catamaran liveaboard cruising

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Catamarans are an excellent choice for living on the water. Modern catamarans are more spacious than monohulls and provide all the comforts of home.

In this article, we'll cover five of the best liveaboard catamarans available on the new and used market today. We'll also cover how to choose the best and most comfortable catamaran to live aboard.

The best liveaboard catamarans are the Manta 42, the Nautitech 44, the Voyage 44, the Privilege 435, the Elba 35, and the Lagoon 380. These vessels are seaworthy, comfortable, and ideal for long-term living.

We sourced the technical specifications of these vessels from maritime records and directly from sailboat manufacturers. We also considered the opinions of sailors who live aboard these vessels and others.

Table of contents

Living on a Catamaran

Living on a catamaran has both advantages and disadvantages when compared to living on a monohull sailboat. That said, most of the challenges of living aboard a catamaran are mitigated on larger and higher-quality vessels.

Catamarans feature two hulls placed side-by-side and connected by a deck. As a result, the cabins are split between the two hulls, and you may have to go outside to get to the other cabin. Thankfully, most modern cruising catamarans have a center cockpit that connects the two hulls and often features living spaces.

Some vessels have facilities (such as the galley and table) in one cabin and sleeping areas in the other. However, some catamarans have sleeping and cooking facilities in both hulls. The configuration you choose depends on how many people attended live aboard and what layout you prefer.

Catamarans offer superior stability and motion comfort, which is a big advantage when living aboard. Overall, conditions under sail and in the harbor are likely much better aboard a properly-proportioned catamaran.

How to Choose a Liveaboard Catamaran

What qualities make a catamaran ideal for living aboard, and how do you choose the best boat? Attributes such as size and interior layout are the most important, but others such as fit and finish and seakeeping abilities should also be considered.

The best liveaboard catamarans range in size between 30 and 50 feet, width 40 feet being the comfortable average. In general, vessels smaller than 30 feet simply lack the space to include a practical interior layout.

Interior Layout

Interior layout is largely a matter of personal opinion. The most popular liveaboard catamaran features a spacious center cockpit with access to both hulls. Master bedrooms are often found in the stern and the bow of each hull, with heads in between and a galley in the center cockpit. Some catamarans feature one or more additional settees, along with storage in all areas.

Tech and Convenience

The majority of monohull sailboats were produced between the 1960s in the 1980s. This isn't the case for catamarans, as their popularity is more recent. As a result, you're likely to find considerably more modern amenities aboard. Everything from autopilot systems to bathtubs are available aboard newer catamarans.

How Much does a Liveaboard Catamaran Cost?

Catamaran prices vary widely based on age, length, and overall quality. Older vessels cost anywhere between $30,000 and $100,000. Newer and more comfortable liveaboard catamarans generally start above the $100,000 mark and extend up to $500,000 or more.

Best Catamarans to Live On

We chose the following six liveaboard catamarans based on size, interior amenities, handling, and price. These vessels are popular amongst liveaboard sailors and make exceptionally comfortable floating homes both in port and at sea.

1. Manta 42

{{boat-info="/boats/manta-42"}}

The first vessel on our list is an exceptional cruising catamaran that's also a comfortable place to live. The Manta 42 can be found on the used market, and it features great handling and a spacious cabin.

Unlike most catamarans, which are built overseas, the Manta 42 was produced entirely in the United States. The Florida-based company produced these vessels in the 1990s and 2000s, and they proved extremely popular with offshore cruisers.

The Manta 42 is known for its stability, hull strength, and speed. However, its cabin layout is also smart and livable. Most Manta 42s feature an asymmetrical cabin layout. The cabin has two heads located in convenient places; one on the port side across from a master berth and one on the starboard side, which is easily accessible from the cockpit. It features three berthing areas and one large sitting area, with seating and storage throughout.

The Manta 42 also has exceptional storage capacity. The vessel stores 125 gallons of fuel and a whopping 100 gallons of freshwater. It also has generous gray and black water tanks to service both heads and the galley sinks.

Overall, the Manta 42 is an excellent choice for cruising liveaboards. It's a fast, nimble, and safe vessel with ample headroom and space throughout the cabin.

Quick Facts:

• 42-foot overall length
• Large master cabins
• Built for long-term living and cruising
• High storage capacity for fuel and water
• High hull strength
• American-built
• Production ceased in the 2000s, so equipment may not be up-to-date

2. Nautitech 44

{{boat-info="/boats/nautitech-44"}}

The Nautitech 44 is the obvious choice for the number two spot on our list. This well-known cruising catamaran has a unique Center cockpit design which makes it stylish and functional.

The futuristic cockpit of the Nautitech 44 allows the crew to enjoy ample ventilation even in wet conditions. This makes it ideal for living abroad in tropical climates where rain and heat often accompany each other.

Nautitech, which is a French company, continues to produce this model due to its popularity and excellent seakeeping abilities. Prices almost always exceed $100,000, both new and used, making it one of the costlier models on the list. For the price, you get a fine interior fit and finish along with the latest comforts and conveniences.

The Nautitech 44 is available in several cabin layouts. The most popular configuration features an expansive center cockpit with below-deck living spaces, along with three berthing areas and a galley. Additionally, most of these vessels feature a large master head and several smaller heads in each of the hulls. Access to each hull through the center cockpit is easy, and the headroom is excellent.

The Nautitech 44 is a fast boat, and it's great for offshore cruising. However, hull width was sacrificed for speed and handling. This means that the hulls are slightly narrower than some of the competition. That said, it doesn't seem to bother most Nautitech owners.

• 44-foot overall length
• Large center cabin
• All-weather control cockpit
• Great ventilation
• Ample room in the hulls
• Wide hallways
• Spacious heads
• Excellent seakeeping abilities
• Expensive on the used market
• No open cockpit

3. Voyage 44

{{boat-info="/boats/voyage-44"}}

Here's a popular and spacious catamaran with some unique characteristics that make it ideal for living aboard. The Voyage 44 is a wide and stable multihull sailboat with a large center cockpit and an attractive interior layout.

The cabin of the Voyage 44 is modern and airy, taking advantage of light colors and thoughtfully designed furniture to make the most out of limited space. This is conducive to a pleasant living environment that's also easy to clean. The center cockpit also features a large, full galley.

The center cockpit stands out, as the voyage 44s exceptionally wide beam gives it plenty of room for tables, sitting areas, and other amenities. The windows let in plenty of light, in the cabin is completely weatherproof.

Below decks, the Voyage 44 features up to six separate heads and several sleeping areas. The master head, located in the bow, is one of the largest available on sailboats of this size range. The vessel features up to eight individuals sleeping areas, which is remarkable for a 44-foot boat.

The Voyage 44 is an excellent liveaboard catamaran due to its wide beam and extremely spacious living accommodations. Out of all the boats on this list, the Voyage 44 is likely the best value overall as it's relatively affordable. The Voyage 44 may be the perfect long-term liveaboard catamaran under 50 feet in length.

• Unusually wide beam
• Full master head with two showers
• Very high speeds
• Sturdy construction
• Very large center cabin
• Eight sleeping areas
• May be too wide for some marina slips

4. Privilege 435

{{boat-info="/boats/privilege-435"}}

The Alliaura Marine Privilege 435 is a simple and elegant catamaran with a comfortable interior, smart design, ingrate offshore handling characteristics. This speedy vessel is constructed with some of the finest materials available, and the overall fit and finish are excellent. Behind the center cabin, the Privilege 435 features a strong fiberglass canopy to protect the crew from spray and son.

The majority of Privilege 435s on the market were built recently, so you can expect the latest navigation and safety equipment. Additionally, the vessel is efficient and includes amenities such as multiple heads, modern utilities, and easy access to the hulls through the center cabin.

The vessel features four separate bedrooms and enough bathrooms and showers for each person (or couple). The center Cabin is wide and features comfortable seating areas, along with a full galley with a stove and a fridge. Stepping inside the Privilege 435 is like stepping inside of a vacation house, and it feels purpose-built for long-term living.

The vessel is available in relatively high numbers, though its popularity means you're likely to pay top dollar. On the used market, the vessel sells for between $250,000 to $350,000 on average. This puts it on the upper edge of our price range. But for the price, you got a long-lasting and desirable catamaran that's ready to live aboard almost immediately.

The Privilege 435 is ideal for cruising liveaboards with families or sailors who need space for guests. The interior is very comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. It has several great spaces for entertaining multiple people. On short-to-medium voyages, the Privilege 435 should be adequate for up to eight or more adults.

• 43-foot overall length
• Full-size berthing areas
• Large center galley and sitting area
• Spacious interior
• Large showers
• Great offshore handling
• Expensive, even on the used market

{{boat-info="/boats/fountaine-pajot-elba-45"}}

The Fountain Pajot Elba 45 is a modern and luxurious cruising catamaran with a high freeboard and all the living amenities you'd expect. It's a high-caliber vessel that sails as good as it looks, and it's still produced by the original manufacturer in Europe.

The Elba 45 has one of the largest center cabins of any catamaran in its size range. It features a large settee, a full galley, and access to both hulls. The cabin layout is flexible, and you can order one of several different designs. One of the most popular is the classic 'mirror' layout, where each hull has two master berthing areas, a V-berth in the bow, and two separate heads.

However, other versions are available with attached bathing facilities and additional room for storage, cooking, and other activities. One of the unique features of the Elba 45 is the addition of a V-berth bow. This berth connects directly to the master Beds, which makes for a unique but flexible sleeping arrangement.

If purchased new, the Elba 45 will set you back around $430,000 to $450,000. For the price, you get the latest technology and the finest interior and exterior materials. This is important in the long run as the best liveaboard catamarans should be built to last.

The fit and finish of this vessel are ideal for those looking for a luxurious living environment. Its accommodations are closer to that of a luxury yacht than a sailboat. As a result, the Elba 45 is a great place to live long-term and entertain guests.

• 45-foot overall length
• Multiple layouts available
• Luxury fit-and-finish
• Four cabins
• Six full-size berths
• Luxurious amenities
• Additional V-berths in bow
• Highest build quality
• Upper end of the price range

6. Lagoon 380

{{boat-info="/boats/lagoon-380"}}

The majority of suitable liveaboard catamarans are over 40 feet in length. This is because it's difficult to fit comfortable accommodations in a smaller vessel. However, the Lagoon 380 is a notable exception. This 39-foot catamaran is one of the most comfortable vessels in its class, and it features a spacious interior and excellent design.

The Lagoon 380 is a newer vessel that features modern conveniences and adheres to high safety standards. Modern manufacturing techniques make this vessel stronger and easier to maintain than its older counterparts. Additionally, owners praise its sailing characteristics in both rough and calm weather.

The spacious center cabin features a full galley and sitting area with a notably wide walking room in between. It also boasts excellent visibility, which also increases the amount of natural light in the living areas. Additionally, the center cabin features easy access to the hulls, and the mirror layout provides comfortable accommodations for eight adults.

The interior space aboard the Lagoon 380 is almost indistinguishable from catamarans between 44 and 50 feet in length. The primary difference is that, instead of the traditional two heads per hull, the Lagoon 380 only features one. That said, the heads include a large shower and plenty of room to move around.

The Lagoon 380 is the perfect solution for sailors looking for big boat accommodations in a small package. Due to its shorter length, the Lagoon 380 avoids additional fees for docking and servicing vessels over 40 feet overall.

• 39-foot overall length
• Full galley
• Under 40 feet in length
• High construction quality
• Customizable options
• Great handling
• Fewer bathrooms than some similar vessels

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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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13 Best Liveaboard Catamarans (For All Budgets)

If you want to enjoy long-term living on the water, a liveaboard catamaran can provide the perfect combination of comfort and adventure. However, buying and owning a catamaran can cost you a fortune. If you're not sure which one suits your budget, here are 13 of the best liveaboard catamarans on the market today, covering a range of budgets and lifestyles.

The 13 best liveaboard catamarans for different budgets are:

Nautitech 46 Open

Lagoon 450f, nautitech 46 fly.

If you're on a tight budget but still want to enjoy the liveaboard lifestyle, the Leopard 40, Lucia 40, and Lagoon 400 are some of your best options. If you have a slightly higher budget to live up to your dream life aboard, let's see which of these catamarans will suit your needs best.

• Low-budget liveaboard catamarans cost anywhere from $350,000 to $450,000, while high-budget options range from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
• The living space of the best liveaboard catamarans ranges from 77 sqm to 215 sqm, with the higher-budget options generally offering more space.
• Most catamaran models come equipped with one galley and multiple heads, with the number of heads ranging from 2 to 4.
• High-budget catamarans like Lagoon 52 and Catana 50 are built with advanced safety features such as a self-tacking jib and an automatic reefing system.

On this page:

Best liveaboard catamarans for all budgets.

When choosing the best liveaboard catamaran, there are questions you need to ask yourself such as:

• Are you planning to live aboard full-time or just part-time?
• Will you be traveling extensively or staying in one location?
• Do you plan to fish or engage in other water activities?

If you plan to sail around the world and are not sure what catamaran size is perfect for your goal , you can get some tips from this article.

You may also need to check your budget. Keep in mind that the purchase price is just one aspect of the cost of owning a catamaran. See how much it actually costs to buy and own a catamaran in this article.

You may also need to factor in ongoing maintenance, repairs, and other expenses, such as docking costs. Docking costs depend on the location of the marina and the actual size of your catamaran, but to give you an idea of how much it costs to dock a catamaran , here's an article that can help you.

The best liveaboard catamarans have these most important features :

Living space Look for a catamaran with an open layout, large windows, and plenty of natural light to create a spacious and inviting living area.

Galley and heads Choose a catamaran with a well-designed galley that is easy to use and has plenty of storage space. The heads should be spacious and comfortable, with a separate shower area if possible.

Performance and handling You might want to opt for a catamaran with a good sail plan and sailing controls that are easy to operate. If you plan to do offshore cruising, perhaps consider a catamaran with a shallow draft and good seaworthiness.

Safety and seaworthiness Choose a catamaran with sturdy construction and good safety features, such as handrails and lifelines. You might want to make sure also that the catamaran is designed for single-handed sailing if you plan to sail solo.

Estimated price range: $400,000 - $500,000

Living space inside Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 has a spacious interior with a modern and stylish design. It features four cabins and two heads, providing ample living space for up to 8 people.

The cabins are well-ventilated and well-lit, with large windows that offer panoramic views of the sea. The saloon is also spacious, with comfortable seating and a large dining table.

Galley and heads of Leopard 40

The galley is well-equipped with a large refrigerator, freezer, gas stove, oven, and plenty of storage space. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

Performance and handling of Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 has a sleek and streamlined design that allows it to move smoothly through the water. The twin engines provide plenty of power, and the boat is easy to maneuver even in tight spaces.

The boat also comes with a range of performance features, such as a large sail area, a self-tacking jib, and a full-batten mainsail.

Safety and seaworthiness of Leopard 40

The Leopard 40 is built to the highest standards of safety, with a strong and durable hull, high-quality rigging, and a range of safety features such as lifelines, handrails, and safety harnesses.

The boat also has excellent stability, which makes it very safe and comfortable to sail in rough seas.

Estimated price range: $450,000 - $550,000

Living space inside Lucia 40

The Lucia 40 is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of living space for a family or a group of friends. It has a large saloon with a U-shaped sofa and a dining table that can comfortably seat six people.

The saloon is surrounded by large windows that provide plenty of natural light and a great view of the surroundings. The catamaran has four cabins and two heads, which provide ample sleeping space for up to eight people. The cabins are well-appointed and offer plenty of storage space.

Galley and heads of Lucia 40

The galley on the Lucia 40 is located in the saloon and is well-equipped with a three-burner stove, oven, fridge, and plenty of counter space for food preparation.

The two heads are located in each hull and are equipped with a shower, toilet, and sink. They are spacious and provide plenty of privacy.

The Lucia 40 is a performance-oriented catamaran

The Lucia 40 is a performance-oriented catamaran that is designed for cruising in comfort. It has a sleek and modern design that allows it to sail efficiently in a wide range of wind and sea conditions.

The catamaran is equipped with a full batten mainsail and a furling genoa, which provide excellent sail performance. The helm station is located on the flybridge, which provides excellent visibility and allows for easy handling.

The Lucia 40 is a safe and seaworthy catamaran

The Lucia 40 has a solid fiberglass hull and a structural bulkhead that provides excellent strength and rigidity. The catamaran is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment, including life jackets, flares, fire extinguishers, and a first aid kit.

It is also equipped with a comprehensive navigation system, which includes GPS, radar, and an autopilot, to ensure safe and accurate navigation.

Estimated price range: $350,000 - $450,000

Living space inside Lagoon 400

The Lagoon 400 offers ample room for passengers to relax and socialize. The main saloon is located on the same level as the cockpit, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.

The saloon features a large dining table and comfortable seating, while the cockpit provides additional seating and a table for outdoor dining. The cabins are also spacious and comfortable, with plenty of storage space.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 400

The galley is well-equipped with a stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink, making it easy to prepare meals while underway. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

The Lagoon 400 has good sailing performance

This boat has a generous sail area, a powerful rig, and a light displacement, which allows it to sail well in a variety of conditions. The boat's twin hulls also help to reduce drag and increase stability, which makes it easier to sail in choppy seas or high winds.

The Lagoon 400 is also equipped with twin engines, which allow it to be easily maneuvered in tight spaces or when docking. The boat's shallow draft, which is one of the advantages of sailing a catamaran , also makes it suitable for exploring shallow waters or anchoring in secluded bays.

The Lagoon 400 is designed to be safe and seaworthy

The boat's twin hulls provide excellent stability, which reduces the risk of capsizing. See a detailed comparison between catamaran and monohull in this article.

The boat is also equipped with a range of safety features, including a solid fiberglass hull, watertight bulkheads, and a high freeboard, which helps to keep the boat dry and reduce the risk of swamping.

The boat is also built to withstand rough seas and strong winds, with a reinforced hull and high freeboard. It also features a range of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and an emergency tiller.

The Bali 4.0 is a catamaran that offers ample living space

The cockpit and saloon are on the same level, which creates a large open-plan living area. The saloon has a U-shaped seating area, which can comfortably seat six people, and a large table that can be lowered to create a double berth.

Galley and heads of Bali 4.0

The galley of Bali 4.0 is located aft of the saloon and is well-equipped with a three-burner stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink. The boat has four cabins, each with its own en-suite head and shower. The cabins are spacious and comfortable, and the heads are modern and well-designed.

Performance and handling of Bali 4.0

The Bali 4.0 has a self-tacking jib and a fully battened mainsail, which makes it easy to sail short-handed. The boat is also equipped with a Code 0 sail, which provides additional downwind performance. The boat's helm is responsive and easy to control, and the boat is stable and predictable in a variety of conditions.

Safety and seaworthiness of Bali 4.0

The Bali 4.0 is a seaworthy boat that is designed to be safe and comfortable in a variety of conditions. The boat has a high freeboard, which provides additional safety and protection from waves and spray.

The boat also has a solid foredeck, which provides additional safety when moving around the boat. It is also equipped with a full suite of safety equipment, including life rafts, life jackets, and safety harnesses.

Estimated price range: $500,000 - $600,000

Living space inside Bali 4.3

The Bali 4.3 has a large saloon with panoramic views, plenty of natural light, and a modern design. The saloon is equipped with a large U-shaped sofa, a dining table, and a chart table. The cockpit is also spacious and features a dining table, a sunbathing area, and a helm station.

Galley and heads of Bali 4.3

The galley and heads on the Bali 4.3 are well-designed and offer plenty of space and storage. It is located in the saloon and features a 3-burner stove, an oven, a large refrigerator, and plenty of counter space. The heads are located in each hull and feature a separate shower, electric toilets, and plenty of storage.

The Bali 4.3 is a fast and agile catamaran. It features a self-tacking jib and a square-top mainsail, which make it easy to handle and maneuver. The boat is also equipped with twin engines, which provide good speed and maneuverability.

The Bali 4.3 is a very safe and stable catamaran

The Bali 4.3 features a solid construction, a high freeboard, and a wide beam, which make it very stable and comfortable even in rough seas. The boat is also equipped with a number of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and life jackets.

Living space of Catana 42

The Catana 42 has a spacious interior layout with plenty of natural light and ventilation. The saloon and cockpit are integrated into one living area, which provides a comfortable and functional living space.

Galley and heads of Catana 42

The galley is located in the port hull and features a three-burner stove, oven, refrigerator, and ample storage space. The heads are located in the starboard hull, with one head serving as the owner's suite en-suite and the other serving the remaining three cabins.

The Catana 42 an excellent performer

The catamaran is designed to be fast and stable, with a high bridge deck clearance and a narrow hull-to-waterline beam ratio. It also has a large sail area, which provides good speed in light winds.

The Catana 42 is built with safety and seaworthiness

The boat is designed to be self-righting in the event of a capsize , and the hulls are foam-filled for added buoyancy. The boat also features a robust construction with a reinforced keel and rudder, making it suitable for offshore cruising.

Estimated price range: $600,000 - $700,000

Living space of Nautitech 46 Open

The Nautitech 46 Open is a spacious and comfortable catamaran that offers ample living space, a well-equipped galley, and multiple heads for convenience. The living area is open and airy, with large windows and plenty of natural light.

Galley and heads of Nautitech 46 Open

The galley is fully equipped with modern appliances and ample storage space, making it easy to prepare meals and entertain guests. The heads are also well-appointed, with modern fixtures and plenty of space for comfort.

Performance and handling of Nautitech 46 Open

The Nautitech 46 Open is a capable and responsive catamaran that is easy to sail and maneuver. The boat's twin hulls provide excellent stability and make it easy to handle in a variety of conditions.

The boat's rig is designed for performance, with a large sail area and a well-balanced design that allows for easy handling and excellent speed.

Safety and seaworthiness of Nautitech 46 Open

The boat is built to the highest standards of safety and durability, with a strong and sturdy construction that can withstand the rigors of offshore sailing. The boat is also equipped with all the necessary safety features, including life rafts, life jackets, and safety harnesses, to ensure that you and your crew stay safe on the water.

Estimated price range: $700,000 - $800,000

Living space inside Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of room for living and entertaining. The saloon is large and open, with plenty of natural light and ventilation.

The cockpit is also spacious and comfortable, with a large dining table and seating for up to eight people. The cabins are well-designed and offer plenty of storage space, and the bathrooms are modern and well-appointed.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F has a well-equipped galley that is perfect for preparing meals while at sea. The galley features a large refrigerator and freezer, a three-burner stove, an oven, a microwave, and plenty of counter space. The heads are also well-designed and offer plenty of space and privacy.

Performance and handling of Lagoon 450F

The Lagoon 450F is a fast and stable catamaran that is easy to handle. The boat is powered by two Yanmar diesel engines, which provide plenty of power and speed.

