Seawind 1250 Review | New Catamarans | Sailboats for Sale

Seawind 1250
Offshore Cruiser Racer

New for 2010!

2006 Brokerage 1160 available too! Click Here!

Supertest of the Seawind 1250 in the Bass Straits
by Chris Colbourne

22 January – 27 January 2010

Sydney, then Melbourne-Flinder’s Island

What better way to test a ‘blue water’ catamaran than on a cruise from Melbourne to the Islands that mark the Eastern entrance to the notorious Bass Straits between the Australian mainland and Tasmania? The invitation to join Richard Ward, Managing Director of Seawind Catamarans with his partner Kerry and their friends had to be accepted, even if it required a trip from New York, my current home. At the risk of revealing the ‘punch line’ too early, the trip was well worth it!

But what do I know about ‘blue water’ catamarans? I have to admit to having been a bit of a catamaran geek from about the age of 12 when I first started to sketch them, instead of doing my homework. I’m now 50 years older but the interest has not waned. I’ve compared, contrasted, built and sailed all sorts of catamarans, from beach cats to a fast but spartan stretched 28’ Fountaine Pajot ‘Corneel,’ to my current boat, a 2008 Seawind 1160 called ‘Maurie’. I decided to buy the Seawind after many years of research, charter trips, and boat show visits. It was the test sail two years ago at the Miami show that made the difference. Reaching down the harbor, with screacher pulling hard and doing 2/3rds wind speed, it just felt right. It was ‘in the groove’, like a good monohull ,but better. The low windage, sleek lines, protected helm positions and easy communication with guests and crew all made sense to me and they still do after 4000 miles cruising up and down the East Coast of the USA and Canada.

When I ordered the Seawind I quizzed Kurt Jerman, the soft spoken and very helpful US distributor, about whether there were plans for a stretched version, with similar accommodation but offering relatively finer hulls and more freeboard and he answered that no there wasn’t. But he hadn’t counted on Richard’s ever active mind wanting to tinker with what was the firm’s most successful product to date . My ideal concept boat had just been launched, or so I thought, it needed to be tested to be sure.

I started with a Friday afternoon visit to the factory, complete with its new building dedicated to Seawind 1250 production, located about an hour south of Sydney on the coast at Wollongong. I found a state of the art facility without the dust or fumes that would have characterized more old fashioned production. The Seawinds share many components, many of them resin infused fiberglass to ensure lightweight, strength and high quality. The new 1250 is all infused, except for the very complicated one piece deck molding, which is vacum bagged. The engineering, provided by High Modulus, results in a boat that is larger in all dimensions (90cm longer, 40cm wider and 20 cm deeper )than the 1160, but uses the same three barrels of resin. In other words, it is lighter per unit volume. The 1250 also marks a departure for Seawind in that the hulls are foam sandwich throughout, rather than the traditional foam above the waterline and solid glass below, thus providing a lighter stronger structure and better flow for the resin infused system.

For those familiar with the Seawind features, the immediate impression is of a close family resemblance with the 1160, with its island owner’s cabin queen berth, huge walk in shower, signature folding/lifting doors linking the saloon and cockpit, and unbeatable dual helm positions. But there are important differences as well.

The extra length allows bow pulpit seats and a larger longer fore-foot, self-tacking jib. The rig is taller as well, thanks to the wider beam and length. The greater freeboard translates into greater bridge-deck clearance. Boat shows these days are littered with ‘houseboat’ catamarans that stuff as much accommodation as possible into boxy shapes, but this design does what a true offshore catamaran ought to do. It basically has accommodation which is similar to the 1160, but with extra length, beam and freeboard providing a greater payload capability, intended to create a slightly faster and more comfortable off shore cruiser. Of course, the extra width also brings benefits. There is an enormous locker between the guest and owner’s staterooms which provide space for an optional generator, sails, water toys, and still with room to spare. The saloon is so wide it can be fitted with a galley up arrangement alongside the seating area, but I like the version we tested, with a huge ‘daybed’ (equally good as a ‘night bed’ adjacent to a saloon navigation station. This still leaves space for a table able to seat 8 and convert into yet another queen bed. Indeed with the optional children’s berth fitted in the port bow, the boat can sleep 10, though 6-7 is a more comfortable number for an extended cruise.

Following a delightful evening with Richard and Kerry, first at their small farm and then with neighbours for dinner, we departed Saturday for Melbourne. The boat was there for the February Boat Show , but first Richard had negotiated time for a 10 day cruise. I was invited to join them for the first half. Thank you, Richard.

