A Guide to Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers In 2022

So, you finally decided that a multi-hull will serve you way better than a single-hull but can’t choose which one of the catamaran manufacturers on the market will provide you with your dream vessel. Well, I’ve done a ton of research on the top 13 current manufacturers, so you don’t have to.

1. Leopard
2. Lagoon
3. Fountaine Pajot
4. Catana
5. Outremer
6. Nautitech
7. Seawind
8. Privilege
9. Gemini
10. Sunreef
11. Voyage Yachts
12. Antares
13. Balance

I must say decisions like this can be pretty tricky. One minute you’re sure you want a Lagoon catamaran; the next, Nautitech appears to have a better offer. 

The best way to make headway in situations like this is to familiarize yourself with all the options and offers. Once you do this, you can quickly narrow down your choices by selecting brands that offer vessels that best suit your needs or taste and are within your budget.

Let’s look at the catamaran manufacturers spearheading the industry and what makes these ventures stand out. 

Cruising Catamaran Manufacturers Snapshop

Leopard

You can’t talk about catamaran manufacturers without mentioning Leopard. 

This brand came into existence in 2000 through the charter market and steadily rose to South Africa’s largest boat manufacturer.

Leopard catamarans are known for their balsa-cored decks and hulls. This component adds to their stability on water and high sails performance.  

These sailing vessels aren’t the most affordable on the market, but they’d give you your money’s worth.

Go to the Leopard official website here.

Lagoon

If considerable interior space or volume is your number one priority, look no further than a lagoon catamaran. 

Lagoon is one of the few catamaran manufacturers using dry layering to attain lightweight and innovative boat designs. 

Although their vessels come under fire for lacking speed while also possessing tall rigs and weak bulkheads, Lagoon catamarans provide a pretty decent sailing experience.

Another noteworthy feature of catamarans manufactured by Lagoon is their super luxurious interior and exterior finishes.

Go to the Lagoon official website here.

Fountaine Pajot

Since its inception in 1976, Fountaine Pajot has built an excellent reputation for building power and sails catamarans.

Features like anti-shock fixed wings, engine rooms separated from cockpits, and saloons with 360 degrees panoramic views, are peculiar to catamarans produced by this brand. 

Of all the catamaran manufacturers there are, Fountaine Pajot is one brand that does an impeccable job at producing homey and inhabitable vessels. 

Incorporating advanced technologies into their power and sailing catamarans gives them a competitive advantage. 

Go to the Fountaine Pajot official website here.

Catana

Catana is a French company that manufactures both yachts and catamarans. They’ve been around since the 1980s. 

What sets this company apart from other catamaran manufacturers is its use of foam vacuum infusion technology to make its vessels less weighty and faster. 

You can usually tell a Catana catamaran by its noticeably open and isolated helm, not many people like this feature. 

Go to the Catana official website here.

Outremer

Catamarans produced by Outremer are environmentally friendly and designed to provide a slow windspeed sailing experience; this reduces their motoring and emissions. 

Alongside exceptional craftsmanship, Outremer offers quality customer support by providing seminars, training courses, and skill assessments to both new and experienced sailors. 

Outremer may not be among the catamaran manufacturers that produce the most significant number of cats. Still, they have earned their spot as remarkable producers of quality and luxurious sailing vessels. 

Go to the Outremer official website here.

Nautitech

Nautitech was founded in 1994 as a conglomerate in Rochefort, France. In 2002, it was sold to Bruno Voisard and became a privately-owned company. 

Catamarans produced by Nautitech are fast, easy to dock, and made for living aboard. They are also super safe and secure. 

The most popular catamarans produced by this manufacturer include the 47 Power, the 46 Fly, the 40 Open, and the 54.

Go to the Nautitech official website here.

Seawind 

Only a handful of catamaran manufacturers can effortlessly keep up with new technological trends. One of them worthy of mentioning is Seawind.  

Seawind is an Australian company designing and manufacturing catamaran boats for over 35 years.

With their dual helm stations and fine bow entries, Seawind Catamarans remain one of the best sailing vessels on the market. 

Go to the Seawind official website here.

Privilege 

Privilege is the brand for you if you want to be able to contribute to the design of your catamaran and have a very luxurious sailing experience. 

The downside to catamarans produced by this brand is that they aren’t so fast, and they’re not widely distributed compared to other brands of catamarans. The cats are also quite expensive.

Most sailors consider these vessels a unique or prestigious buy because they’re pretty rare and have a very appealing design, unlike any other brand of catamaran boat. 

Go to the Privilege official website here.

Gemini 

Catamarans manufactured by Gemini are great for in-shore and coastal sailing. They’re pretty small and have straightforward designs.

Although this company no longer produces sailing vessels, used or old models of their ships are still chartered and acquired today.

Gemini defeats most catamaran manufacturers when it comes to affordability. Their vessels are probably the cheapest on the market.

Go to the Gemini official website here.

Sunreef 

Sunreef is among the catamaran manufacturers on the market with a good reputation. It focuses on providing custom-made sailing vessels to both new and experienced sailors. 

In 2003, Sunreef designed and produced the first-ever oceangoing luxury multi-hull. It put them on track to becoming one of the leading manufacturers of shipping vessels. 

Sophisticated engineering and impeccable craftsmanship are core features of all catamarans produced by Sunreef.

Go to the Sunreef official website here.

Voyage Yachts

Voyage Yachts is a South African family-run company founded in 1994. They produce high-performing luxury cruising catamarans, among other things. 

Unlike most catamaran manufacturers on the market, Voyage Yachts isn’t overly popular, but they provide functional and well-designed sailing vessels.

Their electric catamaran, available in two models, provides a unique sailing experience with its electric motors and auxiliary generators. 

Go to the Voyage Yachts official website here.

Antares

Features like high speed, spacious interiors, and affordability make catamarans produced by Antares popular. 

Catamaran manufacturers like Antares prioritize efficiency and security when designing and manufacturing their shipping vessels.

Thanks to well-designed electrical systems, Antares catamarans provide a superior sailing experience by enabling sailors to enjoy long cruises even when the vessel’s battery is running low.

Go to the Antares official website here.

Balance

Balance is the last but not the least significant of catamaran manufacturers on our list. Balance is part of the prominent catamaran manufacturers based in South Africa. 

They produce quality high-speed catamarans and yachts. The most famous model of their catamaran available on the market is the 526. 

Balance catamarans can sail both downwind and upwind and are not so difficult to maintain. They’re highly stable on the water and easy to sail.

Go to the Balance official website here.

How Much Do Cruising Catamarans Cost?

Cruising catamarans are generally expensive. In case you don’t have any idea of the cost of these vessels, here’s an overview,

On average, brand-new cruising catamarans cost about $500,000. You can get this specification of vessels for as low as $200,000 and as high as $1,000,000.

Recreational vessels that aren’t so large cost about $50,000, while used catamarans cost between $200,000 to $600,000.

As you may know, how much you pay for a catamaran depends on the type, style, and size of the catamaran you wish to own.

There are three popular catamarans; personal watercraft catamarans, cruising catamarans, and recreational catamarans. Although technically, pontoon boats are a form of catamaran, we will ignore them in this article. 

Cruising catamarans are considerably larger than recreational catamarans. This fact is why they’re costlier than recreational catamarans. 

Additionally, if you want your catamaran customized or in a specific style, this would cost you additional money. 

Catamaran manufacturers like Fountaine Pajot, Lagoon, Leopard, and Catana aren’t brands you should consider if you’re looking for affordable sailing vessels. 

Prout, Gemini, and Antares are your best bet if you’re looking for budget-friendly catamaran manufacturers.

If you want to tell if a catamaran is a reasonably priced vessel, join an online community of catamaran owners or consult a boat appraiser or catamaran dealer. Try leaving us a comment, and we’ll see if we can help.

Final Thoughts 

With so many catamaran manufacturers offering similar specs of vessels, shopping for a catamaran can be pretty frustrating. 

One thing that can simplify the process is outlining the features or functions of these vessels that are the most essential to you. 

Once you’ve made a clear outline, you can quickly narrow your search to brands or companies that give high priority to the features you’re interested in getting in a cat.

Your budget is another factor that’d help you choose a sailing vessel that best suits you. Consider acquiring used or older ships if your budget isn’t so high. 

Additionally, research is essential if you want to be able to spot a good bargain. 

We wish you the best of luck on your quest to acquire a catamaran and hope you found the article helpful.

Sources and References

If you missed where we got our information, look at the following list of sources. All sources were accessed on July 19, 2022.

1. Leopard’s official website
2. Lagoon’s official website
3. Fountaine Pajot’s official website
4. Catana’s official website
5. Outremer’s official website
6. Nautitech’s official website
7. Seawind’s official website
8. Privilege’s official website
9. Gemini’s official website
10. Sunreef’s official website
11. Voyage Yacht’s official website
12. Antares’ official website
13. Balance’s official website

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