nautitech 44 - Multihulls World

TEST
A WELL-BALANCED CATAMARAN
FOR ALL PROGRAMMES!
NAUTITECH 44’
SINCE 2002, NAUTITECH HAS BEEN GETTING THE AUTUMN BOAT SHOW PUBLIC USED TO A
REGULAR SUCCESSION OF NEW BOATS. THE 40’, THEN THE 47’ IN 2004 ARE RESTYLED
DEVELOPMENTS OF THE 395 AND 475. THIS YEAR, THE 44’ HAS A NEW DESIGN AND STYLING,
THE RESULT OF MORE THAN 18 MONTHS OF PRIOR STUDY WITH THE MORTAIN-MAVRIKIOS
DESIGN OFFICE.
The 44’s hulls
remain quite slim
and pass well
through rough
seas.
NAUTITECH
Bruno Voisard began in leisure sailing
in 1978 as a joiner; he later
founded a charter company in
Brittany and quickly started to show
an interest in developments overseas.
After Sea Tour, he created
VPM, in partnership with Nouvelles
Frontières.
Since then, he has taken over the
Nautitech brand, up until then the
property of Dufour, and re-launched
the 40’ and 47’ - completely reworked,
but built in their predecessors’
moulds. The range has met with
deserved success and it was time to
design a brand new boat to fit into
the range between the 40’ and the
47’.
THE NAUTITECH 44’
The old 435 (an extension of the 395)
was a good boat which could have
had a second production life, but the
loss of the mould led the designers
to create a completely new boat. The
Mortain-Mavrikios design office’s
experience in this sector was to be a
determining factor (moreover it
The 44' is a pretty boat
which should appeal
to many owners…
reinforces the coherence of the
range’s signature). They needed a
‘classically’ inspired catamaran
which answered today’s expectations,
as much for the regular customers
as for the new charter clients
or the philistines (who cast loving
glances at the incredible volumes of
the multihulls presented at the Boat
Shows). The specifications? Lots of
conviviality both in the nacelle and
outside, movement between the two
on the same level, privacy in the
cabins and reasonable performance
provided by an attractive design: all
that remained was to take up the
challenge!
ARCHITECTURE AND
UNDERWATER LINES
It is easy to move
from one wheel to
the other. A plus for
safety!
At 15 centimetres wider than those
of the 435, the 44-footer’s hulls
remain quite slim and the high, open
bridgedeck tunnel favours the headon
aesthetic perception and plays a
favourable role in progress in rough
seas. The underwater lines are quite
tight from forward until the beginning
of the counter, where the
increased volume has been specially
designed to generate good support
whilst motoring (2 x 40hp!) and
favour the delicate flow at half-load.
A pair of skegs and two elliptical
rudders finish off a harmonious and
balanced design, whose wetted surface
area remains moderate.
A CLASSIC AND
SUCCESSFUL
SILHOUETTE
The 44’ is a ‘pretty’ boat: the freeboard
is reasonable, the overall
lines are set off by a wooden rubbing
strake and five Perspex hatches,
whose openings are integrated into
a recess in the hull side. The decorative
strips (in red or blue) emphasize
#2
The offset
steering position
allows for good
visibility both
forward and of
the sails
116 MULTIHULLS I WORLD7
3MULTIHULLS I WORLD 117

TEST
Galley, large dining area, and
very nice chart table: the
Nautitech offers a good example
of successful saloon
accommodation.
The 44 returns to
the successful
silhouette of the
Nautitech 40 and
47. A very pretty
boat!
#9
the maximum waterline length and
play a part in the silhouette’s acceptability.
The cabin roof is elegant,
with no exaggerations of any kind
and the rigid bimini is not too penalising
(weight and aesthetics saved
by the delicate execution).
