nautitech 40 catamaran review

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Nautitech 40

• By Jeremy McGeary
• Updated: November 29, 2006

Competition is fierce in the world of catamarans, so to stay in the game, a builder has to stake out market territory. Nautitech Catamarans is laying claim to that segment of multihull devotees interested in the sailing as well as the après-sail aspects of cruising. Telling first impressions of the Nautitech 40 are the fine-entry, high-freeboard bows and the twin steering stations, one on the stern of each hull.

On the water in Miami, twin 29-horsepower Volvo saildrives provided typical cat agility for maneuvering around the marina, but we learned quickly not to be shy when applying power to counter the effect of a locally gusty crosswind on the high freeboard. Motoring out of Government Cut into the eye of the wind, the boat was unfazed by the mix of tide rip and boat wakes.

Under sail, the helm stations came into their own, giving the helmsman wind-on-the-face input to back up the instruments. Sailing upwind in a fluky, light southeasterly breeze, we saw steady speeds above 6 knots with bursts to over 7 in the puffs. The tacking angle was about 100 degrees, limited by the sheeting angle of the genoa, but with fixed shoal-draft keels, footing off is likely more profitable than pinching anyway.

The long, deck-mounted traveler permits incremental adjustments to the powerful roachy mainsail, and the double-ended mainsheet can be tended from either helm. Because main and genoa share the same winches, tacking entails a little ballet with the sheets and stoppers. Doubling up on the winches would simplify maneuvers and provide more options for handling such add-ons as a preventer or a light-air funsail.

Boathandling arrangements are simple and seamanlike. The main halyard and reefing lines are tended from the mast, and it’s an easy step up to the cabin roof to stow or deploy the sail. No centerline nacelle or strut breaks the trampolined expanse between the bows. Hefty cleats integrated into the crossbeam anchors stand ready for bridles or mooring lines.

Inside the house, the saloon provides a second large social area. Considering that the boat can be set up with four double cabins, the galley is small, but from its location on the aft bulkhead, the cook can converse with the crew through a large sliding window.

Even indoors, the saloon has a pleasant, outdoorsy, summer-cottage feel due to the light through the wraparound windows and reflected off large areas of white fiberglass.

Down in the hulls, wood paneling lends a warm tone to the sleeping quarters. Space is a little tight down here, a measure of the slippery slender hulls, but by judicious use of the bridgedeck volume, the designers have created comfortably sized cabins with queen-size athwartships berths. In the charter version, there are two in each hull. In the owner version, which would make a commodious liveaboard vessel, the starboard hull is devoted to a suite: A huge fore-and-aft berth fills the stern, a large head and separate shower occupy the forward part, and, in between, there’s a settee, a desk, and copious storage for clothes. Two extra crewmembers or children can be accommodated in small cabins in each bow.

A simple layout below, clean-cut lines above, and neatly sculpted details everywhere suggest that the Nautitech 40 will appeal to sportif catamaran sailors, while their children will find the one-piece trampoline irresistible.

Nautitech 40 Specs

LOA: 39′ 4″ (11.98 m.) LWL: 37′ 9″ (11.50 m.) Beam: 21′ 4″ (6.50 m.) Draft: 3′ 11″ (1.20 m.) Sail Area: 936 sq. ft. (86.9 sq. m.) Displacement: 16,280 lb. (7,385 kg.) Water: 158 gal. (598 l.) Fuel: 71gal. (269 l.) Engine: Two 29-hp. Volvos with saildrives Designer: Mortain & Mavrikios Price: $376,598 (FOB La Rochelle, France)

C.A. Marine Group, (954) 627-6862, www.nautitech-catamarans.com

Jeremy McGeary is a Cruising World contributing editor.

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Nautitech 40 Open

Owner’s Review : Gecko

We were recently asked a list of questions on the Nautitech 40 Open from a prospective buyer, Alex, who is deciding on options for a new boat. I’ve asked him to compile a list of questions that we can answer in one go and load them up onto the owner’s review section of katamarans.com to help other people.

We’ve featured owner’s reviews on other boats, so why not our catamaran?!

Here it is:

Intro  (from Alex): One of the great attributes of the sailing community we are a part of is the willingness of sailors to share their experiences and knowledge. Purchasing a new boat is an exciting event. We (our family) are preparing to order a new Nautitech Open 40 and while we have looked at several catamaran manufactures and chartered cats, including an Open 40, there are always those last minute questions that when answered help cement our decision and the financial commitment we are about to make.

Being retired, this will probably be the last boat we own and want to be as comfortable and safe as possible, and be on a boat that I can operate singlehanded. Here are some questions for Gideon and the crew of Gecko.

Why an Open 40 ? There are quite a few catamarans in the 40 foot range, what made you decide on a Nautitech Open 40? I researched quite a few catamarans in this length and price range including Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, Leopard and Seawind, to name a few. I was after a good balance between performance and comfort and the Nautitech 40 ticks a lot of these boxes. We will be primarily using the boat in the Mediterranean, so the Open concept works well for us – twin aft helms leaving a big open space joining the saloon and cockpit.

The Saloon You have spent a fair amount of time on the boat during a part of the year that does not encourage you to be outside in the open salon area, how did you find the interior space of the boat, especially in the salon? Very comfortable with 4 of us making the delivery from La Rochelle to Barcelona in some pretty nasty weather. We went for the heating system that pipes warm air into the saloon and hulls and even the cockpit (warms up pretty quickly when you have the cockpit enclosures down).

Cooking How did those assigned to cooking manage with the galley? It’s a handy place to prepare meals- you have everything in a triangle – oven, hobs, fridge and working surface looking forward to starboard. We tended to store frequently used food stuffs in the cupboards in the starboard hull- you can just nip down the steps to get what you need. The cupboard at the back of the hob is more difficult to use as you need to lean over the hobs to access. You just need to watch what you are doing when the hobs are on.

I thought the sink is a bit small, any thoughts on that? (I am discussing having the sink changed to a much larger single sink or a double sink). We didn’t have any problems with that, although a double sink would work well. The only thing we noticed is that the tap does not protrude very far out from the side of the sink, so you get a lot of splash back out of the sink. This would be better if it had a longer arm.

To Bimini or Not to Bimini You have the Bimini over each helm station, have you considered adding an enclosure for each Bimini helm station (windscreen + lateral sides). We didn’t go for the biminis as I prefer to be in the Open for maximum sailing feel. In any case, I thought the biminis were too small to give much sun cover unless the sun was directly overhead. I’ll be wearing a hat if it’s sunny and feeling the breeze on my face. If the weather turns nasty, I tend to tuck in under the coachroof anyway, or helm from inside the saloon by the B&G station- where there is excellent visibility.

Table I personally like the smaller chart table / eating table in the salon. What table option did you select? We went for the larger telescopic table that you can make into a night watch bunk, and I wouldn’t change that- it worked really well for the person on watch, and for eating around the table. It’s a really cosy space. The only thing I am going to change is to shorten the rail on the port side as you tend to knock into it every time you get up from the table. I think with the smaller table, you have less dining areas if the weather turns nasty. We were stuck in La Rochelle for a week in bad weather and I though we’d all go mad- quite the opposite.

There are three versions of the Open 40, which one did you select? CHARTER version WEEKENDER version EXPLORER Version We went for the Explorer option.

Sailing Boat Handling Your November trip from La Rochelle to Port Ginesta seems to have handed you some nasty weather. How did the boat handle? Overall I am extremely pleased. She felt very safe when reefed down to match the conditions. With the second reef in, you are covered up to 35 knots apparent wind speed when you take some of the solent in. We had one occasion off the Cape of Trafalgar where the weather blew up to 45 knots. With 3 reefs in, the mainsail is very central (and small) and she balances well – again, felt safe. Reef early as there is not much difference in speed shortening sail when you are on the limit [ she likes to be balanced, and it’s a much comfier ride. We made the mistake of not taking the gennaker in early enough and had a job getting the sail in, ripping it in the process- lesson learned, take the gennaker in early

How did you find the motion of the boat? Well, she is a 40 foot boat, and she pitches more than a 45 boat. I felt pretty bad across the Bay of Biscay, but it normally takes me 2-3 days to get my sea legs and those were very rough conditions. You can see that Nautitech have worked to centralise the weight, so the anchor pops out of the nacelle for example, and doesn’t sit on the bow. The engines are stepped forward. I think the motion is no worse or slightly better than any other 40ft cat. She’s pretty stable the other way (rolling), and we had some pretty big waves on the beam which she just rolled over- no problems. Coming out of La Coruña, we had her smashing straight into 8m waves and she handled that well.

When we chartered an Open 40, we had some very choppy seas and and it took some time to get used to the motion of the boat. Did you experience any hobby horsing? See above. This is where the 40 HP engines come in handy. We had one situation where we were bouncing up and down a bit on one engine. Once we fired up both engines, she pushed through the waves well- problem solved, often it’s a case of matching your speed to the conditions and wave frequency.

Going upwind, into a chop, many owners of cats describe some degree of bridge deck pounding, given the rough conditions you had, how would you describe your experience on Gecko? Yes some bridge pounding, but we were in very rough conditions in the Bay of Biscay going into it. But more like every now and then on a rogue wave rather than continually. Going downwind, she surfs nicely, our top speed was 18 knots I think, you get this kind of humming sound and off she accelerates- quite a ride!

Sails and Controls What sails do you have on the boat? We have the standard sails plus a gennaker reacher (70sqm) which we can run off the bowsprit.

What additional sails or upgrades to sails (i.e square top main) did you purchase from Nautitech? See above

What downwind sails do you have in terms of spinnaker or Asym ? Just the gennaker at the point

What sails do you have for the sprit? Just the gennaker

How have you rigged the boat for reefing? Can you reef from the cockpit or do you have to go forward to the mast? This was one of the things I was trying to get Nautitech to do from the start – to run the reefing lines back to the cockpit like the bigger boat- the 46. However, they don’t seem to be set up to easily do these kinds of custom requests, so I will be changing the reefing system later. At the moment, all the reefing is done from the mast. Having said that, we managed that in some pretty rough conditions, although I do need to have a think about how to tidy up the lines at the mast, by running reefing lines through their own individual block, for example. This needs more thought, I’d welcome any more ideas here.

Did you add any winches to the port side to make it easier to control sails from either side of the boat? We have an electric winch to starboard and a manual to port. This worked well. More winches would be even better of course.

Systems Electronics What electronics packages do you have? We went Nav Pack Cruise and added radar. If it’s in your budget, I would go for Nav Pack Advanced.

How do you like the B&G instruments? The system is pretty powerful and takes work to get used to it, but pretty happy with it. Make sure the system is set up as a sailing boat rather than motor- we had problems setting course to wind direction, for example. All of the boat systems (lights, pumps and so on) are on the B&G display which takes some getting used to. It works, but it’s not that intuitive at first and the text is pretty small. I might change this to a more traditional switch panel later.

Have you added any additional electronics since you purchased the boat? Not yet.

What solar panels do you have? We went for the 4x100W. We didn’t see much sun, so I can’t tell you how they perform!

Can you operate AC appliances from your batteries via the invertor? Yes- that is definitely worth getting. We ran a rice cooker and coffee machine off it for example when sailing. It’s a simple switch on the side of the nav station.

Other Factory Options:

While options are often based on personal preferences, way of life and how the boat will be used, can you comment on the following factory installed options:

30 or 40 HP engines? If 40, what is your view of the value of the added HP? 40 HP definitely. They give you more power to punch through waves if you are motoring upwind.

Folding Props? (I added folding props to my monohull and would never go back – what is your experience?) Yes, definitely. These give you an extra knot of speed.

Did you include Synthetic Teak floor? I looked at it, but I couldn’t justify the cost in my budget. I prefer the look of natural teak personally, but there’s the weight consideration- it seems a shame to add too much weight onto her, we were quite careful in this regard.

Did  you add a generator? No, but we went for the additional service batteries. This set up worked fine for the 2 fridges and freezer.

Did you add a freezer? Yes, worth doing IMO if you are thinking of longer trips. The door kept opening in very rough conditions, something I will be looking into.

Did you install Air conditioning? No, we went for heating though. My rationale for that was I will only probably use a/c in the marinas, and for that I will just use a portable unit if I need it. Also, we didn’t want to add the weight.

Did you install Water maker? No, but that is top of my list for the next add-on. I think there are better options on the market (100l per hour) than the standard Nautitech fit, maybe better to retro-fit this IMO

What other options do you recommend? Anchor windlass control at helm station. Electronic throttle control on both helmstations if you can fit it in your budget, I couldn’t. Fridge in cockpit.

We didn’t go for the Nautitech delta anchor- instead, purchased a 25Kg Spade with 60m of chain. Also, we have ordered the dinghy and outboard seperately. We are going for a Gala A300D + Yamaha F9.9JMHS.

Taking delivery of Gecko

There is no question that these are complex boats with many systems. How would you describe your experience when you took delivery of Gecko? My broker was very good and helped with the language, as I only speak English and Spanish. It’s very important to have a broker who has a strong relationship with the yard as they are not really set up for direct contact with clients- it’s all done through the brokers.