The boat is also equipped with a high-performance sail plan, which allows for easy and efficient sailing.

The Lagoon 450F is designed to handle a variety of weather conditions

This boat is built to the highest standards of safety and quality and is equipped with all of the necessary safety equipment, including life rafts, life jackets, and emergency flares.

The boat is also designed to be self-sufficient, with a large water tank and generator, which allows for extended periods of time at sea.

Living space inside Helia 44

The Helia 44 has a spacious and well-designed interior that maximizes living space. The saloon features large windows that provide plenty of natural light and offer stunning views of the surrounding scenery.

The seating area is comfortable and can accommodate up to 8 people. The cabins are also spacious and well-appointed, with plenty of storage space and en-suite bathrooms.

Galley and heads of Helia 44

The galley on the Helia 44 is well-equipped and designed for easy use. It features a large refrigerator, a 3-burner gas stove, an oven, and a microwave. The heads are also well-designed, with separate shower stalls and plenty of storage space.

The Helia 44 is designed for excellent performance and handling

The Helia 44 has a powerful rig and a high aspect ratio sail plan that provides excellent speed and maneuverability. The boat also has a shallow draft, which makes it easy to navigate in shallow waters.

The Helia 44 is built to the highest safety standards

This boat has a solid construction that provides excellent stability and strength. It also features a range of safety equipment, including life rafts, EPIRBs, and fire extinguishers.

Estimated price range: $700,000 - $1,000,000

Living space inside Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 features a spacious saloon with a comfortable seating area and a large dining table. The saloon is surrounded by panoramic windows that provide plenty of natural light and stunning views of the surrounding scenery.

The catamaran also has a large cockpit area with a dining table and comfortable seating, perfect for outdoor dining and relaxation.

Galley and heads of Leopard 48

The galley on the Leopard 48 is well-equipped with modern appliances and ample storage space. It features a large refrigerator, a freezer, a three-burner stove, and an oven. The catamaran also has three heads, each with a shower, sink, and toilet.

Performance and handling of Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 is a high-performance catamaran that is easy to handle and maneuver. It has a powerful sail plan and lightweight construction that allows it to sail smoothly and efficiently even in light winds.

The catamaran is also equipped with a powerful engine that provides excellent speed and maneuverability.

Safety and seaworthiness of Leopard 48

The Leopard 48 is a safe and seaworthy catamaran that is designed to handle even the toughest ocean conditions. It has a sturdy construction and a stable platform that provides excellent stability and safety.

The catamaran is also equipped with modern safety features such as a GPS navigation system, a radar, and an autopilot.

Estimated price range: $600,000 - $900,000

Living space inside Nautitech 46 Fly

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a spacious catamaran that offers plenty of room for living and entertaining. The interior is bright and airy, thanks to large windows and an open floor plan.

There are four cabins and four heads, making it a great option for families or groups of friends. The salon is comfortable and features a dining area and a well-equipped galley.

Galley and heads of Nautitech 46 Fly

The galley on the Nautitech 46 Fly is well-equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, stove, oven, and plenty of counter space. There is also a double sink and a dishwasher. The heads are spacious and comfortable, with separate shower stalls and electric toilets.

Performance and handling of the Nautitech 46 Fly

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a pleasure to sail, with good speed and handling. The boat is responsive and easy to maneuver, even in tight spaces. The twin engines provide plenty of power and make docking and maneuvering a breeze.

The Nautitech 46 Fly is a safe and seaworthy vessel

The boat is designed to handle rough seas and strong winds, making it a great option for offshore sailing. There are also plenty of safety features, including lifelines, safety harnesses, and a well-equipped first aid kit.

Estimated price range: $1,000,000 - $2,000,000

The living space of Catana 50

The living space is designed for comfort and entertainment. The spacious saloon offers panoramic views and ample seating for guests.

The interior is finished with high-quality materials and features modern amenities such as air conditioning, a fully equipped galley, and plenty of storage space. It also has four spacious cabins and four heads, making it ideal for families or groups of friends.

Galley and heads of Catana 50

The galley on the Catana 50 is well-equipped with a large refrigerator, freezer, oven, and stove. The countertops are made of durable and easy-to-clean materials, and there is plenty of storage space for food and cooking utensils. The heads are spacious and feature modern fixtures and finishes.

The Catana 50 is designed for performance and speed

The catamaran's lightweight construction and high-tech materials make it fast and agile, while its twin daggerboards and rudders provide excellent maneuverability and control. The boat is easy to handle, even in challenging conditions, and offers a smooth and comfortable ride.

The Catana 50 is a safe and seaworthy vessel

The catamaran's hull design and construction are engineered to withstand the rigors of offshore sailing, and the boat is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment, including life rafts, EPIRBs, and fire extinguishers.

Need a complete list of safety equipment for your boat ? Here's an article that might be helpful for you.

The vessel also features a high freeboard, wide decks, and a sturdy rigging system, making it a stable and secure platform for sailing in all conditions.

Living space of Lagoon 52

The Lagoon 52 is known for its spacious interior and exterior living areas. The main salon is located on the bridge deck and features a large dining table, comfortable seating, and panoramic views.

The cockpit is also spacious and has plenty of seating for outdoor dining and lounging. The cabins are well-appointed and offer plenty of storage space and natural light.

Galley and heads of Lagoon 52

The galley on the Lagoon 52 is equipped with modern appliances and ample counter space, making it easy to prepare meals for large groups. There are also multiple heads on the boat, each with a shower and toilet, making it convenient for guests to freshen up after a day of exploring.

Performance and handling of Lagoon 52

The Lagoon 52 is designed for optimal performance and handling. It has a powerful sail plan and a lightweight construction that allows it to move swiftly through the water

The boat is also easy to handle, even with a small crew, thanks to its user-friendly design and advanced technology.

Safety and seaworthiness are top priorities on the Lagoon 52

The boat is built to withstand rough seas and harsh weather conditions, with sturdy construction and advanced safety features such as a self-tacking jib and an automatic reefing system.

The boat also has a spacious cockpit and wide decks that make it easy to move around and handle the boat in all conditions:

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15 Small Liveaboard Catamarans

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If you want to live on the sea, catamarans are probably the most comfortable way of doing it. Unlike monohulls, catamarans have two hulls, giving you a smooth sailing experience and more interior space. There are tons of small catamarans, each with its pros and cons.  

The smallest cruising/liveaboard sailing catamaran is the Smart Cat S280. With a length overall of 27.9 feet (8.5 meters), it offers the most economical and spacious living area you can find on any liveaboard catamaran today. 

In this article, I’ll talk about the Smart Cat S280, and then ill show you alternatives. This article is meant to give you examples of boats that might be interesting and it’s a jumping-off point for further research into what suits you the best.

Table of Contents

How To Pick a Small Catamaran

Small catamarans are great if you’re on a budget. They’re also ideal if you want a modest space without too much going on inside. However, every small-size catamaran varies in features and design. So, if you’re looking for one, there are a few essential factors you have to bear in mind.  

Performance

When choosing a catamaran , your decision depends on what level of performance you need from the boat. Your choice will often come from what you’re going to use the boat for. 

However, the performance of a catamaran is a critical factor for safety as well. For example, the sail plan significantly affects the catamaran’s stability offshore.

Some performance features you have to keep in mind when choosing a catamaran include:

• Average Speed upwind and downwind
• How much weight can be loaded before performance is impacted

Interior Layout

Despite their size, small catamarans come with a variety of living spaces. In between the hulls, you’ll find different types of amenities, including a kitchen, lounge, and dining area.  

Every catamaran comes with a unique arrangement for its cabins. Usually, you’ll also have cabins in the two hulls and sometimes a master cabin on the deck. The deck may also have a sitting space with trampoline areas to relax.

The cabins on a catamaran are sometimes referred to as berths. Manufacturers modify one or two berths to make a bathroom with a toilet and showerhead or “head.”

Exterior Design

The interior features are essential because they determine not only your living condition while onboard but also how easily the boat can be sailed, are all lines drawn to the cockpit?

Now that we know how to choose sailing catamarans, let’s look at the smallest liveaboard catamarans on the market today, starting with the most compact one.

Smart Cat S280: The Smallest Liveaboard Catamaran

The Smart Cat S280 is the smallest catamaran on the market today. The Korean-made catamaran offers a mix of space, shallow sailing, and affordability.

At the 2020 Miami Boat Show, the starting price of the Smart Cat S280 was $149,900.

It runs on a 19.8 Yamaha HorsePower engine with a 50 Horse Power option. Depending on your location, you can drop down or lift the engine out of the water. It holds a 102-liter (26.94-gallon) fuel tank and a 135-liter (35.66-gallon) water tank. 

The open hard-top version is ideal for summer sailing and boat parties. The cat is also available in a closed “house” version, allowing more privacy and climate protection. 

The boat features three queen-sized berths, office space, and a kitchen area. It has two living configurations:

• Three cabins and one head
• Two cabins and two heads

Each cabin berth has a double-sized bed. The bathroom contains a sink, a head and handheld shower, and an electric toilet. The wide lounge area with two trampolines can accommodate at least four seating positions. It also contains a drop-down anchor with an electric windlass.

The interior is fitted with broad windows and drop-down blinds, cabinet lockers, tour-size hanging closets, and LED step lights to guide you when lights are dim. It also has an 18,000 BTU air conditioning system controlled from the inside. The ceiling has a vinyl finishing, an upgrade from the carpet fabric finishing in previous models.

The kitchen space comes with storage cabinets, a DC 12 V 50-liter (13.2-gallon) refrigerator, enclosed refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, electric stove burner, and a sink. It is wired with a Fusion audio system that includes two speakers.

The Smart Cat S280 supplies hot water to the kitchen and bathroom, thanks to an AC 120 V 6-gallon water heater. The head floor is wooden, while the cockpit has a patterned Seadek floor. 

The boat has a VHF radio, a Garmin sail pack navigation package, and a Garmin GPS Chart Plotter. It also includes wind speed and direction equipment, a depth sounder, and a compass. The rigging is performed with a steering wheel.

Specifications

The dimensions of the Smart Cat S280 are:

The Smart Cat S280 has made its mark as the ideal small-size cruise cat. However, there are other options on the market.

Other Small Sailing Catamarans

The Dean 365 is suitable for cruising coastal grounds. Made by Dean Catamarans in South Africa, it is 36 feet (10.97 meters) long with single or twin diesel engines. It can be configured to have four cabins and one showerhead or three cabins and two showerheads.

At $50,000, it features:

• A 3-foot draft (0.91 meters)
• A mast height of 46 feet (14.02 meters)
• A Fixed Keels underbody
• Weight of 6 tons (5,443.1 kg)
• Speed of 6 to 7 knots
• A beam of 17.7 feet (5.39 meters)

The Gemini 105 is one of the flagship boats of Gemini Catamarans. Initially manufactured in Maryland, the compact cat is now made in Florida. It’s 33 feet (10.05 meters) long with a layout of three cabins and one head.

Costing around $100,000, it contains:

• Mast height of 47 feet (14.32 meters)
• Maximum draft height of 5 feet (1.52 meters)
• One diesel engine
• Centerboards underbody
• A beam of 14 feet (4.26 meters)
• Speed of 8 knots
• Weight of 4.8 tons (4,800 kg)

At 36 feet (10.97 meters), the Mahe 36 has two inboard diesel engines with sail drives. It contains three cabins and one head, or two cabins and two heads. 

Commonly found in the Caribbean, it costs about $300,000 and comes with:

• A maximum draft height of 3.6 feet (1.09 meters)
• Mast height of 55 feet (16.76 meters)
• Fixed Keels underbody
• A beam of 19.4 feet (5.91 meters)
• A weight of 5.5 tons (4,989.52 kg)
• A speed of 7 to 11 knots

Endeavor 36

The Endeavor 36 is a three-cabin catamaran commonly found in the United States coastal areas. This catamaran was made for easy handling and comfort. It is powered by twin diesel engines and costs about $100,000. 

It is 36 feet (10.97 meters) long and features:

• A mast height of 47 feet (14.32 meters)
• A maximum draft of 2.75 feet (0.84 meters)
• An underbody of Fixed Keels
• A beam of 15 feet (4.57 meters)
• A speed of up to 8 knots

This catamaran is 37 feet (11.27 meters) long with an interior layout of four cabins. Running on twin diesel engines, it costs about $150,000. 

It also has:

• A maximum draft height of 3.35 feet (1.02 meters)
• A mast height of 55 feet (16.76 meters)
• A beam of 19.68 feet (5.99 meters)
• A fixed Keels underbody
• A weight of 4.5 tons (4,500 kg)
• A speed of up to 11 knots

Seawind 1000

The Seaweed 1000 is an Australian-made catamaran that is 37 feet (11.27 meters) long. It’s ideal for bluewater cruising with four cabins, one head, and a twin gas outboard engine. 

It costs over $150,000 and features:

• A maximum draft height of 3.2 feet (0.97 meters)
• A beam of 19.42 feet (5.92 meters)
• A weight of 4 tons (4,000 kg)
• A speed of 4.5 knots

PDQ 36 Capella

Designed by Alan Slater, the PDQ 36 Capella is a 36-foot (10.97 meter) long catamaran that costs around $100,000. Its engines can be single or twin gas outboard. It can also run on a twin diesel inboard engine. It contains two or three cabins and one or two heads. 

Some of its other features include:

• A maximum draft height of 2.8 feet (0.85 meters)
• A maximum mast height of 47 feet (14.32 meters)
• A beam of 18.25 feet (5.56 meters)
• A speed of 7 knots

Lagoon 37 TPI

The Lagoon 37 TPI is 37 feet (11.27 meter) long and costs over $100,000. It is a rare classic catamaran with three or four cabins and two heads. It uses two inboard diesel engines. 

• A maximum draft height of 4 feet (1.21 meters)
• A speed of 7 to 14 knots
• A beam of 20.17 feet (6.15 meters)
• A weight of 5.3 tons (5,300 kg)

This catamaran is 29.25 feet (8.92 meters) long, making it one of the smallest and most affordable on this list. With either a single gas outboard engine or twin inboard diesel engines, it’s an excellent catamaran for sailing the North Sea. 

It costs about $50,000, and features:

• A tabernacle mast
• A mast height of 54.5 feet (16.61 meters)
• A draft of 3.33 feet (1.02 meters)

Prout 37 Snowgoose

The Prout 37 Snowgoose is 37 feet (11.27 meters) long and came after the Prout 35. It’s a great choice for bluewater sailing with three cabins and one head. They cost about $100,000 and run on a single outdrive engine, although some rare models have twin inboard engines. 

They also contain:

• A maximum draft of 2.08 feet (0.63 meters)
• A mast height of 40 feet (12.19 meters)
• A weight of 5.5 tons (5,500 kg)
• A draft of 3 feet (0.91 meters)
• A beam of 6.25 feet (1.91 meters)

The Lagoon 380 is a bluewater catamaran that runs on twin diesel engines. Its price is $100,000, and it measures 37 feet (11.27 meters) in length. The boat launched in 1999 and is primarily found in Europe and the United States.

Some of its features include:

• Two or three cabins and two heads
• A mast height of 56.1 feet (17.09 meters)
• A maximum draft of 3.83 feet (1.17 meters)
• A beam of 21.42 feet (6.53 meters)
• A speed of up to 10 knots
• A weight of 7.1 tons (7,100 kg)

Prout Event 34

The Prout Event 34 looks just like the Snowgoose, although the latter is slightly bigger. It has two diesel engines that can support bluewater sailing. At 34 feet (10.36 meters), it costs nearly $30,000. 

The Prout Event 34’s interior includes three berths, one head, and office space. This catamaran is not commonly found worldwide, though a few can be located on European and American coastlines. 

It contains:

• Maximum draft height of 2.72 feet (0.82 meters)
• Mast height of 30.25 feet (9.22 meters)
• A beam of 15.7 feet (4.78 meters)
• A speed of 7 to 9 knots

Endeavor 30

The Endeavor 30 is 30 feet (9.14 meters) long with two cabins, a galley, a dining area, and two heads. Manufactured by Florida-based Endeavor Catamaran Corporation, the $80,000 catamaran has:

• Sails that reach 7.5 knots
• Mast height of 48 feet (14.63 meters)
• Maximum draft of 2.83 feet (0.86 meters)
• Headroom of 6.33 feet (1.93 meters)
• A beam of 14.5 feet (4.42 meters)
• A weight of 3.5 tons (3,500 kg)

Maine Cat 30

The Maine Cat 30 is a 30-foot (9.14 meters) long catamaran that costs over $100,000. It features a 26-gallon fuel tank and a 63-gallon (286.4 liter) freshwater tank. It has three double berths and one single berth.

The Maine Cat 30 contains:

• A weight of 3 tons (3,000 kg)
• 18-foot beam (5.48 meters)
• Maximum draft of 5 feet (1.52 meters)
• A speed of 5.5 to 6.5 knots
• A mast height of 48 feet (14.63 meters)

Key Takeaways

The smallest liveaboard catamaran, the Smart Cat S280, is 27.9 feet (8.5 meters) long. However, numerous other options are available if you are looking for a small liveaboard catamaran.

Each of these options comes with different interior designs, exterior features, and performance specifications, so look at all your options to pick the best one for you!

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

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10 Affordable Cruising Catamarans

• By Phil Berman
• Updated: July 9, 2020

So, you want to get a catamaran , sail off into the sunset, and capture some magic with your lover or family for a few years. You have no ambition to sail around the world or to live aboard forever, but think a one- or two-year sabbatical might be life-changing. You’d like to sail the US East Coast, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, perhaps the Med—or up and down the West Coast and on to Mexico and Central America. You have $300,000 or less to spend and want a catamaran you can sell at the end of the journey without consuming a bottle of Tylenol to blunt the pain. 

The good news is that this is quite achievable. The bad news is that there is a vast wave of baby boomers who are all looking for the same thing—and for right around the same price. This makes finding a good deal on a great used catamaran a lot of work, even working with a broker. But, it’s possible. You just need to keep an open mind.

The other good news, which might seem surprising, is that an older catamaran, besides being more affordable, might sail just as well—or even better—than the same-size new cat that will cost considerably more. Yes, the older model might have less room inside and lack the latest condo-on-the-water styling, but it was designed and built before the current trend to supersize the newer generations of multihulls at the expense of sailing performance.

Here’s my advice to the cat hunter on a budget: Don’t get too hung up on the length of the boat. Instead, focus on the spatial and payload requirements you seek and which can be achieved within your budget. And best not get too focused on must-have features—what I jokingly call “surround-sound beds.” Catamaran designs and interiors have gone through massive changes in the past 10 to 20 years, and most older designs simply cannot compete with the new ones in terms of space and high-end amenities.

None of the cool cats I have in mind are over 47 feet. This is not because there aren’t bargain boats out there that are 47 feet and longer, but because any larger multihull that you can buy for $300,000 or less will most assuredly need a significant refit or is either very old or very odd. Buying a fixer-upper is, to my mind, the most dangerous thing a budget-minded consumer can do. It’s just too easy to underestimate the cost of yacht refits and repairs due to the extremely high prices charged in most boatyards. 

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Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. What we were selling a Lagoon 440 for eight or 10 years ago is nearly the same as what they sell for today. The difference between a good deal and a bad deal is tied solely to a yacht’s condition and refit history. As they joke in private-equity circles, “Any idiot can buy; you deserve congratulations only when you sell.”   

So, when your search gets underway, focus on ­condition—it is far more important than the year, brand or features you might crave. And when you find the cat of your dreams, the best way to remove financial-downside risk is to get a great survey and to choose the newest, smallest cat that will work for your agenda, not the oldest and biggest.

And a word of caution: Your problem will be knowing a good deal from a bad one after the survey is over if you are not well-schooled in pricing. Besides steering you toward potential boats to consider, this is where a broker, working on your behalf, can provide knowledgeable advice. It’s been my experience that this is the point when so many yacht sales come apart: a dispute over the value of a given yacht when the survey results come in. All too commonly we see buyers reject yachts they should have accepted and purchase cats they should have rejected. Remember, a used yacht is a used yacht—not a perfect yacht. A catamaran need not be perfect to remain a perfectly good deal. Here, then, are 10 cool cats to ­consider in the ­$300,000-or-less range:

1. Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 (above)

Fountaine Pajot had the misfortune of tooling up this boat just before the global financial crisis, so not that many of them were built between 2007 and 2012. But these were the first of the larger-space charter cats in this size, but not yet so porky that they still could not sail decently. In the three-­cabin owner’s version, they designed the living space very nicely; even in the four-cabin version, the aft starboard bed was very well-done. 

During this period, Fountaine Pajot had problems with the resin it was using, which led to blistering on the hulls and undersides. Affected models therefore had new bottoms done at approved shipyards throughout the world. Make sure the one you are considering had this done or that it doesn’t show evidence of significant blistering. Honestly it is only cosmetic, but it will impact resale if not repaired. Many consumers think blisters are the end of the world; frankly, they are not.

2. Catana 431

Built in France by a long-­standing yard, the Catana 431 was always a very viable vessel because it is big enough to go anywhere, but not too large for a competent owner to handle. And because the 431 has good underwing clearance and daggerboards, it sails smartly to windward. 

That said, there are a few things to watch for. The primary bulkheads on many of these boats were not tabbed on the outer ends, and over time tended to distort. Often this led, or will lead, to a costly replacement of some bulkheads. So be careful to survey these areas properly. 

The 431′s furniture is all foam-cored and handmade, but the banding on the outer edges in some cases slowly starts to peel, which allows moisture to infect the wood veneer. This can create a somewhat unsightly appearance in the cabinets and drawers. It is only a cosmetic issue, but it can make the interior feel a bit worn out. 

During the period when the 431 was being built, Catana used a distributive electrical card system, and the boats had several modules, each a zone, to which electricity was run. If one thing in a zone stops working, the only solution is to jury-rig a wire from that nonworking item back to the main breaker panel. Replacing the modules or getting them repaired can be done, but it is getting harder by the year. For this reason, the best 431 is a boat that someone else had rewired at some point along the way.

3. Lagoon 470

If you need a larger escape pod, the Lagoon 470 is one of our favorites. This model of older Lagoons was built at CNB’s yard in Bordeaux, France, and the build quality was high. The 470 was the first design to have the more-vertical windows that are a Lagoon signature, and ample saloon headroom. The 470s are also old enough that the hulls were not so supersize that it compromised sailing performance. They have decent underwing clearance, so they are not persistent pounders to windward. Many were built with a galley-down layout, some in galley-up style. You will always pay more for an owner version of this or any model. 

