, they are gone.

There is also a Manta owners club which doesn’t seem to be very active at the moment as far as I can tell.

Final Thoughts

As we’ve seen, the best cruising catamaran brands focus on comfort just as much as they focus on safety. With luxurious experiences and tons of opportunities to relax while also experiencing the adventure of a lifetime, who wouldn’t want to cruise away?

Here are Some of My Favorite Catamaran Cruising Resources

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you hopefully start your sailing adventures. Here are some resources that I use as a sailor that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact things that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family. Sailboats: If you’re looking for the best boat to suit your needs, I would recommend a catamaran. If you’re interested, I can show you the differences between catamarans and other types of sailboats .

Books:  For getting started, I really like  Cruising catamarans made easy . It is actually a textbook from the American sailing association; it is used to get a cruising catamaran certification. There are some other great books, and I have compiled a list of books about cruising catamarans that you will find useful.

Communication:  Being out on adventures, whether it be sailing or climbing mountains, good communications are essential to being safe. I recommend two things Google fi (incredibly simple cellular data all over the world) and Garmin inreach mini (for text and voice in remote areas without cell coverage)

Sailing courses: Online sailing courses are great for beginners starting out their sailing career; it’s an efficient way of learning the basics of navigation, throttle controls, and maritime safety. I suggest starting with two free courses from NauticEd .

To see all my most up-to-date recommendations,  check out this resource  that I made for you!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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@media screen and (min-width: 70em){.css-1c47y9x{color:var(--chakra-colors-blue\.brand);}} A Cat Class buy/sell second hands, ads and prices

Launched in 1950, this is a class that aims for the best performance in a single-handed sport catamaran. Often made of carbon, now equipped with foils, the A-Class is the most technologically advanced class for solo racing. It is a very dynamic class and the level of the racers is very (very) high.

The Classe a would be the catamaran equivalent of the foiling Moth : light, technological, extreme, fast and bringing together the best in the discipline.

the last A Cat Class ads at the best price

Classe A Autre marque for sale in Le Pouliguen

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Classe A parts for sale in Gembloux

Classe A DNA for sale in Carnac

Classe A parts for sale in Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys

A Cat Class presentation

The model A Cat Class has 2 differents versions : Classe A classic , Classe A foiler .

The A class catamaran, a unique spirit

The A-Class is a single-handed class, the freedom given by the gauge has allowed it to be always at the forefront of technological innovations. The result is a sports catamaran with a magnificent look, impressive and performing around 3 buoys. This open gauge allowed her to be one of the first light sail series to be equipped with foil. The A-Class now flies above the water.

Class A program

It is a boat intended more for regatta sailors than for sailors looking for "calm" rides. There are many shipyards producing A Class boats, including Marstrom, Bimare , Nacra, Addiction, Askell and DNA.

Second hand Class A catamaran

The second-hand A Classes remain quite expensive for recent productions, however, if one is looking for a catamaran for sailing more oriented towards leisure than performance: the bill will be much less expensive.

The entry prices for Class A boats are very low: sometimes 1000$ for old boats, on the other hand, recent Class A boats, those which can perform in championships, are traded for 20000$.

Buying or selling an A Class

This is where it all happens, you can find a lot of A-Class ads on iWannaboat.

Some figures of the A Cat Class catamaran  :

Min price  :

Max price  :

Average price  :

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Innovation. Quality. Performance. Aquila Power Catamarans is the world leader in producing high-quality, innovative, and exceptionally performing power catamarans. With stringent manufacturing processes and a state-of-the-art facility, Aquila builds one of the most reliable, robust, and durable purpose-built power catamarans in the world.

Aquila’s rapid growth and global success have challenged our international design and engineering teams to rise to elevated expectations. Every model embodies the reliable features and construction methods used in the hundreds of Aquila's cruising the world today. The expanding Aquila power catamaran line includes models starting in length at 28 feet up to 70 feet, with new models being launched continually.

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With one of the most talented teams in the industry providing combined knowledge and extensive experience, Aquila has established a new expectation for power catamaran innovation.

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Wedding Palace

The foundations for Wedding Palace was executed by BAUER Technologie the Russian branch company of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. Scope of works was 163 pieces of D1500mm piles, each 30m deep. Cementation under each pile, and two Osterberg cell tests. The foundation was successfully completed between July-December 2008. For more information visit: BAUER Technologie

Imperia Tower is a multipurpose complex located on plot 4 of the Moscow International Business Center. It will consist of 2 buildings, the mixed-use Building A and the water park entertainment complex in Building B.

