sailing catamaran around the world

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Best Catamaran for Sailing Around the World — Best Cruising Catamarans

Sailing around the world is a dream of many. It’s the grandest adventure you can have in a sailing vessel—or at least one of the top five. But what kind of boat do you choose?

For many, the go-to answer has become a bluewater catamaran. These boats offer outstanding comfort and living space. They outperform most monohull sailboats of their size, and their bright and airy salons and cockpits will convert non-sailors to the ideas of what is possible with such a boat. 

Here’s a look at some of the best long distance cruising catamarans and why these boats are great choices for many crews.

Table of Contents

Lagoon 440/450/46, leopard catamarans 42/43 (circa 2000-2007), pdq antares 44/44i, catana 471/47, fountaine pajot orana / helia 44, balance 482, what is a cruising catamaran, cruising catamaran pros, cons of catamaran offshore cruising, what to look for — best catamaran for sailing around the world, best cruising catamarans faqs, 8 popular choices for best cruising catamarans.

Every boat has strengths and weaknesses, and every list is biased. There are tons of boats out there, and it’s impossible to be familiar with every single one. Furthermore, as time passes and our needs change, the types of boats that catch our attention change. 

Sailing long distances, like around the world, is a very specific mission. It’s not something you wake up one morning and say, “Today, I’m setting off around the world!” 

No, a circumnavigation is the culmination of years of preparation and research. Just finding the right boat is a big part of that. Some experienced cruisers make their business helping people find the right boat to suit their needs. If you’re completely lost in the boat-buying process, reaching out to an experienced expert (not just a yacht broker!) is an important step. 

One such person is John Neal. Neal runs Mahina Offshore Services and is a consultant for folks wanting to cast off the lines. He’s written extensively about what makes a good bluewater cruiser and specializes in boat consultations. Be sure to visit his website and download his free ebook, Selecting and Purchasing an Ocean Cruising Sailboat.

Another great resource, especially if you’re considering voyaging with your kids, are Jamie and Behan Gifford of Sailing Totem . They work as consultants helping couples and families find their path to a successful circumnavigation—what they call “from dream worthy to seaworthy.” Totem and crew crossed their wake a few years back, and they write for Cruising World and often speak at events like Cruiser University at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in the fall.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular long-distance cruising catamarans. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, nor are these really recommendations. Rather, they’re a look at some boats, both good and bad, to consider for the ultimate sailing adventure.

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Lagoons are the ubiquitous production boat of the catamaran world. Next to Leopard, they dominate nearly every list of catamarans since the company makes so many of them. They’ve been cranking these boats out for over 20 years, longer than many other manufacturers. When you do the math, there’re more examples of individual Lagoon models out there than hulls made by many other manufacturers combined. 

What does all that mean for the buyer? For one thing, it means it’s not hard to find a Lagoon for sale. If you pick your model, you’ll probably find a few dozen for sale worldwide at any given time. A cursory look at Yacht World shows 23 listings for the 440 and another 77 for the 450 (not including those listed separately as 450F and 450S!). 

The 440 was the first of Lagoon’s popular flybridge models. This offers an upper level so that the helmsperson can see all points of the boat and is separate from the salon and cockpit area. Many liveaboard 440 owners have converted the upper flybridge with an enclosure to make it an all-weather helm. 

The 450 took the 440’s success and improved all the details. The updated design was one of the most popular boats Lagoon ever made. They eventually divided the lineup it the 450F, with the standard flybridge, and the 450S, with a “sporty” helm on the aft coachroof. 

Both are very popular boats and are sized right for world voyaging. They aren’t without problems, however. Around 2020, many owners began discovering serious problems with bulkheads delaminating from the hulls. However, Lagoon has an official fix, and many boats have been successfully repaired. As always, get a good survey, research, and ask the right questions!

Lagoon 450s are currently listed for anywhere between $400,000 and $800,000. 440s are older and can be found between $275,000 and $450,000. As always, keep your eyes peeled for the less common and much more comfortable owners’ version layouts with one huge master cabin.

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Leopard is another ubiquitous brand in the catamaran world. The company’s newer models, like the current (2023) Leopard 45, have a forward seating area and a large opening door on the front of the salon. In short, they’re perfect charter boats. Leopard habitually reuses their model numbers repeatedly, making getting the right model confusing. The newest Leopard 42 started production in 2020 and features the forward patio lounge. 

The Leopards included on this list are much older and lack this forward patio design. Instead, these original Leopards have a low-profile aesthetic perfect for ocean sailing. They’re comfortable and functional. They’re a little on the small size for world cruising but would be perfectly suited for a couple that wants the smallest boat they can get. 

The difference between the two models was only one thing—the 42 included a soft-top bimini, while the 43 had a hard top. Most owners have now converted their 42’s soft top to a hard one. 

Leopard 42s and 43s from 2000 to 2007 are currently listed between $250,000 and $350,000. The 43s, which are a bit newer, go for just a little more. Since so many saw charter use, finding good examples with owner’s layouts is hard. When you do, they’re worth the trouble to bring home.

If you’re looking for a bargain, the older Leopard 45 and 47 were remarkably similar in design. They are less common on the used market today, but if you find one in good shape, it’s worth a look. 

This boat started life built by Canadian catamaran builder PDQ. The design was wildly successful. However, when PDQ shut down, the hull molds made their way to Argentina and found new life. This is one of the few catamarans out there that is built for the specific mission we’re addressing here—a long distance cruising catamaran for a couple or a small family. 

The Antares is built from the keels up to be reliable, simple, comfortable, and safe. She’s not winning any races against the Outremers, Gunboats, or fastest catamarans of the world, but she makes up for it with her sturdy design and comfortable handling.

At 44 feet long, she’s the perfect length for a voyaging catamaran. She has impressive bridgedeck clearance and can handle most anything King Neptune throws her way. Her fit and finish are above average—excellent, in fact—and her layout is supremely functional. This is one catamaran that must be on your shortlist if you’re considering a circumnavigation.

Currently, two Antares are listed on the market, from $595,000 to $798,000. Only a handful of 44s are out there, and while the boat has been in production since around the year 2000, there just aren’t many to choose from. Those that are out there are coveted for their build quality and seaworthiness, so they don’t come cheap.

Catana is a French builder that makes performance catamarans with retractable daggerboards. These improve upwind performance dramatically and reduce your draft when gunkholing. Proponents of daggerboard designs will also point to their improved handling at sea, allowing the boat to slip freely down waves, thereby reducing the likelihood of capsizing in extreme conditions.

Catanas also feature a unique helm layout. Twin helms are located outboard on each stern, so you can pick your driving position for the best visibility, the best shade, or the best breeze. You’ll be driving with the autopilot from the nav station at sea anyway. It keeps sailing a little more fun when you’re out there for the fun of it. 

The 47 and 47OC (Ocean Class) are the newer versions of the boat. All versions feature Catana’s uniquely strong, lightweight composite layups and distinctive asymmetric narrow hulls. They’ve got outstanding bridgedeck clearance and 

Catana 47s and 47OCs are listed between $360,000 and $700,000. The older 471 is a little harder to find. Catana has always been a higher-end, low-volume brand that makes fewer hulls each year than other makes. 

Fountaine Pajot is the third of the “big three” catamaran makers. The French brand is often compared to Lagoon and Leopard, but their designs have always stuck more on the performance side than the bulky cruiser side. In the ocean-going length, their 44-footers are just about right. 

Regarding layouts and features, it’s hard to imagine a more perfectly suited boat than the FP 44s. These boats are big enough to carry all your stuff and give you space to spread out. But they’re also good sailors and stable at sea. They feature the preferred coachroof-mounted helm, which is raised enough to provide good visibility without being disconnected from the action in the cockpit. 

Oranas are currently listed from $295,000 to $468,000, while the newer and more popular Helias go for anywhere from $447,000 to $649,000. These were popular boats with private owners, and in charter, so there are usually quite a few available. 

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Mantas are a well-built, American-made catamaran sailboat that went through several revisions. Overall, the hulls and layouts never changed from the early 38s to the last 42 Mark IVs. But the transoms were extended for speed and better handling, and the extra length of the later models makes them just right for a small ocean-going cat. 

Balance is a South African company that has made their business to produce a modern sailing catamaran for a new age of sailing. This isn’t a legacy brand, so you aren’t going to find one at a bargain price. Instead, these boats are being built on a semi-custom basis for owners like us who want to sail their boats around the world. 

The company describes the Balance 482 as a “trend-setting circumnavigator.” It won Boat of the Year from Sailing World Magazine in 2022.  

HH boats are built in Asia as cutting-edge sailing catamarans for the owner/sailor market. They’re designed by Morrelli and Melvin, one of the multihull world’s top design firms.

These boats are also semi-custom, so you won’t find many on the used market. They’re known for their modern innovations, including a fold-down swim platform and an EcoDrive hybrid system. You can spec your boat with either mini keels (OC or “ocean cruising”) or daggerboards (SC or “sport cruising”).

The HH50 is the company’s best bet for circumnavigating with a small family. There’s also the capable, smaller sistership, the HH44.

Why Are Catamarans Great for Long-Distance Voyaging?

Catamarans are immensely popular for a few reasons. For one thing, they’re some of the most comfortable boats for long-term living aboard. They offer lots of living space, storage, and tankage. They have panoramic views, with huge windows letting light and air into the open salon. Unlike classic monohull sailboats, they are not dark and stuffy at all. 

Catamarans also don’t heel like monohull sailboats do. This is good and bad, but most people (especially non-sailors) prefer it. It means when you’re sailing, you aren’t at an angle for days or weeks at a time. Your stuff isn’t constantly rolling downhill on the counter and falling out of the medicine cabinet whenever you open the door. They still move and rock on the waves, but the motion is always more upright than heeled to one side. 

There are a dozen other reasons folks prefer catamarans to monohulls for long-distance or long-term traveling. And, like all things in boating, every sailor is a little different. Some don’t like catamarans and prefer a beefy bluewater monohull’s stability and solid feel. Your mileage may vary, as the saying goes. 

Of course, the longest voyage of them all is sailing around the world. The typical downwind circumnavigation involves several long-distance passages and many months of hopping through remote island nations. The longest leg is typically from Panama or the Galapagos Islands to French Polynesia (The Marquesa Islands), a leg of at least 3,000 nm that typically takes 20 days or more. 

In total, a circumnavigation takes at least 18 months but commonly even longer. That’s a long time to spend on any vessel, so the comfort of a cruising catamaran makes a lot of sense.

A cruising catamaran is roughly defined as one designed to carry passengers and crew long distances. Obviously, this means it needs to be equipped with staterooms and heads, a galley, and a salon. But that also means it must hold enough fuel and water to keep its passengers safe for long voyages. 

The cat also needs to be designed to be stable enough for all of that to be used to capacity. Two to four people, plus enough supplies to keep them fed and healthy for months, weighs quite a lot. Then you add in spare parts, water toys, and other goodies, and it adds up. Catamaran speed and stability come from its lightweight design. If you make it too heavy and overload it, it will be slow and less stable in rough conditions. 

When you consider all of this, you’ll come up with a minimum size for a catamaran to carry all the stuff you need for such a long voyage. Generally, the smallest cats in this class will be around 42 feet long. This is the right size for a cruising couple that doesn’t often sail with others. A 44-footer will be a little more comfortable and make having occasional guests onboard a more pleasant experience. Once you get to 50 feet or longer, the boat is a bit large for most private owner skippers to handle. Costs start to balloon at this length and above, as well. 

What about a small catamaran ? Many people have successfully done the trip in smaller boats, of course. Generally, however, these smaller cats are pushed to their limits in terms of load carrying capacity. In most cases, circumnavigators will take on extra crew for longer legs (this is sometimes even an insurance requirement!). The ride in rough seas is not as good in shorter cats, which tend to hobby horse more in a chop. So, overall, 42 feet and above is about the sweet spot.

Comfortable Living Space

The huge salons and cockpits catamarans offer, with comfortable seating at big tables, truly improve your life at sea. The importance of all the light and air coming through those windows can’t be underestimated—it’s great at anchor when enjoying the sunset. But it’s also great to have an interior nav station where you can keep watch from the comfort of the salon. In short, a liveaboard catamaran is one of the most comfortable options for any type of cruising.

Better Speed, Especially Downwind

Compared to monohulls of similar length, catamarans are nearly always faster. This goes for fast catamarans, sure, but also for cruising catamarans. This becomes very apparent when traveling downwind, something that most monohulls struggle with. And downwind is the preferred direction to travel on a sail around the world route .

Comfort at Sea

The lack of heeling makes catamarans the preferred choice for long distance sailing. When given the choice of doing a 20-day passage perfectly upright or at a 10-degree tilt, which would you pick? Even the saltiest of sailors has to agree that heeling over is fun for a while but gets tiring quickly.

Redundant Systems and Structures

With two hulls, two engines, two water tanks, two fuel tanks, two sets of bilge pumps, and tons of other redundancy built in, catamarans offer owners extra layers of safety. 

If all of this sounds too good to be true, it’s because we haven’t discussed the most limiting factor for most sailors—the cost of the boat! Catamarans are expensive from the outset. When juggling all of the factors with an around-the-world cruise, boat cost is the biggest. 

Catamarans cost more than monohulls for many reasons. They are larger, but even still, they often sell for more. One reason is their popularity. These boats are in demand. Far fewer examples are on the market than monohulls, and more buyers are looking to purchase them. So prices are high and are likely to stay high. On the other hand, Monohull prices are much lower because there are more monohulls out there than there are monohull buyers.

With any boat, there is also the cost of keeping it once you own it. The larger the boat, the greater your expenses will be. This is true for everything from maintenance to storage. Catamarans cost more than monohulls in nearly every instance. For maintenance, you’ll be limited to facilities that can haul a boat with your width—which will be more expensive. You’ll have two engines, which means twice the maintenance and twice the replacement cost when that time comes.

Choppy Motion

Despite all the plusses and the flat ride, plenty of sailors out there just don’t like the ride a catamaran offers. You have to take one to sea to understand fully. A catamaran is light and tries to fly across the water, from wave to wave. It smacks each wave twice and always tries to come back upright after each impact. This leads to a choppy, jarring ride sometimes. 

A monohull is built heavy and is designed to slice through the waves and push the water out of its way. The wind pressure on the sails keeps the boat’s angle steady (in most cases). So, a heavy monohull can ride quite comfortably in a chop, whereas a catamaran might feel like it’s taking a pounding. Many heavy-displacement monohulls built for long-distance travel were designed to provide a soft, comfortable ride that allows the crew to rest. 

All sea conditions are different, as are all sailors and their expectations. So this is a personal choice as to which method you like better. And for every condition uncomfortable in a catamaran but smoother in a monohull, there’s something smooth and lovely in the cat and uncomfortable in the monohull. The ocean is just like that.