The big thing you have to concern yourself with on Lagoons of this vintage is that the hulls and decks are made with a balsa core, so it is not uncommon to find moisture problems, especially around deck fittings or hatches. This can sometimes require rebedding or recoring areas, and this sort of repair, in North America, can be a costly undertaking. Make sure you get good moisture-meter readings near all deck fittings and, of course, on the hulls. Hulls, however, tend less often to have moisture issues because there are few fittings through which water can enter the core. Were that to happen below the waterline, it is a real mess that must be repaired immediately and properly.

4. Privilège 435

Back when the Privilège 435 was built, Privilège catamarans were constructed by Alliaura Marine in France, and they were truly the Mercedes of the multihull world at that time. While not a performance cat by any means, the 435 was a super-solid yacht, built with great care and the finest components. The 435 is large enough to go anywhere but small enough to handle easily. 

The largest negative of this model—and many cats of this vintage—is that the saloon windows slope dramatically, so the interior gets very hot unless the windows are covered most of the time. When they legalize growing pot on catamarans, here’s the perfect greenhouse for it! Seriously, if you should buy a used 435, you really have to get strong sunblocking external UV covers, as well as interior blinds or shades to inhibit heat buildup. 

Some of the 435s were laid out with the galley down in one hull, and these days most people want a galley-up arrangement, where cooking and food preparation are done in the saloon. A three-cabin galley-up owner version will be far more sought after and cost more than a four-cabin galley-down version. 

5. Leopard 46

This was the first of the Morrelli & Melvin collaborations with South African builder Robertson and Caine and the charter companies owned at the time by TUI Marine to create a catamaran that could be sold both into charter under the Moorings brand and also privately as a Leopard, so effort was made to design a boat with good sailing performance. Gino Morrelli did a good job creating a lot of underwing clearance, the 46 has a powerful rig, and yet its interior still offers spacious sleeping areas and nice flow from the cockpit to the saloon. These can be bought as ex-Moorings charter boats for less than $300,000 but are more costly in the sought-after Leopard owner version.

Because these are balsa-­cored boats, you must inspect deck fittings carefully for moisture incursion. Some of the earlier ones also experienced structural problems on the aft bulkhead and over-door-frame areas between saloon and cockpit. Also, during this period, the windows in the main saloon had a tendency to leak and, when they did, required rebedding or replacement. This was a costly job, so check this out carefully during survey.

6. St. Francis 44/Knysna 440

If you wish to spend under $250,000, the older Saint Francis 44 and Knysna 440 are worth a look.

Back in 1990, Duncan Lethbridge started St. Francis Catamarans in South Africa with the St. Francis 43. The boat was meant to be a fast, strong bluewater voyager—and it was. The 43 was made with foam core, keeping the structure light, and it was very strongly built, with a powerful rig. The 43 loved to sail. And so too did the St. Francis 44, an updated version of the original. 

The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, having less than 6-foot-2-inch headroom in the hulls. Also, the engines were installed amidships, which made the boat noisy inside under power. It also made the amidships areas of the hulls too narrow to have centrally located heads and showers, which in turn meant the only layout available was a four-­cabin, four-head design. In the forward cabins, the heads and showers had to be far forward; in the aft cabins, the heads and showers were located far aft.

St. Francis sold the tooling for the 44 to Knysna Yachts in 2004, and Knysna raised the headroom in the saloon and moved the engines aft to each stern. The hulls remained fundamentally the same, but the design was improved nicely. 

The largest negative of both the Saint Francis 44 and the Knysna 440 is that they have very low underwing clearance. Things can get pretty noisy when pushing against ­washing-machine seas. 

But you cannot have it all and still pay less than $250,000 in a midsize cat; compromises must be made. And these boats do sail quite smartly compared with many in their size range.

7. Lagoon 440

This was the most popular catamaran ever made, and it started the catamaran flybridge craze, which helped to convert many powerboaters to sailors. 

What I like about the 440 is that it is an infinitely better sailer than some of its peers, and has decent underwing clearance, vertical windows, and nice cabins for sleeping and living. While the aft cockpit is rather small, the saloon is quite large.

Flybridges are a bit of a love-hate thing. There is no question that in a cat of this size, the windward performance suffers a bit due to the boom positioned so high off the water. When piloting, the skipper is separated from those on the bridgedeck. Part of the reason flybridges are so popular in charter is that most of the parties take place up there while sailing and at anchor. In private ownership, however, it is seldom that everyone is hanging out on the flybridge during a long passage. 

As always with Lagoons, these are balsa-cored boats, so a careful survey is in order. Pay attention also to bulkhead ­tabbing to make sure they have not separated from the hulls.

Because so many of the 440s were built to go into charter, there are a lot of four-cabin, four-head models for resale. These will sell for considerably less on the ­brokerage market than a ­coveted three-cabin, ­private-owner model.

8. Leopard 40

When you get into the 40-foot size range, a four-cabin layout can become pretty cramped and claustrophobic below, but the three-cabin owner version of the Leopard 40 is a very nice pocket cruiser. A Morrelli & Melvin design, the 40 has good underwing clearance and nicely shaped hulls. Not a large cat, per se, and less-suited for significant distance sailing than others because its payload is limited, the 40 is still well-suited for a couple and a child or two for near-coastal and ­island-hopping action.

9. Manta 42

If you are searching for a cat in the $200,000 range, the Manta 42s were well-built in Florida, and their electrical systems were very well-done compared with many other multihulls of that era. While many of the features on the boat are quite dated, these Mantas sail very well, and easily, and have been popular with coastal cruisers for two decades. 

The largest negative of the Mantas is that people taller than 6 feet will find the saloon headroom right on the edge, and the berths are not especially large. Also, forward visibility from the saloon windows is not particularly panoramic, so the interiors are a bit darker inside than current-­generation catamarans.

10. Lagoon 410

The Lagoon 410 was quite a popular cat in its prime, and for good reason. It offers lots of visibility thanks to its vertical windows, good headroom for a cat of its size, nice berths, and a workable, though smallish, galley-up design. The 410 has decent underwing clearance, can sail nicely over the waves, and its singlehanded operation is super easy. In the three-cabin owner’s configuration, it’s just a very cool little cat.

As always, a balsa-core boat must be surveyed carefully, especially on deck, for moisture incursion near fittings and hatches. It can be costly to repair rotted core and to rebed deck fittings. But find a dry one, and it should definitely be counted as a contender for a buyer with a limited budget. 

Phil Berman is the president of the Multihull Company and the founder of Balance Catamarans. He has managed the sale of more than 900 catamarans.

• More: catamaran , lagoon , leopard , multihulls , print june july 2020 , Sailboats
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The Only Caribbean Catamaran Scuba Diving Liveaboards

If you’re thinking about scuba diving the Caribbean, but you’d prefer a Caribbean catamaran liveaboard this article lists all these dive boats. The following four liveaboards are stable catamaran dive boats , in fact one is a trimaran too.

Caribbean catamaran scuba diving liveaboards:

• Aqua Cat Liveaboard: Bahamas motorboat catamaran.
• Cat Ppalu Liveaboard – Bahamas sailing catamaran.
• Cuan Law Trimaran: Virgin Islands dive Liveaboard.
• Phoenix Liveaboard – Bahamas sailing catamaran .

The best way to dive the Bahamas is by a scuba diving liveaboard . You can check the latest and best deals on Bahamas liveaboards using the following window:

The top advantage of a catamaran or trimaran over a monohulled dive boat is stability. This is ideal if you don’t have the best sea legs and suffer a bit from sea sickness.

Caribbean Catamaran Scuba Diving Liveaboard Table

1. Aqua Cat Liveaboard: Bahamas motorboat catamaran

The Aqua Cat is a 31 metres (102 feet) motorboat catamaran offering scuba diving liveaboard trips for up to 30 scuba divers in the Bahamas . This catamaran liveaboard has 11 en-suite cabins with air conditioning and has been customer rated 9.2 out of 10. This is an American customer review from one very happy scuba diver:

“ Exactly how a diveboat should be . We were blessed with perfect conditions with a wonderful crew and really nice dive sites who says the Bahamas has been fished out ,Abaco is truly amazing. gotta love the sharks. ” Recommended for: Great boat, great crew,great dives. Aqua Cat Liveaboard liveaboard review by Albert L from the United States

• With great food ranging from western style to local cuisine.
• Plus offering vegan and vegetarian options too.
• Onboard nitrox and sidemount diving supported.
• The added benefit of having kayaks onboard for extra fun between dives.

2. Cat Ppalu Liveaboard – Bahamas sailing catamaran

The Cat Ppalu catamaran is the perfect Caribbean diving liveaboard for groups of scuba divers, families and friends to explore the Bahamas. The Cat Ppalu is 20 metres (66 feet) in length and designed for up to 12 guests across six cabins.

• All meals are included with western and local food options.
• Vegan and vegetarian options offered.
• Stand up paddle boards and kayaks on offer for extra fun in between dives. Great for families travelling with kids .
• You can even try your hand at fishing and catch the evening meal!

3. Cuan Law Trimaran: Virgin Islands dive Liveaboard

The Cuan Law is a Trimaran Caribbean liveaboard offering exceptional service for up to 20 scuba divers wanting to explore the Virgin Islands. So far rated 10 out of 10 with the following customer review:

“ Worth Every Penny . Hangin on the deck, chatting with the other guests. We had a lovely group .” Recommended for: 1. Crew: Outstanding. Personable, informative, attentive and genuine. 2. Food: Ridiculously amazing. Diverse, nuanced tastes, beautifully plated. 3. Dives: While the visibility was iffy, I did see more new creatures than I have on other dives. Credit the Dive Masters. Cuan Law Trimaran Liveaboard review by Helen W from the United States

• Kayaks on offer for extra fun in between dives.
• Free internet is also available .

4. Phoenix Liveaboard – Bahamas sailing catamaran

The Phoenix catamaran liveaboard is a sailing catamaran for up to 30 divers wanting to explore the Bahamas. With space for up to eight guests across four cabins with aircon and private bathrooms.

“ Incredible experience . There was a good mix of dive sites (reefs, sharks , wrecks), with flexibility to see different ones, depending on weather conditions. The crew was very good at their job. The dive masters were clearly well trained, and knew the dive sites and local sea life in-and-out. The captain is also an excellent cook. We never had the same dish twice, and the food was all creative, and just what you need after a day of multiple dives. The crew were quite friendly, and made us feel at home during the whole trip. The catamaran is a great boat to dive from. It is spacious, provides a stable platform, and offers easy entry and exit from the water .” Recommended for: Very skilled and knowledgeable crew, world class dive sites, comfortable boat. Phoenix Caribbean Catamaran Liveaboard customer review by Andrew D from the United States

• Try your hand at fishing in between dives to catch your diner.
• Paid for internet is offered.

Recommendations for Caribbean catamaran scuba diving liveaboards

If you want a good all round catamaran diving liveaboard to explore the Caribbean, the Aqua Cat motorboat catamaran is a great option with great customer reviews. The Aqua Cat Caribbean catamaran is the only one with nitrox onboard , so if this is important to you this is the dive boat for you. She also scored very highly in my article about luxury Caribbean liveaboards , which you might like to read. You’ll also find a handy table of the best luxury liveaboards in the Caribbean in this article, where the Aqua Cat was joint first in the list.

However, if you are looking for the best Caribbean sailing catamaran liveaboard , the Cuan Law rates very highly on the luxury scale and also featured on the above article. Offering great food, rated highly and with free internet.

Table of Caribbean liveaboards

This list of  Caribbean liveaboards is in descending customer rating order, followed by  Scuba Diving Luxury Rating  (SDE Lux Rating, see below) , so the liveaboards with the highest customer rating and the best  SDE lux rating  will be at the top of the list. If you want to change the list order, use the “ Sort by ” dropdown below.

Please select a column to search in.

Please type in something to search for.

The Scuba Diving Earth Luxury Rating (SDE Lux Rating) is explained on each liveaboard review when you click the “Discover Liveaboard” link, and is my own Liveaboard Luxury Rating I’ve assigned to  all liveaboards . Choosing between liveaboards is helped by customer scores, and if you get stuck choosing between two or three liveaboards, where each one has a high customer score out of 10, you can use the SDE Luxury Rating to help narrow down your choice.

Think about it like using Booking.com when searching for the best hotel. Booking.com also use a customer score where each customer rates hotels out of 10. This is similar to the liveaboard customer rating, which is also rated out of 10. But let’s say you only like to stay in hotels rated 8 and above on Booking.com, but you also want the hotel to have WIFI or parking, or to have a swimming pool etc. The features each hotel has is usually secondary to the score out of 10.

I hope you enjoyed this article about Caribbean catamaran scuba diving liveaboards

I’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your adventures of diving and snorkeling, in the comments below. Please also share your photos. Either from your underwater cameras or videos from your waterproof go-pro’s!

If this article hasn’t answered all of your questions. If you have more questions either about snorkeling or  scuba diving  ( or specifically about drysuit valve open or closed ), please comment below with your questions.

There will also be many more articles about scuba and  scuba diving safety tips  (and on snorkeling too) for you to read and learn about this fabulous sport.

Have fun and be safe!

Related Posts:

Russell Bowyer

Article written by Russell Bowyer who has been a scuba diver since diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1989. After his first dive he trained as a BSAC diver in the UK. He attained his Diver Leader certification with BSAC. He then went on to become a scuba diving instructor, teaching others how to dive and was voted as Diving Officer and Treasurer for the Saffron Walden BSAC club too. Russell has dived all over the world, including the UK, on liveaboards in the Red Sea , the Caribbean, South Africa and the USA. Russell is experienced in all dive types, including drift diving, deep dives that involved decompression stops and recreational dives too.

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Live Aboard Cruising Courses — OSS 103/104/114

Learn on a monohull cruising yacht or catamaran, monohull or catamaran.

If you do not have any sailing experience on large cruising yachts,  we recommend you gain your Bareboat Cruising Certification on one of our classy and fast 43′-47′ Jeanneau monohulls.  In the OSS 103/104 Monohull Live Aboard Course at our Florida campuses you quickly learn how to control and capture the wind on all points of sail, feeling the excitement of steering a large cruising yacht on all points of sail, far better than on a catamaran.

The Ultimate Learn to Cruise Experience

Catamarans are the choice of many new cruising sailors because they have more room, and will not heel (lean over).  If you opt for the Catamaran Live Aboard Cruising experience, OSS 114 is added to your certifications for handling a twin-hulled cruising boat with two engines under sail and power.  Learn more about some of the yachts in the Offshore Sailing School fleet .  The choice is yours, of course. We teach a maximum of four students per week, so don’t wait to sign up to reserve a spot on one of our cruising sailboats!

How the Live Aboard Course Works

During the six-day live aboard sailing lessons program, you gain incredible confidence, knowledge and skills that qualify you for chartering and sailing big cruising boats without a hired captain or mate. You learn the mechanics of running a big yacht under sail and power; how to maneuver, dock, anchor and pick up moorings in crowded marinas and harbors. You learn how to act quickly in heavy weather and reduce sail area for comfortable sailing in big seas.  Among the many drills and techniques you experience, is the fun of cooking and dining aboard – preparing meals and cleaning up with your crewmates, just like you would if you were bareboat chartering (skippering the boat without hired crew). Offshore provisions your yacht with breakfast and lunch items, as well as food for most dinners aboard. You and your crewmates do the meal preps as learning to cook aboard is part of the Live Aboard Cruising course experience.

Bring the Family or a Friend and Stay a Day or Two Longer

All Live Aboard Cruising Courses are based at great vacation and sailing destinations . If you would like to relax ashore a day or two before the course starts or after it ends, we can happily make those arrangements for you. We also offer packages for live aboard family sailing! Get in touch to learn more about our monohull yacht and catamaran sailing lessons.

“The Live Aboard Cruising Course gave us exactly what we needed – big boat training and experience. We are pumped and plan to get into cruising within a year. The instruction was outstanding!” O. Thomas Mueller – St. Petersburg, FL Read more testimonials here

This has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my  LIFE! My dream to sail only started about 6 months ago and as a goal orientated person (US Air Force for 26 years) I knew there would be no better way to move forward than to take a sailing course. Sure it was challenging, it was tough, but it was a lot of fun. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to sail, or to anyone wanting to check off a bucket list item. Both of our instructors were excellent. They had incredible knowledge, patience and solid teaching techniques. Both boats were in impeccable condition. I had a lot riding on this course as if my wife didn’t like it, my dream to live aboard someday would have been crushed. Thank you, thank you! Aaron Maynard – Myrtle Beach, SC Fast Track to Cruising Course – July 2018 Read more testimonials here

A Cruising Course for Sailors Who Want to Own or Charter Cruising Yachts

The Live Aboard Cruising course assumes you already have US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification and are ready to learn the techniques and skills for handling larger sailboats and bareboat cruising (chartering without a hired skipper). If you do not have US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification but do have equivalent experience on sailboats of at least 26 feet with skippering and crewing experience. you must take the US Sailing Basic Keelboat test (additional fee to added to your package when you sign up) prior to taking the US Sailing Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising tests during the course.

I have taken all US Sailing courses with Offshore Sailing School. Just finished the Catamaran Live Aboard Cruising Course (that’s me in the yellow shirt on the right).  It’s been an awesome adventure and experience. Instructors are awesome!! Lots of knowledge and experience where you can’t find anywhere in books. Our instructor had so much knowledge  I thought I was a brand new student, talking to Jedi Master YODA!! Sam Hahn – New York, NY

Maximum Four Cabins Available Per Week

Because of the popularity of our live aboard sailing courses, and because we teach a maximum of four per week per cruising boat availability, please have several dates in mind when you contact us to book this cruising course. If you are interested in “Buy the Boat” live aboard family sailing packages, you can add up to 2 more family members. See the Course Schedules tab below for more details.

“My husband and I have traveled the world and this was by far one of our best adventures. An amazing vacation that ended with an acquired skill that will last us our lifetime. I am a teacher. My husband and I run our own Test Prep School and thought I knew everything. My teacher at Offshore taught me the importance of patience and independence. He guided but never coddled. The outcome: I learned more than I could ever have imagined. I am a new person!” Ariana (and Khalid) Khashoggi – Highland Park, NJ Read more testimonials here 

“I did this course with my 16 year old son. Now he has a gift he can use and enjoy for the rest of his life. And I have both a gift and a memory that will remain forever.” Russ McCallian – Aurora, CO Read more testimonials here 

Exclusive Sailing School for The Moorings

Offshore Sailing School has been the exclusive sailing school for  The Moorings , the most prominent charter company in the world since 1988. Offshore Sailing School cruising course graduates are “Captains” in The Moorings preferred charter program and enjoy discounts up to 15% when booking a charter. If you take this course in the British Virgin Islands with family or friends, why not continue your cruising adventure with a bareboat charter vacation right after you graduate?

“Offshore made it easy to learn! From easing us through the many tactical details related to arrival and expectations with extensive email communications, to the excellent books to the truly remarkable instructor who made learning a joy – the result was one of the best weeks ever. Great memories, excellent skills development. What more could one ask for?” Mark Waltz – Muskego, WI Read more testimonials here

International Proficiency Certificate (IPC) for Chartering Overseas

If you plan to charter in Europe or other areas overseas, you may be required to show your certification credentials and an IPC, International Proficiency Certificate. US Sailing, the governing body of sailing in the United States, will issue this certificate for a nominal fee for U.S. citizens who have achieved US Sailing Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, and  Bareboat Cruising Certifications. For more information, click here .

A Note About Night Sailing

Most charter agencies do not allow night sailing and require that you are anchored, docked or on a mooring before sunset. Night sailing is not covered in this course, but is covered in  Passage Making courses , the next step in your learning process.

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• Testimonials

A Live Aboard Cruising Course or Stay Ashore Bareboat Charter Cruising Course – whether on a monohull or catamaran – prepares you for charter cruising on your own, without professional captain and crew aboard (called Bareboat Cruising by charter companies). Depending on weather conditions and the learning pace of all in your class (maximum four per boat per instructor unless you opt for a Private Family Course), the following will be learned and practiced.

• Planning a cruise
• Familiarization with boat layout and sail plan
• Operation of engine, generator if available, stove, toilets
• Routine engine maintenance
• Fueling techniques
• Use and conservation of battery and charging systems
• Water use and conservation
• Use and location of thru-hull fittings
• Maneuvering under power and sail with emphasis on windage considerations and close quarters
• Big boat docking, mooring, and anchoring techniques
• Proper and safe handling of halyards and lines
• Proper and safe use of winches
• Apparent wind, wind instruments, sail trim and set
• Inter-crew communication when trimming sails, docking, mooring, anchoring
• Genoa roller furling use
• Overboard recovery procedures
• Big boat heavy weather and reefing techniques
• Sailing wing and wing on bigger boats
• Use of jennaker if available
• Boom preventer use
• More knots and their applications
• Log procedures
• Piloting techniques including set, drift and leeway calculations
• GPS navigation
• Rules of the Road
• Danger bearings
• Coast Guard requirements
• Courtesy using lights and sound signals
• Use of safety harness
• Emergency tiller use
• Distress signals
• Operating a dinghy

If you are learning on a catamaran, your training also includes:

• Multiple scenarios related to wind direction and current while docking, mooring, and anchoring
• Close quarters maneuvering on a catamaran versus a monohull
• Windage considerations
• Spring lines and other dock lines configurations for catamarans
• Reefing by wind strength

Pre-requisite for Live Aboard Cruising Courses : US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification

Certifications : US Sailing Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising certifications are tested for and included in the cost of this course. You receive a logbook from your instructor at the end of the course and US Sailing certification stickers for your logbook, are sent to you after verifying successful completing of the written tests.

Package rates vary by season and location, and include all the elements listed below. Not included are meals ashore, travel and other expenses you may incur. Please call 888-454-7015 for a quote.

At all locations, your Live Aboard Cruising Course includes :

• Live Aboard Cruising Course tuition
• US Sailing textbooks
• Six days living aboard in a shared or private cabin
• One or more nights accommodation ashore (including resort fee and taxes on both)*
• All breakfasts, lunches, snacks and three dinners aboard
• 24-hour practice test mini-cruise at course end, with or without instructor aboard
• US Sailing Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising Certifications when tests are passed
• Colgate Logbook (or page for logbook if you have our logbook from a previous course)
• US Sailing Course Certification stickers for your logbook
• Course diploma
• Eligibility to participate in Colgate Sailing Adventures® Flotilla Cruises
• Exclusive subscription benefit from Cruising World or Sailing World magazines
• Discount charter benefits from The Moorings
• *Accommodations are NOT included in Key West. Students must make their own arrangements

If you plan to charter in Europe or other areas overseas, you may be required to show your certification certificates and an International Proficiency Certificate. US Sailing, the governing body of sailing in the United States, will issue this certificate for a nominal fee for U.S. citizens who have achieved US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Certification. For more details, view the  IPC page  on US Sailing’s website or go to  https://www.ussailing.org  and search IPC.

