SHORTHANDED SAILING

The catamaran range started with the BAÑULS 60. The concept was then extended to smaller and larger models to offer the 53' and 78'.

The design brief was clear: the boat should be a simple catamaran easily handled by one sailor while 10-12 guests could enjoy the ride without the fear of getting in the way or getting hurt.

All sheet controls, daggerboard controls (and optional mast rotation controls) lead back to the cockpit, in easy reach of the helmsman and away from the seating and lounge areas.

  • 2 Harken 46.2 STA winches control the main sail traveler
  • 2 Harken 70.3 STA winches control the main sail sheet (electric 70.3 STEV or carbon 65.3 option)
  • 2 Harken 70.3 STA primary winches control the headsail sheets (electric 70.3 STEV or carbon 65.3 option)
  • 1 Harken 60.3 STEV electric winch controls the halyards

Some might think that 7 large winches are not compatible with the concept of a lightweight catamaran as they weigh up to 12.8kgs each (add another 11.5kgs + cable weight for the electric option) and some 60ft cats run with just a few winches.

Our position is that we do not believe it is safe to sail a catamaran unless you can easily and instantly ease the mainsail traveler, the mainsail sheet and the headsail sheet. On the BAÑULS 60 - in case of an emergency, each and every one of the control lines you need to ease instantly is controlled by its own winch. You do not need to take the load off the jammer or clutch by winding in some more, opening the jammer/clutch and easing. In an emergency situation such operation takes significantly too long and can prove fatal.

If your catamaran is hit by a strong gust you need to be able to ease sheets immediately or risk losing the rig on  those catamarans designed to lose the rig before capsizing (the rig is the “fuse”) or risk capsizing for those catamarans designed to lift a hull.

For those who want additional peace of mind the UpSide Up anticapsize system developed by Ocean Data System in collaboration with Thomas Coville, skipper of the 105’ Maxi trimaran Sodebo and Technical Advisor of BAÑULS 60, is available as an option.

www.oceandatasystem.com

We made sure that each winch is correctly sized for the job and located in an optimal position both for easy access from the helm and for the trimming position.

The position of every single manual winch is such that turning a winch handle to sheet in the 118m² of mainsail or the 165m² of gennaker is done in a comfortable position – with shoulders above the winch. Have you ever felt how uncomfortable, tiring and slow it is to winch tons of loads in a sheet with an undersized winch located in front of you at chest height?

The halyards run to the Harken 60.3 STEV electric winch at the mast base, as we believe that somebody should be looking up the mast when sails are hoisted. The autopilot will steer the boat while you are working at the mast.

All headsails on Karver furlers

Self-tacking Solent