Feet: Which Multi to Choose? 70-79 COMPARATIF MM157-US Essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page71

70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page70

COMPARISON 45 feet: which multi to choose? 70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page71

Neither too big nor too small: 45 feet is the right size for leaving as a family. One hull for the parents, one hull for the children, a cabin for passing guests, good load-carrying capacity without having a rig which is too powerful for easy handling... And all for a budget comparable to that of a house...not a mansion! Amongst the many models on the market, we have short-listed the Hélia 44, the Nautitech 441/442, the Lagoon 450, the Leopard 48, the Neel 45 and the Antares 44i.

Text: Emmanuel Van Deth – Photos: DR 70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai18/01/1316:43Page72 COMPARISON 72 ARCHITECTURAL CHOICES ARCHITECTURAL test –8to11 tonnesonthe theligh- models arelogically Antarès 44i.These three Hélia 44,Nautitech441/442, area- modest wettedsurface the slimnesscard,witha guished: thosewhichplay canbedistin- three groups Amongst thecatamarans, slim atthewaterline. three hulls,whicharevery ped platform,itselfrestingon gedeck ontoagull-wingsha- awidebrid- ciple istograft dealt withseparately:itsprin- ted bowsmustobviouslybe hull andtwofloatswithinver- The Neel45,withitscentral explanation... ones...An more comfortable light multihulls,andheavier, stays. There arealsofast, more suitableforshorter homes, othersprovetobe tain ofthemarerealfloating other sideoftheocean,cer- capable oftakingyoutothe above allblue-waterboats models inthisselectionare their design.Althoughallthe options whenitcomesto ran…and manydifferent Five catamarans,onetrima- Orana hashitthemark.Quiteacompetitor! and well finished,thereplacement for the Fast, even inlightweather, ratherelegant

HELIAHulls hard. The nuances?Adraft be setdowndirectlyonthe scrub off, andtheboatcan appreciable whenitistimeto stub keelsareespecially coconut trees...Inreality, the lucent lagoon,borderedwith obviously thinkingofatrans- for easybeaching.We are andallow rudders perfectly stub keels:theyprotectthe ding. Anotheradvantageof stronger inthecaseofgroun- mance towindward,are poorerperfor- they give stub keels,whichalthough builders haveoptedforfixed Catana andOutremer:the here –thespecialityof There arenodaggerboards boats. ter thanthatofthefirstthree cement), almost50% grea- (roughly 20% ofthedispla- large load-carryingcapacity volume andaboveallhavea the waterlineformaximum which arewideat live withtheirhulls cupations. They with thesepreoc- 450 don'tbother cially theLagoon pard 48andespe- scales. The Leo- HELIA 44 Appendages to postponesailreductions, safety inheavyweather, and keep acompactrigformore Two contradictoryoptions: of oursixmultihulls. the Leopard48,biggest the Hélia44to1.40mfor which rangesfrom1.15m for Sail plan place, adoptthemostpower- with theLagoon450 infirst viest boatsinourselection, to answer, asthethreehea- tates, wewouldbetempted light weather?Necessitydic- in good performance give catch thewindhigherupand or preferaveryslimrig,to 70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page73

NAUTITECH 441/442 441 for a steering position against the coachroof, 442 for two steering positions, it's up to you. A rather elegant catamaran which is easy to handle.

ful sail plans, with generous all the models presen- square-headed mainsails ted here…but not into the bargain. The most together. It is hard for sober is the Nautitech, the us to say that one only multihull in our selec- model is much faster tion with a windward sail downwind in a fresh area of less than 100m²...for breeze than another. the first models, in any case, But certain data, and as the genoa is now 5m² big- our memories of the ger. The lightest, the Antares tests, are very useful. 44i, offers a self-tacking jib, The best indicator of a very practical when beating – boat's potential under although there are few sail is its sail area/weight maran makes almost no lee- is much wider – around 55°. purists who beat to wind- ratio. Here they are: Hélia 44 way, and sails at 45° to the A special mention for the ward close to the coast, at = 10.65 m2/t ; Nautitech = true wind, like a good mono- Hélia 44 and the Nautitech, sea, it's a question of saving 10.87 m2/t, (a ratio which hull. Speed? Over 8 knots in which performed well on this diesel on those return will increase to 11.24 m²/t, 10 knots of wind. Our cats point of sailing, reputed to be Atlantic crossings... Down- thanks to the accommoda- can't keep up with this per- unfavourable for cruising wind, our five catamarans will tion and the structure in infu- formance. Not so much in catamarans. The Lagoon, the be boosted by a gennaker, a sion/foam on the very next speed, as they all succeed in Leopard and the Antares are code 0 or an asymmetric models); Lagoon 450 = reaching 8 knots to wind- penalised by significant win- spinnaker, attached to a 8.66 m2/t ; Leopard 48 = ward, but their pointing angle dage. bowsprit. The trend over the 9.54 m2/t ; Neel 45 = 15.14 last few years? Opting for a m2/t ; Antares 44i = 12.59 gennaker, the general pur- m2/t. It appears that the pose sail par excellence. But Neel, and to a lesser extent, following the launch of its 39 the Antares 44i, stand out in and 52, Lagoon insists on a our selection. These two are code 0 and a spinnaker, to certainly the fastest in light optimise performance... If the weather. budget can cover it, we are in To windward agreement! As for the Neel There are no daggerboards 45, it makes do with a com- to allow us to decide radically bination of a self-tacking jib between our candidates, to and a genoa. We must admit, windward…but in this game fitting a bowsprit to the cen- of sailing into the wind, the tral hull's sharp, inverted bow Neel is a clear winner. would not be easy. Despite the low area of its stub keel – fitted under the PERFORMANCE central hull, it reminds us of the one on a Dart – the tri- We have been able to sail on 70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page74

COMPARISON

ANTARES 44i It's getting on a bit, as the hull moulds are those of the 44, launched in 2003…but it's a real private owner's catamaran, 100% designed for living aboard.

Passage through the water for the Leopard, which is What progress! Today, bridge- quite a bit longer. But decks are much higher than beware: you can't hope for in the past; just have a look such speeds if you keep the at the Leopard 48 head on, standard fixed propellers... to convince yourself. And the Under power gull's-wing profiles between Three hulls and one engine, the hulls, in addition to or two hulls and two making the structure more engines… as only one rigid, offer a smoother pas- engine can be fitted to a tri- sage through choppy seas. In maran – difficult access to short, our boats slam much the floats and above all, no less. However, weight cente- space for the engine and its ring could be improved. With peripherals. So a clear advan- the exception of the Neel 45, tage for the catamarans in whose float ends are empty, reliability (it's rare to have the catamarans are fitted out problems with both engines) almost as far as the bows – and ease of manoeuvring. forward cabins, followed by a With a bit of experience, you sail locker. It is hard to resist will be able to pivot the boat storing equipment here, on itself and get out of the which thus encourages pit- tightest berth by judicious ching. use of the throttles. However, Off the wind beware of the windage we Again, clear advantage to the have already mentioned Neel 45, which quickly above. The engines offered manages to exceed 10 knots, are generally 40hp (apart then comes the group of five from the Neel 45's single cats, which all sail at 8/9 55hp and the lighter Antares' knots in 15/18 knots of 2 x 29hp). The builders offer wind. The first to unroll the more powerful engines as an make movement easier bet- good over the port transom. gennaker will gain one or two option, but in our opinion, ween the cockpit, the stee- The same configuration for knots. the standard engines are ring position, the sugar the Leopard 48, with the Downwind more than sufficient in all scoops and the bridge- exception that protection of Due to lack of a suitable conditions, including heavy deck…as well as to offer the helmsman is taken care downwind sail, the Neel seas on the nose. genuine dedicated relaxation of by a polyester bimini – in didn't open up a gap here. In areas. A development which canvas on the Hélia. Aboard strong trade winds, our boats DECK PLAN results in the absence of a the Antares, the steering are all capable of keeping up step between the cockpit position is also raised, but an average of 11 to 12 knots, There has been a lot of pro- and the accommodation, this time protected by a gla- without a doubt a little more gress in the last few years, to and more extensive use of zed coachroof extension. The the flybridge area. most comprehensive? The Steering position Nautitech, of course! You can The most spartan is definitely opt for the 441 and its single the one on the Neel. A wheel raised steering position against the coachroof, a foam (in addition, this saves backrest, as seen in semi 8,000 euros) or the 442 for rigids, and that's all. You two offset positions, close to would quickly set the autopi- the sugar scoops. This for- lot. The Hélia has opted for a mula is appealing for the raised steering position to excitement, but the helms- starboard, matched by a man is not very well protec- small exterior lounge. It gives ted, and the coachroof a good view over the bows causes a significant blind and the sail plan, not so spot. The Lagoon has an ANTARES 70-79 COMPARATIF_MM157-US_essai 18/01/13 16:43 Page75