Sample course schedules are sent upon enrollment with other confirmation materials and information.

• ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, Captiva Island, FL
• Hampton Inn & Suites, St. Petersburg, FL
• Key West, FL
• Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, Scrub Island, British Virgin Islands

Offshore Sailing School knows we cannot thrive without great employees and products. All graduates are asked to fill out an evaluation at the end of the course. The following testimonials come from those evaluations and individual correspondence with recent graduates of the Living Aboard Cruising Course. Many are happy to correspond by email or phone with you. If you would like us to put you in touch with anyone below, please call 888-454-7015 or email [email protected].

Here’s what our Live Aboard Cruising graduates have to say :

This was my first experience with a catamaran and I am impressed with how much we all were able to learn on a compressed time schedule. I am very pleased to feel confident about handling a cruise in a 14 ton cat!

Laurent Mets – Chicago, IL

My experience was worth every penny. Jim was everything I would want from a sailing instructor and leader. I have done a fair amount of outdoor schooling and he ranks very high in my book. I would recommend the course without hesitation.

Christopher Moore – St. Petersburg, FL

Neil has been the most terrific instructor I have met in my sailing experience. (I was a sailing instructor for small boats as well and I can definitively judge this aspect.) The course was incredibly fun and well-structured. His level of knowledge is incredible and he was able to share his experiences and taught us the practical skills. Everything about my live aboard cruising course exceeded my expectations. Great sailing, the navigation and itinerary between islands were very well prepared, outstanding course content and sailing practice.

Vincent Schmitt – Hillsborough, NJ

My wife and I really enjoyed our Offshore Sailing experience. It did, indeed, exceed our expectations. The BVI is a beautiful place to learn. Our two fellow onboard students were pleasant to be with. Importantly, Amanda, our instructor, made learning fun. She was delightful, an excellent instructor, and we learned a lot from her.

Michael Leonhardt – Chicago, IL

Neil was amazing – knowledgeable, great teacher, we had a blast. Over all experience: Terrific course – I’m now ready to take a boat out on my own!

Brad Richards – Philadelphia, PA

We have taken Offshore courses and sailed the BVIs with 6 captains. Our entire family, kids included, said that Dutch (Neil) was the best captain, instructor and companion ever! We learned a lot and had a terrific experience.

James and Blanche Williams – New York, NY

The course exceeded my expectations. I have some experience as sailing crew and was nervous that I would slow the class down. I learned a lot and am now more confident. I would recommend this course enthusiastically.

Ann Hobbs – East Setauket, NY

We had an amazing six days on our live aboard! Would highly recommend this course! We learned so much and had fun at the same time. Simply amazing.

Lissa Uhlenhop – Las Vegas, NV

Amazing experience! Garren was excellent. He put my wife at ease as it was her first time on a live aboard. His technical knowledge and practical application of it is fantastic. A great week was had by all!

Eric Uhlenhop – Las Vegas, NV

Our family did the Live Aboard for our 13 year old son’s spring break. We wanted to learn how to sail the bigger boats so that we could cruise as a family. The live-aboard course allowed us to really learn and understand what it is like to bareboat. A 50 ft. sailboat is daunting but now we know we can handle it. We look forward to cruising in the BVI as a family.

Cathy, David and Will Madairy – Charlotte, NC

Jim was great. The weather was rough the first couple of days (20-25 knots gusting to 35) and he helped us make the best of it. If you can dock in that weather, you can do it in lots of situations. The rest of the week went very well. Hard work but worth it. My wife and I learned a lot. The feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment after taking the boat out and back on the last day was the perfect end to the week.

George Matook – Farmingham, MA

When I began I never handled a boat (sail or power) and by the end of the week I was sailing and maneuvering a 40’ boat out of a dock. Great learning experience! I could never imagine how much I would learn in such a short period of time.

Jennifer Eubanks – Marietta, CT

We were amazed at the end of the week by how much we had learned. Excellent experience. Looking forward to taking another class.

Dave Shanklin – Indianapolis, IN

Outstanding instruction, quality sailboat, and great winds in the BVI. We learned a great deal and had loads of fun!

Dan Riordan – McLean, VA

Our instructor was fantastic! Lots of knowledge, experience and patience! He definitely made the catamaran sailing course really fun and interesting. I highly recommend anyone interested in sailing to learn in the British Virgin Islands at Offshore Sailing School. Fantastic time!

Kent Killion – Prospect, NY

Just came back from the British Virgin Islands on our maiden voyage after taking the Fast Track to Catamaran Cruising course!! Took two of our 3 boys and one of the girlfriends. Very proud of our accomplishment. Thanks for all the great training!!

Dan Barzel – Cordova – TN

A terrific experience. I look forward to opportunities to continue sailing both through the Offshore Sailing Club and other activities, flotillas or future classes.

Kevin O’Neill – Hawthorne, NJ

Offshore is a great school to take you from no sailing experience to a competent live-aboard sailor in a week!

Markus Beissinger – Randolph, NJ

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THE BEST STARTING POINT

For future captains, what is a live aboard course.

A live aboard sailing course is the ultimate way to learn to sail! For a week you will eat, live, learn and play aboard a modern sailing yacht under the careful watch of a highly rated instructor.

Each day you will set sail exploring numerous islands, putting your new found learning and skills to the test. This is an opportunity to get a taste of what the cruising lifestyle is all about!

Live Aboard courses are an intense, immersive experience that get you on the FAST TRACK to your sailing dreams.

YOU DESERVE THE BEST...

• Award winning instructors are flown in for your course
• The newest sailboats in production
• Never more than 4 students aboard
• 4000+ Students successfully sailing the oceans of the world
• 5 star ratings on Trip Advisor

THE NAUTILUS DIFFERENCE

Catamaran sailing courses.

Catamarans have exploded in popularity in the last 5 years! They are faster on most points of sail, more spacious and comfortable, allow access to shallower water and typically have more amenities onboard (think air conditioning, water maker, and multiple fridges).

Our catamaran courses are our most popular live aboard course! Earn your American Sailing 101, 103, 104 and 114 certifications in one of our stunning destinations.

Not sure whether to do a catamaran or a monohull course? If in doubt, do a catamaran course as you can always charter monohulls with these certs.

MONOHULL SAILING COURSES

Monohulls are a blast to sail! For those who love the feel of heeling and the purity of sailing, these courses are a great option.

If you know you will be buying a monohull or only sailing monohulls, then you should definitely learn to sail on a monohull.

We conduct monohull courses on beautiful new monohulls in the 46-52 foot range, to help you earn your ASA 101, 103 and 104 certifications.

We offer our monohull courses in Mexico, Grenada, Mallorca and Croatia.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PERFECT TRAINING EXPERIENCE

1. THE DESTINATION

Choose your destination from one of our six favored locations, or ask us to create the perfect custom trip for you.

2. THE DATES

Tell us your preferred timing and we will find available boats, an instructor and make sure it’s the perfect location for that time of year.

3. THE CAPTAIN

We have a number of extremely experienced and gifted instructors, all hand-picked. We will make sure you know who will be taking you on this special journey.

4. THE ASA CERTS

You choose which certs to earn. ASA 101, 103, 104 and 114. This will be an incredible learning vacation!

START YOUR SAILING JOURNEY NOW

The american sailing association, what is the asa.

The American Sailing Association (ASA) is one of the largest and most respected sailing certification entities in the world, with over 500,000 certifications issued. It doesn’t matter what country you are from (you don’t have to be American!) to earn these internationally recognized certifications…

Where are these certifications recognized?

The ASA certifications are recognized worldwide by every major charter company including Dream Yacht, Moorings, Sunsail, Navigare and others…

Why do I need formal certifications?

If you are planning on chartering internationally you need to be able to show that you have met recognized standards that prove you know how to sail and operate a yacht. For future boat owners, having formal sailing certifications is becoming a requirement to obtain insurance on your personal vessel.

ASA 114 - CRUISING CATAMARAN CERTIFICATION

Prerequisites: ASA 101, ASA 103, ASA 104

Able to skipper an auxiliary-powered sailing cruising catamaran of approximately 30 to 45 feet in length during a multi-day liveaboard cruise upon inland or coastal waters in moderate to heavy winds (up to 30 knots) and sea conditions. Knowledge of catamaran structure, components and features, performance under sail and power, boat systems, seamanship and safety, heavy weather operation, and emergency response.

ASA 104 - BAREBOAT CRUISING

Prerequisites: ASA 101, ASA 103

Learn how to sail a sloop-rigged, auxiliary powered 30′-45′ sailboat during a multi-day cruise upon inland/coastal waters in moderate/heavy winds and sea conditions. Learn about provisioning, boat systems, auxiliary engines, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation, anchoring / mooring, docking, emergency operations, weather, and more.

ASA 103 - BASIC COASTAL CRUISING

Prerequisites: ASA 103

Learn to skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered 25′-35′ keelboat by day in moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn cruising sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather, safety and seamanship.

ASA 101 - BASIC KEELBOAT SAILING

Prerequisites: None

Learn to skipper a 20′ – 27′ sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn basic sailing terminology, parts and functions, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail, buoyage, seamanship and safety including basic navigation rules to avoid collisions and hazards.

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The only way to join our tribe is to learn to sail with Nautilus.

We’re really careful to make sure that we know and trust anyone coming on one of our special trips.

Join us on flotillas, offshore deliveries, free webinars and unforgettable sailing adventures around the world. Join the Tribe.

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15 Things That Change When You Live on a Catamaran

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So, the dream of living on a catamaran is starting to look like a reality. You hit the internet to read as much as you can about life aboard.

I get it. For one, I was going to be ready for this big adventure and all the challenges that come with it. There was no way I was going to be caught unprepared. (Yeah… right.)

Preparing for the Live Aboard Lifestyle

When we moved on our sailboat, I quickly learned you have to experience this lifestyle to understand the challenges.

It’s been almost two years of living full-time on our catamaran. So, I decided to look at the day-to-day things that are different from our habits in land-based life.

Many things we didn’t think twice about have a massive impact on our lives on the boat. Things like water conservation, provisioning, cooking, cleaning, and adjusting to a small space all take time and energy.

Here are some of the big changes to everyday habits that we discovered living on a sailing catamaran.

1. Laundry on a Boat

A few years back, I was one of those people who threw most things in the hamper after one wear. It was just easy.

Unless you have the convenience of a washing machine onboard, it’s not so simple to run a load of laundry.

It costs money, and it can take a lot of time to haul your clothes around. Alternatively, handwashing is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and hard on your water usage.

To minimize laundry, you have to think about what you wear and how you wear it.

Summer Washing

In the summer, you can get sweaty just sitting on the boat.

I learned to wear quick-dry items like leggings, swimsuits, and UPF tops I could easily handwash with a small amount of water. If you can stretch the life of your outer clothing, you can clean undergarments and swimsuits in a small collapsible tub.

Winter Washing

Re-wearing clothes in the cooler months is much more comfortable than in the summer months. If it’s not dirty, I don’t wash it. If clothes smell or I’ve been doing boat work, I move them to the dirty pile. Just paying attention to these details reduces laundry. And the less you wash your clothes, the longer they’ll last.

2. Cooking Aboard

There are a few aspects of living on a boat that heavily influence your cooking.

Space. Access to ingredients. Water conservation. Ventilation.

If you only have a small area to prep, you learn quickly to do it in stages. Prepping vegetables, putting ingredients away as you work, and washing dishes as you go is also essential.

Access to Ingredients

Before boat life, recipes were iron-clad when I was cooking. But without the convenience of running to the store, they’ve become more of a guideline. You learn how to adjust recipes based on what you have on hand. You get comfortable substituting vegetables, different spices, and acidity for flavor.

Water Conservation

When off the dock, fresh water is at a premium. How much water you carry (or make) will dictate how you cook.

We do a few things to conserve water in the kitchen . Wash dishes in saltwater first. Use an Aquabot for pressurized cleaning. Cook pasta with a small amount of water. I’ve also embraced one-pot meals to save water on cleanup.

Ventilation

Our catamaran is “galley up,” so it’s easy to open the cockpit window above the stove to release heat and steam. But that’s not always enough.

We use the thermal cooker in the summer to avoid heating up the boat. You can make beans, rice, broth – even casseroles or banana bread without expelling heat in the boat.

READ NEXT: For more tips and ideas for cooking on a boat, check out our lists of easy and versatile meals on a boat and sailboat galley essentials .

3.  water usage.

When off the dock, water is a high commodity on a boat.

Even with two 80-gallon tanks, water can go fast if you aren’t paying attention.

You can minimize water through small changes to your habits, including:

• cooking pasta with a few cups of water
• swapping soap for hand sanitizer
• rinsing dishes on the sugar scoop
• we even recycle the cat’s stale water in the herb garden

Me, I love hot showers. Just steaming for like 30 minutes, that’s my kind of heaven. So learning to shower with less than a couple of gallons of water was a big hurdle.

Conserving water can be a challenge, but you’ll be surprised what you can save when you use it thoughtfully.

We had days in the winter when we used less than 5 gallons. It just takes a little practice, as with most things on a boat.

READ NEXT: For more tips on conserving water, check out our guide to saving water on a boat .

4. sustainable practices.

When you live in a small space, you realize how many disposable items you are harboring.

When we first moved on the boat, the paper towel storage alone took up half a cabin.

Not only are you losing storage, but those disposable items are just that, future trash for you to deal with.

Ditching paper towels, plastic bags, and other single-use items saves space and money. As a bonus, you get to feel optimistic about creating less trash.

Here are a few sustainable options we switched to:

• Reusable “Unpaper” towels
• Cotton napkins
• E-Cloths, microfiber towels
• Beeswax wraps
• Foldable reusable bags
• Glass straws
• A quality set of plastic containers in various sizes

READ NEXT: Zero Waste Swaps for Small Spaces for more eco-friendly options.

5. fridge space.

The residential fridge. Something I took for granted as a landlubber. A fridge door full of condiments, anyone?

Managing food in a tiny fridge requires strategy and a little education.

Learning what you NEED to keep in the fridge is helpful. Sure, it’s nice to have cold ketchup, but necessary? No.

Sriracha, soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard – out you go.

We also switched to almond milk and tofu brands that only need refrigeration after opening. This way, we can still stock up without loss of fridge space.

The Right Storage

Once the condiment bottles are out, having the right storage makes all the difference.

Containers need to be the right size to fit inside shelves on the door and inside the fridge. You want various sizes, so you don’t need to use a huge container if you have a smidgen of something.

Prepping Vegetables

You can save more space by chopping fresh veggies when you get back from the store. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and hardy greens can all be prepped ahead. I store any scraps in the freezer for homemade vegetable broth .

6. Provisioning

Keeping track of your grocery store when you live on a boat is crucial. You probably won’t be able to run back to the store because you forgot the butter.

Stocking Up

One of the nice benefits of living on a catamaran is the space.

We tend to stock up on these when we can.

• Beans (dried and canned)
• Grains, pasta, oats
• Canned and dehydrated vegetables
• Baking goods and almond milk
• Oils, vinegars, spices, nuts, seeds
• Wine and beer

Most of the time, we are hand-carrying our groceries. So when we have the opportunity to have a car, we load up on heavy items.

When we plan to be at a marina, we have a list ready for Amazon and Walmart.com to have shipped.

READ NEXT: Get a detailed overview of stocking your boat in our Practical Guide to Sailboat Provisioning .

Supplementing fresh food.

We keep a variety of veggies on hand: dehydrated, canned, a little frozen, and fresh. When cooking, I use a little bit of everything to stretch fresh foods.

We have a nice space in the cockpit where we keep potted fresh herbs. They can really step up a dish!

As a bonus, they add to the coziness of the cockpit living space.

7.  Downsizing Your Closet

Before I started to plan for boat life, I had a giant wardrobe. I love clothes. And I had been collecting them most of my life.

Believe me, when I tell you cutting my wardrobe down to less than 100 items was a long, emotional process.

A Minimalist Wardrobe

The less you have, the less you need to care for.

Aim for a wardrobe of pieces you love that work for living on the water. It’ll be easy to get dressed, and you’ll be happy in your clothes. And if you are managing your laundry (see #1), you won’t need many clothes.

The owners’ version of our catamaran has great storage. I can easily see all the clothing in my wardrobe. I only need to store a few off-season items under our berth.

READ NEXT: For what type of clothing to have on your sailboat, see What to Wear Sailing . Or see How to Downsize Your Wardrobe for more on getting rid of clothing.

8. temperature control.

Spoiler: you don’t have much control of temperature at anchor. And what power you have isn’t as easy as turning the dial on the thermostat.

On a catamaran, you can pretty much open up the doors and hatches on the bridgedeck and get a cross-breeze on a hot day.

I was surprised that Georgia in August (as miserable as it was during the day) was never unbearable at night. We used Breeze Boosters over our cabin, and it worked wonders moving the air around at anchor.

Cold Nights

When it’s cold on a catamaran, you know it. There’s no insulation, and the boat cools down quickly. Below 40 at night is chilly.

Fortunately, if the sun is shining, it can heat the bridgedeck nicely in the morning.

Down blankets, the right clothing, and foul-weather gear will keep you from becoming an icicle.

9. Storing Things

On a boat, you can’t just throw your things in a locker and forget them. Nope.

You’ll need to plan when storing clothing, personal items, and food.

Mold, leaks, and bugs are all things to be concerned with.

Essential oils, bay leaves, vinegar, and plastic bags will be vital to protecting your items.

You’ll also need to think about where you store things and how accessible they are. It becomes a bit of a puzzle to make sure you keep items you often use in an easy-to-access location.

READ NEXT: For storage tips, check out Helpful Boat Storage Ideas for Liveaboards .

10. slowing down.

A big part of living happily on a boat is moving at your own pace.

It is being in the mindset of appreciating what you are doing now and not continually looking to the next move.

When we first moved aboard, there was self-imposed pressure we should be moving faster – doing more.

When we finally slowed down and started to embrace the here and now, we enjoyed the boat so much more.

11. Your “House” Breaks (A Lot)

When things go wrong on a boat, they tend to go really wrong.

A pro and con of catamarans is there are a lot of duplicates. It’s great to have a backup, but it also means double the maintenance. Two hulls, two engines, two heads… you get the picture.

On the plus side, when our starboard engine broke, we were trying to maneuver through a bridge. We had to turn 260 degrees to turn toward the bridge, but one engine is better than none!

The hardest thing in these moments is keeping your head when everything is against you.

We try to slow down and take a breath if the situation allows. Once any immediate concern is taken care of, we take a breath before diving into solving the greater issue.

12. You Learn to Live Intentionally

Our decision to move on a sailboat was for the rewards of the lifestyle.

One of the most significant rewards is being intentional with space, time, and money.

Living on a boat offers freedom from your stuff. It allows you to live more simply.

On the boat, we get to spend more time with each other. We only have what we need because space is limited.

Don’t get me wrong. A boat requires time and money. But we are intentional about how we spend those when maintaining our floating home.

READ NEXT: Our article on the cost of living on a sailboat breaks down expenses by category.

13. appreciation for nature.

Living in the Colorado Rockies for over a decade, it was easy to love the outdoors. But living on the water creates a deeper connection.

You wake up to the water lapping on the boat. The sun dances off the waves, throwing reflections across the cabin.

Walking outside at anchor and seeing the birds hunting for breakfast is a morning routine. And a sea turtle drifting by for a visit is not uncommon. Even relying on the sun for power and the wind to travel is part of the lifestyle.

All these experiences bring you closer to nature and beg you to slow down, breathe, and take it in.

14. Personal Space

It doesn’t matter how much you love your significant other. If you live on a boat together, you will be looking for some “me time.”

When you sleep, eat, shop, travel, and take care of a boat as a team, that’s a lot of togetherness.

How We Find Space

It’s nice to create spaces for personal time in a small space like a boat.

A big plus of a catamaran is you can create a few separate spaces.

We have four main spaces where we spend time: the cockpit, the trampoline, the salon, and the owners’ berth. Ensuring these areas are comfortable and cozy helps us find our own spaces in a tiny floating home.

Sometimes, it’s not about physical space but mental space.

I like to have personal time while I’m cooking. It’s something I enjoy, and I can put on my headphones with a show or playlist and tune in while I cook.

Even a quick solo kayak adventure is rejuvenating if we are in a nice anchorage.

15. Minimalism

Embracing minimalism was a change we made going into boat life. But it’s not the typical view of minimalism that has become trendy these days.

Minimalist Lifestyle on a Boat

The typical “rules” of minimalism aren’t as clear-cut on a boat.

We have a lot of extras when it comes to spare parts and tools. Some parts can be hard to come by, and with two engines, you need double the spares. Not to mention, things never break when there’s a West Marine around the corner.

We also have a lot of non-perishable food and duplicate personal care items. It’s easier to stock up when we have the opportunity. This process keeps our routine shopping to mostly fresh items.

How We Live Minimally

On the flip slide, we don’t have a lot of extra stuff – extra clothes, additional personal items, disposable items.

We don’t have more typical things you would find in a house, such as a dishwasher, microwave, or washer/dryer. We are minimalists with water and power when we’re off the dock. 

We aren’t the typical minimalists, but we use space intentionally. And we continue to evaluate our needs based on this lifestyle.

READ NEXT: Check out our full guide on ways to downsize and live minimally .

Can you live on a catamaran.

After a year as liveaboards, many of your daily habits will change. We are still adjusting and finding the best ways to adapt to life on a sailing catamaran.

You lose many conveniences of the modern world, but it’s entirely possible to live without them. It comes down to deciding which comforts are important to you.

How you use space, time and money will shift. You’ll learn to be sustainable, thoughtful, and more self-sufficient.

Living on a boat is a unique experience. No matter how long you do it, it has the power to change the way you live in the future for the better.

Want to learn more about cruising on a boat?

For more on the reality of boat life, the cost of living aboard, and tips for life on the water, view our complete guide.

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Morgan, the founder of The Home That Roams, has been living nomadically for over five years. She began her journey traveling across the U.S. in a motorhome and cruising on a liveaboard sailing catamaran. Currently, she lives full-time in a travel trailer, sharing resources on RV living and boat life to help others downsize their lives and thrive in an alternative lifestyle.

11 Comments

That’s really great post. I appreciate, Thanks for sharing.

Glad you liked the post!

So glad I found this site, looking forward to exploring the rest of it! But here’s my first question, as someone who’s still in the "dreaming" stage: This article tells me that the most basic aspects of day-to-day living are a constant source of concern and effort. Yet there are yachts nicer than most five-star hotels. So what’s the price point (or size point, or whatever point) where your daily concerns don’t revolve around things like do we have enough water to cook dinner and how bad do my clothes really smell? Does frequent marina access solve these issues? Is there a way to live on a boat where it’s easy, or does that only happen in Jimmy Buffett’s songs?

