Competent Performer
Powered catamarans have a lot of attractions for both the cruising boater and day sailor alike, who can enjoy the stability, space and fuel frugality, as can be seen here on the Leopard 43PC, writes KEVIN GREEN.
Powered catamarans have a lot of attractions for both the cruising boater and day sailor alike, who can enjoy the stability, space and fuel frugality, as can be seen here on the Leopard 43PC, writes KEVIN GREEN.
It’s a bright autumn day, pleasantly cool after the hot summer as all manner of yachts make their way to their respective start lines in Bramble Bay. The Shorncliffe Pier is virtually standing room only, its opening day abuzz with the added excitement of being part of the start line for Australia’s biggest offshore multihull race. After a superb spell of the regular south easterly wind, the morning breeze has faltered. Carbon, kevlar, dyneema and polyester fabrics gently carve the air, with none of the usual strain on ropes and blocks, as these high-tech sailing craft flit by, like graceful butterflies. Spectator attention raises another notch as the preparatory canon fires.
For those of you interested in the technical specifications behind ROAM this is a boat designed for performance cruising and engineered to take the punishment of the seas. Striking the balance between performance and cruising can be challenging and it’s difficult to suit every end user. The Spirited 480 is not designed for racing but it would certainly hold its own around the buoys in light trim.
Outremer’s flagship 5x cruised into Sydney Harbour recently, the first of these 59-footers to reach here, so I jumped aboard for a sail, reports KEVIN GREEN.
A recurring theme when talking with those who sign on to the cruising lifestyle is how well the vision and expectations align between the participants. Often there is one person in the partnership with a clear vision, energy and motivation ... and a supporter along for the ride with varying degrees of personal commitment to that same vision. In many cases, true success and fulfilment vary depending on which partner you are talking to and how honest they are about their shared experiences.
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Multihull World Magazine is an Australian-based specialist publication devoted exclusively to multihull enthusiasts.
Designed by Wendy Elliston