Having owned 2 Seawind catamarans, my opinion is they are miles ahead of the Lagoons, FP’s and Leopards in design, performance and build quality. Also having bought 2 Seawind’s that were used and close to 20 years old when we purchased, the factory support for the owner of a previously owned Seawind was unbelievable! Seawind is a company that cares about the future and not just the here and now.
Your catamaran review videos, especially this one on the 1600 really helped us ultimately decide on the Seawind 1600 and we are so happy with our choice! Thank you!!
Why am I even watching this, I'm a mono hull type of person. With about 4 hours of sailing experience on a cat, plus about 20 pot lucks, 15 sun downers and a birthday party. I must say you have a lot of space on a cat, we buddy boated with a Leopard 48. The build quality was pretty good, they never had a serious issue in the 2 months we sailed together, that could also be because the owner was about as immaculate as Nick. On some passages we (Oyster 56) could sail, not even close to close hauled, when they had to tack or motor. I like monohull design because it is more forgiving, in a strong gust a mono wil just heel more, a cat has the problem the rig has to take the gust. Loved the video like always, keep up the great work.
My seafaring vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds! Dagger Boards, Sail Drive, Shaft Drive, Skegged (sp?). Loving the reviews and attention to detail that you put into them. Thank you for sharing.
I really like the shoal draft. I have had more grief from other boats dragging their anchors during Thunderstorms and cold fronts than probably any other issue. What a treat to be to hide out in shallow water. More options in crowded anchorages and less distance and wet bottoms getting to shore.
Truly love how you categorize your reviews and all the different features and safety everything great job keep up the good work so enjoying your videos
Love your catamaran critiques. One of these boats is never in my future, but it's still interesting and very informative to see and hear about these boats from a cruising couple. "Couple" is very important because it gives the viewer the perspective of both the male and female sailor. Good job!
There is no one on a RUclips Sailing Channel I would rather see/follow on a new adventure, on a Catamaran; You guys truly deserve it, you enrich my day with each upload.
Great video. Great boat. One additional thing I'd suggest noting on all these cats is bridge deck clearance. If you want to sail to windward in open water you will also be sailing into the waves. It takes more than boards to make a reasonable windward passage. Compromising other attributes and cost for a capability that is only useable in a protected bay is likely not one you desire. As for this boat I agree that this is a real beauty and you noted some upsides. Been my experience that ever design choice on a boat has plusses and minuses. For example boards that don’t protrude the weather deck is great BUT boards that you cannot easily service / clean will be unmovable due to sea life fairly quickly. The one thing that really looked like a problem in the design was the hard bimini over the helms. Half covered and not sure how you get protection from the weather. Head banging hazard when standing or moving. A bike helmet will be required. Biminis are modifiable but I’d hate to pay for that after just paying so much for a new boat. Great series, thanks for doing these
Me too - not sure how it scores a 10 when Teresya (5'2") has the roof just above her head. Obviously means anyone over 5'4" has to sit at the helm and could not stand and surely by standing you increase your vision?? Odd. And you need to build an enclosure. Scoring all the stranger as the guys are looking at 'best overrall cruiser'. Seduced by the dark side of speed so they are.
I think Nick has hit the nail on the head for me. - If you're used to a monohull, having the dagger boards lets you sail a catamaran more like you're used to.
You’ve nailed it with this review! Watching it I felt it was the perfect yacht for me, however with the exact same reservations as you... the exposed sail drive being paramount, and the corners needing Baby Bumpers when offshore. Love the center board and rudder retraction, love the helm stations and the openness of the main salon. My new dream boat, I hope they refine it, add a shaft drive option and sale a million of them, so I can pick up a slightly used one in two years without the wait. Best done review or best yacht to review? A resounding BOTH !!!
While I agree that a review of the 1260 would be a better comparison in my humble opinion, the magnificence of what Nick and Terysa have done is to allow all of us to rank the boats too. That way our own potentially biased opinions (because of the X factor of being dazzled) can be compared to the collective wisdom. I’ve found that I’ve generally been within 1 or 2 points of the collective except for one boat. It forced me to go back and re-evaluate if I’d been dazzled and had rose coloured glasses on. Turns out you were all wrong :) Thanks for doing this N and T, smashing job. Can’t wait to see more.
I'm thinking that Nick shouldn't play poker. You can watch a review on mute and see how he likes or dislikes each thing. Fun to watch a review, thanks for wearing your heart on your sleeve for us, intentional or not :) !
I know the 1260 is a bit small for you but would be great to see you review it - in respect of your gained knowledge! Enjoying this review series, thanks!
I really enjoyed your catamaran reviews. My girlfriend and I are looking at the cat vs mono differences as I type. We are leaning towards a cat. We have 1 year before we buy and 2 years before we leave for our world tour. As you said on the Lagoon 42 video that it isn't a performance boat and that most cruisers spend most of their time on the hook. Having sailed on both cats and monos I like the sailing of the mono and the hominess of a cat. I feel that I personally can do with the less than stellar performance of a production cat like Lagoon or a FP or Manta due to the fact that we will mostly be doing shorter passages and only throw in a few long ones. Seawind does have a wonderful boat in the 1260 or even the 1160, which I got to tour recently. It was very nice for a 38 ft boat and is a bit better sailing than most production boats. And a 38 or 40 ft cat has the room of a mono that is 10-12 ft longer so that has to be a consideration as well. I would like to see reviews on used boats if possible because most of us lovely viewers are looking at are older as we cant afford a newer one...….. :). That being said please keep up the wonderful reviews and the awesome videos and keep keeping it real.
Those helm stations are right out there in the breeze! No way can deserve a 10/10 for that alone.. Absolutely agree with you about the sail drives just waiting to be crushed and punctured up into the hulls.
We really enjoy your channel. We are in the market for a live aboard sailing catamaran as well. Definitely like your ratings, clear, concise, well done. Sailors, speaking from experience to others. Thank you so much for your hard work!
Back down in your price range the 1260 seawind we loved . We found the double helm and down kitchen on seawind 1260 just right. This was only cat under 45 ft.we liked those two features. Also ventilation was great in lounge area. Quality seemed better than other production boats we have seen. Felt like a sailor as you say got a big day in design.
This is definitely the most fun I have had watching your channel - which I like very much! Between the shopping reviews and your heading into France, I'm holding my breath for each new video :) I hope you do get a chance to trial your finalists in strong and light winds - that would be sensational! Great work on these videos - thanks!
Like you said you need to sail them now. The knock I have heard that the performance cats are not as comfortable than the production cats. I have heard they rock and roll even at anchor a bit because they are lighter. Terysa just mentioned it actually. You two are on top of it as always. :) You sold me on this boat. Now what bank do I need to rob to be able to afford it? Love the reviews. Thanks!
Since the helm stations are at the bridge deck level, the boom is much lower than Cats of a similar size. This places the center of the sail area much lower as well. This does at least two things. 1) The possibility of overpowering the rig is reduced. 2) This also reduces the pitch and yaw (rock & roll) in higher wind.
I keep hearing that cruisers typical spend 10% cruising 90% at anchor therefore living space vs boat performance is a pretty easy decision. I would imagine a build of this quality and interior design with wider hulls would be a home run.
I like that boat too. We are a family of 5 from Texas, we are currently selling every thing to live on a boat. We've been following Nikki and Jason for years. Unfortunately our budget is less than a catamaran. We will start in a sailboat. We have been watching yall to see what you have and like about a monohaul. Cheers!!!!!
What an amazing and informative video. Thanks guys for what you do. If life permits, maybe I’ll see in the tropics some time. Splendid! I give her a a solid 45 out of 50, what a vessel.
After watching you two as long as I have this boat matches you the best so far. Safety, Performance, and usability. Seems to have ample storage for you two, and an occasional guest. You like to get somewhere safely and asap that way you have more time to explore. Good review on this one.
Your insights and reviews are well appreciated. Especially recognizing your experience has been with a mono hull. We’re a US midwestern bare boat charter family and enjoying the Bahama’s or Caribbean is more about 6 or 8 people enjoying the beauty of these areas than winning races. As a couple sailing around the world, you’re main concern is certainly not how small the forward cabins are. So you’re ratings reflect that. For someone that wants to entertain more than four people for any length of time, I don’t think this would be their choice. But, who doesn’t like to drive a race car; I’d love to sail one for a day.
