– Offshore Ready –

A bluewater catamaran built locally and with extreme care, makes this new Lightwave 46 an ideal boat for those seeking the far horizons, writes KEVIN GREEN.

The latest Lightwave, the 46, launched in Queensland recently and continues the reputation of this quality yard. This new model is a major evolution of the popular Lightwave 45 that launched in 2005. This revamp reflects new market demands and includes a sleeker topside profile. What hasn’t changed is the elegant raked lines of the boat’s profile and the stepped cabin sides, a prettier arrangement than some other slab sided designs. Also, the new hulls have reversed wave piercing bows, restyled windows and sharpened cockpit lines. Hull one of this model was released in 2021 to celebrate the company’s 25 years of trading. Looking further ahead, a powercat model is also planned with dedicated hulls for cruising under twin engines. “It’s really exciting times for us and we are fully committed to delivering more quality catamarans to a new generation of owners,” said managing director Roger Overell.

The port helm is elevated and separate from the sail controls that are behind it.

The sailplan with cutter rig is ideal for the varied Australian conditions and easily handled by two crew.

Shipwright Roger Overell has been building quality performance cruising catamarans on the Gold Coast through booms and busts, so his company has learned to adapt to the changing times and now have a thriving composite manufacturing branch to the business as well. Their latest expansion and move to one of the Gold Coast’s leading industrial precincts at Yatala in 2020, just north of their old base at Coomera, was intended to take advantage of the increased global demand for multihulls, explains Roger: “The larger catamaran market is increasing, and whilst the ‘floating social platform’ catamarans consume a big market share, there is still demand for performance catamarans by avid sailors wishing to do blue water cruising.”

The stepped topside means that all windows are above the main hull (apart from one) and maximises visibility from inside the Lightwave 46.

Lightwaves are designed to be comfortable bluewater cruisers and with a very active and far-flung owners’ association giving feedback, the yard team can offer semi-custom builds to ensure your dream ship really does become reality. As part of this sea trial I visited the latest expansion to their spacious yard at Yatala where business manager Louise Overell showed me around. “Our latest building creates a whole new space for completion of the hulls, once they are moulded in the one behind, so frees-up space for us to build at least three boats annually in a high quality way,” said Louise.  The vast new building has a gantry crane and has good road access for the motorway, where the boats are moved 20km to the water during the wee-small hours. In the moulding shed I viewed a hull under construction, noting the long and deep mini-keels, hand-sprayed interior and the Divinycel closed foam core build that ensures their famed lightness but with strength. A five year warranty is standard.

ON BOARD THE LIGHTWAVE 46

A short drive down the highway to Paradise Point on the Gold Coast brought me to the Lightwave 46 that recently launched. Nestled against a pontoon, a familiar scene met my eyes. Unsurprising, given this is an evolution of the proven 45 design; and of course remembering the adage ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’. The same high standard of finish was apparent in the paintwork and indeed the  light Maple woodwork; clearly built to last. Our Australian climate means that outdoor living is the focus of local boats; and the Lightwave 46’s aft cockpit demonstrates this well. The fully extended hardtop ensured this aft cockpit was protected – and a tented surround fitted. This gives a protected area for seating 12, while nearby on the portside is Lightwave’s signature raised helm station, enclosed with a shapely hard-topped cubby. Quality fit-outs here include the flip-out steerer’s seat with 140L fridge underfoot, which means the skipper never needs to leave the helm for a refreshment. Behind is a handy locker for dive tanks and other accoutrements.

The starboard hull is dominated by the galley, which is well quipped with three ring gas hob/oven, microwave and large drawer refrigeration.

The starboard hull is dominated by the galley, which is well quipped with three ring gas hob/oven, microwave and large drawer refrigeration.

The review boat, that’s destined for east coast cruising, came with a well-equipped helm station. A Garmin plotter, surrounded by wind instruments and autopilot. Engine gauges were all viewable at waist level in a customised bulkhead layout. The medium diameter stainless steering wheel, hydraulically operated and electronic throttles outboard, complemented a very functional helm layout. Sail controls are behind the helm, so not so not a typical layout for short handed sailors,

but they are very well organised; and Roger would argue a safer arrangement. All lines lead back to each stern quarter via gutters and Spinlock jammers, then managed by quality Andersen 46 winches, with an electric Andersen 52 on each side as well for quick main halyard hoists and trimming. Other good features on the stern deck include the ability to elevate the table to create more space. In place, its two metre size is an ideal dining spot for four along the transom bench. For shore leave the moulded davits on the transom can quickly deploy the rubber ducky. Handily, beside the transom mounted barbecue on starboardside is a small sink and dual purpose cockpit shower. Other useful details include the curved grab rails leading to the waterline and pop-up cleats on the swim platforms.

The company’s design team has maintained Lightwave’s profile with lots of curved bulkheads and this concept continues as you move forward along the clean decks, helped by sturdy triple wire safety lines, towards the wide expanse of the foredeck. Anchoring is taken care of via a deck mounted Muir VR2200 vertical windlass with anchor bridal going through a deck roller cavity and a 45lb Manson attached. Behind the collision bulkheads are twin bow lockers with large hatches, ideal for storing the genneker and fenders.

LARGE SALOON

The review boat came with the three cabin and two head layout with galley-down. However, the galley-up version is available. This layout leaves the main saloon clear for lounging with the port quarter housing the navigation bench and room for six on the L-shaped settee beside the dinette area. The saloon is open and airy with plenty of large opening toughened glass windows for natural light and good airflows from large twin front windows. Underfoot, practical laminated wooden  loose lay “timber look” flooring is used throughout. The internal saloon bulkheads positively gleamed thanks to the high standard of ‘two pack’ paint finish on them – something that Lightwave spend a lot of effort doing in their dedicated shop.

