The Seawind 1600 PASSAGEMAKER – The Ultimate Luxury Offshore Cruiser Just Got Better

Many of you will have seen the announcement of our exciting new model which garnered great attention following our in-house webinars, virtual tours and the support of the YouTube community.  But what you won’t have seen is all of the behind-the-scenes work we have been doing on current and future Seawind models.  Our design team has spent the past 6 months updating and perfecting the Seawind 1600.  We can now announce that the model is so changed as to receive a new name:  The Seawind 1600 Passagemaker.

The Seawind 1600 claimed the title of Best Large Multihull in SAIL Magazine’s Best Boats competition, and won the inaugural catamaran review series from Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose.  Surpassing that benchmark was no easy feat, and here are the 5 ways the new 1600 PASSAGEMAKER reflects our pursuit of excellence in our flagship cruising catamaran.

With new naval architecture, new interior design, and new technologies on board, the new 1600 PASSAGEMAKER is once again raising the bar for offshore cruising catamarans.  Here’s how:

ALL-NEW HULL SHAPES

New naval architecture added more practicality to an already breathtaking aesthetic appeal.  With serious offshore passage-making in mind, the wider hulls create more buoyancy and load-bearing capacity (while keeping the boat in balance) – which reflects the increasing weight of options todays owners are requesting.  We have also added even more carbon enhancements to the hulls to maintain stiffness whilst keeping weight down. The Seawind 1600 hulls retain the key features revered by multihull buyers, including keeping its Kevlar abrasion layer in the outer hull skins.  Naturally the added volume comes at the price of reducing the very top-end performance figures but coming at the benefit of improving the more frequently used lower-end speed figures.  Wing deck clearance has increased by 50mm to reduce wave slap between the hulls while not detracting heavily from windage affecting the topsides.  The hulls are now optimised to reflect our use of full-carbon daggerboards and rudders since 2018.

PANORAMIC HULL WINDOWS

While re-engineering the hulls, the Seawind design team arranged the carbon reinforcements around larger hull window openings to allow more natural light into the boat and modernise the interior. The oak interior finish now appears brighter and more inviting, while allowing for recessed pleated blinds and trendy portlights embedded into the glass.

EXPANSIVE INTERIOR ENHANCEMENT

New and beamier hulls have enhanced interior living space by 100mm in each hull. This has benefited each of the beds but with noticeable effect to the port forward bow cabin (typically a difficult area in which to find comfortable space in a performance catamaran). This forward guest cabin now comfortably accommodates two people. Additional under-bed storage options have been added, and now even an additional convertible (stowable) child or guests bed is possible forward of the master cabin. That extra bed may negate the need for some owners to select a 4-cabin layout – very helpful in keeping the owners cabin and heads at a most comfortable and ergonomic size for everyday use.

NEW ELECTRICAL LAYOUT

The 1600 PASSAGEMAKER now runs a more energy-efficient, and weight-reducing 24v electrical system as standard. This cuts the current draw by 50%, delivers faster battery charging and allows us to balance more electrical gear spread further across the boat without adding to the cabling weight. In fact this new electrical system achieves an overall weight reduction in excess of 200kg on a typical boat specification. In true Seawind spirit, we made this change with great focus on reliability and longevity, and the new electrical system raises performance in both of those areas.

FIRST-CLASS ANCHORING SOLUTION

The new anchoring system on the 1600 PASSAGEMAKER features the main anchor fixed at mid-point of the longaron (the longitudinal structure between the bow nets). This improves balance, reduces weight and moves weight further aft reducing the chance of tangling any gear on the anchor in the event of a dropped sail. The longaron was widened for optimal bridal deployment and dedicated storage. An all-new bow roller has been designed to further ease deployment of the anchor.

For further details, this exterior tour will explain in details how this 52-footer would be the ideal choice for an enjoyable yet adventurous cruising life.

Seawind 1600 Passagemaker – Luxury Catamaran For Cruising Comfort & Performance Sailing

Seawind 1600 Passagemaker – Crossing Oceans In Comforts

The features outlined above reflect just the broad areas of change and updates we have made to the already successful Seawind 1600. Many dozens of fine details have been updated and refined. Don’t hesitate to ask us for more details or to request a call with one of our catamaran experts.