Just a thought from a novice sailor, why couldn’t you put a frosted self adhesive vinyl on the inside of the hatch glass over the bathroom like people do with shower windows in a home? That would solve the issue of bathroom visibility it seems.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this boat! What the?! This new 1600 seems to have corrected a lot of the sticky bits of previous models. Seawind has really upped its game. I look forward to your sea test?? I had been so put off Seawind & consequently Cats in general [from a nasty experience] that I skipped this review until just now. I came back to this after watching your Outremer review (gorgeous boat). Thank you for this review.
Not disputing your personal choice of course. I Toured a Seawind 1600 today @ SCIBS. If going to a catamaran is about gaining space then I am not sure I would want performance hulls. How many days will you be in performance mode versus static relax/anchor/mooring/marina mode. Loved the cockpit and saloon space. Design is compromise and has to be designed for personal intended use. My choice would be for more room to move and turn as I felt crowded. In saying all that it is a beautiful boat regardless. BTW a frosted/tint film applied to hatch might save Jason's privacy. I hope you guys get a Cat soon.
I don't think they build enough 1600s to have a reasonable impact on "exposure." Having just contacted them regarding a 1600, their current hull won't be completed until 2021 and the following hull in 2023...
I regularly walk past a Seawind dealer marina in Sydney and could never quite come at the looks of the smaller models, but this is a very handsome ship, reminds me of some Robin Chamberlin designs.
I’ve always thought Seawinds were seriously well thought out boats. They represent a great mix of performance and comfort. When boat shopping, I always think about how my time on board is going to be spent as a live aboard. I did a survey awhile back, and calculated that about 85-90% of the time on a boat is spent at anchor or in a marina (for live aboards). There are a few long passages, maybe 1 or 2 a year, and the rest of the time is spent on short hops of 1-3 days. So when I do buy a cat, comfort is going to be important as living on the boat as a house is what I’m going to be doing a lot of. Balanced, of course, with great performance when it’s needed.
I’ve notice that there are spots in the hull where you can see light through it like around the steps in the stern. That’s shotty construction. Next time you are in one, go below and get to where the steps are and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Just an observation.
Holy Crap ..your Seawind (winner of the Cat Review voting), review episode got over 1/4 mil views so far ..you guys really do get some high viewer counts ..well deserved of course
These are fantastic videos. My wife and I are looking at the Privilege 5, X5, and Seawind 1600. Your videos are incredibly helpful. We have a week on a Privilege in June. Hope to experience the others over the next year or so as well.
thrilled to see your review of the seawind. personally i have not seen (nor sailed) a seawind 1600 in person, but your review sorta confirms what i was thinking. i have previously sailed a seawind 1160 and i found it to be a well built boat and a lively sailor. i have good reason to think the 1600 will be the same in a larger package. hope you get a chance to sail it and report back to us. great job!! can't wait to watch your outremer 51 review.
I look forward to it. My wife and I plan to purchase a cruising catamaran when I retire. Also need to get you guys back together with the Wynns! Those were really funny episodes.
@@deemacvee1 explain to me (a lifetime landlubber) why someone wouldn't want outboards. Is it because they use gasoline? And why is that a concern? Are they not as efficient as a diesel engine? What's the deal?
Hi Terry, I think it's a matter of different strokes for different folks. I have outboards on my Seawind. There are great little workhorses. I've had outboards all my life and I am a mechanical (& electrical) dolt. But, I can provide my outboards with the required TLC and, with a good annual service by a pro, they are good to go. The day they are done (I hear 6,000hrs is common) it is relatively easy and cheap to replace them. I won't be crossing oceans but they do me fine coastal hopping. Fuel economy has not been an issue. Nick & Terysa do cross oceans so need long legs. Diesel. Nick is more of a traditionalist (IMHO) and I reckon a perfectionist. He is very capable with managing his current diesel engine and other boat systems. (A dab hand on the sewing machine too and even plays the accordian. Marry him quick Terysa! He can serenade you then run you up a new frock! ) I think the idea of outboards would start him on a rant. Some of the points might be; OK on a sub 40' cat (maybe) but not any bigger, fuel economy/range, reliability, outlast multiple outboards, diesels provide hot water for showering, more amps for charging, etc. Just my mechanically challenged opinion. Cheers.
Looking forward to the comparison to the Outremer. For someone that wants to have the extra speed, and willing to make the sacrifice of interior volume these look like impressive options! If you don't plan on lugging around a lot of crew it seems like the way to go. Thanks for the review!
Another well done informative video. Looks like a nice and fast boat. What I don't like are the still too exposed helms and inclined saloon windows, another oven in warm climates.....
Great review once again. I would love to see the both of you test sail this cat! I think it would fit you very well. Looking forward to it and more reviews!
I think you over scored this boat because you fell in love. I think the compromise you mentioned in terms of space was not accurately represented in the scores. You might not mind fewer berths but you should compare like for like with others of a similar size. Otherwise loving this series, I’ve just realised I’ve been watching for ages but only just subscribed. Keep up the good work.
The cockpit and saloon are as a big as any cat in this size, the heads are nice. The berths are smaller but all you do is sleep in them. I’d rather the bigger living space. Like the “u” shaped galley, would be comfortable to work in in heavy seas. The performance numbers are good for a cruising cat. Great review.
Agree, at the 8min mark they say 4 hatches which is important as "planning on living in the tropics" but then fails to mention how the sloped windows of the Seawind 1600 will turn it into a greenhouse in the tropics. Its actually a really good video to watch because it makes you realise how "the boat for you" is probably the one you ignore the flaws on the most :)
Great looking boat BUT generally owned by more senior sailors, so pay more attention to how do you put clean sheets on the bunks. Can you do this easily without getting a hernia. More attention should be focused on east west beds having the mattress access on both sides. Just more sore point.
Another model you might want to look at is the Slyder 49. I was impressed by the build/interior quality. With daggerboards, also falls into the performance category. Good luck with your search.
Thank you for continuing to make these difficult analyses, and thank you for the polars (these are not always made available from all builders). In addition to the bridge deck clearance statistic someone else mentioned earlier, I like to examine the usable load (maximum displacement - minimum displacement, a number few manufacturers like to give out). I like the methodology used by Australian Multihull a few years ago comparing the SA/D v. D/L ratios of Gunboat, HH, Outremer, Catana, Seawind, Balance, Privilege, Exquisite, Fountaine Pajot, Leopard, Bali, Lagoon (performance to cruiser). A few updates to this can be found on CruisersForum. I would love to see some of the other South African builders added to this list like St. Francis, Majestic, and Knysna. In addition to your visits to the engine compartments in each boat, it would be great if you showed us behind the electrical panels, some of the plumbing runs, and some of the spaces behind the cabinetry to see how well the systems are installed and finished off.
These reviews are really well done - you two have amazing attention to detail. One of these builders should offer you a deal like La Vegabonde has or provide demo boats for all you experienced blue water cruisers to try on multiple journeys and provide feed back:) Thanks for sharing!
10 + 9 + 8 + 9 + 5 = 41, not 42. I'm sure that has been pointed out before, but I didn't see any recent comments to that effect. Can't wait to see the Seawind 1370! Thanks for all that you do.
Hi guys, Really like your honest reviews of the catamarans. It really helps me in my search for my catamaran. Currently, I'm leaning towards the Seawind 1260. I think one important aspect of catamaran sailing compared to monohull, is bridge-deck slamming while sailing. Thus, bridge-deck clearance should be a consideration. Unfortunately, many of these production catamaran builders skip this data on their website. Except for Seawind Catamarans. Can you please include the Bridge-deck clearance height in your reviews. And also update your previous videos in the comment section so that we can have this important data. You might also want to checkout Seawind 1260 Catamaran. It's a much cheaper boat as compared to the 1600. But without dagger boards, it will not point as high as the 1600. But for the price point, it's a good 41ft boat to consider. Thanks again for the great videos. Keep them coming.
Hey mate, we are keen to look at a 1260. Re bridge deck height and clearance, we thought hard about including this in one of the categories and decided against, and here is why..... We felt that to those who were new to boats it may give a false sense of how much a boat will slam. However as you know, slamming is more than bridge deck clearance. You need to factor in boat length, trim, mast position as minor issues. Then there are the big ones: bridge deck clearance, how much weight the boat is loaded with as well as the design of the under bridge. Newer designed cats with Nacelles and shaped under bridge areas will slam leads than older cats with flat under bridges. Similarly loaded boats slam more, lighter boats are more sensitive to loading so easy to overload, shorter boats hobbyhorse more, etc etc. So for these reasons we left the category out. There is also only so much you can get from a boat show tour and written specification. Stage 2 of our search will be to test sail our short list in different conditions to assess hull slap, bridge slap and things like creaking of cabinetry. Hope this helps explain our thought process.
