A characteristic line
Turkish boat builder Soyaslan has launched one of the largest cold-molded catamarans. The CAT63 is 19.37 m long overall and was designed and built by the yard, with design by Tumer Design Studio. The height of the bulwark is greater at the front with reversed bows and descends largely towards the back. The white roof overhangs an imposing black window, and is topped with a hard-top above the flybridge.
The cold molding method
The cold molding method uses two or more layers of wood, a veneer, oriented in different directions to give the whole a rigidity similar to a fiberglass shell, but lighter. Each plank of wood is glued together with epoxy resin and then the entire veneer is covered again with epoxy, ensuring protection and durability.
Can Soyaslan, founder of the shipyard that has already produced more than 100 boats with this construction method, explains: "At the end of the day, users can't tell the difference between a cold molded, fiberglass or steel boat. In practice, the durability and longevity of the hull are beyond comparison. Wooden boats can last well over a hundred years, while vibration isolation, acoustics and thermal insulation are much better. In terms of weight, there is little difference between cold molding and fiberglass, but wood is a durable material and requires some expertise."
Solar panels and batteries for mooring
The 63-foot catamaran is powered by two 110-horsepower Yanmar engines, connected to large ZF saildrives, for a cruising speed of 8.5 knots and over 10 knots at full throttle. A 60kWh lithium battery pack is powered by eight 430-watt solar panels. The manufacturer says that with this configuration, it is possible to spend the night at anchor without using generators, even with the air conditioning activated.
A generous interior design
The interior layout includes two large double cabins and two twin cabins to accommodate eight people. Three other berths are dedicated to the crew. The decoration is neutral with dark colors combined with colorful fabrics in blue and orange patterns. The large electrically operated bathing platform can accommodate a 3.5 m dinghy.
A sail plan to offer sensations
The sail plan includes a mainsail of 100 m2, a jib of 58 m2 and a large Code 0 of 145 m2 for reaching. During the first tests, the boat reached a speed of 10 knots. The large delphinium offers many options for rigging downwind sails, combined with the daggerboards in each hull. Two steering wheels are positioned at the forward end of the flybridge, complemented by a second helm station in the cockpit.
