A catamaran ready to sail without options
In its version without options, the Befoil 16 Sport is nevertheless ready to sail. The catamaran is proposed at a price of 24 900euros TTC, with its foils and its rudders equipped with their aluminium bearing plans. It is also delivered with a 14 m² battened mainsail and a 3,7 m² self-tacking jib in laminates from Elvstrom. All are made of laminate. The basic version is designed for use with double trapeze.
For logistics and storage, Befoil also offers optional accessories:
Options to soften the boat
In the logic of facilitating the approach to navigation on board the Befoil 16 Sport, the manufacturer from Morbihan offers optional ladders, as on the version we tried. Removable in less than 5 minutes, they are mounted on the trapeze straps. The ladders option is proposed at a price of 1680euros TTC.
For those customers who wish to do so, the shipyard offers the option of daggerboards and rudders without load-bearing surfaces for an archimedean operation of the boat, at a price of 2012 euros including tax. Nevertheless, the boat having been designed around an easily accessible flight, the relevance of such a purchase seems questionable.
Flying even faster
On the other hand, the enlightened sailors will be able to get additional equipment to boost the boat's performance. A gennaker on a furler is proposed at 1800euros TTC. The shipyard also offers carbon appendages for interested customers at a price not yet public.
Catamaran or foiler : who to compare ?
Traditionally, we try to compare boats to similar models. This is a tricky exercise for the Befoil 16 Sport, both in terms of performance and price.
There are few foiling catamarans for the general public. The Flying Phantom Essential is no longer on the market and the Nacra 17, an Olympic model, is more aimed at professionals. Its price reaches more than 31 000euros HT, that is to say almost a third more expensive.
If we focus on hydrofoil boats, those capable of sailing double-handed are few and far between. The Birdyfish dinghy is announced at a public price of 18 480euros TTC.
If one wanted to evaluate "the price of flight", one could compare the rates to those of the Hobie 16, the best selling 16-foot catamaran. Its performances are obviously not very comparable and its type of construction too. The price is also different, the Hobie 16 being proposed at 13 325euros TTC.
If the challenge of technical accessibility seems to be won, the investment for a Befoil 16 Sport is not within the reach of all. However, the price seems coherent with the market, with an entirely European manufacture. It is now the price to taste the joys of flying a catamaran.