The thing with catamarans is how and where exactly the two hulls are joined in the front. That is extremely important and it will ultimately define how the catamaran will handle in the open sea. You should try and include some comments on that in your reviews, which are very good.
I agree with you, Seawind make a great 1600 and 1260. If we had the money, this would be my choice. I would not fully recess the solar panels as they need air flow under them to keep them cool. Also, 375 W Canadian Solar panels (60 cell as STANDARD). I would also like to see 6 - 375 cell panels at the stern over the dingy. Seawind is really behind the times with 125/225 W solar. You can get enough solar to run your A/C. You also need 4 to 6 400 Ahr LiFePo4 batteries to store the power plus big charging alternators on each motor just in case. I see 400 Ahr batteries with their own BMS for $1000 each. The cost of some upgrades is beyond belief. Remember that low cost labor in Vietnam?????? Folding props, heat pump chilled water ac (hot and cold), 2+freezers and refrigerators and ice maker. One utility room with cabinets and a small fold down bench for a cot as a small one person bed with air mattress. Full electronics radar, AIS, shortwave/VHF Iridium/ sat phone/internet. 120 V ac outlets/120/220 V shore power. Oh, I was just dreaming a sweet dream.
In your review of catamarans I would like to see some additional information provided regarding design and performance: 1) Freeboard above waterline? 2) Distance between painted waterline and actual waterline in unladen boat? 3) Bridge deck height? 4) Distance between hulls? 5) Amount of overhang on bow and stern? 6) How far back from the bows does the netting go, if there is any? 7) Boom height above main deck? These are all factors in how well the boat will perform in following seas plowing into waves and wave slap. Else, I really do like the measured approach you take at looking at the different models.
Again, I love these videos! And yes, I know I'm 2 years late seeing them (but I haven't skipped to the end to see who won!). The only question I have on this vessel is for Nick. Did you like this boat? I couldn't tell. You seem to be stuck in the middle on this one... on the fence, if you will. 😀 Cheers from TO!
Congratulations on your new cat.. haha. Seawind should have it's new ambassadors. Terrific vid and it’s now embedded on Seawind's website =) Like this one a lot. Reichel Pugh’s done well here. Many pros and certainly agree across the board w RR on function, built for sailors and apparently a great design. Armchair YT’er observations directed mostly at Seawind and Reichel Pugh: Very few but right from the start - Teresa nearly hits her head on the helm roof, in heavy seas won't that be a major issue for anyone taller than her? At 2:43 that line running on the port side deck at an angle seems like a tripping risk. Probably nothing. Definitely gonna trip on those footrest bars at the helm! At 3:55 her feet are already wedged in. Add 4-6' seas to that and it's potentially a danger. At night.. worse. Pricey for being built in where I'd guess is a very low labor-cost region. Maybe I'm wrong. If not, no savings appear to be passed over to buyers.. ahem. Would have liked to see a wider settee / bench across the stern to lay down on and for more guests but the dual love seats appear to be cozy. Would expect an outdoor kitchen / grill station and cooking area for nearly $1M "loaded"! There’s None?! As a cook this is a big deal to me. For this price point I want something more serious than a $300 gas grill I have to buy then attach to a rail. Optionally a fish cleaning platform as well. Thats just me. Is there a watermaker included at that price point? Generator? Monogrammed robes and towels lol? No experience with them, but the hidden daggerboards appear to be manually operated, not electric, so how do you get two up quickly at the same time coming in to a reef if someone has to man the helm with 20 knots blowing? Is there an instrument that gives you daggerboard depth - or a warning system / alarm to mind the daggers when coming in to shallows? They are hidden after all. Can they be set at varying depths? How long does it take to raise one dagger up 100% manually? Two by one person? It really feels like they should be on electric winches. Maybe they are light engineered to move very quickly. Seawind should do an extensive video on this alone. Same for the lifting rudder system? How much time and effort? If you are in shallows and need to lift both daggers and rudders with only two people manually, in weather? Those lines tailed in to hidden bins - does the fouling issue increase with that system? Like the idea of it of course, nice and tidy but is there quick access to that bin? Def would have liked to see some sort of seating on the front deck for $1M. Have to imagine you’ll want to spend some time on the front third of a cat this expensive. Does the trampoline really need to be that long? Otherwise visually likable and a seemingly functional design. Def a competitor to Outremer. Love the black framing and dinghy davits. A black mast would have been preferrable for me. Your sea trials video should be comprehensive. Seawind should pay for a video team on your sea trials. They desperately need to hire a video team for their own sea trial vid.. that Barcelona ep is.. I don’t even know what that is. Seawind- Have a look at Princess Yachts’ “Princess Presents the M Class” vid. 5-figure budget but something like that can be done for much less. A lot of potential to sell this 1600, it absolutely looks like a winner. Thanks for the great vids and insights, well done. Sorry so long.. coffee on an early Sunday morning
Hi Guys, I'll be interested in what you think of the FP Saona 47, I'm a full time skipper on one in NZ, we've done about 2000 k miles since March last year, I do all the maintenance and improvements, remember ALL, yachts, even new one's need additional improvements to suite one's requirements. Well done on your appraisals on all these cats, you both bring a fresh look at cruising, and bring your travelling into our homes, in my case, the yacht.
I personally prefer the 1260. For me, it actually feels "bigger" (actually, just more open). Plenty of space for my mind. And that hoisting door system... That's a game changer! Island Spirit open deck feeling with Seawind quality and speed... You guys are great, hope you find one you love!!!
@@tihomirrasperic Direct comparison maybe not. Feature comparison? Try and stop me, sir. I might have to introduce to my friends, Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary!
@@Frindleeguy well its not fair battle against lagoon 42 vs 1260, they not same class but lagoon 52F or 52S are match for 1260 because you have lagoon comfort and 52 is design for speed what its not usual for lagoon
@@tihomirrasperic The 1260 is SeaWind's 41'. This one in the video is the 1600. I think it's fair to compare a 41 vs a 42, even if one is more speed oriented than the other. The "give and take" is literally what comparisons were made for when seeking out a "which do I prefer". Those two 41 and 42 ft boats are often cross-shopped.
At 17:00 minutes, the scores you have up only add up to 41, not 42. The difference is the Value for Money score. At 17:00 you have it as 5, but earlier in the video you have it at 6. It is also 6 in your blog post, so 42 is probably the correct total. The 5 at 17:00 is probably just a brain fart, but thought I should tell you just in case you do actually need to change your final score. My opinion, I'm just not a fan of any of these performance cats. I like the production ones better for me. But like you said, that's why they make different kinds of boats for different people!
I see your gaze....you really want this boat. Lovely, informative channel btw....and a equally compelling couple! Hope to see you out there in about a year.
As for the embarrassing head sky light issue. Simply scuff the lexan with 220/400ish grit on an orbital sander. It will still let in all the light, but will be fully non-see-through. You can do the same thing by hand...
Sometimes the plastic is layered with some sort of UV filter / lacquers that make it last longer. Sanding may remove that layer and make it start loosing its properties over time (may become prone to cracking for example)
Very good presentation! I have been on the smaller Seawind 1250 and was really no impressed, seeing review of the 1600 may change my mind, this was a nice layout and actually had room for washer, very nice. A performance Cat is very susceptible to, too much baggage, need to be careful not to pack to much stuff on them. Thanks for the review.
I feel like that helm foot bar seems dangerous also the nav station outlets are under a hatch. Both are easily fixed but stood out to me. Beautiful boat. Thanks for sharing!
BZ you two, another great vid! I`d agree with your scoring apart from the rake angle of the forward windows. With no "eyebrow" they would let in huge amounts of heat. I did notice the glass looked tinted, what do you think?
You all planning on checking out any of the Bali catamarans? The garage door saloon and Catana group pedigree makes it at the top of our interest list - would love to see your ratings!
