Bars at the back with maneuvers
The Excess 15 is designed to make steering a catamaran more fun. To achieve this result, the helms are located at the rear of the hulls just above the rudders. With a direct transmission system, the touch of the helm becomes really pleasant allowing to place the bows with precision and offering a feedback, also direct. The deck layout has been organized to allow for short-handed control of the boat. The lines come back on the winches through the roof to the cockpit coamings just in front of the helms. On the aft beam, the "flat winder" system allows the mainsail track to be adjusted electrically with switches on each side, which is very practical for emergency trimming.
Some edges with Marc Guillemot
For the occasion, the ocean racer, Marc Guillemot came to make some tacks with us. Even if Marc is not a multihull specialist, his experience in offshore racing is beneficial for the maneuvering sequences. First of all, the very low platform on the roof gives an ideal access to prepare or intervene on the mainsail, it just lacks a small ladder to climb easily, this will be quickly rectified. The mainsail of more than 100 m² is easily hoisted by an electric winch to the first reef and after having unrolled the self-tacking solent we go back to the front. At about 40° to the apparent wind, the speed of 8 knots is easily reached and the passage in the rough sea is rather easy. The control of the trajectory is really exhilarating and the negotiation of the waves, a game more than amusing.
From gliding to downwind
Going downwind, the gennaker is unfurled from the bowsprit and we kept the reef, as the wind is well established at 18 knots. With the "Pulse line" rigging, the power is more than enough and we take advantage of some larger wave trains to make some planning starts. At 110° from the wind, an average of 11 knots was easily established, but not without difficulty, because the carène was slightly fiery and we had to be careful with the luffing start. This little youthful flaw has since been corrected by replacing the rudders with longer and better compensated ones, giving easier control, as we found on the Excess 12.
