catamaran speed sailing record

How Fast Do Catamarans Go?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

August 30, 2022

‍ Catamarans are known for their speed, and some vessels are fast enough to break world sailing speed records.

Catamarans can go between 15 and 30 knots, with the fastest achieving speeds well in excess of 60 knots. Sailing catamarans are sometimes twice as fast as monohulls and cut through the water with greater efficiency.

In this article, we’ll cover how fast catamarans can go based on factors such as size, sail area, and design category. Additionally, we’ll compare catamaran speeds to monohulls and trimarans and cover the reasons why multi-hull sailboats blow monohulls out of the water.

We sourced the information used in this article from sailing guides and hull speed calculations. Additionally, we sourced information directly from the manufacturers of common catamarans.

Table of contents

‍ Catamaran Speed by Type

Catamaran design can be split into different categories. After all, different vessels are designed for different tasks, as speed isn’t always the most important design consideration.

The fastest type of catamaran is the ultralight racing catamaran. These vessels have extremely narrow hulls and a remarkable planing ability. They’re designed to pierce waves and often achieve speeds in excess of 45 knots or greater, depending on conditions.

The second fastest catamaran variety is the sport catamaran. Sport catamarans often include a fairly good level of creature comforts in the cabin. They’re technically hybrid designs, because they are envisioned as a combination between a racer and a cruiser. Sport catamarans can achieve 30 knots or greater.

Cruising catamarans are designed primarily for safety and comfort. They’re often used for long offshore passages, where speed is important, but comfort is king. Despite their accommodations, cruising catamarans can still achieve a respectable 15 to 20 knots of speed—sometimes 50% faster than similarly-equipped monohulls.

Why are Catamarans So Fast?

Catamarans are remarkable vessels that can achieve amazing speeds. As a result of their unconventional design, typical calculations for hull speed (such as those used for monohulls) don’t always apply.

But what makes catamarans so much faster than equivalent monohulls? The first and most obvious speedy design element are the hulls themselves.

Catamarans don’t have a deep keel or a centerboard. This is because the second hull acts as a stabilizing device, and it helps the vessel track straight. The lack of a keel reduces weight (and equally important). It also reduces drag.

Additionally, catamarans behave in strange ways while underway. The hulls have a tendency to rise out of the water further the faster they go. This further reduces drag and makes it easier for the vessel’s speed to climb once it starts to move.

One additional characteristic is how the vessel’s sails point relative to the wind. Catamarans keep their sails perpendicular to the wind, which allows them to harness energy more efficiently. This is because, at a perpendicular angle, less wind energy is lost by spillage over the edge of the sails.

Are Catamarans Faster than Monohulls?

Yes, catamarans are typically faster than monohulls. They’re also a lot more stable, as their spaced-out hulls provide better motion comfort in rough seas. Catamaran hulls are narrower than monohulls, which also reduces drag and increases speed.

Catamaran vs. Monohull Speeds

We know that catamarans are faster than monohulls in most situations. But how much faster are they? Here’s a table of hull speeds for monohulls, which is a useful reference when comparing speed. Hull speed isn’t the absolute fastest that a boat can go, but it’s a good practical estimate for understanding the hydrodynamic limitations of single-hull designs.

Hull speed calculations for catamarans are more complicated. This is because catamarans have a greater length-to-beam ratio. And due to their narrow hulls and open center, they aren’t affected by the same hydrodynamic drag forces that monohulls are limited by.

For example, a 55-foot monohull sailboat with a waterline length has a hull speed of 9.4 knots or 10.9 mph. Its actual speed could exceed that in the right conditions, but rarely by more than a few knots.

Compare that to an efficient 51-foot catamaran, which can easily achieve speeds in excess of 20 knots in reasonable winds. That’s more than double the hull speed of a monohull with a similar waterline length and proves that catamarans operate under a completely different set of rules.

Wave Piercing

One aspect of catamaran design that makes them superior speeders is their ability to pierce waves. Specially designed catamarans have minimal buoyancy at the bow, which allows them to slice through waves instead of going over them.

This increases the speed at which catamarans can cover the distance. Think about it—a boat going over a wave has to use more energy to reach the same destination, as the height of the wave almost makes the distance further.

It’s like walking over a hill or on flat ground—you’ll take more steps walking up and down the hill than in a straight flat line. Wave piercing catamarans enjoy better stability, and they ‘take the flat road’ to a greater extent than monohulls.

Do Catamarans Plane?

Planing is when a boat’s hull rises out of the water due to hydrodynamic lift. This increases speed and efficiency, as there’s less drag but sufficient contact for stability. It also reduces rolling, as the bow only contacts the taller portions of the waves.

Catamarans have planing characteristics, but they generally don’t plane as dramatically as powerboats. This is still worth noting, as catamarans are specifically designed to use the phenomenon of hydrodynamic lift to gain speed and efficiency.

You’ll visibly notice a catamaran’s hull rising out of the water as it increases in speed. Compare that to a displacement monohull design (such as a classical cruising sailboat with a deep keel), which won’t rise out of the water in any significant way.

Are Catamarans Faster than Trimarans?

A trimaran is a catamaran with an additional hull in the center. Trimarans are usually less common than catamarans, but they have some of the same design benefits as other multi-hull sailboats.

At first glance, it would seem logical that trimarans are slower than catamarans. After all, they have an extra hull in the center, which likely increases weight and drag. However, there are more important factors at play here.

Trimarans are almost universally faster than catamarans. This has to do with weight distribution. Trimarans center their weight over the middle hull, using the outer hulls primarily for stability. This allows them to reap the benefits of a catamaran while increasing the efficiency of the wind power it captures.

Fastest Catamarans

Catamarans are popular for racing. There are several world records held by catamarans and numerous production boats with especially impressive speed-to-size ratios. Here are a few of the fastest racing and production catamarans ever built.