I love this boat. I’m so excited about seeing you guys transition to this kind of boat, whether it’s this one or another. I know you’ll make a good choice for “our” next boat. ;)
The retractable daggerboards together with the retractable rudder make for a fantastic minimum draft of 54cm. Logically you contemplate about the protection of the saildrive at 22:20min. Looking at the lateral plan I get the impression that the hull is actually the deepest point, therefore protecting the saildrive. You could actually park it on a sandbank without compromising the saildrive :-) Pls correct me if I am wrong here. Thanx Oliver
One thing I wanted to add: A retractable rudder makes total sense to me. You can do away with the rudder in a shallow area and steer just with two engines alone.
it was obvious Nick already loved the boat, but as he was seated at the nav station.his face was.clearly saying: "why havent.we bought this. boat.already?!" again great review based on a.great reasoning.of wants, needs.and.experience
I just noticed that the refrigerator door opens facing away from the galley. I would prefer the door to open facing into the galley. Are the hinges reversible?
Boy, what can I say.....this one is truly an ocean cruiser, awesome for liveaboards and the galley is perfect! I left my numbers on the app......great choice!
23kts is quite favourable- and I'd prefer quicker transit times. We've peaked racing a farrier tri owned by our captain at about 20kts- which is exhilarating. I'd like to know about the sail combination although looks to be an asymmetrical vs. traditional spin. Thanks for the dreams!
I just discovered your channel. I love it. Thank you for sharing with us the beautiful journey. All the best for the years to come! Stay happy and safe. Cheers from Toronto,Canada.
Hey! If You haven't looked at the Outremer Catamaran you should. They are fast. I think you will be surprised. I'm sure the price is more realistic. Good sailing mates. Shalom
Very excited emotive language throughout shows how difficult it is to be absolutely objective and how important your consistent scoring methodology is - did you leave the cat of your own volition or did you have to be escorted off when you got into your PJs ? :-)
Great review. My wife and I did the exact same comparison a year ago between the seawind 1600 ( which we viewed in Sardinia last June) and the outremer 51 but I would also add the Nautitech 542 to your list. Unlike the Nautitech 40 and the 46 the 542 is a semi custom boat. It’s polars are nearly identical to the seawind 1600 and they are similarly priced. Nautitech 542 is more expensive but it addresses the volume issues you highlighted with the seawind and that im sure you discovered with the outremer 51. It’s all subjective though as our requirements needed to factor in our 3 kids bing on board so the volume was a biggger issue. All really nice boats though. Build slots are probably something you may need to consider....outremer was approx 2 year wait this time last year and seawind were around 16 months. We ended up purchasing the Nautitech 542 which is currently in build and we will be picking up in around 8 weeks over in the Med ( we are from Australia)....so we are pretty excited! Nautitech are using our boat at the Cannes boat show in September but we are onboard cruising Balearics, Sardinia and Corsica prior to that....if you’re in the area you’d be more than welcome to check our one out and compare. All the best with your purchase and keep the vids coming. Fun to live vicariously!
Beautiful boat great job on the review love it ...but for a nicer size master and some cool features the balance 526 has my vote above this one. cheers guys
really nice boat and great review. Glad you fully get the choice between performance and space/luxury. To this point one important factor you may need to look at is how much you can load the boat (that enclosed drawers while really nice touch screamed extra weight to me ;-). This figure is rarely mentioned in specs. Cats, and especially performant ones, are VERY sensitive to weight. Not so much for monos. they are much less sensitive, up to a point, to extra weight. If I remember well, space and capability to bring with you all the "toys" to fully enjoy the tropics was a primary motivation for you to look at catas. It would be nice if you could do a little research and find the overload specs for any of them. Again all cats will be more sensitive than monos. If a performant one looses performance, a more tame one may become a turtle...but their owners may not care that much.
One key figure is how many pounds of weight lowers the waterline 1 inch. You can do the calculations yourself but it takes time. Monohulls can carry a lot more weight. I agree on bringing toys. I would bring a seaplane on the back of a cat if I could, or something like a Melges 24. LOL.
Thanks for this review. I was at the boat show and bumped into you on the Outremer 59. I agree whole heartedly with you regarding the Seawind. It is a well thought out design and that is the reason I am so baffled by the saildrive as that is a real minus as is the single berth in the front. The other disadvantage of this catamaran is the sloping front windows, which can heat up the catamaran cabin quite considerable in the tropics. I hope you will do a review of the Ita Catamaran as well as that was the other one that I found impressive and didn’t have the sloping windows.
Love your reviews! First time I've seen a Seawind with a throw walkthrough. I like it! I like the fact you have two helms and the saloon has "semi-rounded" edges. The new FP, Lagoon, and Leopard don't (as you probably have seen). Thanks for sharing! 👍👍👍👍👍😍⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
So after watching all of the reviews, I think is the best one pound for pound. I would also probably rate the 1260 the best for it's price point as well. Seawind for me.
Gads I can't wait to go sailing on your new boat! I mean, from my office chair of course but still. Loved this boat the best so far from a landlubber's pov.
Hi, I want to fully agree - one has to sail the cat. In the harbor everything may fine. At best would be to do a test drive in bad conditions. The Seawind has a relativ small middle section (as I saw the mighty trampolines) - perhaps it behaves in big waves better than others. I had some annoying travel time when the wave crashed under the salon (and Nautitech: splashed in the cockpit + salon). Also I would like to see Nick at the nav desk in harsh conditions - will the swivel hold his weight in the position he desired - or will he swing around? Something I would request if you buy that: Drawers behind a door - that's annoying every day. They could shorten the doors and make the drawers deeper. You told about bigger windows in the aft section - I would be afraid whether the larger windows will als be able to open.
What about cleaning the daggerboard housings? Critters growing inside? Monthly wipe-down of the inside is important so that the foils don't get stuck inside, up or down...!
Very nice boat and once again another amazing walk through. Cheers. While my wife and I do like a lot about the boat ( the galley being the best part ) We're still Lagoon people. Cheers and thanks for the video. And as always, safe passage.
Can't agree with you more about protected helm, with that said, have you considered Balance 482 or 526? They have what they call the "Versa Helm". On the other hand, the Balance yachts are a bit more costly than the ranges you have reviewed so far.
Having owned 2 Seawind catamarans, my opinion is they are miles ahead of the Lagoons, FP’s and Leopards in design, performance and build quality. Also having bought 2 Seawind’s that were used and close to 20 years old when we purchased, the factory support for the owner of a previously owned Seawind was unbelievable! Seawind is a company that cares about the future and not just the here and now.
@Crazyirish _ If they don't, I'm pretty sure you can get it aftermarket if you wish to.
Crazyirish _ they do do a flexiteak equivalent..
How does it compare to the Balance Cat?
Your catamaran review videos, especially this one on the 1600 really helped us ultimately decide on the Seawind 1600 and we are so happy with our choice! Thank you!!
Why am I even watching this, I'm a mono hull type of person.
With about 4 hours of sailing experience on a cat, plus about 20 pot lucks, 15 sun downers and a birthday party.
I must say you have a lot of space on a cat, we buddy boated with a Leopard 48. The build quality was pretty good, they never had a serious issue in the 2 months we sailed together, that could also be because the owner was about as immaculate as Nick.
On some passages we (Oyster 56) could sail, not even close to close hauled, when they had to tack or motor.
I like monohull design because it is more forgiving, in a strong gust a mono wil just heel more, a cat has the problem the rig has to take the gust.
Loved the video like always, keep up the great work.
The Leopart is a minikeeled, floating wedding cake. It's not meant to tack.
Don’t forget the 1mg Xanax I take prior to sailing. I live in Kauai, HI. Every time we go out it’s like starting in middle of Pacific.🦄💀🤣❤️🙏👍🌴
My seafaring vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds! Dagger Boards, Sail Drive, Shaft Drive, Skegged (sp?). Loving the reviews and attention to detail that you put into them. Thank you for sharing.
This is another outstanding catamaran review....thank you! I can understand why you two are excited with this one....very nice overall design.
I really like the shoal draft. I have had more grief from other boats dragging their anchors during Thunderstorms and cold fronts than probably any other issue.
What a treat to be to hide out in shallow water. More options in crowded anchorages and less distance and wet bottoms getting to shore.
Truly love how you categorize your reviews and all the different features and safety everything great job keep up the good work so enjoying your videos
Love your catamaran critiques. One of these boats is never in my future, but it's still interesting and very informative to see and hear about these boats from a cruising couple. "Couple" is very important because it gives the viewer the perspective of both the male and female sailor. Good job!
There is no one on a RUclips Sailing Channel I would rather see/follow on a new adventure, on a Catamaran; You guys truly deserve it, you enrich my day with each upload.
Awww, cheers mate
Great video. Great boat.