LAGOON 450 Not only does this catamaran offer incomparable volume and comfort in this size, but it is also the cheapest!

upper deck, with an impres- central pedestal, at the aft sive 2.9-metre settee and a end of the cockpit. Another sunbathing area. The view is fifty-fifty formula for the Neel, excellent, but the helmsman with the halyards at the is a long way from the hulls mastfoot and the sheets on when coming alongside, and the coachroof. As for the would need a little help... Nautitech, it is traditional, Manœuvres with halyards at the mast The trend is to concentrate foot, a mainsail winch aft and all the control lines within jib sheets on the side decks. reach of the steering position Tradition has a good side, – or almost, as the gennaker however, as it works well and sheet on the opposite side easily with a family crew. often requires a winch to Cockpit itself. On the centralised All the cockpits of our cata- steering position hit parade: marans are protected by a the Leopard, the rigid bimini, a natural exten- Lagoon and the sion of the coachroof. All of Hélia. All the lines them are very convincing for are accessible to the resisting both the tropical helmsman on two heat wave and the squall or three winches – which would have soaked including an electric you through...and are reassu- one for the halyards, ring. They are equipped with which is very practi- seating, a good-sized table cal for hoisting the and two sugar scoops, mainsail. The access to which is via wide Antares has opted steps. The Antares makes do for the mixed solu- with shorter protection, but tion: half for the offers additional seating aft. helmsman, half The Lagoon and the Leopard (mainsail) on the provide a bit more with their

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NEEL 45, one of the only ocean cruising trimarans on the market, is less extreme than its big sister, the 50, so the price remains reasonable.

wing better than ever movement around isolated, depending on how you see it, the boat. and may hinder the movements of the Galley cabin's occupants. The award for the Four of our multihulls prioritized the most unusual galley goes to the Neel close proximity of the cockpit, for greater 45: sink, cooker, stowage and fridge are conviviality. This is the case for the split between two central modules. Lagoon and the Hélia 44, with their U- Chart table shaped galleys offset to starboard. The It's unanimous: all the chart tables are Nautitech prefers the other side and on forward-facing and enjoy a clear view of the Leopard, the galley is L-shaped and the sea. Very few monohulls can say the to starboard... The Antares has opted for same! The Nautitech's chart table is a port cabin, as on the good old Privilege adjacent to the cockpit; all the others are forward cockpits. The Neel finally differs 51. The cook is more peaceful…or more from the others again, with an unprotec- further forward in the nacelle. ted cockpit and a modest aft platform fitted to the central hull...

ACCOMMODATION

Most of the multihulls have a big saloon, a galley and a chart table in a huge central nacelle…but not all! A review of the details. Saloon U-shaped seating and a big table, capable of seating 6 to 8 people – this is what you can expect in the saloon of a 45-foot multihull. With subtle diffe- rences: although they are all situated against the coachroof's forward port- lights, just one, the Leopard 48, offers an original access to the forward cockpit. The formula, already tested just two years ago on the 44, is convincing, allo-

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LEOPARD 48 Cabins Priority has been given to the deck plan, with large areas dedicated to The fashion? To make the beds more easily accessi- relaxation – and well sheltered from the sun: rigid bimini, forward ble. It is sometimes enough to trim a bit of width at coachroof extension and shelter for the helmsman. the foot... And where do we sleep? Owners to starboard, children and guests to port. This is the rule on the models available in two versions – three or four cabins – such as the Lagoon, the Hélia, the Leopard and the Nautitech. Although in the smaller sizes, the forward cabins are sometimes a bit narrower, this is no longer the case in these 45-foot models, where the berths can even be fitted athwartships (port hull of the Nautitech). Most of these models can be equipped with two additional berths in the forepeaks, bringing the maximum sleeping capacity to 10 people...very useful, especially for charter or very large families! This is not the programme for the Antares, which does not try to fit in as many berths. Once again, the Neel has its own ideas: the two big double berths are fitted either side of the bridgedeck, with a nice view of the sea. A smaller cabin nestles in the bow, and two extra berths occupy the centre of each float, giving a maximum capacity here again of 10 people.