Fastest Sailboat Ever—Vestas Sailrocket 2

The Vestas Sailrocket is a specialized racing boat designed only for speed. This incredible vessel is actually the fastest sailboat ever built—and no wonder it’s a catamaran. A monohull simply can’t achieve record-breaking speeds when put head-to-head with a lightweight multi-hull.

The vessel, which earned the world sailboat speed record in 2012, has a modest 150 to 235 square feet of sail. Nonetheless, it managed to achieve a remarkable top speed of 65.45 knots in only 25 knots of wind. That’s about 72 miles per hour—in a sailboat.

Soon, a team of Swiss engineers will release their own version designed to beat the 65-knot speed record. Their vessel, which is a hydrofoil, will attempt to hit an incredible target speed of about 80 knots.

Outremer Catamarans

But what about production catamarans? How do they stack up, and how fast can they go? French boat builder Outremer Catamarans builds some of the fastest production catamarans ever built. These are not specialty racing boats—in fact, they’re average-sized cruising catamarans.

Let’s use the larger Outremer 51 as an example. This high-end cruising cat is known for its almost outrageous speed capabilities. In ideal conditions, owners of the Outremer 51 have reported speeds exceeding 20 knots for extended periods.

That’s a production catamaran with speeds that rival 20th-century warships. With such a fast boat, the world’s oceans start to appear a lot smaller. Plus, the genius design of the Outremer 51 allows it to be crewed by just two people.

But how do Outremer catamarans achieve such high speeds? The secret is in precise engineering and hull design, along with a sail plan that’s perfectly catered to the vessel. The hulls are sleek and narrow and designed to cut through the water with minimal drag.

From the bow, the Outremer 51 hulls look paper-thin. They increase in width gradually, which eliminates areas of sudden drag. These narrow hulls evenly distribute the vessel’s 21,825-lb displacement. Its low-buoyancy bows reduce drag and blast through waves instead of riding over them.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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WSSRC Ratified World Passage Records

Current outright ratified world records (speed order).

Yacht types: S - Single-hulled yacht (monohull) C- Catamaran T - Trimaran [1] - Voyage was single-handed; otherwise the vessel had two or more persons

Copyright 2022 World Sailing Speed Record Council. All rights reserved.

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Boat of the Week: Meet the Lightning-Fast Electric Catamaran That Just Shattered a Speed Record

More important than the 109-mph record was an electric boat streaking by thousands of fans. it gave battery power instant street cred on the water., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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Ten years ago, electric boats were mostly tiny barges that puttered for an hour around the marina. In the last year, they’ve moved fairly aggressively into the sportboat world, with dozens of new brands boasting speeds in the 30- to 50-mph range.

Earlier this week, a 32-ft. power catamaran blew past a crowd of thousands at 109 mph. That not only gave electric boats a spot in the high performance record books, but shattered the notion that battery-powered vessels are all slow boats to China.

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The Hellkat Powerboats V32 racing cat, designed to handle Vision Marine’s battery packs and twin 180-hp electric outboards, has rewritten the rules of electric boating, or at least enhanced its reputation in the larger boating world. Having five-time UIM champion and current F1 H20 World Champion Shaun Torrente at the helm certainly helped the V32’s record-breaking prospects.

Shaun Torrente at the helm of the Hellkat electric cat.  Courtesy Vision Marine

The run took place at the annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, a bragging-rights event in go-fast circles, that attracts 100,000 spectators along with dozens of high-performance racers attempting to set new speed records. Each boat runs the three-quarter-mile course for a shot at glory.

On its first attempt, the V32 hit 104 mph but reached an even faster 109 mph on the second run. It shattered the previous 88-mph record set by Jaguar with its Vector V20E back in 2008. Torrente called the event “an amazing experience to push the boundaries of what people thought was impossible.”

“We wanted to show the world that electric power is not your granddad’s electric trawler doing three miles an hour,” Bruce Nurse, director of business development for Vision Marine Technologies, told Robb Report . “It’s not a golf cart.”

The catamaran hull was a smarter, faster design than a monohull for breaking the speed record.  Courtesy Vision Marine

The speed record, while impressive, may have been more about showcasing the E-Motion brand, since running a boat at that speed for a prolonged period would instantly drain the batteries.

Still, it was an interesting exercise that shows electric’s clean-power potential in a go-fast world that most people still associate with the ’80s— “Miami Vice” Don Johnson, drug-runners, gold chains and smelly, loud engines.

Vision worked closely with HellKat on creating a catamaran that could accommodate its electric motors and battery packs, paying attention to weight distribution, and the constant banging that high-performance boats endure, while squeezing every possible mph from the boat and motors for the record attempt.

Electric speed demon.  Courtesy Vision Marine

The unsung hero for the record run was Vision Marine’s E-Motion outboard, developed in partnership with Octillion Power Systems. Vision says it’s the first 180hp outboard designed with a propulsion package that includes throttle control and monitor to enhance efficiency, speed, and of course, the all-important range.

When the outboard runs at peak power—like crossing the 100-mph-plus line—horsepower output increases to 225. The team chose a multihull over a monohull because it has less wetted surface and will therefore run faster. One of the big obstacles for the record attempt, and boating in general, was finding batteries that could fit into the 32-foot boat.

“Most electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries, which are wide and long,” says Nurse. “We tried with batteries from a Swiss car company early on, but they were too large. We ended up designing our own stackable 700V battery banks that fit into the hulls of multiple boat types.”

While breaking speed records is fun, the new 180E electric outboard will be used to power more mainstream recreational boats.  Courtesy Vision Marine

The company’s electric outboards will be appearing on different 2023 models from Groupe Beneteau, including its Four Winns H2 sportboat. “Depending on the number of people in the boat, you could probably reach anywhere between 40 and 60 mph,” says Nurse regarding the new Four Winns. But if you want any kind of range, Vision’s literature notes the boat will need to cruise at a sedate 20 mph to squeeze out 60 nautical miles before having to recharge.

