New and Used Catamaran Boats for Sale

Catamarans have two hulls and can be either sailing or power boats. With a wide beam, they are very spacious, as well as stable, safe, and fast, making them popular bluewater cruisers. Search for new or used catamarans for sale by all the top brands, and refine the search by price, length, or location. 

Main Characteristics of Catamarans

Catamarans are easily identified by their double hulls (and in the case of trimarans, triple hulls), which make them stand out among more traditional monohull vessels. Catamarans can be either sail or motor vessels, and vary widely in size from beach-launched and dinghy-style beginner catamarans up to superyacht luxury vessels. 

Catamarans have many positive attributes, which are helping them gain popularity throughout the world. Due to their overall wider beam, they offer much more space than a monohull of the same length; for example, a 40-foot catamaran often offers the same space as a 50-foot monohull. They have a unique layout, with larger boats featuring cabins in both hulls and a spacious living space on an above-the-waterline bridgedeck in between the hulls. Many catamarans are also capable of high speeds, especially in a straight line, which makes them popular to race as well as cruise for long distances.

When it comes to safety, catamarans are highly regarded as being virtually unsinkable thanks to having two hulls, a characteristic valued by bluewater cruisers. While they are extremely stable boats and heel far less than a monohull, in storm-force winds and waves they can capsize. Even then, they are much less likely to sink than a monohull.

Types of Catamaran

Sailing Catamarans

Sailing catamarans dominate the multihull market and have been in production for decades. Sales are seeing a huge boom, however, as sailors realize the safety and space advantages they typically hold over monohull yachts. Sailing cats can be as small as a dinghy, sailed off a beach, such as the one- and two-person Hobie Cats. From there they can range up to multi-cabin vessels with huge above-water living spaces designed for long-range voyages.

Power Catamarans

Also rising in popularity are power catamarans, as owners realize the vast living space that they offer. With their wide beam, they allow for multiple cabins between the two hulls and a light-filled, above-water bridgedeck and cockpits that allow for multiple couples or large families to cruise on a vessel that can also be handled by just two people. 

Cruising and Bluewater Catamarans

There is considerable crossover between bluewater and cruising catamarans, with many suitable for both coastal weekend cruising and around-the-world ocean voyages. When it comes to either, the positive attributes of the catamaran shine through. Both power and sailing catamarans offer dramatically more space in the same length of boat as a monohull, with huge amounts of living space, wraparound views, full-sized galleys, multiple cabins and heads, and spacious decks. They’re fast and sturdy, too, and don’t heel like a standard monohull under sail, offering incredible stability.

Luxury Catamarans

Beautiful examples of luxury catamarans (many of which are semi- or custom-built) are becoming more commonplace, with some classifying as true superyachts. At a smaller scale, luxury catamarans can offer high-spec living spaces, high performance, green propulsion, renewable energy, and the latest innovation. 

Best Catamaran Brands

The catamaran industry is still relatively small compared to that of monohulls, with some key brands paving the way in design and development. As catamarans are favored by many charter companies, some brands such as Lagoon and Leopard produce models for both the charter and private owner market with different layouts. These are big names in the catamaran industry, with a fleet of sturdy, well-designed sailing and motor cats in the 40-60-foot sector. 

Within the competitive 40- to 60-foot sector the French company Fountaine-Pajot has been in the industry for over four decades and is also highly regarded for its bluewater cruisers. Other notable brands include Outremer, Catana, Beneteau Excess, Antares, and Xquisite, all designed for long-term livability as well as bluewater cruising. So too are HH Catamarans and BALI Catamarans, known for their clever use of interior space. 

On the smaller end of the cruising catamaran sector are top brands with moderate-sized models such as Seawind, Nautitech and Comar. Their models run the gamut from high-performance cats to smart, modestly priced cruisers.

When it comes to motor catamarans, the market is still relatively small but growing year on year. Many of the brands mentioned above also build excellent motor cats to add to their line-up, while brands such as Invincible Boats, Freeman Boatworks, and Aquila Power Catamarans are specializing in fishing and cruising motor cats. 

Why Choose a Catamaran?

Catamarans offer a huge amount of extra space than a monohull of the same length thanks to their wide, double-hull beam. They are also renowned for their stability under sail, and do not keel much. This is ideal for those wanting to cruise gently with friends and family aboard, sail around the world, or for those prone to seasickness.