merlin catamaran

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Merlin by Woods Designs

A compromise between gwahir and strider.

URL: http://sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/designs/2-catamarans-under-25ft/162-merlin

Description:

Merlin was designed as a compromise between Strider and Gwahir.

The hulls are finer than on the Strider for improved strong wind performance, but the hulls have more free board and the cabins are longer than on Gwahir, making Merlin a more attractive cruising boat. The interior layout is the same as Shadow.

Catamarans about same size as Merlin

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Marlin del Rey

Catamaran sailing tours in guanacaste, costa rica, catamaran tours at three locations.

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Catamaran Tours – Playa Tamarindo

Start at Playa Tamarindo, glide along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast, and take in the beautiful views of beaches, bays, and jungles.

Catamaran Tours – Playa Flamingo

Our newest departure location in Playa Flamingo is now available. Take in the beautiful views of beaches, bays, and jungles. Enjoy some time for snorkeling as well! This relaxing four-hour sail is the perfect addition to your tropical vacation.

Catamaran Tours – Playas del Coco

Start at Playa del Coco, glide along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast, and take in the beautiful views of beaches, bays, and jungles.

• Users 25 - 30 People
• Anchor Private Tour

Half Day Private Catamaran Tours

Book your own private excursion for half the day along the northern pacific coast of Costa Rica, starting at 8 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.

• Users 40 - 75 People
• Hour Glass 8 Hours

Full Day Private Catamaran Tours

Book your own private excursion for an entire day along the northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica starting at the time of your choice.

Marlin del Rey offers both open and private catamaran sailing tours in two locations—Playa Tamarindo and Playas del Coco in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Enjoy a unique experience along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast as you glide past beautiful bays, beaches, jungles, and more, with a tropical drink in one hand and a camera in the other. Then, take a break to snorkel in the bay, walk along a white sand beach, or enjoy a delicious meal. Whatever you want your vacation to be like, we can help!

5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor

We booked thru our hotel and had a shuttle to coco beach. They are very organized and friendly boat staff. Great music, food and drinks. We saw flying fish, dolphins and stingrays. Ended with a beautiful sunset. We went on a Sunday and had 28 ppl on catamaran...I would go again!

We had a great trip, from prompt pick up on the shore to viewing the beautiful sunset and return to Coco beach. The food was good, crew was attentive, vessel was spotless too. I would highly recommend the trip to anyone wanted to have a great day of beautiful scenery.

What an absolutely fantastic day. There were almost 50 of us on board plus the crew. There is so much space that it never felt crowded once. These amazing men took care of us better than we ever could have expected - felt like Queens and Kings on our ship. The food was delicious, drinks were non-stop and the sights were breathtaking. Could not have picked a better thing to do!

This was by far the best organized tour that I have ever been on. The crew was courteous and helpful; especially Johann Gutierrez. As a Master Diver, he gave me tips on where and how to maximize my snorkeling experience on his waters..EVERYONE was treated like family. Thank you Johann, for everything you did to make this a lifelong memory!!

If you like boats, you should do this!!! Free, premium brand drinks and lunch included on this trip. Just bring your towel, sunscreen and sail. The guys on this catamaran know what they are doing and add some extra fun. The service provided by these guys is top level. The sunset tour is amazing! Great fun for sure.

production Strider 24

plywood Romany 34

lightweight 14ft Zeta mainhull

Strike 15 trimaran at speed

28ft Skoota in British Columbia

10ft 2 sheet ply Duo dinghy

24ft Strider sailing fast

36ft Mirage open deck catamaran

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Merlin Building Photos

The standard building method for Merlin is strip plank cedar hulls and ply decks. However some people have built it in foam sandwich and others with double-diagonal ply, as Strider

Temporary frames are setup on a building frame and the hull planking with western red cedar strips. It is best to start at the gunwale. However if you fit a knuckle it is possible to use plywood on the topsides, and cedar just between the knuckle and keel. That is quicker and cheaper but does mean you have stringers and extra frames in the topsides (which you don't need with an all cedar boat)

After planking and fairing the whole surface is glassed with a light cloth and epoxy. As always, paint the hull while it is still upside down!

This stern view shows packing tape on the frames, so the hull doesn't stick to them and the shallow rudder skeg

Proud owner!

fitting the main companionway bulkhead, note how clean a strip plank interior is

The deep mastbeam as an option to the standard beam. It gives more protection to the cockpit and is essential if you are going to fit a cuddy

The small cuddy being fitted. Note the hole to take the outboard motor. This is the best position for motoring, but the raised engine tends to get in the way when sailing. So the alternative is to mount a bracket on the aft beam (port side if you are right handed)

This boat has metal beams which fit in the same beam boxes as the wood beams. You can just see the anchor lockers on the forward side of the mastbeam - adding more storage space and keeps muddy anchor warp out of the hulls. Also visible are the launching trollies. the back wheels are load bearing and are about amidships, the front wheels are turning castors for manouverability

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Brand: Woods

These models are designed by renown British naval architect Richard Woods, the maestro of catamaran designs. Richard Woods, not only designs catamarans, he sails them across oceans…. repeatedly. He has a lot to say on the subject of catamaran hull design and you can find more about him from our special interview series with him .