Of course, speed is highly addictive and records equal bragging rights. Nurse is already eyeing up next year’s Shootout with the aim of beating this year’s record. “The purpose of this race is to showcase the power, speed and torque off the line of electric boats,” says Nurse. “We want people to know that the option is out there for a fast boat, with 90 percent less maintenance, zero carbon emissions and noiseless cruising.”

But until battery capacity improves, don’t expect to run at 100 mph for very long.

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Sailing speed records

Interparus decided to delve into the history of sailing! Today we will talk about speed records, famous champions and their boats.

Straight run (500 m)

Current record holder: Vestas Sailrocket 2 averaging 65.5 knots

The World Sailing Speed Record Council (World Sailing Speed Records Council) singles out the 500-meter swim as one of the main speed tests. This distance allows you to relatively accurately control all the conditions of the swim. The 500m speed test is a whole separate competition. 

The first recorded speed record for 500 meters was set in 1972. The speed of 26.3 knots was developed by the British sailor Tim Colman on the yacht Proa Crossbow. Over the next eight years, Colman strove to break his record, which he did six more times. Four of them are on a modernized boat, the Crossbow II catamaran. In 1986, Frenchman Pascal Maka broke the record by covering the distance at 38.9 knots in Sotavento, Spain. It is noteworthy that Maka took the windsurf record! For the next 22 years, it was windsurfers who held the 500m speed record.

Then came the era of kitesurfers. And until 2009, sailing ships did not set any noticeable records. Everything changed with the arrival of the trimaran l'Hydroptère. In 2009, skipper Alain Thébault on l'Hydroptère set a record speed of 51.4 knots.

In November 2012, Paul Larsen aboard the Vestas Sailrocket 2 broke the previous record by nearly 4 knots, but that was not enough for him. About a week later, he improved his time and broke the 60-knot barrier for the first time. A decade later, Larsen's record of 65.5 knots remains unbroken.

Maximum speed at a distance of one mile

Current record holder: Vestas Sailrocket 2 averaging 55.3 knots

Competitions for speed and direct running, and "one mile" - sprint. So it would be strange not to see names familiar from the previous paragraph here. Therefore, we decided to take a little less well-known record holders. However, there is nowhere to escape from windsurfers. The landmark record was set in 2003 by Dutch windsurfer Bjorn Dunkerbeck in the Canary Islands. He developed as many as 34 knots. 

The following year, Dunkerbeck improved his record, but in 2005 he lost to Finian Maynard, an Irish windsurfer. Finian, in turn, was very close to breaking the 40-knot barrier. He covered a mile at 39.97 knots at Walvis Bay, Namibia. 

Then in 2007, the familiar l'Hydroptère began a serious winning streak. With Tebo at the helm, she set the record four times from 2007 to 2009, bringing it to 50.2 knots. Three years (2012) later, Larsen and the Vestas Sailrocket 2 set the record at 55.3 knots, where it remains to this day.

24 hour record

Current record holder: Banque Populaire V at an average speed of 37.8 knots.

The first officially recognized 24-hour high-speed race was made by the clipper Lightning in 1854, when she covered 436 miles in a day at an average speed of 18.2 knots. Later that year, the American clipper ship Champion of the Seas passed in a day at an average speed of 19.5 knots, the fastest achievement in history for 130 years.

Only in the newest era has the 24-hour record been broken again: in 1983, it was first won by the 100-foot Formule Tag catamaran. She averaged 21.3 knots, 2 knots faster than a 250-foot clipper. Over the next decade, several French teams approached the record, improving it by only tenths of a knot. 

Finally, in 1999, American skipper Steve Fossett set a significant record for the first time in decades. He took the 105-foot PlayStation catamaran to a speed of 24.2 knots. The next year, the slightly larger French-flagged Club Med catamaran improved Fossett's record by one and a half knots.

These two vessels changed the record back and forth until 2001, bringing it to 28.6 knots. After that, the record continued to hold the "cats" - Maiden 2 and Orange II. In August 2009 the Banque Populaire V set a speed of 37.8 knots and covered 906 miles. It was the biggest improvement in the history of the 24 hour record. Since then, Banque Populaire V's record has remained unbroken.

transatlantic record

Current record holder: Banque Populaire V completed in 3 days 15 hours, 25 minutes, 48 seconds.

Nearly five centuries ago, humans first crossed the Atlantic. Since then, sailors and yachtsmen have been competing to see who gets to the other side of the ocean faster. The route from west to east is usually the most famous and convenient. It is he who follows the prevailing westerly winds. The approximately 2,880 nautical mile route stretches from Ambrose Light in New York to a finish line between Lizard Point, Cornwall, and Ushant, a French island in the southwestern English Channel.

Record holders included Fossett's PlayStation, Orange II, Groupama 3 and Banque Populaire V. And Banque Populaire V set a current record that still needs to be broken. The skipper of this yacht was Pascal Bidegorri, and the average speed throughout the passage was 32.9 knots.

Alas, the World Sailing Speed Records Council does not share the results of monohull and multihull boats. But despite this, it should be remembered that the 100-foot Comanche yacht in 2016 took the title of “Fastest Monohull Vessel”. The Comanche team set a new crewed single-hull transatlantic crossing record of five days, 14 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds. Not bad for a single hull!

Circumnavigation record

Current record holder: IDEC Sport, completed in 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes, 30 seconds.

The record for the fastest circumnavigation is known as the Jules Verne Trophy. The name of the record is a reference to Jules Verne's novel Around the World in 80 Days. In 1993, Bruno Peyron became the first record holder. He piloted an 86-foot Commodore Explorer catamaran that completed the course in 79 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes and 56 seconds. Notably, from 1988 to 2003, a Commodore Explorer called Jet Service V also held the transatlantic record.