Hi Frank and Lola, thanks for stopping by and asking some great questions! Generally, the number of conveniences onboard a boat directly correlates with the time and dollars needed to have those conveniences. So when you think of the hotel like yachts, also think about the captain and crew and resources it takes to keep them running. It’s the same with smaller yachts. Even when you have the systems, you still have to manage your power or resources to run the watermaker or watch the weather and route plan to get to the marina. This is one reason a lot of boaters opt for fewer systems.

I had to laugh in agreement at your Jimmy Buffett reference – I think Jimmy must be doing a lot of day boating, haha. I personally feel that if you had around a 45-foot cat and a big budget to outfit it, you could have a lot of modern conveniences (watermaker, large solar setup, washing machine, etc.) However, living on a boat is never going to be easy IMHO. You have to put in the effort to live on the water!

I hope this was helpful and didn’t discourage you. My goal is to provide a realistic view of the lifestyle!

Agree. Especially #11. We live on a monohull so only have one head to contend with. Also whatever the purchase price, expect to spend 10% a year maintaining said boat. Things break at the most inconvenient times and improvisation is absolutely key.

Hi Breanna, #11 is definitely a big one! And of course, the head is always interesting. The first time we had a real maintenance issue with the head I posted on Instagram and announced my husband and I’s relationship had officially made it through our first serious head malfunction, haha. As you mentioned, Improvisation is also so crucial! We tend to get pretty creative with solutions 🙂

What entertainment do you use on a long haul, such as books, cards, chess. How do you plan the nights such as sleeping or on watch. Do you use automatic steering.

Hi Stephen, we like Audible for downloading books, I also like to download podcasts. We also use an external drive for movies. We do have and use an autopilot onboard. We don’t have experience with long passages, but The Boat Galley has what I think is a great article on the subject, you can find it here! https://theboatgalley.com/passagemaking-and-sleep/

Thanks for such an informative post. We’re in the process of buying a 42ft catamaran and plan on sailing up the east coast of Australia next year…scary and exciting!

I see that in some of you photos you have a gorgeous looking cat 😊 I’m planning on taking our 6 year old cat with us on the trip. Do you have any tips and advice on how to make life more comfortable and safe for a cat onboard and how to get them acclimatised to boat life?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Dee

Hey Dee, this is so exciting! I’m sure there’s lots of planning and preparation in your future but in a good way 🙂

I have a post about sailing with cats that you can find here – https://thehomethatroams.com/blog/cat-on-a-boat/

But in general, I would say to take it slow and keep a close eye on them in the transition period while they’re testing their limits. Our cat is good at finding any open compartments, so when you’re working on things or storing things, make sure they don’t slip in! You will probably want to use a life jacket in the beginning at anchor, as well as keep a good eye on them until they become more comfortable. The top of the bridgedeck seems to be a favorite spot for cats since they can see so much from up there!

Best of luck on your new adventure! – Morgan

Wow. Thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, not all people experience that, so we must enjoy every second. Nice post!

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Learn to sail with Nautilus Sailing: A sailing adventure in Croatia

In sailing, there are three rules, we were told somewhat tongue-in-cheek:

• Don’t hit stuff.
• Keep water out of the boat.
• Come back with the same number of people you left with.

I guess we passed our week as students on a  Nautilus Sailing  learn-to-sail liveaboard course in Croatia since we avoided crashes, came back with the right number of people, and water didn’t get into the boat (except what dripped off our bodies after a swim in crystal clear water).

The liveaboard learn-to-sail week was fun, too. Isn’t that what adventure travel should be? Particularly when it means sailing on a luxury catamaran around the Split Archipelago of Croatian islands – blue skies, translucent waters, fresh seafood, and lunches moored in a private cove with a swim.

“This doesn’t suck!” Nautilus lead instructor and founder Tim Geisler exclaimed several times a day.

Can’t argue with that. And it could be said for every destination where Nautilus takes its liveaboard students — including the Bahamas, Tahiti, and Mallorca. As media, we did less actual studying than our fellow students did on two other Nautilus liveaboard boats also on the Croatia Sailing adventure. We did, however, get a taste of the learning, which started unglamorously enough with a lesson on how to use the toilet, a.k.a. “head” in ship-speak. After that came learning the parts of a boat, how to steer and read all those dials, tying knots (“If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot,” we were told), anchoring, rescuing somebody overboard (essential stuff, right?), jumping the halyard, raising the mainsail, and the names of the “ropes.” Ooops, sorry, I slipped. Demerits for me. Never call it a rope on a boat; it’s a line, sheet or halyard depending on its function.

No matter how much learning was done – and this is an intense, immersive week — everybody still had fun, from wine-tasting and ice cream sampling, to strolls along the waterfront promenade of Hvar and motor-scootering around the island of Vis. The other “real” students, however, all ended up with a captain’s certification after just a week (and passing some tests), which allows them to charter or buy their own boat. We on the other hand got a great taste of the sailing life that is akin to RVing on the water. Where classroom lessons really don’t suck.

“We want to give students an authentic taste of sailing,” said Geisler. “It’s not just about the white, flappy things. It’s all the things you see and do.”

Meeting fellow students and our luxury ocean ride: Day 1

The week didn’t start with great glamour, however, as an unusual late September storm moved in. We had to don rain jackets and make a dash along the dock to the catamaran to keep from getting soaked and chilled. Then we met our ride for the next week – a Fontaine Pajot Astrea 42 luxury catamaran outfitted with four ensuite cabins in the hulls – two fore and two aft. On Nautilus liveaboard courses, you see, there are never more than four students in any weeklong course. So, you get personal attention and lots of time with the instructor onboard to help ensure you do pass the sailing certification.

Sailing out from Trogir: Day 2

Luckily for our week in Croatia, the clouds started to clear the morning of our departure from Trogir. We motored out of the marina and headed toward the island of Solta – mind you, not the villages on Solta because when you are cruising the waters you can head wherever you want. In our case, the first few hours took us to the Sesula Cove (“Uvala Sesula) on the northwest corner of this small island. But we didn’t just hang out and watch the view. Geisler, our Nautilus instructor for the week, used most every minute during our weeklong liveaboard course, for teaching, albeit perhaps in sometimes subtle ways. On our way to the Solta cove, we each practiced “driving” so we could learn how to maneuver, stop, and turn the boat, all the while  talking terminology  because sailors really do have their own vocabulary.

Each day started comfortably but not too lazy, and we were usually anchored somewhere by mid-afternoon – either a peaceful cove or an island marina. During lunch or at the day’s evening anchor (or perhaps both!) came the mandatory swim off the back of the boat. Since we sailed with two other boats – a catamaran and a monohull, both with students – we all anchored together each night.

We did get a chance to experience the magic of sailing that first day – unfurling the sails with our own muscle, watch them fill and billow out, and then feel the boat surge forward, powered only by the wind taking us where we wanted to go.

Read more about our Learn to Sail experience in Croatia...

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Cheap Catamaran: Affordable Cruising Catamarans to Get You Sailing Now!

So, you’ve spotted the online brochures, the Instagram and YouTube influencers, or maybe even stepped aboard a few at the local boat show. Now the problem is you simply must get a liveaboard sailing catamaran to cruise the world like a vagabond. 

Of course, those new Outreamers and the Lagoon you fell in love with at the boat show are a bit out of your price range. Fear not! Used models are much cheaper. Here’s a look at a bunch of cheap catamarans for any budget.

Table of Contents

Small catamaran sailboats $200,000 to $300,000, best catamaran sailing vessels from $150,000 to 199,000, small catamaran sailboats $100,000 to 149,000, budget catamaran picks under $100,000, affordable catamarans are out there — which one is for you, affordable catamarans faqs, affordable catamarans — small catamaran sailing vessels.

There’s always a tendency with “best of” articles to list a few random models. Generally, these are some examples that either have caught the author’s eye. Here, we’ve tried to assemble a more comprehensive list of older, smaller boats that might fit your budget. 

Looking for something a bit larger? Check out our list of liveaboard catamaran choices for a look at some great 40-plus-foot models.

If you’re willing to shell out $200,000 or more, you can have your pick of the litter (yes, that was a cat pun!) In this group, you’ll find “small cats” big enough to have the features and layouts that made charter catamarans so popular in the first place—an exceptionally wide beam, spacious open living space, galley-up layouts, and tons of storage. 

This price range includes some (now) older models that were the first generation of catamarans that were real hits with charter companies. As such, there are plenty to choose from, but many have been beaten up and are in various states of disrepair. You can find bargains, but you’ll have to spend more if you want a sail-away-ready boat.  

You won’t find catamarans newer than about 15 years and performance-oriented catamarans. You’re also limited in size to about 40 feet long, but most will be in the 36 to 38-foot range. Again, this is about as small as you want for most cruisers and long-term liveaboards.

• Lagoon 380 — The epitome of the French cruising cat. Nearly 1,000 hulls were produced over twenty years, and they have a great layout. Many have crossed oceans. The owner’s version three cabins model is the most sought-after, with the entire starboard hull dedicated to the owner’s stateroom, head, and shower. Later models were “S2s” with large hull windows and a few other small changes.
• Fountaine Pajot Mahe 36 — Smaller than the Lagoon but with a similar comfortable layout. The Mahe was made for several years and had several versions, but all share the same general design. 
• Seawind 1000 — Australian-built catamaran with an open salon/cockpit space thanks to a large swing-up door. 
• Leopard 40 (M&M design, circa 2006) — One of the best-looking boats Leopard ever made. They didn’t make it for long, as the boxy, more dramatic-looking 38/39 quickly took over. But the 40 had a great layout and looked great. Designed by Morrelli and Melvin , designers of the new HH catamarans and several America’s Cup campaigns.
• Leopard 38/39 (circa 2012) — Before all Leopards had front patios, the 38 and 39 were the company’s smallest boats. These are nicely laid out and made for short-handed sailing. Being a newer model than others on this list, it’s hard to find them reasonably priced. The 38 is older, while the 39 simply moved the helm above the cockpit hardtop.
• Maine Cat 38 — A US-built performance-oriented catamaran with daggerboards. Newer and hard to find. 
• Maxim/Voyage 380 — A South African cat designed by Alex Simonis, this low-slung 38-footer looks like the popular Leopard 42/43 (circa 2005). Its smaller size makes it more affordable, though. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many of them out there.
• Manta 38/40/42 — Manta was an American-made catamaran with a great reputation for quality construction, making seaworthy solid boats with high bridge deck clearance and foam sandwich construction. The two hulls are all the same regardless of the length, but various sizes/models were offered over the years by extending the transoms. These are very popular as liveaboard cruising boats and hold their value exceptionally well. 

You can find some real values in this price range. You might occasionally find one of the models listed above, but chances are you’ll have to stick to slightly older versions of them. In some cases, this might mean you get a better quality vessel that will stand the test of time much better. 

• Lagoon 37 TPI — Before the French builder took a deep dive and made the 380, they dipped their toes in the catamaran market by contracting with US boatyard TPI to build a 37 and a 42-footer. While older in design, these boats are built to a much higher standard than the French-built production boats that would come after. As a result, the TPI Lagoons are some of the best catamarans of the era you can get your hands on.
• Gemini Legacy 35 — A newer, upgraded version of the 105MC with twin inboard diesel motors and stub keels. 
• Charter Cat/Wildcat/Jaguar 35/36 — A beautiful South African cat with a terrible reputation. Due to factory problems, most boats suffered major fiberglass delamination issues. But if you find one on the market now (20 years later), chances are it has been fixed. Still, you’ll want a thorough survey done before considering investing in one of these pretty little boats.  
• Leopard 38 (circa 2000) — This predecessor to newer Leopards is a stout boat with a clean design. While not as flashy as some other models, it has many desirable features. Reliable and maintenance-free shaft drives, a walk-through cockpit, and the traveler mounted on an arch are just a few.
• PDQ 32 and 36 — Canadian builder PDQ made excellent quality, fun-sailing boats. The 32 is quite small but very capable. The 36 has more space. Available with either twin outboards or twin diesel engines price points. These days, they’re a little hard to find, but they make great liveaboards. With the engines retracted, the twin outboard boats have excellent sailing performance and low maintenance and upkeep costs.
• Prout/Broadblue 38 — A newer, upgraded version of the Prout Snowgoose (below). It’s a small yet modern catamaran with excellent features and good resale potential.

You’ll notice these boats begin to feel much smaller than those listed above. They often have a single motor mounted midship, either outboard or an inboard diesel with a long drive leg. They’ll often have a narrow beam and are often designed to fit in a standard boat slip to save money. In short, small catamarans start to get much “smaller” and, at the same time, less stable and less seaworthy overall. 

• Gemini 105MC — A very popular mass-produced American catamaran designed to fit in a standard boat slip. Powered by a single inboard diesel with a long drive leg and fitted with swinging centerboards. A light boat built for coastal cruising but an excellent liveaboard.
• Prout Snowgoose 35/37 — Well regarded, well-built, stout bluewater boats that, back in the 1990s, changed hearts and minds about what a catamaran could do safely. These boats offer an outstanding value since they were built better than other cats of the era. Here’s an owner’s tour of their 37.

• Dean 365 — A South African cat first built in 1990 that looks very similar to the Snowgoose. Galley down design with a full-beam salon that feels very spacious. Dean boats were well-built and very seaworthy. 
• Island Packet Cat 35 — Island Packet entered the cat market with the Packet Cat. IP is known for its stout, beamy, and comfortable liveaboard monohulls with shallow drafts, so a catamaran isn’t far off the mark. The model didn’t stick around long, but they’re well-built and well-appointed.
• Fountaine Pajot Tobago 35 — One of the smallest FPs made, the Tobago has little in the way of space or headroom. But it does have all the features you’d expect from a French cat—a wide, stable beam, galley-up design, and sleek looks to boot.
• Endeavour Victory 35 — A cute catamaran made in the US. Even though it will fit in most slips, it has the sleek looks of a much bigger cat. Unfortunately, they didn’t make very many of them. 
• Island Spirit 35/36 — Small South African catamarans built in the late 1990s. It won Top Ten awards from Sail Magazine in 2001, 2003, and 2005. for an older model, they incorporate a lot of modern features. Similar to the Leopard 38 (circa 2000).

Good sail cats in this category are very hard to come by. Many could be considered “project boats” or “fixer-uppers.” Those are some keywords to be very cautious of in boating. What not to do: buy an $80,000 boat, put another $80,000 for repairs and outfitting into it plus three or five years of hard labor, then discover that you could’ve bought a really nice $160,000 one and gone sailing three or five years sooner. 

The problem—and, yes, this is opinioning on the author’s part—is that catamarans are seldom built for the long haul. A cat’s point is to be light and fast, not thick-skinned and well-built. So when you look at older, inexpensive catamarans, you often find serious structural issues and major repairs needed to bring them up to snuff. To make matters worse, some boats in this price group were homebuilt projects.

• Endeavour Cat 30 — Florida-based Endeavour has made a lot of different boats over the years, but only a few sail cats. The 30 is unique because it is very small and features a solid foredeck. It’s narrow enough to fit in most slips. It features twin outboards, a big cockpit, a big salon, and a galley-down design, but it’s more or less a coastal cruiser with double cabins.
• Woods Flica 35 — Richard Woods designed a number of ocean-going cats; some were home-built while others finished at the factory in England. The Flica 35 is just one example, and it’s got a nice, large salon and galley-down layout. For a small cat, it has a lot of space. 
• Edel Cat 35 — The Edel was a French-built performance cat for crossing oceans. The open bridgedeck connects each hull and the center salon cabin, each of which is independently watertight.
• Wharram Tiki — Wharram catamarans are mostly homebuilt from epoxy and plywood, so there’s a lot of variability in the designs and quality. Their designs take from traditional Polynesian catamaran design.
• Catalac 8M/9M/10M/11M — British built in the 1980s, Catalacs were some of the earliest catamarans. They were well-built and solid, designed to sail in the North Sea, making them an exception to the idea that catamarans aren’t built to last a long time. Instead, they have excellent fit and finish and make great liveaboard to this day. Check out this broker’s tour of one.

• Heavenly Twins — Another older British design from the 1970s, the Heavenly Twins was a seriously small catamaran with cabin: only 28 feet long.

Once you start shopping, you’ll see these cheap catamarans hold their value far better than other sailboats. On the one hand, that’s good because it means you’ll be able to sell it and get your money back when you’re done cruising. But, on the other hand, it also means you’ll have to spend more money upfront. 

How much is a cheap catamaran?

It’s possible to find older, smaller catamarans for under $100,000. Generally, these boats will be over 20 years old and no more than 35 feet long. Unfortunately, these older, smaller cats don’t have the same look or feature set as newer charter catamarans, so they may be less interesting to many catamaran buyers. 

For around $200,000, you can find an older model of a popular wide-beam charter cat, like the Lagoon 380, Fountaine Pajot Mahe, or Leopard 38. These boats have the space and features most catamaran shoppers seek. 

Is a catamaran a good first boat?

The best first boat for you will come down to how big a vessel you want to operate and how much you’re willing to spend on it. Since most cruising catamarans are 35 feet long or more, getting insurance might not be easy if it is your first boat. Catamarans are also more complex than similarly-sized monohulls and usually have two engines and more systems. 

A catamaran is a good first boat for some, especially if you or your crew have no interest in sailing anything else. But if you just want to get into boating, you can get a much less expensive—and possibly even better built and better equipped—monohull for the same money.

As far as learning to sail, cruising cats sail very well and are very stable. So there’s no reason you couldn’t learn to sail on a cat. 

What is the best small catamaran to live on?

For full-time living aboard, several catamaran models are very popular. The Lagoon 380 is one of the most popular models ever built. The Fountaine Pajot Mahe is similar but slightly smaller and less expensive. On the smaller side, the Gemini 105MC is affordable and can fit in most normal-sized boat slips. Of course, for each of these popular models, dozens more lesser-known boats were produced in smaller numbers.

Why are catamarans cheaper?

Catamarans are usually priced at a premium because they are in demand more than other types of vessels. It’s hard to make a blanket statement regarding boat values because so much depends on the brand quality and the vessel’s condition. There are cheap catamarans like there are cheap monohulls and cheap motor yachts. But it’s all relative, and, generally speaking, sailing catamarans cost more than sailing monohulls of similar lengths. 

Why are catamarans so expensive?

The catamaran market is an interesting case study, especially when you compare prices with similarly-sized monohull sailboats. Cats are highly sought-after and in demand, and they’ve only been being built in large numbers for about 20 years. When demand exceeds supply, prices go up and stay up. This is a clear contrast to monohull sailboats, where supply on the market often exceeds demand, and there are often many used boats for sale to choose from.

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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THE 10 BEST Moscow Boat Rides & Cruises

Boat rides & cruises in moscow.

• Boat Rentals
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• Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing
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• Parasailing & Paragliding
• Dolphin & Whale Watching
• Speed Boats Tours
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• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
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• Good for Big Groups
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• Budget-friendly
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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Flotilla Radisson Royal

2. Moscow River Boat Tours

3. Sup-Club

4. Akvanavt Diving Centre

5. Diving Center Crocus City Oceanarium

6. CheapRussia Tours

7. Kite School Kiteclass

8. SUP Center

9. Erwin. Reka

11. Easy Russia Tour Guide

12. Lovely Russia Tours

13. Capital River Boat Tours - Moscow Centre

14. Alfa Centr

15. Diving Club Divers

16. Sup Outdoor

17. MORE MOSCOW

19. Soho Sailing Style

20. Diving Center Crocodile

21. Dive-Project

22. Mosparokhodstvo

24. Kosinskiy Children Marine Club

25. Kayak Moscow

26. DIVECLUB CHE

27. Moswake

28. Morskiye Volki

29. FLOW Moscow

30. S-cruises

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A ride on a fast catamaran led Lindsey Vonn to join U.S. SailGP Team’s board of directors

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eight years after catching a ride on a fast, foiling catamaran off Manhattan, retired skiing champion Lindsey Vonn has joined the board of directors of the United States SailGP Team.

Vonn is the latest star to come aboard the rebranded American team in tech billionaire Larry Ellison’s global league.

“As a Red Bull partner for nearly two decades, I’ve had the pleasure of sailing with Red Bull and that experience engaged my interest in sailing and encouraged my decision to get involved,” Vonn said in a statement released Monday.

The United States SailGP Team was purchased in November by a group of investors from the sports, technology and entertainment worlds. They include former Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner, who was taken with the 17th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday in the NFL draft; actress/producer Issa Rae; founding Uber engineer Ryan McKillen; and professional sailor Mike Buckley.

“When Lindsey competed in the Olympics, our entire country tuned in; and when she won the gold medal, we all celebrated,” said McKillen, the U.S. SailGP Team co-owner and chairman. “Her success in bringing alpine skiing into mainstream sports is what SailGP has set out to accomplish for sailing. Over her career, she’s been a savvy business operator off the mountain as well. We’re fortunate to have her join the U.S SailGP Team and have her mind and experience in our boardroom.”

Vonn retired from skiing in 2019 after winning three Olympic medals, including one gold, and four overall World Cup titles. She was the first woman to win 82 World Cup races.

Vonn went sailing with then two-time defending America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA on its foiling catamaran on the Hudson River in May 2016, the day before the start of an America’s Cup World Series regatta. She got the full experience, including hiking out and working the winches, while outfitted with a Red Bull crash helmet and other protective gear.

“The guys were so fun and so cool and I guess they don’t normally let people help, really, when they get to be a guest on the boat, so it was a really cool experience,” Vonn said that day in a video released by Oracle. She said the combination of water and speed made for “just an incredible sensation. In that sense it is like skiing. When you’re on the mountain by yourself and going fast, just you and the mountain, it’s a similar feeling.”

The catamaran Vonn sailed on was an early version of the souped-up 50-foot cats used in SailGP, which is in its fourth season. Ellison and New Zealander Russell Coutts founded SailGP after Oracle Team USA lost the 2017 America’s Cup match to Emirates Team New Zealand.

Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill was impressed with Vonn that day.

“For her to jump on and pick it up so quickly, especially in those conditions, we were all impressed and have a lot of respect for her. She is a natural athlete,” he said then.

Spithill skippered Team USA for two-plus seasons before retiring recently from SailGP racing. He plans to launch an Italian team later this year while continuing to sail for Italy in the America’s Cup.

Also sailing that day with Vonn was Tom Slingsby, who has skippered Team Australia to the first three SailGP season championships, each coming with a $1 million prize.

Team USA is sixth in the 10-team fleet with four regattas left in Season 4, which resumes Saturday and Sunday in Bermuda. SailGP returns to New York June 22-23 and the Grand Final is July 13-14 in San Francisco, with the winner-take-all purse increased to $2 million.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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K19 sailboat build

• Thread starter stripperguy
• Start date Jan 6, 2023

• stripperguy
• Jan 6, 2023

• Jan 7, 2023

Light and strong. Good on ya.  