There are no catamarans currently for sale by owner of this brand.

Please see our catamarans for sale by owner page for a full listing of other currently available models.

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Best Cruising Catamarans

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

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

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

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

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

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

Antares 44i

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

Atlantic 42

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

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

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

Click here to see more cats from Catana.

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

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

Gemini 105M

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

Click here to read about the Gemini Legacy 35.

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to see more cats from Lagoon.

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

Louisiane 37

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

Maine Cat 30

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

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

Moorings 4800/Leopard 48

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

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

Nautitech 441

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

Click here to see more Nautitech Catamarans.

Outremer 5X

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

Click here to see more cats from Outremer.

St. Francis 50

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

Click here to read more about the St. Francis 50

Seawind 1000

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

Seawind 1160

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

Click here to read more about the Seawind 1160.

Sunsail 384

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

Victoria 67

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

Click here to see more images of the Victoria 67.

Wharram Tanaroa

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

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Best Catamarans Over 50 Feet

All kinds of high-end luxury sailing you could ever imagine can be experienced on Catamarans Over 50 Feet. It just depends on the boat at hand. Why spend your holiday cruising or liveaboard on a monohull when comfortable catamarans exist?

A catamaran is quite different from a regular monohull. Catamarans are typically designed with two equal-sized hulls and derive their stability from their wide beam; unlike a one-hulled boat deriving stability from a loaded undersurface.

The average catamaran is 38-47 feet in size. Usually, they are equipped with four large cabins with double or queen-sized beds, each cabin having an in-suite head. These vessels, originally designed for fishing, have, over the years, evolved and have become very popular in recent years. Lately, many boatbuilders are focusing more and more on building large catamarans over 50 feet as more and more people are starting to liveaboard and put more emphasis on comfort and luxury than their sailing performance.

In 2011, the biggest catamaran ever was built by Pendennis Shipyard in the UK, at 145 feet in length! It is equipped with a trampoline, a jacuzzi and can accommodate 12 guests in 5 cabins. This boat is designed to accommodate all the luxuries and adornments that can be found on a watercraft.

Here are the best sailing catamarans over 50 feet, in no particular order.

Length: 50 Feet

Price: From $500k to $1.5 Million USD On the Used Market

Back in 2019, the Lagoon 50 was awarded the best multihull of Sail Magazine. A product of the world’s largest boat manufacturer Lagoon, established in 1984, is majorly famous for the design and construction of cruising catamarans, which infuse top-notch designs, upscale comfort, and great sailing performances to one’s boating experience. Every detail is carefully thought out to establish novel and spacious architecture with a homely ambiance.

It’s a perfect balance between the model Lagoon 450 and the lofty 52. The Lagoon 50 has an encompassing view, generous volumes with a self-tacking jib, and a shorter mast for easily simplified maneuvers. It has two cockpits, one large one facing the sea and the other for seating at foredeck or on a deck chair. The hulls being large enough to contain more than 2 cabins, you can have up to six cabins. Italian agency Nauto Design Studio set a standard for their innovative interior designs every time. This vessel boasts of a unique brand signature, providing increased performance and a detailed wood finish to be fitted for the owner. Unconventional lines are linked with luxury, versatility, and a layout of technical options to cater to everyone’s needs.

>>Also Read: Jeanneau 64 Review

Length: 52 Feet

Looking for something contemporary and luxurious? Lagoon 52 takes the cake in that way. This boat signified a new stage in the design of cruising catamarans. The Lagoon 52 is a product of the prolonged conversations between Lagoon’s customary VPLP, Nauto design agency, and the Lagoon design department. It comes in two versions: The Lagoon 52 FlyBridge, known as Lagoon 52F, and Lagoon 52 SporTop.

The combination of onboard comfort with its sailing performance is perfect and in sync. The wide side decks allow easy movement onboard. The cockpit and saloon also offer spacious living areas. The vertical bows of the boat have a diamond-shaped appearance with diagonal shaped hull and a lifting deck house.

The boat is easily accessible and safe thanks to the open rear skirts. Most of the features in this luxurious watercraft can be found in the aforementioned Lagoon 50. It has a perfect blend for its easy use, a comfy, elegant interior, amazing space, and lighting. You’re sure to get your money’s worth with the LAGOON 52.

