SEAWIND 1170

THIS ESTABLISHED AUSTRALIAN CATAMARAN BRAND, NOW ALSO BUILT IN TÜRKIYE, WANTS TO WIN OVER EUROPEAN BUYERS – AND THERE'S A LOT TO LIKE

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Nearly 800 Seawind catamarans have launched since the brand's creation in 1983. These were at first all from Australia, before founder Richard Ward took over the Corsair Trimaran factory and moved production to Vietnam in 2008. Seawind designs have much going for them, and have never sacrificed performance while gaining in comfort over the years. However, with cargo transport costs to Europe at around £45,000, most have headed for Australia and the United States.

This new Seawind 1170 could change that. Although the first two models were built in Vietnam, the moulds were then shipped to Türkiye where a Seawind factory opened in Menemen in 2023 in the Izmir free zone.

The catamarans are built using PVC foam sandwich and Vinylester resin infusion, resulting in a light displacement of 9,000kg for the 1170. This equates to a performance/comfort compromise similar to that of Excess, Nautitech and even an Outremer (but without daggerboards).

Having sailed from the Aegean Sea, hull No5 of the Seawind 1170 was waiting for us in La Grande Motte, southern France, where the International Multihull Show is held every year. If good multihulls reveal themselves in light winds, then we'd find out what this Seawind is capable of, because the breeze was extremely light.

NIFTY AND NIMBLE

First impressions were positive: this 'small' catamaran pivots lengthwise, nimbly extricating itself from the corner of the port where it was confined, aided by its two 29hp Yanmar engines. We powered away from the coast, the engines at cruising speed, noting 6 knots on the log.

From the port helm station, if you're alone, or behind it if you are a crewmember, you get an ideal view of the mainsail as it's hoisted. The same goes for unfurling the Code 0, which is essential in very light winds.