{"id":59987,"date":"2025-06-06T10:39:45","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T14:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=59987"},"modified":"2025-06-06T10:39:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T14:39:46","slug":"neel-52-trimaran-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/sailboats\/neel-52-trimaran-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Neel 52 Trimaran Review: A Game-Changer for Performance Cruisers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Neel 52 during the 2025 Boat of the Year sea trials\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3818.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">With an average cruising speed of 10 knots\u2014capable of reaching up to 18 knots in favorable conditions\u2014and the ability to cover \n200 nautical miles in a day, the Neel 52 is intended for serious sailors.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Way back when, several decades ago, I scored my first ride aboard a cruising \u00adtrimaran: a sweet, cold-molded beauty called <em>Juniper<\/em>. Today, naval architect Chris White is well-known for his long line of Atlantic catamarans, all of which are laid out with his \u00adsignature feature: a forward cockpit for the helm and sail controls (something that several notable designers and brands, including Gunboat, have copied). White has always been a multihull man, and it\u2019s interesting that for his own first boat, he chose a tri, on which he completed several offshore voyages from New England to the Bahamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe id=\"gkstfcayky\" src=\"https:\/\/cruisingworld.dragonforms.com\/gkstfcayky\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, I loved <em>Juniper<\/em>, an&nbsp;elegant creation that sailed like a witch. And it had a \u00adbeautiful, handcrafted wood \u00adinterior. But to me, the yacht\u2019s basic \u00adconfiguration also seemed like a major drawback, something that would prohibit trimarans from becoming mainstream cruisers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accommodations were confined to its central hull, with a relatively narrow beam that limited options. As time went by\u2014and the multihull world became dominated by cats\u2014I felt quite smug about my \u00adearly observation: If you want a true, cruising multihull, you\u2019ve got to go with a cat. Trimarans weren\u2019t on the radar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In recent times, thanks to my role as a judge for <a href=\"\/boat-of-the-year-2025\/\"><em>Cruising World<\/em>\u2019s annual Boat of the Year contest<\/a>, I\u2019ve been persuaded to rework my original stance. In 2024, our panel was collectively blown away by a Danish import, the Dragonfly 40, which easily won the prize for <a href=\"\/sailboats\/2024-boat-of-the-year-best-performance-trimaran\/\">Best Performance Trimaran<\/a>. As sweet as that Dragonfly was, with accommodations that were well-executed, they remained confined in the same way as those on <em>Juniper<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For 2025, though, we stepped aboard a trimaran that was a much different beast. The Neel 52 greatly expanded the interior options and layout by spreading them out over much of the boat\u2019s nearly 30-foot beam. It was a groundbreaking boat, and we recognized it as such, awarding it top honors in the Best Full-Size Multihulls Over 50 Feet category versus a pair of big, stellar catamarans (the Windelo 54 Yachting and the Xquisite 60 Solar Sail). At least for 2025, in our humble opinions, three hulls were \u00adbetter than two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the 52\u2019s lines, the company commissioned the Lombard Design Office, which is still knocking out good boats \u00adfollowing the death of its founding naval architect, Marc Lombard. Here\u2019s their summation of the design brief: \u201cTo create multipurpose arrangements with up to six \u00addouble cabins with direct access from the central main cabin. Aesthetic lines with moderate freeboard. A strong and stiff platform. Less hull drag, more dynamic trim at high speeds. Improved hull shapes for better efficiency and safety in waves, an important requirement for an ocean-crossing trimaran.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally speaking, I\u2019ve \u00adalways considered the lines of a trimaran\u2014that relatively prominent middle hull sandwiched by a pair of graceful amas, like a set of wings\u2014to be more aesthetically pleasing than those of many cruising cats, which can sometimes appear boxy. And to my eye, the 52 is a good-looking vessel with a host of features. The raised helm station to starboard, minimalist coachroof with expansive windows, upper-deck lounge with settees and a sunbed, dedicated sprit forward for off-wind sails and ground tackle, and pair of swim platforms aft all blend together to make a pleasing whole. There are robust stainless-steel grab rails everywhere, and synthetic teak accentuates the wide side&nbsp;decks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boat\u2019s signature \u00adfeature, however, lies within the \u00adinterior framework, in what the \u00adcompany had dubbed the \u201ccockloon.\u201d It\u2019s an open floor plan that combines the beam-width cockpit (an outdoor \u00adgalley is an option) with the central saloon. The bridge deck also houses the owner\u2019s stateroom, a professional-grade \u00adgalley, and a nicely rendered \u00adnavigation station fitted out with a suite of B&amp;G instrumentation. The delightful views from the \u00adpanoramic array of windows is all-encompassing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Neel 52 living space\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NEEL_52_8_-Enhanced-SR.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The open living space has a \u00adforward-facing \u00adgalley and chart table.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Down below, there are \u00adseveral layouts with \u00admultiple \u00addouble cabins, including a V-berth forward in the bow (on our test boat, one of those bedrooms was swapped for a generous technical room with a workbench, workspace and tool&nbsp;stowage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fellow Boat of the Year judge Mark Pillsbury was quite \u00adenamored of the cockloon arrangement: \u201cOwners don\u2019t just get their own stateroom aboard the Neel 52 trimaran. They get a two-story suite with a head, shower and private \u00adoffice \u00adlocated aft in the starboard ama. There\u2019s a stunning view from the walk-around double berth, with picture windows affixed with venetian blinds, which is located on the bridge deck. The living space on this boat is tremendous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, this is a voluminous yacht, and the relatively deep draft (for a multihull) of almost 6 feet in its fixed keel provides lots of space for the creative Neel team. The US importer for the boat is Miami-based broker Alex Sastre, who played a major role in developing the quite incredible engine room nestled deep in the boat\u2019s innards. It houses a 48-volt system that\u2019s charged with an integral set of twin alternators and a solar array (our test boat was also equipped with a hefty Cummins Onan genset and a lithium-ion battery bank, both of which are optional). All of it is clearly labeled and totally \u00adaccessible, as are all the \u00adhoses and plumbing manifolds. There is also quick and ready access to the steering quadrant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of this also caught Pillsbury\u2019s attention: \u201cI could have spent the better part of a day going through the Neel\u2019s engine room. There was even a bank of chargers for all your onboard power-tool batteries.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Construction is solid and employs vinylester resin with an infused foam core. The handsome furniture and joiner work in the interior is solid oak. The standard double-spreader rig is aluminum, but a carbon mast, including the one on our test ride, is optional. Auxiliary power is provided by a 150 hp Volvo Penta diesel with a saildrive configuration, and docking is assisted with a Max Power bow thruster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Neel 52 test sail\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CWBOTY2025_101524-3656.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">On our test sail, the 52 really delivered the goods.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, though, every sailboat will ultimately be judged by the simplest of criteria: how well it performs under sail. In our sea trials this past fall on Chesapeake Bay in a 14- to 16-knot \u00adnorthwesterly breeze, the 52 just smoked it. It\u2019s hard to describe the sensation of steering the boat from the raised helm station. It\u2019s something akin to taking a tennis court for a spin. It\u2019s otherworldly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The powerful, square-topped full-battened mainsail provided plenty of punch (a company rep said that it does not require reefing in less than 25 knots of breeze). The test boat had a full set of excellent Incidence sails from the popular French sail loft, including a jib, genoa, code zero and gennaker, all of which are controlled with a full suite of Harken winches and hardware.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Neel reps said that the 52 will easily average better than 200 nautical miles on passage, and clearly they were not \u00adexaggerating. Jibing downwind with the big asymmetric kite, the boat easily topped 9 knots. Closehauled under genoa, the boat averaged 8.5 knots to windward with a maximum speed of 9.2 knots. Steering from that elevated wheel was a delight, with best-in-show 360-degree visibility at all times, something that can\u2019t be said on most catamarans. Our judging group was unanimous: It was easily one of the contest\u2019s best sea trials.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the day, after sailing <em>Juniper<\/em>, it was difficult for me to envision a path forward for cruising tris to gain wide acceptance. And, truth be told, it\u2019s still a steep, uphill road. But the Neel 52 makes the case that trimarans are not only viable, but they offer real advantages as well. If you want to start a revolution, that\u2019s a good place to begin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take the Next Step<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PRICE<\/strong>: $1.65 million (as tested)<br><strong>CONTACT<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyachtsales.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pyachtsales.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Legacy Realized\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no question that the Neel brand of trimarans would not exist if not for the vision and drive of the company\u2019s namesake and founder, Eric Bruneel. A talented shorthanded offshore racing sailor, his career took a winding path. For many years, he was the director of Fountaine-Pajot catamarans, one of France\u2019s oldest and most popular builders. As a racer, however, for his own boats, he preferred the speed and stability of a trimaran, and he eventually launched his own firm with the goal of introducing cruising tris to the masses. He has since moved on, but his original concept appears to be in safe hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Full Speed Ahead<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Neel 52, the builder\u2019s new flagship, replaces a 51-footer in the lineup, which also currently offers a 43- and a 47-footer (a 37 and a 44 have been discontinued). Among the 10 hulls of the 52 delivered thus far, all have had slightly different layouts, a testament to the company\u2019s willingness to adapt to owners\u2019 requirements. Neel produces about a dozen boats a year, with the goal of ramping up to 24\u00a0yachts annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CW <em>editor-at-large Herb McCormick was a 2025 Boat of the Year judge.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Neel 52 redefines what\u2019s possible in multihull cruising, blending volume, comfort, and offshore-ready performance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":59992,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Herb McCormick","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[167],"tags":[282,509,2093,227,195,242],"class_list":["post-59987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sailboats","tag-boat-of-the-year","tag-neel-trimarans","tag-print-may-2025","tag-sailboat-reviews","tag-sailboats","tag-trimaran"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}