Privilege Series 5

Price: Around $1-1.5 Million USD

At 50 feet, this boat is quite marvelous and a privilege to spend your time in as a cruiser or owner. The Privilège Series 5 is the world’s first 50 feet sailing catamaran. This vessel was built by Privilège Marine, a French company based in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. They are famous for building premium luxury catamarans and designed by French Naval Architect Marc Lombard. The Privilège Series 5 is equipped with three or four double and a full-sized owner’s cabin located in the yacht’s center. It’s a lightweight boat at 48500 pounds and could go up to 52900 depending on the size.

It has great customization options, and it can be designed to suit the boat owner’s taste. The attention to detail on the boat is nothing short of perfection as the interior design, woodwork, safety measurements laid out by the boat’s design, aesthetics, ventilation, etc., was thought out good. The vessel’s finishing is really phenomenal as everything has a high level of craftsmanship.

Leopard 50L

Length: 50 Ft 6 In

Price: Around $1 Million USD

The Leopard 48, which was launched in 2012, was one of the most popular cruising cats ever designed. But the design was beginning to become dated, even as new orders kept coming in. So, Robertson & Caine, who build the Leopard cats, set out to improve on what was already great. The new 50 was their answer and comes with many innovations that will make owners happy. We test sailed the 50L last winter in Florida. The L version has the optional lounge on top of the hardtop over the cockpit. Unlike some cats with flying bridges and lounges up high, the 50L doesn’t feel like a layer wedding cake.

The steering station is a traditional raised helm to starboard, and the lounge is just up a few stairs from there. The helmsman is in contact with those in the main cockpit and those in the lounge. Out sailing, we got the 50L up to 10 knots in a good breeze, so the boat is fast. It is also commodious and will make a very comfortable home for a family or a charter party.

>>Also Read: 10 Best Catamaran Brands

Length: 58 Feet

Price: From $450k To $1.5 Million on the Used Market

Leopard 58 is a superb layout from Leopard, skilfully modeled by award-winning designers Robertson & Caine. This extravagant catamaran is suited to the prolific and innovative catamarans that have made Leopard famous while still giving out fresh features and various design options.

This expansive FlyBridge takes space to a whole new dimension as it is larger than its siblings with their award-winning aspects. A Flybridge is basically a version of catamarans that affords you the luxury of outdoor space, come rain or shine. Leopard 58 is more about space, bragging about 750 square feet in just the saloon alone. It gives you amazing comfort and is naturally luminous. With an open plan layout, the galley available means the meal making and interaction will be easy. Highly recommended for a family outdoor gathering.

Price: Around $1 Million USD New ; Not many options on the used market since its a newer model

Popularly called the Seawind 52 because of its 52 feet size. The Seawind 52′ 1600 is designed by world-renowned architects Reichel Pugh. Like the Lagoon 52, it’s a perfect balance for onboard comfort and performance sailing and sea safety. Perfect for sailors or boat lovers who are looking for a little extra.

This catamaran sets a standard for offshore sailing because of its simple sailing methods, large open cockpit space, and twin protected helms. Equipped with a three or four-cabin design that affords the owner’s cabin expansive living space, great storage, high aspect riders, daggerboards, an elegant fit/finish, and infused carbon-reinforced construction.

Seawind 1600

Price: Around $1 Million USD New

The new Seawind 1600 has been in the works for a while and has finally arrived on the market. The Reichel Pugh design is a departure from the more conservative looks of the other Seawinds and embraces a very Euro-style with plumb bows, hard chines, a swept-back cabin, and a large open cockpit with helm stations on both sides. The boat is a pure performance cruiser that was conceived as a blue water voyaging boat for a family. At 52 feet, it falls within the size range that an experienced couple can handle, so it would make a great platform for a couple to explore the world. The 1600 like all of the Seawinds and Corsairs, are built in Vietnam.

Nautitech 542

Length: 54 Feet

Price: Around $1.2 Million USD New

Nautitech 542 is the typical example of offshore meeting first class. This boat has ideally tweaked fittings for smooth sailing under any circumstances. Furnished with a single wheel on its roof for perfect views of the boat and a comfy 2-person seat. The idea of this boat is mostly based on performance and quality. Asides from the positions of the helm, Nautitech 541 and 542 are very similar. Nautitech 542 is large and luxurious. The sail controls at the helm stations for easy sailing maneuvers and perfect for all weather conditions. The interior was designed by French designer Franck Darnet. Equipped with state of the art furniture and cabin experience, a sleek experience is assured.

>>Also Read: Best Sailboats Under 100k

Xquisite X5

Length: 51 Feet

Price: Around $1.5 Million USD

Once you have met your first Xquisite X5, you will never forget its absolute distinctive looks and almost space-traveling styling. The whole look of the boat, with its large reverse curving arches and cat’s eye windows, says right out loud that you need to pay attention. The boat itself is a very modern design with a classic and comfortable interior. It sails better than most of its peers in the 50-foot range and is set up cleverly so one watchstander can hand, reef, and steer all from the protected comfort of the raised steering station. Tomas and Sara, who build the boats in South Africa, are veteran cruisers and owned hull number one of the X5 line before taking over the company. Their attention to detail and the innovations they have incorporated into the boats all stem from their time living aboard and blue water sailing.