BUDGET

The cheapest boat in our selection – and by far – is the Lagoon 450. When we admit that it's also the most comfortable, we are not surprised that two or three times more of them are sold than their most serious rival, the Hélia 44. The latest Fountaine Pajot impressed the testers with its performance and the quality of its finishing. The Nautitech, advertised at 400,000 euros is also an excellent opportunity: good potential under sail, comfort, a real private owner's boat, also capable of adapting to the needs of charter. The Leopard 48, noticeably bigger, offers an excellent level of comfort. Its price, nearly 450,000 euros, must take account of its 14.75m hulls. The Antares 44i is more original and a niche product. Dedicated to life aboard, it offers exceptional comfort, but…the price may be dissuasive for some. As for the Neel 45, less avant-garde and sophisticated than the 50, it manages to remain – at the top limit nevertheless – within the average of the advertised prices. An original choice – there are few trimarans on the market - for an attractive and comfortable boat under sail.

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COMPARISON

AND ALSO…

Swiss S2C 45 It's off the ground, but not yet out of the yard, as it is being advertised for the next Cannes Boat Show. The 55's little sister was designed by Sébastien Schmidt , which is a guarantee of good performance. The boat is quite heavy – advertised at 12 tonnes – but the very slim rig should succeed in propelling it.

Outremer 45 Although the new boat was announced during the last Paris Boat Show, you will have to wait until 2014 to see it. So, let's be content with the good old 45 (launched in 2000), emblematic of the builder's values. Fast, simple, easy to handle, it has benefitted from a clever raising of the coachroof. A safe bet for those who know how to travel light!

Privilège 445 Launched in 2006, it remains up to date, with an interesting compromise between performance and comfort. Marc Lombard's hulls quickly reach 10 knots and the crew does not feel deprived of anything. Although the coachroof design is a bit dated, we still appreciate the curvy cockpit... Three cheers for relaxation!

Cumberland 47 LR Fountaine Pajot believes in trawlers: this next new model, to be launched at La Rochelle next March, and unveiled to the public at the Multihull Boat Show in La Grande Motte, will be capable of crossing the Atlantic, thanks to its two 225hp engines and two 1,200-litre diesel tanks.

Broadblue Voyager 435 Not too heavy, robust, this English catamaran is an excellent support for blue- water cruising. Far from the radical developments – very slim rig positioned quite far aft, square-headed mainsail, flybridge – the 435, the flagship of BroadBlue Cat's range, on the other hand prefers sober solutions: its air draft is limited to 18m and its draft to 1.2m.

Catana 47 Launched in 2009, this is the Canet en Roussillon-based builder's spearhead. Lightened by 700kg, thanks to a structure which employs generous amounts of carbon, this model is capable of excellent performance, particularly to windward, thanks to deep daggerboards. We also appreciated the excellent level of finishing.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS HÉLIA 44 NAUTITECH 441/442 NEEL 45 ANTARÈS 44I LAGOON 450 LEOPARD 48 Length: 13.3 m 13.47 m 13.5 m 13.6 m 13.96 m 14.75 m Waterline length: 12.58 m 12.2 m 13.5 m 13.3 m 13.38 m 13.85 m Beam: 7.4 m 6.81 m 8.5 m 6.6 m 7.84 m 7.64 m Draft: 1.15 m 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.31 m 1.4 m Weight: 10.8 t 9.2 t 7 t 7.94 t 15.5 t 14.46 t Windward sail area: 115 m2 100 m2 106 m2 100 m2 134.3 m2 138 m2 Mainsail: 70 m2 65 m2 60 m2 56 m2 82.5 m2 90 m2 Genoa: 45 m2 35 m2 46 m2 44 m2 51.8 m2 48 m2 Gennaker: 115 m2 60 m2 59 m2 105 m2 150 m2 Spinnaker: 190 m2 Engines: 2 x 40 HP 2 x 40 HP 55 HP 2 x 29 HP 2 x 40 HP 2 x 39 HP Fresh water: 750 l 800 l 600 l 568 l 350 or 700 l 1 000 l Fuel: 470 l 400 l 300 l 455 l 1 000 l 700 l Architects: Berret/Racoupeau Mortain/Mavrikios Joubert/Nivelt Alan Slatter VPLP Simonis Voogd Builder: Fountaine-Pajot Nautitech Neel Trimarans Antares Y. Lagoon Leopard Launch year: 2012 2009 2011 2006 2010 2012 Basic price, exc. VAT: 378,000 € 419,200 € 444,816 € 839,000 USD 310,200 € 449,000 €