One additional thing I'd suggest noting on all these cats is bridge deck clearance. If you want to sail to windward in open water you will also be sailing into the waves. It takes more than boards to make a reasonable windward passage. Compromising other attributes and cost for a capability that is only useable in a protected bay is likely not one you desire.
As for this boat I agree that this is a real beauty and you noted some upsides. Been my experience that ever design choice on a boat has plusses and minuses. For example boards that don’t protrude the weather deck is great BUT boards that you cannot easily service / clean will be unmovable due to sea life fairly quickly.
The one thing that really looked like a problem in the design was the hard bimini over the helms. Half covered and not sure how you get protection from the weather. Head banging hazard when standing or moving. A bike helmet will be required. Biminis are modifiable but I’d hate to pay for that after just paying so much for a new boat.
Great series, thanks for doing these
Bill Weiner spot on. Almost exactly my thoughts. Can you imagine the headache? Lol.
Me too - not sure how it scores a 10 when Teresya (5'2") has the roof just above her head. Obviously means anyone over 5'4" has to sit at the helm and could not stand and surely by standing you increase your vision?? Odd. And you need to build an enclosure. Scoring all the stranger as the guys are looking at 'best overrall cruiser'. Seduced by the dark side of speed so they are.
Nice job. Thank you. It’s amazing how far Seawimd has come since their humble beginnings with their first little barebones cat.
I think Nick has hit the nail on the head for me. - If you're used to a monohull, having the dagger boards lets you sail a catamaran more like you're used to.
You’ve nailed it with this review!
Watching it I felt it was the perfect yacht for me, however with the exact same reservations as you... the exposed sail drive being paramount, and the corners needing Baby Bumpers when offshore.
Love the center board and rudder retraction, love the helm stations and the openness of the main salon.
My new dream boat, I hope they refine it, add a shaft drive option and sale a million of them, so I can pick up a slightly used one in two years without the wait.
Best done review or best yacht to review?
A resounding BOTH !!!
While I agree that a review of the 1260 would be a better comparison in my humble opinion, the magnificence of what Nick and Terysa have done is to allow all of us to rank the boats too. That way our own potentially biased opinions (because of the X factor of being dazzled) can be compared to the collective wisdom.
I’ve found that I’ve generally been within 1 or 2 points of the collective except for one boat. It forced me to go back and re-evaluate if I’d been dazzled and had rose coloured glasses on. Turns out you were all wrong :)
Thanks for doing this N and T, smashing job. Can’t wait to see more.
I'm thinking that Nick shouldn't play poker. You can watch a review on mute and see how he likes or dislikes each thing. Fun to watch a review, thanks for wearing your heart on your sleeve for us, intentional or not :) !
These reviews are the best, very professional, very clear,, I must say that from a southerly owner, you have tempted me!
I know the 1260 is a bit small for you but would be great to see you review it - in respect of your gained knowledge! Enjoying this review series, thanks!
I really enjoyed your catamaran reviews. My girlfriend and I are looking at the cat vs mono differences as I type. We are leaning towards a cat. We have 1 year before we buy and 2 years before we leave for our world tour. As you said on the Lagoon 42 video that it isn't a performance boat and that most cruisers spend most of their time on the hook. Having sailed on both cats and monos I like the sailing of the mono and the hominess of a cat. I feel that I personally can do with the less than stellar performance of a production cat like Lagoon or a FP or Manta due to the fact that we will mostly be doing shorter passages and only throw in a few long ones. Seawind does have a wonderful boat in the 1260 or even the 1160, which I got to tour recently. It was very nice for a 38 ft boat and is a bit better sailing than most production boats. And a 38 or 40 ft cat has the room of a mono that is 10-12 ft longer so that has to be a consideration as well. I would like to see reviews on used boats if possible because most of us lovely viewers are looking at are older as we cant afford a newer one...….. :). That being said please keep up the wonderful reviews and the awesome videos and keep keeping it real.
Those helm stations are right out there in the breeze! No way can deserve a 10/10 for that alone.. Absolutely agree with you about the sail drives just waiting to be crushed and punctured up into the hulls.
My first thought was some sort of tilt down electric drive an a genset to support it would be a good option coupled with a lot of solar.
We really enjoy your channel. We are in the market for a live aboard sailing catamaran as well. Definitely like your ratings, clear, concise, well done. Sailors, speaking from experience to others. Thank you so much for your hard work!
Back down in your price range the 1260 seawind we loved . We found the double helm and down kitchen on seawind 1260 just right. This was only cat under 45 ft.we liked those two features. Also ventilation was great in lounge area. Quality seemed better than other production boats we have seen. Felt like a sailor as you say got a big day in design.
This is definitely the most fun I have had watching your channel - which I like very much! Between the shopping reviews and your heading into France, I'm holding my breath for each new video :) I hope you do get a chance to trial your finalists in strong and light winds - that would be sensational! Great work on these videos - thanks!
Thanks Kelly. It’s a busy time for us.
Like you said you need to sail them now. The knock I have heard that the performance cats are not as comfortable than the production cats. I have heard they rock and roll even at anchor a bit because they are lighter. Terysa just mentioned it actually. You two are on top of it as always. :) You sold me on this boat. Now what bank do I need to rob to be able to afford it? Love the reviews. Thanks!
its look like sports car, but i wll choose lagoon
comfort over speed.
Since the helm stations are at the bridge deck level, the boom is much lower than Cats of a similar size. This places the center of the sail area much lower as well. This does at least two things. 1) The possibility of overpowering the rig is reduced. 2) This also reduces the pitch and yaw (rock & roll) in higher wind.
@@dharwood2727 Also i think it has mechanical steering (i hope), far better than hydraulic.
@@Ladybirdsin16mm Yes it does. Nick actually filmed it when he was in the engine compartment.
@@SailingLaVagabonde rock less at anchor ha ha ha
I keep hearing that cruisers typical spend 10% cruising 90% at anchor therefore living space vs boat performance is a pretty easy decision. I would imagine a build of this quality and interior design with wider hulls would be a home run.
Judd _S sounds like a Lamborghini station wagon to me. ;)
I like that boat too. We are a family of 5 from Texas, we are currently selling every thing to live on a boat. We've been following Nikki and Jason for years. Unfortunately our budget is less than a catamaran. We will start in a sailboat. We have been watching yall to see what you have and like about a monohaul. Cheers!!!!!
What an amazing and informative video. Thanks guys for what you do. If life permits, maybe I’ll see in the tropics some time. Splendid! I give her a a solid 45 out of 50, what a vessel.
I miss you guys! I'm rewatching all you comparo vids The Seawind 1600 is my favorite. Thank you for all your hard work.
So glad you all are doing these videos!! glad to sponsor you all on patreon! Hope to see you all next time in Charleston, SC if you ever come back.
Best review i have seen on the Seawind 1600 by far
After watching you two as long as I have this boat matches you the best so far. Safety, Performance, and usability. Seems to have ample storage for you two, and an occasional guest. You like to get somewhere safely and asap that way you have more time to explore.
Good review on this one.
It would be nice to see a comaprision review of seawind 1600 and new outremer 51, if it is possible...
That my friend is coming soon
@@sailingrubyrose thanks a lot for your detailed reviews, nobody does it so well like you two!!!
Your insights and reviews are well appreciated. Especially recognizing your experience has been with a mono hull. We’re a US midwestern bare boat charter family and enjoying the Bahama’s or Caribbean is more about 6 or 8 people enjoying the beauty of these areas than winning races. As a couple sailing around the world, you’re main concern is certainly not how small the forward cabins are. So you’re ratings reflect that. For someone that wants to entertain more than four people for any length of time, I don’t think this would be their choice. But, who doesn’t like to drive a race car; I’d love to sail one for a day.
I also have a crush on that boat. Get one and give Riley a race challenge!!
Meh, don’t want to embarrass him mate
Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose Lol 😂 It would be great video though!!
Just a thought from a novice sailor, why couldn’t you put a frosted self adhesive vinyl on the inside of the hatch glass over the bathroom like people do with shower windows in a home? That would solve the issue of bathroom visibility it seems.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this boat! What the?! This new 1600 seems to have corrected a lot of the sticky bits of previous models. Seawind has really upped its game. I look forward to your sea test?? I had been so put off Seawind & consequently Cats in general [from a nasty experience] that I skipped this review until just now. I came back to this after watching your Outremer review (gorgeous boat). Thank you for this review.
