Seawind 1600 Catamaran Review, Price and Ownership Notes

How an Australian beach-cat builder ended up with a 52-foot bluewater flagship

Seawind began in 1982, when Richard Ward started building off-the-beach catamarans in Australia. The first true cruiser, the 28-foot Seawind 850, arrived in 1991, and for two decades the brand was known for practical, family-sized cats in the 30 to 40 foot range. The turning point came in 2010, when Seawind bought Corsair Marine, the trimaran builder that had already moved its production from San Diego to Ho Chi Minh City. Seawind production followed, along with Australian shipwrights and managers to run the floor.

The Seawind 1600 is the result of that scale. It is the largest boat Seawind has built, with naval architecture by Reichel/Pugh, the San Diego firm better known for maxi racing yachts. The first production hull launched in 2018, and in 2021 SAIL magazine named it Best Boat in the large multihull, 50 feet and over, category.

The Seawind 1600 is aimed squarely at couples planning long passages: fast enough for long daily runs, small enough in systems and sail loads to be handled by two people, and finished well enough to live aboard for years.

Reichel/Pugh lines, Kevlar hulls and a 13 tonne target

On paper the boat is long, light and narrow-hulled. The hull length is about 51 feet 7 inches (Seawind quotes 52 feet 8 inches overall including fittings), the waterline runs almost the full length, and SAIL lists light ship displacement at about 28,000 lb (12.7 tonnes), although Seawind's current Passagemaker spec quotes 31,700 lb (14,400 kg) as built. Upwind sail area is 144.5 square meters, so the power to weight ratio sits firmly in performance cruiser territory, ahead of any flybridge production cat.

Construction follows Reichel/Pugh's engineering. Hulls, deck and bimini are vinyl ester resin-infused over PVC foam core, a layer of Kevlar is added to the hulls for impact resistance, and carbon reinforces the chainplate areas and main bulkheads. Seawind engineers the boats to CE Category A, and carbon spar options are available for owners who want to save weight aloft.

The bows are fine, and that has a cost inside. Both test crews and owners note that the forward guest cabin is narrow, a direct consequence of the entry that makes the boat quiet and quick in a seaway.

• Light ship about 28,000 lb per SAIL, 31,700 lb in the current Passagemaker spec
• 144.5 m2 upwind sail area, 220 m2 optional spinnaker
• Kevlar layer in hull laminate, carbon at chainplates and bulkheads
• Bridgedeck clearance kept high for offshore comfort

Captive daggerboards that stay out of the way

Daggerboards are what separate the 1600 from the fixed-keel cats it shares anchorages with. With boards up, draft is about 2 feet; with boards down it is 8 feet 6 inches. Seawind made them captive, recessed into the deck with flip-up covers, and controlled from the cockpit, so no one goes forward in a seaway to raise or lower them. The rudders retract too, which protects them in a grounding and opens shallow lagoons and river mouths few 52-footers can reach.

Upwind the boards pay off. Cruising World made a respectable 6.6 knots heading home on the self-tacking jib and credited the daggerboards for pointing well. Downwind, lift the boards partway and the boat frees up and tracks well.

Twin helms under the coachroof, a Seawind signature

Seawind has always placed its helms at the aft end of the coachroof rather than on a flybridge or out on the transom, and the 1600 continues the idea. The two wheels sit sheltered under the roof yet outboard enough to see the bows and the sail, and they are raised for visibility over the deckhouse. On a night watch the helmsman is protected from rain and spray but still close to the cockpit, which is a far more social and safer arrangement than a flybridge for a couple doing three-hour watches.

All sail controls lead to the helm area. Most boats carry at least one electric winch, and the self-tacking jib means tacking upwind is a one-person job.

Galley up, owner's hull and the narrow forward cabin

The galley is up on the bridgedeck facing aft, with large sliding windows that open onto the cockpit dining table, and a forward-facing navigation station with a vast work surface gives a clear view through the front windows. The cockpit itself is on a single level, though its outdoor dining area is smaller than on a Lagoon or Leopard of similar length. That reflects the brief: this is a passagemaker first and an entertaining platform second.

The standard three cabin version gives the starboard hull to the owner with a large berth, a long run of storage and a head with separate shower. The port hull holds an aft guest cabin with a queen or twin option and a forward cabin that SAIL described as undersized and Cruising World as a bit narrow. Some layouts have only one head in the port hull to serve both guest cabins, so check the specific boat if you cruise with another couple. A four cabin plan exists but suits occasional guests rather than charter.

The finish is a strong point. Joinery, lighting and hardware are close to the European performance yards, and SAIL noted space in the owner's head for an optional combination washer and dryer.

What the Seawind 1600 does on the water

SAIL's test on Biscayne Bay was hardly a light-ship trial, with full tanks and 14 people aboard. In 12 to 13 knots of breeze with the boards halfway down, the boat made 6.3 knots at 60 degrees apparent and 6.5 knots at 120 degrees, then 8.9 knots on a beam reach when the wind built to 16 knots. Cruising World recorded the high 7s on a beam reach under screecher, 8.5 knots and more under spinnaker, and 6.6 knots upwind on the self-tacking jib.

Those figures understate the boat in open water, since SAIL sailed fully tanked with 14 aboard, and with a light-ship displacement to length ratio SAIL puts at 92 the 1600 has the potential for big daily runs on passage. For a couple, the more important point is that the 1600 is easily driven: you can reef early, sail on the main and jib alone, and still cover distance.

Yanmar power, 24 volt systems and tankage

Standard engines are twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels on saildrives with fixed three-blade propellers. In SAIL's test the boat reached 9.2 knots at 3,200 rpm and cruised at 8.2 knots at 2,200 rpm. Cruising World's boat had the optional 80 hp Yanmars, which give a similar cruise just over 8 knots with more reserve for punching into a headsea. The engine bays are aft and well laid out for service.

The house system is 24 volts, with a 400 Ah battery bank, a Mastervolt 2,500 W inverter charger and two 200 W solar panels as delivered, and many owners add lithium and more solar on the bimini. Seawind currently lists tankage of 750 liters (200 gallons) of diesel and 658 liters (174 gallons) of water, and a watermaker is a sensible addition for long passages.

Ownership costs and the value question

Budget roughly $50,000 to $95,000 a year to run a privately owned 1600, depending on insurance region, slip and how far you sail. The 26-foot beam rules out most standard slips, and Kevlar and carbon structures mean insurers want a surveyor who knows composites. Daggerboard bearings, lifting lines and trunk inspections add a small recurring item that fixed-keel owners never face.

Resale has been firm. Production is limited, and recent US asking prices of about $990,000 to $1.15 million for 2022 and 2023 boats are close to their original sail-away prices. Compared with an Outremer 51 of similar age, a Seawind usually lists a little lower, which is the buyer's opening.