Privilege 615

Length: 61 Feet

Price: From $800k to $1.3 Million USD on the Used Market

When it comes to onboard luxury, Marc Lombard, who designed this catamaran, is an expert in that field. This lovely boat is in touch with the latest style, sporting a flybridge complete with two wheels and a broad sunbed suitable for the crew to relax the day away. The 615 is a combination of simplistic and superior design with an outstanding crew, results in the ultimate luxury Caribbean cruising experience. The impeccable elegance of the interior with a lavish owner’s suite and the boat’s perfect wood quality are two great reasons to make you get the boat. The freedom to choose a four or five-double cabin is another, depending on the size of the family.

Followed closely by its outstanding exterior, you’re sure to fall in love with it on sight, from the cockpit to the foredeck. With an impressive platform and lustrous profile, the Privilède 615 contradicts the volume and versatility of its interior. One wonders how they fit into the other, gives it a great ambiance.

>>Also Read: Best Catamarans Under 200k

Balance 526

Length: 52ft 6in

Price: From $1.3 to $1.6 Million USD New

Multihull impresario, dealer, and broker Phil Berman (The Multihull Company) has sold more multihulls over the last 30 years than just about anyone. His latest project has been the development of the Balance line of performance cruising cats. The queen of the line is the Balance 526 that was introduced a few years ago and has proven to be a very successful player in the 50-foot plus segment of the cat market. Built in South Africa by noted composite experts, the 526 offers a well-conceived combination of great sailing performance and luxury living in a boat that can be handled by an experienced couple.

The boat has plenty of innovations, among them a helm that can be tilted up so you can steer from the raised helm station or tilted down so you can steer from the protection of the cockpit. Very cool. The design does not take any particular element to the “extreme.” Instead, Berman and his crew have sought to provide a boat that is truly well balanced in all aspects. And, they’ve done it.

>>Also Read: How Long Do Sailboats Last?

Length: 62 Feet

Price: From $700k to $1.7 Million USD on the Used Market

Manufactured in 2014, this luxury catamaran is ideal for those who enjoy watersports and healthy activities. It was designed by world-renowned designer Van Peteghem-Lauriot Prvost (VPLP) and built to top-notch quality with a focus on stability, performance, luxury, and spaciousness. The maximum capacity of this boat is 12 guests in 4-double and 2-twin cabins. The Sunreef 620 is the very first to feature a newly developed rig. From the large cabins, saloon, galley, and sail performance, the 620 is one boat you’d get a memorable experience on. As you can understand, this is a great catamaran over 50 feet to use as a liveaboard.

Outremer 5X

Length: 69 Feet

Price: From $1.3 to $1.8 Million USD on the Used Market

The Outremer 5X is unlike any other in the yacht market as it is fast, sturdy, but luxurious all at the same time. Also, it possesses finely finished cabinetwork, spacious accommodations, and an excellent payload carrying ability. Modeled great agility to make even a single person handle any maneuver, its retractable high aspect ratio daggerboards assure a shallower drift giving access to the most remote of harbors.

When it comes to the interior, every Outremer model is trying to outdo the last in elegance, neatness, and modernity. She offers an unrestricted view and functional comfort. The port hull suite includes a king-sized bed, superb sea view portlight, an office, and a separate private entrance from the rear. It’s a semi-custom interior designed by VPLP in conjunction with Patrick le Quement. It won the ‘European Yacht of the Year’ and Cruising World’s ‘Boat of the Year’ in 2013 and 2014. This catamaran is as affordable as a luxury catamaran over 50 feet can get. Beautiful isn’t she?

Length: 51 Feet

Price: From $450k to $550k On the Used Market

Aimed at Blue-water sailors looking to sail fast and far, Switch 51 has proved itself and regarded in this day as a remarkable ocean cruising catamaran. This classic high-performance voyage was designed by VPLP and is said to combine a level of comfort, performance, and safety. It was built by Sud Composites in France with high tech materials. Sud initially built about 18 of these classic catamarans from 2001 to 2007.

Switch 51 hulls are built with vinyl ester sandwiched with a Klegecelle PVC foam core, thereby creating a hull light enough to be real quick and heavy enough to handle the ocean waves and swells. The saloon and galley are huge, with the cockpit spacious. The layout and accommodation are perfect for a small family with classic amenities aimed at making your stay on board a memorable one. This also a pretty affordable option in this category with prices on the used market as low as 450k.

>>Also Read: Best Sailboats to Live On

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a large catamaran to either spend your summer vacation with your family or to liveaboard, this list of the best catamarans over 50 feet will point you in the right direction. Obviously, there are many options on the used market, but you should pick the one that you like best and fits your budget.

