Designers Comments on Atlantic 42 "Catalyst"
Having been involved with multihulls for more than 30 years I tend to overlook some of their greatest benefits because I am so accustomed to them.
With that in mind, I think that one of the most important and over looked features for ocean cruising is that a properly designed catamaran cannot possibly sink. Why? There is, of course, no ballast. And in the case of the Atlantic cat designs the hulls and decks are built with thick buoyant foam cores. In addition, there are two hulls each with multiple watertight sections that would allow containment of any flooding. Running into something hard is still something to avoid but it will not be the disaster that it could be in a ballasted "sinker".
Imagine for a moment that all sailboats throughout history were "floaters" and the concept of a boat disappearing beneath the surface was unknown. Then picture the brilliant young yacht designer who comes up with the grand idea of attaching a gigantic slab of lead to the bottom of the boat to make it go faster. What would be the reaction when the first boat sank? Probably not very enthusiastic for the new "improvement". When a catamaran owner's brain gets fully wrapped around the concept of "my boat will not leave me, no matter what" a type of confidence develops which can be very comforting when ocean sailing. Okay, I'm off the soap box and on to some specific features.
With two hulls and a connecting bridge deck available to provide living space the modern cruising catamaran normally offers exceptional accommodations. That fact alone has been much of the reason for their recent popularity. Indeed, the demand for ever more interior space and the attendant "stuff" which tends to fill all available nooks and crannies has proven to be the catamarans Achilles heel. Many current designs are so heavy and bloated that they are exceptionally poor performers. This is particularly true in the size range under 40' LOA.
The Atlantic 42 design, while not exactly a "small" boat is in my opinion about the smallest size cruising cat that still works well. It has the ability to carry enough gear and stores for comfortable long term use without being over burdened. Loaded with all normal stores for a passage she is still an excellent sailing cat often making more than 200 miles per day. (The best days run that I know about was reported at 267nm.) In the right conditions steady speeds of 15 to 17 knots are fairly easy to achieve and occasionally 20 knots is reported by owners. However the big selling point to my way of thinking is the ease and comfort with which the 8 to 12 knot range is maintained. This is how you get places.
Speed under power is handy at times and the Atlantic 42 will chug along at 8 knots powered by twin Yanmar 27 HP diesels. The wide separation of the props allows incredible maneuverability under power which offsets the wide beam penalty in docking and very tight harbors. With practice it is possible to motor through a mooring field in REVERSE with a strong cross wind. Spinning the cat is possible by using full reverse on one engine with forward on the other. I've timed more than two 360 degree revolutions in a minute while sitting stationary. Torque like this can be very handy when the wind has you pinned to the fuel dock.
Since my first sail on a cat with the conventional aft cockpit I've objected to the notion of trying to sail a boat from behind a six foot high bulkhead. You can't see forward very well- or at all in some designs- and you can't feel the breeze. Makes a boat pretty difficult and unsatisfying to sail when you can't see and can't feel. My solution was to reverse that layout and put the cockpit ahead of the deck house.
The trademark feature unique to the Atlantic series of catamarans is the "backward" configuration of cockpit and deck house. By placing the cockpit in the middle of the boat, just behind the mast, very easy and safe sail handling is gained. The mainsail can be reefed without leaving the cockpit and within arms reach of wheel, halyard and mainsheet. And when sailing it feels more like a flush decked race boat than a Greyhound Bus. But as we all know, after a few hours of taking it like a man most sailors are wiped out and looking for shelter. Two steps behind the cockpit is the nerve center of the boat, the pilothouse. From this vantage the A42 can be steered, navigated and presided over. There is excellent visibility of the sails and horizon all around as well as plenty of ventilation. It is the watch keeping station of choice and the living room of the boat. During my first night watch onboard an Atlantic cat in October 1985 all I could do was laugh as I sat warm and dry watching the cold spray unable to reach me behind tempered glass. Other cruising boats have protected watch keeping stations but they are seldom as pleasing or as protected as the pilothouse of an Atlantic cat.
Within the hulls there are dedicated spaces for sleeping, cooking and bathing. The emphasis is on seagoing functionality rather than sit-at-the-dock spaciousness. There are ample lockers for tools and gear, a dedicated workbench, a wonderful shower area that gets toasty warm when the heat is on and a super galley that can be safely used in the roughest weather. Each hull contains two separate sleeping cabins that share a head located between them. The midship cabin has a queen sized double berth, the forward cabin has a single bunk. The interior layout works very well for a family or a cruising couple with occasional guests.
Having had the good fortune to sail a bunch of catamarans of my own design I can truthfully say that the Atlantic 42 is probably one of the most versatile cats out there. She has lots of capability in a relatively small package and a reasonable cost. It continues to be my most popular design.
Chris White