It's probably too late now but you should have used side to side Hiking straps. Take a look at the Lightning Class One Design boats. With side to side straps you can go from sitting inside with a foot under a strap to letting it all hang out over the side. I sailed and raced Lightnings in California for about 20 years. Larry  

What is the total weight of the boat ? How many Sq. Ft. In main and jib ? The jib looks a bit oversized in relation to main. It looks like a nice build. Larry  

• Jan 8, 2023

Larry, Those details are in post #1 upthread. Sails are sized per plan as designed by Anthony C Gondola, Naval Architect. And although not seen in the pics (I’ll look for a better view) I have port and starboard hiking straps. It’s vital to keep at least a toe under a strap at all times, as I said, it’s a very dynamic and responsive ride. The poor K19 is currently in wraps behind my garage, waiting for repairs after striking an unseen submerged erratic. Centerboard trunk was breached and centerboard cracked. Just now I’m deciding how to move forward…just repair the damage or convert to a swing keel. A swing keel would lower the risk of damage and make launching and landing much easier.  

Beautiful boat @stripperguy !  

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Horror of Soviet Nuclear Sub’s ’61 Tragedy Told

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After that nightmare voyage 33 years ago, Ivan Kolokov stopped shaving. The skin on his face kept peeling off with the razor. Nikolai Zateyev, his shipmate, lay in bed 18 months while doctors replaced his bone marrow and blood.

Both sailors consider themselves lucky when they remember Boris Korchilov.

Korchilov was a blue-eyed, 20-year-old ladies’ man. Before the voyage he was playing volleyball and flirting. The next week he was writhing in agony, sweating blood, his face swollen beyond recognition. A week later he was buried in a secret communal grave.

Korchilov, Zateyev, Kolokov and 136 other men were sailors aboard the K-19, a Soviet nuclear submarine whose reactor went haywire in 1961. Zateyev, the captain, sent 22 volunteers to their deaths in a heroic struggle to save the boat.

The men won that struggle; the reactor did not explode. But the radiation made it a voyage from hell, with men dying in agony and begging their shipmates to kill them.

Before the breakup of the Soviet Union, the K-19’s fate was a closely guarded secret. Western specialists heard rumors but no details until 1991, when the newspaper Pravda finally confirmed that radiation had killed many members of the sub’s crew.

Crew members were sworn to secrecy. Even decades later, they were expected to lie to doctors in routine checkups.

For years, Russians knew the story of the K-19 only through underground songs. But the Soviet Union, the nation those sailors swore to defend, collapsed, and today the doomed vessel’s crew members are ready to flesh out those sad, romantic verses.

Capt. Zateyev, 67, and other survivors recounted their story in interviews in Moscow and the northern port of Murmansk.

Zateyev’s boat was the first Soviet atomic submarine armed with nuclear warheads. It was named the K-19, but among sailors it became known as “Hiroshima.”

The K-19 was a major technological advance for the Soviets. Engineers built her at a frenzied pace that took a deadly toll.

In 1959, an accidental explosion killed two workers. Soon after, six women died, overcome by fumes while gluing rubber lining into a water cistern.

For sailors, the most persuasive omen that the K-19 was a cursed boat came at the christening, when a champagne bottle struck across the bow bounced off unbroken.

“As in ancient Assyria, where a ship’s path to the water was slickened with the sacrificial blood of slaves, the launching ramp of the K-19 ran with human blood,” wrote Nikolai Cherkashin, a naval historian.

The frantic pace of construction led to sloppiness and shortcuts. Hurrying to finish, a welder let solder drip onto a pipe carrying coolant to the reactor. The pipe cracked microscopically, like a hot glass dropped into cold water. Engineers had installed no backup cooling system. The K-19’s mechanics complained about that but were told the reactor was “already too complex.”

All the same, the K-19 was the Rolls-Royce of the Soviet fleet, and Zateyev and his men, who had served only on diesel submarines until then, were thrilled to take the helm.

They were the elite of the fleet, and they knew it every time they sat down to dinner; they enjoyed delicacies other sailors only dreamed of--smoked fish, sausages, fine chocolates and cheeses.

On June 4, 1961, the K-19 was hiding in the North Atlantic from Soviet diesel subs as part of a training exercise. The cracked pipe burst.

In the reactor room, the temperature soared past 140 degrees Fahrenheit; the gauge went no higher. Radiation was also rising, but the crew could only guess by how much.

The reactor had to be cooled.

“It would have been Chernobyl, only 30 years earlier,” said crew member Alexander Fateyev, a retired captain who is now 56 and an official with the Russian Ministry of Energy.

He said the boat was carrying a second reactor and three nuclear warheads and would have poisoned the sea with radiation had the reactor burst.

Zateyev’s options were limited, a choice of evils.

“At one point, I thought of going down to my cabin, drawing my pistol and finishing all my problems at once,” he said.

Instead, he organized three-man brigades of volunteers to work for five to 10 minutes each. Protected only by raincoats and gas masks, they were ordered to weld together a new cooling system.

One of the first volunteers was Lt. Korchilov, the blue-eyed ladies’ man, a favorite of Zateyev’s.

“I accompanied him to the reactor room door--to his death,” Zateyev remembered. “And I said, ‘Well, Boris, do you know where you’re going?’

“And he said, ‘I know, comrade captain.’

Five minutes later, Korchilov stumbled out of the reactor room, tore off his gas mask and vomited.

“That was the first time I felt: ‘Yes, this is radiation,’ ” Zateyev said. Of the 139 crew members, 22 died of radiation poisoning--eight in a matter of days, the rest in the next two years.

“Right on the spot their appearances began changing. Skin not protected by clothing began to redden, face and hands began to swell. Dots of blood began to appear on their foreheads, under their hair. Within two hours we couldn’t recognize them,” Zateyev said. “People died fully conscious, in terrible pain. They couldn’t speak, but they could whisper. They begged us to kill them.”

The work brigades kept the reactor from exploding, and a Soviet diesel sub answered Zateyev’s SOS. The K-19 was towed to Polyarnyy, a port above the Arctic Circle on the Kola Peninsula. Korchilov and five other sailors were rushed to Moscow. A week later, Korchilov was the first to die; within 10 days, all six were dead.

Doctors told Zateyev that they had received three times the lethal dose of radiation.

Because the corpses themselves were dangerously radioactive, the six were buried secretly in a Moscow cemetery. Not even family and friends were notified.

Korchilov and his colleagues were so radioactive that everything they came in contact with at the hospitals had to be destroyed.

Two other sailors, flown to Leningrad--now St. Petersburg--for treatment, also died within a week and were buried there.

Others survived grueling treatments in Moscow and Leningrad hospitals.

The K-19 was gutted. Food stores, clothing, equipment and sailors’ possessions were stacked on a barge and moored off the Kola Peninsula. Signs declared the barge off-limits, but without explaining the danger.

Word spread to enlisted men on construction duty in nearby cities; they heard of an unguarded barge full of new boots, fine chocolates, fluffy towels and crates of vodka. In a matter of days, dawn broke on a near-empty barge.

“Who knows what became of those builders, once they’d sampled the delicacies of that damned barge,” Zateyev said.

A government commission declared the crew members of the K-19 heroes--mainly, Zateyev reasoned, to keep them from complaining in public.

They were ordered to keep secret what had happened, and their medical histories were falsified. Doctors wrote that they suffered from “damage to the peripheral nervous system.”

“Only a year or so ago did our doctors give us notices saying we had suffered from radiation exposure,” Zateyev said. “That was the system--hide everything. People suffered, died, and there was no reaction.”

As for the K-19, it was soon back in the water. In 1972, it was finally decommissioned at Polyarnyy, where it remains docked, after a fire on board killed 28 sailors.

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Movie reviews.

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, k-19: the widowmaker.

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Movies involving submarines have the logic of chess: The longer the game goes, the fewer the possible remaining moves. "K-19: The Widowmaker" joins a tradition that includes " Das Boot " and " The Hunt for Red October " and goes all the way back to "Run Silent, Run Deep." The variables are always oxygen, water pressure and the enemy. Can the men breathe, will the sub implode, will depth charges destroy it?

The submarine K-19 is not technically at war, so there are no depth charges, but the story involves a deadlier threat: Will the onboard reactor melt down, causing a nuclear explosion and possibly triggering a world war? The movie is set in 1961, at the height of the Cold War, and is loosely based on a real incident. A new Soviet nuclear sub is commissioned before it is shipshape, and sails on its first mission as a bucketful of problems waiting to happen. Many of the problems are known to its original captain, Polenin ( Liam Neeson ). But when he insists after a test run that the submarine is not capable, he is joined on board by Capt. Alexei Vostrikov ( Harrison Ford ), who outranks him and is married to the niece of a member of the Politburo.

Both men are competent naval officers, and Polenin does his best to work with Vostrikov; his men consider Polenin their captain but are persuaded to go along with the senior man, even after Vostrikov orders a dive that tests the ultimate limits of the sub's capabilities. (Such scenes, with rivets popping and the hull creaking, are obligatory in submarine movies.) Most of the big scenes take place in close quarters on the command desk, where dramatic lighting illuminates the faces and eyes of men who are waiting for the sub's shell to crack. By casting the two leading roles with authoritative actors, "K-19" adds another level of tension; if one were dominant and the other uncertain, there would be a clear dramatic path ahead, but since both Vostrikov and Polenin are inflexible, self-confident and determined, their rivalry approaches a standoff.

The sub's mission is to demonstrate the Soviet Union's new nuclear submarine power to the spy planes of the Kennedy administration. The sub's voyage is shadowed by a U.S. destroyer, which is not unwelcome, since the purpose of this mission is to be seen. When there is an accident involving one of the onboard nuclear reactors, however, the game changes: If the reactor explodes and destroys the U.S. ship, will that event be read, in the resulting confusion, as an act of war? K-19 could surface and put its men in lifeboats, but for Vostrikov the thought of the United States capturing the new technology is unthinkable. Therefore, the options are to repair the reactor, or dive the boat to its destruction.

More problems. The K-19's original reactor officer, an experienced man, has been fired for alcoholism and replaced with a recent naval academy graduate. This man, Vadim ( Peter Sarsgaard ), is not only inexperienced but scared to death, and he freezes when the accident occurs. As the reactor core overheats, the crew comes up with a jury-rigged quick fix--diverting the onboard water supply--but that involves men entering the sealed reactor compartment to weld pipes and make repairs. They should wear protective radiation suits, but alas, the captains are told, "The warehouse was out. They sent us chemical suits instead." Neeson: "We might as well wear raincoats." The scenes involving the repair of the reactor are excruciating, and director Kathryn Bigelow creates a taut counterpoint between the men who take 10-minute shifts in the high-radiation zone, and the growing tension between the two captains. Footage involving radiation sickness is harrowing. A mutiny is not unthinkable. And meanwhile, in Moscow, K-19's sudden radio silence inspires dark suspicions that the sub has been captured, or given away by traitors.

The physical limitations of a submarine create technical difficulties for filmmakers--who can, after all, only move their cameras back and forth within the narrow tube. That claustrophobia also heightens the tension, and we get a sense of a small group of men working desperately together under the pressure of death. "K-19" draws out the suspense about as far as possible, and Bigelow, whose credits include " Point Break " and " Strange Days ," is an expert technician who never steps wrong and is skilled at exploiting the personal qualities of Ford and Neeson to add another level of uncertainty.

It is rare for a big-budget Hollywood production to be seen entirely through the eyes of foreigners, and rarer still for actors like Neeson and Ford to spend an entire role with Russian accents. There isn't even a token role for an American character, and the movie treats the Soviets not as enemies but as the characters we are expected to identify with; the same approach allowed us to care about the German U-boat crew in "Das Boot." Are Ford and Neeson, both so recognizable, convincing as Russians? Convincing enough; we accept the accents after a few minutes, and get on with the story. The fact that both men seem unyielding is crucial, and the fact that Vostrikov may be putting political considerations above the lives of his men adds an additional dimension.

There is one surprise in the movie, a decision having nothing to do with the reactor, that depends entirely on the ability of the characters to act convincingly under enormous pressure; casting stars of roughly equal weight helps it to work.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

Rated PG-13 For Disturbing Images

138 minutes

Harrison Ford as Capt. Vostrikov

Liam Neeson as Capt. Polenin

Peter Sarsgaard as Vadim Radtchenko

Christian Camargo as Loktev

Directed by

• Kathryn Bigelow
• Christopher Kyle

Based on a story by

• Louis Nowra

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

K-19: The Widowmaker

When Russia's first nuclear submarine malfunctions on its maiden voyage, the crew must race to save the ship and prevent a nuclear disaster. When Russia's first nuclear submarine malfunctions on its maiden voyage, the crew must race to save the ship and prevent a nuclear disaster. When Russia's first nuclear submarine malfunctions on its maiden voyage, the crew must race to save the ship and prevent a nuclear disaster.

• Harrison Ford
• Sam Spruell
• Peter Stebbings
• 302 User reviews
• 100 Critic reviews
• 58 Metascore
• 1 win & 2 nominations

• Capt. Alexei Vostrikov

• Capt. Mikhail Polenin

• (as Kristen Holden-Ried)

• Marshal Zelentsov

• Admiral Bratyeev
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The director and producers of K-19 were the first Western civilians ever allowed inside the Russian naval base at the Kola Peninsula.
• Goofs When Alexei Vostrikov arrives to the meeting with the Admirals his rank up to this point is that of Captain Second Rank. However, during the meeting he wears the shoulder insignia of a Captain First Rank. In the next segment when he boards the K-19, he once again is a Captain Second Rank.

Capt. Mikhail Polenin : They'll send you to the Gulag, like your father.

Captain Alexei Vostrikov : Well, it's a family tradition, isn't it?

• Connections Featured in Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Harrison Ford/Jennifer Esposito/Wilco (2002)
• Soundtracks L'Internationale Lyrics by Eugène Pottier Music by Pierre Degeyter

User reviews 302

• Jul 22, 2002
• How long is K-19: The Widowmaker? Powered by Alexa
• July 19, 2002 (United States)
• United Kingdom
• United States
• K*19: The Widowmaker
• Gimli, Manitoba, Canada (filmed on location in)
• First Light Production
• IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. 2. Produktions KG
• Intermedia Films
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $100,000,000 (estimated)
• $35,168,966
• $12,778,459
• Jul 21, 2002
• $65,716,126

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 18 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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K-19 just bought plans

Discussion in ' Wooden Boat Building and Restoration ' started by gotthebug , Apr 4, 2004 .

gotthebug New Member

just bought plans for K-19 by Northwest Marine Design, has anybody built this boat, i have no experience with cedar strip or boatbuilding although i am a joiner by trade.I am in need of advice to say the least.  

mlv Junior Member

advice for building K-19 I'm in the process of building a K-19 also. I would recommend going to http://www.bearmountainboats.com/ and buying Ted Moores books Canoe Craft and Kayak Craft. The procedure for the K-19 is basically the same as for a canoe or kayak. You just need a larger, stronger strongback. I've built 2 canoes and 3 kayaks following Moores books. He has the best directions for handling epoxy and fiberglass that I've seen anywhere. The first boat was a Freedom 17 9 from bear mountain boats. I built it with my dad (a retired carpenter). We used Canoe Craft as our guide and things went really well. Good Luck, MLV  

bjl_sailor Junior Member

K-19 in progress hull to be turned shortly. Hi: I've been working on my k-19 since August. The hull is nearly ready for turning. A nasty cold spell here in NEW england has shut down my epoxy work for a bit so I am impatient to get her coated, finished and turned. (I've posted some in progress picts previously with more film to be developed and scanned) I'm using 1/2" thick bead and cove western red cedar planking. Compared to my 12' Compumarine Classic dinghy with a wine glass transom, the planking was very easy with little multi -twist hard to fit planks to lay. I've started the fir lifts for both the dagger board and rudder. I'm determined to finish the hull clear and it looks good so far (not perfect but good)... I also want a little different deck finish. Plans call for 2 1/4" layers of okoume for decking with 5.8 OZ cloth over that. I'm planning to do a single layer of 1.4" ply over the framing and then lay a series of 3/16" thick by 2.5" wide meranti plancks down in a bed of epoxy tinted cream color between measured spaces. The other thing I am not delighted by is the profile of the cockpit bulkheads. You'll notice that it is a rather 'sharp' corner were the deck and bulkeads meet. I'd like to "round" out this profile i.e. more like a 420's curving cockpit 'tubes'... Another thing, check your plans. Gondola sent me a set of plans with a duplicate sheet and one page of the plans missing -- with bulkhead profiles. After I wrote him over it he was rather pissy and informed me I can'easily' make a template in lieu of the missing drawing sheet.... Whatever. I like the design but I wouldn't expect alot of 'support' from Mr. Gonodola.... Please let me know how it goes! cheers bjl  

I got this reply from Gondola on that subject: >My daughter asked about doing the deck and cockpit in glass sheathed strip and radiusing >some of the corners. (we've built several strip kakaks and canoes)Would this be a >problem? What glass cloth weight and strip thickness would you recommend if we were to >do this. If you want that look I would recommend putting down a 1/4" Okoume ply underlayment followed by 1/4" strips. The deck provides a lot of the transverse stiffness that the boat needs to resist the rig forces. You could probably can go without the underlayment and just use full thickness strips but I'd feel a bit better if it was there. Glass both sides and avoid using heavy wood types for the strips if you can. The boat is already gaining weight because of the hull material so you need to watch what you do here because it can all add up faster then you think. Try and keep the dry deck weight to as close to 1.2 lbs per sq. ft. as you can. Cheers, A C Gondola, N.A. Northwest Marine Design  

Interesting. I think both aesthetically and also comfort wise. ' Rounding' that cockpit side edge is going to be an important modification. I mean when you are hiking that hard edge is going to dig in.... My plan is to build the forward 3 bulkeads as per plan and then set up some 1/4" cheap luan ply mock up bulkheads and mess with the profile that way. I'm also going to splurge and buy a teak and hollly veneered plywood cockpit sole. All the same I am fully sensitive to extra weight and everythings been built to spec so far with 5.8 oz That and the the 1/8"-3/16" meranti planked decks, natural hull. I can remember with great awe and fondness of two clear finished, mahog veneered Thistles that raced in our local one of a kind handicap fleet in the late '60's when I was a kid.... That's the kind of "woody high perf" that I am going for... No work this weekend -- weather is in the teens 30 mph wind and no chance I could get my uninsulated metal building shop up to resin curing temp...  

K-19 Construction Photos Hi folks: I ahd posted a few images of this project earlier in another thread but thought I'd place it in this one to help give the the folks with plans a little idea of what's ahead. One is of the boat as I am close up the planking. Admitted a poor quality photo ( you shouldn't put unporcessed rolls of film through the wash I've learned). You can clearly see what is called ( I think the hog or internal keel). Other shots of the boat after fairing. I intentionally attached one of the area I ahd problems with tearout and subsequent filling that shows preety bad. Oh well more carefull next time. The problem was the nails would be comming out cleanly and then tear out the wood. others I was just clumsy or impatient and nicked the wood more than I wanted to. If I finished clear no worries of course...  

Attached Files:

023_21a.jpg.

Looks good. What strip width did you use? I've just gotten started planking. So far, so good.  

P1230041.JPG

Mine were 3/4" wide by 1/2" bead and cove. It looks like your strips are quite a lot wider. You'll be narrowing them to make the bilge turn I suspect? Horrible weather, ahven't been able to work with epoxy for nearly 3 weeks...  

Question re: hull turning. I've been looking at my hull for some time wondering about the turning process. Even with the hull sheathed on the outside the gunwales look pretty flexy/floppy until the boat is turned and the inner gnwale is laminated in. The plan calls for something like 3/8" thinck x 1 1/4" luan lamination and that's it plus the decking system. I'm worried while turning the boat the whole hull shape may be distorted. I've been kicking around the idea of adding a permanent "outerwale" to outside prior to turning. besides altering the hull deck joint it also adds more pounds - something the designer admonishes you not to do. Any thoughts?  