Building A, totaling 60 floors, will incorporate over 70,110 square meters (750,000 sq ft) of office space, 45,000 m2 (480,000 sq ft) of apartments, a 280 room hotel (30,000 m2/320,000 sq ft), and assorted retail outlets.

Building B will incorporate the water park and will be a focus of entertainment for the MIBC Complex. It will also house a shopping mall, restaurants and cafés, and will be open year-round.

Eurasia Tower

The Eurasia Tower, located on plot 12, is an office/recreational space with a total area of 207542 square meters. It will be situated on a three-tier podium in which will be placed a fitness center, entertainment, restaurants, and shops. Other areas will be distributed as follows: 106 231 square meters will be reserved for office space, and residential apartments will occupy 21185 square meters. On the bottom, there will be parking for more than 1000 cars. The external design of the building is a combination of classical and modernist style. On the outside of the building, a scenic elevator will run up and down for views of the entire city.

• Number of Floors: 67
• Height: 305 meters
• Total Investment: $250 million
• Total Area: 207,542 square meters
• The area of office premises: 106 231 m
• The area of premises: 21 185 m
• Parking capacity: 1000 places
• Developer: Mos City Group
• Eurasia Tower site
• Official site TechInvest

Federation Tower

Federation Tower will be Europe's first supertall tower, and the second tallest tower in Europe after Russia Tower.

• Tower A: 93 floors - 360 metres tall
• Tower B: 62 floors - 243 metres tall
• Tower C: Spire - 506 metres tall

The unique construction combines architectural elegance, comfort and ergonomics. Upon completion, this will be the tallest building in Europe, at the height of 506 metres.

Office complex "Federation" is on plot 13 MIBC "Moscow-city". The structure represents a design of two tri-hedral towers with height of 360 and 243 metres above the ground, located on a common base of 10 floors. Between them the spike, with a height of 506 metres. In the towers a restaurant is planned, along with office psuites and residential apartments divided by technical floors. In the spike elevators with panoramic views and an evacuation stairway will be placed. In the base of the towers a full complex of retail and household services is planned. The underground part includes parking places, technical premises, and the walkway connecting the complex with the central part of a Business Centre, northern departure and a complex 12 site.

• Developer: ZAO Mirax-City, Russia
• Employer: ZAO Mirax-City, Russia
• Architect: Prof. P. Schweger and S. Tchoban (Germany)
• Total Investment: $500 million
• Total Area: 425,000 square metres;
• Total area of a plot: 1,07 hectares
• Height: over 506 metres
• Construction began: 2004
• Official site

Mercury City Tower

Multipurpose building with housing and open space, premises of trading and cultural appointment «Mercury City Tower» on plot 14 MIBC "Moscow-city". The structure's height is 322 metres (with a spike bringing it to 380) above the surface of the ground, with five underground floors. In a building office premises, apartments, the trading areas, and also restaurants will be located. The underground part, consisting of 5 floors, includes parking places, technical, and retail space.

• Architect: M.M. Posohin, Frank Williams (USA), G.L. Sirota
• Total area of a plot: 0,4975 Hectares
• Total Area: 158,000 square metres;
• Height: 380 metres
• Amount of floors: 70
• The area of offices: 86 000 square metres
• The area of Apartments: 24 000 square metres
• The area of Fitness centre: 5 000 square metres
• The area of Restaurants: 3 500 square metres
• Trading premises: 6 200 square metres
• Those a premise: 16 900 square metres
• Parking place: 18 000 square metres

Russia Tower

Construction began in September, 2007, and is planned to be completed in 2011. Upon reaching its final height of 612.2 metres (2,009 ft), it will be the tallest building in Europe and the second tallest in the world.

The total area of the structure will cover 520,000 m² (5,597,233.4 sq ft), of which 38% (200,000 m² (2,152,782.1 sq ft)) will be located underground. The tower will contain 118 floors, 101 lifts, and underground parking to accommodate 3,680 cars. Commercial retail shops will be located at the base of the building. The maximum capacity of the building is projected to be around 30,000.

The first ten floors will be occupied with the common part in which the parking will be placed. In the bottom part of a tower of office premises, a hotel will be located, the top floors will be occupied by apartments. In a business part of the project is expected to house a large congress centre, hotel, an entertainment zone, and a casino and park of attractions. Construction is planned on a plots 17-18 MIBC "Moscow-City". The developer of the project is the Moscow company (MDC), in cooperation with the city government and CT-Towers is the affiliated structure STT Group created for realization of projects in MIBC "Moscow-City". The final project of a tower has been presented by architect Norman Foster on March 15th, 2006 at exhibition MIPIM-2006 in Cannes. After completion, Russia Tower will become the tallest tower in Europe.