While the prices vary with their manufactured year, options, location, etc., buying any of the above-mentioned catamarans will certainly offer you state of the art onboard luxury and comfort. Why not try one of them out on your next boat cruise to see for yourself before you buy?

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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Designing and Constructing Crossbeams

Discussion in ' Multihulls ' started by mcm , Jan 19, 2007 .

mcm Senior Member

I want to learn as much as I can about designing and constructing multihulls. But I haven't come across any books on how to specifically design multihulls. True, much of what I've read in all the general yacht design books can be applied to multihulls, but I have yet to find any information about how to design and construct crossbeams and their hull connections. The books I've seen never discuss the loads and stress-points of crossbeams and their hull connections. I want to design and construct a pair of arched box-beam crossbeams for a 40' (12.3m) cruising cat out of a core of cedar strip planks skinned and stiffened with cold-moulded cedar veneers and glass. I want to design for a 7 ton displacement on a 24' (7.38m) beam-over-all with a center-pod cockpit stretching between the forward and after crossbeams. Does anyone here have any information that can help me, or know where I can find it?  

joe_cope Junior Member

I am also interested in this subject. I was wondering if anyone had ever used plywood beams for crossbeams? I know that they have a high strength to weight ratio, but I'm not sure about flexability and I worry about water damage.  

Raggi_Thor Nav.arch/Designer/Builder

We had a discussion on catamaran cross beams a while ago, I searched for it, take look, http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13137&highlight=catamaran beam moment  

Joe_Cope, Well, we use plywood I-beams alot in construction. They are used to span long distances between posts where they act as headers for heavy load bearing walls. So I'm sure that if you're not using aluminium or pure composite core and skin you would use ply, and probably ply I-beams or D-beams. Raggi Thor, Thanks for the link. Eric W. Sponberg seems to understand it well, so I'll follow his suggestion and look for Arthur Edmund's "Designing for Power and Sail". I saw it at our library, but with "Power" in the title, I passed it by. "X-Beam" thread on the front page of this same forum, Yipster has a great cross section photo of 'Team Philips' carbon fiber D-Beam. I wonder what the core material is on their beam Also on that same thread, brian eiland shows a cross section photo of a trimaran's forward and after D-Beams. Those beams look paper-thin, and they look to be glass over foam. If he has that kind of confidence in beams that thin, then crossbeams must be easier to design and construct than I would have supposed. Moreover, that trimaran sure is starting to look good! And so does Team Philips look good even with the forward third of their port hull sheared off. I like their biplane rig. And thats a multi-million dollar, highly engineered (almost), racing cat. So that says they thought highly of the biplane rig's ability. Hmmm.  

yipster designer

http://www.john-shuttleworth.com/Dogstar50-article.html also has some articles great boat it was but dont underestimate designing and construction as Team Philips found out  

Thanks for the Shuttleworth link. I could spend all day digesting that web-site. Shuttleworth stresses fabric direction of unidirectional fiber. When I picture a crossbeam in my mind I see all forces, whether vertical or horizontal, attempting to crack the lengthwise fibers. So, if I'm understanding Shuttleworth correctly, running the unidirectional fabric the length of the crossbeam, at least till it meets the hull, would be the way to go. I suppose that's also the way to orientate the grain if the core of the crossbeam is cedar strip-plank. Why did Team Philips break where it did? Because they didn't have a compression strut across the bows? Because they wanted to be light, and chose to not to carry the additional weight of the crossbeam to hull connecting lay-up very far up the hull? If that was the reason, then I wonder what should have been the lay-up, and how far up the hull they should have carried it? And, to feather-out the edge stresses, how long and fine should one taper the edges of a crossbeam to hull connection lay-up? Any one have any examples?  

fhrussell Boatbuilder

I once spoke with Woody Brown (inventor of the modern multihull) about crossbeam design. He said that his source for practical information in that department came from his knowledge of flying and building gliders. He was a champion glider pilot in the '30's. You may want to study some books on homebuilt and experimental aircraft wing designs. Try the EAA (Experimantal Aircraft Assoc.) and any homebuilt aircraft 'how-to' book... also a great resource for light wood/epoxy and composite construction!  

OldYachtie Junior Member

I started the other thread about catamaran crossbeams, and it was I who posted the imformation that Edmund's book contained a formula for this, but I also mentioned that his formula left out how he determined the wall thickness of his beams, mentioning only the outside dimensions of his beams. In his example, he said that he used 1/2" thick fiberglass, but not why, or how he arrived at that figure. Anybody have an answer for this? It is pretty basic engineering, I would think, and any civil engineer should be able to answer it. Basically, it is the same engineering as designing a cantilever balcony, or any other cantilever structure.  

fburton Junior Member

Beamboy There’s a great little program “Beamboy” (freeware) www.geocities.com/richgetze Specify the beam length specify the support (cantilever) at one end with the hull load at the other You can then state the beam details; type (tube, solid beam), dimensions and the modulus of the material (steel = 210 GPa) (Douglas Fir = 13) You then get displays for moments and deflections It’s a nice simple program.  