Pleasure my friend. Beautiful boat indeed.
Not disputing your personal choice of course.
I Toured a Seawind 1600 today @ SCIBS.
If going to a catamaran is about gaining space then I am not sure I would want performance hulls. How many days will you be in performance mode versus static relax/anchor/mooring/marina mode. Loved the cockpit and saloon space.
Design is compromise and has to be designed for personal intended use.
My choice would be for more room to move and turn as I felt crowded. In saying all that it is a beautiful boat regardless.
BTW a frosted/tint film applied to hatch might save Jason's privacy.
I hope you guys get a Cat soon.
Great review! Very informative and well done. I'd love to see you review the new Antares 44GS. 😁
You need to workout as deal on this boat with Seawind. They could use the exposure you will bring.
I *think* that is what Riley & Elayne on the _"Sailing La Vagabond"_ RUclips channel did.
My bones tell me they're already on it.
Yep. Seawind should sponsor you guys. It would be a win win.
Maybe someone should tell them 🤣🤣
I don't think they build enough 1600s to have a reasonable impact on "exposure." Having just contacted them regarding a 1600, their current hull won't be completed until 2021 and the following hull in 2023...
I regularly walk past a Seawind dealer marina in Sydney and could never quite come at the looks of the smaller models, but this is a very handsome ship, reminds me of some Robin Chamberlin designs.
I’ve always thought Seawinds were seriously well thought out boats. They represent a great mix of performance and comfort. When boat shopping, I always think about how my time on board is going to be spent as a live aboard. I did a survey awhile back, and calculated that about 85-90% of the time on a boat is spent at anchor or in a marina (for live aboards). There are a few long passages, maybe 1 or 2 a year, and the rest of the time is spent on short hops of 1-3 days. So when I do buy a cat, comfort is going to be important as living on the boat as a house is what I’m going to be doing a lot of. Balanced, of course, with great performance when it’s needed.
I’ve notice that there are spots in the hull where you can see light through it like around the steps in the stern. That’s shotty construction. Next time you are in one, go below and get to where the steps are and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Just an observation.
Holy Crap ..your Seawind (winner of the Cat Review voting), review episode got over 1/4 mil views so far ..you guys really do get some high viewer counts ..well deserved of course
These are fantastic videos. My wife and I are looking at the Privilege 5, X5, and Seawind 1600. Your videos are incredibly helpful. We have a week on a Privilege in June. Hope to experience the others over the next year or so as well.
We saw the Privilege 5.0 as well, a review is coming
thrilled to see your review of the seawind. personally i have not seen (nor sailed) a seawind 1600 in person, but your review sorta confirms what i was thinking. i have previously sailed a seawind 1160 and i found it to be a well built boat and a lively sailor. i have good reason to think the 1600 will be the same in a larger package. hope you get a chance to sail it and report back to us. great job!! can't wait to watch your outremer 51 review.
Love your reviews! The best I have seen. Very nice to have a set way to compare. Great job and can't wait to see more.
Cheers mate, next one out this week on Patreon and next week on RUclips.
I look forward to it. My wife and I plan to purchase a cruising catamaran when I retire. Also need to get you guys back together with the Wynns! Those were really funny episodes.
Your search (Ruby Rose) of the "perfect catamaran" makes it easy for me to decide when I am ready to get mine..kudos!
Thanks mate
Great review! I hope you we will see more Seawind models on your channel soon, like the 1160 Lite and 1260. Thank you!
I love the 1160 lite but don't think Nic would be too enamored with the outboards.
@@deemacvee1 explain to me (a lifetime landlubber) why someone wouldn't want outboards. Is it because they use gasoline? And why is that a concern? Are they not as efficient as a diesel engine? What's the deal?
Hi Terry, I think it's a matter of different strokes for different folks. I have outboards on my Seawind. There are great little workhorses. I've had outboards all my life and I am a mechanical (& electrical) dolt. But, I can provide my outboards with the required TLC and, with a good annual service by a pro, they are good to go. The day they are done (I hear 6,000hrs is common) it is relatively easy and cheap to replace them. I won't be crossing oceans but they do me fine coastal hopping. Fuel economy has not been an issue. Nick & Terysa do cross oceans so need long legs. Diesel. Nick is more of a traditionalist (IMHO) and I reckon a perfectionist. He is very capable with managing his current diesel engine and other boat systems. (A dab hand on the sewing machine too and even plays the accordian. Marry him quick Terysa! He can serenade you then run you up a new frock! ) I think the idea of outboards would start him on a rant. Some of the points might be; OK on a sub 40' cat (maybe) but not any bigger, fuel economy/range, reliability, outlast multiple outboards, diesels provide hot water for showering, more amps for charging, etc. Just my mechanically challenged opinion. Cheers.
Looking forward to the comparison to the Outremer. For someone that wants to have the extra speed, and willing to make the sacrifice of interior volume these look like impressive options! If you don't plan on lugging around a lot of crew it seems like the way to go. Thanks for the review!
Well done... wish I could afford it!!! Beautiful... it is great how you really focus on key issues that impact sailors!
Another well done informative video. Looks like a nice and fast boat. What I don't like are the still too exposed helms and inclined saloon windows, another oven in warm climates.....
Great review once again. I would love to see the both of you test sail this cat! I think it would fit you very well. Looking forward to it and more reviews!
I think you over scored this boat because you fell in love. I think the compromise you mentioned in terms of space was not accurately represented in the scores. You might not mind fewer berths but you should compare like for like with others of a similar size. Otherwise loving this series, I’ve just realised I’ve been watching for ages but only just subscribed. Keep up the good work.
They are looking for one themselves, so dont take the scores too personally
The cockpit and saloon are as a big as any cat in this size, the heads are nice. The berths are smaller but all you do is sleep in them. I’d rather the bigger living space. Like the “u” shaped galley, would be comfortable to work in in heavy seas. The performance numbers are good for a cruising cat.
Great review.
Agree, at the 8min mark they say 4 hatches which is important as "planning on living in the tropics" but then fails to mention how the sloped windows of the Seawind 1600 will turn it into a greenhouse in the tropics.
Its actually a really good video to watch because it makes you realise how "the boat for you" is probably the one you ignore the flaws on the most :)
Great looking boat BUT generally owned by more senior sailors, so pay more attention to how do you put clean sheets on the bunks. Can you do this easily without getting a hernia. More attention should be focused on east west beds having the mattress access on both sides. Just more sore point.
Another model you might want to look at is the Slyder 49. I was impressed by the build/interior quality. With daggerboards, also falls into the performance category. Good luck with your search.
Thank you for continuing to make these difficult analyses, and thank you for the polars (these are not always made available from all builders). In addition to the bridge deck clearance statistic someone else mentioned earlier, I like to examine the usable load (maximum displacement - minimum displacement, a number few manufacturers like to give out). I like the methodology used by Australian Multihull a few years ago comparing the SA/D v. D/L ratios of Gunboat, HH, Outremer, Catana, Seawind, Balance, Privilege, Exquisite, Fountaine Pajot, Leopard, Bali, Lagoon (performance to cruiser). A few updates to this can be found on CruisersForum. I would love to see some of the other South African builders added to this list like St. Francis, Majestic, and Knysna. In addition to your visits to the engine compartments in each boat, it would be great if you showed us behind the electrical panels, some of the plumbing runs, and some of the spaces behind the cabinetry to see how well the systems are installed and finished off.
These reviews are really well done - you two have amazing attention to detail. One of these builders should offer you a deal like La Vegabonde has or provide demo boats for all you experienced blue water cruisers to try on multiple journeys and provide feed back:) Thanks for sharing!
10 + 9 + 8 + 9 + 5 = 41, not 42. I'm sure that has been pointed out before, but I didn't see any recent comments to that effect. Can't wait to see the Seawind 1370! Thanks for all that you do.
Hi guys,
Really like your honest reviews of the catamarans. It really helps me in my search for my catamaran. Currently, I'm leaning towards the Seawind 1260.
I think one important aspect of catamaran sailing compared to monohull, is bridge-deck slamming while sailing. Thus, bridge-deck clearance should be a consideration. Unfortunately, many of these production catamaran builders skip this data on their website. Except for Seawind Catamarans.
Can you please include the Bridge-deck clearance height in your reviews. And also update your previous videos in the comment section so that we can have this important data.
You might also want to checkout Seawind 1260 Catamaran. It's a much cheaper boat as compared to the 1600. But without dagger boards, it will not point as high as the 1600. But for the price point, it's a good 41ft boat to consider.