The next record was set by Olivier de Kersason on the Sport Elec yacht. After that, de Kersason and Peyron switched places in the record holders' bracket until 2005. Then Peyron on the Orange II yacht set a new record - 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and four seconds, which lasted five years.

After that, Groupama 3, under the control of Frank Cammas, improved the record by two days, and in 2012, Loic Peyron, brother of Bruno Peyron, on the yacht Banque Populaire V set a finish time of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds. Finally, in 2016-17 Francis Joyon set the current record of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds on IDEC Sport (refitted and renamed from Groupama 3 after Cammas's record) - almost exactly half of the original challenge.

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News and articles

In the world of yachting clothing, it is not often that there are big launches of new clothing lines. That is why Interparus could not pass by the grandiose event that the Slam brand arranged at the end of May!

Below is an overview of the new 2019 30-foot day sailers and full-fledged cruisers, which premiered at the Düsseldorf Boat Show.

VPLP designed the IDEC Sport maxi trimaran, which broke the record for the fastest sailing around the world in the Jules Verne Trophy in January, and was soon converted for Francis Joyon's North Atlantic solo race. The legendary French yachtsman aboard the IDEC Sport trimaran broke his own record in a North Atlantic singles race.

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The Blistering Speed of SailGP

The catamarans use wings, not sails, and hydrofoils help the boat fly over the water. It’s like a fast video game, with consequences.

By Kimball Livingston

A generation ago, sailing would not, could not have made the short list of team sports played at highway speeds. The boats that most people race are considered fast at nine knots; screaming at 15. That’s about 10 to 17 m.p.h.

Then came the F50 catamaran in 2019, with wings instead of sails and hydrofoils that lift the boats above the friction of the water, reaching speeds beyond 60 m.p.h., as they seemingly fly above the ocean. Indeed, the crew member helping make that happen is called the flight controller, who manipulates the elevations and angles of the left and right hydrofoils centered between bow and stern.

In SailGP lingo, the controller can fly the boat higher or lower. Higher is faster, but riskier because it also gets the boat closer to a nosedive.

The boats also require a new breed of helmsmen — they call themselves drivers — who direct the rapid-fire team choreography in which decisions must be made in fractions of a second.

The wing trimmer, a term from sail trimming days, shapes the wing — an airfoil — for speed and stability. Compared with fabric sails, a wing can provide more stability even while producing more speed. SailGP wings are built from carbon fiber with titanium fittings under a light plastic wrap. The old days of eyeballing sail shape are gone from these boats.

Data from racing and practicing is accumulated and analyzed to determine optimum wing shape for speed in different conditions, and the trimmer uses hydraulic controls to achieve the target settings.

With more moving parts than an airplane wing, an F50 wing has a larger menu of shape settings.

Given more wind, a sailboat tips over farther and farther until it spills wind out of the sails or loses control. Up to a point, SailGP catamarans just keep going faster. The British team hit a record 53.05 knots. or 61.05 m.p.h., during practice last summer.

“Compared to traditional boats, what is striking in SailGP is the complexity of the control systems,” said Nathan Outteridge , a two-time Olympic medalist who drives for the Japanese team. “I should say that driving is pretty easy, until things go wrong.”

Jason Waterhouse , an Olympic medalist who is flight controller for the Australian team, manages the hydrofoils that go up and down at precise angles with precise timing. Get it wrong, and the boat can nosedive.

“I have to have muscle memory,” Waterhouse said about operating the buttons and dials. It’s like a fast video game, with consequences.

Waterhouse also controls the rake, or angle, on the horizontal flaps on the two rudders the driver uses to steer. The flight controller contributes to level flight by dialing in as much as seven degrees of differential rake between the rudder flaps. The flap on the side being pushed down by the wind is angled to push up, and the flap on the opposite side is angled to push down.

“It adds an extra 300-400 kilos [650 to 900 pounds] of righting moment,” Waterhouse said, referring to the forces working to keep the boat from tipping over.

Paul Campbell-James, the wing trimmer for the U.S. team, said that because much of the boat’s hydraulic power was generated by a battery instead of by a crew member turning a grinding pedestal, his team had given that grinder a second job.

“We set up our forward-facing grinder to also be a tactician,” Campbell-James said. The grinder spins the pedestal’s handles to generate power for the hydraulics but also looks for wind shifts.

Wing shape on these boats has taken over most of the trim-in, trim-out of normal sail control, while contributing to level flight. The key is negative camber, shaping the upper wing to pull opposite to the lower wing, countering the forces trying to tip the boat over. Negative camber adds to the effect of the rudder flaps to make for level sailing. Old school it is not.

In turning maneuvers, the crew switches sides and Campbell-James crosses the boat first to take over driving duties before others follow him across. As they come, if he wobbles the helm, the motion could flick his teammates off the deck.

At the same time, he has to keep the boat level in a dynamic turn, press a foot button to raise a hydrofoil, respond as the wing loads up on the new side and hang on against “G-forces that are unbelievable because, remember, you might be going 50 knots. That’s a lot going on.”

My Cruiser Life Magazine

Sailing Catamaran Speed

You’ve probably heard that one of the best reasons to get a catamaran is because they’re fast. After all, there’s a race any time there are two sailboats on the same waterway.

But like all things in boating, speed is a relative term. Catamarans seem fast to those coming from slow and heavy monohull sailboats, but cruising catamarans are still pretty slow vessels. There are indeed high-tech racing catamarans breaking speed records all the time. Still, the vessels that most liveaboard cruisers venture out on are only slightly faster than their monohull counterparts. 

For this article, we will look at the types of catamarans people live on and cruise on. Forget about those fantastic America’s Cup yachts or those multihull go-fast fishing boats for a few minutes. 