• Total area of a plot: 2,19 hectares
• Total Area: 520,800 square metres
• Amount of floors: 118
• Height: 612 m
• Cost of the project: $1,5-1,7 billion
• Spaciousness of the built in parking: 3680 place
• Amount of lifts: 101
• Construction began: on September, 18th, 2007
• Construction completed: 2012
• The status of the project is currently preparation for construction
• Russia Tower forum-site

External links

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FEIG ELECTRONIC: Moscow-City Skyscrapers Streamline Parking Access and Control with Secure RFID

Feig electronic partners with isbc group to deploy ucode dna rfid security and parking access control solution in moscow business district.

Weilburg, Germany  — December 3,  2019  —  FEIG ELECTRONIC , a leading global supplier of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers and antennas with fifty years of industry experience, announces deployment of the UCODE DNA RFID security and parking contactless identification solution in the Moscow International Business Center, known as Moscow-City, one of the world’s largest business district projects.

The management of Moscow-City not only selected long-range, passive UHF RFID to implement in its controlled parking areas, it also chose to implement UCODE DNA , the highest form of secure RAIN RFID technology, developed by NXP Semiconductors.

Panoramic view of Moscow city and Moskva River at sunset. New modern futuristic skyscrapers of Moscow-City – International Business Center, toned

“Underscoring NXP’s innovation and leadership in developing advanced RAIN RFID technologies, our UCODE DNA was chosen to be incorporated with the FEIG and ISBC implementation of the contactless identification system in the prestigious Moscow-City,” said Mahdi Mekic, marketing director for RAIN RFID with NXP Semiconductors. “This exciting project represents yet another successful deployment of NXP’s contactless portfolio, and showcases our continued ability to meet the high-security requirements of highly demanding applications without compromising user convenience.”

“UCODE DNA is considered the only identification technology to match the physical protection of a barrier with the cybersecurity necessary to truly protect entrances from unauthorized access,” said Manuel Haertlé, senior product manager for FEIG Electronic. “As a respected contactless payment technology company, FEIG applies security know-how from its payment terminals, which are fully certified according to the latest high-class security standards, into our RFID systems. FEIG vehicle access control RFID readers incorporate advanced secure key storage elements, supporting various methods for secure key injection.”

FEIG’s partner ISBC Group provided the knowledge and support for this successful implementation using  FEIG’s long-range UHF RFID . The resulting system enables authorized vehicle entry into areas reserved for private residential use or corporate tenants, while also allowing availability of temporary, fee-based visitor parking. Thanks to the cryptographic authentication of UCODE DNA, both the tag and reader must go through an authentication procedure before the reader will validate the data from the tag, which is transmitted wirelessly. This level of authentication is typically used in the most secure data communication networks.

“The system’s two-step authentication means that only authorized equipment can handle the secure protocol and the data exchange with the UCODE DNA based tag. Without the required cryptographic secrets, other readers would query the tag in vain, because the tag’s response cannot be interpreted or understood,” said Andrey Krasovskiy, director of the RFID department at ISBC Group. “On top of this, each data exchange in the authentication process is unique, so even if a malicious actor were to intercept the communication, the transmission is only good for a single exchange and the tag’s unique identity is protected from cloning.”

Established in 1992 and still growing, Moscow-City is the revitalization and transformation of an industrial riverfront into a new, modern, vibrant and upscale business and residential district. A mix of residential, hotel, office, retail and entertainment facilities, it is located about four kilometers west of Red Square along the Moscow River. Twelve of the twenty-three planned facilities have already been completed, with seven currently under construction. Six skyscrapers in Moscow-City reach a height of at least 300 meters, including Europe’s tallest building, Federation Tower, which rises more than 100 stories.

Partnering with ISBC and deploying FEIG Electronic RFID solutions, the Moscow International Business Center is delivering security and access control to its city center today, as it grows into the city of tomorrow.

