After visiting and sailing Nautitech’s new flagship catamaran, the 48 Open, this past fall as part of Cruising World’s Boat of the Year trials in Annapolis, Maryland, it occurred to me that people could take the word “open” to mean any number of things.

First and foremost, it could refer to the sporty twin helms—located aft on either transom—in the great outdoors, under the open sky, out there where you can feel the wind in your face and hear the rush of water flowing past the hulls as wakes are left quickly astern in any sort of breeze.

Then there’s the open feel to the boat, especially in the flow from the salon to the cockpit. Interior designer Christophe Chedal-Anglay—working alongside the naval architects at Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group and the Nautitech team—created a space with furniture and fittings that’s kept minimal enough not to feel cluttered, but with accommodations that are ­refined-looking and more than adequate to keep a crew of even eight on charter well-fed and pampered. Overhead hatches and cabin windows let in lots of light, and a sliding door and adjacent window opening to the Bimini-top-shaded cockpit eliminate the distinction ­between indoors and out.

Topsides, wide and open side decks, along with ample handholds molded into the cabin top, make moving about while underway seem secure. Below, what the builder calls the ­optional “smart room,” located in the forward starboard ­cabin, gives an owner open-ended choices for how the space will be used. It can have a berth for two, or inboard bunks that fold out of the way; or it can be fit out as a utility room with a washer, dryer and lots of stowage. 

Last, the 48 gives an owner open-ended options for how and where the boat will be used. It can easily be handled by a couple, it has space enough for a family, and there’s a four-stateroom design, making it charter-friendly as well.

The 48’s hull and deck are foam-cored and vacuum-­infused; interior bulkheads, also cored, are reinforced with carbon fiber for added strength. The hulls—narrow at the waterline for sailing performance—flare out above chines running their length. This adds to interior volume below, as well as to buoyancy underway.

There are five layout options. The boat we sailed had the owner’s stateroom in the port hull and a guest stateroom aft to port, with the smart room and bunks forward.

A salon occupies the bridge deck, with a nav station ­forward to port, fridges and freezers to starboard, and a stand-up bar/counter/bookshelf—you name it—in between. Not sure what to do with it? Try standing there chatting with a mate. It’s a good spot to lounge, both dockside and underway.

The U-shaped galley has an aft-facing sink and a counter where dishes can be placed when they’re handed in from the cockpit dining table just aft; opposite, aft to port is the dining table with L-shaped seating outboard. Interior woodwork can be finished in light walnut (standard) and oak. 

Twin 75 hp Volvo diesels powered the 48 we sailed (60 hp is standard). Those, plus add-ons such as electronics and an 11 kW Onan generator, raised the cost of the boat by about $300,000 on top of the $1.1 ­million base price.

Noise levels while ­motoring were relatively low, even with the throttles set for a get-home-­quick speed of 8.5 knots. Cruising speed (1,800 rpm) was just over 7 knots.

But really, why motor? The Nautitech is a whole lot more fun to sail. 

Electric Harken winches just inboard of either wheel make raising the square-top main and trimming sheets a push-button effort. Another set, located at either end of the transom, controls the traveler that runs between them and the mainsheet. Reef lines and such that exit the mast are led into covered channels in the Bimini top and over blocks to clutches in the cockpit, eliminating line clutter except around the helms, where there’s plenty of room to sort things out.

The cat comes standard with a self-tacking jib, which is what we found on the boat we sailed; a 135 genoa is an option. Our test boat was also rigged with a beefy code sail set on a sprit using a continuous-­line furler. With that kite rolled out, we were definitely hauling the mail on a blustery day on Chesapeake Bay. We saw consistent speeds ranging from the low 9s well past 10 knots in about 15 knots of wind. The payday came in a 20-knot puff, when the ­speedo hit 15 and stuck there for a while. Fun ride.

With the screecher rolled back up and the self-tacker unfurled, we still saw lots of 7s and 8s on the GPS as we beat upwind. And the boat was ­really easy to sail. Standing at the helm, I did notice a bit of a blind spot caused by the corner of the cabin and glare off the windows as we weaved our way through crab pots. But moving around a bit solved the problem. 

Besides, crab pots probably won’t be an issue in a place where a boat like this will likely be going. Think trade winds, white sandy beaches and tropical punches. If the 48 Open were my boat, that’s where I’d be bound. 

