It took less than a decade for the world’s big charter fleets to go almost entirely multihull, and why not? For the same length and weight, they’re bigger, more comfortable, more open, and just plain better for cruising regardless of experience level. When we saw this wholesale defection underway, it made us happy – tens of thousands of know-nothing once-a-decade charterers would learn that sailboats could go faster than the 5.7 knot top speed of a Moorings 390 shitbox, and who knows – maybe some fraction of them would be inspired to go racing once they got back to Duluth or Green Bay or Chillicothe?
One problem with our wishful thinking – the charter companies ordered overweight Fontaine-Pajot/Leopard/Lagoons by the shipload, with tiny rigs, diaper-cut sails, and no downwind sail inventory at all, ensuring that the boats are almost never used for sailing.
And this one, stuck under a Sint Maarten crane last week, looks far better than the usual. Fortunately, there are a few companies doing real performance – check SA’s preferred one here.