Did you interact with anyone from the Factory? Yes- we met with Bruno Lescher (Sales and Marketing Director) at Cannes Boat Show and Laura Gobbo (sales) who gave us a tour around the factory just before Gecko launched- that is well worth doing, as you’ll be able to see all of the infrastructure of the boat going in.

Where there any issues identified on your inspection? The hand over was pretty “hands off” – mostly dealt with by the broker due to the language. However, we had good confidence in our broker (so cannot stress the importance of this strongly enough). We were missing one outside fridge (now installed) and one VHF unit (still pending).

How were they dealt with? So far, satisfactorily, this is ongoing.

I noted in your postings that you had some issues with the main salon door, have you resolved the issue? The issue here was that the locking mechanism on the frame was incorrectly installed. When we were in big waves, the doors jumped out of the lock which meant that they were free to slide along the track. We were able to lock them open during the passage, but obviously not ideal. I think it should be an easy fix, but we shouldn’t have had that issue in the middle of the Bay of Biscay in 5m waves.

Are there any other issues we should be aware of that we need to watch out for? Our invertor was faulty and was tripping the whole AC system. That is being replaced. I would also double check all of the standing rigging, runing rigging, sail bag etc. We missed a few things, stuff that wasn’t fully tightened. These were all small things, but best to go over the boat with a fine comb.

Really appreciate your information and hope this discussion helps others as well. It would be great to see more Open 40’s out there. No problem, happy to help and keep in touch, I hope your project goes well.

Alex Helfand

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Nautitech Open 40 – tested and reviewed

Cruising catamarans often sacrifice performance for comfort. the nautitech open 40 aims to redress the balance.

ST ‘s verdict: Cruising multihulls have to compromise somewhere along the line, but I feel that with the Open 40, Nautitech gets the balance right between being an entertaining, fast passage-maker and a comfortable floating patio. I will always miss the directness of steering and the extra ‘feel’ you get from heeling to the breeze in a monohull, but there is no arguing with the phenomenal speed of the Nautitech combined with extreme comfort. Some bluewater cruisers may not be keen on the simple interior, but I rather liked it. Her open layout is tailormade for warmer climes and, for me, this is a dream boat for the Caribbean: she will get you to your next anchorage quickly, with the minimum of fuss and with maximum comfort.

Performance: 4/5 Comfort: 4/5 Bluewater: 3/5

Price: from £212,000

keyyachting.com

Nautitech Open 40 spec

Modern and clean.

Nautitech offers two different arrangements for the Open 40: an owner’s version which devotes the port hull to owner’s accommodation with an en suite heads compartment; and the chartering option which boasts four separate berths, located toward the end of each hull, with a pair of heads/shower compartments toward the middle. Overall, the feel of the interior was modern and clean with a minimum of wood finish on display. You could call it Spartan or you could call it practical – take your pick. It should age well.

The saloon and galley area is bright and unfussy. There is a small U-shaped galley located fairly centrally with a simple two-burner hob and oven. To port of this is a small seating area, which is a sort of dinette/chart table. Aside from a few storage units here and there, that’s about it. No fuss, no nonsense – clean, crisp and simple.

Large cockpit

The extended coachroof stretches the length of the cockpit, the forward part of which comprises an enclosed seating area with a sizeable table. Head through 'patio doors' and you are in the saloon/galley area. It’s all very inclusive compared with most monohulls. Indoors and outdoors merge beautifully, giving you a truly vast and very sociable area.

Hull design

The hulls take a two-step form, being narrow U-shaped affairs below the waterline and swelling out sharply on a chine just above the waterline. This is a more complicated, expensive form of construction, as it requires the use of two hull mouldings, but it has a number of advantages. Naturally, wetted surface area below the waterline is reduced without sacrificing too much internal volume, while the chine also acts as a spray deflector, which is important on a multihull.

French-German partnership

The Nautitech Open 40 aims to straddle the gulf between out-and-out cruising cat and performance multihull. This French yacht, designed by Marc Lombard, has been bought up by the German yacht manufacturing megalith Bavaria, which is concerned that it needs to keep up with its rivals in this growing sector of the market.

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To read the full review of the Nautitech Open 40 test, see January’s Sailing Today .

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SV Belle and Beast

Nautitech 40 Open Review

Immediately next door to the Excess 12 (reviewed last week) at the 2019 United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis Maryland was the Bavaria/ Nautitech 40 Open and 46 Open. We spent some time with Flo Tarjan of Aeroyacht in Stonybrook, NY on Long Island taking a tour of both yachts. She was fairly insightful having raised her family aboard a few Nautitech boats herself. Her husband Gregor, the founder of Aeroyacht, is an insightful author and authority on multihull sailing yachts worth reading. Follow along for our experience and impressions in our Nautitech 40 Open Review.

The Cockpit:

As with most of the cats at the show, we boarded from the sugar scoops. Thanks to the hard chines, the sugar scoops are generously wide and flat despite the narrow hull beneath and feature only a single step up into the cockpit level. The bridge deck seems a bit low and the thought of waves washing over the cockpit floor did cross my mind as we entered. However, there are floor drains across each entryway behind the helms and a large full-width trough across the saloon door to catch anything that made it past the helms.

Entering from the starboard scoop, we stepped up behind the starboard helm station. Access was clear and lead us via a left turn into the spacious, if not huge for this size yacht, cockpit area. Nautitech has differentiated this cat in two ways from the bulk of the competition and the size of the outdoor seating area is one of them. The “open” concept is to push the saloon wall forward and make more outdoor space rather than indoor space. However, with the saloon door open, the boundary feels a bit vague.

The cockpit space is large and simple with two long benches running almost all the way from the saloon to the helm stations on each side. The distance between is more than enough to situate the long table and another row of folding chairs while still having room to walk past. The cockpit area is enclosable with optional canvas and extends the indoor area outside in all but the coldest weather. There is also a bench seat across the back of the bridge deck between the sugar scoops.

There are two helm stations positioned a bit further forward than the Excess 12. Each helm has a dedicated seat with permanent backrest that looks and feels more substantial as well. Visibility forward is good with tall windows in the saloon offering views diagonally to each bow.

The cockpit and sugar scoop decks are covered in a synthetic teak flooring that provides an attractive and low maintenance surface. A big plus in our minds even though we have heard that it gets hot in mid day sun. There are linear LED lights across the roof that are carried into the saloon to enhance the one-space look and feel and provide ambiance lighting at night.

The Saloon:

The saloon is the weak point of this cat. I understand the philosophy was to assume the outdoor table to be part of the saloon in the “open” concept but it just feels lacking. A lot of compromises are made to squeeze the galley and a small seating area/nav station into this space. The nav station is a convertible table system that doubles as a small dinette or a small couch all-in-one. It is a cute and clever execution with a fold-out table should you have to cram everyone inside for some reason. But, it feels strange.