I have had experience cruising and living aboard both catamarans and monohulls. For five years, my wife and I enjoyed catamaran sailing on a Lagoon 380. We then switched—for many reasons—to a Cabo Rico 38. The Cabo Rico is a traditionally-designed monohull with a full keel and a heavy displacement. In other words, it’s about as far away from a “speedy” catamaran as one can get.

Table of Contents

How fast can a catamaran go, measuring catamaran speed, catamaran speeds vs monohull speeds, sailing cruising catamarans, performance cruising catamarans, racing catamarans, power cruising catamarans, catamaran top speed, faqs – how fast are catamarans.

There’s no doubt that catamarans are some of the fastest sailboats around—but there’s also a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding online about how fast they really are. 

Realize that not all catamarans are created equally. There are cruising catamarans built to carry their passengers in comfort. And then there are racing catamarans built for nothing but speed. Somewhere in between, there is a poorly-defined category of “performance cruising” catamarans that stir passions.

So, are catamarans fast? Well, it’s all relative. But, if you compare them to monohull sailboats of similar sizes and capabilities, the catamarans are usually faster for several reasons. 

The speed difference is even harder to measure in the cruising catamaran category. One of the reasons catamarans beat monohulls during races is because they are built light with no ballast. But a heavily-laden cruising cat ready for an ocean crossing is hardly “lightly loaded.” Will it still beat a similarly heavily-laden monohull? Sure! But probably not by as much as you might think.

Boats measure their speed in knots. Traditionally, this was measured by a tool known as a knot log. The modern equivalent is an underwater instrument with a spinning wheel that effectively measures the speed of the water passing over the hull. So long as no currents are present, that speed will equal the boat’s speed over the ground (SOG).

Satellite navigation allows us to measure our SOG more accurately, but this isn’t a great indication of boat performance since it will be affected by tides and ocean currents. 

For landlubbers, one knot is equal to about 1.15 statute miles. So, in other words, when we say that a sailboat cruises at 6 knots, it means it’s going about 7 mph.

But before going any further, consider this—the maximum speed that a sailboat makes is generally a pretty meaningless number. Maybe the knot log pegs to 13 knots for a few seconds, thanks to a strong gust of wind while you’re headed down a large swell. Does this mean you’re driving a 13-knot boat?

A voyaging sailor who has made a long passage will have little interest in this sort of number. When you’re crossing oceans, what really matters is how many miles pass under the keel each day. The more miles you tick off, the shorter the passage. So most sailors learn quickly to look past the “fastest speed in knots” number and find real-world stats on passage miles. 

Comparing speeds between radically different sailing vessel hulls is like comparing apples to oranges. Even seemingly similar boats, like “cruising sailboats,” the differences between one and the other are endless.

For example, let’s say you wanted to compare 38-foot monohulls to 38-foot catamarans. The speed of a monohull is limited by waterline length, which means you’d have to look at a hull that is significantly more than 38 feet in most cases. On the other hand, the catamaran is known for long swim platforms on inverse transoms and plumb bows—meaning most 38 foot cats have nearly 38 feet of waterline. 

Then, what sort of hull design makes a fair comparison to a catamaran? Would it make sense to compare a transitional, salty 38-footer with a full keel? Probably not. Most sailors interested in the cruising catamaran lifestyle would more than likely be comparing it to a modern monohull with a flatter bottom, fin keel, and spade rudder. 

What about the catamaran? There’s a lot of variation in the catamaran field regarding performance. If speed is your goal, you likely want to compare the high-end performance brands—Outremer, Gunboat, HH, and the like. These boats are becoming more popular, but most cruising cats you see on the water are not performance models. Instead, they are the big and comfortable cruisers made by Lagoon, Leopard, or Fountaine Pajot.

Finally, how can you fairly compare the stats? Boats sail differently in different wind speeds and at different points of sail. In other words—there are a lot of variables that make it hard to answer the question, “How fast can a catamaran go?”

Polar charts for each vessel can provide some clues to make a somewhat fair comparison. Polar charts are graphical plots of a sailboat’s performance in different wind conditions and at different points of sail. Manufacturers seldom publish since no two are ever perfectly alike. They are less of a boat specification and more of one sailor’s results for a particular boat. Most owners make their own polar diagrams, but they’re still a tool for those looking to get an idea of a model’s performance in the real world.

Speeds of Various Types of Sailing Catamarans

There are several distinct catamaran classes, and predicting speed means understanding what the designers were building the craft to do. You might be surprised to learn that the first “modern” catamarans popped up in the New England racing circles in the late 1800s. Nat Herreshoff’s Amaryllis is particularly famous from the time .

Since then, catamarans have been synonymous with speed. But in today’s world of many different multihull designs, it’s important to set your expectations accordingly. As you would not buy a Ferrari for its cargo space, don’t expect your minivan to win any races at the track.

Examples of cruising cats include popular models made by the big-three catamaran makers—Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, and Leopard. However, there are dozens of other companies making these boats. The market and industry for cruising catamarans have never been larger. 

Most of these boats are engineered to provide comfortable accommodations for voyaging. They first became famous as vessels for sail charter holidays, where their huge cockpits and private cabins made them much more popular than the smaller and cramped monohull options.

As a result, they’re not built with high-tech components or super lightweight performance rigs. Instead, they’re the catamaran equivalent of a Hunter or a Catalina sailboat—mass-produced on an assembly line. That keeps prices lower than other types of catamarans, but it also means that they’re not winning any races. The makers use traditional layups with end-grain balsa-cored fiberglass to keep costs down. In addition, they usually feature stub fin keels, which are foolproof to sail but will not provide the upwind performance of a lift-making daggerboard. 

Still, without ballast and when lightly loaded, cruising catamarans can move. They show their colors in light air when heavy displacement-hulled sailboats usually make their poorest showing. Since these moderate conditions also make for great cruising, these boats can provide a lovely ride in smooth weather. 

