Are you a die-hard monohull sailor?
Or are you over eating lunch at an angle and wondering if a catamaran might be for you?
As part of our research into yacht syndicate options the SmartBoating team headed down the the Seawind factory.
The Seawind story is a good one...
After sailing extensively all over the world, a young Australian accountant called Richard Ward decided to ditch the suit and tie and start building boats.
Like anyone who builds a successful business, Richard rolled up his sleeves and worked hard. 25 years later he is still at the helm. And Seawind Catamarans are renowned all over the world for their build quality and innovative design.
To survive 25 years in an industry where most people quickly go bust, Seawind must be doing something right!
We talked to Richard about how he designs his boats.
Here's what he had to say...
'First and foremost I'm a sailor. So any boat I build must be strong and durable and it must be ocean going. For example vertical windows might be nice to look out of, but I don't want to be out in 12m seas with vertical windows.'
And of course Seawind Catamarans have proved themselves again and again to be safe and reliable ocean going boats all over the world.
They've come through treacherous seas and even a cyclone with no dis-masts and no capsizes.
'We are fanatical about design. We worry over it again and again to get it right.
And then, once we have our design, we build every boat with precision. We put great detail and care into every part of the process.'
This was obvious when we walked around Seawind's factory. Workers clearly take time to ensure every part of the build process is spot-on. And Seawind choose durable materials that last.
Certainly our experience here at SmartBoating is that the older Seawinds in our charter fleet continue to look great and perform brilliantly 15 years down the line.
Here's some media reviews of Seawind Cats - you'll appreciate why we think they're perfect for your boat timeshare.
Richard also talked about comfort on Seawind Catamarans
'We know most cruising boats spend 10% of their time sailing and 90% of their time at anchor.
And people in Australia like to spend time outdoors. With this in mind we created the outdoor space of our boats to be as user friendly as possible.'
'We want everyone on the boat to feel involved and included.
You can race our boats while a non-sailing guest relaxes under cover at the saloon table with a glass of wine and still feels part of the action. On a monohull as soon as someone sits at the saloon table downstairs they are not involved and they might as well be at home!'
And the question everyone asks us. 'Does a catamaran perform as well as a monohull?'
'Well if you set off in a Seawind Catamaran at the same time as your friends in a monohull yacht you'll be anchored up for lunch first!' was Richard's reply.
'Often monohull sailors feel they need to be heeling to go fast.
This is not so.
It's wonderful to be on a sailing catamaran and going fast but at the same time level and comfortable.'
'Of course upwind there is some sideways slippage. That's inevitable if you don't have a deep keel.
But of course the lower draft lets you get close into anchorages monohulls can't get near.'
Here's what Nicola and Peter Rich think about their catamaran share.
And what does Richard think about boat share as a way to own a boat today?
'Yacht Syndicates are exactly right for our times. Most people don't use their boat as much as they think they will.
'With yacht share you can afford a much better boat than you could otherwise have and still have spare cash to make other lifestyle choices.
In my experience if you own a boat in the traditional way, you feel you need to get on the boat every weekend without fail to justify the cost. So you might want to go bush-walking but you don't feel you can because you feel you should be out on the boat. In this way your boat can become a bit of tie. Syndication gets around this problem.'
'Seawind catamarans are great for syndicates because they are super easy to sail and they allow you to entertain family and friends in a luxurious and comfortable outdoor space'.
Here at SmartBoating our priority is to find the right boat share for you. We know that if you choose the right boat you'll have wonderful times and savour the memories years to come.
Seawind catamarans are not right for everyone. They are not high performance racing boats.
But if you want to enjoy comfort and luxury afloat as a couple or entertain friends and family on a safe, reliable and stable yacht then a Seawind might just be what you are looking for.
Here's what our owners think of our first Smart Seawind Share Stray Cat
You could own a Seawind 1000XL or 1160 for less than you think. Give us a call on 02 9997 5344 and we'll tell you more.
Or head here to see which Smart Boat Shares are launching soon.
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