The galley is adequately equipped but, like the Excess 12, lacks anywhere to brace yourself while preparing food at sea. There is a small cooktop and oven next to the companionway and across the way another countertop for food prep, although it is partially in the stairwell to the guest hull. A slip sideways will send you down into the hull.

There are no lips or rails on the countertop either to prevent items from sliding off in rough seas but there is workable space to carry out the task. The door to the cockpit opens past the sink, nearly to the cooktop, and there are very large windows all around the saloon making it very bright and “open” feeling. It is obvious they have made a clear effort to blend the indoor and outdoor spaces. Lastly, there does not seem to be any good place to mount a television for you to watch our videos. You’ll have to manage on your tablet.

The Guest Hull:

To starboard is the guest hull with two staterooms, one forward and one aft as is typical. There are a shared head and shower with central access at the bottom of the stairs with a small but separate shower stall divided with a curtain. The styling and fixtures are adequate and suit my tastes. However, there is a significant difference in some of the qualities compared to the Excess 12 that this boat seems to be competing with.

For example, my eyes were immediately drawn to the round plastic cover below the shower hose in the photo above. Functional, I’m sure, but a more elegant solution must have been available.

The forward berth, despite the narrow hulls, seemed more easily accessible than on the wider Excess 12. Despite being narrower at the bow-end, having the bulkhead a few feet from the aft end of the bed makes it much easier to climb into.

The aft stateroom also features a climb-in bed arrangement thanks to the narrow hulls. But the bed is fairly wide and there are adequate storage compartments in the rooms and in the hallway connecting the two berths. The double windows provide a great view out of the bed and provide a lot of natural light combined with the overhead hatch. These double windows are a welcome upgrade from prior model years. Vents for fresh are built into both the hatch, side windows, and a porthole to the rear.

The Owners Hull:

The boat is available as both a 4 cabin charter layout and a 3 cabin owner’s version. Like most boats at the show, the one we visited was the owner’s version featuring a large master bath forward and extended master bedroom aft.

Being a fair amount narrower below decks than the Excess 12, the Open 40 has a bit less storage although laid-out similarly with a desk/vanity and hanging lockers.

Forward is the owner’s head with a separate shower enclosed by glass doors. These doors felt a bit flimsy and the transparent plastic/rubber closer between the panes feels a bit cheap. However, these are probably the sorts of details that contribute to the relatively low weight of this catamaran.

There is a sliding door to close off the owner’s hull from the saloon, but there is not enough room it seems to have shelving in this door as seen on the Excess 12. A reasonable desk/vanity area resides at the bottom of the stairs with a large hanging locker just forward. A minimal bulkhead separates this area from the master bed aft. The same large double windows and hatches illuminate the master bedroom with plenty of natural light and the owner’s hull overall feels bright and roomy despite the narrow hulls.

The Deck and Topside:

The side decks are easily mounted from just ahead of either helm station with just a few steps. The shrouds on the Open 40 are just a bit forward of the cockpit giving wider boom swing for downwind sailing than the Excess 12 but a steep enough not to hinder passage to the foredecks. The side decks are generously wide but are encumbered by raised hatches that could be a tripping hazard in rough seas.

Forward we found some nice features and some shortcomings. There is a rain gutter that doubles as a handhold along the roof leading forward but no rail to clip onto. Again, A rail might be a possible option to be added. The lines for the sheet and traveler of the self-tacking jib run through deck organizers and then down the inboard length of the side decks. In general not that invasive, but near the front of the saloon, they do stick out far enough to be a tripping hazard.

There is a large trampoline area between the sponsons and there is a nice overhang covering the attachment of the tramp that gives a nice clean look. Port and starboard sail lockers are large enough to have a small bunk in each if necessary.

The mast is set at the very front of the saloon with two sturdy step ladders to port and starboard giving easy access to service the mainsail. One can hold onto the various rigging or winch while mounting the roof. The dual helms leave the boom swinging close to the roof further increasing access and lowering the center of effort. Two skylights permit viewing the main trim while standing watch in the saloon.

Comparison to the Excess 12:

The Excess 12 seems like the logical boat to compare the Open 40, and not just because it was next door. They have a lot in common, at least from a marketing perspective. They are both marketed as small “sporty” cruising catamarans. Lagoons, however, have never been known as being particularly sporty. What makes a catamaran fast has as much to do with hull design as anything else so we should expect there to be some big differences between these two.

Length overall is similar, with the Nautitech being 10″ longer than the Excess at 39’4″. We find a similar story in beam, the Nautitech 6″ wider at 22’8″. Mast height is quite a bit higher on the Nautitech and just 9″ over ICW limit at 65’9″ compared to the Excess and nearly a full 5′ taller.

The main on the Nautitech comes in 14% larger than the Excess 12 at 678 sqft (assuming the Pulseline option on the Excess gives you a bigger main). The jib on the Open 40 is 14% smaller at 301 sqft. Total upwind sail area on the Nautitech is 979 sqft and 4.5% greater than the Excess 12.

The optional headsails are large and many for the Nautitech. While the Code 0 is 22% smaller at 592 sqft (55m), the optional gennaker reacher is 753 sqft (70m), gennaker runner 1044 sqft(97m), and asymmetric 1022sqft (95M). Presumably, some of these optional sails would also be available for the Excess 12.

Displacement is the big differentiator based on what we can see from spec sheets. We know anecdotally that the Nautitech has finer and narrower hulls and this, in turn, leads to lower hull volume and therefore displacement. But we see this born out in the published displacement values. The Nautitech comes in a whopping 21% lighter at 18,739lbs vs. the Excess 12 at 22,712lbs. That’s nearly two tones lighter on the Nautitech Open 40.

Engine power is near enough the same as not to matter unless one specifies the 45HP option on the Excess 12. Fuel capacity is slightly larger on the Nautitech by 8 gallons. Freshwater is substantially larger on the lighter Open 40 at 114 gallons vs a mere 79 on the Excess 12. There isn’t much room to squeeze a water maker on to these boats either.

Holding tank size is not published for the Nautitech, but this can be an issue for liveaboards. I’ve read on some advertisements there may be two tanks at 30l (60l/15.8gal), one tank per head. This is a bit small compared to the Excess at 160l/42gal meaning more trips to the pump-out.

Overall Impressions:

With such a huge difference in displacement and hull shape, we can expect a huge difference in sailing performance. Add to that an increase in sail area in favor of the Nautitech and we should no doubt expect a much more spirited ride in the Open 40. This does come at the cost of carrying capacity and space below decks.

