13 Best Liveaboard Catamarans (For All Budgets)
Living aboard a catamaran offers a lifestyle like no other, combining the freedom of the sea with the comforts of a floating home. Whether you’re planning to sail the world or settle in a tranquil bay, the right catamaran can make all the difference. This guide covers the 13 best liveaboard catamarans across a range of budgets, highlighting their specifications, features, and prices.
What to Look for in a Liveaboard Catamaran
Before diving into specific models, it’s important to understand what makes a catamaran ideal for living aboard:
- Space: Catamarans offer more living space compared to monohulls due to their dual-hull design.
- Stability: They’re more stable on the water, reducing the chances of seasickness.
- Fuel efficiency: Catamarans tend to be more fuel-efficient, especially sailing catamarans.
- Storage: Look for ample storage for gear, provisions, and personal items.
- Comfort: Comfortable sleeping areas, galley (kitchen), heads (bathrooms), and social areas are essential.
- Safety: The boat should have a solid build, good ventilation, and proper safety equipment.
Now, let’s explore the best liveaboard catamarans from budget-friendly options to high-end luxury models.
1. Leopard 40 (Affordable Family Cruiser)
- Price: Starting at $499,000
- Length: 40 feet
- Beam: 22.1 feet
- Draft: 4.1 feet
- Cabins: 3-4
- Water Capacity: 780 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 360 liters
The Leopard 40 is an excellent mid-range catamaran designed for families and couples looking for an affordable yet spacious liveaboard. It’s easy to handle with a self-tacking jib and is equipped with modern amenities. The large outdoor cockpit seamlessly connects to the interior saloon, creating a breezy, open-plan living space. With ample storage and a comfortable layout, the Leopard 40 is ideal for long-term cruising or as a floating home.
2. Lagoon 42 (Spacious and Popular Choice)
- Price: Starting at $600,000
- Length: 42 feet
- Beam: 25.3 feet
- Water Capacity: 300 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 300 liters
The Lagoon 42 is one of the most popular liveaboard catamarans, combining performance, comfort, and style. Its sleek design provides plenty of living space, and it’s known for being easy to sail short-handed. Inside, you’ll find spacious cabins, a functional galley, and a large main salon. The flybridge is also a great feature, offering panoramic views when cruising or at anchor.
3. Bali 4.1 (Best for Comfort on a Budget)
- Price: Starting at $475,000
- Beam: 22 feet
- Draft: 3.9 feet
- Water Capacity: 400 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 420 liters
The Bali 4.1 offers a budget-friendly option without compromising on comfort. It features a unique open-plan design, where the entire saloon opens up to the cockpit, maximizing living space. This catamaran is ideal for liveaboard sailors who want a balance of modern comfort and affordability. With its large refrigeration capacity and solar panels, the Bali 4.1 is also great for extended periods at anchor.
4. Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 (Mid-Range Luxury)
- Price: Starting at $750,000
- Length: 44.2 feet
- Beam: 24.8 feet
- Draft: 4.3 feet
- Water Capacity: 700 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 470 liters
Fountaine Pajot’s Elba 45 is the epitome of mid-range luxury. Known for its excellent design and spacious living areas, this catamaran provides a seamless indoor-outdoor flow, making it perfect for long-term living. The modern interior offers panoramic windows, a fully-equipped galley, and comfortable cabins. The Elba 45 is a great option for those who want a blend of comfort, style, and performance.
5. Seawind 1260 (Best for Bluewater Sailing)
- Price: Starting at $540,000
- Length: 41 feet
- Fuel Capacity: 480 liters
If you’re planning on serious bluewater cruising, the Seawind 1260 should be on your radar. This performance-oriented catamaran is designed to handle the roughest seas, yet it doesn’t skimp on comfort. The spacious saloon, ample ventilation, and dual helm stations make it a popular choice for liveaboard sailors. With strong build quality and proven offshore capabilities, the Seawind 1260 is ready to take you across oceans.
6. Leopard 45 (Best for Families)
- Price: Starting at $650,000
- Length: 45 feet
- Beam: 24 feet
- Fuel Capacity: 700 liters
The Leopard 45 offers an incredible amount of space and comfort, making it an excellent liveaboard for families. The catamaran features a large forward cockpit that provides extra lounging space, while the modern interior design creates a homey atmosphere. It’s known for its robust build and ease of handling, making it a solid choice for both coastal cruising and long-term liveaboard life.
