Superyacht Catamarans: The Ultimate First Charter Yacht?

Have you ever considered a luxury sailing yacht catamaran charter?

Combining the decadent roominess of a motoryacht with the thrill and spirit of sailing, a luxury sailing catamaran may just be the ideal option if you are new to sailing.

A word of warning though: after trying catamarans out, you may just find yourself wedded for life!

Here are a few of the reasons why catamarans make for such a great charter yacht, as well as why modern luxury catamarans like S/Y LA GATTA and CHE are making a splash in the superyacht charter world.

The Benefits of Chartering a Catamaran

1. An Enormous Salon
   It’s always a bit of a surprise to walk into a catamaran salon —a huge, light-filled space that puts the size of monohull sailing salons to shame. Because a catamaran is basically a platform suspended above two hulls, the beam of the yacht is much wider than a conventional sailing yacht, creating a vast, comfortable area for family living or hanging out with friends.
2. Enviable Stability
   Due to the dual hulls, catamarans offer extraordinary stability at sea. They are more comfortable in head seas, experience less rocking and rolling, and heel over less when sailing.
3. Less Risk of Seasickness
   Due to the stability and lack of heeling, seasickness is much less common on a catamaran, making this the perfect option for first-time charterers who may be unsure if they get seasick!
4. Acres of Deck Space
   With such a wide beam, the deck space on a catamaran is also palatial, whether you’re dining on the aft deck, relaxing on the wide decks forward, or lolling about on the trampoline —that bouncy span of mesh that is suspended between the two hulls, water rushing below. (If there’s a better place on earth to watch dolphins, we’d like to know!)
5. The Extra Zone: The Flybridge
   Because luxury catamarans have a flybridge, there is an extra level to enjoy, as well as giving some lovely height to view the ocean. The flybridge really does bring an element of the motoryacht world to a sailing catamaran, creating dual-deck living.
6. Speed
   Catamarans usually sail faster downwind or on a reach, than monohulls, so if you feel the need for speed when sailing, catamarans are a great choice. They’ll generally let you cover more ‘ground’ during the course of your charter.
7. An Ideal Family Yacht
   They are an ideal family yacht. Due to their stability, wide deck spaces, and huge salon, catamarans are a fabulous choice for families. The kids will also go nuts for that trampoline!
8. Large Tender Storage
   Because of the extra-wide beam, catamarans can store big tenders on their transom —much bigger than you’d get on a similarly sized monohull. Having a large tender opens up other opportunities for adventure. 
9. Shallow Draft
   Because of their shallow draft, catamarans can get in close to beaches and navigate shallow cruising grounds and rivers.
10. Best of both worlds. 
    Because of their high volume and flybridge, sailing catamarans offer a lot of the great elements of a motoryacht charter.  Yet they also offer the thrill and romance of sailing. When you consider the additional benefits like stability, it’s hard to say no to a catamaran charter!

The Rise of the Superyacht Catamaran

Let’s be brutally honest. Catamarans have often been overlooked in the superyacht world. But things are changing, fast —with stunning modern charter catamarans like S/Y Gatta and S/Y Che in the charter fleet, offering all the superyacht luxuries on top of the traditional benefits of stable, beamy, catamarans.

23m S/Y La Gatta is the perfect example of  the modern luxury catamaran, with glamorous superyacht features including a beach club, flybridge jacuzzi and bar, and a flawless contemporary interior by Nauta Design. The enormous 11m beam creates palatial living spaces, and LA GATTA accommodates eight guests in four cabins, including a king-sized master suite with a drop-down private balcony.  This charter catamaran runs with four professional crew, and carries a phenomenal fleet of watertoys including a Williams jet tender, sublue Seabow underwater scooters, e-foils, and electric bikes and scooters for shore adventures.

The Combination of Luxury and Sailing Performance

At 34m, S/Y Che is one of the largest charter catamarans in the world and offers a stunning combination of luxury and sailing performance, with a top racing speed of 20 knots. This state-of-the-art catamaran offers the ultimate in superyacht living, with a refined modern interior of bamboo timber offset with dove-grey upholstery and crisp white fabrics. The cat’s 12.5m beam creates space at every turn, including a vast 105sqm cockpit. Everything about this charter catamaran is state of the art, from her navigation systems to the Bose sound system and the gleaming stainless galley. CHE accommodates up to eight guests in four cabins comprising three doubles and one twin, carries a large range of watertoys, and runs with 6 active crew.

Catamarans have so many advantages, and they’re getting better all the time. You might consider chartering a luxury catamaran to kickstart your chartering journey. But you might also find the type of vessel you want to charter forever!