We found the dual helms a bit more reassuring on the Nautitech being better separated from the sugar scoop by distance and a permanent seating arrangement. One is still isolated from a closed cockpit with weather canvas up with either boat and only protected from three sides.

We found the mast layout and roof access much more logical on the Nautitech and even with the raised hatches and deck organizers (the dome vents on the Excess aren’t much better) we preferred the Nautitech’s design.

Another feature not talked up much is that the Nautitech construction is nearly wood free. There are a lot of technical arguments supporting balsa core construction. I have read a lot of them. There are foam detractors like this yacht surveyor . A properly executed balsa core, comparing thickness and weight, is stronger and stiffer and should be just as tolerant of accidental water intrusion. That said, perfect never happens. Balsa cores are also more brittle and delamination from strain or impact likely.

Synthetic foam cores, while not as rigid and sometimes heavier to compensate, have a superior impact and stress tolerance. Should an unintended penetration happen with a foam core, far less damage likely apart from freeze expansion (both suffer similarly). Being wood-averse, the foam core is a huge advantage in our opinion. Modern foam cores like the Divinycell used by Nautitech have very high heat distortion temperatures (257F) and balsa like strength(or even stronger) with the toughness needed to survive impacts and strain damage.

Lastly, the price is nice. The Nautitech base price is in the low $400k range delivered to the east coast and low fives nicely optioned for cruising. That’s a bit more money than the Excess 12, reported at mid $350k range base and mid $450k range nicely optioned. I was honestly expecting it to be a bit more given the performance factor. But, it is a small cat targeted at the lower end of the market.

In summary, I like this boat more and more as time goes by. However, another 6 ft on the water makes a huge difference. Stay tuned for our review of the Nautitech Open 46 coming next week. We hope you have enjoyed our Nautitech 40 Open review and found it useful. Please let us know your thoughts on the boat and if you feel we left anything out.

2 comments / Add your comment below

Like!! Great article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.

Not everyone is a fan of the Nautitech Open helm position- she sports twin aft helms (read our Excess 11 review for another boat with a similar configuration) and there is an option for biminis for improved protection. Personally we love this configuration- it s similar to a Catana (with more substantial helm seats) and gives you a real sailing feel when you are under way. Because the fibreglass sides are high by the helms, you feel secure tucked in here. There?s a point to clip onto under the seat if it gets rough.

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Bavaria Nautitech 40 Open: Review

An easily-sailed and cruisy cat with open-plan interior for summer holidays and reaching north to follow the sun.

A contemporary European cat, the Bavaria Nautitech 40 Open is ideal for cruising coastal waterways like Pittwater, Port Stephens and beyond. The 40-footer opens up its main living space and, by extending the cabin roof back over the cockpit, it becomes one huge indoor/outdoor living space. Therein the appeal of this modern-day catamaran at anchor and en route

OVERVIEW The Bavaria Nautitech 40 Open is ideal for cruising in warm water places like Australia. The cockpit is where most sailors like to spend the day once the anchor drops. It's the logical place to be when there's a wrap-around waterfront view, the breeze is cool, you are not far from the transom for a swim, or stand-up paddle board.

The Nautitech 40 Open also has the galley located on the same level so the servicing of food and drinks to the cockpit dining table is easy. In summer, this 'outdoor saloon' will be the focal point of life aboard, and even in rainy or cool days drop ‘clears’ ensure its inviting.

We recently had the pleasure of sailing aboard one of the first Bavaria 40 Opens to arrive in Australia. The cat is owned by a happy syndicate of three friends who enjoy their 40 Open as a floating weekender. Being moored on Sydney's beautiful Pittwater saw us perform our 'test' in one of the iconic Royal Motor Yacht Club's Monday Twilight races.

While cruising is the primary purpose of this Marc Lombard design, the cat can produce a good turn of speed under sail. Her tall, powerful rig is especially effective once the breeze lifts above 10 knots.

Another attraction for the keen sailor is twin helm cockpits at the stern. Whereas most cats have the helm under cover, or offset to one side, the 40 Open has the helm stations located to the sides. This way, you can helm from the high side with a good view of the sails above.

At the same time, Bavaria’s Nautitech 40 Open is a relaxing craft to sail — no heeling to spill the drinks, of course — and the netted foredeck provides a great sun-lounging area, especially when you add some loose cushions.

The cat’s stubby-keel draft of only 1.35m lets you cruise over shallow waters and moor close to the beach. All of which makes this German catamaran perfect for lifestyle sailing.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT The standard, sail-away package for Bavaria’s Nautitech 40 Open was $650,000 ex-Sydney, commissioned and ready to go at the time of writing.

The cat comes equipped with a fixed alloy rig with double-diamond stay support and sail controls at the two helm stations, using Lewmar two-speed self-tailing winches.

The standard package also includes a set of sails including fully-battened Dacron mainsail with two-reefs and catcher bag, plus self-tacking jib with furler and UV protective strip.

There are also twin D2-20hp Volvo Penta diesels with three-blade Saildrive as standard. You can upgrade to more powerful 30hp or 40hp turbo models, however, I'm told the twin 20hp motors will do the job.

The Sail-away package includes an electric anchor windlass, remote control, helm chain-counter, Delta anchor and folding props on the Saildrives.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION Stepping aboard via transom steps, you enter the spacious cockpit/dining area with off-set dining table allowing room for loose deck chairs.

Going through sliding double doors you enter the deckhouse with a stylish galley and a comfort dinette cum-lounge. The dinette also includes a nav station with GPS chartplotter — it will be the place to enjoy your hot chocolate at night.

Passageways lead off to either hull and there is a choice of either the standard three or optional four double-berth layout. The former sees the whole portside hull taken up by a deluxe owner’s cabin with larger bathroom and study/office table. To starboard there's two double berth cabins sharing a bathroom.

Our test boat had the four-cab layout which sees the same two double berth cabins and central bathroom layout in each hull. This provides a total of eight berths, yet the bathrooms are still a reasonable size.

Yes, she is a production boat but the quality is pretty good especially in the German joinery and upholstery. A high quality Silvertex fabric is used in the cockpit upholstery and there's a choice of a woven fabric, leatherette or leather upholstery for interior seating.

In late 2017, the 40 Open has undergone a style 'make-over' that includes lager hull windows for more light. The galley has been reconfigured so the sink and a bottle rack are closest to the cabin entrance. The dinette/lounge is also bigger and can form a day-lounge.

There's an optional two-tone colour scheme for the hull (pictured) and a re-styled cabin roofline with grey trim. It's a more edgy, contemporary look and one that's refreshingly different in the cat world.

Other great feature of this cat include a drawer-refrigerator in the cockpit, plenty of ventilation hatches and a light, stylish Alpi white-oak woodwork. Other finishes are available including the chic apartment-look dark walnut finish and stone-grey upholstery.