Take the Next Step

Price: Approximately $1.4 ­million (as tested)
Website: nautitechcatamarans.com

The post Nautitech 48 Open Review: A Performance Cruiser with Room to Roam appeared first on Cruising World.

Several years ago, in a bid to expand both its product line and its participation in the charter field, the German builder Bavaria, known well for its monohulls, took the bold step of acquiring the French builder Nautitech, whose specialty was catamarans. To date, the collaboration has produced a trio of cats: a 40-footer, a 54-footer and its latest offering, the Bavaria Nautitech 46 Fly, the last word signifying “flybridge” (the company also builds a model with conventional steering in the cockpit, the Nautitech 46 Open). It’s a boat that’s capable of stirring your imagination toward thoughts of distant shores.

Not surprisingly, the centerpiece of the design is that flybridge, a feature that’s becoming ever more popular on cruising cats. Frankly, on some boats it can look clunky or odd. But on this 46-footer, designer Marc Lombard has performed a magic trick of sorts; the flybridge is incorporated into the prominent coachroof, the forward part of which has an eyebrow over the generous saloon windows while the aft section provides seating topside and a hardtop bimini over the wide-open cockpit, offering ample shade and covering. It all makes for a streamlined appearance. So, visually, the only thing that looks somewhat out of place is the gooseneck for the mainsail boom, which is well above the waterline. That’s a trade-off the builder was willing to make in exchange for a commanding helm station that has plenty of lounging space as well.

The flybridge is accessed through a five-step staircase. The wheel is offset slightly to port. The helmsman’s seat has a movable backrest that can be flipped one way or the other when underway or at anchor. There’s another raised backrest on a U-shaped settee bordering the flybridge that can be lifted like a chaise lounge. All in all, there must be comfortable seating for upward of 20 people. It’s remarkable.

Most lines are led to the helm station, with a suite of Lewmar winches and accompanying Spinlock clutches. Unusually, the genoa sheets are not led to the wheel but to a set of primary winches on either side of the cockpit, which would make singlehanding difficult. A small hard dodger for sun protection for the driver is also available.

Down below, when open, a big sliding door marries the saloon with the cockpit, which can be completely enclosed with a series of clear, drop-down plastic screens or windows. LED lights built into the overhead bimini are a nice touch. There’s a fine L-shaped settee to port, another long settee to starboard and a third at the aft end of the cockpit. Engine access, under molded steps in each hull, is excellent.

In the saloon itself, to port, there’s a standing navigation station that doubles as the furniture covering the refrigerator and freezer. The U-shaped galley is forward and also to port, with plenty of counter space and a pair of sinks. A well-­executed L-shaped settee and dining area are to starboard. Plenty of natural light pours in through the wraparound coachroof windows. We tested one of the charter versions of the boat, which meant four staterooms down below, with a pair in each hull, and en suite heads for each. (A private-ownership version features a large owners stateroom that encapsulates the entire port hull.) In the charter model, the cabins share a big common shower stall that’s situated between them (though there are also showers in the heads). Once again, with LED lights built into the overhead, there’s a warm feeling of light and spaciousness below.

Back on deck, the forward trampolines have cushion inserts for yet another place to lie in the sun. There are double headsails with a fixed sprit for a code zero sail or an asymmetric kite, and a traditional genoa on its own furler. The boat we sailed also included a Cummins generator, full air conditioning throughout and electric winches.

The Boat of the Year judges found lots to like about the 46 Fly. “I was impressed by the joinery, the lovely teak grates and the nicely done interior,” said Carol Hasse. “I liked what they had done to appeal to the U.S. market, with the larger AC units and a lot of the systems they put in,” added Ed Sherman.

Unfortunately, we were skunked for breeze on Chesapeake Bay on the day of our scheduled test sail, though the boat did perform well under power, topping 9 knots at 2,600 rpm. We were left with the impression that the hulls of the boat were slippery and she’d sail well too. With such spacious accommodations and smart accoutrements, for anyone in the market for a versatile cat, here’s one well worth a look.

– – –

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

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A detailed inspection of the design, layout and construction of Dufour’s two new catamarans, and our subsequent sail test, convinced all of the Boat Of The Year judges that both are superbly executed and, further, that the Nautitech 435 deserved to become Cruising World’s 1997 multihull of the year.