All cruising cats over about 40 feet are capable, and most have become proven circumnavigators in the past few decades. The right one for you simply comes down to the balance of cruising amenities versus performance. Fast catamarans are all the rage, but you’ll have to put a price on exactly how much performance you can afford.

To learn more about other boats before deciding, check out:

• Catamaran vs Pontoon
• Yacht vs Sailboat

What type of boat is best for sailing around the world?

The type of boat best suited to sailing around the world is a well-built, long-distance cruising boat. Many sailboats fall into the camp, both monohulls and catamarans.

This question has a million answers. Ask every sailor who wants to go around the world, and you’ll get a different one. And, once they’ve sailed around the world on that boat, they’d choose a different boat. The only rule is that there is no perfect boat. 

What is the best catamaran to sail Caribbean?

Catamarans are extremely popular in the Caribbean because their open-air living space allows cooling airflow. Their living space is supremely suited for the tropical environment—imagine living al fresco on the waterfront all the time! 

The right catamaran for the job depends on your group size and how long you intend to spend aboard. Full-time liveaboard couples prefer cats in the 38 to 44-foot range, while small families opt for something slightly larger. 

Are catamarans easier to sail?

Catamarans are easy to sail—but similar to sailing a similar-length monohull sailboat.  Beginners sometimes find them less intimidating because they do not heel and therefore seem more stable. However, monohulls are more forgiving of errors. Catamarans have large sails and rigging, and reefing early to avoid overloading the rig is extremely important on these boats. For more on beginner boats, check out my post: Best Boat for Beginners .

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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A circumnavigation sailing trip on a catamaran : a 1,546-day adventure across 27 countries

David and Amy

Round-the-world

Trip duration

A round-the-world in 1,546 days

Onboard their Fountaine Pajot Hélia 44 “Starry Horizons”, the couple criss-crossed the seas and oceans for no less than 546 days, covering more than 34,140 nautical miles and 27 countries from the port of Antigua in the Caribbean, forming a loop around the equador.

Presentation of the crew

“We are David and Amy Alton, two thirty-something-year-old Americans. When we met, Amy was an engineer and David was in the oil and gas industry in finance. While Amy had grown up around boats all her life, David had only been sailing once!  Soon after we met, Amy took over the family business in the maritime industry.

Eventually, we both got our USCG 100 Ton Master’s licenses and David came to work for Amy driving her boats. This is why we call her the Admiral!”

Preparation for the circumnavigation

“Since we were both licensed captains and had been day sailing around Galveston Bay on our previous 30 feet catamaran, we had an advantage over cruisers who are starting from scratch. We did want to get more experience on bigger boats, so we chartered down in the Caribbean.

Of course, we read a lot of books, blogs, and magazines. There were hardly any sailing YouTube channels out at the time, so that wasn’t a big thing for us.”

A cruise of more than 34,140 nautical miles

“We picked up our boat from the factory in La Rochelle in October of 2014. From there, we did a self-delivery, bringing the boat to Florida in three steps to do some outfitting to kit her out for a long-term cruising boat.

From Florida, we sailed the Bahamas, then up to Nova Scotia and Maine before heading down to the Caribbean. Three months later, we passed through the Panama Canal and spent two seasons in the South Pacific.

After seven months in Australia, we sailed up through Southeast Asia, then across the Indian Ocean, exploring lots of remote islands. In December of 2019, we passed the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and in March of 2020, we docked in Antigua,  crossing our wake and completing our world circumnavigation. “

Favorite sailing areas

“The South Pacific is easily our favorite sailing ground. The islands are remote and incredibly beautiful, and the people are amazingly friendly. French Polynesia is a dream destination, with rugged islands in the Marquesas, or idyllic atolls in the Tuamotus. Bora Bora exceeded expectations with crystal clear water and manta rays.”

Choosing the right catamaran for a circumnavigation

“When we were boat shopping, we had a list of requirements that we wanted. We did primarily look at the biggest production yards because we wanted to keep a strong resale value and yards like Fountaine Pajot have a good reputation – they’ve been building great boats for so long.

We went to the Annapolis Boat Show with a few models in mind, and when we got on the Helia is was an easy decision. The layout of the boat is amazing, and while she’s got plenty of space, she is definitely on the faster side for cruising boats.

All around the world we have meet Fountaine Pajots of all ages and sizes. Starry Horizons has held up very well in the nearly six years we have owned her, so we’ve been very pleased with our purchase.”

Circumnavigate on a catamaran

“On our entire circumnavigation, we spent less than 13% of our nights at sea. This means that 87% of the time we were stationary, at anchor or in a marina, taking advantage of the space our catamaran offered us.

Moreover, when we were sailing, we were mainly sailing downwind. Although we didn’t have much experience with monohulls, many friends complained about the performance of their boat downwind. Starry Horizons is super comfortable downwind.

It is also extremely performant and very safe, we always had confidence in our boat, even when the sea was rough, in squalls or tropical storms.”

Next adventures

“Right now, Starry Horizons is taking a well-deserved rest on the hard for hurricane season. We are back in Texas visiting our families.

We will launch again sometime within the next twelve months and cruise close to home; the Bahamas, Chesapeake Bay, or other nearby places. After that, we don’t have any plans!”

David and Amy regularly share tips and surprising anecdotes on their  blog  to accompany you in your navigations, the preparation for long cruises or simply to share their most beautiful sailing experiences and anchorages.

Starry horizons’ circumnavigation in a nutshell

• Leaving Antigua on December 30, 2015
• 10 navigations au long courslong-range navogations (1,000+ nm)
• 1,546 sailing days
• 4 crossings of the equator
• 22 nautical miles/day in average
• 34,140 nautical miles travelled
• 6 hauls out
• 27 countries and territories crossed
• 7 home returns
• 93.5% of the miles sailed as. a duo
• Arrival in Antigua on March 26, 2020

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Best Cruising Catamarans

• By Cruising World Editors
• Updated: July 1, 2021

Cruising catamarans have been around for decades, but early models—often plywood and fiberglass vessels built by their owners from plans and kits, kept the boats on the fringes of mainstream sailing. That all changed, though, as big roomy cats were discovered by sailors who went off to charter in the Caribbean, where the multihulls proved their worth as comfortable liveaboard and party boats.

Today’s bluewater catamarans roam the globe, carrying families to exotic destinations across the Pacific and beyond. Just as with their monohull cousins, there is no best catamaran. Instead there is a wide variety of designs, ranging from small catamarans that offer the ease of maintenance a couple might enjoy to performance catamarans capable of easily knocking off 250-mile days. Today, the best catamaran brands offer a range of size models and layouts that can be optimized for an owner sailing with family and friends, or for the charter market, where there’s a demand for four, five and even six cabins worth of accommodations.

The most prolific catamaran manufacturers are in France and South Africa where yards include both large-run production builders and niche companies building fewer than 10 boats a year.

The best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance. As with any sailboat , a modern catamaran’s design is a result of compromises. Daggerboards or keels? Galley up or galley down? Spacious owner’s cabin or extra bunks? There are lots of options to choose from—and that’s what makes looking at these sailboats fun!

Here, then is an eclectic A to Z list of some of the best catamarans that have helped shaped the evolution of how we live and sail on two hulls.

Antares 44i

Now built in Argentina as a full-fledged, bluewater catamaran and cruiser that can be safely operated by a shorthanded couple or family crew, the Antares 44i features a fully covered cockpit with a quartet of big, standard solar panels recessed within the hardtop, one example of a yacht capable of long-range passagemaking.

Atlantic 42

Almost 30 years ago, yacht designer Chris White revolutionized catamaran design with the first in his series of Atlantic cats, the primary feature of which was the innovative mid-ship sailing cockpit forward of the main cabin. The smallest in the Atlantic line, the 42 remains White’s most popular design ever.

Fountaine-Pajot has built so many outstanding cruising catamarans that it’s difficult to narrow down any single boat, but we’ve always been fans of the good-looking, well-thought-out Bahia 46. At 46 feet, the boat is large enough for offshore forays and has plenty of volume; with its simple but powerful sail plan, it’s also an excellent performer.

Beginning around 1996, the French builder Catana was one of the first companies to manufacture fully found cruising cats for private ownership, and this Christophe Barreau design, which enjoyed a nearly 10-year production run from 1997-2006, was emblematic of this first generation of safe, fun, long-legged offshore voyagers.

Click here to see more cats from Catana.

When it comes to speed, light boats are fast ones. And if you wish to save weight, that means exotic modern materials like carbon. Catana now infuses the laminates of their entire production line with carbon fiber, and for this list, we’ve chosen the Catana 50 Carbon, one of the zippiest cats now crossing oceans.

Click here to read about a couple’s charter aboard a Catana 50.

Gemini 105M

Pioneering catamaran sailor, builder and designer Tony Smith launched the first of his 33-foot Gemini 105M’s (10.5 meters = 33′) in 1993, and soon after found a ready and willing stream of sailors enamored of the boat’s compact size, affordable price tag, and such innovations as the nifty lifting rudder and transom steps.

Click here to read about the Gemini Legacy 35.

Built between 2000-2005, the Gunboat 62 firmly established the Gunboat brand: go-anywhere cats that applied race-boat technology to a world-cruising platform. Hull no. 1, Tribe, was built for company founder Peter Johnstone, who then spent a year-and-a-half cruising with his family, smiling all the way.

French builder Henri Wauquiez is best known for his long career building monohulls, but the Kronos 45 cat, which he launched in 1992, was ahead of her time. Classic lines, the aft “targa bar” over the cockpit, the louvered coach roof windows, even the distinctive stripes on her hull: the Kronos 45 remains timeless.

No roundup of cruising cats would be complete without several Lagoon entries, and the best of that impressive bunch might well be the Lagoon 380. Originally launched in 1999, and revered for its combination of quality, volume and performance, with over 740 boats built the 380 is still going strong.

Launched five years after the breakthrough 380, the Lagoon 440 was an evolutionary design that featured a raised flybridge helm station, a unique “gullwing” configuration below the bridge deck, expanded windows in the hull and much more. With 400 boats built in a 6-year production run, the 440 was an unqualified success.

How big can a production cat, still operable by a short-handed crew, really be? The builders at Lagoon discovered that 62-feet hit a sweet spot in the marketplace, and have sold over 70 boats since its introduction in 2010. The centerpiece of this design is the sensational steering station atop the flybridge, with expansive views of the sea and sky.

Click here to see more cats from Lagoon.

With an unmatched pedigree – designed by premier multihull naval architects Gino Morelli and Pete Melvin, built by the prestigious Robertson & Caine boatyard in South Africa, and commissioned by chartering giant The Moorings – the Leopard 40 was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Cruising World ’s Import Boat of the Year in 2005.

Louisiane 37

Based on the famous French racing cat Charente-Maritime, the Louisiane 37, designed by Joubert/Nivelt and launched by builder Fountaine-Pajot in 1983, was a light, fast liveaboard cruiser with full accommodations that represented a radical departure from the hefty British cats that preceded it.

Maine Cat 30

One of the more versatile and clever cats ever created, the central feature of the cool Maine Cat 30 is the open bridge deck/living room sandwiched between the hulls and canopied by a rigid, permanent hard top (the comfortable accommodations/ staterooms are stationed in the hulls). Ideal for a winter in the Bahamas but with the ability to sail offshore, it’s a boat for all seasons and reasons.

Built in Florida and beloved by the owners of the over 120 boats built during the company’s existence from 1993 to 2009, the Manta Catamarans range included 38-, 40- and 44-foot cats. For this exercise, however, we’re heralding the original Manta 42, which won the Best Value Overall prize in CW’s 2001 Boat of the Year contest.

Moorings 4800/Leopard 48

Another Leopard/Moorings collaboration built by the wizards at Robertson & Caine (though this boat was designed by fellow South African Alex Simonis), the Leopard 48 was another CW Boat of the Year winner with all the contemporary bells and whistles: forward cockpit, flybridge helm station and solid hardtop dodger, just to name a few.

Click here to read more about the Leopard 48, and click here to see more images.

Nautitech 441

The Best Multihull Under 45 Feet: So said the CW judging panel in the 2013 Boat of the Year competition, regarding the Nautitech 441. But what makes this versatile platform so intriguing are the different helm set-ups. The 441 employs a single wheel, to starboard, ideal for solo sailors, while the 442 has a pair of helm stations aft.

Click here to see more Nautitech Catamarans.

Outremer 5X

A state-of-the-art all-oceans cat that exemplifies how far multihull design has come, the 59-foot Outremer 5X was a winner on both sides of the Atlantic, taking top honors in the European Boat of the Year competition in 2013, and following up as the Best Full-Size Multihull in CW ’s contest a year later.

Click here to see more cats from Outremer.

St. Francis 50

The flagship of the proud St. Francis line – built in South Africa since 1990 to designs by local legends Lavranos Marine Design – the St. Francis 50 is another “luxury cat” that shares much in common with an earlier 48-foot sister-ship, but packs even more payload into its roomier lines.

Click here to read more about the St. Francis 50

Seawind 1000

Founded by Aussie surfer and sailor Richard Ward in 1982, the 33-foot Seawind 1000 is easily the most popular cruising cat ever built in Australia (the company has since moved its manufacturing and management operations to Vietnam). Roomy and airy, these cats dot the coastline of eastern Oz.

Seawind 1160

If the Seawind 1000 was a minimalist approach to cruising cats, the 38-foot Seawind 1160 is the flip side of the coin, a full-fledged long-range voyager. Among the reasons it was named CW ’s Most Innovative boat for 2007 is the unique “tri-folding” door that stashes overhead to open up the saloon and cockpit into a spacious living area.

Click here to read more about the Seawind 1160.

Sunsail 384

Every sailboat is a compromise, and in the case of the Sunsail 384 (also sold privately as the Leopard 38) that’s a good thing, because designers Morrelli & Melvin and builder Robertson and Caine got the balance just right with this relatively small catamaran. With four cabins, the 384 can carry the same size bareboat charter crowd as her larger siblings, but does so with a decided bounce in her step. Named CW’s Import Boat of the Year in 2010, you can gauge the success of the design by the grins on the crew as they barrel down Sir Francis Drake channel in the British Virgin Islands.

Victoria 67

The French design office of Berret Racoupeau drafted the lines of Fountaine-Pajot’s new flagship, introduced in 2013, a magnificent world-girdling voyaging catamaran. Like other giant cats launched in recent years, the boat features a sensational upper deck with all sail controls, helm and lounging stations.

Click here to see more images of the Victoria 67.