7. Nautitech 40 Open (Best for Performance Cruisers)
- Price: Starting at $500,000
- Length: 39.3 feet
- Beam: 22.7 feet
- Draft: 4.4 feet
- Water Capacity: 500 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 430 liters
The Nautitech 40 Open is for sailors who prioritize performance but still want the space and comfort of a liveaboard. Its lightweight design makes it fast and fun to sail, while the open-plan layout offers plenty of social and living space. The raised helm stations provide excellent visibility, and the large outdoor lounging areas make it perfect for life aboard.
8. Prout 50 (Affordable Bluewater Catamaran)
- Price: Starting at $395,000 (used market)
- Length: 50 feet
- Beam: 25 feet
- Draft: 4.9 feet
- Water Capacity: 900 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 600 liters
The Prout 50 is an excellent bluewater catamaran, designed for long-distance cruising at an affordable price. This model is popular in the used catamaran market and offers an incredibly spacious interior, with a practical layout ideal for long-term living. With strong sailing performance and a reputation for safety, the Prout 50 remains a reliable choice for those wanting to cruise the world without breaking the bank.
9. Outremer 45 (For Serious Sailors)
- Price: Starting at $950,000
- Length: 48 feet
- Beam: 23.5 feet
- Draft: 4.2 feet
- Water Capacity: 350 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 520 liters
Outremer catamarans are known for their speed and sailing performance, and the Outremer 45 is no exception. This catamaran is perfect for serious sailors who plan to cross oceans or cover large distances quickly. The interior is sleek, with a focus on minimizing weight for better performance. Despite its focus on sailing, the Outremer 45 doesn’t sacrifice comfort, offering modern living spaces and ample storage.
10. Sunreef 50 (Luxury Living Afloat)
- Price: Starting at $1.3 million
- Beam: 30.8 feet
- Draft: 5.9 feet
- Cabins: 3-6
- Water Capacity: 800 liters
- Fuel Capacity: 1,000 liters
The Sunreef 50 is a luxury liveaboard catamaran that offers ample space for entertaining, relaxing, and living. Its high-end design and craftsmanship are evident throughout the boat, with plush interiors, spacious cabins, and modern conveniences. The flybridge is a highlight, providing panoramic views and an additional lounging area. The Sunreef 50 is for those who want to live aboard in style and comfort.
11. Privilege 510 (Ultra-Luxury and Comfort)
- Price: Starting at $1.6 million
- Length: 51 feet
- Beam: 26.4 feet
- Draft: 5.1 feet
- Fuel Capacity: 1,
For those looking for the ultimate in luxury, the Privilege 510 offers top-of-the-line amenities and craftsmanship. Its spacious layout includes large staterooms, a fully-equipped galley, and lavish lounging areas. The build quality is impeccable, making it a fantastic choice for those who prioritize comfort and elegance while living at sea.
12. Neel 47 Trimaran (Fast and Spacious)
- Length: 47 feet
- Beam: 27.3 feet
- Draft: 5.2 feet
- Cabins: 3-5
- Water Capacity: 600 liters
The Neel 47 is a unique trimaran option, providing exceptional speed without sacrificing space. With its innovative design, the Neel 47 offers a large saloon, expansive outdoor areas, and impressive sailing performance. This trimaran is ideal for sailors looking for speed and space, and its multihull design provides added stability and comfort.
13. Excess 11 (Entry-Level Catamaran)
- Price: Starting at $350,000
- Length: 37.2 feet
- Beam: 21.7 feet
- Fuel Capacity: 400 liters
The Excess 11 is one of the most affordable new catamarans on the market, providing a great entry point for liveaboard sailors. Despite its smaller size, it offers a surprisingly spacious interior with a functional layout. The twin helms provide a sporty sailing experience, and its simplicity makes it a great option for first-time catamaran owners.
