A highly eclectic sailboat

[Micael]

This is a weird one, because I somehow both love it and hate it at the same time. Clearly the work of either a genius or a madman, or both. I can only describe it like if you wanted to make a Star Trek: TOS episode where the Enterprise encounters a hippie commune spaceship, I think this is what you would want it to be like. Plus if you start pondering the practical aspects too hard the death traps will start to become apparent.

Meet the Tortue 146, a sailing catamaran:
https://youtu.be/Dnf5uDaihZE

[warshipadmin]

A smooth water boat. It would be terrifying in a storm. I thoroughly approve of the nav station, and the handrails.

[kdahm]

It's alright for the Mediterranean, as long as it stays in harbor for the storms. That navigation position is nice. The helm spot is bad, and a few cameras and screens would improve it. The rig looks light on the mainsail and heavy on the job. Also, the topside will be a nightmare getting around when wet.

Pluses - it's got a lot of space
Minuses - it can't Boat very well, even though it's a boat.

Of course, my personal opinion on yacht design is to take an appropriately sized Coast Guard boat, keep the hull and mechanicals, and just improve the interior and fit out. Pretty good chance it'll stay upright and floating, which the primary purpose of Boat.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Seconded on 'Coast Guard' hull: Would take knock-downs, yet shrug off mayhem and get you home...

There are very good reasons I chose a 'braw ketch' for my 'P for Pleistocene' sequel, 'The Lady May'.
And, yes, I still hope to write it...

IMHO, this beastie is but a 'Touring Caravan', little more than a very nicely appointed 'Houseboat'.
Not fit for ought but mildest, gentlest 'Passage'.
As said of motor-yachts of a certain bling, 'Gin Palace'.
If ships any water, if caught by a squall, would struggle.
Where is their inflatable life-boat, the 'Big Orange Egg' ??
I really, really do not approve of the convoluted interior.
At least that 'front cabin' has an emergency exit hatch.

The un-compartmented 'engine room' ? Too many eggs in that basket...

Though I approve of the volume, there is a so-scary lack of internal hand-rails, padding on the many 'head-banger' corners and edges etc etc etc...

And, sadly, there seems scant provision for handling anything above a trivial sea-state.

No thanks, I'll wait for the next bus...

[Nightwatch2]

it would be a bit sporting in a storm.

very nicely laid out. Much better than my last at sea quarters....

[Micael]

So to add some things here:

In general I’m a bit sceptical of sailing catamarans, in part because they seem to be more prone than monohulls to turning upside down in cases of unexpected strong winds. It was explained to me once that it is due to the wind catching the sails enough to lift one of the hulls out of the water and the flat surface on the bottom between the hulls then catches the wind as well and this causes the topple. I have not tried to verify if this is correct or not. I have noticed that some sailing catamarans have an emergency equipment compartment with an access hatch from the bottom as well, for use when you wind up sitting on the overturned vessel, so it’s sufficiently common that designers thought it worth going to that trouble.

As for rugged, seaworthy boats and yachts, there’s certainly options available there. If you want something somewhat small, pretty fast but which qualifies in the aforementioned category the Finns are pretty strong there. Botnia Targa, Sargo, and Nordstar are all brands from there often referred to as ”4x4s of the sea.”

For a bigger ocean yacht that can handle very rough seas the Nordhavn (not Finnish) ones are very popular.

Nordhavn and Nordstar respectively: