Pantaenius by Multihulls World

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www.hqhh.de 03/2015

Two hulls don´t mean double trouble!

Germany · Great Britain · Monaco · Denmark · Austria · Spain · Sweden · USA · Australia pantaenius.com

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EDITORIAL

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In almost 50 years of insuring yachtsmen all over the world, we have come across almost every imaginable type of vessel there is. Many of these encounters haveinspired us to develop and innovate our family business further, but the promise has always stayed the same “Come what may”.

For us, this means world-wide cover in any situation. We operate a 24 hour helpline and 11 offices on three continents run by a multilingual staff. Our fully controlled in-house claims department guarantees a fast and efficient claims handling when it is needed the most. And even in the most remote destinations, the Pantaenius network of 35.000 trusted partners knows the specialists who can help.

More than 80.000 owners put their trust in us by insuring their yacht, catamaran or superyacht with Pantaenius. Regardless of the construction, price or size, there is one thing they all have in common – gaps in insurance cover will ruin the most wonderful cruise, no matter what kind of vessel you are sailing.

We understand that multihulls offer great possibilities but also come with certain requirements that need to be taken into account when thinking about the right insurance. This is why our staff consists of sailors, motor boat drivers, naval engineers, lawyers and many more who are not only professionals, but truly understand the needs of our clients.

The Pantaenius approach has always been to provide yacht enthusiasts with the highest possible level of service and support without limiting them in their individual dream of yachting, be it on a chartered Cruising Trimaran in the Caribbean or on a Power Cat along the coast of Istria.

In association with Multihulls-World, we have developed this magazine to show our support for the flourishing scene of multihull friends around the globe. The selection of articles features safety aspects - a real matter of the heart for Pantaenius- as well as useful tips on cruising or charter areas and howto buy a multihull. We also want to encourage everybody who has been flirting with the idea of trying a multihull for a long time but never have. Laurent Bourgnon shows us that not only for sailing enthusiasts, there is a whole world of fascinating opportunities to discover. We at Pantaenius would be pleased to assist you in doing so.

Sincerely, Anna Baum

On the cover: photo Catana / James Kell

Pantaenius Managing Director

Pantaenius Yacht Insurance - World-wide office contacts:

Pantaenius Germany Phone +49 40 37 09 10 yacht@pantaenius.com www.pantaenius.de

Pantaenius Monaco Phone +377 97 70 12 00 monaco@pantaenius.com www.pantaenius.fr

Pantaenius Australia Phone +61-(0)2-9936 1670 info@pantaenius.com.au www.pantaenius.com.au

Pantaenius UK Phone +44 17 52 22 36 56 info@pantaenius.co.uk www.pantaenius.co.uk

Pantaenius Spain Phone +34 971 70 86 70 jp@pantaenius.com www.pantaenius.es

Pantaenius Sweden Phone +46 40 20 66 60 info@pantaenius.se www.pantaenius.se

Pantaenius Denmark Phone +45 97 51 33 88 info@pantaenius.dk www.pantaenius.dk

Pantaenius America Phone +1(914) 381-2066 cwiener@pantaenius.com www.pantaenius.com

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TRANSATLANTIC A Transat is often a lifelong dream: following the sun across the Atlantic…

As it does every four years, the Route du Rhum has re-awoken your dreams of heading over the horizon, and crossing the Atlantic. Your childhood dream is revisiting your nights, but maybe not just while you’re asleep. A break from the routine, leaving the path between university and retirement, to at least once in your life, hoist the sails and let slip the lines! OK, so this famous Transatlantic, which can be as enjoyable as it can be worrisome: how should it be approached?

With the family or singlehanded? Join a rally or do it with friends? There will be a solution for you.

There’s no excuse not to go.

Text: François Trégouët - Photos: DR

A TRANSATLANTIC CROSSING

À LA CARTE

o you’ve decided you’re going to do it. Your beautiful multihull has been pottering up and down your local coast for the past three seasons.

Sure, you’ve had a great time, but wasn’t your boat designed, dreamed about and bought because you wanted to go further afield? The little builder’s plate on the hull reminds you every day: Design Category A - Trans-ocean! So now the kids have grown up and you’ve got sufficient hindsight in your professional life to take a little time off. You have to go. Whether from East to West to enjoy the winter sun in the West Indies, or from West to East to make the most of the charms available to you on the old continent, at its best in the summer, the plan is the same. For best results, unless you are a complete masochist or totally

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reckless, it is imperative to respect the seasons: leave in November for the New World, mid-May if heading for Europe.

Within the timeframe, geographical wandering is proportional to your available time. If you are heading West, the big jump can reasonably be undertaken from the Canaries, but also the Cape Verde Islands or Senegal can have their advantages. For one thing, a visit there means you can set off later in the season and from further south, and for another, you have more chance of picking up the famous tradewinds. Hoist the kite when you’re at the latitude of the Cape Verdes, and drop it again as you pass between St.Lucia and Martinique! Coming in the opposite direction, the route is almost imposed upon you. The Azores are an unmissable crui-

sing crossroads, where Mediterranean fans go one way and those bound for the Europe’s Atlantic coast head the other. So the closer you get to departure day, the more fundamental questions there will be bouncing around in your head. Will the family cope with the distance and the time? Would I be better to go single-handed, and have them join me by air when I get there? Would it be better to ask one or two sailing friends to come along and share the watches and their experience, particularly if the going gets tough? Or what about joining a rally, to reassure everybody? In short, you no longer know where you are, or what to do. It’s time to weigh up all the pros and cons of the different options.

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WITH THE FAMILY

SINGLE-HANDED

If you feel that you missed out on your children growing up, if your relationship with your partner isn’t what it once was, a Transat is a quick way of catching up!

Twelve, fifteen, twenty days at the slow rhythm of the swell and the wind, with nothing to do other than share the experience. Of course there will be some stressful moments, but they will be quickly forgotten among all the happy moments: a sunset, a conversation, an enjoyable piece of music, a close game of cards or a watch change…

Talking of watches, don’t hesitate to get the children involved. The youngest can take the easiest watch, say 09001100 for example. If you sleep, it will be with one eye open of course, but it gives them responsibility, and might allow you to get a little rest.

Aristotle reckoned there are three kinds of people. Well I reckon there are two kinds of single-handers. The willing, and those doing it out of necessity. The former will have been dreaming of it all their lives, following the great single-handed races, and wanting, in their own way, to enjoy this magical experience at least once in their lives… Also in this category we find those pragmatists who have regrettably transformed their adventure of a lifetime into…divorce! And then on the West to East route, the weather conditions are not always so favorable, and here you find the largest number of the “un-willing”. Your catamaran, so often full of friends from near and far, is suddenly empty! Fortunately you know your boat like the back of your hand. It is perfectly reliable and well-equipped. Autopilot, AIS, radar, Iridium phone, weather routing from ashore, EPIRB and PLB are all tools which reassure you as much as those at home. A little more preparation in advance, anticipation of the route, and it’ll be a pleasure to arrive at your destination!

Pluses:

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An experience which brings the family closer together

A magical apprenticeship for the children ● You can organize the watches so everyone gets enough sleep ●

Minuses:

Relationships need to be healthy before setting off, otherwise there’s a risk of implosion! ● With very young children on board, the watches seem to come round more quickly, and tiredness with them ● Schoolwork can be difficult with younger children

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Minuses:

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What if you really don’t want all the weight on your shoulders of an ultimate solo adventure? Your family complains that the watches come round too often? Don’t panic. When you’ve got a beautiful multihull like yours, there will always be lots of volunteers wanting to join you en route to your dream destination. The list of potential candidates is long: sailing friends, work colleagues, childhood friends, your kids’ friends, your brothers, sisters, parents… One thing to avoid though, is taking on someone you hardly know, or worse, don’t know at all, or someone with whom you don’t already have a perfectly harmonious relationship. I’ve lost count of the number of horror stories I’ve heard where crew have been hired on the dock or via a crewing agency, and have ended up locking themselves in their cabin, sometimes after less than 48 hours at sea. The confined space of a boat can heighten even the smallest of tensions.

Sharing the enjoyment of a Transat with several of those closest to you ● With more crew, the watches are shorter and the unpleasant jobs can be shared.

Minuses: ● With crew from varying backgrounds, it can be harder to maintain the right atmosphere Avoiding chancers, the inexperienced and the carefree is not always easy at first glance

Proper watch-keeping means broken sleep, and therefore more fatigue ● Doesn’t an adventure such as crossing an ocean deserve to be shared? ● More preparation and equipment required

ON A RALLY Here’s an option which has been quietly experiencing exceptional growth in recent years.

As evidence of this, the most famous among them, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) has at least 250 entrants. Their organization is very professional, and by its very nature, sailing as part of a fleet is reassuring for even the most anxious. Even better, as the numbers increase, the departures are from different ports, the routes have different options, and there are more destinations.

As there are many different rally organizers, the choice is truly vast!

A reassuring environment, where the only issue can be that there has to be a fixed departure date, which can expose you to weather conditions which might not always be the most favorable.

Pluses:

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Living the lifestyle of the great single-handed sailors we dream about ● No crew to manage or family arguments ● The simplicity of the concept

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WITH FRIENDS

Pluses:

Pluses:

Minuses:

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Reassuring presence of many participants

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Professional organization, structure and assistance

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A bit of performance rivalry with the other participants

Entry costs can be high, and the equipment requirements can be onerous ● 250 boats in a single bay can totally alter the place ● You can’t choose your departure date, which means that you can’t choose your weather ●

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Where: Scandinavia When: In summer, unless you have an ice yacht.

How: The Stockholm archipelago offers one of the most beautiful playgrounds in the Baltic Sea, with around 30,000 islands of all sizes (!!!). The best for a weekend, or more if you have affinities.

The good idea: Don’t hesitate to leave before or after the season: the weather is cooler, but the mosquitoes are much less aggressive.

CHARTER Where: Brittany When: All the year round for hardliners, otherwise the summer period is much more suitable for cruising.

How: A wish to go cruising, and you can quickly be there for the weekend. Enough to invigorate you and recharge your batteries. But the Golfe du Morbihan deserves a week’s visit in summer...

The good idea: To call in to Lorient with your boat (submarine base), and discover all the oceanracing multihulls on the pontoons... An exceptional moment for all enthusiasts.

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Where: French Polynesia When: All the year round, with a predilection for the period from March to October.

How: At the time of Cook or Bougainville, it took years to be lucky enough to sail there.

Today, the ideal is to envisage 2 weeks, to experience the ultimate adventure in the tracks of the Bounty mutineers...

The good idea: Dare to leave the protection of the lagoons and to sail on the Pacific to see a new island appearing on the horizon. Magic!

Where: Baja California When: The best period for fishing is from June to October.

To be lucky enough to see whales and their young, you must go there in February.

How: Swimming amongst whales, cruising in a desert, deserves at least a week...

No less!

The good idea: The Gulf of California contains 922 islands. More than enough to find the most beautiful anchorages...

Where: The Bahamas When: All the year round, but the best is from February (a bit cool) to June. The summer is hot and wet. Beware of hurricanes from August onwards.

How: A minimum of one week’s sailing in the Bahamas, and you will be happy.

The dream: two weeks, enough to explore a tiny part of the 700 islands and small islands of the Bahamas.

The good idea: If you live in Florida, don’t hesitate to go there for the weekend…

2 Where: Corsica Sardinia - Sicily When: From the end of April until mid-October.

How: If you live in Europe, a weekend allows you to relax completely. But the cruising area and the sheer beauty of the places mean that it is well worth spending one to three weeks here.

The good idea: To be enjoyed at the end of the season. In October, the water is still warm (you can go swimming) and all the anchorages deserted!

Where: The West Indies When: From December to the end of August How: For a minimum of one week; the destination deserves to be visited for 2 or 3 weeks, and then...revisited! And it is above all the ideal place to spend a sabbatical year The good idea: Cruising in June: it is much cheaper and just as beautiful (and you will be alone in the anchorages).

Where: Greece - Turkey When: From the end of April until the end of October.

How: The most beautiful cruising area in the world, since the days of Ulysses, deserves to be visited again and again...

The good idea: We all have our favourite island. The chief editor’s is Arki. If you stop there, go and say hello to Manolis from us; you will eat the best tomatoes in the world there!

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Where: The Maldives When: The Maldives can be enjoyed all the year round: the temperatures vary between 26° C and 32° C… The best!

How: There are no direct flights from Europe or the USA. You will therefore generally stopover in Dubai, Doha or Sri Lanka. Note that the arrival at the only airport in the world to be built on a lagoon is wonderful… Ten days minimum to enjoy this destination to the full.

The good idea: Leave with a good mask and fins: you will spend more time under the water than on it…

WHERE, WHEN, HOW, GOOD IDEAS FOR CHARTERING A CAT...

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So, you’ve decided?

For your next holidays, you will be leaving as a family, with friends, or even as a couple, in a cat... Good idea! You will be able to enjoy an exceptional holiday. But where are you going to go? When? And for how long?

A little trip round our blue planet to take stock of the ‘cat’ destinations...

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8 9 Where: The Seychelles When: All the year round… Life’s good, isn’t it?

How: A dream week around Mahé’s islands will delight even the most blasé of cruisers.

The ultimate cruise!

The good idea: Arriving early in the small port of La Digue, to get a berth and enjoy life, quite simply...

Where: Madagascar When: During the dry season, from April to October.

How: For certain professionals, who have roamed the most beautiful destinations in the world, this is the last paradise still accessible. A minimum of 15 days will be necessary to enjoy it to the full.

The good idea: Madagascar is a paradise for sport fishing; don’t leave without your equipment...

Where: Thaïland When: From November to May. How: From one week to cruise around Phuket or the wonders of the Gulf of Thailand, to three weeks to discover the Andaman Sea... In any case, you will return won over by the kindness and the welcome of the inhabitants of Thailand.

The good idea: Don’t hesitate to lose yourself in the lanes of the villages, and dare to go and eat in the little restaurants, the food is always tasty!

Where: New Caledonia When: New Caledonia is called “the island of eternal spring”; you can therefore sail here all the year round, but the best period is from September to November...

How: A coral reef 1600 km long: enough for you to imagine the possible cruises and the number of anchorages available... Taking into account the distance to reach the area, three weeks on the spot is the ideal The good idea: Cruising on the biggest lagoon in the world, no more, no less!

Where: Australia – Great Barrier Reef When: From April to October.

How: Discovering the Great Barrier Reef easily deserves from 1 to 3 weeks. Enough to roam the 74 large and small islands of the Whitsundays.

The good idea: More than anywhere else, you mustn’t hesitate to go and discover the interior of the country.

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SAFETY & TRAINING

From eight years old, and even younger, children must know how to handle the boat. They love it, and it’s a real ‘plus’ for their safety!

Before launching yourself onto the oceans, don’t hesitate to get some training, and sail again and again, to acquire the right reactions...

SAFETY and TRAINING for blue

water cruising

What could be better than going blue-water cruising as a family, accompanied by your loved ones? But before embarking all these people dear to you to cross the oceans, are you certain you have the ability? How do you prepare for it? Which courses should you attend?

A little overview, before the big departure...

TO BE OR NOT TO BE...COMPETENT! Before taking the decision to leave, and often even until the end of their voyage, most skippers taking their family to the other side of the world ask themselves if they have the ability, and if they are not taking foolhardy risks. And let’s be clear about this, those people who don’t ask themselves questions about safety when ocean cruising shouldn’t really be afloat...

Risk is inherent in a voyage. It’s a fact. But the experience of the magazine’s readers shows that dramatic accidents are extremely rare and almost always the result of a succession of

unforeseeable events, and poor reactions by the crew. Hence the importance of leaving with a well-prepared boat and a well-trained crew.

TRAINING YOURSELF AND TRAINING THE CREW The good news is that here at the magazine, we have lost count of the number of families who had never sailed before, but set off on (and returned from) an Atlantic, Mediterranean or West Indian circuit with no problems, and thoroughly enjoyed their voyage. There is no need to have started sailing as a youngster and to

have served your time in Optimists or Hobie 16s, or to have won prizes in the most prestigious ocean races, to be able to envisage taking your family to the other side of the ocean. The important thing, even if you are starting from zero, is to get suitable training, and also to train your crew. Because if there is only one person aboard capable of handling the boat, the slightest problem can have serious consequences.

This is why most cruising schools insist on training the whole crew, including the children.

Thus everyone is capable of reacting in the

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How do you react in a case like that, with a cargo ship a few meters away?

Good training is essential.

Among other things, safety courses allow you to learn how to fire a distress flare, or experience ‘for real’ the man overboard maneuvers. Essential experience for understanding why you must wear a harness aboard!

different critical situations which can arise, such as the start of a fire, a (wo)man overboard, or quite simply to let the skipper rest after a hard night, if it’s just a question of taking in a reef or anchoring when you arrive in the bay of your dreams... The idea here is to allow everyone to be independent, and as a minimum, to be able to recover a man overboard, furl and hoist the sails, anchor, plot a course and of course, call for help. And the only way to get a grasp of your subject is to practice! So before embarking the family for a voyage lasting several months, you and the rest of your crew must sail very regularly. The best idea is to buy a small boat – a sport cat would do the job perfectly – which will serve for training and putting into practice the lessons learnt on your courses. That should be enough to occupy your weekends and holidays in the year before your departure! Sailing on a sport cat is particularly useful, as you will learn the most, and in the best way possible, about using and understanding you future cruiser.

How do you manage the daggerboards, if your future cat is equipped with them? And is it best to have a spinnaker or a gennaker? All the literature in the world will never replace your experience aboard a cat, when it comes to making informed choices.

And to gain experience, you must go sailing.

There are several possibilities for training yourself to sail a cruising multihull.

Firstly, you can call on the services of a genuine cruising school, equipped with catamarans. Ideally, you should choose one where you will be sailing on a boat similar to the one in your dreams. This will allow you to validate your choice, and to get your bearings more easily.

There are then several possible options, from a weekend course to a full week, with several other trainees, or with the boat to yourselves, and

even, why not, for a transat... The aim is, depending on your starting level, to get you to the wonderful, much-envied status of ‘skipper’, and thus independence... Note that most sailing schools divide their courses into three levels, from ‘introduction’ to ‘ocean sailing’.

Another solution: you have already bought your boat, and now you have to get to know it. Whatever your sailing experience, setting off in a boat you are not familiar with is no picnic. You are therefore strongly advised to call on a professional skipper, who will be able to help you get the measure of your new boat, and will accompany you for as long as it takes for you to be perfectly comfortable with the boat and its equipment. From experience, crews leaving from Europe with a skipper generally abandon him or her in the Canaries, certain that they have become independent, and with a good knowledge of their subject.

Finally, there is the most frequent case of people who have already sailed quite a lot in monohulls, but want to reassure themselves and validate their choice of changing to a multihull. In this case, the simplest solution is to charter with a skipper, asking the charter company specifically for a skipper who is a good teacher, capable of teaching you all you need to know.

It’s simple, effective, and will allow you to combine something useful (learning) with something pleasant (the holidays).

What more could you ask for?

PREPARING SAFETY ABOARD Zero risk does not exist; this is a fact. You would therefore be totally irresponsible, and thus a very poor skipper, if you didn’t imagine critical situations aboard your boat.

Here again, the only solution to acquiring the right reactions consists of putting yourself in the real-life situation. Again, it is essential to follow certain particularly rewarding courses. To assess and understand the risks when cruising, there are numerous courses organized either by rescue services, leisure sailing associations, or even

THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON’T ASK THEMSELVES QUESTIONS ABOUT SAFETY WHEN OCEAN CRUISING SHOULDN’T REALLY BE AFLOAT...

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YOUR SAFETY AT SEA RESTS ON A TRIPOD: THE BOAT, THE CREW, THE SEA. DETERIORATION OF ONE OF ITS ELEMENTS MUST LEAD YOU TO CALL INTO QUESTION YOUR CURRENT PASSAGE.

Before setting off on a long-term voyage, a medical course is strongly recommended. It is essential to know the actions which can save lives!

safety equipment distributors (for example, the ISAF survival courses organized by the MCV or the CEPIM in France are worthwhile). You will be reminded of heavy weather maneuvers, the operation of the search and rescue services, prevention of man overboard incidents, as well as how to inflate a liferaft or fire a distress flare.

Always useful, because if you have the misfortune to have to do it for real, you certainly won’t have time to read the instructions.

Regarding safety, an original idea consists of playing out in advance the worst things that could happen to you when cruising. All the questions must be asked; there must be no superstitions or taboos concerning

safety. Each person’s fears can then be analyzed in the calm and the warmth of the saloon. The answers you come up with, over and above reassuring the crew, will be the tools that if it proves necessary, will certainly allow you to avoid the worst Finally, don’t worry. You made the right choice when you decided on a catamaran.

A US Navy study showed that beyond 15° of heel, the crew loses a part of its abilities exponentially for every degree of heel. Cats therefore help to maintain a good level of reactivity, and thus safety. QED! Your safety at sea rests on a tripod – the boat, the crew, and the sea. Deterioration of one of its elements must lead you to call into question the current passage. It is therefore important to know how to maintain your boat, to manage your crew, their skills and their health well, and finally to anticipate the development of your environment – weather, current, depth of water, coasts...

THE ESSENTIAL COURSES When considering ocean cruising, it is unthinkable to imagine going to sea without a good knowledge of the famous tripod on which your safety rests. You must therefore be able to maintain and repair your boat, look after your crew, and understand your environment.

Certain engine manufacturers or leisure sailors’ associations offer engine maintenance courses. This is a very useful course to do before you set off, to avoid finding yourself stuck in a lagoon on the other side of the world with a simple breakdown...that you don’t know how to repair. During these courses, you will also receive some useful advice on the spare parts to have aboard,

which will avoid you having to wait for a common part in an unpleasant harbor on the other side of the world. Over and above safety, knowing how to maintain and/or repair the comfort elements which have become essential aboard our cruising boats – watermaker - plumbing or electrical elements – fridge, etc – will allow you to stay at anchor and enjoy life, rather than desperately searching for the approved repairer in a remote corner of the Pacific.

When cruising the oceans, a small scratch can easily deteriorate if it is not treated correctly immediately. A medical course is therefore strongly advised, and will above all reassure everyone. Essential!

Finally, the last point which is essential to your project’s effective stability is your environment. Meteorology is a subtle art, and you are advised to have a good knowledge of it when ocean cruising. You must be able to understand the weather files received aboard, as well as to interpret them correctly, then know how to analyze them according to your own observations.

As the sea remains a hostile environment which is by its nature unpredictable, you should provide standby systems, as apart from on our own coasts, it will rarely be enough to send a 'mayday' on channel 16 to get out of a critical situation. Redundancy will therefore begin with your own skills!

Have a thorough knowledge of all the features of your GPS receiver, but remain aware of its limits. This implies knowing how to carry out coastal navigation using alignments, with the handbearing compass, a string and a chart, as well as being able to read the nautical landscape, maintain dead reckoning, and plot your position using astro-navigation when crossing the oceans.

Other fundamentals are boat preparation and safety. Here again, over and above good nautical common sense, a good course is more than useful!

Faced with a modern engine, we are often lost. Yet nothing is easier to repair, when you have the parts, the tools and the knowledge...

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A good way of combining something useful with something pleasant: chartering a cat with a skipper who is a good teacher...

Notes Fire To get a good grasp of your subject, you mustn’t hesitate to carry out the same maneuver dozens of times; here, coming alongside.

This means following a suitable training course, as placing all your trust in a computer, no matter how recent, is not possible when blue-water cruising...

In this respect, nowadays everyone navigates using digital technology. It is essential to learn about the use of the program, as well as the computer tool. Keep a paper log book, and have a RAID mirror backup, or an automatic backup to an external hard disk of your track, the digital log book and obviously, your digital charts. You will be taught all these ‘tricks’ in all good sailing schools, aboard, or now also on the internet.

First aid Get first-aid training so you can react correctly, notably in the case of: - Suffocation, caused by something ‘going down the wrong way’, or an obstruction of the airway, - Difficult or non-existent breathing, - Heavy bleeding, - Loss of consciousness, with breathing, - Heart attack.

And to go a bit further, if you are envisaging a long-term voyage, do the ISAF medical course (compulsory for ocean racers).

Finally, for those of you planning to visit areas where hardly anyone is trained in these actions, your knowledge, no matter how basic, can help the populations you encounter

Computers aren’t the only thing in life... Knowing how to prepare your route and organize the navigation is an art which you are advised to learn.

BECOMING A GOOD CAPTAIN Being a good Captain, capable of sailing fast and far is not enough when bluewater cruising. You must also, and even above all, be able to listen to the needs and wishes of the other members of the family, and give them their real importance. Life aboard a boat can be stressful for those who aren’t used to it, and there is no point in adding to this stress. Even – and especially – in an emergency, shouting is prohibited aboard, and the skipper’s calmness, even if it is only a pretense, is essential for everyone’s safety.

Last, but not least, (and I'm talking as a specialist), there’s no point in waiting for a mutiny by the crew to change your plans.

Everyone must be able to put forward their point of view, even the youngsters...

And decisions must be taken by a vote, so that everyone feels involved in the family adventure.

This (along with a man overboard) is the worst thing that can happen on a boat, because our modern boats burn in just a few minutes...

Fire most often starts following a lack of attention, for example a tea towel falling onto the stove, oil which catches fire, etc. It is therefore important to position the extinguishers so that they are immediately accessible, whatever the origin of the fire: in the galley, of course, but also near the outside barbecue, the engines, the cabins... You must then learn how to use them. Beware, there is a limited amount of product present in the extinguishers, so don’t delay. It will only last a few seconds. Remember to aim for the base of the fire, whilst remaining as far as possible with your back to the wind. Do we have to point out: an extinguisher must be serviced regularly...

Man overboard The worst thing that can happen aboard, along with fire. If someone falls overboard, he or she must shout to warn the others. In all cases, it is essential not to lose sight of them during the time it takes to return to them. To lift the person back on board, and if he or she is not wearing a harness, tie a loop in the end of a halyard (often the spinnaker halyard) so it can be passed around their waist.The crew member can then be hoisted aboard the boat using a winch. It is very useful to have practiced the maneuver with your crew...

Flares There are several types of pyrotechnic distress flares. According to feedback from certain of our readers, some brands are better than others. Prefer the major brands, even if they are a bit more expensive. In theory, you will start by firing the old flares which are still aboard. However be careful: the same feedback from readers seems to show that out of date flares don’t work as well, and can even be dangerous. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to keep stocks of out of date flares aboard. For me, they do not have to be on board...

Evacuation You must only get into a liferaft as a last resort. Holed, upside down, or even flooded, a multihull will remain more comfortable than your liferaft. However, if you have any doubts, you can inflate the liferaft, tie it securely to the boat and remain ready to embark.

In theory a multihull is unsinkable, and is supposed to remain afloat whatever happens. This does not exempt you from having a serviced liferaft aboard, in good condition!

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BEFORE BUYING

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The questions to ask yourself before buying This time, it's for real: you've finally taken the decision to become the proud owner of a beautiful multihull. Catamaran, trimaran, sail or motor? Whether you want it to take you around the world or to the starting line, here are a few important questions that you should ask yourself before you fall for what will inevitably be ‘the most beautiful boat ever’

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WHICH BOAT SUITS MY NEEDS?

1

This is of course the very first question you should ask yourself: does this boat which I like so much correspond to my needs?

Multihulls have been built in long production runs for around thirty years now, and we have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to the plusses and minuses of our favourite boats.

Dangerous and/or poorly built boats disappeared from the pontoons and the boat shows a long time ago. When a reader questions us about his ideal boat, we usually reply that there are no longer any bad boats... but there are many which don’t correspond to his needs!

The most blatant example was that of a family which wanted to set off and sail around the Atlantic on a catamaran that was about 40 feet long, designed to sail fast and with absolutely no load-carrying capacity. But it was only financial considerations which had dictated their choice; this particular boat was the only brand new one that the family could afford in the buyer’s guide which we bring out every year... It took us a long time to convince the couple that a good, second-hand boat, which of course would not have just come out of the boatyard, but would be capable of taking the family safely across the ocean, was a much better option.

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NEW OR SECOND-HAND?

As we have touched on the subject of price, this is the second question to ask yourself: is it better to buy a new or a second-hand catamaran? Obviously, each option has its advantages. By buying a new boat, you can choose the boat of your dreams, know the delivery date in advance, and add all the options you consider necessary.

Finally, and this is a crucial point, more advantageous financing possibilities exist for new boats.

A second-hand boat has a major advantage: it is available immediately, and is already equipped. A good service and you're away! Finally, a second-hand boat will always be cheaper than a new boat, especially if it has the same equipment.

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HOW DO YOU LIKE TO CRUISE?

We often forget this side of things; however it is certainly one of the primary questions.

So, do you like to sail fast and enjoy ‘playing’ with the lines?

Are you someone who enjoys tinkering? Or on the other hand, do you like to let yourself be carried along by the wind, and just enjoy life? There are just the two of you onboard and your other half is loath to get involved, or on the contrary, you are both prepared to have a go at anything? Depending on your answers to these questions, your choices of boat will inevitably be diametrically opposed. And you must be totally honest when weighing up what you like doing and how you like and want to sail. There is actually nothing harder to live with when blue-water cruising than a sporty boat if you aren't a speed fanatic, and nothing more boring than a boat on which there is nothing to do, when you enjoy steering and trimming!

Don't forget also that you need to take into account how things can change naturally. For example, the fact that we are all getting older, or the ‘tropicalization’ of sailors on a round the world trip. The best example of this was a former Mini-Transat sailor, who, during his second Atlantic crossing with his family aboard their catamaran, quite simply never hoisted the mainsail...

WHAT'S YOUR PLAN?

4

As we have seen above, your choice of boat is closely linked to the trip that you are planning. So, what is your plan?

A three-year round the world trip, or a five-year cruise round the West Indies? Are the Patagonian canals, Spitsbergen or Alaska on your itinerary? Or will you be remaining in the tropics? Are you leaving for one year or ten? Because over and above the boat’s intrinsic ability to take you where you want to go, knowing the duration of your voyage is essential, in order to be able to re-sell your boat for a good price, and thus not lose (too much) money on your adventure...

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HOW DO I NOT LOSE TOO MUCH MONEY?

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To date, we have not yet discovered the system which allows you to buy a boat and then make money on the resale...

Between the preparation and the maintenance, owning a boat has a cost, which mustn’t be neglected. On the other hand, you can optimize your purchase, so as to avoid losing too much money when re-selling. How? A second-hand boat over 8 years old with the same equipment and in the same condition. will hardly lose any more value over the next few years. A good second-hand boat could therefore just cost you the price of its maintenance.

But you must buy carefully – at the market price – and not be in too much of a hurry when re-selling. And then there is the endless question of financing.

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WHICH METHOD OF FINANCING SHOULD I CHOOSE? Here we touch on an area which concerns finance specialists more than nautical industry professionals.

But it is worth knowing that there are various systems for purchasing a catamaran or a trimaran. You can of course pay cash; this is a simple and straightforward way, but not necessarily the most economical! You can also sign a leasing contract (and in certain cases obtain reduced rates of VAT), thus creating expenses (the rent) which a company owning the boat will be able to deduct... Charter-management allows you to pay only a part of the price of the boat, but you can only use it for part of the time. Be careful not to forget when doing the calculation that the income linked to the charter-management is also taxable.

Then there is co-ownership, a system the Anglo-Saxons call ‘a syndicate’, which is growing in popularity all over the world. Why pay 100% of the cost and maintenance of a boat when you only use it for just 20 – 30% of the time?

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3 WHEN AND WHERE TO BUY?

Here again, everything depends on your programme..

If you are leaving as a family for one or several sabbatical years, you will probably be leaving at the end of the school year. That usually means at the end of June or the beginning of July. You will need to have been in possession of your boat for at least four to six months prior to leaving, in order to equip and prepare it appropriately for the voyage. You will therefore have to order from the builder almost a year in advance, in the case of a new boat.

The ideal situation is to take advantage of the autumn boat shows. If you are looking for a second-hand boat, you will need to trawl the classified ads in magazines and on the internet for a good year before your departure date... The best option of course is to find a family coming to the end of its own voyage, and to buy the boat before it has even completed its trip. Be careful however not to assume that a boat really will be ‘ready to go’, as we see all too often in the advertisements. Every boat requires thorough preparation before you can even think of setting off again to cruise the oceans.

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HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET? When you buy a new boat, there is the basic price, and...

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the price of the same boat ready to set off around the world. On paper, there is no limit to what you can spend preparing the boat, but having discussed the subject with readers of this magazine, we reckon that on average you should expect to spend around 20% of the pre-tax price to have a boat which is ‘ready to go’. However, if you liberally pick and choose from the builder’s options catalogue, or if you can’t resist a carbon mast, or an option for two owner’s hulls that was not initially planned for by the builder at the start, or any other customisation then the price can rise rapidly.

It's clear that there are few rules when it comes to equipment, and everyone is free to leave with the equipment which they judge to be essential.

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yourself of fresh water?

As you will see on pages 70 and 71 of this magazine, your Do you like racing? Are you an choice of dinghy is vitally important. It is your link with the adrenaline junkie when you're on land, the most-used object aboard, and certainly the one the water? that suffers the most wear and tear.... A poor choice of dinIf so, you will want to choose a set of sails which maximise ghy can make your cruise really unpleasant, so it really does your vessel's performance. You will therefore be doing your merit careful consideration. Finally, if there is one piece of shopping at the sailmakers, and will possibly spend more equipment not to be neglected, it is the anchor and its rode. on fittings and rigging.

Those of you who have spent nights anchoring and reFor blue water cruising, it is a different dynamic. anchoring their catamaran because the wind has changed Firstly, there is the essential equipment. The automatic pilot direction, or because the damned anchor won’t hold on the will very quickly become your kind of seabed found in your bay, will best friend. Moreover it has such understand what I mean... an essential role when sailing that All that remains is the ‘optional’ equipTHE AUTOMATIC PILOT most sailors don’t hesitate to give ment, which you must consider careWILL VERY QUICKLY it a name. Without it, you will be fully. Each additional option requires glued to the helm for endless energy to make it work, maintenance, BECOME YOUR hours, thus turning the cruise into and therefore money. It’s up to you to BEST FRIEND a real chore... We won’t mention make an informed decision. Do freethe electronics here, as this has zers, generators, microwave ovens and become such an obvious choice washing machines really have a place aboard our boats, whether for the GPS or the electronic aboard? It is up to each person to decide, according to their charts, the log/speedo/anemometer or the various alarms wishes and ability... which warn you that the anchor is dragging whilst you The other essential choice: the sails! Asymmetric spinnaker, sleep, or that there is an intruder aboard... And the wateror gennaker? And what about the code 0, and the Parasailor maker? There are things to be said on both sides of the type downwind sails? Should you choose a staysail, for argument, but when blue water cruising, the watermaker is safety? And here we won’t even mention the material an extraordinary machine which allows you to stay anchored (Dacron – Hydranet or 3DL or D4 membranes), which for as long as you want. It must be said that when cruising, makes the choice even more complicated. Yet in terms fresh water is crucial, especially when you know that you of pleasure and performance, the sails are at least as must allow 4 litres of water per person per day. Nowadays, essential as the hulls or the keels/daggerboards... so don't with some good solar panels and in a sunny climate, neglect them and choose carefully... modern multihulls are energy self-sufficient: so why deprive

WHAT EQUIPMENT?

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED CHARTERING?

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The last option to consider before taking the plunge and purchasing your future boat is chartering?

Depending upon the circumstances, charter remains a very good deal. If you sail for less than four or five weeks a year, and even in the case of a sabbatical year, chartering can be advantageous. Beware however, because the choices of boat and equipment will not necessarily be as clear cut.

So, this time it's for real? You have the answers to all of your questions , and you're feeling confident. You know which is the right boat for you, how you are going to finance it and how it will be equipped. All that remains is to buy it, and enjoy your new life afloat to the full. Happy sailing!

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POWER CATAMARANS Jambo in her original form

We met

Laurent Bourgnon, a real power cat

enthusiast As power catamarans seem to be making a comeback, shaking up the design teams, we talk to a former sailing champion and well-respected authority on the matter about his experiences.

Back in 2008 we had spent a couple of days with Laurent Bourgnon and his family at Port Camargue, France, during the preparation of the Sunreef 70, “Jambo”. The future expedition catamaran had just been on display at Cannes after arriving there from its shakedown delivery from the shipyard at Gdansk in the Baltic. Six years have since passed and we made the most of Laurent being at the last Cannes Boat Show to catch up, and have a look with hindsight at how he had got on, and if he had any ideas which could be incorporated into future models in the series. The first mate’s opinions have not been left out either!

Philippe Echelle - Photos: Laurent Bourgnon and DR

REVIEW: 6 YEARS ON BOARD JAMBO A champion’s passion: research and development It’s in his blood! The twice-winner of the Route du Rhum and holder for 10 years of every category of single-handed 24 hour speed records is fanatical about helming, but also putting extreme vessels into action. After going over to the dark side of family motor-cruising, his passion for the challenge remains the same. Half a circumnavigation later (via the Patagonian channels), “Jambo” is now being used professionally as a diving expedition vessel based out of Tahiti and operating in Polynesia’s Leeward Islands (Raiatea and Maupiti) and the Windward Islands (the Tuamotus, Australs and Marquesas), before continuing on westwards. Already well set-up from the start, the prototype Sunreef 70 has undergone two further evolutionary stages, the latter requiring six months work in New Zealand. This latest phase, described by Laurent as being economically difficult to justify were it not

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for its specific use also bears witness to his taste for technical challenges.

This little “wandering dive school” provides excellent accommodation and top of the range equipment, and its reputation extends beyond Polynesia’s boundaries (the reconnaissance for James Cameron’s future sub-marine work was done on board!). What’s more, she is championing levels of economy (for a 60 ton vessel), and is gaining respect in all her areas of development.

3 STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Phase 1: The evolution of a prototype As we reported in our test in 2009, this was conceived as an experimental vessel , designed to serve as both a family cruising project, and also as a prototype for a future production model! Built in epoxy, and having exceptional self-sufficiency (20 tonnes of fuel) and significantly lengthened sugar-scoops, this special Sunreef 70 completed an inaugural tour of Europe at cruising speed (10 knots) and successfully handled its first severe weather in the Mediterranean. At this speed, fuel consumption worked out at 26.5 liters/hour with both motors at 2,500 rpm.

Phase 2: Accomplishing an expedition boat During the voyage from the Baltic Sea, through the North Sea, English Channel, down the Atlantic coast and into the Mediterranean, the Bourgnon design team was working flat out and straight away came up with two points for optimization. The one concerned engine performance, and the other, the hydrodynamics. The two came together and led to a significant improvement in handling and economy. The talented team leader, who has a flair for finding the best organizations to work with, called on Sport Systèmes (a specialist in electronics management in motor racing). From the first live tests, the results immediately showed a significant reduction in fuel consumption following a torque adjustment at the desired cruising speed. The price to pay for this was the automatic suspension of the guarantee. Shame! The second line of evolution concerned lengthening the dynamic waterline: grafting on bulbous bows designed by team involved with the America’s Cup. This produced immediate results: passage through the water was transformed, and the combined effect of the two

interventions lessened the pitching and dramatically reduced consumption, which leveled out at 15 liters/hour at 2,500 rpm, making a gain of 40%!

Phase 3: A major step forward 20,000 miles and 4 years later, having crossed the North and South Atlantic, passed through the channels of Patagonia to get to Robinson Crusoe Island and then cross the Pacific without any problems on the way to French Polynesia, “Jambo” had to completely adapt to her new vocation as dive charter expedition catamaran. The skipper, not knowing how to just tinker with things, overhauled the boat to make every aspect better. The interior décor was redone, the diving system completely transformed, the motors were removed, re-located, optimized. The flybridge was significantly modified… New Zealand was the perfect spot to make all these changes. The family lived there for a year, and Laurent sought out all the necessary resources in this pioneering country. The resulting performance of Super Jambo now gave 12 liters/hour, still at 10 knots, but at 1,500 rpm! This extraordinary reduction in engine speed (1,000 rpm!) massively increased reliability and drastically reduced noise. According to the captain, “the motors are now in retirement”!

A LITTLE ANALYSIS OF BOURGNON’S SOLUTIONS FOR EVOLUTION 3 Fitting a streamlined hard-top on the flybridge The bulbous bows lengthened by 1.50 meters (substantial stiffening in the center + foam form and epoxy construction) The sugar scoops have been lengthened by 1.50 meters, bringing the overall length up to 26.80 meters! (as opposed to the original 21m). There are several reasons for this: optimizing the “dinghy dock” at the stern, improving the storage for diving equipment (including a 20m³/hour Bauer compressor!), improving access to the water via the retractable steps and, of course, increasing the waterline length.

The little gullwing shape of the underside of the original bridgedeck has been transformed into a “third hull” whose bow now acts to deaden the waves from forward and also to carry more serious ground tackle, something always under-sized on yachts.

The former rudder blades from Primagaz (former 60’ racing trimaran) have been moved aft and mounted on a very reliable Chatfield (NZ) system, which consists of cutless bearings (normally used for propeller shafts) below the rudder tubes and upper bearings made from Vesconite, which replace the costly

1 - Jambo phase 2: Laurent Bourgnon had bulbous bows installed, and optimized the engine installations: the cat was now transformed...

2 - The final phase: Jambo is back in the yard for a new evolution, six months’ work for a complete transformation and adaptation to her program of yacht charter and dive expeditions.

3 - The results are impressive, and the profile shows the development of this machine. The third hull, the covered flybridge and the incredible bulbous bows are the most noticeable things, but there have been other developments…

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POWER CATAMARANS

and complicated self-aligning bearings.

The engine installation has been modified and the motors realigned to reduce the angle of the propshaft which needs to be less than 10° (important for thrust).

The diameter of the new four-bladed propellers, calculated by a local expert and cast by Chatfield, has been increased to… 1 meter! (Instead of 400mm… yes, you did read that right!). The performance calculated for 10 knots at 1,500 rpm allowing the motors to be governed to 2,500 rpm to avoid cavitation at the tips of the blades.

Very simple new stern glands have been fitted, whose watertight joints are engaged in ahead, allowing quick operation without water ingress in the event of wear or leaks. (QED) An Aqualarm has been installed to alert in case of reduced raw water circulation (caused by a plastic bag for example) around the heat exchanger, before the system gets hot enough to activate the engine overheating alarms.

The exhaust outlets have been modified, and now discharge below the waterline and in line with the hull, to reduce noise and improve the flow of exhaust gases towards the aft. Original, clever and very effective!

A further stage is being developed with the Nantesbased specialist PG-SI. It will consist of installing a dry exhaust between the motor and the top of the swanneck, then having the water injection in the downward column to reduce back-pressure at the gas outlet and to avoid any possibility of water ingress in the event of multiple attempts to start the motors.

Final little tweak which is planned (borrowed from motor racing): cool air sucked from the flybridge (at 25°C as opposed to 50°C in the bilges!) blown via a compressor and custom-built air box, the turbo chargers will love this and it’s great for performance and reliability of the Volvo D6s which have now done more than 5,000 hours, yet are like new!

LAURENT BOURGNON’S CONCLUSION

The future of highly self-sufficient cruising catamarans (and therefore at moderate speed)lies in optimizing displacement hulls, propellers, engine function and reducing weight of superstructures and fittings (it’s better to have a carbon platform rather than more powerful motors). Also important is increasing the waterline length. To go fast you need to get a boat up on foils; every compromise between the two options is poor and you only succeed in using fuel to push water along!

DITION SUNREEF POWER EXPE TIONS CA IFI TECHNICAL SPEC e/L.Bourgnon Naval Architect: Sunreef Design Offic nd Builder: Sunreef Yachts, Gdansk, Pola 21.40m) Length: 26.40m (production model Beam: 9.30m Weight: 40t Displacement: 60t s/vinylester s/epoxy. Production model foam/glas Construction: foam sandwich/glas mins 2 x 455hp Cum n versio ard stand p, 370h x 2 Motors: Expedition version Volvo D6 liters 0 liters, standard version 2 x 2,500 Diesel: Expedition version 2 x 8,00 0Ah 1,20 g Batteries: 12 at 24V givin generators Generator: 19 or 27 KVA + 2 wind chain Fob anchor + 80m of 13mm diameter 60kg + lass wind w 3,000 Anchoring: 24V-

The power cat can also be a real passage-making boat!

A WORD FROM THE FIRST MATE:

”

I am the mother of four children (Jules was 15 when we set off, Justine 12, Basile 6 and Lou 4) This meant a long time preparing for the trip, between bedding, toys, books, organizing the home-schooling lessons… the boat may be big, but there are limits!

Departure day was filled with emotion: we had to say goodbye to the family and friends, and once we had left the dock, we knew we were underway for a great family adventure! Of course it was simply wonderful, as I was with my husband and my four children. The choice of this large boat was entirely justified, there being six of us, it was important that each of the children had their own cabin, particularly the teenagers. So volume was what we needed, and for me, having never sailed, a power catamaran was the best solution. In case anything was to ever happen to Laurent, it seemed easier to me to get a motor boat back to port than to have to try and handle sails. Life on board was organized around schooling: the children worked three hours a day (depending on the sea state) so as to be ahead in their program by the time we reached shore, because they really looked forward to donning masks and snorkels and diving in, or going on hiking trails or doing a bit of windsurfing! We made some great friends ashore among the locals and also with crews of other boats, with whom there is generally a great solidarity. One day we met a math teacher, who was able to help the older kids, then a French teacher who helped with a dissertation, but not forgetting the sundowners we enjoyed where everyone recounted their travels, their adventures and tales of people they had met. We are now so glad to have been able to offer our children the chance to meet people from different countries and discover their foods, traditions, architecture, culture and languages. I really think there’s nothing more enriching in life than travel, and I think it has made our children so much more openminded. For the rest of their lives they will remember hunting pigs in the mountains of the Gambier Islands, the glaciers of the Patagonian channels, fishing trips and swimming with sharks and whales. There’s also the times when there was bad weather, bumps and bruises, long hours of work on the boat, seasickness (particularly for me), but all that is insignificant compared to the enjoyment of our life on board together!

The two older children have now left us to continue their studies, but I know that they still have a love of travel and discovery. After five years in French Polynesia, our thoughts are turning towards continuing on westwards. I am grateful to our captain who has given us the opportunity to live this fantastic family life, to my children who helped their completely non-seafaring mother and to our magnificent Jambo who has carried us across the oceans..

Caroline Bourgnon

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