Whether you’re working with a modest budget or seeking a luxury floating home, there’s a liveaboard catamaran to suit your needs. From the affordable Bali 4.1 to the ultra-luxurious Privilege 510, each of these catamarans offers unique advantages depending on your sailing goals and lifestyle preferences. Take into account your cruising plans, the amount of living space you need, and your budget to find the perfect liveaboard catamaran for your journey.
Happy Boating!
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Living aboard a catamaran
Making the Ocean your home, the waters your day and the horizon your only limit.
Living aboard a catamaran is always an adventure and it’s necessary to prepare it carefully, to be able to live it with passion. Whether you’re going on a year-long adventure or whether you wish to sail according to the sea and your desires for an indefinite period, life aboard a catamaran-type boat reserves its shares of questions, mysteries, and surprises.
Here are all my tips to make your living experience on board a successful one!
Olivié Pérétié , French journalist and writer, specialist in sailing.
Which boat to choose?
To make the most of your crossing and make it an adventure as rewarding as unforgettable, the choice of your boat is crucial.
Fast, stable, and spacious, with shallow draught allowing safe moorings close to the shores, catamarans will make real allies of choice for long ocean crossings, requiring comfortable, sturdy, and reliable boats.
For long sailings, the ideal is to prefer technical catamarans, designed for living on board. The elegant design of the Nautitech 40 Open and 44 Open , thanks to their large living areas connecting the cockpit and the saloon, offer real spaces of sharing conceived for community living. Their many rooms with lovely volume bathed in natural light guarantee the preservation of everyone’s personal space, while promising beautiful moments of sharing.
And if the comfort of the boat is an essential variable to live this adventure of life at sea in the best way, the reliability and performance of the catamaran as well as the safety on board are even more so. Because, whether you intend to go solo sailing, as a couple or with family and friends, you will only be fully comfortable if you are in full possession of the capabilities of a boat whose performance is no longer to prove and fulfill your requirements and needs. And if you combine daily comfort and real feeling at the helm.
You can then, depending on the size of your crew, the length of your trip and the amount of your budget, choose the ideal model for you.
Maneuvering and sailing
When you arrive on board, the size of a catamaran could be intimidating.
At equal length, these boats are two times larger than monohulls.
This feature could generate a bit of anxiety during the first maneuvers in port.
Because there comes that moment very quickly when, once the boatbuilder people have completed the handover, you must fend by yourself.
But the anxiety flies away in a blink of an eye. On board catamarans, having two engines generates serenity. Because the flow of propellers located closest to the rudders, at the very back of the hulls, could not be more efficient.
This feature gives a surprising maneuverability to these spacious boats. To the point that, it’s often easier to fit them into a berth than their single hull cousins. Thus, when the thrust of each engine is reversed, these large units make U-turns on the spot with the grace of ballerinas.
If each of their sterns is equipped with a platform ideally located at pontoon height, (like the Nautitech 44 Open), disembarking and boarding become as easy as pie, thus facilitating greatly the comings and goings during mooring maneuvers.
When access to the assigned space is tricky, the solution is to arrive in reverse and slightly oblique from the pontoon (thus presenting the “corner” of the boat first, hence the advantage of having the helms stations at the back of the hulls, the approach can be dosed to the millimeter).
Then, it is very simple to pass a warp from the rear cleat and harden it on the dock (or doubling it), and to push the opposite bow, using only the engine of the farthest hull.
All that remains is to fine-tune the mooring. Easy to perform by two crew, this maneuver can even be carried out alone without stress.
At sea the maneuvering of a catamaran benefits from the enormous advantage of a stable platform. Which doesn’t mean it doesn’t move! But the huge beam and the absence of heeling allow a middle-age couple as well as a family crew to stay relaxed when embarking for an ocean crossing. The couple aboard the Nautitech 40 Open El Gaucho set sail around the world without being able to justify a nautical experience comparable to that of Tabarly.
On board their Nautitetech 46 Open Kumbaya, the Dolley family uses less and less the electric winch they preferred to equip themselves (it greatly facilitates the hoisting of the mainsail when leaving the harbour): parents and teenagers got used to know how to sheet in or furl the solent, reef the mainsail, or hoist a Code Zero, without getting exhausted turning the winch handles.
Do not hesitate to widely bear away to furl the solent or the Code Zero. Offshore, you have all the space you need; thus, the apparent wind speed is considerably reduced. The distance lost is insignificant, but the effort required is much lower and the sails wear less.