Thanks again for the great videos. Keep them coming.
Hey mate, we are keen to look at a 1260.
Re bridge deck height and clearance, we thought hard about including this in one of the categories and decided against, and here is why.....
We felt that to those who were new to boats it may give a false sense of how much a boat will slam. However as you know, slamming is more than bridge deck clearance. You need to factor in boat length, trim, mast position as minor issues. Then there are the big ones: bridge deck clearance, how much weight the boat is loaded with as well as the design of the under bridge.
Newer designed cats with Nacelles and shaped under bridge areas will slam leads than older cats with flat under bridges. Similarly loaded boats slam more, lighter boats are more sensitive to loading so easy to overload, shorter boats hobbyhorse more, etc etc.
So for these reasons we left the category out.
There is also only so much you can get from a boat show tour and written specification.
Stage 2 of our search will be to test sail our short list in different conditions to assess hull slap, bridge slap and things like creaking of cabinetry.
Hope this helps explain our thought process.
The thing with catamarans is how and where exactly the two hulls are joined in the front. That is extremely important and it will ultimately define how the catamaran will handle in the open sea. You should try and include some comments on that in your reviews, which are very good.
Ok, you convinced me, I will rent the port forward cabin. Love your take and comparisons, looking forward to the Outremer. I'm living your dream.
I agree with you, Seawind make a great 1600 and 1260. If we had the money, this would be my choice. I would not fully recess the solar panels as they need air flow under them to keep them cool. Also, 375 W Canadian Solar panels (60 cell as STANDARD). I would also like to see 6 - 375 cell panels at the stern over the dingy. Seawind is really behind the times with 125/225 W solar. You can get enough solar to run your A/C. You also need 4 to 6 400 Ahr LiFePo4 batteries to store the power plus big charging alternators on each motor just in case. I see 400 Ahr batteries with their own BMS for $1000 each. The cost of some upgrades is beyond belief. Remember that low cost labor in Vietnam?????? Folding props, heat pump chilled water ac (hot and cold), 2+freezers and refrigerators and ice maker. One utility room with cabinets and a small fold down bench for a cot as a small one person bed with air mattress. Full electronics radar, AIS, shortwave/VHF Iridium/ sat phone/internet. 120 V ac outlets/120/220 V shore power. Oh, I was just dreaming a sweet dream.
In your review of catamarans I would like to see some additional information provided regarding design and performance:
1) Freeboard above waterline?
2) Distance between painted waterline and actual waterline in unladen boat?
3) Bridge deck height?
4) Distance between hulls?
5) Amount of overhang on bow and stern?
6) How far back from the bows does the netting go, if there is any?
7) Boom height above main deck?
These are all factors in how well the boat will perform in following seas plowing into waves and wave slap.
Else, I really do like the measured approach you take at looking at the different models.
Again, I love these videos! And yes, I know I'm 2 years late seeing them (but I haven't skipped to the end to see who won!). The only question I have on this vessel is for Nick. Did you like this boat? I couldn't tell. You seem to be stuck in the middle on this one... on the fence, if you will. 😀 Cheers from TO!
Congratulations on your new cat.. haha. Seawind should have it's new ambassadors. Terrific vid and it’s now embedded on Seawind's website =)
Like this one a lot. Reichel Pugh’s done well here. Many pros and certainly agree across the board w RR on function, built for sailors and apparently a great design.
Armchair YT’er observations directed mostly at Seawind and Reichel Pugh: Very few but right from the start - Teresa nearly hits her head on the helm roof, in heavy seas won't that be a major issue for anyone taller than her?
At 2:43 that line running on the port side deck at an angle seems like a tripping risk. Probably nothing.
Definitely gonna trip on those footrest bars at the helm! At 3:55 her feet are already wedged in. Add 4-6' seas to that and it's potentially a danger. At night.. worse.
Pricey for being built in where I'd guess is a very low labor-cost region. Maybe I'm wrong. If not, no savings appear to be passed over to buyers.. ahem.
Would have liked to see a wider settee / bench across the stern to lay down on and for more guests but the dual love seats appear to be cozy. Would expect an outdoor kitchen / grill station and cooking area for nearly $1M "loaded"! There’s None?! As a cook this is a big deal to me. For this price point I want something more serious than a $300 gas grill I have to buy then attach to a rail. Optionally a fish cleaning platform as well. Thats just me.
Is there a watermaker included at that price point? Generator? Monogrammed robes and towels lol?
No experience with them, but the hidden daggerboards appear to be manually operated, not electric, so how do you get two up quickly at the same time coming in to a reef if someone has to man the helm with 20 knots blowing? Is there an instrument that gives you daggerboard depth - or a warning system / alarm to mind the daggers when coming in to shallows? They are hidden after all. Can they be set at varying depths? How long does it take to raise one dagger up 100% manually? Two by one person? It really feels like they should be on electric winches. Maybe they are light engineered to move very quickly. Seawind should do an extensive video on this alone. Same for the lifting rudder system? How much time and effort? If you are in shallows and need to lift both daggers and rudders with only two people manually, in weather?
Those lines tailed in to hidden bins - does the fouling issue increase with that system? Like the idea of it of course, nice and tidy but is there quick access to that bin?
Def would have liked to see some sort of seating on the front deck for $1M. Have to imagine you’ll want to spend some time on the front third of a cat this expensive. Does the trampoline really need to be that long?
Otherwise visually likable and a seemingly functional design. Def a competitor to Outremer. Love the black framing and dinghy davits. A black mast would have been preferrable for me. Your sea trials video should be comprehensive. Seawind should pay for a video team on your sea trials. They desperately need to hire a video team for their own sea trial vid.. that Barcelona ep is.. I don’t even know what that is. Seawind- Have a look at Princess Yachts’ “Princess Presents the M Class” vid. 5-figure budget but something like that can be done for much less. A lot of potential to sell this 1600, it absolutely looks like a winner.
Thanks for the great vids and insights, well done. Sorry so long.. coffee on an early Sunday morning
Awesome Comment my friend, and super valid points all of them.
Feel free to comment as much as you want, coffee or no coffee
Found the chairs for the bow, wow. And they float. At 3min 10sec and 3min 24sec
ruclips.net/video/q3Em3fQbgbs/видео.html
Hi Guys, I'll be interested in what you think of the FP Saona 47, I'm a full time skipper on one in NZ, we've done about 2000 k miles since March last year, I do all the maintenance and improvements, remember ALL, yachts, even new one's need additional improvements to suite one's requirements.
Well done on your appraisals on all these cats, you both bring a fresh look at cruising, and bring your travelling into our homes, in my case, the yacht.
I personally prefer the 1260. For me, it actually feels "bigger" (actually, just more open). Plenty of space for my mind. And that hoisting door system... That's a game changer! Island Spirit open deck feeling with Seawind quality and speed... You guys are great, hope you find one you love!!!
you can't compare 42-45 vs 50+ they are another world
@@tihomirrasperic Direct comparison maybe not. Feature comparison? Try and stop me, sir. I might have to introduce to my friends, Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary!
@@Frindleeguy well its not fair battle against lagoon 42 vs 1260, they not same class
but lagoon 52F or 52S are match for 1260
because you have lagoon comfort and 52 is design for speed what its not usual for lagoon
@@tihomirrasperic The 1260 is SeaWind's 41'. This one in the video is the 1600. I think it's fair to compare a 41 vs a 42, even if one is more speed oriented than the other. The "give and take" is literally what comparisons were made for when seeking out a "which do I prefer". Those two 41 and 42 ft boats are often cross-shopped.
@@Frindleeguy sorry my fault, I mixt models
At 17:00 minutes, the scores you have up only add up to 41, not 42. The difference is the Value for Money score. At 17:00 you have it as 5, but earlier in the video you have it at 6. It is also 6 in your blog post, so 42 is probably the correct total. The 5 at 17:00 is probably just a brain fart, but thought I should tell you just in case you do actually need to change your final score.
My opinion, I'm just not a fan of any of these performance cats. I like the production ones better for me. But like you said, that's why they make different kinds of boats for different people!
I see your gaze....you really want this boat. Lovely, informative channel btw....and a equally compelling couple! Hope to see you out there in about a year.
Some very study engineering solutions, well thought out. Performance too which would ring any sailors bell. Nice review. Ant & cid xx
I love the Seawind 1260. Not as fast but seems more roomy and it’s very well thought out.