About FEIG ELECTRONIC

FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH, a leading global supplier of RFID readers and antennas is one of the few suppliers worldwide offering RFID readers and antennas for all standard operating frequencies: LF (125 kHz), HF (13.56 MHz), UHF (860-960 MHz). A trusted pioneer in RFID with more than 50 years of industry experience, FEIG ELECTRONIC delivers unrivaled data collection, authentication, and identification solutions, as well as secure contactless payment systems. Readers from FEIG ELECTRONIC, which are available for plug-in, desktop, and handheld applications, support next-generation contactless credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, NFC and access control credentials to enable fast, accurate, reliable and secure transactions. For more information, visit:  www.feig.de/en

Founded in Moscow in 2002, ISBC Group provides knowledge and support to integrators for their successful implementation of RFID and smart card-based solutions. The company specializes in the distribution of smart card equipment, contact and contactless card manufacturing, smart card and RFID personalization services, and information security.  Its Research and Design Center is focused specifically on RFID, primarily HF and UHF solutions with NXP tags, and software development for the smart card industry. For more information visit:  https://isbc-cards.com/

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NagatinSky / Alexey Rozenberg

• Architects: Alexey Rozenberg
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  136 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   CIR SERENISSIMA , Centrsvet , EXENIA , Foscarini , Innovation Living , +2 Linea Light Group , NATUZZI -2

Sberbank Office / IND Architects

• Architects: IND Architects
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  7000 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Covering Chile , Milliken , Russkiy Nestandart , Statio

Orange Business Services Office / T+T Architects

• Architects: T+T Architects
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  5300 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Desso , Fagerhult , Haworth
• Professionals: PRIDEX Group

35m2 Flat / Studio Bazi

• Architects: Studio Bazi
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  35 m²
• Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2015
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   EGGER , Schneider Electric , Bayker , Gorenje
• Professionals: Studio Bazi

Living Space / Ruetemple

• Architects: Ruetemple
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  48 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   FAKRO , Centrsvet , Sofia

Adidas Home Of Sport / ABD architects

• Architects: ABD architects
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  20000 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Lightnet , Nayada , Shaw
• Professionals: PRIDEX Group , RBTT Consultants

Hires Apartment Renovation / buro5

• Architects: buro5
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  105 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   BoConcept , Grohe , Arbonia Solutions , Coswick Parket , Ikea , +2 LIGHT-POINT , clinker stroeher -2

Gazeta.ru News Agency Office / Nefa Architects

• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  600 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Vibia , Artemide , BONALDO , Flos , Linea Light Group , +7 Loft , Planlicht , Prooff , Roche Bobois , SVL , Tolix , Vitra -7
• Professionals: Shafran

Gorki / Ruetemple

• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  47 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Ambient Lounge , Boskke sky planter , Ceramica Fondovalle , Foscarini , Ikea , +1 imex -1

Apply to the Strelka Institute: New Educational Programme Launched

The Strelka Institute for Architecture, Media and Design has launched the enrollment campaign for the postgraduate education program. The theme of the 7th academic year at Strelka is entitled  The New Normal . Research will focus on the new contemporary condition, which has emerged because of the rapid development of technology—including machine intelligence, biotechnology, automation, alternative spaces created in VR and AR—and define new paths for urban design and development.

This Moscow Circus School Proposal is Composed of a Series of Domes and Undulating Waves

A team comprised of Chinese architects Hang Guo and Shanshan Li have used the history of theatre and circus to drive their proposal for a new Moscow Circus School. The design, dubbed Dome and Circus , was developed for the recent Architectural Competition Concours d'Architecture (AC-CA) competition , which encouraged participants to consider the ways in which their design could generate discussion about the relationship between architecture and culture.

Crushpro / FORM Bureau

• Architects: FORM Bureau
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  290 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Forbo Flooring Systems , Fun-era , Helios , Kerama Marazzi , Varton

Apartment W_G+BETON / ARCH.625

• Architects: ARCH.625 : ARCH.625
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  230 m²
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   ETHNICRAFT , Miele , ABB , BANG & OLUFSEN , BONALDO , +5 Blum , Josef Göbel , SEAMEN , Vitra , XAL -5

Swimming Pool in Luzhniki / Ka-Buro

• Architects: Ka-Buro
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  520 m²
• Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2014

MCFO Awards 2016: Call For Submissions

On the 1st of July Moscow Construction and Fit-out Association, MCFO opens online submission for MCFO Awards, which defines excellence in office space in Moscow. Entries can be submitted by any member of a project team through  www.mcfo-awards.com.

Strelka Institute Launches Scholarships for New Master’s Programme

Moscow's Strelka Institute has launched a series scholarships that will cover expenses for its first joint master’s programme with the HSE Graduate School of Urbanism, called ‘ Advanced Urban Design ’. Three scholarships will be granted to remarkable emerging leaders in the spheres of urban design and research to fully pursue a two-year study.

Office of RD Construction Company / IND Architects

• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  2200 m²