'Vite & Rêves', a Catana 401 #1

'Vite & Rêves' Is currently in Grenada, West Indies

Description

• Designer: Christophe Barreau;
  
• Length overall: 12.5m;
  
• Length at water line: 12.0m;
  
• Breadth: 6.7m;
  
• Draft: 0.7 / 2.0m;
  
• Mast height: 17.0m;
  
• Weight: only 6200 kg (compare to e.g. Lagoon 40: 10200 kg);
  
• Unsinkable, sandwich void construction, PVC close cell core, unidirectional fiber glass outside, aramid fiber inside, carbon and Twaron reinforcement;
  
• Four cabin version with two bathrooms and heads;
  
• Delivered Sept 1st 1999.

Rigging

• Carbon mast;
  
• Carbon bowsprit;
  
• Carbon davits;
  
• Boom with lazy bag (2016);
  
• New compression beam and bow sprit (2014);
  
• Three Andersen electric winches two speed 46ST (main halyard, reefs and tacks);
  
• Two Andersen two speed 40ST (double main sheet system);
  
• One Andersen two speed 28ST (mast);
  
• Two hydraulic helms;
  
• All ropes dynema 12 mm (2017) / main sheet dynema 14 mm (2014);
  
• Two daggerboards.

Sails

• Main sail full batten 52 m2 with three reef bands on Frederiksen rail and cars;
  
• Genoa 42 m2 on Profurl NC42 (refurbished bearing and seals 2017);
  
• Genaker 70 m2 tri-radial cut PL300/polyester and spectra 2.9 oz on cable Dynex for Profurl NEX 5.0 (2017);
  
• Spinnaker 85 m2 tri-radial cut CPP300 on cable Dynex for Profurl NEX 5.0 ;(2017).

Engines

• Two Volvo Penta MD30C saildrive with three blade folding propellers;
  
• Double engine controls at each helm;
  
• Two start batteries, one in each engine room;
  
• Two diesel tanks 90 liters each.

Water

• Two fresh water tanks 200 liters each, with sensors;
  
• Two black water tanks 90 liters each, with sensors;
  
• Two Jabsco manual toilets;
  
• Two water heaters 20 liters on engine cooling and 220 Volts;
  
• Two fresh water pumps (one in each engine room) with bypass from one hull to the other;
  
• One new water maker Schenker Zen 30 liter/hour using only 9amps/h, with extra filters (2020);
  
• One fresh water deck shower aft starboard scoop;
  
• Sea water pump to the kitchen sink and aft starboard scoop.

Electricity

• Seven batteries 130 Ah each (2014), total almost 1000Ah;
  
• One battery controller Mastervolt;
  
• Two alternators 60 Amps, one on each engine;
  
• Two Balmar duo chargers for the engine start batteries (2018);
  
• Two bypass couplers for the main battery to the engine start batteries;
  
• Shore power battery charger;
  
• Three Victron solar panels 100 Watts each with regulator Votronic MPP 350 Duo (2018) mounted on tender davits;
  
• One Watt & Sea hydro generator cruising 600 watts;
  
• One converter 220 V 2000 W with five outlets;
  
• Huge fridge 220 liters;
  
• Freezer;
  
• Four bilge pumps with sensors;
  
• Electric windlass 700W (2017);

Galley

• One and half sink;
  
• Oven;
  
• Cooking range three burners;
  
• Full range of utensils, pots and pans.

Safety

• One life raft for 8 passengers;
  
• Spade anchor;
  
• Chain 10 mm;
  
• Secondary anchor;
  
• Fire extinguishers in each space;
  
• Extended pharmacy for blue water cruising;
  
• Flares etc;
  
• EPIRB.

Electronics

• Auto pilot B&G with LS hydraulics and gyroscopic compass;
  
• B&G electronics, including speed, depth, wind indicator (2014);
  
• Furuno GPS;
  
• Furuno radar;
  
• Radio FM/AM, CD player, USB plug (2014);
  
• Navtex receiver;
  
• VHF and AIS transponder;
  
• AIS USB connector for laptop.

Various

• Bimini (2016);
  
• UV roof protection;
  
• Fenders;
  
• Safe;
  
• Helms protections (2016);
  
• Mooring ropes;
  
• Tender dinghy 3D tender Ultralight 3.1 m aluminum bottom (2018);
  
• Torqeedo 1003CS electric outboard (2018);
  
• Many spare parts (water pump, alternator, jabsco pump, etc.) and spare lines

"Sailing the Catana 401 shows her to be very fast with frank accelerations. She is easy to handle, both under sail and with motors. The gentle steering and comfort make it possible to be at the helm for long hours without fatigue. Unquestionably, this boat is very lively, efficient and safe." — from Multihull World’s Catana 401 Review.

I was used to sailing in monohulls. Vite & Rêves is the second catamaran I ever set foot on in my life. I’m never looking back. She’s that good.

Vite & Rêves is fast, safe and very comfortable. Her 2 meter long daggerboards can make her go to 30 degrees to the apparent wind. This is excellent even by performance monohull standards. With the daggerboards up, she draws only 70cm (2.3ft), so practically every marina, bay and beach is accessible.

She’s faster than any boat her length and leaves even much longer monohulls in her wake. The theoretical maximum boat speed of a 40 footer is 8 knots. This is Vite & Rêves' minimum speed as soon as the wind picks up a bit. The maximum speed we did was 20 knots, during our Atlantic crossing. The maximum speed on the speed log is 24 knots. And she sails safely and comfortably, even at those speeds.

All her systems are kept very simple and maintainable. All the lines go back to the cockpit. Hoisting the mainsail and reefing is child’s play. She’s easy to sail single-handedly, a big plus when you have 3 kids on board. Her double mainsheet system forgives most mistakes. If things break, repair is usually do-able with your own hands, some chewing gum and a paperclip.

She’s unsinkable, not only because of the watertight compartments in the bows and the sterns, but also because the boat itself is lighter than water. Even fully flooded, she’ll still float. In the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight for hundreds of miles, this is a great comfort.

It’s known that every boat has her own character. Vite & Rêves is patient, playful, enthusiastic, gentle and friendly. This is a boat that makes you feel at ease, even in big winds and big seas.

Vite & Rêves will take you around the world and back again.

---