Galley down. Not great.
As for the embarrassing head sky light issue. Simply scuff the lexan with 220/400ish grit on an orbital sander. It will still let in all the light, but will be fully non-see-through. You can do the same thing by hand...
Sometimes the plastic is layered with some sort of UV filter / lacquers that make it last longer. Sanding may remove that layer and make it start loosing its properties over time (may become prone to cracking for example)
Very good presentation! I have been on the smaller Seawind 1250 and was really no impressed, seeing review of the 1600 may change my mind, this was a nice layout and actually had room for washer, very nice. A performance Cat is very susceptible to, too much baggage, need to be careful not to pack to much stuff on them. Thanks for the review.
I think that me and Terysa has one thing in common:
If the ventilation is bad, when it's hot, I feel like a penguin in the tropics.
I feel like that helm foot bar seems dangerous also the nav station outlets are under a hatch. Both are easily fixed but stood out to me. Beautiful boat. Thanks for sharing!
BZ you two, another great vid! I`d agree with your scoring apart from the rake angle of the forward windows. With no "eyebrow" they would let in huge amounts of heat. I did notice the glass looked tinted, what do you think?
You all planning on checking out any of the Bali catamarans? The garage door saloon and Catana group pedigree makes it at the top of our interest list - would love to see your ratings!
Hey mate, we haven’t reviewed the Bali as it is simply not designed for a circumnavigation. Amazing for island life, but not for us.
@@sailingrubyrose Definitely understand that. Still loving the series!
I love this boat. I’m so excited about seeing you guys transition to this kind of boat, whether it’s this one or another. I know you’ll make a good choice for “our” next boat. ;)
Awesome Jennifer, can’t wait to have you on board :)
The retractable daggerboards together with the retractable rudder make for a fantastic minimum draft of 54cm. Logically you contemplate about the protection of the saildrive at 22:20min. Looking at the lateral plan I get the impression that the hull is actually the deepest point, therefore protecting the saildrive. You could actually park it on a sandbank without compromising the saildrive :-) Pls correct me if I am wrong here. Thanx Oliver
One thing I wanted to add: A retractable rudder makes total sense to me. You can do away with the rudder in a shallow area and steer just with two engines alone.
it was obvious Nick already loved the boat, but as he was seated at the nav station.his face was.clearly saying: "why havent.we bought this. boat.already?!" again great review based on a.great reasoning.of wants, needs.and.experience
hahahaha if they step on Exquisite 5 they will be stunned with ship and price
I just noticed that the refrigerator door opens facing away from the galley. I would prefer the door to open facing into the galley. Are the hinges reversible?
Nick, it’s way over your budget. However, it is a beautiful boat. I’d love to see you guys in it. Cheers, Ted
Boy, what can I say.....this one is truly an ocean cruiser, awesome for liveaboards and the galley is perfect! I left my numbers on the app......great choice!
Thanks mate. Appreciate the scoring
Happy to help! Cheers to you both and on with the quest!! 🍷🍺🍺⛵🍺
It seems this might be the winner... I like the way you are approaching this evaluation and sharing w/ us. Thanks.
23kts is quite favourable- and I'd prefer quicker transit times. We've peaked racing a farrier tri owned by our captain at about 20kts- which is exhilarating. I'd like to know about the sail combination although looks to be an asymmetrical vs. traditional spin. Thanks for the dreams!
I just discovered your channel. I love it. Thank you for sharing with us the beautiful journey. All the best for the years to come! Stay happy and safe. Cheers from Toronto,Canada.
Hey! If You haven't looked at the Outremer Catamaran you should. They are fast. I think you will be surprised. I'm sure the price is more realistic. Good sailing mates. Shalom
Very excited emotive language throughout shows how difficult it is to be absolutely objective and how important your consistent scoring methodology is - did you leave the cat of your own volition or did you have to be escorted off when you got into your PJs ? :-)
Great review. My wife and I did the exact same comparison a year ago between the seawind 1600 ( which we viewed in Sardinia last June) and the outremer 51 but I would also add the Nautitech 542 to your list. Unlike the Nautitech 40 and the 46 the 542 is a semi custom boat. It’s polars are nearly identical to the seawind 1600 and they are similarly priced. Nautitech 542 is more expensive but it addresses the volume issues you highlighted with the seawind and that im sure you discovered with the outremer 51.
It’s all subjective though as our requirements needed to factor in our 3 kids bing on board so the volume was a biggger issue. All really nice boats though. Build slots are probably something you may need to consider....outremer was approx 2 year wait this time last year and seawind were around 16 months.
We ended up purchasing the Nautitech 542 which is currently in build and we will be picking up in around 8 weeks over in the Med ( we are from Australia)....so we are pretty excited!
Nautitech are using our boat at the Cannes boat show in September but we are onboard cruising Balearics, Sardinia and Corsica prior to that....if you’re in the area you’d be more than welcome to check our one out and compare. All the best with your purchase and keep the vids coming. Fun to live vicariously!
Beautiful boat great job on the review love it ...but for a nicer size master and some cool features the balance 526 has my vote above this one. cheers guys
really nice boat and great review. Glad you fully get the choice between performance and space/luxury. To this point one important factor you may need to look at is how much you can load the boat (that enclosed drawers while really nice touch screamed extra weight to me ;-). This figure is rarely mentioned in specs. Cats, and especially performant ones, are VERY sensitive to weight. Not so much for monos. they are much less sensitive, up to a point, to extra weight. If I remember well, space and capability to bring with you all the "toys" to fully enjoy the tropics was a primary motivation for you to look at catas. It would be nice if you could do a little research and find the overload specs for any of them. Again all cats will be more sensitive than monos. If a performant one looses performance, a more tame one may become a turtle...but their owners may not care that much.
One key figure is how many pounds of weight lowers the waterline 1 inch. You can do the calculations yourself but it takes time. Monohulls can carry a lot more weight. I agree on bringing toys. I would bring a seaplane on the back of a cat if I could, or something like a Melges 24. LOL.
I love your yacht reviews! So well done👍
Thanks for this review. I was at the boat show and bumped into you on the Outremer 59. I agree whole heartedly with you regarding the Seawind. It is a well thought out design and that is the reason I am so baffled by the saildrive as that is a real minus as is the single berth in the front. The other disadvantage of this catamaran is the sloping front windows, which can heat up the catamaran cabin quite considerable in the tropics. I hope you will do a review of the Ita Catamaran as well as that was the other one that I found impressive and didn’t have the sloping windows.
Love your reviews! First time I've seen a Seawind with a throw walkthrough. I like it! I like the fact you have two helms and the saloon has "semi-rounded" edges. The new FP, Lagoon, and Leopard don't (as you probably have seen). Thanks for sharing! 👍👍👍👍👍😍⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
So after watching all of the reviews, I think is the best one pound for pound. I would also probably rate the 1260 the best for it's price point as well. Seawind for me.
One point to also note is that there is a big difference between the materials on the Seawind and the Lagoon (balsa Core) vs Foam.
Gads I can't wait to go sailing on your new boat! I mean, from my office chair of course but still. Loved this boat the best so far from a landlubber's pov.
Hi,
I want to fully agree - one has to sail the cat. In the harbor everything may fine. At best would be to do a test drive in bad conditions.
The Seawind has a relativ small middle section (as I saw the mighty trampolines) - perhaps it behaves in big waves better than others. I had some annoying travel time when the wave crashed under the salon (and Nautitech: splashed in the cockpit + salon).
Also I would like to see Nick at the nav desk in harsh conditions - will the swivel hold his weight in the position he desired - or will he swing around?
Something I would request if you buy that: Drawers behind a door - that's annoying every day. They could shorten the doors and make the drawers deeper.
You told about bigger windows in the aft section - I would be afraid whether the larger windows will als be able to open.
What about cleaning the daggerboard housings? Critters growing inside? Monthly wipe-down of the inside is important so that the foils don't get stuck inside, up or down...!
No mate. We had a lifting keel. We had all manner of critters in there. Never caused an issue
Very nice boat and once again another amazing walk through. Cheers. While my wife and I do like a lot about the boat ( the galley being the best part ) We're still Lagoon people. Cheers and thanks for the video. And as always, safe passage.
Can't agree with you more about protected helm, with that said, have you considered Balance 482 or 526? They have what they call the "Versa Helm". On the other hand, the Balance yachts are a bit more costly than the ranges you have reviewed so far.