I'm inclined to try to keep the weight down. Wood strip - glass epoxy construction is really strong. It's tempting to add structure and overbuild, but you really don't need it. I don't think you need to worry about the hull shape being distorted before you glass the inside. Even if the hull is pretty floppy, I think you only need to have it close to final shape when you glass the inside. The sheer clamp will stiffen it up some, but it will still be pretty floppy until the bulkheads go in. If it shifts a little, you should still be able to realign it when the bulkheads are installed. I think the hull to deck joint should be fine as drawn. Since they meet at ~ 90 deg, they should each act as a stiffener to the other. (at least it works that way on the kayaks). I've been thinking about the turning process too, but I still have some time before I have to seriously worry about it. I have figured out that I'll need help. The hull should weigh ~ 160 lb when it's turning time. Based on how floppy the canoes were before the inside was glassed, I think you're right about it being floppy. I think the main thing is to get it over without concentrated loads on an unsupported section. If you leave some molds installed, it will probably be pushing 200 lb. I have it in my garage, so I may build an A frame and use a chainfall or a come along. (or get my 6'4" 300 lb brother to visit) I saw a idea in a book that I think I might try. While the boat is still inverted on the mold, I plan to build the cradle on top of the inverted boat. That way the hull is still supported by the mold and I won't distort it with the cradle. Then I can remove the cradle, flip the hull and align it on the cradle. I plan to leave a couple of molds in place - screwed at the gunnels at least. Probably the #11 and the #7, maybe one more forward. (the #11 can be screwed pretty securely, since most of the hull gets trimmed short of it. I'll probably screw through the glassed topsides to the #7 mold and do the topsides painting after I turn the hull. I plan to screw some 2x4 to the molds that I leave in place and make a frame (kind of like a partition, the 2x4s on the molds as studs and some plates screwed to the ends of them) to take the load during turning. I'll support the frame on saw horses and then remove the rest of the mold and strongback from under the boat. Then I'll lower one side to the floor and raise the other side with the chain fall while sliding the lower side across the floor under it. When it is half over, I can lower it with the chain fall. With a couple of molds in place, I should be able to flip it without breaking anything. With a cradle that fits the hull well between the molds that I leave in place, I should be able to align the hull until the two molds are level and the hull should be true. Then I plan to use two or three spreaders at the gunwhale to keep the hull the right width while I install the sheer clamps and glass the inside. On the strip kayaks that I built the hulls were really floppy and twisted quite a bit, even after glassing the inside. Once I installed the decks with the sheer clamps attached, everything aligned well. have fun, mlv  

Yes, I like your idea of building a supporting cradle while the hull is inverted. Have seen that on larger hulls -- I used 5/8" particle board for molds -- very very heavy but cheap and dimensionally stable. I too like the idea of retaining several molds during turning. I have metal joists above, two 2 ton come alongs and a bunch of former 34' 1/2" halyards and webbing -- also ten guys at the ready for a thirty pack if need be. The turning is not so much the worry but the percieved threat of distorting the hull. BTW I have already trimmed my transom back ( roughly from the offsets leaving a good 1/8" to clean up and will also route and radius over the dagger board slot. I Thought it would be easier to layout and cut these before turning. Esp the dagger board slot. I'm going 5/16" radius the slot all around and impregnate the whole cross section with epoxy. I don't need a straight sharp edge there for planing purposes do I? My interior glass sheathing won't be glass. In naive fervor I went out and bought $26.oo per running yard kevlar/carbn fiber composote fabric. -- I figure it would make a super strong rigid hull -- but have since seen postings that it is not only overkill but also won't greatly increase strength unless used on both sides of the coring material. Oh well a chance to try out an expensive high tech material in an area where "t's application learning curve" won't be seen. I understand both carbon and kevlar are difficult to properly wet out without vacuum bagging... Oh another thing! before you buy your doug fir for the dager board and rudder sections. There was an excellant posting about doing them in foam and relying on a carbon skin to provide most struture. If I wasn't 3/4 through cutting lifts I would hove tride that and will probally end up making another set of foils that way -- eventually. Allright enough for now. Rather cool there are now three of us building or with plans for the same boat. The k-19 was my answer to the fact i couldn't find plans to cold mold a thistle sailboat. Also I really enjoy strip building the hulls. For me, to see the gorgeous sweet shape emerge slowly out of the skelton of plywood is infinitely enjoyable. And the smell of western red cedar being faired with a long board is far better than poleyester resin fumes from a C-Flex boat.... I  

Progress on K-19 I set up the mold the first week of January and have been working a little each night and on the weekend. I'm hoping for a launch late this summer. How about you? I also cut the hole for the daggerboard already. When the planking has covered it, I plan to rout a radius on it also - probably 1/4 in. I plan to wrap the outside glass sheathing over the radius inside of the dagger board hole when I glass the outside. I cut the hole ~ 1/16" oversize. I plan to make a plug the right size out of scrap wood, cover it with plastic film packing tape, and put it in position while the epoxy is still soft. Then when I flip the hull, I plan to use the plug to align the daggerboard well to the hole when I install it. How did you lay out the transom trim? I had thought of cutting a couple of triangles at the right angle and mounting the station 11 mold to the station 10 mold at the right position and angle. The station 11 mold is smaller than the transom so it will be undersized, but I thought I could manage to follow the surface close enough with a hand saw. I had already cut the lifts for the daggerboard and rudder. I used redwood, a little expensive but clear and easy to work. I used all thread to bolt the lifts together and plan to cut it off recessed with a dremel and leave it in place for additional tensile strength. I am planning on using the glass schedule specified for the rudder on the daggerboard as well. I'm 6'6" and 265 lb and if (or should I say when?) I turtle it, I don't want to break the daggerboard trying to right the boat. Have fun, mlv  

P1310011.JPG

P2090026.jpg, p2090027.jpg.

Billy Bones Junior Member

Great progress gentlemen. It's nice to see some of these being built. I've had plans for the K19 for about 5 years now. Slightly OT: has anyone contemplated/built/sailed the K23? I've always wondered about the larger model but no one has given it a try that I've heard.  

I thought about it, but the water I have available is too thin. It looks like a decent boat. mlv  

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Good ideas about the dagger board cutout. I was originally planing on cutting it when turned but than began thinking also of radiusing the opening and now that she is still on her back I measured it out and cut it open and radiused it as you've done 5/16" R . Merely epoxied it, now I worry I should have also sheathed it... I used doug fir for my dagger board lifts and have exactly the same thoughts of keeping the 1/2 threaded rod in the board as I too am a bit heavy for a dinghy sailor -- 6'1" 230. I have bought a large amount of hybrid carbon fiber / kevlar 5.8 oz cloth and will use that in two laminations as careful as can be and then a 'sand it smooth layer' of S glass. Plans call for it to be 'neutrally' bouyant with something like 32 lbs of lead. The greater part of 2 1/2 X 48" steel threaded rods should weigh about what?...and then How about a DB 1 extra lift of lead for the tip made with a plaster of paris mold thats nicely rounded. An extra 1 5/8" bit of foil that will weigh 10-15 lbs... I am currently HLVP spraying my hull after enormous effort wet sanding with 220 grit the 4 coats of epoxy I put over my 5.8 oz S glass. (this also entailed a 30 pack) Boasting a bit, it's pretty damn handsome. and now 15 coats of polyurethane 'spar varnish' -- Ok extraneous coats as I had/have a learning curve with new spray equipment to master. Then more 320 grit wet sanding until I can't stand it any more.... I've been saying I am ready to turn for months now... shooting for a late June launch... Planking was finished the week before Thanksgiving.-- Holidays delay and the Cold weather and fb lamination/sanding hell has been my existence since then. For the transom. I marked off all the waterlines shown on the plans and then measured out level all the offsets he has on the profile plan from the profile in -- 5 points I think -- not enough to use a flexible batten and get a fair curve. -- So I cut big and will keep the two most aft stations in the boat until she's turned and I can make a pattern of heavy card stock --- I'll put the transom in temporarily fastened, make sure it is equidistant at both sheers against the last mold station and fillet it in and then take the belt sander to knock off the 'extra' hull left outside-- sound reasonable do you think? I don't like the rudder box detail. Thinking it just isn't 'stonka' enough -- I know how much weather helm can be generated when you are blasting around over sailed, enjoying the ride and throwing your weight out to make up for a lack of caution.... Have you thought of a trapeze? The boat seems to cry for it... Last thing of concern -- for now. I really want to curve the inside cockpit lip. The cautions about weight build up and also changing an 'as drawn design detail' concern me. But that inner deck lip as drawn is too harsh. It will hurt when hiking and it looks boxy. Why bust your butt strip planking a lovely hull form and then have nasty hard 'plywood boat' hard edges where you'll be seating/leaning out? Does the designer sail? Next time I build I will make a 1/8" scale model and look at these things in real time in the real world... Thoughts: perhaps a 3" radius ease over. And then 4 layers of 1/8" Okuoume encourged by hot wet towels to conform extending 3" inches either side of the radius then but joined against the deck. Epoxy putty on the inner cockpit wall helps 'ease the lower lip into the 1/4" Okoume side panels.... Crap more sanding...  

Hello......... just bought a 1956 Chris Craft 20' Holiday

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April 30, 1961: K-19, The Widow-Making Soviet Nuclear Powered Submarine

A Brief History

On April 30, 1961, the Soviet Union was proud to commission their ill-fated nuclear powered submarine, the K-19.

Digging Deeper

The Soviet Union and the western democracies (led by the United States) engaged in a Cold War arms race, with nuclear weapons and nuclear powered ships that could carry those nuclear weapons a key element in the race for military superiority.  The submarine K-3 Leninsky Komsomol was commissioned in 1958 as the Soviet Union’s first nuclear submarine , but hardly the last.

Called K-19: The Widow Maker in the 2002 film, another Soviet ship was actually known informally within the Soviet Navy as Hiroshima  and was, according to the BBC , “ Russia’s first nuclear-armed submarine”.

Barely over 2 months from commissioning the nuclear reactor suffered a coolant leak, dangerously raising reactor temperature.  With the radio system inoperative, the ship and crew were in peril.

Although Captain Zateyev had argued the reactor needed a back up cooling system, none was installed.  That lack led to the dilemma the captain faced: lose the ship or have men expose themselves to radiation while cobbling together an emergency cooling system.

Eight sailors heroically volunteered to do the job, and the jury rigged cooling system was completed.  Unfortunately, the 8 men on the repair team died within a month of saving the ship, and later 15 more of the crew died from radiation. Not only had the crew and parts of the ship been irradiated, but even the nuclear armed ballistic missiles were contaminated as well.

Sending short ranged radio messages for assistance from other Soviet submarines, US Navy ships monitored the distress call and offered to assist, but Captain Zateyev refused American assistance.  To discourage a crew mutiny, the captain had all small arms thrown overboard, except for 5 pistols entrusted only to select officers.

The sub was towed to port by another Soviet submarine that had taken the crew aboard, and the repairs took 2 years before K-19 was back in service.  The sub served until decommissioning in April of 1990. Cracked fact: The damaged reactor was just dumped into the Kara Sea, with no regard for environmental responsibility.

Troubles were not over for Hiroshima after the reactor disaster, as a collision with US Navy submarine USS Gato occurred 200 feet below the surface in 1969 and a fire claimed 28 lives in 1972.  Cracked fact: A former crew member of the K-19 bought the ship in 2006 with the intention of making it a “Moscow based meeting place” for submarine sailors from around the world. No work has been done as yet to make that happen.

Question for students (and subscribers):  Are nuclear powered ships safe for people and the environment?  Should they be banned?  Tell us what you think in the comments section below this article.

If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons !

Your readership is much appreciated!

Historical Evidence

For more information, please see…

Huchthausen, Peter.   K-19 THE WIDOWMAKER: The Secret Story of The Soviet Nuclear Submarine .  National Geographic, 2002.

Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier=" 1980 http://www.crackedhistory.com/p=1980"> 71 comments.

Nuclear powered ships are not safe. Both for the people as well as the environment. Take a look at the people that were on that ship! It killed all of them, it’s self explanatory that it is not a good idea at all!

the advantages of nuclear power in a sea vessel are too much for military powers to ignore, so the question is why did the soviets continue to put men in harm’s way without engineering safer designs? why has the united states not suffered the same types of incidents? those are smart questions.

The header of this article is absolutely incorrect ! The first Soviet nuclear submarine was the K-3 Leninsky Komsomol, which was launched in 1957 and commissioned in 1958, about 3 (!) years before the K-19… .

Didn’t know how big submarines could be so big. Such a cool piece of machinery.

Ummm… Harrison Ford has a movie about this!? Gonna have to go watch this now!!!!

The men were courageous for risking their lives in order to save the submarine.

I think it shows how brave some people can be. For such a massive piece of machinery they never gave up.

I wonder what would’ve happened if the Captain would’ve accepted help from the American Navy ships. Perhaps it would’ve helped warm up the Cold War, or maybe the Americans would’ve tried to “kick ’em when they’re down,” which would’ve been very dishonorable indeed.

Shocking that to discourage mutiny, they threw certain weapons overboard! What a terrifying environment to have to live within.

I like learning about technology such as this. Amazing what nuclear energy can do.

And none of this would have happened if they just listening to the captain in the first place…

They should have listened to the captain about installing a backup cooling system.

It is sorrowful that so many people died from the radiation.

Wonder what the outcome would have been if they listened to the captain?

This is why you always listen to what your captain says, or anyone else you take orders from.

I think nuclear based ships are horrible for the environment. They expel radiation and over time, that can be detrimental to the environment.

This article shows how important it is to listen to your boss

maybe if the back up cooling system was installed they could have avoided this event to had happen.

No surprise that the Russians made their nuclear submarine not long after we did. It was indeed a fierce competition.

I can not believe that the cracked reactor was just dumped into the ocean.

It’s sad that a total of 23 men died in repairing the ship along with radiation poisoning. Aside from that, the cracked reactor dumped into the ocean which I can’t imagine how much aquatic life it killed.

The thing that bothered me most was hearing about the cracked reactor. Being an toxicologist and chemist, I would not be surprised if effects of this still linger today in the ocean.

I wonder if radiation taints water if so then that water deposits is now contaminated and i have no idea how long it takes for radiation levels to disperse, i know that chernobyl is still unenhabitable.

Being in a submarine would be difficult. Being in a nuclear submarine would be so much worse. Something goes wrong like what happened to the K-19, there is not much you can do.

My brother was on a sub while serving in the Navy. I can only imagine a nuclear submarine, though. The fear factor would have to be ten-fold.

It was very heroic for those men to voluntarily fix the ship knowing that they would be exposed to radiation and ended up dying from it. This seems like the lives of the men were not valued as much as the ship was.

This is a sad yet heroic story. I could not imagine risking my life and health like these men.

It is sad to see that so many people died because of the radiation.

This is why nuclear war is so dangerous.

It is sad to see that so many of those who volunteered passed away.

Nuclear powered ships are definitely not safe considering the fact that the eight men on the repair team for the K-19 died within a month of service.

I think these ships should be banned. I cannot believe the dangers that have been dumped in our oceans just from military alone. Very sad so many men had to perish on that sub.

I am so surprised that they let these ships go considering how dangerous they are. So sad to see how many people pass away

It’s sad that those men died from radiation after fixing the ship, especially since the ship wrecked in the end of it all and even more men died.

I did not know just how dangerous these ships were. I also cannot believe they just dumped radioactive things into the ocean with no care or worry about what it would do to the environment. It’s crazy how fast the radiation killed these men.

So 1958 is when the first Nuclear Submarine was commissioned.

It is horrible to think that those men who volunteered to fix the the ship probably knew how dangerous it was going to be, and ultimately lost their lives because of doing trying to help.

Technology should be worked for human’s happiness. Even for weapons, we make them because we want to keep the world peaceful rather than destroy the world. The event of nuclear leakage increased pollution. People should remember it and avoid it in the future.

So horrible to hear about this nuclear technology would be used.

Nuclear weapons are a popular topic when it comes to ethics. I feel as though this article shows an example of the negatives of nuclear weapons.

Reading more about war weapons is teaching me a lot and how damaging they really can be.

It is amazing just how dangerous nuclear power can be.

It’s crazy to think how dangerous nuclear power can be, reading all of these articles has taught me a lot about how destructive was can become.

I would not want to be around these ships at all. They were so dangerous.

The 8 men that repaired the cooling system were very courageous and heroic men indeed. I can only begin to imagine the bravery needed to do what they did.

Nuclear power can be very dangerous if used in the wrong way. Power can be extremely dangerous as well.

I believe that we should continue to use nuclear power, but instead figure out how to use it more effectively and safer.

It was a very courageous move for those guys to volunteer for such a dangerous task. Then soon 15 more died from radiation.

I think nuclear work in general should just be given up. There are too many disasters related to nuclear items.

Sad to hear that all of the volunteers passed away and more men were lost due to radiation. Such a dangerous thing to be exposed to!

As with many weapons of war, once they have been made it I all but impossible to un-make them regardless of the danger they pose.

I cannot believe they just dumped that damaged reactor into the sea. I think we should not be using these types of subs.

Maybe the older subs should have been banned since they needed cooling systems, but today, the technology is better and importance to preserve life has taken first seat.

It is sad to see these unneeded deaths happen. Then to see more people died due to radiation is horrible as well.

Nuclear ships should not be allowed, as they pose a great risk to society. Even more disturbing is that there was no environmental conscience when disposing of such.

Wow. What drama. Again, the voice of reason was ignored. I am shocked that the reactor was tossed into the sea. I cant imagine how many times incidents like that have occurred. I was also surprised to see that the ship served until 1990. If that is ever made into a meeting place I will make every attempt to visit.

Submarine warfare is a scary thing. I couldn’t imagine seeing one of these things surface out of the water.

I don’t think nuclear powered ships are safe for the environment. The can cause a lot of harm to people that is not needed.

K-19 was a great movie! Nuclear reactors floating around in the ocean just seems crazy. What seems more crazy is being in the submarine floating around with a nuclear reactor.

Nuclear submarines are dangerous for sailor and the environment, but there is a need for Nuclear submarines in our military. I am shock that submarine was dumped in sea, there must be more to the story.

Unfortunately poor craftsmanship happens when a government pushes its people to create the most advanced weapons on the planet. This was one such occasion were the Russian government should have inspected the submarine more carefully before commissioning it, it would have saved at least the 23 men who died if only a backup cooling system was installed.

I am going to have to watch this K-19 movie, as this story is very interesting. I feel horrible for those who died in attempt to save others.

I am impressed by the fact that the live of this submarine was 30 years considering all of the issues that it had!

Nuclear powered ships should be banned. Exposure to radiation is no joke!

It was probably scary sitting in a huge nuclear reactor. I can understand why the people inboard died so shortly after saving the vessel.

I wouldn’t want to be in charge of that.

This whole submarine carrying nuclear weapons sound like a horrible idea to me. The fact that the captain of the sub would not accept help from the US is just stubborn and stupid of him. They should have had some type of repercussions for just dumping that reactor in the ocean.

It is a shame that men and women are sent out on deployment with equipment that is known or anticipated to not be safe. This is what happened in the Soviet Union and it happens in the US. When our men and women are sent out to protect us we should be doing everything possible to keep them safe.

It is sad that the military men and women were exposed to radiation without having the proper protection to keep them safe. Our military personnel should have the very best equipment to keep them safe, its the least our government could do for them putting their lives on the line.

I feel like anything with the name nuclear in it cannot be a good thing for people or the environment.

Wow this is completely crazy nuclear ship should absolutely NOT be allowed these would do severe damage. It’s a terrible idea to even consider anything nuclear.

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War History Online

The Soviet 'Hiroshima' Submarine That Inspired Harrison Ford's 'K-19: The Widowmaker'

Posted: March 18, 2024 | Last updated: March 19, 2024

The Soviet ‘Hiroshima’ Submarine That Inspired Harrison Ford’s ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’

K-19 was the first submarine of the Soviet Union's Project 658, the first generation of Soviet nuclear submersibles that carried an armament of nuclear ballistic missiles. The vessel was quickly built, due to US submarine developments during the Cold War. On K-19 's maiden voyage in July 1961, she suffered a nuclear incident, which earned her the nickname "Hiroshima" and inspired the 2002 Harrison Ford film, K-19: The Widowmaker .

K-19 was an unlucky submarine

In the 1950s, the Soviet Union began constructing a nuclear submarine fleet. Ordered on October 16, 1957 and laid down a year later, K-19 was unlucky from the very start. During the vessel's construction, eight workers died : two were killed in a fire, while six more died after inhaling fumes when gluing rubber lining to a water cistern.

Following construction, two more people died. An engineer fell between two compartments, while an electrician was crushed to death by a missile tube door when the submarine was being loaded with nuclear missiles. Symbolically making matters worse, a man, instead of a woman, was chosen to break a bottle of champagne on the boat's stern at K-19' s launch in 1959. It didn't break, seemingly confirming the unluckiness of the submarine.

K-19 suffered her first accident in January 1960, following the improper operation of her nuclear reactor. This resulted in the reactor-control rod being bent, and it required the device be dismantled and repaired. After this, the submarine completed sea trials. During these tests, she suffered flooding. On top of this, it was discovered the hull's rubber coating had detached and the whole vessel had to be re-coated.

Despite all this, K-19 was commissioned into the Soviet Navy on April 30, 1961, with a crew of 139.

Suffering a nuclear incident at sea

On July 4, 1961, during K-19's first cruise, a serious incident occurred. The vessel was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic, just off the southeast coast of Greenland, when the starboard nuclear reactor's cooling system dropped to zero. It was discovered the reactor coolant system had a major leak, which had caused the coolant pumps to fail. To make matters worse, the long-range radio system was damaged and the crew couldn't contact Moscow of their predicament.

The reactor's control rods, which control the rate of fission of the nuclear fuel, were automatically inserted by the emergency SCRAM system. This, however, didn't stop the temperature from rising, with it hitting 1,470 degrees Fahrenheit . Capt. Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev ordered the engineers jury-rig a new coolant system by cutting off an air vent valve and welding a water-supply line to it.

This was successful, and the introduction of water reduced the reactor's temperature - although it did require those working on this new system to do so in high radiation for long periods of time. They took as many precautions as they could; it was reported the sailors who entered the reactor compartment only remained inside for five to 10 minutes, in teams of three.

This, however, did little to help. In a 1994 interview with the Los Angeles Times , Zateyev recalled that one of his men, Boris Korchilov, entered the compartment and, after a while, exited, ripped off his gas mask and vomited.

The situation continued to grow dire

Radiation ultimately began to contaminate other compartments of K-19 through her ventilation system. Ultimately, the entirety of the crew was exposed to radiation, along with the whole submarine and some of the ballistic missiles. Within a month of the incident, all seven engineers and their divisional officer died of radiation poisoning, with another 15 crewmen dying over the next two years.

Zateyev decided, instead of continuing on the planned route, K-19 would sail south to meet Soviet diesel-powered submarines and evacuate the vessel. American warships heard K-19's distress call and offered to help, but, fearing they may gain Soviet military secrets, Zateyev decline their offer.

While sailing south, Zateyev also feared his crew may mutiny, and he had all small arms thrown overboard, except for five pistols for himself and his most trusted officers. S-270 , a Whiskey -class diesel-powered Soviet submarine, received K-19's faint distress call. The vessel then sailed to her and evacuated her crew, after which K-19 was towed back to the Soviet Union.

Aftermath of K-19's nuclear incident

After being towed back to the Soviet Union, K-19 underwent extensive repairs over the subsequent two years. Her reactors were removed and replaced, with the old ones scuttled in the Kara Sea. This, however, contaminated the nearby environment. After repairs were completed, K-19 returned to the Soviet fleet with the nickname, "Hiroshima," in reference to the atomic bombing of the Japanese city during the Second World War .

The official Soviet explanation for the incident was faulty welding during the boat's construction. Officials stated that, when welding, a welder didn't use the required protective asbestos drop cloths to stop the piping system from exposure to sparks, ultimately producing an invisible crack. When this crack was exposed to very high pressure, the pipe became compromised and failed.

Some disagreed with this conclusion. Retired Rear Adm. Nikolai Mormul stated that, when K-19's reactor was started on shore, no one had attached a pressure gauge to the cooling circuit. Once this problem was discovered, the pipes had already been exposed to the pressure of 400 atmospheres, double what the pipes could handle.

Legacy of K-19's nuclear incident

The longest-lasting legacy of the K-19 incident is its impact on the environment. The Soviet Union, for an incredibly long time, disposed of nuclear submarines or nuclear reactors by scuttling them. Ecologist Anna Ridiger told Lenta , "The Kara Sea has always been a garbage dump. A cemetery for everything you can imagine. Nobody gave any thought to whether it was environmentally friendly or not, they just dumped it there."

Capt. Vladimir Gundarov told MK , "The Kara Sea and the bays in the Novaya Zemlya area were, in Soviet times, the place where spent nuclear reactors and old nuclear submarines were dumped." These nuclear reactors, including K-19's , were mothballed by filling them with a preservative based on furfural, which was intended to seal them for 500 years. Once they'd been sealed, they were dumped into the ocean.

Researchers from Russia's emergency services ministry and the Russian Academy of Sciences recently located K-19's reactor. This didn't come as a surprise. As stated by Shirshov Institute Director Alexei Sokov in an interview with Ecology of Russia , "Our task is to find, map, and measure the level of danger. If the pollutant lies at the bottom, then it is necessary to arrange monitoring, to ensure that the shell does not collapse. If it collapses, then this will certainly entail environmental problems."