CONSTRUCTION
Nautitech takes its inspiration from
modern production methods by subcontracting
the platform, accommodation
and bulkhead units. The hulls
are infused: this high-tech process
is now well-controlled and ensures,
apart from improved hygiene an
safety, better compression of the
skins on the core and optimal diffusion
of the resin. After delivery to a
new factory at Périgny (La Rochelle),
45 technicians are responsible for
laminating the ‘Multipli’ plywood
bulkheads, fitting the accommodation,
the engines, the networks and
the deck. The builder delegates the
‘heavy’ polyester phase and can thus
practice its quality control by refocusing
on the assembly and finishing
trades; this seems to be a judicious
choice!
DECK PLAN
The model tested was an exclusive
four-cabin version, with a flattering
general appearance; the brilliance
of the gel coat and the delicacy of the
removal from the mould are obvious.
The cabins offer a good amount of space and
warm accommodation.
The Nautitech easily handled
the short frontal seas
The cockpit table and the teak decoration
reinforce the perception of a
quality product. The ergonomics of
the deck are pleasant; movement
around and access to the top of the
roof are coherent. Steps and handrails
are present and well-positioned;
the manoeuvring area is practical,
it would be possible to work
there safely in big seas. Transferring
from one wheel to the other, or
towards the winches is carried out at
‘racing speed’ in complete safety.
The fluidity makes itself felt again
when entering the ‘outdoor saloon’
area; this concept will please a lot of
users as it is intelligently produced:
the rigid bimini is not an obstacle, it
plays its protective role (from bad
weather and sunshine), and this
‘outdoor saloon’s’ conviviality is
exemplary.
ACCOMMODATION
With or without the traditional forward-facing
seat, the chart table is
of good quality; the U-shaped galley
is very efficient (fast service to the
saloon as well as the cockpit table
and comfort in rough seas). The
nacelle’s volume allows the saloondining
area and galley-office units to
work well. The companionways to
the cabins are ergonomic and the
feeling of being aboard a ‘beautiful
object’ continues with the discovery
of the gangway, which succeeds in
being pleasant, preserving good
operating flexibility (direct access to
the bathrooms) and giving the cabins
an astonishing amount of volume
and a warm, private atmosphere.
The comfort of the bathroom and wc
in use is remarkable (thanks to the
light and ventilation). The ‘classic
style’ headlining (mouldings) is
warm and the atmosphere created
by the alternation of white panels
and wood is a success. Floor areas
are generous, stowage plentiful and
the door openings are designed to be
really functional at sea.
SEA TEST
Taking advantage of the delivery trip to
the Cannes Boat Show, I threw my bag
aboard at the Frioul Islands; we set off
at around 19h30 under engine, two-up
with Jean-Louis. At cruising revs, the
boat slipped through the water at an
average of 8 knots into a slight chop,
and dusk between the islands was a
delight that the discrete engine noise
did not disturb. We ate our snack outside,
either in the cockpit or at the
steering positions, whose design
favours observation quality and effective
feel (push-pull cables linked to a
The cockpit is very well protected by the rigid bimini and the
famous ‘sun roof’ which the builder is so fond of.
rigid track rod). This long session
under engine confirmed the excellent
adaptation of the mechanical unit: very
powerful, discrete and… high performance.
After a 2-hour nap I hoisted the
sails, with 8 knots of easterly wind blowing
(the weather forecast had given
force 5 - 6!). With a yankee cut jib (high
tack, giving a more tolerant boat in
strong winds and avoiding winches on
the cabin roof), we were ambling along
nicely at 5 knots – a little under-canvassed
(a gennaker completes this
system) but at around 3 o’clock in the
morning, the wind started to get up
progressively.
