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First time on a boat

Guide to catamaran interior spaces

Guide to catamaran interior spaces

The catamaran: a real floating villa! Ideal for those who have never been on a boat and don't want to give up the comfort and space of home

Speed, comfort, safety and stability are the four main features and strengths of the catamaran. Equipped with two hulls, the catamaran leans against the water, giving the feeling of gliding over it. While sailing, it does not suffer too much from the wind and stays upright, providing more balance. Those who choose the catamaran seek a more comfortable vacation. They choose it because the sea is "better experienced," they enjoy the scenery more, and there is more ventilation.  

Life on board will be simple. You will have no difficulty doing all activities such as preparing dinner, eating, taking a shower, even while you are sailing with full sails in the open sea. The quality of life aboard largely justifies those sacrifices you go through in terms of sailing performance, sportsmanship and the thrill of sailing. 

If you have never sailed on a catamaran, you will discover its environments and spaces on board in this article.

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Catamaran interior layout

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Catamaran spaces

Dinette

Dinette

The heart of the catamaran is the saloon. This is a very bright area, surrounded by large windows, capable of accommodating a dining area for crews of 8 to 10 people, a well-stocked galley, and the chart table with a full instrument panel. It can be up to more than twice the size of a dinette of a monohull of the same length. In case of bad weather, you don't have to take refuge in the cabins below deck, but can sit comfortably on the dinette sofa without giving up the view around you.

Cockpit

Cockpit

On the same plane as the saloon is normally organized the cockpit, a large area equipped with seating, sofas and a dining table. The cockpit outside and the dinette inside are connected by a hinged or sliding door. The cockpit is usually protected by a structural bimini that provides shelter from sun, rain and wind.

Kitchen

Kitchen

It is usually located at the entrance to the square, like a peninsula separating the indoor and outdoor space. The kitchen is equipped with all amenities. You will find a cooktop and refrigerator like those in the house. You will also have ample space to stow galley, dishes and equipment. Thanks to its location "out of the water" you.

Cabins

Cabins

The sleeping area is divided into the two hulls and reached by steps from the saloon. The cabins are of an extraordinary size and height, nothing to envy the bedrooms of homes or hotels. Typically, a 40-foot catamaran has four double cabins and two bathrooms; a 44-foot catamaran may have four double cabins each with private bathrooms and two sailor cabins (singles) in the bow. The cabins in most cases have double beds and have rectangular windows, which are larger than portholes.

Sunbathing net

Sunbathing net

This is the large space located in the bow. Where you can walk around, lie down to sunbathe or use it as a springboard for diving into the sea. Sometimes the net is replaced by a rigid structure that will still allow you to lie down and enjoy sailing.

Helm

Helm

In most cruising catamarans, the helmsman's station is located in an elevated position above the cockpit. This has the great advantage of having the entire guest area completely clear of maneuvers and, at the same time, allowing the skipper to maneuver without having any kind of obstruction. It also ensures a 360-degree view for the skipper, which is especially useful during mooring phases.

What a catamaran looks like: discover it with your own eyes!

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What a catamaran looks like

The catamaran as can be seen from the layout is very different from a monohull sailboat. It consists of two hulls: two floats that taper off the bow. They are watertight and are joined by an additional structure positioned about the middle. Right here, the floating platform is built, raised out of the water, where the mast is then mounted and where the passengers are housed. On this central area you find the saloon, cockpit and sunbathing area. At the stern are convenient steps that make it easy to enter the boat, as well as to descend to the sea for bathing or handling the tender. Otherwise on deck there are wide walkways that allow easy movement between the stern and bow. 

Inside the saloon (or dinette) you will find steps that will lead you comfortably into the two hulls where the cabins are located. Their arrangement, in separate, non-communicating rooms, provides a high level of privacy, unthinkable in single-hull sailboats. Often in larger catamarans (from 42/44 feet), in one or both of the bow tips, you will find the sailor cabins: small single cabins accessed through an outside porthole.

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