Trevlyns Senior Citizen/Member

MCM – An excellent multihull book is Chris White’s The Cruising Multihull. There are a couple of sections dealing with beams. Joe_Cope – a lot of James Wharram designs incorporate ply crossbeams. See http://www.wharram.com/  

Richard Woods Woods Designs

I wasn’t able to respond to the earlier discussion on multihull crossbeam design as I was making my fifth Atlantic crossing, this time sailing a 33ft catamaran from the Canaries to Panama. However I am now back in my design office and catching up with forum questions. There are two stages in creating a successful crossbeam solution for your boat. First you must DESIGN the structure, only then can you CALCULATE it. The former is usually the more important and certainly the one most people get wrong. There are several factors to consider when designing crossbeams: First, you need stiff crossbeams, not just strong ones. Fortunately stiff beams are nearly always over-strong. By stiff I mean one without any obvious deflection. Engineers normally consider that to be 1-2% of length. Why a stiff beam? Well imagine crossbeams made out of rubber. They would never break, but would be so flexible you could never keep the two hulls in line and the mast would fall down. How can you make a stiff beam? Well, actually it’s not just the beams that you want stiff, rather it’s the boat as a whole. I’ve found that the best way to do this on an open catamaran is to have two crossbeams plus a separate one to take the mast loads. The actual positioning of the beams is also very important. Although crossbeam size and placement is often complicated by rig and accommodation considerations, the beams must take priority! If they are too near the middle of the boat then the bows can flex up and down and you cannot keep the rig tight. If too close to the ends (especially to the bows) there isn’t enough boat to take the loads and, furthermore the beam cantilever is longer. Having the first crossbeam almost at midships was the most spectacular mistake the Team Phillips designer made. Pete Goss and I are members of the same sailing club and other members were upset when I expressed concern about its design. After the breakage they realised what I was on about. Once you’ve designed the structure it’s really a trivial problem to calculate the necessary scantlings. If you use a strain energy analysis you’ll find that the loads will dissipate quite quickly into the hull. Indeed it’s extremely rare for beams to break off the hulls. Usually the problem is the beams themselves breaking. Fortunately it’s very easy to check the strength of catamaran beams once you’ve built them. You simply jack the boat up with a support under each bow and each stern. Then take one of the chocks away. The boat shouldn’t move appreciably. It looks scary, and is certainly a load that you wouldn’t get at sea. But is very reassuring all the same. You can see a photo on my website of exactly this test that I performed a couple of days ago on my own 25ft Merlin catamaran. Go to www.sailingcatamarans.com and then the “Latest News” page. The Merlin is similar to my Strider design and uses two aluminum tubes with inertias around 500cm4. I usually use ply and timber beams as they are easy to make and to attach to the boat (and of course to attach boat to them), but they are heavy (approx 1.5 x the weight of aluminum tubes). On a 40ft, 7ton boat, beams that are strong enough may weigh 400kgs. Ones that are too weak will still be heavy - they may weigh 300Kgs. It’s NEVER worth trying to save weight in your beams. Carbon beams may weigh 250Kg at a huge cost. Is it worth spending that extra to save 150Kgs at best? I’d rather spend the extra money on better sails and deck gear. In the earlier discussion someone suggested using two 6in OD aluminum tubes with 3mm (1/8in) wall on a 25ft catamaran. That is exactly the size beams I use on my Strider (cruising weight about 1000kgs), none of which have broken during the last 25 years. Perhaps that’s because the hull spacing was much less than the writer suggested. A Strider has an overall beam of 4.3m and a CL hull spacing of 3.3m approx. However the cantilever is less than that, as it runs from the CL of the windward hull to the inner gunwale of the lee hull. In the Strider case that’s about 2.8m. The writer was going to use 4.5m for this distance, which relates to a 6m overall beam, which is very wide for a 7.5m catamaran. I hope this helps the discussion. Best wishes Richard Woods of Woods Designs www.sailingcatamarans.com  

Richard, how very good to have you back after your reported ordeal! And thank you for your valued input. Take care!  

Richard, very informative, thanks  

Thanks, fburton, I appreciate the tip! Tim Dunn aka OldYachtie fburton said: ↑ There’s a great little program “Beamboy” (freeware) www.geocities.com/richgetze Click to expand...