Wharram Tanaroa

No list of influential multihulls would be complete without the work of James Wharram, and while Tangaroa wasn’t a production cat by any means, it showcases the British designer’s respect for ancient Polynesian craft. Wharram sailed this 23-foot-6-inch “double-hulled canoe” across the Atlantic in the 1950s, and sold countless plans for similar boats for decades afterwards.

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Catamaran VS Monohull: what should you choose to sail around the world?

Sailing around the world is a dream come true: you discover the world to the rhythm of the wind and the stopovers, exploring new destinations every day as you sail. If you’re just starting to read this article, you’re probably nurturing this project. Are you planning to sail around the globe? Then the choice of ship for your next voyage is crucial. It alone will determine how you experience this adventure! Catamaran VS Monohull : Do you know the differences between single-hulled and double-hulled sailing yachts for an ocean voyage? What are the advantages of sailing around the world in a catamaran, rather than a monohull?

Aboard a multihull, greater comfort and stability

When you decide to sail around the world, whether you’re going alone, as a couple or as a family, you’re always leaving your home and comforts behind to move aboard a monohull or catamaran. While you’ll always have to get used to living in different spaces, in a changing environment, the living space on each boat can vary. So, if you’re setting off on an adventure on a monohull, for example, you’ll inevitably have less living space than in a unit made up of two hulls. It’s up to you to work out how much living space and storage volume you need, depending on the crew you’re putting together!

The length of the hull, of course, will have a big influence on the interior layout of the boat and its facilities: the number of cabins, washrooms and the width of spaces often depend on the waterline length of a boat. Fortunately, choosing a larger catamaran for greater living comfort doesn’t mean sacrificing sailing comfort. Bénédicte Héliès, owner of the first Outremer 55, Saga, confided as much to our yard: “After our first round-the-world trip on our Outremer 51, our children were growing up and taking up more space, so we wanted a saloon that was a little more spacious, but just as easy to manoeuvre. We were delighted! Our new catamaran has proved to be very agile in light airs despite its size, powerful in a breeze and comfortable at sea. The platform is exceptionally spacious for such a seaworthy boat, and the living space in the saloon is very appreciable.

As you know, the comfort of a boat is mainly experienced when sailing. By opting for a catamaran on a round-the-world trip, you will always choose to heel less than you would aboard a monohull yacht. When sailing or at anchor, you’ll notice the difference aboard a catamaran: by definition, it is much more stable!

Read also: Monohull to multihull – Nikki Henderson

The evolution of catamaran performance

The perception of catamarans has evolved considerably over the last few decades, from boats mainly associated with chartering to multihulls capable of competing with monohulls in terms of performance.

In the 1960s and 1970s, catamarans began to appear in regattas, where their speed potential was already evident. At the famous Transpacific Yacht Race, for example, catamarans such as the Seasmoke broke records, proving their ability to sail fast over long distances.

A catamaran’s ability to sail upwind and close-hauled, once considered inferior to that of monohulls, has been enhanced by slimmer, more efficient hull designs, as well as improvements in rigging and sails. These technological advances have enabled catamarans to achieve previously unattainable performances, making them suitable for fast and safe ocean crossings.

Bénédicte can testify to this development: “The catamaran we’ve chosen sails easily in light airs. From 4-5 knots, it moves under sail, whereas classic catamarans need 10 to 15 knots to move properly, depending on the points of sail. So we use the engine very little and sail almost exclusively.

On long journeys, sometimes the weather conditions are not as forecast. They can also change more quickly than expected. If, for example, there’s a storm approaching that we weren’t able to anticipate, a good sailboat will enable you to reach your destination more quickly. Bénédicte explains: “On our boat, being able to ‘swallow’ 250 miles a day is very interesting. This means we can shorten crossing times and avoid being caught out by bad weather, as most phenomena can be predicted within 4-5 days”.

In short, today’s catamarans are no longer simply cruising boats designed for coastal sailing. They represent a serious choice for sailors looking to combine comfort, performance and safety, capable of competing with monohulls in the most demanding sailing conditions.

Read also: Why every serious cruiser should go racing

On a round-the-world catamaran trip, make the most of stopovers

You’ve probably already decided which islands or ports you’d like to visit.

Bear in mind that some catamarans allow you to make the most of anchorages and places to stop off: with a shallower draught than most monohulls, many allow their owners to get closer to the coast and beaches. With a catamaran, you can choose anchorages less frequented by other yachts to make the most of your time, and disembark more easily.

When you arrive in port or at an anchorage, for mooring, anchoring or taking a locker, catamarans also generally have the advantage of being more manoeuvrable than monohull yachts. So your arrival at your port of call will be much easier.

When you sail around the world, you inevitably meet other crews who are also travelling, and with whom you always find things in common. If you like having people over, welcoming them aboard your catamaran will be ideal!

Continue navigation

40.000 miles and 3 years to get from La Grande Motte to La Grande Motte

Marijke and Mark sail the Outremer 55 Great Circle.

Since its launch in 2021, the boat has sailed around the world with the GLYWO 500.

Setting off on a catamaran with the best sailing weather

When you’re getting ready to set off on a sailing trip, it’s vital to find out about the seasons and weather phenomena in your chosen sailing area. Even before choosing your cruising destination or travel itinerary, or even selecting your yacht!

The Importance of Defining Success

In the Autumn of 2023, I ran a ‘Webinars for Women’ mini-series on transatlantic preparations. The first session was titled: “How to approach transatlantic preparation.” As I zoomed out of the nitty gritty of canned food recipes, spare parts inventories, and preventative sail repair and took a broader look at the framework for a successful crossing, I homed in on what I think the first and most important step is: defining your goal.

What Size Catamaran To Sail Around The World

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

August 30, 2022

Catamarans are generally longer than monohulls, but their accommodations and handling vary widely between sizes.

The best size catamaran to sail around the world is 45 to 50 feet. The smallest catamaran with space for long-term provisions and a cabin is around 30 feet in length, and a 55 to 60-foot catamaran is the largest that can be accommodated at most marinas.

In this article, we'll go over the different sizes of catamarans and how they handle in the open ocean. Additionally, we'll cover each size category and the best sizes for traveling the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

We sourced the information used in this article from marine design guides and the consensus of experienced catamaran sailors.

Table of contents

‍ What Sizes Are Catamarans?

Catamarans come in all shapes and sizes, but the smallest models don't have the accommodations required to sail around the world. Most catamarans under 30 feet in length don't have a cabin at all, which is a stark difference that they have with monohulls.

Small monohull sailboats often have cabins, as there's plenty of room below on a wide single-hulled sailboat. Monohulls can be as small as 16 to 18 feet and still have a cabin, but catamarans must be much larger to have suitable accommodations.

The smallest catamarans are about 12 to 15 feet long. These are small recreational craft used primarily for racing, and they aren't designed for the open ocean. Larger catamarans in the 20-foot range can (and have) been used on the ocean, but they're usually classified as day boats.

Catamarans become practical for longer excursions once they hit about 30 feet in length. A boat of this size is large enough for a cabin and can usually accommodate between two and four people comfortably. Catamarans commonly stretch beyond 50 feet, which is where they're the most useful and comfortable.

Smallest Catamaran to Sail Around the World

So, what's the smallest catamaran you could use to sail around the world? In theory, any catamaran can sail long distances—but you need one that's large enough for shelter and storing provisions. Generally speaking, 30 feet is the bottom limit for an ocean-crossing catamaran.

Let's take the ME Cat 30 (Maine Cat) as an example. This small and nimble 30-foot catamaran makes use of its limited space and provides comfortable accommodations for a few adults. The ME Cat 30 is a split design that houses the basic accommodations in either hull, with an open seating area between them.

Inside the ME Cat 30, there's barely enough room for all the living spaces. It features a head and a large bed in one hull and a galley and a smaller berth in the other. With that, all the useful cabin space is filled—and this is considered a very good design for the size. As you can see, the best catamarans for sailing across the world are usually much larger.

Typical Ocean Crossing Catamaran Size

Based on what we discussed above, a 30-foot cruising catamaran is really pushing the limits on size. However, it doesn't take a whole lot more length to make a catamaran exponentially more comfortable and suitable for long journeys.

The typical ocean-crossing catamaran is usually about 40 to 45 feet long. With the addition of 10 feet in length, designers can fit an enormous amount of additional accommodations in the hulls.

This is because adding a little extra length allows designers and boatbuilders to widen each hull significantly, which makes room for luxuries like private bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, and entirely separate dining and cooking spaces.

Cruising Catamaran Floor Plans

A 40-foot to 50-foot catamaran usually comes with a mirrored floor plan. The traditional catamaran has an identical layout in each hull. That means if one hull has a private berth in the bow and a shower and a toilet in the stern, the other hull will have the exact same layout except opposite.

This is usually because spaces like the galley and sitting area are kept in the center console, where there's much more space to move around. Spaces that are used at night or only occasionally are kept in the narrow hulls, as this has proven to be a more comfortable layout for crews.

Storage is usually kept deep in the hulls as well, as there's extra space to work with when the only other design purpose is for sleeping in bathing. Catamarans in this size range can also have separate hull layouts, but the mirrored design is by far the most common.

Best Catamaran Size for Pacific Ocean Cruising

Catamarans are very versatile craft, but some function better in the Pacific Ocean than others. One of the main considerations when choosing a catamaran for Pacific Travel is that the Pacific usually has greater distances between ports and stopping points.

This is especially true on the US West Coast, where there are only a handful of ports and safe anchorages. The best Pacific cruising catamaran size is between 45 and 50 feet in length, as you're likely to need more space to store provisions for extended cruising.

If you're starting in San Francisco or Seattle, even a 'short' trip along the coastline could mean you'll pass hundreds of miles of steep rocky cliffs and no stopping points insight. When crossing the Pacific, you may travel thousands of miles before you encounter a port or island with any infrastructure at all, let alone stocks of provisions and a full-service marina.

The Pacific is a huge ocean, and the last thing you want to do is run out of food or fuel a thousand miles from your destination. Larger boats store more supplies, and they also give you more breathing room when you're surrounded by empty blue water for months on end.

Best Catamaran Size for Atlantic Ocean Cruising

The Atlantic Ocean is smaller than the Pacific Ocean, and the coastlines of many countries that border it tend to be well-developed. This makes it easier to get away with owning a smaller boat, as you don't need to store as many supplies, and your voyages will be shorter.

Another factor to consider is that not all marinas on the Atlantic can accommodate extremely large catamarans, or it may be prohibitively expensive to dock a 55-foot or 60-foot double-wide vessel. That's why the ideal size for an Atlantic-crossing catamaran is between 40 feet and 50 feet. Today, 45 feet seems to be average.

The boat of this size will fit in at most marinas in developed countries around the Atlantic, and its draft is shallow enough for island hopping and exploring the coral reefs that the Atlantic Islands are known for. Additionally, 40 to 50-foot catamarans are usually just as seaworthy as the larger boats, and they're less expensive to maintain.

Unlike the US West Coast, where ports are few and far between, the Atlantic in the Gulf of Mexico is littered with marinas and safe anchorages. You can travel for weeks along the coastline of the United States and parts of South America and never be further than a hundred miles from a full-service marina.

There are also hundreds of islands, tourist destinations, and service locations that reduce your need for large stores of provisions aboard your catamaran. This gives you a lot more flexibility in choosing a size and a floor plan, as your needs are different than that of a Pacific sailor.

Best Catamaran Size for World Cruising

If you're planning to go on a world tour or a circumnavigation, you're going to need a catamaran that's large enough to fit your crew and your provisions comfortably.

You'll also need a boat that is small enough to be serviced and accommodated in most locations but also seaworthy enough to whether anything you're likely to encounter out of the water.

For most people, the sweet spot seems to be around 45 to 50 feet in length. A 50-foot catamaran is more than large enough to store enough provisions for many months of sailing. It's also roomy enough to house two to six people comfortably for many weeks at a time.

Catamarans between 40 and 50 feet in length are also extremely seaworthy and have been known to make circumnavigation frequently. You're almost guaranteed to find a 50-foot catamaran in almost any remote anchorage in the world where sailors are known to frequent.

Also, almost any marina can accommodate a 50-foot catamaran, and most boatyards can perform at least basic repairs on a boat of this size. Most marinas have fee schedules for boats based on size, and the cutoff for large boats is usually 60 feet. This keeps you in the 'medium' boat category, which can save you thousands.

How to Choose a Catamaran Size

Choosing the right size catamaran can be challenging, but there are a few things you can do to narrow it down. First, examine how you plan to use the vessel. You can travel the oceans in a catamaran between 30 and 40 feet long, so if you have a small crew, you may want to consider a compact model.

Larger catamarans can sleep eight or more people comfortably. This is large enough for most people, though some charter captains may need additional room. A 40 to 45-foot catamaran is usually large enough for a small family, though a 50-footer would be more comfortable, especially if there are kids running around.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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 Best Sailling Route Around the World

Sailing around the world : Step by step guide for the best catamaran itinerary

Sailing around the world on a catamaran is not a crazy dream: couples, families with three ou four children on board Nautitech 40 or 46 prove at this very moment that adventure is within reach.

Because this adventure does not present, far from it, the same level of sporting, physical and mental demand as the Vendée Globe. Because it’s entirely possible, as many sailors have told, it is quite possible to sail around the world without encountering a single storm, not even the slightest gale.

Only thunderstorms or squalls, sometimes going with strong gusts of wind.

Best time to cast off on a sailboat, practical guide and tips

Obviously, when you look at a chart to find the best possible route around the world, sailing a catamaran, the first question that arises, in addition to the one of the budgets, is not so much of where to go, but when leaving for this journey of a lifetime. Which naturally leads to a prerequisite: how much time do we have?

Aboard their Nautitech 46 Open catamaran Kumbaya, the Dolley family was off for a three-year journey. As a matter of fact, they’ll spend four years to complete it. Of course, it’s still possible to race against the stopwatch, but as you’re not exactly on a Jules Verne Trophy or a world record, its better, with a sailboat, to plan with a wide margin, even if you’re not going on a cruise: three years is a reasonable amount of time, we’ll see why.

Routes and Winds: Understanding the Trade Winds for your Trip.

Another obvious observation: the best route around the world when sailing a catamaran, is the one where the wind always blows in the right direction, in other words the one where you’re heading. With following seas. With the wind and waves on the stern, catamarans are made for sailing an average of 160 to 200 nautical miles per 24 hours. Now, nature being well made, this route exists, it’s the one that follow the trade winds. In both hemispheres, Highs have the good idea of basking between the tropics and mid-latitudes.

HOW DO WINDS WORK IN EACH HEMISPHERE?