The starboard hull is dominated by the galley, which is well quipped with three ring gas hob/oven, microwave and large drawer refrigeration.

OWNER'S LAYOUT

This owner’s layout is particularly good for both seagoing and at anchor because the queen sized bed is aft and sits longitudinally along the port hull. The crawl-in bed is surrounded by hatches for ventilation and light, along with a bench seat at its foot. A spacious ensuite uses all of the forepeak and benefits from abundant natural light from the large rectangular hull window. Between is generous storage and cupboard space, so ideal for longer cruises. Over on starboardside, the galley dominates the middle part but avoids stuffiness by the low-cut bulkhead to the saloon. This openness allows the crew to watch the kettle boil as they sail along and ensure the cooking area is well aired and pleasant. Notable features here included twin 190L front opening two drawer fridges by Isotherm with a high quality three burner Force 10 stove-oven plus microwave. Deep double sinks with pleasant deck-eye views when cooking and stylish composite moulded surfaces completed a functional area. Starboardside accommodation has a cabin fore and aft with queen sized beds. The crawl-in aft one benefits from three windows to offset the cosiness when the door is shut. The forward cabin is an ensuite but with 1m headroom on the queen bed, as it’s on the nacelle level. Ablutions are well taken care off with an electric Vacuum Flush toilet and shower up front. The lightly shaded Maple was neatly finished throughout as were all fixtures and fittings, always a sign of quality in a boat.

The owner’s ensuite on portside is spacious with large shower cubicle and good headroom along with generous natural light and ventilation.

RIG AND HULL

Designed as a serious bluewater cruiser the Lightwave 46’s sailplan is intended to cope with a wide variety of conditions. The cutter rig with furling screecher outside and genoa inside is easily controlled from the cockpit. The double spreader Australian Allyacht Spars mast with swept back outboard shrouds is sturdy – and being a cat of course there’s no backstay - but a topping lift held the boom up since no vang is needed. Up front the small prodder is used for deploying the screecher and gives good separation ahead of the forestay-genoa. The mainsail has two sheets, sheaved through a block on each side of the transom, designed to ensure good purchase and put some twist on the fully battened mainsail. Sailcloth on this particular boat was upgraded to the Pro-radial fabric made by Evolution Sails; which gives longevity with performance; and two sets of cringles for slab reefing are fitted.

The aesthetics of the Lightwave 46 are greatly helped by plenty of waterline length but also the flair of the narrowish hulls add to this effect while giving good topside height to ensure a high bridgedeck clearance (0.9m) to avoid the customary cat slap as you bash to windward. Low aspect keels are designed to allow beaching of the Lightwave 46 while protecting the saildrives and composite shafted twin rudders. For extra grunt to windward an optional dagger board can be specified, again showing the customisation available from Lightwave.

Engine access is via a hatch on each stern and showed generous space around the Volvo 50hp saildrive motors, with filters and AGM starting battery all elevated in case of water ingress. Folding propellers are used to maximise sailing performance. In the starboard one, a small Whisperpower generator was fitted to run the Dometic aircon and a washing machine. Also here, the steering hydraulics are easily accessed and all tankage is inboard to centralise weight.

Sail controls are separate from the steering console so have plenty of space for crew work on each side of the aft quarters.

GOLD COAST SAIL

After snaking our way out of the narrow backwaters of the Gold Coast and emerging onto the equally confined waters of the Broadwater we accelerated into the light southerly breeze (the 50hp Volvo speeding along at 8kts) before hoisting the mainsail. A job easily done between Roger and myself, using the electric Andersen winch and guided by the lazyjacks. With a steady 12-14kt working breeze, the genoa was then rolled out of its Profurl furler and we accelerated cleanly towards the skyscrapers of the Main Beach. From my unimpeded helm view I set a course on the wind while Roger cranked the gear in. Both standing or sitting positions on the padded double seat proved comfortable with the large diameter stainless wheel responsive to the hydraulic controls connecting the rudders. And by leaning out beyond the GRP hard top, there were views of the mainsail tell-tales. The GPS numbers showed 7kts to windward (at 42° sail angle) in the 12kt breeze, which matched the polars supplied.

No sooner had I found my groove than the plummeting Garmin depth gauge prompted us to tack, a manoeuvre that kept Roger pretty busy, with the twin mainsheets to control as well as headsail sheets. This sheeting layout was similar to other cats I’ve sailed and for energetic tacking (or racing) a person on either side of the boat is preferable. But remembering that this is a bluewater boat where you may lay a tack for an hour or two, it shouldn’t be an issue. Performance felt quick with the big cat speeding over the sheltered waters, with only a small chop to impede us. The reward for the long tacks to windward was a run home under screecher, and the hulls responded well as I put the helm down while our crew unfurled the screecher. Again done smoothly with all furler lines and sheets running easily. For the record, off the wind with screecher I managed 8.4kts in the dying 12kt breeze while running at 120°. Equally drama-free was gybing with the screecher, which was quickly furled then unfurled by hand. Some more waves would have tested the Lightwave 46 more but the high bridgedeck clearance should ensure performance is still up there. Of course, these boats are already well-proven, with sisterships having circumnavigated and others cruised around Australia and beyond; which is exactly what this new Lightwave 46 can do.