It actually wasn't until the early 2000s when nations, such as the "United States, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Japan [and] Norway" partnered with Russia for the creation of storage facilities for naval radiation hazards. These contain these hazardous materials, instead of putting them into the ocean.

K-19: The Widowmaker, based on the events of K-19's maiden voyage, is a historical drama film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Harrison Ford in the lead role. Set against the backdrop of the Cold War , it explores the intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union in the race for nuclear supremacy.

Capt. Alexei Vostrikov, played by Ford and based on Capt. Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev, is assigned to command K-19 . As the submarine embarks on her mission, it becomes apparent she's plagued by mechanical issues and design flaws. The crew, led by executive officer Mikhail Polenin (portrayed by Liam Neeson ), initially resents Vostrikov's strict leadership style. However, when the reactor coolant system malfunctions, threatening a nuclear meltdown, they unite to prevent a catastrophic disaster.

More from us: The USS Oriskany Was Purposefully Sunk In the Gulf of Mexico to Form An Artificial Reef

The film delves into the crew's bravery and sacrifice as they work tirelessly to repair the failing reactor, exposing themselves to high levels of radiation. Their desperate attempts to save K-19 and themselves create a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere, highlighting the harsh realities of life aboard a submarine and the dire consequences of nuclear power gone awry.

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The unlucky soviet nuclear submarine k-19, nicknamed “hiroshima”.

• Military Vehicles
• World War 2

The misfortunes of the Soviet nuclear submarine K-19 could fit into some mariner’s folk tales of bad luck at sea. Even during its construction, a series of freak accidents plagued the dockyard workers who were assigned to make the K-19 seaworthy.

In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union was rushing to catch up with American nuclear submarine development, and the K-19 was intended to be the first of its class. The submarine was equipped with nuclear ballistic missiles capable of delivering severe blows to the US coastline.

The project was of great importance as, in 1961 when the submarine made its first voyage, the Cold War was on the brink of becoming thermonuclear.  The construction was progressed hastily, which led to ten deaths before the submarine was completed in the shipyard of Severodnivsk in the far north of the USSR.

Project 658 – or Hotel-Class submarine – had a troublesome construction period.  Two workers died in a fire accident that broke out in 1958. Six women died of fumes released from glue used for rubber lining on a water cistern. During the loading of missiles, an engineer was crushed by a missile tube, and another one died in a freak accident by falling between two compartments inside the submarine.

After K-19 had been deemed seaworthy in 1959, a christening ceremony was organized to celebrate the newest achievement of the Soviet Union and the pride of its Navy.

Against naval tradition, a man, instead of a woman, was chosen to break the champagne bottle against the ship during the launch. As Captain 3rd Rank V. V. Panov swung the bottle against the submarine’s stern, the bottle did not break, but bounced off. The crew witnessed this bad omen, further developing theories the ship was in some way cursed.

In 1960, due to confusion among the crew, the nuclear reactor on board the submarine was improperly operated, bending one of the control rods. The repairs delayed the first voyage and some crew members, including the captain were demoted.

The command of K-19 was then given to Captain 1st Rank Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev, an ambitious and capable officer who received an early promotion from Marshall Zhukov, Minister of Defense for the USSR.

After several test runs, the questionable quality of K-19’s construction surfaced. The ship lost the rubber coating from its hull and had to go through additional repairs. Several other malfunctions were reported during the trial period, including the flooding of the reactor compartment. Everything pointed to defects in the design, but as the ship was in the spotlight due to the arms race, many of these problems were neglected by high-ranking officials.

On April 30, 1961, the submarine was finally commissioned. Carrying a crew of 139 the K-19 also hosted a variety of missile men, reactor officers, torpedo men, doctors, cooks, stewards, and several observing officers.

During its first official mission, the K-19 was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic, near the south tip of Greenland. On July 4, 1961, the submarine developed yet another malfunction. A major leak in the reactor caused the coolant system to fail, leading to a dangerous rise in temperature within the nuclear core. As well as this potential catastrophe, the long-range radio system was broken, so there was no way of contacting Moscow to advise on their situation.

The K-19 was operating near one of the NATO bases in the Atlantic Ocean.  The Captain’s primary concern was the possibility of causing the outbreak of the Third World War with a nuclear explosion that would outmatch Hiroshima and Nagasaki together in the close vicinity of the base.

The reactor was shut down but continued to heat up reaching a temperature of 800 °C (1,470 °F). It was heading towards an explosion and needed to be cooled down urgently. Captain Zatayev ordered an engineering team directly into the reactor room to create a makeshift cooling system by cutting one of the valves on the reactor and connecting it to a water-supplying pipe.

The men were aware of the dangers of radiation but followed their orders although there was a lack of safety equipment on board. The high radiation level took its toll. After the successful repair, all the men who were part of the engineering team suffered from acute radiation sickness. They were eventually hospitalized, but all died within a month.

Radioactive steam containing fission products released during the opening of the sealed reactor room were drawn into the ship’s ventilation system contaminating to some extent the entire submarine. Everyone was at risk of radiation poisoning.

Due to this accident, Captain Zatayev aborted the mission and headed south in the hope of encountering a friendly submarine that was supposed to be in the sector.

An American destroyer also picked up a short-range distress call from the K-19 and began shadowing it. The Americans offered their assistance, but Zatayev refused, as he was afraid he would be deemed a traitor back in the USSR, a punishment worse than death for a Soviet officer. He could not let the Americans get a hold of the first Soviet nuclear submarine, but his crew was getting anxious. Mutiny was in sight, and as time dragged on, Zatayev was losing his options.

Luckily, the diesel-powered S-270 appeared on the horizon. Despite orders to stay on board the K-19 and wait for the tow boat to carry them back, the captain evacuated the submarine for the S-270.

Fifteen more crew members died in the next two years. The K-19 was back in service several months after the accident but bad luck followed it until its decommission in 1990.

The submarine was involved in a collision accident in November 1969, with the American submarine USS Gato in the Barents Sea, suffering heavy damage. A fire accident a few years later claimed the lives of another twelve sailors on board the K-19. Due to its reputation, the submarine was nicknamed Hiroshima .

K-19 Nuclear Submarine 1961 Incident

Daniel lowet march 18, 2017, submitted as coursework for ph241 , stanford university, winter 2017.

The Soviet Union began building their first ballistic-missile-equipped nuclear submarine in 1958, and named it the K-19. [1] The submarine, pictured in Fig. 1, was completed on November 12, 1960, and could operate at a max depth of 150m. [1] There were three ballistic nuclear missiles on the submarine, each with ranges of 650 km. [1] The building of the K-19 was rushed, as the Soviet leaders were determined to build a nuclear sub fleet that would rival the United States. [1] Production and testing was so rushed, however, that the Captain of the K-19, Nikolai Zateyev, thought that the submarine fleet was not fit for combat. [1] From July-November of 1960, the K-19's sea trials were plagued by breakdowns and malfunctions. [1] However, on June 18, 1961, the K-19 departed on its first mission, as a U.S. attacker in the Atlantic Ocean. [1]

On July 4, 1961, the K-19 developed a radioactive leak while in the North Atlantic Ocean. [2] It is believed that the probable reason for the leak was an incident during the start-up tests of one of the reactors, where the first pressure test went all the way to 400 atm because of a pressure gauge malfunction. [2] The designed pressure was only 200 atm, so this resulted in damage to the piping of the primary system. [2] The person in charge of the test, however, did not report the incident to his superiors, so the repair work was not performed. [2] The leak was located in a pipe regulating the pressure within the primary cooling circuit, causing a sudden drop in pressure, which set off the reactor emergency systems. [3] This drop in pressure led to the reactor water boiling, and the temperature of the reactor room reached at least 140°C, before a fire was ignited in the room. [2] The fire was extinguished, but the major issue was the cooling of the reactor core. [2] The Captain, however, did not react immediately, although it should have been clear that a leak had developed in the primary system in one of the two submarine reactors. [2] There was no coolant system in place to stop the reactor from overheating, so the crew, protected only by raincoats and gasmasks, had to enter the reactor compartment and fix the leak, in an effort to save the submarine from exploding. [4] They developed a cooling system with the drinking water supply on board, which proved to be effective. [2] Although the crew avoided the melting of the fuel and a possible steam explosion, they exposed themselves to doses of radiation of 50 to 60 Sv in the form of noxious gas and steam. [2,3] The crew was evacuated to a diesel submarine based nearby the incident, and the K-19 was towed home to base on the Kola Peninsula. [3]

Within a matter of days, eight crew members who had fixed the leak died of radiation poisoning. [4] Several of the other compartments on the submarine itself, and the rest of the crew also became contaminated. [2] The submarine was later repaired and brought back into service, by replacing the reactor compartment of the submarine with a new nuclear power unit. [2] The two damaged reactors and their fuel were dumped in the Abrosimova Bay in the Kara Sea in 1965. [2] There was then another reactor incident on the K-19 in 1972, leading it to receive the nickname of Hiroshima because of the numerous incidents. [3] In total, twenty-two of the 139 men in the submarine's original crew in 1961 died of radiation sickness over the few years following the incident. [4] The fate of the K-19 was a closely guarded secret, and was not publicized to Western sources until 1991 when the newspaper Pravda confirmed the radiation had killed many members of the crew. [4] The crew members had been sworn to secrecy, and had to lie to doctors in routine checkups even decades after the incident. [4]

© Daniel Lowet. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.

[1] P. C. R. Huchthausen, K-19 The Widowmaker: The Secret of The Soviet Nuclear Submarine (National Geographic, 2002).

[2] P. L. Ølgaard, "Accidents in Nuclear Ships," Risø National Laboratory, NKS-RAK-2(96)TR-C3 , December 1996.

[3] T. Nilson, I. Kudrik, and A. Nikitin, " The Russian Northern Fleet: Sources of Radiation Contamination ," Bellona Foundation, February 1996.

[4] M. Bivens, " Horror of Soviet Nuclear Sub's '61 Tragedy Told ," Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan 94.

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2023 Atelier Interface - Beneteau Flow 19 - First 24 - First 18

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The Flow 19 is a racer cruiser modeled after Beneteau First 18 and 24 sailboats. It has a much roomier and comfortable cabin than the 18 with ample storage and is considerably lighter, easier to rig and tow than a First 24. Custom built in France by a shipyard specializing in performance boats and composite structures, she is a fast and lightweight 19-footer, perfect for coastal cruising and day sailing. The 154lbs fully retractable swing keel paired with 2 x 132 lbs water ballasts provide a comfortable weight/ballast ratio. The hull and deck are built using wood/epoxy construction and rigid foam in the hull provides positive flotation. Critical parts such as rudders, swing keel and coach roof are molded infused composites. Exterior surfaces are covered with a durable layer of glass cloth and the hull gets an extra layer of protection. The absence of exposed wood minimizes maintenance and guarantees long lasting performance. The roomy cabin has 51 inches of headroom for comfortable seating and can accommodate up to four. At less than 1,000 lbs, the boat can be easily towed by a small car and thanks to her fully retractable keel , she can be launched from shallow ramps and beached anywhere. With the keel up and her flat bottom, she easily slips on a boat lift at your dock. The 3HP ePropulsion electric outboard, allows the boat to be also used as a silent and eco-friendly cabin cruiser to explore rivers and small lakes.

KEY FEATURES:

• Lightweight, fast planing hull
• Ample storage in the cabin and in the two large cockpit lockers
• 24.6ft and lightweight 20lbs mast easy to step up by one person
• Fully retractable 154lbs swing keel safely operated from the cockpit with a 9:1 purchase system
• 260lbs dual water ballast with automatic bailers (for higher performances, the boat can be sailed in light winds with ballast emptied)
• Powerful sail plan, hard chines and twin-rudders for excellent upwind and fun planning performances
• Hi-performance and single handling from simple rigging sourced from a mix of top-quality Harken, Selden and Ronstan components.

Equipment: INCLUDED OPTIONS:

• Galvanized steel custom fit trailer with mast support, removable light bar, and spare wheel.
• Custom hull color
• 23m Code D Sail on with Ronstan top down furler
• Ronstan Headsail furler
• Lazyjacks with Lazybag
• All sails upgraded to Contender ZZP Mylar laminate
• 6-12 Forespar adjustable whisker pole
• Sherman-Johnson headstay quick tensioner
• Twin berth 15-inch extension with cushion
• Coppercoat antifouling
• Full electrical system with 50AH LifePO4 battery, electrical panel with circuit breakers, battery monitor, charger, navigation lights, AC outlet, dock side AC inlet, USB plugs in cabin and cockpit, LED cabin lighting, concealed wiring.
• 20W solar panel on swing arm
• Electronics: B&G Vulcan 7 GPS/Plotter on swing arm, Calypso masthead wireless ultrasonic wind sensor, NMEA 2000 network
• Simrad TP22 tiller auto-pilot
• ePropulsion Spirit1.0 EVO 3HP electric outboard w/ 2 x batteries, standard and fast AC charger, Solar / 12V charger controller
• Swim platform with retractable ladder
• Seadek EVA foam in cockpit
• EVA foam teak covering on cabin floor and aft storage compartments
• Cabin table on removable pedestal
• Deck ventilation hatch (1’x1’)
• Companionway entry bench
• Cockpit sun cover

SPECIFICATIONS: Hull Length: 19 ft - 5.80 m LOA (with bowsprit out): 24’ - 7.32m Beam: 7.55 ft - 2.30 m Draft: 0.33 ft / 0.10 m - 4.27 ft / 1.30m Weight (ready to sail, ballasts empty): 450 kg - 992 lbs Weight (ready to sail, ballasts full): 570 kg - 1,146 lbs Ballast (keel water): 190 kg - 418 lbs Keel Weight: 154 lbs - 70 kg Water Ballasts (X2): 132 lbs ea. - 60kg Cabin Headroom: 4.27 ft - 1.30 m Mast Length: 24.61 ft - 7.50 m Air Draft: 28’6” - 8.68m Sail Area: 22.60m2 - 243 sf Main: 14.1 m2 - 151 sf Jib: 8.50 m2 - 91 sf Storm Jib: 5.5 m2 - 59.2sf Asymmetrical Spinnaker: 32 m2 - 344 sf Code D: 23 m2 - 247 sf Code 0: 16 m2 - 172 sf

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

in 2018 Beneteau purchased a controlling stake in the Slovenian builder Seascape, bringing all Seascape models into the fold of its First range. Asym SA: 32 sqm / 344.45 sq ft Bowsprit: 1.4m / 4.59 ft Displacement above = light. Short keel weight: 145 kg / 320 lbs.

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Construction deaths

K-19 was ordered by the Soviet Navy on 16 October 1957. Her keel was laid on 17 October 1958 at the naval yard in Severodvinsk . Several workers died building the submarine: two workers were killed when a fire broke out, and later six women gluing rubber lining to a water cistern were killed by fumes. While missiles were being loaded, an electrician was crushed to death by a missile-tube cover, and an engineer fell between two compartments and died.

Gains unlucky reputation

The boat was launched and named on 8 April 1959. Breaking with tradition, a man (Captain 3rd Rank V. V. Panov of the 5th Urgent Unit) instead of a woman was chosen to smash the ceremonial champagne bottle across the ship's stern. The bottle failed to break, instead sliding along the propellers and bouncing off the rubber-coated hull. This is traditionally viewed among sea crews as a sign that the ship is unlucky. Captain 1st Rank Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev was the first commander of the submarine. Vasily Arkhipov was the executive officer of the new Hotel-class ballistic missile submarine K-19.

Early problems

In January 1960, confusion among the crew during a watch change led to improper operation of the reactor and a reactor-control rod was bent. The damage required the reactor to be dismantled for repairs. The officers on duty were removed and Captain Panov was demoted.

The submarine's ensign was hoisted for the first time on 12 July 1960. The vessel underwent sea trials from 13 through 17 July 1960 and again from 12 August through 8 November 1960, travelling 17,347 kilometres (10,779 mi). The ship was considered completed on 12 November 1960. After surfacing from a full-power run, the crew discovered that most of the hull's rubber coating had detached, and the entire surface of the boat had to be re-coated.

During a test dive to the maximum depth of 300 m (980 ft), flooding was reported in the reactor compartment, and Captain Zateyev ordered the submarine to immediately surface, where the boat heeled over on her port side due to the water she had taken on. It was later determined that during construction the workers had failed to replace a gasket. In October 1960, the galley crew disposed of wood from equipment crates through the galley's waste system, clogging it. This led to flooding of the ninth compartment, which filled one third full of water. In December 1960, a loss of coolant was caused by failure of the main circuit pump. Specialists called from Severodvinsk managed to complete repairs at sea within a week. [ citation needed ]

The boat was commissioned on 30 April 1961. The submarine had a total of 139 men aboard, including missile men, reactor officers, torpedo men, doctors, cooks, stewards, and several observing officers who were not part of the standard crew.

Nuclear accident

On 4 July 1961, under the command of Captain First Rank Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev , K-19 was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic off the south-east coast of Greenland . At 04:15 local time the pressure in the starboard nuclear reactor's cooling system dropped to zero. The reactor department crew found a major leak in the reactor coolant system , causing the coolant pumps to fail. The boat could not contact Moscow and request assistance because a separate accident had damaged the long-range radio system . The control rods were automatically inserted by the emergency SCRAM system, but the reactor temperature rose uncontrollably. Decay heat from fission products produced during normal operation eventually heated the reactor to 800 °C (1,470 °F).

Making a drastic decision, Zateyev ordered the engineering section to fabricate a new coolant system by cutting off an air vent valve and welding a water-supply pipe to it. This required men to work in high radiation for extended periods. The jury-rigged cooling water system successfully reduced the temperature in the reactor.

The accident released radioactive steam containing fission products that were drawn into the ship's ventilation system and spread to other compartments of the ship. The entire crew was irradiated as was most of the ship and some of the ballistic missiles on board. All seven members of the engineering crew and their divisional officer died of radiation exposure within the next month. Fifteen more sailors died within the next two years.

Instead of continuing on the mission's planned route, the captain decided to head south to meet diesel-powered submarines expected to be there. Worries about a potential crew mutiny prompted Zateyev to have all small arms thrown overboard except for five pistols distributed to his most trusted officers. A diesel submarine, S-270, picked up K-19 ' s low-power distress transmissions and joined up with it.

American warships nearby had also heard the transmission and offered to help, but Zateyev, afraid of giving away Soviet military secrets to the West, refused and sailed to meet S-270 . He evacuated the crew and had the boat towed to its home base.

Over the next two years, repair crews removed and replaced the damaged reactors. The repair process contaminated the nearby environment, in a zone within 700 m (2,300 ft), and the repair crew. The Soviet Navy dumped the original radioactive compartment into the Kara Sea . K-19 returned to the fleet with the nickname " Hiroshima ".

According to the government's official explanation of the disaster, the repair crews found that the catastrophe had been caused by a faulty welding incident during initial construction. They discovered that during installation of the primary cooling system piping, a welder had failed to cover exposed pipe surfaces with asbestos drop cloths (required to protect piping systems from accidental exposure to welding sparks), due to the cramped working space. A drop from a welding electrode fell on an unprotected surface, producing an invisible crack. This crack was subject to prolonged and intensive pressure (over 200 standard atmospheres (20,000 kilopascals)), compromising the pipe's integrity and finally causing it to fail.

Others disputed this conclusion. Retired Rear-Admiral Nikolai Mormul asserted that when the reactor was first started ashore, the construction crew had not attached a pressure gauge to the primary cooling circuit. Before anyone realized there was a problem, the cooling pipes were subjected to a pressure of 400 atmospheres, double the acceptable limit.

On 1 February 2006, former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev proposed in a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee that the crew of K-19 be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for their actions on 4 July 1961.

Deceased crew members

Several crew members received fatal doses of radiation during repairs on the reserve coolant system of Reactor #8. Eight died between one and three weeks after the accident from severe radiation sickness . A person who receives a dose of 4 to 5 Sv (about 400–500 rem ) over a short period has a 50% chance of dying within 30 days.

Fourteen other crew members died within two years. Many other crew members also received radiation doses exceeding permissible levels. They underwent medical treatment during the following year. Many others experienced chest pains, numbness, cancer, and kidney failure . Their treatment was devised by Professor Z. Volynskiy and included bone marrow transplantation and blood transfusion . It saved, among others, Chief Lieutenant Mikhail Krasichkov and Captain 3rd class Vladimir Yenin, who had received doses of radiation that were otherwise considered deadly. For reasons of secrecy, the official diagnosis was not "radiation sickness" but "astheno-vegetative syndrome", a mental disorder.

Crew members decorated

On 6 August 1961, 26 members of the crew were decorated for courage and valor shown during the accident. [ citation needed ]

Later operational history

On 14 December 1961, the boat was fully upgraded to the Hotel II ( 658м ) variant, which included upgrading to R-21 missiles, which had twice the effective range of the earlier missiles.

At 07:13 on 15 November 1969, K-19 collided with the attack submarine USS  Gato in the Barents Sea at a depth of 60 m (200 ft). She was able to surface using an emergency main ballast tank blow. The impact completely destroyed the bow sonar systems and mangled the covers of the forward torpedo tubes. K-19 was able to return to port where the boat was repaired and returned to the fleet. Gato was relatively undamaged and continued her patrol.

On 24 February 1972, a fire broke out while the submarine was at a depth of 120 m (390 ft), some 1,300 km (700 nmi; 810 mi) from Newfoundland , Canada. The boat surfaced and the crew was evacuated to surface warships except for 12 men trapped in the aft torpedo room. Towing was delayed by a gale , and rescuers could not reach the aft torpedo room because of conditions in the engine room. The fire killed 28 sailors aboard K-19 and two others who died after they were transferred to rescue ships. Investigators determined that the fire was caused by a hydraulic fluid leak onto a hot filter.

The rescue operation lasted more than 40 days and involved over 30 ships. From 15 June through 5 November 1972, K-19 was repaired and put back into service.

On 15 November 1972, another fire broke out in compartment 6, but it was put out by the chemical fire-extinguisher system and there were no casualties.

Decommissioning and fate

On 19 April 1990 the submarine was decommissioned , and was transferred in 1994 to the naval repair yard at Polyarny . In March 2002, she was towed to the Nerpa Shipyard, Snezhnogorsk , Murmansk , to be scrapped .

In 2006, a section of K-19 was purchased by Vladimir Romanov , who once served on the submarine as a conscript, with the intention of "Turning it into a Moscow-based meeting place to build links between submarine veterans from Russia and other countries." Many of K-19 ' s survivors objected to the plans. In 2023, The Athletic reported that Romanov had refurbished the submarine to serve as his place of residence in Nikul'skaya , described as a village in northwestern Russia.