For taking reef, the priority must also be to dodge fatigue. As the boat is not heeling, the only alerts are based on sensations and anemometer indications which should be monitored as soon as the weather is uncertain. It is of course mandatory to follow the sail reduction table provided by Nautitech.
Better yet, apply this unstoppable rule: as soon as you begin to wonder if you should take a reef, it is time to do it. Offshore, when you anticipate, you win. In making things easier (a reef taken before the rising wind requires much less sweat) and in providing serenity.
Another useful tip in ocean crossing: each time you reduce or make more sails, check the possible wear and tear of the mainsail halyard.
Food aboard a catamaran
Crucial issue if there ever was one.
After the first moments of possible unease or even nausea, the sea increases the appetite tenfold! And the incomparable advantages of catamarans, is that they allow the whole crew to sit at the dining table and take together the three main meals.
Especially on board the Nautitech: just like their interior saloon, their cockpit perfectly protected from the spray, rain and even the tropical blazing sun allows an almost complete vision on the horizon. It is therefore possible to eat while keeping watch.
Having fixed schedules for these three gastronomic rendezvous will help creating a good harmony on board.
It is generally taken for granted that the average energy requirement for a female adult reaches 2 200 calories per day, when a male adult needs 2 500 cal.
As physical exertion increases at sea, even on board a catamaran -if only to compensate for the movements of the boat- some specialists consider that it would be wise to retain the respective values of 2 600 and 3 000 calories. Keep in mind that this is average. Children needs are lower when those of teenagers are significantly greater.
To make your food supply, before even thinking about composing the menus over a week or more and to dose the intake of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (by complying with the 421 cpf rule recommended by nutritionists, so for each meal, four servings of carbohydrates, two of proteins and one of fat), wisdom recommends asking everyone about their tastes and habits. Questions that will not be asked by families, generally aware of these preferences.
When the time comes to fill the supermarket trolleys, do not hesitate to plan big. To deal with any unforeseen event that would lengthen the planned crossing and because a catamaran offers large storage volumes.
If, as the Kumbaya family, there is a freezer on board, frozen meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits can be stored widely. And even dessert and ice cream! The refrigerator will preserve dairy products, drinks and other fresh food.
Do not forget that in the open air in the tropics, fresh vegetables and fruits will not last much more than five to ten days maximum. Provide suspended nets to place them. Finally, do not hesitate to take on board, in addition to classic preserves, self-heating dishes for those days when bad weather will deprive anyone of the desire to cook.
Provide plenty of drinking water. Even if there is a water maker on board. Even if the water from the tanks can be consumed, a solid reserve of bottled mineral water is never superfluous: well dosed in mineral salts, this water will taste good and will help everyone measure their hydration at sea. Two liters per day per person is a minimum.
Bearing in mind that if seasickness is rampant at the beginning of the crossing, sugar water is often the only food that its victim will agree to ingest… As for the total amount of water consumed daily, it will be necessary to monitor the use of the shower, so comfortable in catamaran… but which easily takes the consumed volumes well beyond ten liters per day.
Here is another definite advantage of catamarans.
These sailboats are equipped with two engines, which certainly increases the fuel consumption, but also safety.
And of course, they are sources of electrical energy production, thanks to their alternators.
But they should not be used to cover all the needs of everyday life.
Who wants to hear the engines purring three hours a day when crossing an ocean?
Before reviewing other potential sources of energy on board, it is therefore necessary to draw up the electrical balance of the catamaran. Here, the advice of Nautitech professionals will be valuable.
In the meantime, here are some useful benchmarks on the consumption of the devices on board. Knowing that most of the Nautitech owners on a long trip have chosen to keep a voltage of 12 volts for the electrical circuit, it is time to take a calculator and add up the needs of big consumers on board, those that operate twenty-four hours a day.
Count five amps on average for the autopilot, the refrigerator (up to ten for a freezer, depending of the quality of the insulation), and the chart plotter and the displays.
Add to that the intermittent devices:
- Pressurized water (6 amps)
- Computer (4 to 6 amps)
- Radar (3 amps approx.)