In the Northern Hemisphere anticyclones, the winds rotate clockwise around the high-pressure bubbles. And in the opposite direction in the South. Thus, by following a course south of the Highs in the Northern Hemisphere and north of these in the Southern Hemisphere, you are sure to benefit from this wonderful find of Nature that is the trade winds, a real all mapped out itinerary.

As the Atlantic islands are located right in the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere, and the Pacific and Indian ocean islands in the trade winds of the Southern Hemisphere, the would be circumnavigator tells himself that all he has to do is leave and let himself and his sailboat be carried away by the warm and steady breezes which the Anglo-Saxons call trade winds, the winds of commerce.

The importance of weather when planning

All that remains would be to be more specific about the most idyllic route around the world aboard a catamaran, for a trip that would be remembered for the rest of one’s life.

But it’s not that simple. Of course, tropical regions do not experience winter. But in summer, they suffer nasty disturbances called hurricanes, cyclones, or typhoons, depending on the part of the world where these dreadful whirlwinds are rampant.

And everyone knows that summer in the Northern Hemisphere is winter in the South, and vice versa. This leads the candidates around the world by catamaran to build a route that, much more than a choice of departure and arrival dates, simply avoids cyclone season in both hemispheres. Or at least one that rules out the possibility of crossing an ocean during this infamous period. You are now faced with the choice of dates, route, and destinations. It’s the moment when you dream… while keeping your feet steady on deck !

The ideal crossing of The Atlantic for a round-the-world sailing trip

From la rochelle to the canary islands : start of the trip.

So, let’s leave La Rochelle and France in the summer. Our Nautitech is ready. The got his sea legs during short weekend sailings or brief vacation cruises. We set sail, heading to 240° to exit the Bay of Biscay without too much delay. It’s not that the Bay is hostile during summer, quite the opposite, even if a stormy low can sometimes make it look threatening. It’s that here, on occasions, the sea can be very unpleasant. The Atlantic swell bounces off the edges of this chamber pot and often produces a kind of messy chop that jostles the hulls of the boats and their crew.

When to cross the Atlantic with a sailboat ?

You might as well pick up your moment by looking at the swell maps. If, for the best reasons in the world, you can’t leave in July or August, don’t linger too long in early autumn. A departure at the end of September or beginning of October is obviously still possible, but be wary of the stopover in A Coruna, in the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. You can get stuck there for days on end with the big autumn lows.

It is therefore better to aim directly for Cascais, at the mouth of the Tagus, which can be reached in five days on average from La Rochelle. On the way, you pass Cape Finisterre, our own Cape Horn and, Portuguese trade winds filling your sails, you sail downwind to the Blue Country and to Lisbon, a stunning capital city that offers everything you need to prepare for the next stage of your itinerary, the Canary Islands.

In the summer, the 600 nautical miles crossing (allow four days or less) to Graciosa or Lanzarote let you get used to the open seas without risking weather traps, which is not always the case in autumn. The anchorage of Graciosa, at the end of the crossing, offers a delightful transition before heading to one of the three beautiful marinas of Lanzarote. There, you’ll be able to prepare for the next crossing.

From the Canary Islands to Le Marin marina in Martinique, transatlantic crossing

Better to cross the Atlantic in November, hoping that the trade winds will have settled in, which is not always the case in this season.

If the schedule is a bit tight and the route more flexible, you will embark directly on the crossing to the West Indies. The best thing to do with a Nautitech catamaran is to aim for the south of Martinique, a little less than 3 000 nautical miles away. This will take fifteen or twenty days on average. Dropping the anchor in Sainte Anne, at the end of the crossing, offers a magical transition. The boat is stationary, the water is still. Then, you can reach Le Marin marina, where the local Nautitech dealer will be able to check your catamaran and fix the possible small damages of the crossing.

Let’s sail to Dakar and explore a captivating Africa

On the other hand, if you have eternity ahead of you or almost, leaving Lanzarote for a crossing -sometimes not free from calms- of a thousand miles towards Cap Verde Islands or Dakar has several advantages. If you are aiming for Mindelo, in front of the captivating Santo Antao, in the northwest of the archipelago, you continue learning the open sea with a crossing roughly twice longer than the previous one. Then, you dive in the Cape Verdean melody, made of smiles, music and strong traditions.

Set sail for Dakar and the amazing country of Senegal and discover an incredibly vibrant Africa. And give yourself the opportunity to sail up the Sine Saloum River, a day’s journey from Dakar, where the shallow draft of the catamaran will allow wonderful explorations in the land of the lions of Teranga.

Leaving Africa for America

A new choice then opens up : either set a course 220° for the shortest possible Atlantic crossing – 1650 nautical miles towards Jacaré marina in Brazil, between Recife and Natal, with crossing the Doldrums and the equator, which can take up to two weeks on average, or sailing to French Guyana, which lengthens the crossing by about 600 nm (approximately four days) following course 255°, but gives access to a piece of Equatorial France, from the Salvation Islands to the Kourou site, with a little further north, the possibility of sailing up the river Maroni. There, the catamaran once again proves to be a perfect fit.

Note that you can choose this American tour on the way back, if you’ve decided to sail round South Africa rather than daring to sail the dangerous Red Sea and the Suez Canal… Also, bear in mind that Cayenne being located at 4°52 North, the weather there is equatorial, with very muggy, very humid, and boastful conditions.

The good news is, the next goal being to sail to the Caribbean, if the trade wind is lazy, a branch of the North Equatorial current leads northeast to the West Indies with up to two knots of speed.

From the West Indies to Panama, an essential stop on the journey

You sail up to the island of Grenada, a little-known pearl of the West Indies, that some consider the most beautiful of all. There, you can prepare your Caribbean Sea crossing toward Panama, at the southern tip of Central America. Before departing for this leg, you can moor in the Grenadines islands (which depend on Saint Vincent) then visit on the way the Dutch ABC islands (Aruba, Bonnaire, Curaçao), a striking change of scenery, and finally stop in beautiful Carthagena, Colombia, then the San Blas archipelago, reaching at last Shelter Bay marina, in front of Colon, in Panama, where you have all the time and resources you need to prepare the boat and crew to cross Panama Canal.

Best itinerary across the Pacific Ocean

Explore the mythical galapagos, an iconic south american location.

Once crossed this strange cargo ships elevator, you won’t hang around Panama City too much. It is preferable to prepare the crossing and the route to the Galapagos islands (consider the cumbersome and expensive administrative procedures mandatory to enter there) in the Perlas islands archipelago, for instance.

The 850 nm crossing to the mythical Galapagos (course 232°), a true wonderland off the coast of Ecuador, can be done very quickly, in less than a week, especially during the favourable period, from February to May. However, it is possible to encounter headwinds that force you to tack and therefore seriously lengthen the route in South American waters. Keep in mind that currents can also complicate this maiden crossing of Pacific waters.

Entry formalities into the archipelago, listed as World Heritage site, can only be done on the main island of San Cristobal. Don’t forget that, if you do not wish to make a paid visit to the archipelago, the duration of the ship’s stopover is limited to 72 hours. This is enough to secure food and water supply before undertaking the first major crossing of the Pacific, but maybe a shame, considering the richness of the magnificent islands.

Heading for a dream destination: Tahiti

The next leg to the Marquesas is about as long as the crossing between the Canary Islands and the West Indies (a little less than 3000 nm on course 258°). With a big difference: in the Pacific, the trade winds are generally less strong than in the Atlantic. Especially since you start from the equator on which the Galapagos are located, and you only sail down to 9° south. Which means the south-east trade winds are sometimes poorly established. Therefore, counting on an average of twenty days at sea for this leg is a reasonable, if not conservative, approach of the ideal route. 

Jacques Brel, the singer, showed that you could spend your life in Marquesas. The circumnavigators have other countries and other islands to visit. Nevertheless, many will be surprised to discover that since the beginning of navigation on the Pacific, offshore wanderers often meet from islands to islands. For the good reason that the alternation of seasons dictates the moments of crossing by sailing boat.

Thus, the best time to reach Tahiti from the Marquesas is from April to June. About 800 nm long, the route cuts through the Tuamotu archipelago, approximately three days crossing from Hiva Hoa (520 nm on course 235°). Long dreaded by navigators, the crossing of these atolls and reefs on which the great swell of the Pacific breaks has not become a formality with the GPS – the lagoon entry passes remain tricky to take by sailboat- but close to. Stuck aboard their catamaran Nautitech 40 Open by the Covid 19 lockdown, the Laudet family spent a month and a half in this paradise without experiencing a second of boredom…

Continue the round the world trip to the Fiji archipelago

Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora… the seduction of the French Polynesia islands is undeniable and hardly needs publicity. Once again, a round-the-world trip on a catamaran cannot be satisfied there with a simple Formula One pitstop. So, you have to allow yourself to stay there a few weeks, or even a few months, bearing in mind the rest of the trip and giving yourself a departure date. The best season to continue sailing to Fiji, New Caledonia, and possibly New Zealand (like Kumbaya) is from June to October. This means that it’s possible to reach the antipodes, roughly half the distance of the journey, in a year or a bit more. As long as you never hang around. But then again, the whole thing is not about breaking a record.

Speaking of distance, precisely, at this point of the journey, you realize that the Pacific is very big. The Fiji archipelago is located in the west of Tahiti, at 1800 nm, or two short weeks, even only ten days, of catamaran sailing. From there, you can sail down to New Caledonia (650 nm course 245°) and its legendary lagoon. Then set the course -for the first time since leaving France- to east of south (150° precisely) to reach Auckland, in New Zealand, at 950 nm. Needless to say, these archipelagos -Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand- deserve to spend weeks there.

Last leg of the Pacific crossing, bound for Australia

However, the issue deserves a careful review of the dates and routes of the continuation of the trip. Because the best itinerary for the rest of the round-the-world trip suggests sailing up to the Torres Strait, between Australia and New Guinea. Again, then, the best time to leave the Pacific and to cross Torres before making a stopover in Darwin, in the north of Australia, before heading to Bali and possibly Indonesia, is also from July to October. As the Torres Strait is nearly 2500 nm from Auckland, keep in mind it takes at least 15 days of sailing. And that the cyclones season begins in December, November is already estimated late in the season. But with all the time in the world aboard a sailboat, who would want to skip Sydney (1300 nm away, course 277°) and the Great Barrier Reef, hundreds of miles long (there are still 1500 nm to sail to reach the Strait)? In short, stopping in New Caledonia, New Zealand, Australia for several weeks or even months is not an option to be ruled out at this stage of the trip.

Best Route across the Indian Ocean

Choice of route by sailboat: north or south.

Once at the gateway to the Indian Ocean, a new choice arises, potentially difficult. Is it better to aim for an exit through the North, in other words through the dangerous Gulf of Aden and the even more dangerous Red Sea, then the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea and all its treasures, or through the South, round South Africa and across the South and North Atlantic ?

The North route, a perilous journey

The North choice allows to visit fabulous destinations: Sri Lanka and Maldives islands, 2500 nm away from Bali (course 286°), then following the 250° course, Seychelles islands, 1200 nm from Maldives, before sailing north-westward towards the infamous Gulf of Aden, then sailing the 1200 very tricky miles of the Red Sea, with its very rough weather and political hazards. This last stretch is not trivial in terms of safety. Even though pirates’ attacks have been rarer these days, they have not disappeared. Crossing the Gulf of Aden in a convoy of boats imposes many constraints, specifically a mandatory engine speed. It’s best to collect as much information as possible before opting for this solution. Not to mention the new dangers of the Red Sea.

When crossing the Indian ocean through the North ?

Concerning the ideal season to sail across the northern part of the Indian Ocean, it runs in theory, from November to April.

Knowing that in the Seychelles, for example, the south-east trade winds blow from May to October while the prevailing winds blow from the northwest from December to April, you’re getting a little closer to the puzzle. In theory, at least, because off-seasons in the Seychelles -October and November then April and May- promise steady winds of 10 to 15 knots on average and good weather. But you must keep in mind that in the South, the hurricane season which can threaten Mauritius island, Réunion island and Madagascar begins around the 15th of December…

In short, which looked like an obvious and peaceful route into the Pacific, becomes a bit complicated in the Indian Ocean. This is the reason why it’s a good idea to plan to spread out your round-the-world trip over three years by sailboat is a good idea. Both for the catamaran and for the crew.

Choosing a crossing through the South 

You can then aim for Mauritius, Reunion Island, and then South Africa (with a possible detour to Madagascar) at the best possible moment, that means between June and October. From Bali, the route goes through Christmas Island, less than 600 nm away (course 260°) then the Cocos Keeling archipelago (roughly same distance and same course). Then, count 2500 nm to Mauritius (still the same course), and its neighbor Réunion island (100 nm away).

Cape town is now 2200 nm away. But it could be wise to plan an alternative route to Durban (1500 nm) and/or Port Elizabeth (1800 nm). This is arguably the most delicate moment of a round-the-world trip in a catamaran. South-African waters can be very rough: they are swept by powerful currents, such as the A admin gulhas current, and strong contrasts in large air masses, between the hot African air and the freezing one coming from the Antarctica. That’s why wisdom commands you to take your time. That won’t be wasted time. Don’t hesitate to plan some stopovers. South Africa is one of the most beautiful and endearing countries in the world. There is no record to set, only beautiful memories to build.

From the island of Saint-Helena to La Rochelle, the perfect sailing back home across the Atlantic

Then, around the beginning of January, it will be time to get back on track and resume sailing across the South Atlantic. Saint-Helena is 1500 nm away from Cape town (course 310°), meaning a week or slightly more sailing a catamaran, with a steadier south-east trade winds blowing from the back of the boat. After the historical stopover in Saint-Helena, the logical route to avoid having to beat against the north-east trade winds -not a good idea with a catamaran- this route goes back to the Caribbean, with the option of new stopovers in Brazil -possibly sailing up the Amazon? a catamaran can do it- and in French Guyana. Then back to the West Indies, sailing up to Antigua and Barbuda, and in May, crossing towards the Azores. This route, following a 54° course, is 2100 nm up to Horta, in the Faial Island, is now preferred to the one which takes a detour through Bermuda, even if it means taking extra cans of Diesel on board the catamaran, to motor through the calms of the high which lay right in the middle of the path! On the other side of the high pressures, you’ll find again the westerly winds all the way to the Portuguese archipelago. There are then 1300 nm to sail to return to France, and La Rochelle at the beginning of summer, around the world completed, three years lived to the fullest and million stories to tell.

Berthon Winter Collection

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• Digital Edition

The best bluewater multihulls of all time: a complete guide

• Toby Hodges
• October 6, 2021

Toby Hodges and François Tregouet consider the best bluewater multihulls and look at the options for sailing the oceans in spacious comfort

What are the best bluewater multihulls for long term cruising? The one you own, or the one you can afford is the simple answer.

