Boaters who love catamarans will be happy to find that in 2023, there’s a wide selection to choose from. Both power catamarans and sailing catamarans continue to grow in the marketplace, and your options range from center consoles to cruisers. But, which catamarans sit at the top of the heap? Here are the best catamarans to consider this year.
Best Power Catamarans
Caymas 34 CT
Caymas boats has only been in production for a few years, but they wasted no time in adding a power catamaran to their line of freshwater and saltwater monohull fishing boats. The 34 CT is a compact high-performance offshore fishing machine, with angling armaments galore: a standard 70-gallon livewell with the option to expand to 240 total gallons of livewell capacity; over 30 standard-issue rodholders; onboard tackle stowage; fresh and raw water washdowns, and more.
Like many Caymas models it’s designed to out-perform the competition, with twin steps in the hull and up to 850 horsepower on the transoms. With a pair of Mercury’s new V10 outboards producing 400-hp each, top end is around 60 mph and cruising in the 40s is reasonable. Added bonus: with a whopping 436 gallons of fuel capacity, range can be stretched to over 500 miles. See our full review of this model, Caymas 34 Catamaran: Leathal Weapon.
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Invincible 46 Pilothouse
The new 46 Pilothouse is Invincible’s only model powercat with a fully enclosed helm station, and for anglers who fish in inclement weather will enhance comfort levels quite a bit. Inside there’s seating at and behind the helm and on the passenger’s side, with a U-shaped settee aft. The enclosure also has a berth and head compartment in a lower forward cabin. Still, the Invincible 46 Pilothouse stays true to the fishing mission. There’s a walkaround 360-degrees around the pilothouse, plus a forward cockpit with plenty of room for swinging rods. Additional highlights include a lounger atop the forward cabin, multiple livewells, and countless rod holders and rocket launchers.
High on the list of importance for Invincible is performance, and rigged with quadruple outboards up to 1,800 hp, total, this boat has some serious juice. Quad Mercury Marine 450Rs provide a cruise in the upper 40s and an eye-popping top-end of over 70 mph. See our review of this model, Invincible 46 Pilothouse: Dream Big.
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Twin Vee 240DC GFX
Powercat fans in search of a dual console model will be interested in the Twin Vee 240DC GFX, which combines fishing attributes with comfort and family features. The GFX line is Twin Vee’s newest and most advanced, and the 240DC features extensive seating including a 65” folding aft bench seat and a Llebroc helm seat, a freshwater transom shower, and an enclosed head compartment inside the console. On the fishing end of things the 240DC GFX boasts a 40-gallon livewell, six flush-mount gunwale rodholders plus four on the transom, and under-gunwale rodracks.
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World Cat 260 CC-X
The new 260 CC-X is World Cat’s latest model to join the CC-X lineup. It brings forward U-shaped seating that doubles as a casting deck into the mix, and has a unique transom arrangement which combines a folding bench seat with a transom that converts in a Transformer-like manner into a casting deck. The stern of the boat is even more unusual in that the gunwales widen just forward of the transom, and have flip-up lids over a livewell and a fishbox. With a pair of Yamaha Outboards F200 motors on the transom (max power for the boat) cruising speed is in the mid- to upper-30s and top-end is right around the 50 mph mark.
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Aquila 28 Molokai
Anticipated since Aquila announced the project last year, the 28 Molokai is now on the water. Aquila has built cruisers for years, but this is their first attempt at building a center console powercat for anglers. Despite the large 30’9″ by 9’9″ footprint it retains a very shallow 1’1” hull draft, so the Molokai will be well suited for fishing inshore as well as offshore. Standard power is a pair of 150-hp outboards but it can handle twin 225s.
Fishing features include four flush gunwale rodholders plus six transom rodholders, a 30-gallon livewell, a pair of 94-gallon fishboxes, and multiple tackle stowage compartments. Another nice perk is a front-entry console head compartment.
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Best Sailing Catamarans
Lagoon 51
Lagoon is one of the rare builders who produces both power and sailing catamarans. They’re designed to have an outdoors feel even when inside, with multiple skylights, large panoramic windows around the main cabin, and huge hullside windows. The newest addition to their fleet is the 51, which made the rounds at this winter’s boat shows (and made our list of Hot Boat Debuts at the Miami International Boat Show 2023) and should appear in the market listings any day now.
The big news for this boat is that is was voted the “Multihull of the Year 2023” in the “Sail Cruising” category at the International Multihull Show in La Grande-Motte, France, this past April. Highlights on the boat include an extensive flybridge, a forward cockpit with a large settee and cocktail table, and a choice between layouts with six cabins or four larger cabins and three or four heads.
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Seawind 1370
Seawind may have been a bit surprised shortly after they announced the creation of the 1370 in 2021, because before 2022 had even begun they had taken orders for dozens of these 45’ long, 24’11 wide sailing catamarans. And for 2023 the boat is a reality and it can now be found on the U.S. market. Designed with three- or four-cabin layouts, 6’10” of headroom, and single-level living through the cockpit, galley, helm stations, and saloon, the 1370 is billed as an ideal boat for long-term cruising or living aboard. It’s also designed to allow for short-handed sailing, with sheets, reefs, and halyards all led to electric sheet winches at the helm.
The Seawind 1370 has reverse wave-piercing bows to minimize pitching in heavy seas, carries 1,248 square feet of sail area, and has twin 40-hp diesel Yanmars with Saildrives for backup power. Also impressive is a draft of just 4’3”.
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The Hobie Cat
Although Hobie doesn’t have any new sailing cats for the 2023 model year, the classic Hobie Cat remains a fan favorite and thus still counts as one of the best sailing catamarans around. This boat is eminently popular and has introduced countless enthusiasts to the world of sailing on a cat. It’s easy to afford and easy to maintain, and will doubtlessly retain its position as a topnotch cat for years to come.
Available with 16’ fiberglass hulls or 13’ (Wave) and 17’ (Getaway) rotomolded hull, Hobie Cats carry just 95- to 218-square feet of sail area. But thanks to the ability to “fly” a hull out of the water, sailing one delivers thrills and excitement. Whether you’re looking for an affordable way to break into the world of sailing catamarans or you want to feel the excitement of harnessing the wind to produce powerboat-like speeds, a Hobie Cat will be a top pick in 2023 — or for that matter, in any year.
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One or more of these catamarans has peaked your interest, but you’re not sure how to go about buying one? See our BoatTrader How to Buy a Boat Guide.
Editor’s note: This article was last updated in May of 2023.