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Ahmed Wahab Junior Member

Beamboy Dear All I'm new to the forum but reading since longer time. I downloaded the beamboyand I have difficulty with the input in the beam property . If sombody can give an example for a plywood beam !!!! Thanks in advance Ahmed Wahab  

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• Merlin Boats

Exploring the water since 2003

Shelter Marine is a boutique boat building company specialising in uniquely designed and custom crafted vessels. Our passion for boats and the water is reflected in our designs and workmanship. In 2016 we designed and developed a European Sloep / Sloepen, christened ‘Merlin’.  Being active boaters we found this style boat not only aesthetically pleasing but extremely practical.  Anyone looking for a water sport boat that can also offer luxury cruising for large families will love our Merlin’s.  She is perfect to turn any water way into your personal playground, with the added bonus of being completely eye-catching and unforgettable.

A modern take on a classic boat

Made from premium high-tech fiberglass materials and workmanship to ensure the final result remains pretty much maintenance free whilst satisfying the unique vintage design. A strong emphasis on engineering to maximise the driver experience, as well as style and comfort.  It incorporates the socialising aspect of a large cruiser and the power of a speed boat.  Our Merlin’s are bespoke and we encourage customers to be a part of the build process. You can choose  the colour of the hull, cushion sets and other optional extras that will reflect your personality and make the Merlin uniquely yours.

Key Features

Classic design Inspired by the famous European sloep boat, that has classic ‘vintage’ lines.

Spacious deck Comfortably carry 12 passengers with sufficient storage space to spend the entire day out on the water.

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Sea going (Cat E) Along with dual motor application, her hull design makes for a comfortable and safe excursion out to sea on a good day.

Supremely crafted Our pedantic style of building is usually taken to the point of being obsessive.  You can be assured the final product is as close to perfection as you can get.

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– Length 24.9ft | Beam 8.2ft – Weight 1.4ton – Draft up 0.4m | Draft down 0.60m – Engines: Petrol | Fuel capacity: 95lt – Certificate: Category R & E (10-12 pax) – Top speed: +/- 23knots with 2 x Big foot 60hp motors

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Moscow Muled

Best blackberry moscow mule recipes.

Mar 05, 2020

In this post, we reveal the best Blackberry Moscow Mule recipes on the internet! We also describe the origin and history of the Blackberry Mule so that you can fully appreciate the cocktail. Let's dive right in!

Introduction

When you think of cocktails, there are usually a couple of different places your mind can go: the sugary, overpriced, watered-down drink you paid an embarrassing amount of money for at the nearest semi-swanky nighttime establishment, or the tasty-but-sloppy concoction your friend threw together in their blender. Of course, there are varying degrees of quality within those categories: some overpriced bar cocktails can taste like a slice of heaven, and your friend could be surprisingly adept at mixing drinks together. But, by and large, those appear to be the most common experiences for a lot of cocktail enthusiasts out in the wild: weak, expensive, convoluted, sub-par.

Why is that? Why do so many cocktails fall so short of the Platonic ideal of what a delicious cocktail should be? Well, there are a number of potential reasons, chief among them being the fact that a lot of cocktail recipes appear to be in a constant battle to come up with the most complicated recipe, throwing together a huge amount of ingredients that may or may not actually gel together as a whole. Nothing worse than a cocktail that tastes like it’s being pulled in ten different directions at the same time. Add to this the bar’s need to make a profit (which affects the price and the quality of ingredients) and the home mixologist’s innate need to show off to their friends by putting together the most elaborate drink (which affects the structural integrity) and what you end up with is often a less than ideal cocktail experience.

But then there are some drinks that are so beautifully perfect in their simplicity that it’s hard to mess them up; where the ingredients list is very brief and each element interacts perfectly with each other. Stone-cold classics of the alcoholic-beverage tradition. We’re talking about iconic drinks that have stood the test of time over the years, and whose simplicity has actually served as the ideal springboard for creativity in coming up with new twists on the original recipe. And, in this particular case, a drink that has traditionally been consumed in its own iconic container: a copper mug. That’s right; we’re talking about the venerable Moscow Mule .

You’re probably familiar with the classic Moscow Mule by now -- if not, you’ve likely seen them at gatherings or in pop culture, in their eye-catching presentation. It is an extremely straightforward and delicious cocktail that is just about impossible to get wrong, containing three main ingredients. And because these ingredients complement each other so perfectly, the Moscow Mule has become the drink of choice for a lot of amateur mixologists who want to impress their guests without navigating long and complicated recipes. A Moscow Mule is as refreshing as it is easy to make, containing ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice. But there’s more to the Mule than that.

You see, Moscow Mules kicked off a bit of a trend; as the popularity of the drink spread across the land, so did regional variants start popping up. Because the original recipe is so straightforward, there’s a lot of room for creativity and playing around with different flavors and textures, giving way to a whole new world of options. Most of these variations did one simple thing: swap out the spirit for a different one. So, for instance, a Mexican Mule would be a Moscow Mule with the vodka replaced by tequila, a Kentucky Mule would be a Moscow Mule using Kentucky bourbon, and so on and so forth. But some variations of the Moscow Mule did something different instead of swapping out ingredients: they added something to the mix.