However, best overall interior feature remains the roomy sleeping cabins with proper sleeping berths that are easy to access.

HULL AND ENGINEERING Bavaria is one of the biggest yacht builders in the world and this shows in the cat's sophisticated construction. Hull and deck feature an advanced fibreglass/polyester sandwich infusion construction process.

Below the waterline there's solid fibreglass for added strength. The result is a very strong but light displacement craft of about 8.5 tonnes.

A key design feature is the long waterline formed by the distinctive axe-head bows. Step chines also reduce the hull width for less water drag and make the cabins more roomy.

First impression of our test boat Zephyr was the high freeboard and just how big she looks on the water. Her French-design pedigree is evident in the efficient hull form and she looks pretty nice under sail thanks to the low, stylish deckhouse and her modern rig with Tee-top mainsail.

ON THE WATER A light east-north-east breeze was blowing as I took the helm and agent Andy Howden and co-owners Mark and Niki kindly did the crew work. Not that there's too much work to do when there's a self-tacking headsail and all sail controls lead back to the helm.

With the mainsail stowed in a boom bag and the jib on a furler, it took us only 12 minutes to get under sail. We were a little late for the start but with good tactics soon caught up with a few of the competitors on the first leg to windward.

Not having centre-boards we couldn't quite make the first mark in one tack like the faster performance cats yet we still weren't too far behind. It certainly was easy sailing the big cat from the windward helm and I soon got into the groove.

On the next leg with the wind on the beam, Zephyr picked up speed and seemed to be closing the gap. A broad reach on the final leg home from Mackerel Beach to Newport saw us gain further and score a first place on handicap. We were a happy crew and had enjoyed a few drinks along the way.

Overall, I find the 40 Open an easy catamaran to make the transition from conventional monohull yachts. The steering is reassuringly familiar and her easy sail controls make less work for the crew and needs fewer hands.

An electric winch next to the helm takes the effort out of hoisting the big full battened mainsail. For racing you could spark up performance with a larger jib. And perhaps the optional Gennaker sail and bowsprit (prodder) and spinnaker gear ($13,893) is a good idea as well.

Our speeds on the night were around 5-6.5 knots upwind and 6-8 knots reaching. However, a week earlier she had consistently notched reaching speeds of 17 knots offshore so she's definitely up for that trip to the Whitsundays!

VERDICT The Nautitech 40 Open looks a good choice for sailors who likes to cruise local and coastal and are taking their first move to a catamaran. She's particularly safe for cruising with family members and not too large to handle.

The factory offers a number of different package levels and a vast options list so you can tailor the 40 Open very specifically to your needs.

There's the Holiday (Charter), Style and Exclusive Configurations and some more exotic items include air-conditioning, a washing machine, water-maker and electric toilets.

However, a few extra sails and the basic Nav-Pack ($12,578) would be all you'd need to head off into the sunset!

Specifications: Bavaria Nautitech 40 Open Price as Tested: $662,578 for base boat with basic Nav-Pack Price: Standard boat from $650,000Large cockpit and saloon LOA: 11.98m LWL: 11.94m Beam Overall: 6.91m Draft: 1.35m Weight (unladden): 8.5 tonnes Engines: 2 x 20hp Volvo Penta Saildrive Fuel: 2 x 215lt Water: 2 x 215lt Berths: 4 x doubles Mast Height Over WL: 20.5m Mainsail Area: 63sq m Jib Area: 28sq m Supplied By: Ensign Ship Brokers, Newport and the Spit, Sydney. More at  Bavaria Nautitech Catamarans

What we like

• Large cockpit and saloon
• Roomy cabins below with easy access
• Twin helms so you can view the sails
• Easy cat to transition from sailing mono

Not so much

• Performance falls off in the light air
• Needs drink holders in cockpit
• Water tankage limited for longer trips

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Nautitech 44 Open review: space and performance?

• July 26, 2022

Offering space and a comfortable interior while keeping a cat light enough to perform is a tough brief. Does the Nautitech 44 Open deliver, asks François Tregouet?

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

It’s been more than six years since the Nautitech yard in Rochefort launched an entirely new design, but this Nautitech 44 Open marks the company’s return to the forefront of the multihull scene.

It shares the Open layout of Nautitech’s past models, but embodies the brand’s new strategy to address owner-operators rather than the charter market. We were able to judge the concept during an early sea trial on the Bay of Biscay.

The Nautitech 44 Open was developed in just 14 months during the middle of the pandemic and owes a great deal to the dozen owners and dealers consulted to define their ‘ideal’ catamaran. The feedback from this working party convinced the yard to focus on cruising owners and to go for a more performance-oriented design than the market average.

Marc Lombard’s design team has succeeded in expressing this externally by using fine bows, a narrow waterline and controlled volumes. The line of hull windows is more tapered than in the past, and the nacelle is less pronounced and voluminous than typical production cruising cats.

Nautitech’s Open concept, which was initiated nearly 10 years ago on the Nautitech 40 Open, allows the length to be contained by merging the interior and exterior into a single volume. So the true saloon is located outside, protected by a long, rigid bimini and coachroof windows that extend beyond the sliding bay window. Not splitting the saloon/cockpit function saves space – and weight, which is crucial on a multihull, especially at this size.

Good performance, a covered saloon. Photo: MULTImedia

Transformative

The chart table and L-shaped bench seat on the port side, and the galley to starboard, are thus able to benefit from the entire interior space. Facing forward, the chart table is a proper indoor navstation, while the bench seat can be transformed into a watch-keeper’s berth. Strategically positioned between control screens and cockpit winches, it will be ideal for night passages.

The galley benefits from a large 144lt fridge and optional 75lt freezer, anticipating the demands of owners wishing to sail with complete self-sufficiency wherever possible. Designer Christophe Chedal-Anglay, known for his work on the Gunboat 68, has incorporated a clever bar unit in the centre of this living space, which works very well to distribute guests, and naturally becomes a focal point for discussions.

Aft helms remain key elements of the Open concept. Photo: MULTImedia

In the three-cabin version we sailed, reflecting the emphasis on owner-sailors rather than the charter market, the port hull is dedicated to the owner’s cabin with aft double berth, separate heads and large washbasin and shower room forward.

On the starboard side double cabins forward and aft are separated by heads and washroom spaces – the yard preferring to offer more volume to a heads and shower/washbasin area on one side instead of duplicating identical bathrooms.

Photo: MULTImedia

A ‘SmartRoom’ concept allows for a forward cabin to be fitted out to suit a choice of uses: office, dressing room, technical room, workshop or stowage.