It was time for the Nautitech 44’ to
show us what it was capable of: a first
leg saw us at 6.35 knots with 10 knots
of true wind (at 45° to the apparent
wind). At 4.5 miles from the coast, we
found a stronger breeze (12 knots); the
44’ slipped along at 8.2 knots (at 50° to
the apparent wind) on an increasingly
choppy sea. Half an hour later the
speed settled at 8 knots over what was
now more lumpy terrain! In the strong,
bracing early morning wind, we set off
on starboard tack, the Nautitech easily
The interior is refined and offers all the conveniences that a
demanding owner has the right to expect.
handled the short frontal seas (with no
real difficulty); it was alive and showed
its real ability. The movements were
gentle, the hulls sail to windward with
no hesitation and in return for a compromise
as far as the course is concerned,
the result in terms of VMG is creditable.
We progressed rapidly towards
our destination, which was now about
forty miles away. A leg out to sea allowed
us to bear away slightly and the
speed climbed to 8.7 – 8.8 knots (20
knots apparent at 50° to the true wind),
against what was now a more badtempered
sea. As on all the
Nautitechs, the mainsail is predominant,
but the helm was perfectly
balanced and the hulls left wakes with
no particular turbulence (we were
lightly laden). The Nautitech is
manoeuvrable; it tacks well and accelerates
in a few boat lengths (without
freeing the mainsail). On this point of
sailing, life in the cabins remains comfortable
and the acoustic insulation is
good (the interior mouldings add
weight, but have a positive impact on
the appearance and the insulation. The
production sails (Incidences) in Dacron
are good-looking; it is certain that on a
private owner’s version, the choice of
Spectra Hydranet Radial would make
the difference in terms of performance
and profile stability. At 10am, we furled
the sails off the Cannes jetty at the end
of an easy and very pleasant delivery
trip. Were we there already?
CONCLUSION
The
Nautitech
exists in a
4-cabin
version…
LES +
- Balanced design
- Good quality construction
- Pleasant to sail
LES -
- Winches and sheets a little undersized
for strong winds; absence of
genoa option.
- Jib sheet fouls the mastfoot winch
when tacking
- Engine accessibility
In charter or private owner’s versions,
the Nautitech 44’ asserts its personality
in a very coveted market segment.
Agile, fast and easy to use, it will suit
prospective voyagers, and its size suits
it to ocean crossings. The charter version
is very comfortable and offers 4
cabins with ‘owner’ services, and the
balance between privacy and conviviality
is remarkable. With the gennaker,
the sail plan adapts to all wind conditions
and crews who can limit the
weight embarked (watermaker?) will
enjoy an excellent platform. The offcentre
steering positions allow a technical
view of the sail plan and contribute
to the overall pleasure by separating
the living aboard – leisure –
manoeuvres activities.
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Architect : A. Mortain, Y. Mavrikios
Builder : Nautitech catamarans
Length : 13.47 m
Waterline length : 12.20 m
Beam : 6.8 m
Draught : 1.20 m
Skegs/daggerboards : fixed skegs
Unladen weight : 9.2 t
Bridgedeck clearance : 0.8 m
Windward sail area : 96 m2
Mainsail : 65 m2
Jib : 30 m2
Water : 800 l
Fuel : 2 X 200 l
Engines : 2 X 40hp
EC approval : Cat. A for 10 persons
Construction material : infused
sandwich polyester / glass /foam.
Plywood bulkheads
Anchoring equipment : 1200W
windlass in forward locker, to port.
Price : 393,900 euros
Price of version tested:
436,220 euros
THE COMPETITORS
MODEL BUILDER ARCHITECT LENGTH WEIGHT WINDWARD SAIL AREA PRICE, INC. TAX, IN
PRIVILÈGE 445 ALLIAURA MARINE LOMBARD 13.45M 8,9 t 111 M 2 532 220
BELIZE 43 FOUNTAINE PAJOT JOUBERT NIVELT 13 M 8,6 t 111 M 2 376 740
LEOPARD 43 ROBERTSON & CAINE SIMONIS VOOGD 13 M 8,6 t 114 M 2 377 000
€
118 MULTIHULLS I WORLD7 3MULTIHULLS I WORLD 119