Cruising catamarans can’t plane or anything, but their narrow hulls create an effect that means they can beat the hull speeds of a similarly sized monohull. Of course, it’s not a precise number since every boat and crew is different, but generally, you could expect speeds to be about one and a half times that of a same-sized monohull.

These catamarans are still rigged for comfort, but they’re built using the highest-quality and lightest-weight materials. While their hulls are rigged for comfortable living, they are generally designed much sleeker than regular charter-style cruising catamarans. The hulls are narrower, and you’re unlikely to see tall flybridges or forward lounge seating.

Several companies are making these boats. But in the world of catamarans, a performance cruiser is the upper end of the market. If you want a car comparison, Lagoons are something like a Chevy sedan, whereas an Outremer is like an M-series BMW. A Gunboat would be even more exotic, like a Ferrari. Not only are they more fashionable brands, but they’re also made to higher standards with cutting-edge designs . 

It’s also worth noting that the category of “performance cruising cat” is a sliding scale. Some companies make vessels with better materials and craftsmanship than the cruising cats but aren’t designed for speed. Others build cats that are all about performance with few amenities. 

With every new model, companies building these cutting-edge boats are attempting to boost the “performance” and the “cruising” aspect of their vessels. As a result, amenities and speed continue to get better and better. 

Any racing sailboat is not designed for comfort. Especially on a catamaran, accommodations take up space and weigh the boat down. True racing vessels are designed to not worry about the crew but optimize every element for speed. Once the boat is designed for the desired performance, they’ll squeeze in bunks and storage wherever they can. 

As such, there’s not much point in comparing them to liveaboard or cruising sailing vessels—they are too different. Some modern racing catamarans even fly above the water on foils. This makes for a high-speed boat and a considerable risk for sailors traveling for pleasure. Gunboat tried to make a foiling cruising cat in the G4 model, but it didn’t go so well for them. 

Power cats run the same gamut of designs that sailing catamarans do. Power catamarans and sport catamarans designs are popular in powerboat circles for the same reasons they are in the sailing world–their hull designs allow for smaller underwater profiles and high speeds. There are many fast catamarans out there with twin engines and average speeds of well over 70 knots. Most recreational vessels cruise at about 20 knots, however.

Power catamarans also offer a smooth ride, making them a popular choice for large vessels like passenger ferries. There are even military vessels that use two hulls, like the stealth M80 Stiletto .

As you can see, catamaran speeds vary from just slightly better than monohulls to extraordinary flying machines. But cats are about much more than just speed. Their open and bright living space makes living aboard an entirely different experience than living on a monohull. Their cockpits flow into their salons for a full-time outdoor living feel that no other type of vessel can match. There are many reasons to choose a catamaran as a liveaboard sailboat.

How fast is a catamaran?

The answer depends on many other questions, like what sort of catamaran is it? And if it’s a sail cat, how fast is the wind blowing? 

Sailing catamarans come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are optimized for living space and comfort, while others are designed with fast cruising speeds being the sole goal of the boat. The Gunboat 68, one of the fastest cruising sailboats currently made, can exceed 30 knots. 

The world of power cats is much the same. Some power cats can do well over 70 knots, while most cruising boats top out at around 20 knots.

Do catamarans have a hull speed?

A hull speed is a characteristic of traditional displacement-hulled sailing vessels. The properties of the hull shape under the water create drag that limits the overall speed that the vessel can achieve. Even if you keep adding more power (or more wind), the vessel cannot exceed its designed hull speed for any length of time. Hull speed is a factor of waterline length. 

Multihulls, however, have an entirely different underwater profile than monohulls. Their narrow hulls and shallow keels mean that drag is not the limiting factor. With this in mind, designers can tweak catamaran hulls to plane and cruise well above the hull speed of a similarly sized monohull.

What is the fastest cruising catamaran?

The market for fast-moving cruising cats has never seen more innovation than in the past decade. This type of boat has taken off, spurred in part by new designs and the overall popularity of multihulls for cruising. The industry leader in fast multihulls is generally considered the French-based company Gunboat . After all, one of the company’s mottos is “Life is too short to sail a slow boat.”

The company’s largest boat to date is the Gunboat 90 Sunshine . However, the delivery of the company’s current flagship, the Gunboat 68 Condor , from France to St. Maarten, provides some real-world numbers. In the delivery crew’s words, “Our max speed exceeded 30 knots a couple of times, and the max 24-hour run was 328 nm.” To save you the math, that works out for an average speed of 13.7 knots for their best day.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Paul Larsen’s record-breaking SailRocket 2 to sail again: 10 years on

• Helen Fretter
• October 10, 2022

Paul Larsen’s SailRocket 2, which set the 65.45 knot speed sailing record 10 years ago, is to sail again at Weymouth this month

Paul Larsen, who has held the outright speed sailing record for 10 years, has dusted off the record-breaking craft SailRocket 2 and plans to sail again out of Weymouth later this month.

Larsen set the extraordinary speed record of 65.45 knots average over the 500 metre course in Walvis Bay, Namibia in November 2012. The achievement not only obliterated the existing record, but set a target that no other speed record challenger has neared since (though there are several ambitious new challenges in development hoping to nudge the bar close to an incredible 80 knots!).

SailRocket 2 was built in East Cowes but launched in Namibia. It last sailed on 24 November 2012 when, on the third run of the day in 27 knot winds, Larsen piloted SailRocket 2 to her record run, averaging 65.45 knots and hitting a phenomenal top speed of 68.33 knots (78.6 mph).

Current speed record holders Paul Larsen and Vestas Sailrocket 2. Photo: Vestas SailRocket

Since then the asymmetric wingsailed speed vessel has been stored in a 40ft container in  Weymouth. However, Larsen has dusted it off, re-rigged it, and will be attending Weymouth Speed Week which runs from 15-21 October 2022 at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Centre.