- Watermaker (1 amp. for each produced liter)
- And possibly the washing machine (80 amps), very greedy, therefore, to use sparingly.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, you can decide that the electric winch (150 amps) will only work, like the windlass, with the engines on. Thanks to the LEDs, the consumption of the running lights, the deck projector and the interior lighting is much lower than it used to be.
Once the calculations are done with the universal formula:
- P (in watts) = U (in volts) x I (in amps)-,
and the needs on twenty-four hours specified, you can choose the battery capacity. Bearing in mind that conventional lead-acid batteries age very quickly if they fall below 50 % charge, unlike lithium-ion modules, more compact, lighter but much more expansive. As an example, Kumbaya has an AGM battery park of 810 amps hour.
To charge these batteries, once again the advantage of catamarans is obvious. You can cover their large roof aeras with solar panels. Kumbaya’s have a power of 1 200 watts. However, given the grey days when the cells yield little and nights when they give nothing, adding a hydrogenator can be a very effective solution.
At eight knots, an average speed easily reached by the Nautitech, a device like this will cover most of the consumption on board.
As for the wind turbines, keep in mind two disadvantages: when crossing the oceans by the trade wind route, you sail most of the time on a broad reach (or even like Kumbaya, dead downwind, with the mainsail furled and wearing only a Parasailor hyper-stable spinnaker type), a point of sailing where the apparent wind is light.
As for anchorages, the best are often located along the leeward coasts, well sheltered from the wind…
The Diesel generator can then appear as the absolute answer to the needs of electrical energy. Surely.
With several reservations, however: in addition to its price, this equipment forces to carry the additional fuel necessary for its consumption. It therefore means extra weight. And generates -it is the case to say- possibly an additional concern: its maintenance is not always easy in remote islands.
Life aboard a catamaran
Whether travelling with family, friends or as couple, the crews of Nautitech catamarans all testify to a fact on which earthlings are often wrong: life offshore is both easier and more serene than in cabotage near the coast.
Because once the rhythm is set, the worries fly away.
All that remains is to make the most of a fluid time, with only night watches and daily meals as an appointment.
Thanks to the complete protection provided by the saloon-cockpit as well as the nacelle of the Nautitech, keeping watch is not a tiring task. Even less stressful. To the point that the Kumbaya family is keeping watch like that: parents are on watch during nighttime and children during daytime! Simply…
Reading, fishing, schooling, emailing (via an Iridium go satellite box), navigating, weather forecasting and seldom maneuvering, days and nights pass quickly. The AIS (Automatic Identification System) alarm warns of the approach of the ships. The autopilot is responsible for steering the catamaran.
All that remains is to monitor the wear and tear and maintain the boat. Take the opportunity to well recommend avoiding clogging the toilets, a much more frequent incident than you may think. This is why some crew refrain from depositing any sheet of toilet paper in the bowl…
Remember that offshore, we throw out our blackwaters into the sea. It is only near the coast and at anchor that the use of the holding tank is mandatory. As for the gray waters, care must be taken to use the least aggressive detergents possible.
Living at anchor
On a long catamaran trip, you will spend 80 % of the time at anchor (with long incursions into the marinas for possible repairs, health imperatives, even administrative formalities.)
You thus don’t hesitate to equip yourself with a good RIB tender with a reasonably powerful outboard engine (not too weak for the days when the wind is blowing hard nor too strong which will mean weight and consumption).
In aiming for nine to fifteen horsepower, you cover almost every needs. The catamaran offers again an advantage: hoisted on its davits between the two hulls, the tender benefits from a location that is as protected as functional.
Anchorage constraints are primarily linked to administrative formalities -clearance for official entry in the country, and later departure-, the need to replenish the stock of food, fresh water, and fuel, and to unload the garbage bags.
If the boat has been equipped with a dedicated antenna, you will be able to get the wifi on board, which is very useful to communicate.
For the rest, everything is happiness: snorkeling (or scuba diving for qualified people), windsurfing or paddling, sailing an inflatable dinghy and using all sorts of water games that this wonderful two-hulls nautical dwelling with impregnable view authorizes. Its volumes and spaces allow to carry a real panoply of nautical accessories.
Living aboard a catamaran is inhabiting the sea, exploring the land, and feeling as free as the air.
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