There is a wealth of proven designs to suit bluewater sailing and a variety of budgets. While we have focussed here on the best bluewater multihulls in production, we’ve also included some cracking pedigree multihulls which tour the planet and might occasionally pop up on the brokerage market.

If you can afford to, then pushing towards the 45-50ft length will buy you space, pace and that extra payload capacity needed to take all the items you’d want on your home afloat.

When looking at the best bluewater multihulls, the choice will come down to that perennial balance between comfort/space and speed/weight. Choosing a lighter weight performance design will obviously help you cover distance voyages more rapidly and potentially allow you to outrun weather systems. It means you can sail faster, with less sail up and less load and stress. But you’ll have to sacrifice some luxuries and need to be quite scrupulous about keeping weight down and centralised in order to maintain high average speeds.

For the majority of cruisers, however, it is the amount of space multihulls offer once you’ve reached your destination that really appeals. As well as the non-heeling living area and real estate they provide, they’re well suited to typical tradewind sailing .

If you’re considering your first or next multihull, we hope the following will serve as a taster.

Best bluewater multihulls for performance cruising

Outremer 51/55.

When you think of multihulls designed for bluewater cruising, Outremer will likely be one of the first names that comes to mind. Its heritage lies in building catamarans that can sail fast and are built strong enough to do laps of the globe.

The 51, the current version of which launched three years ago, is an archetypal example of what to look for in terms of blending speed and space is a dream design for a family circumnavigation.

The French yard’s new 55ft VPLP design may look boldly different from its past models, but the philosophy behind it remains the same. It is designed to match windspeed up to 12 knots and Outremer reasons that its ability to sail in 5 knots of breeze will allow it to sail for 95% of the time on a circumnavigation.

Read more about the Outremer 51 and Outremer 55.

Photo: Diego Yriarte

Seawind 1600/1370

For nearly four decades the Australian Seawind brand and its founder Richard Ward have been gearing catamarans around safe bluewater sailing, including performance, protection and ease of handling. Its Reichel Pugh-designed 1600, which launched three years ago, is an elegant looking cat with relatively low, long lines and some smart solutions for fast bluewater sailing.

Seawind also launches its new 1370 later this year, a staggering 60 of which have sold on plans alone.

This first 50 is built from a composite sandwich of basalt fibre, a cloth made from volcanic rock, and PET foam from recycled plastic bottles, which helps to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 50% when compared with traditional glassfibre methods.

This new 50 footer is perhaps a more appealing and practical prospect than Rapido’s previous 60 (with its significant fixed beam), particularly as the amas on this new model can fold to reduce beam to 18ft.

Infused carbon foam sandwich construction is used, along with beams, daggerboards and rudder in pre-preg carbon to keep displacement to 8,200kg.

Read more about the Rapido 50

This OC50 is designed as a more affordable cruising alternative, than the HH models which have preceeded it. This model targets ocean sailing.

It’s still stiffened and strengthened by carbon, but built in vinylester composites with a gelcoat finish. This adds an additional 300kg or so over a full carbon HH50, but cost savings are in the region of $400,000.

Read more about the HH OC50

Balance 526

The 526 launched four years ago, designed to suit short-handed sailors and families looking to sail long distances, hence it can carry large payloads and promises easy maintenance. It looks good too.

Berman’s Versahelm design is a key feature. The wheel cantilevers, allowing the helmsman to steer from outboard with clear sightlines or from the hardtop protection of the aft cockpit.

Photo: Christopher White

Atlantic 47

The A47 suits short-handed fast ocean sailing at an approachable size. Lengthening it to 49ft allowed for an aft cockpit. It is available as a sloop or with White’s patented MastFoil ketch rig – rotating aerofoil masts designed for easy short-handed cruising without sacrificing performance.

Read more about the Atlantic 47

A combination of sharp design from François Perus and high build quality brings plenty of appeal to this sporty Italian-built cat. The first example launched three years ago with a light displacement of 10.5 tonnes, thanks to an E-glass epoxy-infused build with carbon strengthening. The yard offers semi-custom construction and full hybrid packages.

Catana 53/Ocean class 50

Catana’s performance model from 2017, sports twin aft helms (which may not suit ocean sailors), reverse bows and carbon daggerboards. The high topsides help create good bridgedeck clearance and plenty of accommodation. Its new Ocean Class 50 seems more in the shipyard’s bluewater DNA. The light weight, and dynamic and modern shape with slim hulls and a relatively short nacelle suggests a seaworthy nature and high speeds.

Read more about the Catana 53

Best bluewater multihulls for pedigree performance

Veteran multihull designers Morrelli & Melvin designed this smaller model for the Gunboat range. It was built to be more manageable for an owner-driver yet still capable of up to 300-400 mile days.

The Gunboat 48 is something of a rare breed, just six 48s were built between 2004 and 2009. Oh, to have a spare €1.3m right now… one of them is actually on the market.

Read more about the Gunboat 48

At the start of the Millennium, Catana offered fully equipped boats as standard for long distance cruising. The Catana 471 or 472 (one or two helms respectively), represented at the time the optimum in ocean-going catamarans.

Chincogan/Lightwave

Tony Grainger has been drawing fast multihulls for 35 years, including racing trimarans and the Lightwave and Chincogan cruisers. The popular Lightwave 38 has admirable performance and comfort, and the Chincogan 52 (pictured) has the length to clock high average speeds.

Outremer 45 G. Danson

With its characteristic roof, narrow hulls and daggerboards, the Outremer 45 is a standout design which has become somewhat iconic. Despite a rather spartan interior, it has been a great success with fast cruising enthusiasts. On board, family ocean crossings at an average of 10 knots are the norm.

Best bluewater multihulls for family cruising

Photo: Nicolas Claris

The Lagoon 450 remains the most popular model in Lagoons already popular range. It exemplifies the VPLP/Nauta design partnership which has made these the very definition of modern mid-size cruising catamarans which can appeal to families and charterers alike.

Indeed the 450 marked the modern look of Lagoon and was the first with interior styling from Nauta. It originally launched over a decade ago as a flybridge design with central helming position (450F), before this ‘sport top’ option (450S) was offered with a starboard helm station and lower boom.

Read more about the Lagoon 450

Photo: Guilain Grenier

Fountaine Pajot Saona 47

The 47 has a modern shape, with straight bows and a reverse sheer line. It incorporates significant volume in the hulls below the bridgedeck to create room for the optional athwartships cabins. Cabin space is a prime selling point, particularly the owner’s suite to port, where there is also abundant natural light and headroom.

Photo: Tui Marine

Leopard Catamarans, together with designer Simonis Voogd and builder Robertson and Caine, produce the archetypal dual-purpose owner-operator or charter boat in their modern catamaran range.

Key features of the 45 are the amount of light in the saloon and the incredible volume and space on offer in the cabins above the relatively narrow waterlines. Vast social living areas include the flybridge, saloon and dual cockpits.

Read more about the Leopard 45

Photo: www.jfromero.fr

Nautitech Open/Fly 46

During the 1990s and noughties Nautitech earned a good reputation for its elegant catamarans. The 441 is a timeless example and the 44 can be credited with the ongoing trend in hardtop biminis. While its acquisition by Bavaria seven years ago helped Nautitech implement industrial build techniques, the French brand has retained its DNA at its Rochefort sur Mer yard.

The modern Marc Lombard designs have tall rigs with generous square-top mainsails. Twin wheels in the aft quarters of the Open 46 offer a direct feel on the helm, however those spending long periods in the tropics may prefer the shade of the bimini-equipped flybridge option. The layout is also open, with a saloon more outside than in. Styling is clean, modern and simple, and the standard of build and finish are good.

Photo: Olivier Blanchet

First impressions of the Neel 51 are sure to centre on its sheer size and space inside. But as you’ll see from our review of the Neel 43 on page 83, when you sail one overriding impressions quickly centre on its performance.

These trimarans are becoming a popular mass production-built option.

Photo: Christophe Launay

The Excess 11 packs plenty of potential as the smallest yacht offered by the big production yards. A little like the Lagoon 380 of old, it presents a good value new entry-level boat for genuine cruising in a more sporty, modern and enticing design. Some may argue against aft helms for ocean sailing, but those coming from monohulls will appreciate the more direct steering they offer.

Broadblue 385S

Broadblue is a UK brand which offers a distinct line of cruising and Rapier performance catamarans. Its staple 385 packs a lot of cruising comfort into its length, including generous tankage, and has been sailed all over the world. Broadblue built its first electric drive catamaran 12 years ago and offers the only all-electric production sailing catamaran under 40ft in Europe.

Photo: Christophe Breschi

Bali Catspace

For those looking for maximum volume within 40ft, it’ll be hard to beat the Catspace – although it is more of a holiday apartment than a traditional bluewater cruiser. Bali’s garage style sliding aft door does help offer an enormous amount of enclosed (or open) living space.

Best bluewater multihulls for luxury cruising

Photo: Nico Krauss

Privilège 510 Signature

The 510 is designed to take a serious amount of cruising gear – up to six tonnes of it in fact. The excellent helm station now has a fixed windscreen and all lines lead to hand. Finish quality including the electrical installation is first class and Privilege’s trademark, an admirable full beam (26ft) forward cabin, is sumptuous.

Photo: Jérôme Houyvet

Garcia Explocat 52

Garcia Yachts has cornered the market for series-built aluminium monohulls and multihulls in the last decade and this new Explocat 52 is sparking real interest. We ran a full test report in our February issue, describing it as a go-anywhere cat with an enticing combination of space, pace and rugged construction.

Read our review of the Garcia Explocat 52

Built in Argentina, the Antares 44 is the ultimate evolution of a model launched 21 years ago. Entirely dedicated to bluewater cruising, it is the yard’s only model and is constantly being improved according to owner feedback.

Time seems to have no hold on this boatyard and, against the trend, the standard equipment of the Antares 44 is extremely complete

Photo: Richard Langdon

Discovery Bluewater 50

This luxury Bill Dixon design may be a decade old now and into its third iteration, but the concept behind its original appeal remains. For those used to sailing high-end thoroughbred monohulls, here is an option to consider for a comparative level of build quality and fit out when moving to a multihull.

Read more about the Discovery Bluewater 50

St Francis 50 MKII

With this latest version of its original model, this experienced South African builder has optimised a catamaran cut out for the unforgiving seas of the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic. The MKII allows for an increased load capacity, an important point in long distance cruising.

Xsquisite X5

Intelligent features on the X5 include the protected helm station with glass windscreen, integrated rainwater catcher, UV-protective glass and generous tankage.

Best bluewater multihulls for size & speed

Mcconaghy mc52.

The MC50 (now MC52) was the first and promises some high speed sailing, but it’s the open plan main living deck which will attract the majority. It incorporates an intelligent centreboard system, which hardly affects interior space, but arguably its exposed helms at the aft end of the flybridge will not suit serious ocean cruising.

Photo: Florian H. Talles

HH in Xiamen is building some really impressive large, luxury fast cats up to 90ft. This was its second model to launch, a high-end, high performance Morelli & Melvin design capable of rapid passagemaking speeds and enjoyable regatta sailing. Features include C-shaped boards and central or aft helms.

Photo: Mike Jones/Waterline Media

Ocean Explorer 60

If Nautor’s Swan made catamarans, they may look like this… The Ocean Explorer 60 uses the same designer in German Frers and some of the same builders who worked at the famous Finnish yard to produce this world cruiser. The resultant quality shines through. A new OE72 is due soon.

Kinetic KC54

A young company with plenty of experience, Kinetic produces custom fast ocean cruisers, which can occasionally race. Its 62 is a serious performance vessel with carbon hulls, rigs and rigging, daggerboards or centreboards. With fast bluewater cruising the goal, carbon is used to minimise weight so features/toys can still be added. The swim platform and hardware on the newly launched 54 weighs just 90kg, and the generous sized tanks are all in carbon too. Views from the saloon and forward cockpit also look special.

Best bluewater multihulls for ultimate performance

Marsaudon ts4/orc 42.

Few catamaran builders produce genuine performance cruisers at this ‘smaller’ size: this one is kept minimalist and light weight (around 6 tonnes) – the yard’s philosophy is ‘simplicity, then add lightness.’ The 42 is a cruiser-racer with the ability to outpace most yachts across the Atlantic, win a regatta and still offer some space for island hopping. Standard tankage is minimal however. Marsaudon recently rebranded its TS range to Ocean Rider Catamarans (ORCs) and has an ORC 57 in build.

Dazcat 1495

Dazcat builds fast, seaworthy cats from its Multihull Centre in Cornwall. The 1495 is a true ocean cruiser-racer, which is stiff and rewarding to sail, with direct steering linked to carbon rudders. The 1495 can hit 20+ knot speeds with relative ease, but it is the consistent high average speeds which will attract those looking to cover serious miles. Weight is centralised including engines, tanks, and systems all located amidships to help reduce pitching. Dazcat has a semi-custom build approach and creates all sorts of weird and wonderful craft for all abilities.

Dragonfly 40

Dragonfly trimarans are known for their high quality construction and ability to delight sailors with their ease of planing speeds. For those who can live without the space of similar length cats, the new flagship 40 is large enough to offer cruising space, while folding outriggers and retractable appendages mean you can dry out where others wouldn’t dare.

Looping 45/Freydis 48

These two designs by Erik Lerouge both offer a high-performance vision of ocean cruising. The Loopings were built individually and the Freydis in small series, and on both you can sail as fast as the wind in complete safety. Interior quality depends on whether finished by an amateur or by a shipyard.

Swisscat 48

An attractive combination of luxury, comfort and performance, the S48 is a stiff, go-anywhere premium cat that is easy to manage single-handed. The lightweight build (11t) is in epoxy infusion with carbon reinforcement.

Schionning Designs

Jeff Schionning has catamaran design in his blood. His designs exude performance and seaworthiness with flowing, even aerodynamic lines. On all tradewind routes you’ll find a G-Force (models from 12m to 23m) or an Arrow (12m to 15m) sailing more quickly than the rest. His latest venture is with Current Marine in Knysna, South Africa.

Best bluewater multihulls for pedigree cruising

The long-time best-seller from the world leader in catamarans, with more than 1,000 produced over almost 20 years from 1999. With its characteristic vertical windows, the 380 and its big brother the 410 made the purists scream when they were presented. But the 380 proved a pioneer of its kind. Safe bow volumes and light displacement (7,260 kg) helped its seaworthy behaviour. The high number of boats on the market makes this the most affordable bluewater cruising multihull for its size, even if price range is as wide as condition is variable.

Casamance 44/46

Between 44ft and 46ft depending on the year of construction and the length of its transoms, the Casamance was an impressive catamaran on launch in 1985. The design by Joubert/Nivelt offered good volume and load capacity. Of the 490 units produced, many joined the charter fleets. The exterior of the Casamance is dated, but the interior in grey ceruse oak has retained plenty of charm.

