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Boat test: The M32

The aim of the M32 is to bring high octane, full throttle multihull fleet racing to a broader range of abilities and budgets. Rupert Holmes travelled to Bermuda to find out more…

The basic concept behind the M32 is to provide cutting edge, high speed multihull fleet racing that is accessible to sailors operating outside that elite, fully professional level. Consequently, there has been a balance struck between creating a high performance yacht and one that can cater for a wider range of technical abilities.

Concept 8/10

The M32 is an all carbon, lightweight and extremely powerful boat, yet it was designed with simplicity in mind and is intended to appeal to a wider audience than other high-performance multihulls. Each hull weighs just 82kg, and the whole boat is only 510kg, yet it has the sail area of a 35ft monohull displacing four or five tonnes. The result is an astounding sail area to weight ratio in a boat that’s not as difficult to sail as a full foiling catamaran.

The hulls have generous forward buoyancy to reduce nose diving, while the C-shaped daggerboards provide a degree of vertical lift. The boat is a 2011 design by Swedish Olympic medallist Göran Marström. He has an enviable record as a catamaran builder – for decades his Tornados dominated the Olympic fleet and he also built Extreme 40s. In 2013, Marström sold the M32 design and production rights to Aston Harald AB, a company led by Håkan Svensson, a long-standing supporter of high profile yachting projects including the Green Dragon and Puma Volvo Ocean Race teams. Having sold his previous manufacturing company to the Caterpillar corporation, Svensson had money to invest in a new vision for the M32.

In December last year the company launched ‘M32 World’ as a marketing brand for a new event portfolio including M32 owner events, the M32 Series, and the World Match Racing Tour, which Aston Harald bought last summer. At the same time, a new 3,700 sq m state of the art carbon composite manufacturing facility was opened. This has capacity to build two M32s each week and is run by legendary Irish boat builder Killian Bushe, who among many other accolades, was responsible for the two Ericsson boats in the 2008/9 Volvo Ocean Race.

The M32 is built entirely in prepreg carbon fibre, including high modulus fibres with 70 per cent greater stiffness than standard carbon fibres, over a Nomex core. All carbon parts are vacuum bagged and cured at 120°C in a pressurized autoclave, at a pressure of 6-8 bars for single skin elements and 2-3 bars for sandwich laminates. Running costs are impressively contained to a fraction of that normally associated with very high performance craft. This is partly thanks to the simplicity of the boat, the ease with which it can be transported, the closed class rule, and a very tight sail replacement policy. The sails, particularly the fully-battened main, tend not to get flogged in the way that monohull sails do, while owners are allowed to buy one sail per year. This helps to keep costs well below those of typical performance designs.

Deck, layout and rig 9/10

Even though this is a performance boat, the deck layout and rig are an object lesson in simplicity. To some extent it helps that the lack of a jib means there are only two sails, with the gennaker furled but left hoisted when sailing upwind. Mast bend on the rotating carbon rig is controlled by the diamonds, which are adjustable for length and angle of sweep. For match racing, rig tension is equalised across the fleet, although for fleet racing teams can choose their own settings. The mainsheet effectively acts as a giant vang, controlling twist, while the angle of the boom to the centreline of the boat is controlled by the traveller running on a curved track.

In light to moderate airs the traveller is more or less on the centreline and the mainsheet used to help the helm keep the windward hull at an optimum height just above the water. As the breeze builds, the traveller is eased instead to prevent too much heel. The mainsail has two reefs, enabling the boat to be raced in wind speeds of up to 25 knots, although the gennaker can’t be used with the second reef, which makes downwind legs in these conditions comparatively sedate. Reefing is an easy process, with halyard lock positions at each point. There are only three winches on the boat, one for the cunningham, the other pair for the gennaker sheets, which are cross sheeted and trimmed from an AC45 style pit. While the beam measurement without the distinctive fold-out wings is a modest 5.54m, the wings extend this to 8.35m. This enables crew to be easily used for stability (arguably more so than with trapezes) while keeping a sufficiently narrow overall beam to make marina berthing easier during events.

The boat is quick and easy to assemble, thanks to the bolt-on beams and two-piece mast. It’s also light enough to be slipway launched, so the four crew plus the boat can get to events with a medium/large estate car. For competition further afield, two boats will fit in a 40ft container.

Under sail 10/10  

The first part of our test took place on Bermuda’s Great Sound in around 8-12 knots of wind. I was sailing with Christopher Poole’s Riptide Racing team from the Oakcliff Sailing centre in New York. Moving around the boat is easy, including up and down the wings, although shuffling aft when the lee bow digs in downwind is not as quick as it might be if the crew are trapezing. It’s immediately noticeable that this is a very physical boat to sail. Part of the trade-off for the simplicity is that coordinated muscle power is needed to efficiently handle the loads generated.

This highlights the need for good teamwork and it’s clear the teams that get the best results will be those that get this aspect sorted quickly. What about the lack of a jib? It really doesn’t appear to be an issue. Instead of the jib tell tales, the key guide when you’re driving is the height at which the windward hull is flying. As a result, even though I am primarily a monohull sailor, it didn’t feel at all odd not to be focusing on the luff of the headsail while driving. Instead, when sailing upwind, it quickly became intuitive to luff in the gusts to control the ride height, then bear away for more power in the lulls. Although you don’t tack on shifts in the manner in which monohull sailors must, the acceleration of the M32 is such that each gust represents an opportunity for a significant speed build. This is not the extra 0.2 or 0.3 knots that a monohull might see upwind – it can easily be a 40 per cent boost to speed.

You therefore still need to be absolutely locked into what the wind is doing to get the best out of the boat and ensure that everyone on board – particularly helm, mainsheet trimmer and traveller trimmer – respond in a coordinated and optimal manner. Steering downwind, a planing monohull sailor’s instinct to bear away in the gusts will keep you in good stead, although acceleration is such that the apparent wind builds quickly, so course changes often need to be much more aggressive, especially in gusty conditions. At all times there was instant response on the helm, with plenty of feel and never any hint that the rudders might be close to stalling. At the time of our test there had been few capsizes, even in the heavy air match race conditions for the first 2016 World Match Racing Tour event in Fremantle, which saw gusts into the upper 20s.

Those that have happened have been down to easily identifiable sailor error, such as easing mainsheet instead of traveller, rather than lack of control from the helm. There’s a clear system for righting after capsize, with support RIB crews taught how to deal with the righting lines to tow the boat back into an upright position. In the conditions we enjoyed there was never a problem tacking – the boat went through the wind positively on each occasion. In strong winds and with a bigger sea, if the bow needs help go get through the wind, a small amount of the gennaker can be unfurled and backed. This has less of a drag on speed than a flogging jib, although having the gennaker permanently hoisted has an effect on efficiency upwind. Perhaps surprisingly, I didn’t get a huge sensation of speed, although the only other boats out on the Great Sound were three foiling AC45s, so my reference point was somewhat skewed. Had we been at a venue dominated by heavier monohulls, you’d certainly get the buzz of a significant speed differential – our chase boat recorded us at speeds of 14-15 knots upwind and around 25 knots downwind. North American class manager Dave Doucett likens the experience of sailing the M32 in his home port of Newport, Rhode Island against monohulls to skiing past trees, in that they appear to be standing still.

Verdict 9/10

The simplicity of this boat is hugely appealing, yet everyone on board has to be intimately involved in sailing it efficiently. There’s absolutely no scope for idly sitting on the rail while others put in the effort to sail the boat hard, which is certainly part of the appeal compared to a large performance monohull. Until now, biggish multihulls such as GC32s and Extreme 40s have almost exclusively been the preserve of professional sailors at the very highest levels of the sport internationally. However, the M32 brings this style of sailing to a wider audience, encompassing everything from owner drivers to aspiring pros, up to the highest levels of match racing outside the America’s Cup. This is clearly not a boat for the kind of weekend warrior who’s unable to find the time for sufficient practice and coaching. Similarly, it’s not an ideal boat for most UK waters, although with both Scandinavian and Mediterranean circuits planned for 2016, a British team would not have to travel far to race at some spectacular venues. While the M32 may not be quite as cool as a foiling catamaran, it’s one that’s accessible to many more sailors and arguably optimises the boat work/maintenance ratio in a way that no other performance boat can manage. By the time I stepped ashore it was clear this could be a hugely addictive boat – one that is reassuringly manageable, while offering the enticement of a clear path towards the high level of skill required to compete at the elite end of sailing.

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Video: On test, the M32 cat and why you should try one

• Matthew Sheahan
• December 4, 2015

Already established as an exciting fleet racing circuit that is rapidly expanding its horizons, the M32 cat is now the weapon of choice for the World Match Racing Tour. Matthew Sheahan sailed with reigning M32 champion and former WMRT winner Taylor Canfield to find out why this cat is so different and why it might provide the missing link between between both the match racing circuit and the America’s Cup and between amateur and pro sailors

While America’s Cup foiling cats look spectacular and turn plenty of heads, the rate at which the demands of the new technology has been accelerating is leaving many of us trailing behind, unable to keep up with the skills required to master the new trend. And the Cup cats are not the only ones trail blazing into the future. Among the new breed of foiling machines, the A-Class cat, the Flying Phantom and Nacra F20 are examples of a new style of high speed, high octane, foilborne racing.

So when the World Match Racing Tour announced that it was switching from a range of conservative monohull keel boats, to a high performance 32 foot catamaran, you may have thought that even the cerebral sport of match racing would now be out of reach for anyone other than a talented cat sailor with no fear of heights or speed.

Too big, too complex and with the crew sat on the hiking wings and flying high enough above the water’s surface to bring on a bout of vertigo, this was surely just another example of the professional world scorching off into the distance?

But, as I discovered at first hand, I was wrong.

The new M32 one design cat is indeed quick, easily capable of 22 knots downwind. Even in the hands of an extra medium sized, lunch loving, dyed in the wool monohull sailor, I found it far easier than I had expected to hit and sustain such speeds while flying a hull downwind.

Within one hour aboard and 20 minutes on the helm I had settled down and was hooked. I had got used to flying above the water at heights you only normally experience on a fly bridge motor cruiser as the cat heeled. I had got used to double figure speeds, (although it didn’t stop me grinning each time) and I was now concentrating on trying to refine my technique to sail smoothly upwind in the gusty conditions while hitting the right numbers and keeping the windward hull flying.

A couple of hours later and the M32’s penny had fully dropped, leaving me wondering why I hadn’t noticed how radically different a boat this boat is when I had first seen her at the Dusseldorf boat show two years ago.

What I should have seen then was that this is a deceptively simple boat.

To read Matt’s full test see Yachting World January 16

M32 catamarans power Volvo Ocean Race Guest Speed Experience

The M32s are the new face of the Volvo Ocean Race ‘Guest Speed Experience’ programme, introduced to allow guests to experience high performance sailing during stopovers.

Weighing in at just over 500kgs, these 32-foot carbon-fibre speed machines are capable of lightning-quick acceleration with the speedo topping out at around 27 knots, but the two hulls and simple rig put safety at the forefront.

As such, the M32s are the perfect tool to allow high profile Volvo Ocean Race guests to experience high performance sailing first hand.

And because of their size and manoeuvrability they can be raced close to the shore, adding to the spectacle in Host Cities for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to our Race Villages.

The introduction of the M32s not only provides guests with an adrenaline-fuelled experience but also ease the pressure on the Volvo Ocean Race crews, allowing them to focus solely on preparing their VO65s for In-Port Races and ocean legs, while in turn providing even more value for sponsors and stakeholders.

“The M32 is an awesome boat to step onto,” explains Sally Barkow, who raced with Team SCA in the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race and now competes on the World Match Racing Tour with the professional sailors in the same M32 catamarans used for the Guest Speed Experience.

“It's really controllable but you get an incredible sensation of going really fast. You can see the water rushing underneath you through the trampoline – it's a really cool experience.

“We've had guests onboard before and they've described it as like being on a rollercoaster. A ride on one of these boats is one of the best opportunities in the world.”

Visitors to the Volvo Ocean Race's Alicante Race Village will already have seen the M32s in action this past weekend in the four-day Alicante Match Cup, a qualifier for the 2018 World Match Racing Tour.

The event is the result of a collaboration between the Volvo Ocean Race and the World Match Racing Tour, complementing the action at the start of the 2017-18 event.

And this week, VIP guests have the opportunity to sail with the Volvo Ocean Race teams in the Guest Speed Experience programme.

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With notable crew changes from the previous season, anticipation is high as sailing enthusiasts gear up for races featuring top-tier teams from around the globe.The off-season saw significant crew changes, injecting a fresh dynamic into the M32 fleet. Don Wilson, alongside new tactician Adam Minoprio, clinched victory in spectacular fashion, securing the win with a race to spare. Meanwhile, the introduction of the new team “Lucky Dog,” led by skipper Travis Weisleder, previously known for his prowess in the  Melges  24, added an exciting dimension to the competition, showcasing their mettle and leaving a lasting impression.

Reigning world champions, Rated X, with skipper Jake Julien, had a challenging regatta, facing a few setbacks that landed them in a commendable second overall. The fiercely competitive field ensured that every race was a display of skill, strategy, and sheer determination. The podium was rounded out with Pursuit, skippered by class President, Bill Ruh.

Beyond the intense races, Miami’s lively nightlife is the perfect place for teams to relax and have a good time. The after-sails and class get-togethers are a fantastic way to kick off the evening. With great conditions on Biscayne Bay, Miami is the ultimate spot for both competitive sailing and unforgettable celebrations.

The M32 race management continues to push the boundaries, using a fully automated race course with MarkSetBots and the Vakaros Race Sense system for automated ocs giving better quality races and less waiting time.

The 13 scheduled races were completed in various conditions amid occasional rain showers on the final day spicing things up, the Miami winter series proved again to be the ultimate battleground for professional sailors and speed enthusiasts alike. As the M32 class continues its winter series in Miami it solidifies its status as the go-to destination for those seeking the perfect blend of speed and competition. The four event winter series next regatta is in February, and the competition will intensify as teams from Italy and Sweden join the fleet.

Join the fleet

The class is growing, and it’s never been easier to join. Come demo the boat with the M32 Academy — We have a demo boat available at every event this year. Join us in Newport, Garda, or Miami to get a reel feel for what it’s like to sail with us.

Start the Conversation:  [email protected] ,  [email protected]

Race with us

M32 racing is a thrilling experience that offers a chance to participate in world-class racing at some of sailing’s most iconic locations. Venues like Miami, Newport, and Lake Garda are all renowned for their superb sailing conditions and fantastic places to visit.

Event schedule

For more information visit  m32world.com .

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It was eagerly awaited on the sailing scene. After a long construction period in Sweden, it has finally arrived: the first M32 catamaran from Marström Composites is moored in Travemünde - a world premiere on the boat market and a special kind of tourist attraction. The 17-time Travemünde Week winners and catamaran trainers Helge and Christian Sach from Zarnekau in Ostholstein will now be chasing the ten metre long and 6.50 metre wide speed machine across the Bay of Lübeck with guests. Information on this can be found on their Website .

Made entirely of carbon fibre, the M32 cat weighs just 480 kilograms. It is built at the renowned Göran Marström catamaran shipyard in Sweden. On the wind, the cat is only moved with the 53.6 square metre mainsail, similar to the smaller cats from the high-tech 18 scene. A large gennaker was set on the 17 metre high carbon mast for the downwind leg. At 59.5 square metres, it brings twice the sail area into play. Even in medium winds, the M32 should easily reach 20 knots and more.

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M32 Fleet Roars Back to Miami

MIAMI, Jan 8, 2024 — The exhilarating M32 catamaran is making a triumphant return to the vibrant waters of Miami, promising an extraordinary display of speed, skill, and strategy. With notable crew changes from the previous season, anticipation is high as sailing enthusiasts gear up for races featuring top-tier teams from around the globe.

The off-season saw significant crew changes, injecting a fresh dynamic into the M32 fleet. Don Wilson, alongside new tactician Adam Minoprio, clinched victory in spectacular fashion, securing the win with a race to spare. Meanwhile, the introduction of the new team “Lucky Dog,” led by skipper Travis Weisleder, previously known for his prowess in the Melges 24, added an exciting dimension to the competition, showcasing their mettle and leaving a lasting impression.

Reigning world champions, Rated X, with skipper Jake Julien, had a challenging regatta, facing a few setbacks that landed them in a commendable second overall. The fiercely competitive field ensured that every race was a display of skill, strategy, and sheer determination. The podium was rounded out with Pursuit, skippered by class President, Bill Ruh.

Beyond the intense races, Miami’s lively nightlife is the perfect place for teams to relax and have a good time. The after-sails and class get-togethers are a fantastic way to kick off the evening. With great conditions on Biscayne Bay, Miami is the ultimate spot for both competitive sailing and unforgettable celebrations.

The M32 race management continues to push the boundaries, using a fully automated race course with MarkSetBots and the Vakaros Race Sense system for automated ocs giving better quality races and less waiting time.

The 13 scheduled races were completed in various conditions amid occasional rain showers on the final day spicing things up, the Miami winter series proved again to be the ultimate battleground for professional sailors and speed enthusiasts alike. As the M32 class continues its winter series in Miami it solidifies its status as the go-to destination for those seeking the perfect blend of speed and competition. The four event winter series next regatta is in February, and the competition will intensify as teams from Italy and Sweden join the fleet.

Event Schedule Here

http://m32world.com/

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Welcome to the Worlds!

Welcome to the m32 world championship.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND (September 27, 2023) — The climax of the season is about to begin. Tomorrow, the World Championship kicks off on Narragansett Bay.

Four or five thrilling races are on the docket each day. The M32 racecourse features a full speed reaching start, followed by 17 minutes of wet, action-packed multihull racing. The Newport home of the fleet is the Midtown Race Club located in the heart of downtown. Every evening, the class hosts unfussy social events for teams and friends.

Rated X Defend World Championship Title

Record Fleet at the Europeans

Ready for the Summer

Are you interested to join the most exciting sailing in the world or maybe just want to have a chat about the boat?

North America Dave Doucett   +1 413 364 0067 | [email protected]

Europe Mattias Dahlstrom   +46 708 406 335 | [email protected]

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Live Fast, Sail Young

• By Carina Becker
• Updated: March 24, 2020

We’re now 10 days into our immersion in the M32 catamaran scene. We’re walking down the dock at Shake-A-Leg on the second day of the M32 Miami Winter Series. The boys—Gordon, Chris, Riley and Key—all sporting their Young American team shirts, stroll past the other perfectly polished and vinyl-wrapped race boats. I can sense their anticipation and excitement growing as we make our way past. As I walk behind them, I notice a little more pep in their step, the soreness from the previous day’s racing barely noticeable.

Berthed at the far end of the dock is our boat—two stark-white hulls with light-blue decking and black trim. The boat is owned by Sail Newport, the community sailing ­organization in Newport, Rhode Island, so it’s not technically “ours,” but we’re campaigning it for the winter, thanks to the support from Sail Newport and the M32 Class Association. It’s been a long time coming with putting it all together and getting the boat down south.

We’re the “youngsters” of the class—a team of college students and recently graduated kids, looking to experience, train and compete in one of the top high-performance classes in the world. We’re sailing under the banner of the Young American Sailing Academy, which started in 2013 as a way to kick-start a new generation of offshore sailors. Highlights of the Academy’s achievements include racing in the 2016 and 2018 Newport Bermuda Races, where the team received line honors in 2016 on the Tripp 41 High Noon and competitively sailed the Reichel/Pugh 63-footer Gambler in 2018.

Some of us are recent ­additions to the Young American program, so we’ve had only a few days of practice as a squad, but we’ve quickly bonded into a tightknit team. Key Becker, who is the forwardmost guy on the M32’s rack, is our main trimmer. He’s tall and lanky and has bleach-blond hair that sticks out from his pink helmet. He shares a similar big-boat background to myself and sails for the College of Charleston’s Offshore Team. He’s my older brother, and yes, he has been suspiciously nicer since this boat came our way.

Behind Key is Riley Freeman, our floater. Riley is a big-boat sailor and surfer from California who is studying at the University of San Diego. He is the muscle on our boat and brings the laid-back West Coast vibe to the team. He matches Key with the long blond hair, making them the perfect rack buddies. Next aft on the rack is Gordon Gurnell, who ­skippers at Connecticut College and grew up sailing dinghies in Newport, Rhode Island. In his hand is the traveler line, the “big‑guy” job on the boat.

Chris Manson-Hing is on gennaker trim. Chris graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and is the one with experience in multihull and skiff sailing on the boat. He’s small, but he’s fierce.

As for me, I’ve come up through a wide variety of monohull big boats. I define myself as a driver, but I can run around and fill any position on most boats. I also grew up sailing dinghies and now sail for Boston University, and until our first event with the M32 class—this past summer’s Midtown Cup in Newport—I’d never been exposed to multihull sailing, or much of skiff sailing, for that matter. As you can imagine, the M32 came with a vertical learning curve for all of us. After only a few days of sailing on the boat, I’ve learned it requires a strong helm and a playful hand. The balance of the boat and the rate of acceleration when it’s loaded is far different than anything I’ve ever experienced.

As we arrive at our boat at the end of the dock, we prepare for the day ahead. The wind is drowned out by the latest recording of a Phish concert playing from a little blue speaker clipped to the rack. It’s our team anthem now, thanks to Key and his obsession with the band. We tackle the morning work list: Tighten the trampoline, put in the boards, situate the lunch, check the spares kit, and so on. Because we’ve had two days of practice canceled this week on account of too much wind, we’ve had plenty of dock time, making us a well-oiled machine when it comes to boatwork.

Soon after, as we pull off the dock and head out of the harbor, waves crash over our bows as we slam through the chop. It’s blowing a solid 18 knots, with gusts in the low- to mid-20s —conditions we have sailed in only once before. As we hoist the main, anticipation is building. Gordon, Riley and Key line up on the main halyard, as if they’re about to start a game of tug of war. They’re waiting for the “ready to go up” from Chris. As they hear the call, they lean in to every pull as the bolt rope zips up the mast track.

Once the main is up and the boys are ready to play, we take off for our pre-race practice. We head upwind but look for the first opportunity to turn ­downwind and get the gennaker unfurled. When it’s go time, I reach behind me, clip the tiller extension onto the tiller bar, pop up onto the back beam, and lock my front foot under the traveler.

Chris counts, “Three, two, one,” and I steer the boat down into a bear-away set. The gennaker rolls out, Riley leaps to the winch, puts his head down and spins the handle like a madman.

Our next move is a furl-and-jibe. Riley jumps off the rack as Chris prepares the gennaker sheet to be eased. Key and Gordon are waiting, ready to bounce into action. The call is made, and Key darts across the boat, bouncing his way toward the leeward hull. I watch the gennaker begin to furl, and then, unnaturally, I feel the hull beneath me begin to force itself out of the water. Both bows are fighting gravity and lift skyward.

The windward board must have been put down in preparation for jibe, but with both boards down, there’s too much lift. The boat pops a wheelie before the bows come crashing down with a thud and big splash. The boat then settles, as do we. The mistake with the board drop is identified—one of the many lessons we’ll learn.

For each race, we set up one step behind the fleet, hanging back and being conservative by not engaging with the more-experienced teams. But when the flag skies, signaling the last race of the day, our hearts are beating a little faster. I think we’re all feeling that it’s time to be closer to the fleet. We’re excited and more comfortable with this weirdly bouncy, wet and jerky boat.

Each race begins with a reaching start, followed by a power reach to a bear-away mark, transitioning the race into a downwind leg. That first leg is the most intense part of the race, and the outcome typically determines one’s positioning for the rest of the race.

“This is the race, guys,” Chris, our trimmer and tactician, yells. “Let’s get closer.”

As the countdown continues, we place ourselves in the same “safe zone” we’ve been playing in the whole weekend—to windward of the rest of the fleet, just below our layline to the race-committee boat. This time, we tuck ourselves that much closer to the pack. We want to play.

I pull on the tiller, the bows turn down, and I aim toward the orange triangle in the distance. Water rushes past the leeward hull, and the windward hull pops out and starts to fly. Expressions turn more serious, and the boys start howling, “Coms.” We are in the mix. We have a boat to leeward, and we are on the tail of the fleet.

Before we know it, the orange turning mark is upon us. “Hold on deploy,” Chris yells as he watches the leeward boat scream past the mark. Once we’re clear of their stern: “Deploy in three, two, one.”

I turn the boat down hard, the apparent wind builds, and I jolt the boat back up to get the hull flying, and we quickly watch the speedometer on the display climb into the mid-20s.

Someone on the rack screams: “Yeah, buddy! Let’s get her ripping.”

Shortly after boats ahead flop onto the other jibe, we pick our line and prepare to jibe ourselves. Chris, when happy with our positioning, yells out, “Jibing in three, two, one.”

Similar to earlier, Riley jumps off the rack and reaches for the furling line. Key and Gordon wait until the boat starts to turn. The gennaker wraps around itself, and the boys are already on their feet. I finish the turn, and the boys wrap up their jobs before getting back on the rack. Once the gennaker starts to make its way in, I turn the boat up and pop a hull.

The fleet leaves us in a frothy sea of wakes, but we keep working hard to stay as close as possible. Being the new team on the course, we have a lot to learn, but the learning has been the most fun and insane sailing we’ve ever been exposed to. The M32 catamaran is challenging and physically demanding, but we are determined to master this beast. As we cross the finish line of our last race, Key speaks for all of us when he says, “I’m officially in love with this boat.”

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M32 (Marstrom 32)

M32 (Marstrom 32) is a 31 ′ 9 ″ / 9.7 m catamaran sailboat designed by Goran Marström/Kare Ljung and built by Marstrom Composite AB starting in 2011.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Beam incl racks/side wings 8.35m/27.42’ Sail area: Mainsail 52m2/560ft2 Gennaker 61m2/657ft2 Mast height 16.8m/55ft 1in Chosen for the World Match Racing Tour.

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• Reference ID 377
• Builder MARSTROM
• Goran Marström/Kare Ljung
• Location Netherlands
• L.O.A. (mtr) 9.70
• Beam (mtr) 5.50
• Displacement (Kg) 510

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Yacht description.

Owners comments:

My favorite boat to sail. So simple and extra ordinary well designed. Very easy to rig and transport. Beautiful boat and only 500kg. Very complete M32 and in very good condition

She features:

• First owner build and bought in 2017
• Original sails and mast, well maintained
• New lines and resprayed beams and refitted moving parts 2020.
• Overcomplete with road trailer, spare parts, 2 boxes with tools & tactics
• Ready to Race
• Can be delived anywhere in Europe, customized, stickered 

OWNING AN M32 IS A TOTALLY UNIQUE SAILING EXPERIENCE.

Easy to sail and assemble in just a few hours with its ‘unarig’ design and deck layout, the M32 offers all the thrills of a high speed catamaran with speeds over 25mph. With events organised around the world for amateurs and professionals, the M32 is the ideal performance catamaran for any level of sailor.

Designed by experienced swedish sailors Göran Marström and Kåre Ljung, the M32 catamaran offers a unique blend of simplicity and ease of handling, combined with lightweight construction and thrilling performance.

SIMPLICITY & EFFICIENCY Unlike other high performance catamarans, the M32 has two visible and distinctive features to its design – a ‘unarig’ for simplicity and efficiency [no jib], and ‘racks’ mounted outboard of the hulls allowing the skipper and crew to sit high above the water and use their weight to contribute to the boats performance. With the racks deployed, the M32 increases its beam from 5.54m to 8.35m.

TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTION Built in carbon fibre with a total weight of just 510kg, the acceleration of the M32 is immediate and can lift a hull in only five knots of wind. Stability is maintained by the forward bouyancy in the hulls and C-shaped daggerboards which create some verticla lift giving the helmsman total control and confidence in all conditions.

To further maximise the stiffness of the M32 construction; every boat is built entirely in prepreg carbon fibre (including use of high modulus fibres) and epoxy over a Nomex core. All carbon parts are vacuum bagged and cured at 120°C in a pressurized autoclave, 6-8 bars for single skin and 2-3 bars for sandwich laminates.

BETTER THAN THE BEST The extensive use of high quality High Modulus (HM) carbon fibers (with ~70% higher stiffness than standard carbon fibres) gives the laminates both a light weight and superior strength.

Every M32 is constructed by some of the world’s leading boat builders at the company’s own 3700sqm production facility on the island of Hönö, Sweden nearby to the City of Gothenburg.

EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND TRANSPORT The M32 is designed to be easy to assemble and tow with a standard car or truck. The custom made two-piece mast and ‘bolt’ on beams makes the assembly of the M32 quick and easy in just a few hours. Due to the light weight of the M32, it does not require a crane to launch it and can be simply launched from a ramp using small trolley wheels.

Catamaran Twin Dbrd.

Marström (SWE)/Aston Harald Composite AB

2 sets of sails, North Sails:

• mainsail 3di Raw 2017
• mainsail 3dl training
• Code 0, cuban fibre 2017
• Code 0, cuban fibre training

Electronics and Navigational Gear

Velcitek electronics set

• Extra sheets
• Road trailer
• Wheels for moving the boat when not on the trailer

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Featured Yachts For Sale

• Displacement (Kg): 6453
• Beam (mtr): 3.21
• L.O.A. (mtr): 12.45 Meters

• Beam (mtr): 3.50
• L.O.A. (mtr): 12.18 Meters

• Displacement (Kg): 1150
• Beam (mtr): 2.51
• L.O.A. (mtr): 8.30 Meters
• Horsepower: 5 hp

The 8 Fastest Cruising Catamarans (With Speedchart)

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Cruising catamarans are some of the most comfortable boats to roam the water, making them fantastic for both long-term voyages and short-term vacations. Still, cruising catamarans can be great racing boats, but just how fast can they go?

Some of the fastest cruising catamarans include the Gunboat 68 (35 knots), Outremer 45 (25 knots), ORC50 (25 knots), FastCat 435 (20 knots), TS 42 (35 knots), and Lagoon 440 (20 knots). Yet, there are many more cats that can reach 35 knots safely. 

If you are interested in knowing about the fastest cruising catamarans, I have you covered. I will be discussing some of the most popular, fastest cruising catamarans and the features that make them so excellent for sailors in need of speed. You will learn more about each catamaran’s speed and amenities, and I will let you know a trick or two to maximize your speed under sail. 

How Fast Are Cruising Catamarans?

On average, cruising catamarans can reach top speeds of 15 knots , around 17.3 mph (27.84 kph). However, some exceptional, racing-designed cruising catamarans can reach up to 30+ knots in the right wind conditions. 

When you want to better understand catamaran hull characteristics, I suggest the book Catamarans a Complete Guide (amazon link) by the president of Aeroyacht catamarans and that you check out my article Why catamarans capsize .

Factors That Impact Speed

Weight & size.

When you consider a catamaran’s speed, you will need to keep in mind the boat’s weight and narrowness. A vessel that can travel at 15 knots will still move slower if the boat is heavy or has a wide, extensive hull. When increasing the total weight of the boat, the boat “sits” lower in the water, thus increasing water drag and reducing speed.

Why trimarans are faster than catamarans!

Now that we know how weight impacts sailing characteristics, it follows that; if you are planning on racing your catamaran, you should remove as much luggage or extra gear as possible. Eliminating as much weight as possible will help you travel at your cat’s maximum speed .

Narrow Hulls

The hydrodynamics of the ship will heavily affect your speed. Narrower boats can chop through the water with less effort, making slender ships with pointed hulls far faster than wide vessels. So if you are looking for the fastest one available, you should look for a slender hull.

Slim hulls vs. space is a common tradeoff for catamarans optimized for family sailing .

Wind will also affect your ship’s speed, so do not expect your cruising catamaran to reach the maximum speed without heavy wind. Generally, cruising catamarans have two large sails (at least) to power them through the water, and some are so efficient that they can travel even faster than the wind.

Although a strong wind is needed to energize the sails and move the boat, too much wind will instead make the sails less efficient, and maximum speed is most often attained at lower wind speeds but with flat water.

Light Weight Materials

Faster cruising catamarans are often made from carbon fiber materials and fiberglass to keep the weight down. If you are looking for the quickest catamaran that you can find, you should note the materials that the ship is made out of and try to get one that is primarily made from carbon, glass, and resin materials. 

While you are looking for the perfect catamaran for you, you should keep in mind what you NEED and what is NICE with your ship. Usually, this decision is between size and speed, but some of these excellent vessels have both. 

Lightweight materials are usually costly; for example, a carbon fiber mast will probably cost you +$20 000, depending on the cat’s size.

I have written a buyer’s guide that explains the concept of NEED vs. NICE , which will make choosing the right boat faster and more accurate.

Gunboat 68 (+35Kts)

Gunboat 68 is a cruising catamaran designed to reach the highest speeds possible. Made by Gunboat, the ship uses Grand-Prix racing boats’ designs to develop the speediest cruising catamaran on the market. 

Gunboat 68 is made entirely from carbon composites, which keeps the ship lightweight and fast. Gunboat 68 is the perfect catamaran for anyone who wants to reach the highest speeds possible while maintaining control of the vessel and not bouncing around too much. 

Gunboat 68 has comfortable, spacious living quarters, though it also has a spacious deck with luxurious seating. Indeed, this cat has it all, making it one of the best cruising catamarans for racers and casual sailors. The design maximizes all of the living spaces and uses lightweight materials to add elegance and luxury to a speedy racing catamaran. 

Gunboat 68 is one of the fastest cruising cats out there, with its maximum speed at more than 30 knots . Gunboat 68 can achieve these fast speeds, thanks to its lightweight construction and narrow hull design. 

Still, Gunboat can customize your ship’s plan to accommodate your needs. Whether you are looking for a faster, more lightweight boat with a more extensive sail or a more comfortable cruiser, Gunboat 68 is an excellent option for you. 

Specifications

• Maximum Speed: 35 knots
• Length: 68 ft (20.75 m)
• Beam: 29.9 ft (9.1 m)
• Draft: 3.9 ft (1.2 m) board up and 9.84 ft (3.8 m) board down
• Displacement: 23.7 tonnes

TS 42 (ORC 42)

The TS, or Tres Simple , cruising catamarans, designed by Marsaudon Composites, are some of the fastest cruising catamarans in the world. 

Marsaudon developed the ship’s plans using racing boats’ streamlined designs and combined them with a cruising catamaran’s comfortable living spaces. The TS 42 has an inverted hull which helps it glide on the water swiftly without requiring much fuel, but it also has a spacious below-deck area with plenty of luxuries.

TS cruising catamarans are often considered the fastest cruisers on the market, with their speed comfortably reaching upwards of 35 knots in the right wind conditions. Generally, TS catamarans can sail at 20 knots, even with moderate wind. They are the perfect catamaran for racers and high-speed travelers, and yet they still have the amenities of a pleasant live-in vessel. 

The TS 42 has a large galley and comfortable cabins, making it a cozy home or vacation vessel. With multiple bathrooms, large windows, and open lounge spaces, these catamarans are superbly comfortable to live in. 

The deck and cabin space are divided by a large, openable window, which adds extra light and ventilation to the living areas. It also has plenty of on-deck space, which is rare in such a small vessel with an inverted hull. 

If you think I’m using too many confusing nautical terms, you’ll find all the answers on my Catamaran parts explained page .

• Length: 42.8 ft (13 m)
• Beam: 24.3 ft (7.4 m)
• Draft: 4.9 ft (1.5 m) with boards up and 7.5 ft (2.3 m) with boards down
• Displacement: 5.8 tonnes

Outremer 45

Based in France, Outremer (pronounced uutremeer 😉 ) designed their Outremer 45 to be a long-lasting cruising catamaran that sails smoothly at high speeds. The Outremer 45 can reach about 15 knots, but the most comfortable sailing speed is 10 knots. However, it can travel up to 25 knots in the right wind conditions, making it a quick ship with all of a perfect cruising catamaran’s luxuries. 

It is made for durability from carbon, vinyl ester, and divinycell so that it can last many years without repairs. The Outremer 45 has a narrow hull, and it is designed to be as thin as possible to maximize speed and fuel efficiency. Outremer 45 still has comfortable living quarters with large windows and lounge spaces within the boat. Indeed, it sacrifices no comfort for speed.

In this article, I talk a lot about catamaran characteristics, both interior and exterior, if that’s something you want to better understand, then I recommend an article where I write about trade-offs in design choices .

The Outremer 45 was initially designed to be a boat that would last 50 or more years, and it excels in its durability. It has an open, uniquely expansive side deck and plenty of on-deck conveniences that make sailing a breeze in the ORC50.

With supreme safety features such as tall railings, slip-free grips on deck, and enclosed lounge spaces, it is one of the safest catamarans available (is safety your top concern? I wrote a list of the safest catamarans on the market). 

• Maximum Speed: 25 knots
• Length: 48 ft (14.6 m)
• Beam: 23.3 ft (7.1 m)
• Draft: 3.3 ft (1 m) with boards up and 6.7 ft (2.04 m) with boards down
• Displacement: 8.2 to 11.1 tonnes

Marsaudon Composites ORC50

Marsaudon Composites designed the ORC50, or Ocean Rider Catamaran 50, with both speed and comfort in mind. The ORC50 can be used for cruising, but it is also a great racing boat that has been awarded honors from many races worldwide.

Marsaudon borrowed designs from racing skippers to plan the ORC50, bringing together a cruiser’s comfort with the speed of an award-winning racing boat. 

This cruising catamaran is lightweight, which allows it to gain speed at a fast rate, but still has comfortable living quarters inside the boat. It has a rotating carbon mast, which helps to eliminate turbulence over the mainsail and therefore increasing sail efficiency and speed!

With strong winds, the ORC50 can reach up to 23 knots , making it extremely fast for a cruising catamaran. The ORC50 can easily reach speeds much faster than the wind speed, which is a unique quality of this fast, yet comfortable catamaran.

The ORC50 is an excellent long-term living ship with its many organizational compartments, expansive galley, and well-ventilated sleeping cabin. It also has plenty of couches and seating areas built into the boat, and its intuitive design adds plenty of comfort to the cruising catamaran without weighing down the ship. 

• Length: 50 ft (15.23 m)
• Beam: 27 ft (8.2 m)
• Draft: 5.6 ft (1.7 m) with boards up and 8.9 ft (2.7 m) with boards down
• Displacement: 13 tonnes

FastCat 435

African Cat’s catamarans, including the FastCat 435, are designed for speed and racing. This ship is mainly composed of epoxy, fiberglass, and carbon components, making it very lightweight to ensure that it travels as swiftly as possible. 

The FastCat 435 may be as light as possible, but it is durable enough to last for many years in the most extreme conditions.

The FastCat 435 has comfortable living quarters and well-designed comfort spaces so that you can get the most out of your trips. The FastCat also has a green hybrid design, and it uses primarily electric power, which can help you prolong your sailing and use less fuel. 

I find solar-powered/electric cats pretty exciting, so much so that I wrote an entire article called The Best Solar-Powered Catamarans on the subject.

The FastCat is an excellent option for anyone who wants a smaller cat with a comfortable design and incredible speed. FastCat’s electric power is also a unique, favorable feature for anyone who wants to use less fuel. 

• Maximum Speed: 20 knots
• Length: 42.7 ft (13 m)
• Beam: 24.4 ft (7.4 m)
• Draft: 3.9 ft (1.2 m) with boards up
• Displacement: 2.4 tonnes

The Lagoon 440 cruising catamaran, like the FastCat, has an electric powering version, which cuts down on fossil fuel usage and ensures that your ship will keep moving. The Lagoon 440 is also among the easiest catamarans to maneuver, thanks to its electric drivetrain and automatic engines. 

The speed of the Lagoon 440 usually maxes out at 10 knots with low winds, but with higher winds, it can quickly gain speeds up to 20 knots (some argue even higher, but I’m doubtful). The Lagoon 440 is an excellent cruiser and comfortable catamaran, but it is not an all-out racing cat.

Lagoon is a well-known brand, but there are some caveats, and are Lagoons still making good catamarans?

Below the deck, the living spaces in the Lagoon 440 are magnificent. The ceilings are high, allowing the tallest of passengers to stand in the cabin. The many storage compartments and furnishings have a modern, elegant design. The interior is one large primary cabin with a few private spaces below the deck. 

• Length: 44.6 ft (13.6 m)
• Beam: 25.3 ft (7.7 m)
• Draft: 4.3 ft (1.3 m)
• Displacement: 10.5 tonnes

Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42

Fountaine Pajot designs some of the most luxurious yet speedy cruising catamarans available in the world. They are renowned for their safe, durable designs that make sailing a comfortable, relaxing experience. And on a personal note, i think the name sounds beautiful!

Their cruising catamarans use an inverted hull design that has become a signature mark of Fountaine Pajot vessels. This hull type allows the water to pass beneath the ship quickly, which increases the speed and fuel efficiency of the cat. 

The Astréa 42’s primary benefit is its spacious, comfortable living quarters and large, open deck spaces. The ship’s interior spaces have large windows, large lounging areas, and plenty of storage compartments. 

The cabin’s ventilation is also excellent, which reduces the classic musty smells of sea living. You can also get two different models of this catamaran, either in a one-cabin option or a two-cabin option, making it an excellent vessel for larger or smaller families.

The Astréa is ideal for long-term sea living and family vacations (it is not as fast as some more racing-oriented cats). Although the Astréa is not the speediest cat available, with its speed maxing out at about 10+ knots, even in favorable wind conditions, its luxurious atmosphere and comfortable cabin spaces make up for its relatively slow speed. 

Don’t get me wrong, despite its lower speed compared to the boats on this list, the Astréa 42 can still get you places quicker than many other cruising catamarans (and most monohulls). So, if you want all of the elegance and comfort of a cat and are not too worried about racing, this ship is an excellent option for you.  

• Maximum Speed: 10 knots
• Length: 41.3 ft (12.6 m)
• Beam: 23.6 ft (7.2 m)
• Draft: 4.1 ft (1.3 m)
• Displacement: 12.3 tonnes

Privilege Signature 510

The Privilege Signature 510 is a long-distance cruising catamaran designed for long-term voyages and sailing in extreme weather conditions. It features a durable, weatherproof design that will protect you from rainy and cold weather while sailing. 

The helm and living spaces are completely covered, making it safe to live in, even in cold or stormy weather. It also has an automatic sail adjustment system with the controls at the helm, allowing you to make any adjustments from the helm’s safety and comfort. 

Privilege Signature 510 also has an elegant, well-designed living space with plenty of amenities, including an accelerated cooling system, a spacious bathroom and kitchen, and plenty of windows for natural lighting.

With an elegant floor plan, this cozy ship is perfect for long-term living.

The Privilege Signature is not the fastest catamaran on the market, with a maximum speed of around 13 knots. Still, it is one of the quicker cats considering its elaborate amenities and comfortable size.

• Maximum Speed: 13 knots
• Length: 50 ft (15.24 m)
• Beam: 26 ft (7.98 m)
• Draft: 5 ft (1.57 m)
• Displacement: 25 tonnes

Although cruising catamarans are great boats for slowly cruising along the water, they can also be swift, substantial racing boats that reach speeds of up to 35 knots. These speedy cruising catamarans still come with all of the amenities of leisure boats, but they also reach incredible speeds without rocking or tossing. 

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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High-performance catamarans to race in Miami

Published on December 22nd, 2014 by Editor -->

Racing for the high-performance M32 catamarans starts promptly in 2015 with sailing getting under way on January 8-11 for the M32 Miami Winter Series. Now in its second year in the warm Florida climes, the M32’s have started to become a regular sight in the US. During the summer in Newport, Rhode Island, five M32s have been regularly competing in Thursday night regattas. The fleet has also been accepted by ‘the establishment’ and has sailed in both the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta and Newport Race Week.

The 2015 M32 Miami Winter Series is made up of four regattas. Following on from the January 8-11 season opener, the Series moves on to back-to-back events on March 5-7 forming part of the Bacardi Miami Sailing Week. On March 30-April 3, the Series culminates with what has historically been the pinnacle of all global M32 racing, the M32 Gold Cup. In Miami, the M32s are based at the Miami Rowing Club, located on Virginia Key, close to Key Biscayne. The boats will be racing the new ’America’s Cup’ course on Biscayne Bay with reaching starts and finishes and windward-leeward legs between.

For the first event, five teams are currently confirmed, with more expected to follow in the coming days. The first event has drawn a range of competitors including the reigning Match Racing World Champion, two Melges 32 teams, another from Chicago Match Race Centre and a fifth best known for its offshore big boats campaigns.

Melges 32 skipper Malcolm Gefter was one of the original owners who, with North Sails President Ken Read, was responsible for introducing the Swedish M32 catamaran to the US when the first four boats arrived in 2013. Gefter originally bought Lift Off with co-owner Ron O’Hanley, who usually races a Cookson 50 monohull Privateer, winner of the 2013 RORC Caribbean 600. They enjoyed sailing their twin-hulled speedster so much that they decided to buy a second M32, Escape Velocity, which O’Hanley now campaigns.

“Having been a keelboat sailor, switching to a catamaran has been a magnificent, exciting, delightful, informative and sometimes scary experience,” enthuses Gefter. “I like the M32’s high performance, but also its simplicity, due to it only using a single sail upwind and two downwind.”

He continues: “It is not an accident that the America’s Cup went to catamarans because they are more exciting to sail than a keelboat of any shape or size. Sports boats are fun – there is nothing more thrilling than sailing one downwind in 30 knots, holding on for dear life, but the M32 is like that 100% of the time, upwind and downwind. You constantly have to be on your game, constantly paying attention to all aspects of the boat, trimming, driving, crew weight, etc. Plus the action happens at two-to-three times the speed of a monohull. The acceleration of the M32 will throw you off the back if you don’t hold on. You simply can’t get that thrill on a keelboat.”

On board Lift Off, Gefter’s crew includes multihull ace Lars Guck, Max Kramer (son of America’s Cup engineer/designer Dirk), ex-Tornado/Extreme 40 sailor, Jonathan Farrar, and Dave Douchett while O’Hanley’s team on Escape Velocity includes multihull expert, Stan Schreyer, plus crew from Privateer.

Douchett, the team’s boat captain, enjoys the crew mix. “You have big boat, offshore sailors, Tornado Olympic sailors and kite sailors plus business executives all converging and they all have an awesome time.”

Also making the trip down to Miami from Newport is Micheal Dominguez and his Bronco team. Dominguez became hooked on yacht racing after sailing the Puma VO70. Since then, like Gefter, he has campaigned a Melges 32 before moving to the M32 catamaran. Dominguez is an enthusiast skier and, according to boat captain Tom Loughborough, it provides him with the same adrenalin rush as he gets on the slopes.

Coach and team leader for Bronco is top Moth sailor and Melges 32 World Champion, Anthony Kotoun who will sail the highlight of the M32 Miami Winter Series, the M32 Gold Cup. Otherwise Melges 32 tactician, Jeremy Wilmot will be calling the shots, backed up by Loughborough, US Virgin Islands Olympic Laser sailor, Sy Thompson and multiple F18 catamaran US National Champion, Tripp Burd.

Loughborough points out that the speed of the M32 and its ability to perform in the lightest winds makes it an efficient boat to race for private owners, whose time is typically limited. “Rig up-rig down and general mucking about time is reduced, plus the time to and from the race course is significantly reduced because the boat is so fast. It is quite easy to hit 28 knots when you are right at the limit of one reef, but equally you are still hitting low 20s in not much pressure. You also get a full work out the whole time you are out there, even if there’s only 5-6 knots of breeze.”

Two newbies to the M32s both have backgrounds in the Chicago Match Race Centre (CMRC). Taylor Canfield is one of the most high-profile skippers taking part. Despite being just 24, the US Virgin Islander is the reigning Match Racing World Champion.

Before becoming a pro-sailor, Canfield was Sailing Director of the CMRC, but admits he is still new to catamarans: “Last winter, my eyes were opened to another world of sailing. I was offered the opportunity to train against the members of the Nacra 17 US Sailing Team and also to sail Mathias Rahm’s M32. After that, I was hooked! Obviously we have been following the catamaran movement. As a team, we have to carry on our momentum and make sure we stay current, so it’s exciting to be moving into faster, more action-orientated sailing.”

For the owner of the CMRC, Don Wilson, the first M32 Miami Winter Series race will be an exploratory event. As his boat captain Tod Reynolds explains: “Catamaran sailing is taking off and we thought it’s worth giving it a try.”

Wilson’s Convexity Racing team has chartered the former Wallén Racing M32 which won this year’s Gold Cup and its original skipper, Hans Wallén is returning to help Wilson’s team get to grips with the twin-hulled speedster. Also on board will be leading match racer Matt Cassidy, now with Oracle Team USA.

The Miami-based M32s are to be joined by other international teams in the build up to the Gold Cup, but the school remains out over which group will dominate.

Source: M32 media

Background: At the heart of the new M32 Series is a simple philosophical approach – to enable talented sailors to compete in the fastest, most dynamic and competitive sailing events in the world, but at an affordable cost and thus on a regional basis. The new M32 Series fills an obvious void in the current sailing marketplace between the budgets needed for small boat dingy racing and the seemingly inaccessible world of large professional competition.

The new M32 Series sets out to provide a platform that is commercially viable for the teams, partners and sponsors as well as being exciting for the audience. For the amateur sailor, it provides a path for new, aspiring teams looking for a stepping stone to a career in professional racing and delivers them exciting and challenging arena-style racing that is attractive to the sailors and sponsors alike. For the professional racer, the new M32 Series delivers the highest levels of competition against their fellow accomplished sailors, themselves looking for a new series to complement their existing programs such as America’s Cup, Olympic Sailing, Extreme Sailing Series, World Match Racing Tour, IMOCA and Volvo Ocean Race.

The M32 Catamaran is a design by Marström and Kåre Ljung, and now manufactured by Swedish company Aston Harald Composites AB, who bought the rights in 2013. The driving force behind the deal was Håkan Svensson, a keen yachtsman and former CEO of Berg Propulsion, who co-sponsored Ken Read’s Puma entry in the last Volvo Ocean Race and Green Dragon the proceeding race.

Currently, M32s are being produced in a factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Meanwhile, on the nearby island of Hönö, a purpose-built 3700sqm production facility is under construction, due to come on line during 2015.

To maximise the stiffness and lightweight nature of these boats; the M32 is built entirely in prepreg carbon fibre (including use of high modulus fibres) and epoxy over a Nomex core.

The output from the new facility is ambitious. By the end of 2014, twenty two M32s will have been launched. The aim is to build a further 65 in 2015, but production could subsequently increase to as much as 200 boats per year should demand require it.

The price of the M32 is 1.5 million Swedish Krona (160,000 Euros) for a race-ready boat excluding sails and a trailer, or 2.0 million Swedish Krona (210,000 Euros) for a race ready boat including sails and trailer.

M32 dimensions: •Length (hulls): 9.68m •Length including rudders and bowsprit: 12.09m •Mast height (above water) 17.9m •Draft (min/max): 1.09m/1.7m •Beam (without racks) 5.54m •Beam (with racks) 8.35m •Weight (min equipment, no sails) 510 kg •Harken winches and deck gear

www.m32series.com

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