Beach Catamaran
Flying a hull on a summer afternoon
Lightweight twin-hulled boats launched straight off the beach. Very fast and thrilling, they sail on a trampoline between the hulls. Stable at first, but they capsize dramatically when pushed too far.
Length 4–6 m (14–20 ft)
Typical price €2k–15k used
Strengths
- Exhilarating speed for little money
- Launches from any beach
- Very shallow draft
Weaknesses
- No accommodation at all
- Capsize recovery takes practice
- Wet and physical
Ratings
5
2
0
9
6
0
10
6
2
10
2
Typical hull materials
Example models (7)
| Model | Length | Built | Hull |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobie 16The best-selling beach cat ever, with fleets everywhere | 17 ft · 5.1 m | since 1971 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Hobie 14The original Hobie Cat, single-handed | 14 ft · 4.3 m | since 1968 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Hobie WaveRotomoulded, very stable; a rental-fleet favourite | 13 ft · 4.0 m | 2000s– | Rotomoulded Polyethylene |
| Hobie GetawayRotomoulded family cat that carries 4–6 people | 17 ft · 5.1 m | 2000s– | Rotomoulded Polyethylene |
| Hobie Tiger (F18)Formula 18 racer; steep learning curve | 18 ft · 5.5 m | since 1995 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Nacra 15Youth performance cat with curved daggerboards | 15 ft · 4.6 m | since 2015 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Nacra 17Foiling Olympic mixed class, for experts only | 17 ft · 5.3 m | since 2012 | Carbon / Advanced Composite |