These big cats have defined themselves in multiple ways: By artificial intelligence, solar panels, and even a pickleball court
Two hulls are better than one, according to a growing contingency of yacht owners, designers and builders, who have seen a significant growth in interest in multihulls in the last few years. Stability, safety, and space are considered the three winning qualities of a large power cat, particularly for prolonged periods at sea. Multiple hulls not only tend to deliver a higher, wider beam but reduce motion in big seas. Speed and fuel efficiency are also key considerations, with most fuel-sipping catamarans outrunning monohulls of the same length. Plus, as any naval architect will tell you, a catamaran design reduces water resistance and improves aerodynamics. Other owners take advantage of the space that a twin-hulled layout affords, both inside and out.
As the appetite for multihulls increases, design has taken a significant leap forward. Few yachts turn heads like Tecnomar’s asymmetric 2023 build, This Is It, one of the wildest yachts launched last year. Silent Yachts recently announced that Venice-based studio Nuvolari Lenard will design its new generation of solar-powered cats.“The goal is to enhance not just the aesthetics but also the overall onboard experience,” says Silent Yachts CEO Fabrizio Larrera.
These days, just about every catamaran builder seems to share those goals. As a result, the multihull world is moving away from its boxy, utilitarian past and trending toward more sleeker, more luxurious yachts.
Here are seven of the coolest cats that launched, emerged from a refit or were new to charter, in 2024.
Incat Crowther ‘Hodor’
Fresh from a 2024 refit and available to charter with Edmiston, Hodor demonstrates the flexibility of catamaran design. The floating toy box is the first purpose-built catamaran support vessel in the world. Designed by Incat Crowther, it largely serves as a support vessel for the 285-foot (87m) Feadship Lonian. The cruising pair operate in tandem with the 217-foot (66m) shadow cat carrying a fleet of five customised tenders, including a 55-foot (17m) chase boat and a 388 Skater powerboat with a top speed of 165 knots. It also stores nine Jet Skis, two Yamaha ATCs, four Yamaha TW200 trail motorcycles and a three-person submersible, in addition to crew, staff and supplies. A whopping 1,582 gross tons of internal volume and a helipad on the aft deck make Hodor an indispensable travel companion.
Rossinavi ‘Seawolf X’
Robb Report was the first to exclusively tour Rossinavi’s new build Seawolf X before it debuted at Monaco this year. The 140-foot (43m) aluminium catamaran is the Italian yard’s first multihull. It’s also a hybrid-electric yacht equipped with advanced artificial intelligence software (developed in partnership with Videoworks) that enhances performance as well as owner and guest experiences. The Rossinavi AI reduces the yacht’s energy output and assists with navigation. But it’s not all work and no play. The glass-encased Jacuzzi on the sunken foredeck, and a pool and sauna in the sea-level beach club add superyacht style.
Rossinavi ‘Solsea’
Rossinavi’s second cool-looking hybrid-electric catamaran in 2024 blends art and technology to create a fully buildable concept. The 141-foot (43m) multihull concept Solsea is the result of a three-year collaboration between Rossinavi, designer Yves Béhar and Videoworks. It follows on the heels of Seawolf X, which launched last summer. Thanks to that vessel, Solsea is no mere fantasy, but it’s also not a copy. Defining features include stylized arches on the flybridge, a futuristic bow pool with crisscrossed mechanical supports and a private external balcony that sits across the twin hulls and connects to the bow. On the inside, natural matte wood and bouclé textiles reflect the revered functional designs that Yves Béhar is best known for.
‘Wayfinder’
The 224-cat Wayfinder was commissioned by Bill Gates and delivered in 2021. After Gates sold the boat last February, it went on the charter market. When used privately by its owner, it serves as a support vessel for a larger yacht. The largest delivery from Spanish yard Astilleros Armon, Wayfinder is the sistership to Hodor. What it lacks in interior style it more than makes up for in long-range cruising. Its defining exterior feature is a blue helipad that doubles as a pickleball court.
Sunreef 43M Eco
Fernando Alonso, Rafael Nadal and Nico Rosberg are just three high-profile ambassadors who own a Sunreef. But the real star of the Polish yard is not a person but its focus on sustainability. The first 140-foot (43m) Sunreef 43M Eco sailing catamaran featured a custom-engineered foam core to minimise weight and maximise fuel-efficient performance. The hull itself is clad in 1,292 square feet (120 square metres) of integrated custom solar panels to power its house loads. The yacht is considered the world’s largest eco electric catamaran.
WiderCat 76
It has been two years since Wider debuted its first 92-foot (28m) catamaran model. This year, it launched a smaller sistership but with equally bold styling by Luca Dini Design & Architecture, which worked with Wider’s Centro Stile. The exterior emphasizes usable space. The interior embraces a reimagined “Hamptons” style epitomized by ivory-lacquered panels, dark oak ceilings and herringbone parquet flooring. The four-cabin layout and spacious social areas maintain the family-friendly feel of the larger WiderCat 92 (which premiered last summer in Venice and then Cannes, along with the Wider 60). “The WiderCat 76 provides the allure of a superyacht with the agility of a smaller craft—a fusion of sharp design, technology and craftsmanship,” says Marcello Maggi, president of W-Fin Sarl, parent company of Wider.