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7 Best-Known Routes for Sailing Around the World (with Maps)

Route planning is among the most crucial bits of preparation, especially when it comes to circumnavigation. This article will give you seven of the most commonly used routes for sailing around the world. Some routes have been sailed many times by many people, others are obscure or even dangerous.

• The Fast Route - for the minimum time
• The Pleasure Route - for the maximal pleasure
• The Traditional Route - the road most taken
• The Arctic Route - for the rough ones
• The Dangerous Route - without regards for piracy
• The Cheap Route - with a budget in mind
• The Coast Lover's Route - never going far from the coast

Since circumnavigation is quite a complex matter, let's go through this list one by one below.

On this page:

How to choose a route for you, route for speed, the pleasure route, the traditional route, the arctic route, the dangerous route, the cheap route, the coast lover's route.

What route you will take depends on what kind of journey you are looking for. If the goal is to do it in the least amount of time possible, you will be choosing a different path than if you don't care about time and put emphasis on sightseeing.

Similarly, if safety and convenience are at the top of your priority list, you will choose a route that might differ greatly from that of a person ready to spend more on security and cut corners through tricky territories.

If you have specific locations in mind, you will take turns that are, logistically speaking, quite impractical, while if efficiency is what you want, there are certain places it would make little sense to visit.

And finally, if you are after comfort, you will avoid some bumpy places and times of the year, as opposed to somebody who won't mind venturing into the corners of the oceans that require a hell of a warm jacket.

There is no right or wrong answer here; don't feel some approaches are better than others. Just look at what you want from the journey, read through this article, and then choose what best suits you.

21 Places to Avoid Sailing Around the World (In Order)

Let's kick this off with a racing spirit. This is the route taken by those competing in Vendée Globe, a circumnavigation race. It takes a bit under three months...

...that is if you are a racer and so is your boat. If you are a cruiser kind of person, it will take more time, but the point is that this route is as straightforward as it gets.

So what waypoints does it touch? Vendée globe racers start in France, then head down towards the Cape of Good Hope, circle Antarctica as close as the rules allow, and after getting to Cape Horn, head up to France again.

Of course, based on where you start from, your route might differ. But the idea is as follows:

• head south towards the Southern Ocean
• sail around Antarctica through the Southern Ocean
• after reaching the point where you met the Southern Ocean for the first time, head back up

The Southern Ocean is not a breeze, the cold waters mixing with the warmer ones coming from the north, plus the danger of icebergs, as well as the cold temperature, isn't how your typical holiday dream looks. That being said, it's up to you how close to Antarctica you will want to be when going around it.

This route doesn't touch down at any land, so you must be prepared for months on the sea as far as provisions, spares and mental capacity goes. Of course, this is variable, you can easily make landfall in Azores, South Africa, South Australia, or South America, and some of the South Pacific islands, if you need to. Either way, it is demanding logistically, so be sure to have your checklist in check .

It is among the most straightforward routes. Not just because it is probably the shortest one or the fastest one, but all the hassle with visas, check-ins, going through canals, and other lengthy land creatures' business will be foreign to you.

If you make it through the Southern Oceans unharmed, you will certainly have one hell of a story to tell.

Now let's go on the opposite side of the specter.

Let's suppose you theoretically have unlimited time. Instead of doing things quickly and efficiently, you want to take it at a leisurely pace while admiring all that there is to see.

This route will begin and end in the Mediterranean, but that's just because that's where I am based, sailing-wise. Wherever else you are, just pick the point of the route closest to you and begin there.

We will begin in Croatia, because it has beautiful shores and islands, travel around Greece with even more islands, the south around Italy, through Gibraltar. After that:

• head south to the Azores
• west to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal
• west to Hawaii
• south to French Polynesia
• west to New Zealand, then Australia and Papua New Guinea
• northwest to Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India
• south to Madagascar, then along the African coast to Cape of Good Hope
• north to the Azores and then through Gibraltar back home

This route takes time since it aims to explore all it can even remotely touch. It's not just that the route is long, because the aim is to visit pretty places. You might also find yourself having to wait months at some places for the bad weather season to clear before you can make your next crossing. Have a look at our article about things to think about when planning for a long trip .

Because of that, this route is more demanding when it comes to planning, visa hassle, check-in research, more ports and anchors, more provisions planning. Also, your boat will need to be a solid liveaboard , since you will spend so much time on it. Logistically, it will be demanding.

But for all that hassle, you will literally get to see the world. You will visit many fantastic cultures, get to taste the cuisines from all over, and the long times waiting for the winds to calm down will be spent on exploring the place you are 'stuck' at.

What more does one need...

...except perhaps some middle ground. Now that we've been to two extremes, let's look at something in the middle: the route most commonly taken when circumnavigating.

It is rather similar to the Pleasure Route above except for skipping the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Southeast Asian stops.

Thus it goes as follows:

• From Europe, head south to the Azores
• west to Australia
• west to Cape of Good Hope

This route accomplishes the circumnavigation while stopping at beautiful places but doesn't necessarily explore everything that happens to be around. Its strong suit is the variability. If you like the Caribbean, you stop and cruise around there. If Australia excites you, you do the same there. If you want to see Madagascar, well, it will be almost on your way. And so on.

It has been a traditional route to take because it is relatively painless and does not go through any hazardous areas.

It has been traveled by many before you, so there is a lot of info floating around if you want to do your research on specific parts of the journey.

On its own, it has a lot of long legs where you will not see anything but the ocean on the horizon. So for those of you who mind this, you gotta make it your own, customize it a bit, so that you spend more time at places that you like.

This planning really is important. Some of those legs can't be made during certain seasons if you want to be careful, so to make sure you don't get stuck somewhere you don't particularly like, you should plan well.

With that, let's get crazier.

For those who want to do things the hard way. Perhaps you really like the scenery, perhaps you want to test yourself, or maybe you've done every other passage, and now it is time for the icy one.

There is a circumnavigation route that leads through regions so far up north you mostly don't encounter them even on a map. Because why would you look up there.

Now I don't know how long this article will survive on the internet, but note that this route is rather climatically contextual. Given enough time, it might freeze over and become unavailable.

For me, it would begin in one of the northern ports of Norway and then:

• continue west to Iceland
• west to the south of Greenland and then up its western coast to the Baffin Bay
• south of Devon Island and through the archipelagos to Beaufort and Chuchki Seas
• west along the northern coast of Russia under the Lyakhovsky Islands
• west under the Yuzhny Island to the Barents Sea and back to the north of Norway

To this, you will have to add the most straightforward route north from wherever you are to any point on the route above.

Cold. Thus this requires clothing, equipment, and a boat that can withstand the polar temperatures along with chunks of ice floating around.

How much more adventurous can you get? Circumnavigation has been accomplished by plenty of people. This, not so much.

With the above, the major sailing routes have been covered. So what follows are mostly variations. Important ones, though.

Imagine this one mostly as the Traditional Route, except with a few twists. One of them leads through the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.

Why take it? Because if you look on the map, you will see that when going from the general direction of Australia or Southeast Asia west, meaning you are probably aiming for the Azores or further for the Caribbean, it will save you a lot of time.

Money, not so much. You will have to pay for security. Because although you will save yourself the long southern route around the whole continent of Africa, which is nearly a 10,000-mile detour, you will have to go through the aforementioned areas that are famous for piracy and require professional armed company if you want to be on the safe side.

Not that it hasn't been done without it, but you know… Furthermore, many insurances won't cover you there since the risks are just too high.

Similarly, the area around Malaysia and the Philippines, which you might encounter during your Southeast Asia travels, bears the same story. No coverage by many insurances for piracy reasons.

Then again, exploring Southeast Asia while avoiding these regions means a few detours and no-go zones.

So if you want to explore the world on your sailboat and don't mind the risk, add these to your route plans.

Obviously, the risk or costs related to security. You will find plenty of sailors arguing that there is no real danger unless you are a cargo ship or a kidnapping worthy target. You will also find plenty who would rather travel in a fleet through there. And plenty who would never set sail towards those places.

Then there is the insurance issue.

With Suez, the upside is the saved time as well as not having to go around the treacherous South African cape waters.

With the Philippines and Malaysia, it's the convenience of being able to go wherever you want to in one of the most beautiful regions worldwide.

See this one as a variant of the Traditional Route and the Pleasure Route.

Some places are cheaper than others. And some places straight up make very little sense to go to.

Going through the Panama Canal is at least a $1,300 expense. Or, there are countries, like Ecuador, where check-in can cost you a $1,000 fee. And last but not least, prices of resources, like food, vary too. The Caribbean is famous for its steep prices in the provisions area.

The prices change, so it would not be bulletproof to give you a precise circumnavigation route exclusively through cheap places. Still, the moral of the story here is that when planning your route, do have a look at the local prices when it comes to check-ins and visas, food and various passes.

The result should be a route you are comfortable with financially. Avoiding the Panama Canal means a detour around the whole of South America, so it rarely pays off. Avoiding Ecuador, on the other hand, won't hinder your progress and save you money. Stocking up on food before getting into the Caribbean is also a sound logistical choice - unless you plan to stay for longer than your stocks can take you.

Saving money can mean detours, inaccessibility of various places, and more thought put into logistics. So it can result in a less elegant route.

On the other hand, being smart about it can result in a much lower bill overall.

Let me start this one by admitting that I don't believe anybody will actually take this route in its entirety, as delineated here. But it serves as an inspiration to those who are perhaps a bit unsure or simply like to combine two different sailing styles.

Some like to cross vast oceans and love to see nothing but the horizon for months. And then some like to stick to coastal waters for most of their journeys. Nothing wrong with that; at least it gives you something to look at any given moment.

And then there is the benefit of relative safety, a port or an anchorage close by most of the time, the ability to resupply whenever you like, to pick up and drop off people, and last but not least the lack of need for a really ocean-worthy boat and equipment.

I'm talking about the coastal cruiser's dream of circling all the world's continents, whereby effectively circumnavigating the globe. Eventually. This is the longest route ever.

The idea is pretty simple. You can go around the world sticking to the coast with no crossings, except for the Norwegian Sea and a few short stretches in Southeast Asia.

Or, if you feel up to it (and want to avoid the freezing northern places), you can cross the Atlantic, the Pacific and keep close to the coasts otherwise.

As mentioned in the beginning, not many will actually take this entire route. But it is not uncommon for circumnavigators to have weeks or months where they do exactly this - stick to the coast and enjoy the country.

Lots and lots of time and resources are needed.

You will constantly be checking into countries and solving visas.

Understand the required paperwork for sailing the world This is an article on the topic of check-ins and paperwork, so have a read through it Read up on global licenses

Some areas are arguably less hospitable than others - the coast of Yemen as an example. So you might want to skip a few.

You don't need a proper ocean exploring boat - an island-hopping model will suffice. Many of the modern ones are capable of long crossings if needed here and there.

You don't need as much equipment as power, water, food, and all that jazz will be available most of the time.

The logistics will suddenly become a whole lot easier. Fewer provisions planning, less spare parts planning, broken stuff won't be a disaster… you get the point.

This is the true world tour.

I liked your article; it raised a lot of good points. I think the article could have benefitted from some maps.

I also think that, throughout the article, you have confused the Canary Islands or Madeira with the Azores. The Azores are not south from Gibraltor or France or Europe. They are 1/3 the way across the Atlantic Ocean, almost due west from Lisbon. The Canaries are south from Gilbrator, France and Europe and most people turn west there for the Caribbean.

Again, I liked the article.

Best wishes.

Leave a comment

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Best Catamarans To Sail Around The World

Sailing the world on a catamaran is a dream for many, but it can be hard to know where to start. So, what are the best catamarans to sail around the world?

October 17, 2023

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It's no secret that sailing the world is a bucket list item for many people. But between the cost and the logistics, it can feel impossible to make this dream a reality.

The Lagoon 42 is known for its comfortable interiors and large outdoor spaces. The Astréa 42 from Fountaine Pajot is another great option for those looking for a spacious boat. Finally, the Nautitech 44 is a great choice for those who want a catamaran with all the bells and whistles.

Sailing the open seas on a catamaran is a dream for many people. There is something about the tranquility and freedom of being out on the water that just calls to us. If you have ever dreamed of sailing around the world, now is your chance. In this article, we will discuss some of the best catamarans to sail the high seas.

We spent countless hours researching the best catamarans for sailing around the world. We considered factors like price, comfort, and space in our decision-making process. In the end, we narrowed it down to three boats that we believe are the best of the best.

Table of Contents

‍ 1. Lagoon 42

The Lagoon 42 Catamaran is a sailing vessel that is designed for both comfort and performance. The catamaran features two hulls that are connected by a central platform, which provides ample space for both relaxation and recreation. The Lagoon 42 is also equipped with a large sail, which makes it ideal for both long-distance cruising and racing.

In addition, the catamaran is equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation system, which ensures that the vessel remains on course even in the most challenging conditions. As a result of its impressive design and capabilities, the Lagoon 42 Catamaran is one of the most popular sailing vessels on the market today.

This catamaran is designed for cruising and features a large main salon, four en-suite staterooms, and plenty of outdoor living space. The vessel features a large aft deck, which is perfect for entertaining or relaxing in the sun. In addition, the catamaran has a flybridge, which provides ample space for sunbathing or enjoying the views. With its sleek lines and modern design, the Lagoon 42 is sure to turn heads when out on the water.

The Lagoon 42 is constructed with a high-quality fiberglass hull and deck. The hull is designed to provide both strength and durability, while the deck is built for comfort and style. In addition, the catamaran features an aluminum beam that runs along the length of the vessel, which adds to its overall strength and stability.

The interior of the Lagoon 42 is both stylish and functional. The main salon features a large dining table, comfortable seating, and plenty of storage space. The galley is equipped with all of the amenities that you would need for long-term cruising, including a refrigerator, stove, oven, and microwave. The four staterooms are spacious and feature en-suite bathrooms, which provide added privacy and convenience.

One of the best things about the Lagoon 42 Catamaran is that it provides a comfortable and enjoyable ride no matter what the conditions are like. Whether you're sailing in calm waters or rough seas, you can be confident that this vessel will provide a smooth and stable ride. Additionally, the catamaran's large sail makes it easy to catch the wind and reach high speeds.

When it comes to performance, the Lagoon 42 does not disappoint. This catamaran is designed to provide a smooth, stable ride, even in rough conditions. The vessel is also equipped with a powerful engine, which allows it to reach speeds of up to 20 knots. In addition, the Lagoon 42 features a self-tacking jib and furling mainsail, which make it easy to sail and maneuver. As a result of its impressive performance, the Lagoon 42 is a popular choice for both racing and cruising.