The accommodation configuration for both models is similar, with galley, nav station and saloon on the bridge deck level. The galley is compact and efficient, though perhaps a little small for hosting a large company at anchor, but the sturdy saloon table is ample enough to serve a full complement of guests. To the all-round saloon view, Nautitech adds forward-facing opening ports that provide very good cross ventilation. All cabins provide standing headroom and good light and ventilation from several deck hatches in each hull, and all are tastefully finished without excessive wood veneer.

Adequately sound-insulated spaces contain twin Volvo Penta engines with Sail Drives and two-bladed folding props, accessible from deck hatches. Under power, both models maneuvered easily.

Dufour has succeeded better than most at providing standing headroom in the saloon and adequate underwing clearance without creating a Winnebago profile. A fiberglass canopy partially protruding over the cockpit lends the cockpit shade without a vulnerable canvas dodger, and it streamlines the boat’s profile.

Those who enjoy sailing will appreciate the outboard, twin Whitlock rack-and-pinion steering stations, though some will also want dual engine controls to facilitate docking on either side.

A walkway between the stations is a nice safety feature. Good lifelines and bow-and-stern jack-line anchoring points are provided, though I would prefer the jack lines farther inboard. Escape hatches, which one hopes never to use but are essential to ultimate multihull safety, are provided in each hull. Attention to safety includes life raft stowage on the aft cross beam. If on deck, the raft would be submerged were the boat to capsize, and if kept under the wing, it could suffer undetected damage while sailing normally.

Hulls and deck are vacuum-bagged sandwiches of non-woven bidirectional and tri-directional cloth in isophthalic resin over closed-cell PVC foam. Epoxy-laminated marine plywood bulkheads include crash bulkheads in both bows. The forepeaks are foam-filled. Fin keels built independently of the hulls reduce the risk of serious hull damage in a grounding situation. A solid-wood rub rail protects each hull.

The fractional aluminum rig is stepped immediately ahead of the forward saloon windows at deck level on a horizontal surface with halyard lockers — an efficient working platform that is more secure than a mast stepped on a curved coach roof. A full-length traveler spans the beam aft of the cockpit. Roller-furling headsails and fully battened mainsails with lazy jacks vastly improve the performance of both models compared to those with roller-furling mainsails. The judges were impressed with how well the Nautitechs sailed relative to the competing multihulls in their class, and to monohulls of similar length.

Both the Nautitech 395 and 435 are thoughtfully designed, well-constructed, competitively priced and a pleasure to sail. Both are capable of trans-oceanic passages and equally suitable for “hanging out” in the lagoon of your dreams.

Dufour Nautitech 435 / 395 Specifications:
* LOA: 43’5″ (13.23 m.) / 39’4″ (11.99 m.)
* LWL: 40’3″ (12.27 m.) / 37’1″ (11.30 m.)
* vBeam (max): 21’8″ (6.60 m.); 50% LOA / 21’0″ (6.40 m.); 53% LOA
* Draft 4’0″ (1.22 m.) / 4’0″ (1.22 m.)
* Disp (light): 16,500 lbs. (7,484 kgs.) / 14,500 lbs. (6,577 kgs.)
* Sail area: 900 sq.ft. (83.61 sq.m.) / 800 sq.ft. (74.3 sq.m.)
* Mast above water: 54’6″ (16.61 m.) / 49’3″ (15.0 m.)
* Length/Beam (hulls): N/A / 10.3:1
* Underwing clearance: 2’7″ (0.79 m.); 6% LOA / 2’5″ (0.74 m.); 6% LOA
* Cabin Headroom: 6’4″ (1.93 m.) / 6’3″ (1.19 m.)
* Disp/Length: 113 / 127
* SA/Disp: 22.2; Bruce #: 1.18 / 21.5; Bruce #1:16
* Fuel: 73 gal. (276 ltr.) / 54 gal. (204 ltr.)
* Water: 200 gal. (757 ltr.) / 110 gal. (416 ltr.)
* Holding: 4 x 10 gal. (4 x 38 ltr.) / 2 x 10 gal. (2 x 38 ltr.)
* Auxiliary: 2 x 30-hp Volvo Penta / 2 x 20-hp. Volvo Penta
* Designer: Mortain & Mavrikios / Mortain & Mavrikios
* Base price: $279,911 / $234,833

Dufour Yachts USA
1 Chelsea Court
Annapolis, MD 21403
Phone:(410) 268-6417

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