Larsen explained: “It’s been 50 years since the first Weymouth Speed Week was conducted here, that was 1972 and really marked the start of speed sailing . That’s when they said, alright, let’s have an event and start timing all these boats and just how fast people really are.

“Those events in the early Speed Weeks went on to inspire lots of people, certainly myself included.”

“This boat [SailRocket] has never sailed on UK waters, certainly never sailed here in Weymouth. 

“It just seemed right on this 50th anniversary of Speed Week to get the boat out of her 40ft shipping container, set her up and just see. Try to sail this boat – just once – down this speed sailing strip over here.”

Given SailRocket’s unique speeds and manoeuvrability issues, it’s not a given that it will be able to launch in busy Portland Harbour – and it’s certainly unlikely to be hitting any top speeds – as the boat requires very specific conditions. However, Larsen is keen to have the boat ready to sail and on standby to launch if conditions suit from 15-17 October. It will also give sailing fans the opportunity to see the ground-breaking vessel – a true piece of sailing history – for themselves.

“We’re doing everything we can to be ready, so that if the stars do align we can do that right down the course. Even if not, then we’re going to have the boat set up on the apron in front of the National Sailing Centre and we’re going to be here talking to be people, showing the boat, and reminding a whole new generation of people what the boat’s all about and what speed sailing is all about.”

“We’ll give it our best shot.”

See details of Weymouth Speed Week 2022 at speedsailing.com

Cruising Catamaran Speed! With Examples and Explanation

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One of the most popular cruising vessels is cruising catamarans. Cruising catamarans are popular thanks to their stability and space, but some sailors have concerns about cruising catamarans’ speed. So, how fast are cruising catamarans? 

Sailing cruising catamarans can travel at an average of 9-15 knots and max out around 35 kts. Power Cruising catamarans have a maximum speed of 70 knots but averages around 20-25 kts. How fast a catamaran can go also depends on the load it is carrying, its structural design, and its engine power.

This article explores details of what affects a cruising catamaran’s speed. It also considers how fast sailing and power cruising catamarans can go, along with some of the most rapid cruising catamaran models available today. 

How Is a Cruising Catamaran’s Speed Measured?

To better understand a cruising catamaran’s speed, it is essential to consider how a boat’s speed is measured. Boat speed is measured in knots , which is one nautical mile per hour, (or 1.15 mph). One nautical mile is approximately 1.15 land miles. 

The speed of a catamaran is calculated by a GPS tracker that records the distance sailed every hour. 

How Fast Are Sailing Cruising Catamarans? 

The wind powers sailing cruising catamarans – their speed depends on the speed of the wind. If there is a lot of wind, more wind equals higher a faster boat. However, if there is little to no wind, the catamaran won’t move very fast or very far. 

At about 14-16 knots of wind speed, sailing catamarans can average 9-12 knots . Some high-end sailing catamarans can be even faster. For instance, the Gunboat 62 Tribe can sail up to 36.6 knots when the wind is between 35-45 knots.  

How Fast Are Power Cruising Catamarans?

Unlike sailing catamarans, power catamarans do not rely on the wind to move. Instead, they are powered by fuel (usually diesel). This means that they can travel faster than sailing catamarans and that their speed is more reliable. 

Under light loads the Power catamarans can travel at between 20-25 knots. When the load is higher, power catamarans speed drops to 15-20 knots. 

Some high-end catamarans, such as the Freeman 47, can reach up to 70 knots .

What Affects the Speed of a Cruising Catamaran? 

There are several features of a cruising catamaran that impact its speed. These include: 

• The type of hull. The less the hull is submerged into the water, the faster the catamaran will go. When they are submerged, hulls create drag which slows the velocity of the boat. 
• The beam/length ratio. When a catamaran has a higher surface area (stable base), it can better withstand stronger winds, therefore allowing it utilize more of the wind before needing to reduce sail area.
• The material used to construct and reinforce the vessel. When areas of the catamaran are filled with foam, it decreases the catamaran’s weight while ensuring that stability is maintained. As a result, the catamaran has a lighter weight, making it faster. 
• The type of propellers. Propellers are an essential part of a vessel as they act as brakes, which are necessary to slow down and stop a boat. However, many modern cruising catamarans have folding propellers that reduce the boat’s water resistance when the engine is turned off. As a result, the catamaran can travel faster under sail. 
• The engines. The higher the horsepower of the catamaran’s engine, the faster it can go. Most newer catamarans have two engines which makes them faster than the older, one-engined counterparts. 
• The load of the catamaran. Each catamaran has a load-carrying capacity. If the amount of weight the catamaran has onboard exceeds this capacity, it will “sit” lower in the water and significantly slow down the catamaran’s speed. 
• The sail trim and reef. When sail area is reduced (called reefing), the catamaran slows down (in most situations). Properly trimming the sails will also enhance performance.

In addition, catamarans will be faster downwind . Going downwind removes the headwind and will many times allow you to surf with the waves.

Why Should You Look for a Faster Cruising Catamaran?

The old adage is that “slow and steady” wins the race. However, when it comes to cruising catamarans, many sailors believe the faster, the better. Faster catamarans are preferred because they: 

• Allow the crew to quickly move the catamaran out of bad weather conditions, protect the vessel and passengers on board.
• Allow the captain to more predictably calculate Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).
• A shorter time spent in bad patches of sea making big ocean crossings safer and more enjoyable.

What Are the Fastest Cruising Catamaran Models? 

Some catamarans have been recognized and won awards for their speed. Some of these models are explored below. 

Freeman 47 (Power)

Freeman catamarans are symmetrical catamarans that have especially been designed to carry a heavy load without sacrificing speed. Released in 2020, the Freeman 47 has quad 450R Mercury outboards that allow it to travel at 70 knots.

In addition to the outboards, many features of the Freeman 47 allow it to move faster. It has a fuel capacity of 1000 gallons (3785 liters) and a maximum power of 1800 HP. 