While the Lagoon 42 comes standard with many features that will appeal to luxury boat buyers, there are also some drawbacks to consider. For example, the price of this catamaran can be quite high, especially if you opt for all of the available extras. Additionally, because it is a larger boat, the Lagoon 42 can be difficult to handle if you are not an experienced sailor.

Our Two Cents

If you are looking for a luxurious and feature-rich catamaran, the Lagoon 42 should definitely be at the top of your list. This vessel offers everything that luxury boat buyers could want, including ample space, a sleek design, and impressive performance. However, keep in mind that the Lagoon 42 comes with a hefty price tag. Additionally, make sure that you have the necessary experience to handle this catamaran before making your purchase.

• Price: $450,000-$650,000
• Length: 42 ft
• Displacement: 26455 lbs
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 79.3 gals
• Engine power: 45 Hp
• Luxurious and feature-rich
• Sleek design
• Spacious interior
• Impressive performance
• Difficult to handle if you are not an experienced sailor.

2. Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42

The Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is a luxury catamaran that was unveiled at the 2018 Cannes Yachting Festival. The Astréa 42 is the latest model in Fountaine Pajot's Astrea range of catamarans, and it features a number of upgrades from the previous model. The most notable changes include an increased overall length of 42 feet and a wider beam of 25.6 feet. The Astréa 42 also has an improved layout, with a more spacious cockpit and flybridge. The catamaran is powered by twin Volvo Penta engines, and it has a maximum speed of 27 knots. The Astréa 42 is available in three different layouts, and it can accommodate up to 10 guests.

One of the best things about the Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is its spaciousness. The boat has a wide beam, and this makes it feel very roomy both inside and out. There is plenty of space in the cockpit for relaxing or entertaining, and the flybridge offers even more room to enjoy the views. The Astréa 42 also has a large swim platform, which is perfect for swimming or fishing. Another great feature of this catamaran is its fuel efficiency. The Volvo Penta engines are very efficient, and they help to keep operating costs down.

The Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is a luxurious catamaran that is perfect for both families and couples who are looking for a sophisticated vessel that can take them on the vacation of a lifetime. The Astréa 42 has been carefully designed with both comfort and style in mind, and its build quality is second to none. The hulls are made from GRP (glass reinforced plastic), and the deck is constructed from teak, which gives the boat a beautiful natural finish. The Astréa 42 is also equipped with a state-of-the-art satellite navigation system and a wireless internet connection, making it easy to stay connected even when you're out at sea.

Like any boat, the Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 has its pros and cons. One of the main advantages of this catamaran is its size. The Astréa 42 is significantly larger than most monohulls, and this makes it perfect for families or groups of friends who want to enjoy plenty of space on their boat. Another great thing about the Astréa 42 is its fuel efficiency. The Volvo Penta engines are very efficient, and they help to keep operating costs down. One of the drawbacks of this catamaran is that it doesn't have a lot of storage space. This can be an issue if you're planning on going on a long cruise, as you may need to bring along extra supplies. The boat is quite large, and this can make it difficult to dock in some marinas.

The Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is a very stable boat, and it performs well in both calm and rough conditions. The hulls are made from GRP (glass reinforced plastic), which makes the boat very strong and durable. The keels are also quite deep, which provides good stability even in strong winds. The Astréa 42 is equipped with twin Volvo Penta engines, and these provide plenty of power for cruising at high speeds. However, the boat does use a lot of fuel when running at full speed, so it's important to keep this in mind if you're planning on going on a long cruise.

Is the Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 the perfect catamaran for cruising? It depends on what you're looking for in a boat. If you want a large and spacious catamaran that is perfect for families or groups of friends, then the Astréa 42 is a great option. However, if you're looking for a smaller and more fuel-efficient boat, then you may want to consider another option. Overall, the Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is a well-built and stylish catamaran that is perfect for those who are looking for a luxurious vessel to take them on the vacation of a lifetime.

• Price: $450,000-$700,000
• Length: 41 ft 4 in
• Displacement: 27999
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 124.2 gal
• Engine Power: 2x30 HP
• Fuel efficient
• Great aesthetics
• Modern amenities
• Limited storage space
• Uses a lot of fuel at high speeds

3. Nautitech 44

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a vessel designed for both pleasure and utility. Though its initial purpose was to be a comfortable live-aboard cruising catamaran, it has since been used in a variety of different ways. The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is easily recognizable by its twin hulls, which provide both stability and ample space. It is this stability that makes the catamaran ideal for fishing, as well as other activities that require a steady platform.

In addition to its utility, the Nautitech 44 Catamaran is also known for its comfort and luxury. The vessel features large windows and an open layout, providing panoramic views and plenty of natural light. It also includes a spacious flybridge, perfect for relaxing in the sun. Whether you're looking for a vessel to take you on an adventure or simply wanting to enjoy the good life, the Nautitech 44 Catamaran is sure to please.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a popular choice for both experienced sailors and first-time boat owners. Its twin-hull design provides exceptional stability, making it ideal for cruising in rough waters. The spacious deck and cockpit are perfect for entertaining, and the well-appointed interior features plenty of storage and comfortable accommodations.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is powered by twin 40 horsepower engines. It also includes a 110-volt generator, making it ideal for extended stays at anchor. The catamaran has a fuel capacity of 105 gallons and a water capacity of 210 gallons. It also features a holding tank for waste. The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is designed for both speed and comfort. Its hull shape and twin engines allow it to reach speeds up to 20 knots. However, its cruising speed is more typically around 12 knots. This makes it perfect for those who want to enjoy the scenery while still having a good time on their journey.

This yacht is designed to perform well in a variety of conditions, thanks to its twin hulls and powerful engines. In calm waters, the Nautitech 44 Catamaran slices through the waves with ease, making it a great choice for cruising. When the winds pick up, the catamaran's stability and sharp handling come into play, making it a great choice for racing. The boat's sails are also designed to maximize performance in different conditions, with large mainsails that provide plenty of power in light winds and smaller headsails that help the boat tack quickly in strong winds. Whether you're sailing in calm waters or racing in windy conditions, the Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a great choice.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a great choice for a variety of customers. Thanks to its stability and comfort, it is perfect for those who want to use it as a live-aboard vessel. Its spacious flybridge and well-appointed interior make it ideal for entertaining, while its twin-hull design makes it perfect for fishing or other activities that require a steady platform. The catamaran's sails are also designed to maximize performance in different conditions, making it a great choice for both racing and cruising.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a well-built vessel. It features a fiberglass hull and deck with an aluminum frame. The catamaran also includes stainless steel hardware and composite materials in its construction. This results in a vessel that is both strong and lightweight. The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is also designed for easy maintenance. Its hulls are gel coated for durability, and the boat's rigging is designed to be easily accessible.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is a well-constructed vessel that will provide years of enjoyment. Thanks to its fiberglass hull and deck, aluminum frame, and stainless-steel hardware, the catamaran is both strong and lightweight. Additionally, the gelcoat hulls are easy to maintain. The boat's rigging is also designed for easy accessibility, making it a great choice for those who want to spend more time sailing and less time working on their vessel.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran features a spacious and well-appointed interior. The catamaran includes three double staterooms, each with its own private head. The salon is bright and airy, thanks to its large windows and sliding glass door. The galley is well-equipped, with plenty of storage and counter space.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran's interior is designed for comfort and convenience. Thanks to its three double staterooms, the catamaran can comfortably accommodate up to six people. Each stateroom has its own private head, providing added privacy and convenience. The salon is bright and airy, making it a great place to relax or entertain guests. The galley is well-equipped, with plenty of storage and counter space.

The Nautitech 44 Catamaran is an excellent choice for those in the market for a new vessel. It is well-built, features a variety of high-quality materials, and is designed for easy maintenance. Additionally, the catamaran's sails are designed to maximize performance in different conditions, making it a great choice for both racing and cruising. If you're looking for a catamaran to sail around the world, the Nautitech 44 Catamaran should definitely be at the top of your list.

• Price: $550,000-$850,000
• Length: 44.19 ft
• Displacement: 22712 lbs
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 105 gal
• Engine Power: 2x40 Hp
• Lightweight and strong
• Easy to maintain
• Spacious and well-appointed interior
• Can carry up to 11 passengers
• Low fuel tank capacity

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16 Best Trimarans For Sailing Around The World (And a Few For Daysailing)

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Trimarans are growing in popularity worldwide, due to their light construction and high stability these multihulls are even faster than catamarans. Trimarans are still one of the lesser-known boat types so in this article ill be checking out some of the most popular models.

The best trimarans include: 

• The Neel 43 
• The Neel 47 
• Dragonfly 28 
• The Pulse 600 
• Corsair 37 

These tris are built with your safety in mind while also packing powerful speed and a wide array of comfort features to optimize your sailing experience , some are even foldable making them possible to load on a trailer and transport to the sailing destination of your choosing.

In this article, I have created a list of the 16 best trimarans in the market and their unique features. You’ll also learn the best options for different purposes such as circumnavigation, weekend sailing, racing, and more. 

Table of Contents

What Is a Trimaran?

A trimaran is a multi hulled sailboat with three individual hulls; the main hull ( vaka ) and a pair of outrigger hulls ( amas ). These smaller outrigger hulls are attached to the main hull using beams. 

While trimarans have a rich history dating back nearly four millennia, these types of sailboats have only gained popularity in the late 1900s and early 2000s. 

Trimarans are primarily used as personal boats for sailing enthusiasts or racing. These sailboats draw their versatility from their lightweight design, making them faster and easier to handle at sea when compared to single-hulled boats (monohulls). Additionally, the three hulls also contribute to better stability, making it very hard to capsize (although more likely than a cat according to this study)

Trimarans come in various sizes, and some can be as small as 19 feet (5.8 meters) in length, while others go up to 60 feet (18meters). They’re also used for different purposes. Most trimarans are used for racing and recreational purposes, although some units are still used as ferries.

As with all things, to find out which is the best we need to understand what it will be used for. There is a big difference in requirements between a boat used for day sailing compared to offshore around the world sailing.

The list below highlights the best trimarans for different purposes.

Best Trimarans For Cruising, Liveaboard and Sailing Around The World

The Neel 43 is a French trimaran best suited for cruising. Its key features include: 

• Easy maneuverability on the open sea by only a small number of crew members 

This unit is also built for comfort, ideal for more extended travels. This 43-feet (13-meter) trimaran is also made with recyclable and bio-sourced materials, highlighting the manufacturer’s commitment to environmental consciousness. 

This trimaran has a base price of  €329,000 excluding VAT. This translates to approximately $370,138. 

2.Neel 47 Possibly The Best

Named the best full-size multihull for 2020, the Neel 47 is a strong contender for one of the best trimarans in the market. This 47-foot (14.3-meter) long trimaran features optimized exterior and interior ergonomics for a unique design and look. 

Still on design, the Neel 47 is ideal for couples looking to take a weekend off or spend some time as liveaboard. It has a spacious owner’s cabin and two bedrooms. It also features a spacious living room and kitchen and is optimized to ensure comfort for a couple. 

The Neel 47 also has two basic guest cabins so your friends or children can tag along on your sailing adventure. Accordingly, this unit is ideal for those looking to explore the sea for the sheer joy of sailing. 

The Neel 47 comes at a 571,139 euro ( $643,600 ) price tag, excluding VAT. 

3. Rapido 60 The Fast and Comfortable Circumnavigator

The Rapido 60 offers a blend of performance, safety, and luxury, making it one of the best options for bluewater sailing. Measuring 59.3 feet (18 meters) in length, the Rapido 60 is an imposing unit. It’s made from lightweight sandwiches and carbon materials that provide speed and strength, allowing it to stand up to strong ocean currents. 

The Rapido 60 also has spacious living spaces and is built for comfort at all points of the sail. Its design also optimizes safety. While it’s an ideal option for circumnavigating, it’s also an excellent choice for racing due to its speed. 

This is also the same boat that The Youtube channel La Vagabond just purchased.

The Rapido 60 retails at $1,400,000 . 

4. Rapido 40

The Rapido 40 measures 39.4 feet (12 meters) in length and is ideal for cruising around the world. The Rapido 40 features twin “C” foils, which provide added lift, enhancing its speed and performance whether you are sailing downwind or upwind. 

Because it has C foils, this trimaran doesn’t have a central daggerboard, increasing interior space. Accordingly, it’s an excellent option for couples looking to cruise and enjoy great performances .

The Rapido 40 is made from high-tech all-carbon materials for a lightweight yet sturdy design. This material is also used for the countertops and furniture, and the cork flooring adds a touch of style.

This trimaran retails for $595,000 , making it a cheaper option than the Rapido 60. 

5. Dragonfly 40

The Dragonfly 40 measures 40 feet (12 meters) in length. It features high-comfort standards, making it one of the best trimarans in the market for taking your family for a cruise. Because of its larger size, it has a better capacity, being capable of accommodating six to eight people, so you can bring your family and friends along. 

It’s easy to navigate and extremely safe. With a maximum speed of 24 knots (44.5 km/h), this trimaran also provides fast speeds to make your cruise even more exhilarating. 

The Dragonfly 40 retails from €509,000 exclusive of VAT, which rounds up to $572,000 . 

6. Dragonfly 32

The Dragonfly 32 is a high-performance cruiser. Like the Dragonfly 28, this unit features a contemporary design for racing. This trimaran can accommodate five to seven crew members. 

Although slightly longer than the Dragonfly 28 with its 32-foot (9.8-meter) length, the Dragonfly 32 has a max speed of 23+ knots (42.6+ km/h), making it one of the fastest trimarans for racing. This unit also has comfortable accommodation, which makes it an ideal option for a weekend cruise with family and friends. 

The Dragonfly 32 has a base price of $350,000 . 

7. Corsair 37

Thanks to a variable draft with a retractable rudder, the Corsair 37 is an ideal choice for shallow water exploration. This 37-foot (11.3-meter) long trimaran features advanced foam-cored construction designed for safety, making it virtually unsinkable. 

The carbon hulls minimize weight, this makes for a lightweight ocean exploration sailboat with blistering speeds. One of its selling points is that this trimaran has previously been used for Arctic expeditions, possibly marking it as one of the better options for circumnavigation and offshore sailing in the northern waters. 

This trimaran has a base price of $189,000 but can go up to $204,125 .

Best Trimarans For Day/Weekend Sailing

8. dragonfly 28.

The Dragonfly 28 is a 28-feet (8.75-meter) long sailboat that can accommodate up to five people. It comes in two versions: 

• Touring version: This version is ideal for families.  
• Performance version: This is built to provide optimal performance for the sports enthusiast within you. 