On deck, Nautitech remains faithful to its double aft helm stations which are protected from the sun by two small biminis. They remain exposed to the apparent wind and spray, but the view of the sails is excellent and the view forward is better than you might think. The blind spots forward are very small – apart from when the removable cockpit enclosures are in place, which will likely only be in port or at anchor – and a step to the side immediately remedies this.

A central bar area divides saloon and desk/chart table, and gives the interior a social heart. Photo: Nautitech

When manoeuvring in marinas, a camera mounted under the radar antenna and pointing towards the bows, gives the helmsman an accurate and useful picture of the distances available.

Nautitech continues to improve the comfort, design and ergonomics around the aft helm set up. The winches are within easy reach, and well separated from the lounging area, and the moulded dash binnacle elegantly accommodates all the necessary elements (engine controls, plotter, repeaters, etc.).

Access to the deck to go forward, to take care of the anchor or lower the gennaker, is a formality thanks to the two teak steps and the handrails integrated into the coachroof and around the deck.

The main saloon is outside aft, but there’s also a dinette inside. Photo: MULTImedia

Handy performance

The sporty first impression that the fine bow sections give is confirmed once at sea, where they are also noticeably dry. Nautitech has managed to keep the Open 44 to the designed light displacement of 10.9 tonnes. However, the standard configuration with a self-tacking jib giving 110m² sail area proved to be a minimum in the 10 to 12 knots of cold wind we encountered.

Narrower hulls than many of today’s cruising cats, but still plenty of comfort. Photo: MULTImedia

I’d have liked to have tried the overlapping genoa, which increases the sail area to 133m². Once the Code 0 was unfurled, however, the boat came to life. We reached 8.4 knots at 55° to the apparent wind in only 12.8 knots of breeze. Of course, if you bear away a little, the pace becomes even faster, and we regularly exceeded 10 knots at 110° to the wind.

The extensive design resources used for the first time, with three digital models tested in virtual reality, have clearly had an effect. The helm is direct and offers just the right amount of feedback to steer accurately but without too much effort. The new hexagonal shape of the Goïot steering wheels quickly overcame our conservatism, as their shape allows an easy understanding of their degree of rotation. Switching from one side to the other without rushing to get the best angle of vision on the telltales is straightforward, as the boat is so stable.

There was no slamming when going through waves thanks to good speed under sail and a comfortable bridgedeck clearance. And when returning to port, powered by the two optional 50hp engines (30hp as standard), the Nautitech made 7 knots at 2,000rpm. French tradition dictated that we would be home in time for lunch!

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The non-slip surface lacks a bit of texture to offer good grip in wet weather, but this is one of the only minor niggles we found with this well-founded Nautitech. The ‘Open’ concept involves a smaller coachroof but, conversely, a very large exterior saloon. And in this context we can say that the 44 Open keeps its promise to improve the comfort-performance compromise, a factor cherished by the brand. The abolition of the inside-outside boundary serves to limit displacement and help deliver attractive performance. That lack of boundary is underlined by the continuity of the lighting between the two areas, while inside, the quality of the finish has improved and the layout is intelligent. With its smart positioning between industrial yards which are very influenced by the charter market, and specialists with more radical (and expensive) choices, Nautitech has created a ‘sweet spot’ with this new model, which will appeal to many multihull enthusiasts.

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Nautitech 40 

The Nautitech range has long been a favourite with private owners and charter companies alike. Now Bruno Voisard has launched the latest generation : an entirely new boat, with some particularly interesting features and good performance. We fell for this attractive boat right from the start…

Practical info

• Builder : Nautitech Catamarans
• Finance your Nautitech 40

Boat Test price 5.00 € Inc. tax

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and get an extra discount!

I have arranged to meet Sébastien, the Nautitech’s skipper, at 6 o’clock on this freezing March morning in La Rochelle’s Bassin des Chalutiers. The boat’s deck is covered with frost and very slippery, and the stars are still twinkling in the night sky, confirming the forecast of an easterly wind for our planned circumnavigation of the Ile de Ré. The footbridge swings up to let us pass, and once through the lock gates and lifting road bridge, we moor the boat on a pontoon in the town centre for just long enough to have a coffee and take some photos. The boats’s silhouette is attractive and very high off the water. At the stern, the davits are made up of two robust stainless steel tubes, and on climbing aboard via the ‘sugar scoop’ sterns, we immediately remark the twin wheels, offset to the sides and leather-covered as standard. However, only the port side wheel has the controls and instruments for the engines. Whilst not sailing, the helmsman’s seats fold into the sterns; once under way, by lifting them up and inserting the locking pins they are ready for use. The cockpit is very well protected, being completely enclosed - ideal for those sailing with children. The table is offs...

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Fountain Pajot Isla vs. Nautitech 40 Open

Catamaran comparison, in this article, we compare the all-new fountaine pajot isla and the nautitech 40 open catamaran., a comparison between a catamaran cruiser versus a performance catamaran cruiser.

40 foot catamarans are the ideal boats to introduce cat sailing. These multihulls are big enough to offer good standing headroom and three or four comfortable cabins. In this article, we compare the Nautitech 40 and the Fountain Pajot Lucia 40 catamarans. Two totally different concepts, as you will read.

The popularity of catamarans can be explained by their stability, manoeuvrability and comfortable and spacious living areas. They are  great for chartering .In case you are unfamiliar about the two brands or the catamaran models in question, here’s a brief introduction.

Nautitech 40

The Nautitech 40  has been designed about seven years ago and  has been improved along the years to the mature product , it is now. At the time the  Fourty  was designed, you had either fast cats without a superstructure or cruising cats with a voluminous nacelle.  Naval architect Lombard came up with a total new approach  to cat sailing;  the Nautitech 40 open, a fast cruiser with an enlarged cockpit and reduced superstructure  and a coach roof covering both. Until to today only one competitor has followed his bold design idea.  Light weight is important, but stiffness and durability too , that’s why the shipyard has  replaced  many wooden structural parts  for stiff and light composite stringers and bulkheads. 

New for 2021 is that the shipyard will  continue to focus on quality improvement  – in terms of building and also aesthetics.

Noticeable improvements have been made on the sailing performance of  the Nautitech 40 Open version 2 by optimising the rigging : Version 2 has a lower boom and a longer mast  increasing sail area by 4 sqm.  Alongside with improvements made on the reefing line system, it is again placing itself in the upper bracket of sailing capable cruising catamarans in the market. 

The Fountain Pajot Isla

The Fountain Pajot Isla  40 is positioned in a different part of the market; less focused on sailing  experience, more focussed on comfort and space. The Isla 40 replace the Lucia with very little changes being made on the engineering of the hull,  it is almost 30 cm narrower  than the Nautitech 40,  but also 1.7 tons heavier  and has more voluminous hulls to carry this extra weight. 