The Blackberry Moscow Mule

Enter the Blackberry Moscow Mule, one of our favorite variations of this cocktail. Can you guess what is different about this version of the Mule? That’s right: it adds a whole other layer of flavor and texture by incorporating blackberries. This extremely refreshing and delightfully sweet drink makes for a fantastic summer companion, especially out in the sun with some friends. The kick of the ginger beer, the brightness of the lime juice, and the slight tartness of the blackberries all work together to make this drink a unique experience.

And though it sounds very simple from the description above, there are actually a few different ways to make the Blackberry Moscow Mule. Let’s talk about some of them, and what our personal choice is for the best Blackberry Moscow Mule recipe.

Classic Blackberry Moscow Mule Recipe

Let’s start with the most traditional Blackberry Moscow Mule recipe, which, as you might expect, is also the most straightforward one. This is the basic Moscow Mule recipe with the added element of the blackberries.

Ingredients:

• 4 large, plump blackberries, or 8 smaller ones
• 6 ounces ginger beer
• 1.5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 ounces vodka

Instructions:

• Place a glass (or, preferably, the traditional Moscow Mule copper mug !) in the freezer until it’s frosty.
• In a different glass, muddle the blackberries. Feel free to add in a small sprig of mint for some extra brightness.
• Add in the ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice.
• Strain the liquid into the frosty mug or glass. 
• Garnish with more blackberries, mint, and lime.

This cocktail is best served ice cold, which is why we chill our mug before mixing. The best thing about a cocktail this simple is that it’s very easy to customize, meaning that, if you like it a bit stronger, all you have to do is adjust the alcohol levels accordingly. Similarly, if you’re a big fan of blackberries, feel free to add more!

Mint is not an obligatory ingredient here -- your Blackberry Moscow Mule will be delicious without it. But we have found that adding in a small sprig of mint really kicks the whole mixture up a notch, adding a touch of herbal brightness to the mix of flavors and textures you’re putting together. Of course, some people aren’t fans of mint in their cocktails, so feel free to leave it out altogether.

The recipe above uses fresh muddled blackberries which are mixed with the rest of the ingredients and strained into the icy copper mug. This will get you the smoothest version of the drink, since you’re leaving out all the solids. But if you’re the kind of person who likes to have a little chewy treat at the bottom of their drink, you could also muddle the blackberries in the mug itself and pour the rest of the ingredients into it.

To do this, simply place the blackberries and lime juice in the bottom of your ice-cold copper mug. Then squash the berries to release their juice. Add the vodka and ginger beer on top of that, and stir to combine. That’s it!

This saves you the step of straining the mixture, and also takes full advantage of the texture that the blackberries bring to the Blackberry Moscow Mule. On top of that, you get to eat the blackberries at the bottom of the mug once you’re done with the drink.

Moscow Mule with Blackberry Syrup Recipe

Some Blackberry Moscow Mule recipes go the extra mile to really bring the blackberry flavor forward by incorporating other elements. For example, some recipes call for making your own homemade blackberry syrup to add to the mix. If you like your drink a little sweeter than most and you want to make the cocktail’s blackberry flavor significantly more intense, this could be the best version of the Blackberry Moscow Mule for you.

So, how would we go about making that syrup?

• 2.5 cups water
• 1.5 cup sugar
• 2 cups blackberries
• Put water, sugar, and blackberries over medium-high heat, bring them to a boil.
• Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and mash berries. Make sure to mash thoroughly so as to get as much syrup out as you can. 
• Allow to cool 20 minutes. Bottle up and store until ready to use.

If you go this route, you end up with a more concentrated blackberry flavor that is also considerably sweeter due to the added sugar. To put the cocktail together:

• Combine room-temperature blackberry syrup and vodka. Make sure neither of them are chilled, as the syrup won’t incorporate as well if either is cold. Add in the lime juice. 
• Once incorporated, pour the mixture over ice into a copper mule mug. 
• Top with ginger beer and lime juice. Fresh blackberry garnish optional.

This version of the drink makes for an entirely different experience. It’s very sweet and definitely loses some of its breezy refreshing qualities, while also being a little more intense and perhaps even more festive. We can see these drinks working well in different contexts, or perhaps even different seasons of the year; while the original recipe is a summery, outdoors drink, we definitely envision the version that incorporates syrup as more of an indoor party drink, perhaps even suited for a holiday gathering in the winter.

Whichever version you choose to go with, the Blackberry Moscow Mule is a delicious twist on the classic cocktail that you’re going to love. And with a recipe this simple, it’s near impossible to mess up!

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following articles:  Best London Mule Recipes and  Best Montana Mule Recipe

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