If you’re interested in purchasing or finding out more about the Freeman 47, register your interest on Freemanboatworks.com . 

Glider SS18 (Power)

The Glider SS18 is a power catamaran that was launched in 2017, after eight years of development. It is powered by 300 BHP supercharged engines that allow it to travel for up to 50 knots. It also has a built-in Stability Control System (SCS), ensuring that the catamaran remains stable and comfortable, even when traveling at top speed. 

To buy or get a quotation for the Glider SS18, visit glideryachts.com . 

ICE Cat 61 (Sail)

The Ice Cat 61 is a luxury catamaran. At 61 feet (18.60 meters) long, it is a large catamaran that has been designed with both speed and stability in mind. While its average cruising speed is 12 knots, it can achieve up to 25 knots. 

The ICE Cat 61 has been designed with carbon and glass fiber – materials that allow the boat to be lighter. It has two engines with 55 HP each and a fuel capacity of 206 gallons (780 liters). 

If you’re interested in an ICE Cat 61, you can learn more at iceyachts.it .

Gunboat 68 (Sail)

At 68 feet (20.8 meters) long, the Gunboat 68 makes for an impressive sight on the open ocean. It averages 20 knots but can reach 30 knots depending on the amount of wind power. 

The Gunboat 68 has been designed by VPLP, also known as the ‘ fastest naval architects in the world .’ It has been designed with large sails, long daggerboards, and material that has lighter weight. This vessel also has retractable rudders, which reduce the boat’s drag. 

To find out more about the Gunboat 68 or register interest in purchasing one, visit Gunboat.com . 

Conclusion 

A catamaran’s speed depends on its design, its load, its type, and on a variety of other factors. However, on average, most sailing catamarans can achieve between 9-15 knots, while power catamarans can, on average, achieve between 20-25 knots. If you are looking to splurge for the best on the market, some power catamarans can reach 50-70 knots. 

If you’re looking to buy a cruising catamaran, make sure you use the information you have gained to assess the speed of the catamaran you are considering. A faster catamaran can make for safer and more exciting sailing. Ultimately, it will make your cruising experience more enjoyable and satisfying. 

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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Atlantic was a three-masted 187-ft (60-m) schooner . A record that endured 75 years was the remarkable feat of a time of 12 days 4 hours in the Transatlantic Race of 1905. There were few or no design rules for the race, though propellers were removed. Atlantic, designed by William Gardner and built in steel by Townsend and Downey, carried

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Slingsby rallies to stay alive while Scott has Britain in the lead in Canada Sail Grand Prix

New Zealand SailGP Team helmed by Peter Burling and Spain SailGP Team helmed by Diego Botin battle for position during the second race on the first day of the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Simon Bruty/SailGP via AP)

In this image provided by SailGP, Canada SailGP Team helmed by Phil Robertson sail past spectators watching from the shore during racing on the first day of the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Ricardo Pinto/SailGP via AP)

France SailGP Team helmed by Quentin Delapierre sail away from Spain SailGP Team helmed by Diego Botin and Germany SailGP Team during racing on the first day of the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Simon Bruty/SailGP via AP)

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Three-time defending SailGP champion Tom Slingsby of Team Australia rebounded from two poor performances to win the third fleet race and stay in contention in the inaugural ROCKWOOL Canada Sail Grand Prix Halifax on Saturday.

The Aussies are sixth overall in the 10-boat fleet of identical foiling 50-foot catamarans heading into Sunday’s final two fleet races. The top three boats advance to the podium race.

Giles Scott skippered Emirates Great Britain into first place with finishes of 3-5-2 for 23 points, with season leader Peter Burling of New Zealand second with 22 points and Nicolai Sehested of ROCKWOOL Denmark third with 21. Canada and Spain have 20 points each and the Aussies and France have 18 apiece.

Slingsby showed how quickly things can change, especially on a day with shifty, gusty conditions. The Aussies finished eighth and sixth in the first two races before shooting the line at the start to get into great position and then finishing ahead of Britain and Canada.

“We were in a battle all day, it felt like,” Slingsby said. “It felt like we sailed the boat somewhat well today but we just weren’t in phase with the shifts and that responsibility falls on my shoulders. We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the skill set, we just need to put it all together. It was nice to finish well today. This puts us in with a chance heading into day two of making the final and that’s what we needed.”

Slingsby got caught in what he called a “dog fight” in the second race with fellow Australian Nathan Outteridge, who is skippering the Swiss team. Slingsby said Outteridge made several aggressive moves that pushed the two teams into a match race, which the Aussies felt was intended to sabotage them.

“We felt we were a bit unlucky out there today and we had a few bad instances in the second race,” Slingsby said. “I was pretty frustrated with my old mate Nath. He chose to luff us about 15 times in a 20-second period. He could have chosen to go straight into the reach mark and keep his position, but instead chose to get into a dog fight with us to push us back in the fleet.”

Slingsby beat Outteridge, then skippering Team Japan, in the first two $1 million, winner-take-all season championships.

Diego Botin of Spain won the first race while Denmark won the second race.

The reconfigured Team USA finished 10th in all three races.

Burling, the reigning two-time America’s Cup champion helmsman and a three-time Olympic medalist, came into this regatta atop the season leaderboard with a 14-point lead over Slingsby, his rival from across the Tasman Sea. Spain is one point back in third and the Danes are another seven points back in fourth.

After Halifax, there are two regattas left in Season 4, with the top three boats reaching the $2 million, winner-take-all Grand Final on July 14 in San Francisco.

Slingsby, an Olympic gold medalist and former America’s Cup champion, skippered the Aussies to the first three season championships in tech baron Larry Ellison’s global league, when the winner-take-all prize was $1 million. The prize money has been doubled this year.

Bernie Wilson has covered sailing for the AP since 1991.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports