Once on the water, a light breeze is all it takes to leave the marina. On the day of our sea trial, the wind was blowing between 10 and 12 knots, peaking at 14 knots. Strong enough conditions to have fun in the Chesapeake Bay, especially when there are already a few other and mostly bigger multihulls on the water.
It quickly reaches wind speed
Once out of the shelter, the 30 SportCat takes advantage of the slightest breeze. Because it's so light, less than one ton, acceleration is straightforward, and you're soon up to wind speed, if not a little faster.
Extremely agile at different angles, the catamaran is at its best around 35° to 40° to the apparent wind. It was precisely at this angle that we took advantage of a light breeze to accelerate to 14 knots, enough to overtake another catamaran, then a second. No doubt about it, the performance is there, and the manufacturer even announces a top speed of 19 knots. This is already a very decent figure, which will soon be surpassed... This liveliness is made all the more enjoyable by the fact that it can be achieved without inordinate effort. In fact, you don't have to pull on the lines like a madman, nor do you have to systematically trapezing to properly handle this catamaran. However, with a good breeze, an experienced crew and the desire to push this little racer to the limit, you can really enjoy yourself.
The primary objective was to design an introductory catamaran
Nevertheless, the primary objective was to design an introductory catamaran, and it's fair to say that not only has the challenge been met, but the result goes well beyond the sailing school's objectives. The 30 SportCat is very docile and easy to handle. Comfortably seated on a bench, stick in hand, you can enjoy the scenery and the breeze. Another good point is that the catamaran can accommodate up to eight people on board, making it ideal for day trips. Two small berths even allow you to spend the night on board in camping mode.
Equipment is unsurprisingly fairly basic, but there are a number of interesting options, such as carbon daggerboards, solar panels and even a kite sail. Another almost indispensable option is the iPad, with its waterproof shell containing all navigation data.
Finally, the Xquisite is designed for a small internal combustion outboard engine, but can also be equipped with an electric motor.
