CATANA 70 - Carina Ulixis

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This semi-custom C70, number one in the series, is one of
those rare cruising multihulls capable of creating a wake in
conditions such as these
CATANA 70
MASTERING LIGHT AIRS
Catana has been a pioneer in the popularizing of fast cruising catamarans.
Text: Philippe Echelle
Photos by the author and DR
Ever
since Jean-Pierre Prades and Thierry Goyard’s partnership with architect Lock
Crowther in 1984 and the launch of their 40 footer at a time when few people
believed in this strange kind of craft, the story of the yard has been filled with
daring maritime adventures and challenging builds. The launch of an ultra-personalized 70 footer opens a new chapter in their story.
A PASSION FOR MULTIHULLS
An adventure which is both human and industrial is the result of
an enthusiastic chain of events involving several catalysts. This
is happening here and now, and is bringing together many different players. From Catana, designers, clients and naval architects have come together to collectively create a legend. The
Arctic voyages of Christophe Barreau’s C40 Diabolo (he is the
designer of many Catanas), then the off-piste cruise of his oneoff C45 in Patagonia paved the way for some intrepid non-stop
circumnavigations in southerly latitudes by Bruno Nicoletti (1 single-handed with a C44, then another accompanied by his brother
on a 471!) There have also been innumerable transatlantic rallies
and other round-the-world trips. The eccentricity required for this
kind of undertaking is ever-present at Catana, with the proof, if
ever it were needed, being the gigantic 92 foot Orion. In another
genre, the Arcadia 70 project took its place amongst the remarkable models which have created the yard’s destiny!
70 FEET LONG, 100 FEET HIGH!
The first 70 footer is a one-off model, built to very exacting specifications. The objective has been to satisfy the thrill-seeking
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ambitions of a wealthy and experienced owner (a former onedesign champion), whilst offering luxurious comfort and a high
level of self-sufficiency for long-distance cruising for a fun-loving
crew. In short, squaring the circle! The owner of this extraordinary catamaran already has a Catana 65, but he is looking for differences other than an extra 5 feet of length! A radical 28%
increase in power compared to the standard C70 is aiming at
exceptional performance, notably in light airs, yet not letting up
on the abundance and accessibility of domestic creature comforts, at all latitudes.
A STRIKING PROFILE
The 70 is like a formal development of the 59: an extension of
over 10 feet, a muscled-up increase in freeboard and bridgedeck clearance is clearly defined and unleashes unseen
power. The proportions of the coachroof set further aft, integrate majestically with the overall lines and the bimini as well.
Only the very vertical windshield interferes with the frontal
view, perhaps exacerbated by a sunshade. Also, the spoiler
for supporting the antennae seems a bit over-sized, but it’s
indispensable for communications. Seen from a distance, the
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A sailplan like this on a cruising
catamaran is on the limit of
being overpowering, but what
fun in light airs!
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surprising height of the giant sailplan makes it stand out
amongst others, and you will need to seek out a 60’ Ormas
and today’s Ultimes to see greater sail areas.
Navtec cap shrouds and lowers are in Kevlar, as are the two
runners. These aren’t essential for support, but improve luff
tension and limit any flexing of the profile in a seaway.
CONSTRUCTION: A COMPOSITE LADEN
WITH CARBON AND KEVLAR
A LA CARTE INTERIOR
A VERY POWERFUL RIG
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Fitting a 30 meter mast to a cruising catamaran is not just an
experimental technical challenge, but also one which requires a
specific study of all the forces and great co-ordination between
the builder, the mast fabricator and the boat. The Axxon carbon
fiber mast is fixed and only has a single set of spreaders.
70 feet long and 100 feet high!
For this 70, hull number one, the design team of Couedel and
Hugon, and the team at Canet-en-Roussillon have responded
to the very personalized specifications of the client. This very
large semi-custom Catana is destined for cruising on worldwide explorations with a crew of 8 people (+2) in maximum
comfort. There are, of course, 4 bathrooms attached to the
main cabins. The intended atmosphere had Nordic criteria and
there is much use of fawn and beige Alcantra as well as deepgrained sycamore panels laid on sandwich (carbon in certain
places). The skill of the in-house cabinet-makers is very evident. The salon is home to a sofa and lounger, set around a
table which can be transformed into a dining area, and a neat
galley with island which also is used as a practical serving area.
The navstation has electric controls for the motors, and a full
and vast control panel, loaded with screens typical of this type
of program and model. Opening the panel gives access to the
electrical management systems, close to the battery bank
which is behind the unit housing the tv screen. An on-board
computer which allows you to control all the domestic functions is mounted into the mast support. There is abundant light
and a panoramic view, but a protective anti-UV film and a fabric
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The assembly and fit-out of the 70 have been carried out in the
cavernous yard which saw Orion, the 92 footer built from 2006
through 2008. Built in foam sandwich in three female molds,
using poly-vinylester resin infusion and multi-axial glass cloth,
the joins are located traditionally at the keel to hull connections. The interior skin of the composite is in Kevlar below the
waterline. Next come the bulkheads: carbon foam infused on
marble, with the doorframes and equipment conduits integrated at the impregnation stage to prevent any delamination
(the skins are sealed). Carbon fiber is used abundantly (mast
support, bulkhead, reinforcing, frames), even for large sections such as the coachroof, but also for structural angles.
The ergonomics of the helm stations are remarkable. They are easy
to get around from forward or aft, and the refusal to have a flybridge
doesn’t impact at all on the peace and quiet of the cockpit, and
creates conviviality and real efficiency
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Visibility from the helm is excellent, with the sail-handling
stations grouped around very powerful Harken Performa
hydraulic winches
mesh outside ought to be
essential. The cockpit offers the
space and comfort of a vast outdoor dining area, with space to
move around easily on the teak
deck. The size of the boat
allows for a closeness between
the relaxation areas and those
for the handling of the boat, yet
without ever disturbing each
other. This is one of the charms
of a boat which has nevertheless declined to have a flybridge.
A HIGH-LEVEL DECK LAYOUT
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Making good speed in less than 10 knots of breeze is what
the C70 is all about
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The size of the boat allows enough space for both sail
handling and relaxation areas, without having to resort to
a flybridge
Moving around the sidedecks is
easy, thanks to two rails integrated into the deck, where,
notably, the genoa sheets are
led back to, with big Harken
Performa hydraulics. The genoa
car track is fixed to the coachroof, while that of the gennaker
is set to the inboard side of
the sidedecks. The staysail is
self-tacking. If you ignore their
XXL size, the distances covered
and the phenomenal tension
exerted, the deckplan remains
simple and straightforward.
Hoisting and reducing the headsails is carried out from a pair of
consoles close to the helms.
The lateral control stations are
at arm’s reach for taking charge
of the mainsheet (from either
side), the reefing lines (to port)
and the luff tensioning (to starboard).
UPGRADED MOTORS
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Arcadia is indeed a boat which
invites superlatives. Despite the
power of the rig having been
upgraded, that of the mechanical power has not been forgotten, with 2 x 240hp motors
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The elegant grain of the sycamore laminated to sandwich panels (glass or carbon depending on location)
(shaft drive, obviously), with
four-bladed folding propellers!
Top speed is around 12 knots
and cruising speed, a fast 10
knots. Fuel consumption is not
insignificant (7 to 15 liters/hour
depending on the revs), but this
70 footer stands out, with diesel tankage for 3,000 liters,
giving 150 hours at 8 knots
which equals 1,200 nautical
miles. Considering the performance under sail, the theoretical potential for self-sufficiency
is enormous. However we
mustn’t ignore the consumption
of the generators!
SEA TRIALS:
MASTERING LIGHT AIRS
Maneuvering such a machine in
the ports of the Languedoc
lined with mooring balls and
other lines is not that easy, but
the bowthrusters add an element of safety. The power and
torque of the 3.5 liter Yanmar
turbos are very effective if you
anticipate and judiciously select
your maneuvering areas.
Channels in tight marinas are
not this boat’s thing: this oceangoer prefers to be tied alongside or be at anchor (there’s
a 2,300W 24V windlass). The
combination of such powerful
motors and decent sound insulation on a 70 foot multihull
contributes to an amazing experience, because it is almost
unheard of on a boat of this size
to be able to move along at
these speeds without sails and
almost without noise. When
we stopped to drop off a crewmember at Port Vendres, I
became aware of just how
much power there was in
reserve and how the power of
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THE DESIGN AND
BUILD OF THE CATANA
C70 BY PASCAL
POUPLIER, INDUSTRIAL
MANAGER
The Catana 70 is a
machine which brings
together performance and technology without
impacting on comfort. Who hasn’t dreamed of
a very powerful and fast boat in wonderful surroundings? That’s
the challenge the owner of the Catana 70 put
to the yard: “I want a very fast boat which is
fun to live with”. We had to work hard and put
much thought into combining these two requirements. We have come up with a 5 cabin, 4
bathroom boat, for a crew wanting luxurious
round the world cruising. This 70 footer has
two generators, two watermakers, two airconditioners, two Bowthrusters, a huge cold
storage capacity, amazing electronics, with
internet and TV anywhere in the world, an enormous level of self-sufficiency in diesel, and the
list goes on… There is an impressive array of
systems and equipment, with reliability as the
top priority. The challenge for the yard was
to design and create a catamaran combining
performance, abundant technology and comfortable, enjoyable sailing. The hulls had to be
optimized right from the start to carry the
weight of all the equipment; the rig was taken
to another level of performance, by working on
the design in conjunction with North Sails. By
working together, the yard, naval architect and
mast builder were able to increase the power
of the boat by around 28% compared with the
standard model, by optimizing every element.
The structure, as well as every part the rigging,
was redesigned to help to achieve this. The
conclusion is that we have built a high-performance Catana 70, whose speed is often close
to that of the wind. In spite of its size and
performance, it remains easy to handle, and
the crew (sometimes 10 people) have every
comfort they could wish for on long passages.
The navstation
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the propellers allow for precise
handling of this 21 meter catamaran. There was hardly any
need to rev the engines, just
using the torque was sufficient,
but then this is where Arcadia
shows her true nature! This
extraordinary catamaran wants it
all, and it wants it now, but how
does it really work on the water?
Once away from the dock the
size of this 70 footer becomes
clear: it’s just a big boat that
needs sailing! With the topping
lift tight, the mainsheet slack and
six turns on the big Performa
winch, the double-purchase
halyard started to hoist the main.
From the starboard helm station
I controlled the hydraulic winch,
having a perfect panoramic view
of the whole operation. The
widened fixings for the lazy bag
on the carbon canoe boom make
for an easy passage for the head
of the sail and the battens,
enabling me to keep a close eye
on the wind speed and direction
by means of the two big masthead anemometers. The third
gear of the winch was not linked
to the hydraulic system, but
should be indispensable for
speeding up the first part of the
hoist. Once tensioned, the 70
sets off under main alone if you
come off the wind a little
(impressive!): already we can
drop the motors into neutral, and
then shut them off. The wind is
very light (5-6 knots) and yet the
C70 is picking up under the
162m² of main, with the wakes
trailing out behind and the helm
perfectly balanced.
At 30
meters up, the sail’s square top
is catching the gently building
breeze nicely. The first impressions
clearly
show
this
machine’s potential. Getting the
190m² gennaker ready takes a
bit of effort, as you need to
extract this 30 meter long snake
from the port forward cavern
and carefully get the sheets and
halyard set up. We bear away to
clear the stay, as the long black
mast continues 1.6 meters
above the top of the shrouds! A
few turns to keep the tension,
and we can carefully unfurl at
100° off the wind to safely
control the maneuver before
coming up again. The enormous
350m² sail is easy to trim, with
North’s form-retaining 3DI cloth
being more than perfect for
generating instant power. There
are 8 knots of true wind, and the
gigantic black membrane sail carries us along at 8 knots! On port
tack, with the wind on the beam,
the
gennaker’s
enormous
volume is full without the slightest wrinkle above the sidedecks: there’s already an impressive amount of sheet tension.
Surprisingly for a cruising cat,
we’re going downwind at a sensational vmg, without slowing,
thanks to the apparent wind
we’re creating. We’re already
approaching the entrance to the
bay at Collioure where we’ll
need to tack. Before this (more
than a mile before!), we begin
the maneuver by furling the gennaker. We have to take the
speed into account. It’s essential
to drop it in the lee of the main,
and the time it takes to furl it is
not what you’ll be used to.
THE COMPETITION
Builder
Model
Weight (T)
Sail area (m²)
Architect
Basic Price ex-tax
Outremer 5X
Outremer
Neel 65’
Neel
Tag 60’ GT
Tag
Alibi 65
Alibi
12.7
186
VPLP
995 000
19
190
Joubert/Nivelt
1 150 000
16.5
218
Greg Young
NC
13
257
Alibi Design
NC
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Athletic performance and luxuriously
appointed. That was the challenge for the
70 foot Arcadia
A luxurious atmosphere created
by superb woodwork
Part of the sail-handling station to port at arm’s
length. The leads of the reefing lines,
mainsheet and the topping lift were all subject
to careful design so as to make everything clear
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The curved daggerboards integrate well
into the interior and at speed are able to
provide a bit of vertical lift
Finally, with the staysail unfurled and the
leeward daggerboard lowered, we’re just
in time, with little room to spare! Next we
try the genoa on the opposite tack, and are
able to point very high. Freeing off slightly
and the boat becomes a real pleasure,
with Arcadia picking up to 9 knots at 50° to
the 10 knots of true wind. When well offshore again, we bear away to get the gennaker out again and make the most of the
increasing wind. The sensation of slipping
through the water, which I had felt ever
since we had set off, becomes even more
palpable! Bearing away, the log picks up to
11.1, and 13.5 in the gusts. The wakes perfectly highlight the athletic ability of this
craft: two long white trails slicing through
the deep blue of a wave-less Mediterranean! The feel of the helm (large diameter carbon wheels) is perfectly precise, and
the super-directional rudder blades respond
with millimeter accuracy, making helming a
real pleasure. Participating in such an experience gives great intellectual satisfaction.
CONCLUSION
The performance of this huge vessel in
light and medium airs is absolutely remarkable. Designed for enjoyable sailing in
exactly these conditions, the custom C70
is sensible and well-balanced in a breeze.
Under one or two reefs and genoa/staysail, it spreads its giant wings and sails
with the same serenity as the standard
model.
There’s no doubt that this “no-limits” version of Catana’s 70 footer is a technical
success, and the very high levels of design required to create it will only be of
benefit to future production models.
Designer: Catana design team
Naval Architect: Marc Lombard
Interior Design: Couedel and Hugon
Construction: Poly-vinylester/ glass / foam sandwich with
carbon bulkheads
Length: 20.86m
Beam: 9.49m
Draft: 1.56m/3.75m
Light displacement: 26.5t
Standard mainsail area: 122m2
Standard upwind sail area: 215m2
Height of standard aluminum mast: 26m
Standard motors: 2 x 150 hp
Transmission: shaft-driven propellers
Fresh water: 2 x 400 liters
Fuel: 2 x 1000 liters
Semi-custom model we tested:
Height of Axxon carbon mast: 30m
Boom: Axxon carbon canoe boom
Mainsail area: 162m2
Furling genoa: 110m2
Furling staysail : 60m2
Gennaker: 189m2
Winches: hydraulic Harken Performa
Motors: 2 x 240 hp Yanmars with propshafts
Bowthrusters: 2
Fuel: 3000 liters
Grey water holding tank: 450 liters
Black water holding tank: 280 liters
Options: Refrigerator, ice maker, wine cellar, washing machine,
tumble dryer, 75,000 btu air conditioning, 2 x 13.5kVA generators, 2 x 240L/Hr watermakers, 16 solar panels
Price of the boat in standard version: €2.4M
Price of the boat we tested: Not quoted
THE CATANA 70 RIG BY MANUELA CLINCIU AND ERIC DUCHEMIN (AXXON)
The development of the Catana 70’s sailplan was the subject of a special design between the Lombard team, North Sails and
Axxon Composites. The aim was to achieve excellent performance, particularly in light airs which is so often the weak spot
of this type of relatively increased displacement catamarans. Philppe Oulhen of North Sails created models of the various
different versions of the rig/sails to work out the best possible compromise. We were thus able to increase the foretriangle by
1.3 meters and the luff of the main by 2.5m compared to the standard rig. So as not to compromise the boats handling, especially in big seas, we used high modulus HR40 fiber for the mast, which allowed us to achieve a weight and center of gravity
identical to that of the standard HR fiber mast and to maintain the same pitching moment. Elsewhere, to optimize the surface
of the Code 0, we shifted its tack 1.6 m compared to the forestay fitting. This would not have been possible with an aluminum
mast or the standard HR fiber mast. We are especially grateful to Illy Brummer, who manages the the Axxon Composites
design team and who managed to combine performance and safety by designing this special mast for the Catana 70.
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◆ Balance of the hulls and the helm
◆ Forward profile
◆ Speed and sensations in light airs
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Excellent mast and rig (including runners and
preventer)
◆ Very high quality sails, with outstanding
performance for cruising
◆ Very successful uprated engine installation
◆ No UV protection on the coachroof windows
◆ Bathrooms a bit cramped on this version
◆ Gennaker furler needs upgrading
◆ Hauling speed of the hydraulic winches
The 162m² North main is in 3DI
membrane, and the power of the
sail’s square-top and its perfect shape
are at the heart of the boat’s driving
The canoe boom is elegant
and essential for handling the
enormous membrane mainsail
Despite being loaded
with over 2.3 tonnes of
fuel and fully equipped
during our test, the
C70 sits perfectly
The 30m Axxon carbon mast
is 4m longer than the standard version! With 351m² of
canvas, the C70 doesn’t know
what light airs are!
The curved daggerboards fit well with
the interior layout
and give a bit of lift
at high speed
The design of the helm stations
contributes greatly to the fun of driving
this nautical supercar Comfort,
visibility, direct feel and ergonomics are
all there for the helmsman of this
extraordinary multihull
The mainsheet traveler rail is welded
to the bimini
The impressive 189m²
black membrane
gennaker
The slightly inverted
bows and the break in
the forefoot give the
Catana 70 an immediately recognizable profile.
The high freeboard gives
a very comfortable bridgedeck clearance with
tight and proportioned
lines
Dividing the foresails allows for easy
management of the C70 Custom’s considerable power. Furler for the gennaker,
Profurl units for the 110m² genoa and
60m² staysail
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