The  draft is about 14cm less than the Nautitech 40.  Where the Nautitech has the ‘open’ layout with a large cockpit,  the Lucia has in comparison a larger saloon.  The Lucia offers the usual one steering position half way up on starboard in the cockpit against the superstructure main bulkhead.

Technical specifications​

Key differences, in the table below, you can see the key specifications..

Fountaine Pajot Isla   Specifications

Hull lenght.

39.14 ft - 11,93 m

21.7 ft - 6,63 m

DISPLACEMENT

4.0 ft - 1,21 m

STANDARD POWER

2 x 20 HP - 2 x 20 CV

Main 59 m² & Gen 36 m²

Nautitech 40 Open   Specifications

11.98 m / 39'3”

6.91 m / 22'7"

1.35 m / 4'4"

Main 63 m² & Jib 28 m²

Two catamaran with distinct characteristics

Fountaine Pajot Isla   Exterior

The Isla 40 design follows the concept philosophy of Fountaine Pajot: luxurious cruising on a well mannered catamaran. She performs well in all types of weather and is easy to manoeuvre.

The helmsman’s position is half way up with in front of him the winches, stoppers and sailing lines. Cockpit with L-sofa at port , short bench at starboard and a transverse shallow bench in the back. The stairs to the helmsman position take a way some space from the cockpit. Flush deck hatches. Big main and overlapping genoa. The about 4 m2 bigger standard sail area has more tons to move than the Nautitech.

Nautitech 40 Open   Exterior

Nautitech was long the only producer of cruising cats with steering positions in the back of the hulls. The nearer you are to the water the more you experience the sailing characteristics. As her bigger sister the 40 is fitted out with this deck layout.

Where you see a trend towards bigger superstructures starting more in the front of the boat, Nautitech stays true to their design philosophy with a relatively short saloon placed a long distance from the bows. The reason behind this is to keep the bows as light as possible, which results in narrower hulls on the waterline,  less water resistance and better sailing characteristics in choppy seas. The big main sail and the self tacking jib asks for a furling code zero to do justice to the design.

Traditional Saloon vs. Open Cockpit-Saloon

Fountaina Pajot Isla   Interior

Comparable with to the Nautitech interior the Lucia is also fitted out with light coloured furniture and dark floor panels. The saloon layout offers a cockpit faced L-galley at port, in the front you’ll find a restricted navigation table. The seat is the beginning of the L-sofa which runs alongside the front of the saloon to the entrance to the starboard hull. A large cabinet with fridge/freezer drawers in the starboard aft corner.

The Isla is designed with inverted bows and in the saloon you will find the chart table is adjacent to the entrance giving some space to a lounge area. Large, roomy and airy cabins, but unfortunately with a lot of boxes against the ceiling to cover construction which makes it a bit cluttered.

The double beds in the front and aft cabins are placed separate from the hull sides, which gives the cabin an spacious look and feel, but restricts the width of the bed. Here you clearly see what voluminous hulls do with the interior space.

Nautitech 40 Open   Interior

Over time the shipyard has improved the interior gradually and created a light and airy atmosphere.   The interior has clean lines, all solutions have been well engineered and thought through. The cockpit, longer than the saloon (Open concept) has two long sofas opposite to each other, the wide entrance to the compact and cosy saloon gives access to a 4 seat dinette on port and a galley at starboard with one part facing forward and the cooking and sink area facing to the large cockpit.

The furniture is finished in light wood, with dark floors. Although not so wide as her competitors the cabins are comfortable in every sense because of the design with clean lines. To gain space for the cabins Lombard has chosen for one heads/shower per hull.

The new 2021 models  of the Nautitech 40 Open (version 2) will also include the option of the new interior woodwork White Oak, further enhancing the interior contracts, combing new grey counter top colour, the lighter modern white oak, and the introduction of new and updated upholstery catalogue with Serge Ferrari, Eden material and Sunbrella combinations. 

Key highlights

We’ll summarize with some key highlights, fountaina pajot isla   key highlights.

• Elegant and invigorating lines
• Lots of living space
• Voluminous hulls - spacious cabins
• Easy access to main sail and boom
• Light and modern design

Nautitech 40 Open (version 2)   Key highlights

• Double steering station, the choice of performance
• Outstanding natural lighting in the saloon & hulls with double hull windows
• Great combination of safety, comfort, performance, reliability
• Strong quality in construction and material choice
• High level interior finishing and trendy materials

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A catamaran for sailing and living fully

The 40 Open has been designed for lovers of sailing and good life. This luxury catamaran combines sailing sensations and absolute comfort on board, so that you never have to choose between the two. Whether you are an experienced skipper or a beginner cruiser, the 40 Open will take you and your family on a journey of discovery at sea. Beautiful moments of sharing on the horizon.  

A neat design bathed in light   Like the 44 Open, this catamaran has an open living space with the deck, the cockpit and the saloon all being on the same level. A cozy and beautiful atmosphere full of conviviality. This is where the concept of the "Open" lies. Beautiful volumes, natural light and comfort are the main characteristics of this outstanding catamaran which can accommodate up to 8 people. The 40 Open is the perfect illustration of the French expertise in catamarans.

The details that make the difference

• Natural light in every room
• An elegant interior decor

The double helmstation, NAUTITECH's DNA

Double steering station, the choice of performance :

• - ideal position to keep an eye on the sea and sails
• - more sensations at the helm 
• - best position to dock along a quay or pontoon

A word from the architect

"In a nutshell: the Open 40 is the catamaran of choice for a round-the-world trip thanks to its great maneuverability and size. It is a boat designed for all those who love to sail while enjoying life on board, a balance made possible by the aft helm station".

Marc Lombard, 

Architect of the 40 Open

Welcome on board

Discover the Nautitech 40 Open with some data

Technical data

3 cabin version

You can choose the three-cabin version with its huge owner’s cabin on the port side. It comes with a separate shower, a big bathroom and loads of storage space. 

4 cabin version

Or the four-cabin version, with two shared bathrooms

Premium partner for high quality

Happiness only comes with satisfaction, and satisfaction is only possible if the quality is right. That is why we only work with reputable partners. All of them market leaders in their fields. That way we leave nothing to chance when it comes to equipment and accessories for our catamarans, sailing yachts and motor yachts. You’ll find a selection of our many partners here.

You want to test ?

If you want to test this model, do not hesitate to contact your agent to organize a visit or trip at sea

Find your local dealer

Share unforgettable moments.

Discover the stories of Gérald & Marie Claude aboard Harmony Two, of Pascal & Madelon aboard Zebulon and Silvina & Jacques aboard El Gaucho. They share their most memorable experiences with us!