It clocks a maximum speed of 22+ knots (22+ km/h) and is beam-folded. It’s an excellent option if you want a high-performance, comfortable yet smaller unit for your day or weekend cruise. 

The Dragonfly 28 starts at  €188,280 inclusive of VAT, which comes to around $211,600. 

9. Dragonfly 25

Like other trimarans under the Dragonfly brand, this 25-foot (7.62-meter) trimaran is great for both racing and short term cruising. However, this high-performance boat delivers easy handling, making it perfect for couples looking to take a ride out over the weekend and seasoned sailors looking for an exhilarating racing adventure. 

The Touring version features a lightweight build and offers comfort and accommodation to keep you, and the few guests you can fit, comfortable during the ride. This trimaran also has a Sport version, which is optimized for racing. 

The Dragonfly 25 retails from EUR 86,800 . 

10. Pulse 600

The Pulse 600 trimaran is a compact sailboat. It’s made from lightweight, carbon-reinforced construction and vacuum-formed materials for optimal speed. This trimaran is an ideal option if you are looking for speed. 

It also features ample deck space, greater stability, and volume than most trimarans of similar size and build. 

This trimaran measures 19.8 feet (6 meters) in length and can be sailed single-handedly by one person with minimal effort. The Pulse 600 has a base price of $38,800 , which places it in the lower price range. 

The F-22 is one of the smaller trimarans in the market. Developed in New Zealand, the F-22 is a folding trimaran built for speed. The hulls are made from narrow fiberglass tied together using fiberglass beams and aluminum, minimizing bulk while optimizing speed. 

The F-22 is roomy and is not as pricey as other models in the market. This trimaran has two main versions: 

12. 2019 Weta Trimaran

The 2019 Weta trimaran is a 14.5-foot (4.4-meter) trimaran featuring a carbon frame, centerboard, rudder foil, and rudder shock. The hull is made from fiberglass and foam. The Weta is built for strength and speed based on these lightweight materials. 

The 2019 Weta trimaran is easy to sail and is worth considering whether you want to take a quiet sail, race with your friends, or take kids to a sailing lesson. It has a simple design and is easy to set up independently. Thanks to its collapsible design, this trimaran is easily stored away with minimal space demands. 

13. WindRider 17

The 17.4-foot (5.3-meter) WindRider 17 is one of the more versatile trimarans in the market. It packs high performance for a low cost. This trimaran has a light rotating mast to boost performance, and a full-battened mainsail optimizes visibility. 

This sailboat is made from rotomolded polyethylene, which is more durable than fiberglass and demands less maintenance.

The WindRider 17 has a comfortable interior and can fit six adults. This is an ideal choice for social sailing for a couple or a family and friends. It’s easy to ride, and a shallow draft allows easy maneuverability. 

14. Astus 22.5

If you’re looking for something small but still comfortable, this 22.5-foot trimaran is for you. Built for speed and maneuverability, the Astus 22.5 has optional foils to optimize speed. The modern design, coupled with the spacious interior, can fit up to four beds. Accordingly, this trimaran is suited for family outings. 

This trimaran also has a foldable design, collapsing to only 16 feet (4.9 meters) for easy storage. 

15. Multi 23 Trimaran 

The Multi 23 trimaran has a contemporary design, featuring a vinyl ester and PVC foam core construction. The section below the waterline is made of solid glass for a sturdy base.

The beams are made of lightweight carbon, and the trimaran features a 33-foot (10-meter) aluminum rotating wing mast for optimal harnessing of the wind. While ideal for weekend excursions with family, once rigged with the asymmetrical spinnaker will get your heart pumping.

This trimaran packs high performance at a lower cost than most other options in the market. It’s a good choice if you are looking for a high-performing unit without spending an arm and a leg. 

16. Challenger Class Trimaran

The Challenger Trimaran 15 is the best choice for persons with disabilities. It’s designed to provide disabled sailors an opportunity to explore their passion for sailing without worrying about aspects like safety or operation. 

A man named Geoff Hold circumnavigated the British Isles in 2007, becoming the first disabled person to achieve this feat. He had quadriplegia. 

Living up to its name, the Challenger can withstand harsh weather conditions while blending performance with speed. 

Final Thoughts 

Admittedly, no trimaran is best for everyone. But whether you are looking to race with your friends, take your loved ones or friends for a cruise over the weekend, or circumnavigate the ocean, you can rest assured that these lightweight trimarans will deliver speed, safety, and comfort to make it worth your while. 

These brands are innovatively designed and feature intricate safety mechanisms that make them virtually unsinkable. Give them a shot and begin your ocean adventure. 

• Basco Boating: A Comprehensive Guide & Introduction to Trimaran Yachts
• TheBoatAPP: New Trumarans: Which are the Best Ones
• Corsair Marine: Corsair 37
• Dragonfly: Dragonfly 28
• Rapido Trimarans: Rapido 60
• Neel Trimarans: Neel 43
• Yachting World: World’s Collect Yachts: Maxi Trimaran MACIF
• Yachting Monthly: Dragonfly 28 Performance
• Rapido Trimarans: Rapido 40
• Dragonfly: Dragon 32
• Dragonfly: Dragonfly 40
• Yachting World: Dragonfly 40 yacht tour: This cruising trimaran can do 24 knots
• Dragonfly: Dragonfly 25
• NauticExpo: Dragonfly 25
• Yachtworld: Corsair 37 boats for sale
• Cruising World: Neel 47 Trimaran: Best Full-Size Multihull0
• Neel Trimaran: Neel 47
• Multihull Solutions: NEEL 47 Boat Review | Cruising World
• Yacht World: 2022 Neel 47 for sale
• Farrier International: F-22
• Weta Marine: The Boat
• WindRider: WindRider 17 Trimaran Sailboat 
• Astus Boats: Astus 22.5
• Boat-specs: Multi 23
• National Maritime Museum Cornwall: Challenger Trimaran #1 – BC26

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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What Size Catamaran to Sail Around the World

Table of Contents

Anyone who knows you says this trip is already long overdue. The ocean is calling out to you and has been for a long time now. You’re more than ready to sail the seven seas. In fact, you’re virtually  dying  to do so. But first, you need to pick out a catamaran — moreover, one that is the correct size not merely for getting you around the world, but also for serving all your needs, wants, and goals on your trip. 

You need to find the catamaran that will make all your trouble worth it. This seems simple enough, but as you begin your search, you quickly discover that there are so many (too many) options out there. Now you’re probably wondering, “Which size is right for me?” and “How do I figure this out?” In this article, we will break down how to choose what size catamaran to sail around the world with.

Some consider catamarans sized at 35 feet to 45 feet to be the best for ocean sailing. Many consider 45 feet to be the sweet spot when it comes to picking out a catamaran for trips around the world. 

1) Basic comfort, speed, and circumnavigation of the vessel.

2) The amount of “cargo” you’ll have on the catamaran — in other words, the essential stuff needed in order to actually make your catamaran run, how many passengers will be on board, what it is you plan to do while on board, which items will be involved in making this happen, and how much space will be required for these activities.

3) Your budget in regards to catamaran size and, even more importantly, safety.

4) The actual measurements of the catamaran: 20 feet to 30 feet, 35 feet to 45 feet, and 50 feet to 60 feet being among the most popular sizes. 

As we already stated before, the best catamaran size for a journey around the globe varies on a case-by-case basis. It depends entirely on your needs, wants, and intentions while out at sea. Nonetheless, the most important thing for everyone — new and seasoned sailors alike — to recognize while settling on a catamaran size is that it is never too early to consider anything and everything that might play a role on your trip. Every little thing matters, and the sooner you factor something in, the better you can plan for your voyage. This should also optimize the amount of fun you’ll have while on board. 

Remember — it’s always better to be overprepared for the ocean than underprepared for it. Being underprepared while at sea can be the difference between life and death or, in less hazardous situations, the time of your life and utter, lasting misery. 

The overall goal is generally to have a safe and successful experience while sailing your catamaran around the world. Of course, what counts as a successful trip will always vary from person to person, sailor to sailor, and passenger to passenger. 

That’s why we went ahead and made you this little list — to make your intentions and, therefore, your catamaran size selection process — just a tiny bit easier.  Ask yourself the following: 

The ocean covered? 

The places visited? 

The company on board?

The memories made? 

The knowledge gained?

The time spent on the water, and with the natural world? 

The experience of actually steering a vessel through the sea, one of nature’s greatest miracles?

A combination of the above?

None of the above?

Think about it. Really take your time. Once you have a clear, honest idea of why you might want to sail a catamaran around the world, write it all down on a piece of paper. These notes will be your best friend while you read through this article and, eventually, decide on the appropriate vessel for your journey.

Initial Factors to Consider When Settling on a Catamaran Size

Primary items to consider when deciding on the size of your catamaran include basic comfort, speed, and circumnavigation. 

For example, yes — the smaller, cheaper catamaran  can  carry a certain amount of people. But can it do so comfortably? Or will you and your passengers pay the price? We’ll get into this in more detail in just a moment. First, let’s talk about the speed of your catamaran. It’s all related — we promise.  

When it comes to determining size, one must consider speed as well. Large, overloaded boats can move too slowly — but smaller ones can, too. This is where the shape of the boat comes into play. Boats with longer shapes and builds are absolutely your friends when selecting a catamaran — regardless of the size, you wind up going with. Not only are these better for speed, but they also come highly recommended by experts for circumnavigation and cargo purposes — the latter of which we will get into in more detail in the next section. 

Regarding circumnavigation — what fun is sailing a catamaran if you can’t control it? Your ability to guide your catamaran should always be the top priority. Anything that seems to complicate or hinder this is something you should immediately rule out when deciding on a vessel.

How long does it take to learn how to sail? Find out here .

The relationship between catamaran size and essential “cargo”.

But there are other types of “cargo” as well. Necessary supplies, recreational items, the number of human beings, and how much space passengers will need while on board also matter — significantly.   

For starters, ask yourself while you settle on a size for your catamaran whether you will have enough room for all the necessary supplies. Be honest with yourself. Longer, slower trips take more time and, therefore, require more of them. No matter what, you’ll need these items — food, water, first aid, medications, hygiene products, and other essential, rather heavy, and bulky supplies — while on board. 

Additionally, if there are plans for fun and recreation while sailing — which, let’s be honest, there probably are — then you’ll need to ensure your vessel has the capacity for all of that as well. We’re talking furniture, sports stuff, audio equipment, and more. This aspect may seem like it should be an afterthought, but we promise you — it shouldn’t be. Be sure to keep it in mind while shopping around. What point is there to sailing around the world if you feel deprived, bored, or full of regret the entire time anyway? Make sure you have everything you’ll want and need before setting sail.  

Furthermore, and as we already mentioned before, passenger “cargo” is also a thing. It’s vital that your catamaran have enough capacity for humans not only to survive but to travel comfortably. 

Is this sail around the world all work with little to no play or human company? Then you won’t need as much room. The more likely scenario, however, is that you and the other people on board are looking to have fun — and therefore require adequate space to do so. This is a different type of “cargo,” but one that should be adequately considered throughout the selection process. 

Similarly, imagine acquiring all the recreational items and loading them on board only to start sailing and discover that there isn’t even any room to use them all. Recreational, social, and even essential activities require the room in which to do them. Therefore, it’s important to have an idea ahead of time regarding what activities might be taking place on board. This will help you determine just how large of a vessel you need, as well as the shape of it. 

What’s the point in sailing a catamaran around the world if you even can’t carry the things or people you need to make the trip worthwhile anyways? 

Determining Catamaran Size in Relation to Your Budget

Of course, one of the most important considerations when deciding on a catamaran size is your budget. Larger catamarans with more features will cost more money upfront, yes. Nevertheless, the payoff regarding comfort, efficiency, practicality, and enjoyability while on board — as well as mandatory supplies you’ll need to carry on your travels and maintenance the vessel may eventually need — might make the investment worth it. 

More importantly, safety is never worth skimping on,  especially  when it comes to sailing through the ocean over an extended period of time. If a smaller, simpler model is more affordable for you, just make sure it serves all your purposes, and that the lower price you’re paying is only in regards to the size of the catamaran. Paying less for a smaller vessel should not equal a higher risk factor while on board. Safety is key, and therefore, nonnegotiable.

The Best Catamaran Size(s) for Sailing Around the World

Some consider catamarans sized at 35 feet to 45 feet to be the best for ocean sailing. Many even consider 45 feet to be the sweet spot when it comes to picking out a catamaran for trips around the globe. 

This isn’t to say that smaller vessels aren’t also an option. Catamarans sized at 25 feet to 30 feet are far more affordable — though, again, boats in this size range do tend to be more uncomfortable and less convenient. They also have less capacity. However, it is still possible to sail around the world in a catamaran sized within this 25 feet to 30 feet range. 

Conversely, very large vessels are also doable. Catamarans in the 50 feet to 60 feet range absolutely do exist and are available for interested parties. However, they are extremely expensive. They are very much intended for those seeking total luxury while ocean sailing.  

Again, a catamaran ranging between 35 feet and 45 feet should absolutely do the trick — for comfort, efficiency, space, and more importantly, function. These will get you around the world, and happily at that. 

Either way, don’t forget that the size and price of your catamaran aren’t everything. Shape, safety, and circumnavigation are equally, if not more, important when it comes to ocean sailing.

Related Questions

What kind of recreational activities are popular while sailing?  Depending on the length of the trip, people may want to do anything from eating fine cuisine to drinking and dancing, to sipping coffee and reading books, to even just tossing a basketball around. It just depends on the passengers on board. 

Is a faster catamaran a better catamaran?  Not necessarily. It just depends on how much time you want to spend at sea, and whether your trip is more about efficiency or luxury, and land time or water time. Just keep in mind that more time at sea means you’ll need more supplies and, therefore, more capacity for storing them. 

Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult a legal expert or medical professional to address your specific needs.

Aloha! My name is Shawn and I Love the Beach and Ocean! From surfing to beach sports to boating and fishing I like it all. More importantly, I Love the people I get to meet who also share a passion for the sand and surf. Living and growing up near the ocean my heart has always been connected to the beach and its lifestyle. I wish to share my experience with those around the world. Mahalo (Thank You) for visiting and enjoy your stay here on my site!

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Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic

As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly.

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By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced

Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London.

Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire.

On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon.

But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4.

Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said.

In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter.

It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes.

“It drives me insane,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company, Perini, that made the Bayesian. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England.

Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain.

The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing.

So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox.

The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified.

Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie.

Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters.

On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence.

The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment.

Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water.

He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.”

Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing.

But he said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, is to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact.

So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night.

Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them.

The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic.

After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps.

Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked.

What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name.

He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader.

He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London.

He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team.

Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison.

During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial.

After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced