Characteristics of Liveaboard Cruising Catamarans
Generally speaking, blue water catamarans that are suitable for offshore cruising and living aboard are between 40 and 50 feet in length. Some well-designed catamarans between 25 and 39 feet in length can also be used.
A good liveaboard cruising catamaran should have adequate berthing and galley facilities, along with an enclosed cockpit. Catamarans without enclosed cockpits, especially smaller vessels, aren’t spacious enough in the hull to accommodate good liveaboard facilities.
As far as cruising is concerned, the best Bluewater catamarans are designed for durability and seaworthiness. A vessel’s sea keeping abilities rely on more than just smoothness and speed. These vessels should be water-tight in key locations, positively buoyant, and equipped with all the right extras.
Factors that Increase Catamaran Seaworthiness
There are several additions that manufacturers commonly include with sea-going blue water catamarans. These include water-tight hatches, radar units, a backup generator, and a berth close to the cockpit.
The latter is particularly important, as the captain and crew need to be able to grab the controls in the event of a nighttime emergency.
Other add-ons, such as automatic winches and controls, are extremely beneficial to blue water catamarans. These devices allow the sails to be controlled remotely without the crew needing to walk on deck.
Cruising Catamaran vs. Bluewater Catamaran
Fundamentally, cruising catamarans and ‘blue water’ catamarans are one and the same. When companies classify a catamaran as a ‘cruising’ catamaran, they usually do so because of a few notable design features.
These include cruising accommodations such as large-capacity water tanks, large fuel tanks, onboard power supplies (like a generator and a battery bank; sometimes solar panels), and long-distance communication systems. Radar is another perk, and it’s available on most cruising catamarans.
Best sea-going Liveaboard Catamarans
We searched the market, researched specifications, and listened to the owner’s opinions to find the best sea-going catamarans on the market.
These vessels are also spacious and comfortable enough to live aboard, both at sea on extended voyages and in a marina. Here are our top picks.
1. Manta 42
The Manta 42 is a well-known and popular cruising catamaran with a reputation for seaworthiness and exceptional comfort for its size. This vessel, while on the smaller end for cruising catamarans, is quite seaworthy and handles well in all conditions.
The Manta 42 is powerful—it has a large sail area for its size, which gives it incredible speed in both low and high wind conditions.
The Manta 42 has an unconventional design feature that makes it stronger than the competition—and technically, more seaworthy than many larger and fancier catamarans. The feature we’re referring to is the Manta 42’s fixed crossbeam, which is stronger than typical designs.
The Manta 42’s interior is really well-designed and ideal for living aboard. The hulls feature large berthing areas, and the center cockpit area features a full-size marine galley and sitting areas. This vessel is popular with families, as there’s plenty of room for parents and one or two kids.
2. Lagoon 42
Here’s another 42-foot cruising catamaran with exceptional seaworthiness, shallow draft, and spacious accommodations. The Lagoon 42 is a modern and advanced sailing catamaran with numerous cruising features, such as a self-tacking jib and a flybridge.
This model has extensive sleeping capacity. Standard versions can sleep up to 12 adults, which is much more than many catamarans in the 40 to 45-foot range. The vessel also features four separate heads, which ensures privacy for guests and family members.
This vessel is designed for comfort, and therefore it's a bit beefier than some slimmer and less spacious models. It’s a heavy boat with a 25-foot beam, and it has excellent sea keeping abilities.
The primary drawback of the design is that its size and hull shape limits speed. But this isn’t as big of an issue on long voyages, and it’s still much faster than an equivalently-sized monohull.
3. Leopard 45
This premium catamaran is a bit larger and more comfortable than the vessels we’ve discussed so far. It’s a luxury catamaran with everything you’d expect for the half-million-dollar price point.
This vessel shines on the open water where it can let out its sails and stretch its legs. The vessel is lightning fast in the right conditions, and it has an astounding 700-gallon fuel capacity for when the wind isn’t blowing. You can sail it, motor it along, or do both at the same time for even greater speed.
From the factory, the Leopard 45 sleeps around 12 adults at its maximum capacity or four couples in separate staterooms—each with its own bathroom and shower. The center cockpit is also quite spacious, and the vessel can be navigated from the flybridge above the central living area.
4. Lagoon 450
Here’s another 45-foot catamaran that comes from one of the world’s most respected catamaran builders. Lagoon, which is currently producing several catamaran models, is known for its high-quality material choice and construction.
The Lagoon 450 is a flybridge sailing catamaran. Its design is based on the best-selling Lagoon 440—a slightly smaller model that proved itself over years of use and countless miles sailed between owners. And though it’s only 45 feet long, this catamaran is massive both inside and out.
The vessel is fast and nimble, and it has excellent sea keeping qualities. Below decks, the surprisingly wide hulls have room for full-size staterooms both fore and aft. But what the Lagoon 450 is known for is its deck space. There’s a ton of room on the decks for hanging out, living activities, and entertaining guests.
The center cockpit of the Lagoon 450 is like something out of a luxury condo. The styling is impetuous and airy, and there’s more than enough room to prepare a full meal for ten people or more. The settee can double as a sea cabin, with more than enough room for a small crew.
5. Prout 45
Here’s a sleek and fast catamaran that’s a superior choice for cruising and living aboard. The Prout 45 debuted in the 1990s and was a huge success.
Impressively, over 2,000 individual Prout 45 cruising cats were eventually produced. That’s a lot for a production catamaran—especially a large 45-foot model with a hefty price tag.
This sea-going catamaran has unconventional features, including pointed monohull-like bows and a nearly flush cockpit.
The interior arrangement of the vessel is unconventional as well, but many owners eventually learn to prefer it. For example, oddities include a galley in one of the hulls instead of the center, where catamarans often keep such facilities.
This is a fast cruising catamaran with a very shallow draft. Three feet six inches of draft, to be precise.
This means that the Prout 45 is ideal for sailing in shallow locations, such as around tropical coral reefs and in areas known for sandbars. The draft of this vessel is much closer in depth to that of a 20 to 25-foot displacement monohull than to a full-size 45-foot catamaran.