My Seawind 1160, Maurie, is currently under plastic in Nova Scotia, but my first view of the Seawind 1250 was like coming home. Almost everything is where it should be, but there were differences, too: extra clutches to allow 3 reefing lines to be permanently rigged, instead of two, and spinnaker stoppers. A Manson Supreme replaces the CQR anchor. Noticeable too are the gracefully purposeful lines of the higher bows, gently curved hardtop bimini, and sweeping transom steps and dinghy boarding platform

We headed off under motor. The twin 30hp Yanmars transmit power through optional three bladed Gori folding props. Speed felt virtually identical to the smaller 1160 under power and during the full 5 days of the test, there was never an occasion when we needed larger engines – far better in my opinion to save the weight and optimize sailing performance. 2500rpm produces about 6.5knts and the maximum cruise of 3400rpm will yield in excess of 8 knots. One feature often overlooked in a sailing catamaran is their supreme ability to motor-sail in light winds. One engine at 2200rpm will ensure passage speeds of 6-7knts even when the wind dips into single figures, and with excellent fuel efficiency.

seawind 1250 making time down under Melbourne sits at the head of an almost fully enclosed bay, over thirty miles across at its widest which provides a wonderful playground for local sailors. The wind was from the south and enough to be useful so we put up the laminate, fully-roached main. The mast tops out at about 20m above the waterline, but the electric winch made quick work of what can be a heavy task, challenging the purist in me that normally insists on grinding up the main by hand. The well cut laminate self tacking jib rolled open and we were rapidly underway.

The entrance to the sea, the Heads, is notorious for very strong currents and standing waves 3-4m high on even relatively calm day. The trick is to approach at slack water, and that is what we intended to do, but there was a discrepancy between the local printed tables and the Navionics chart data. The net result is that the tide was still running strongly s0 we tested the 1250’s ability to power out with 4-5knots of current against a 15knt Southwest wind. The boat, of course, handled it effortlessly, powering up the face of the waves and gliding down their backs. We were soon into more settled water and cruising close hauled towards Wilson’s Promontory, about 100nm south east, and the Australian mainland’ s southern most point. We were in the Southern Ocean. We planned to sail overnight and arrive in the morning, when we could take a decision to either stop in Refuge Bay, or head straight through to the Kent Group of islands.

I got lucky with the watch draw, picking up a late evening stint and then the 4-6am shift. I knew that sunrise would be at about 5am and was looking forward to my first view of Bass Straights. It was gorgeous. As the sun emerged from the water directly on the bow, the boat was already abreast of Wilson’s Prom and we had all made the decision to keep on going. The wind was kind to us, gradually moving to the west, allowing us to arc southwards We arrived, feeling rested, at East Cove, Erith Island at about 3pm. It is pretty typical to count on 160 miles in any 24 hour period in a Seawind, and we had done just that without pressing the boat. Indeed, we had done the cautious thing and taken a reef overnight. It showed once again that reducing sail doesn’t slow the boat much at all, but it made for a peaceful and relaxing overnight passage.

Tuesday was Australia Day and we had a most memorable one. We motored over to West Cove on Deal Island, the largest of the group and temporary home to volunteer caretaker’s Roger and Jan. We picked up the local forecast, essential in these changeable parts, and invited Roger and Jan to join us for an Ausie Barbie on the quay that evening. Then we walked via the little museum, and vegetable garden up a track the highest lighthouse in the Southern Hemisphere, about 1000ft about sea level, accompanied for part of the way by tame wallabies. We returned, pleased with our exercise and sailed round the north of the island past Garden Cove to Winter Cove where we found another great beach. Richard was keen to dive for Abalone and so we donned wet suits, useful in the 20degC water, and explored the cove. The fish life was stunning, as were the beautiful colors of the abundant kelps and grasses It was fantastic seeing such a healthy environment and with colors at least as vibrant as the tropics. We motored back into a stiff breeze, but had no trouble maintaining a good speed at modest rpm. The wind had picked up, but the forecast was for moderation, so we returned to West Cove as planned for our Australia Day celebrations. The highlight of the evening was witnessing the nightly return of hundreds of little ‘fairy penguins’, each only about 40cm tall, who swim all day and then nightly return to their boroughs and attend to the young, climbing as much as 70m above the water up the steep hill.

bass strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania We awoke Wednesday to benign conditions and got off to an early start for Flinder’s Island, part of the Furneaux Group, some 30kn to the south. The forecast was for SW winds 10-15 backing to the NE 10-20. We could see the storm clouds marking the approaching front and our peaceful one-engined motor-sail, as the wind initially died, became a little more exciting as we approached the cloud line. The wind picked up to 20-25knots true from the east and we quickly wound down reef one into the main. The seas were initially confused as the remains of the prevailing southwesterly swell were blown up by the strong easterly breeze.

No small boat is motion or noise free in these conditions, but our crew enjoyed it all, with one or two of us doing the sailing while the other four sat round the table in the saloon observing the speed and waves from a protected vantage point with 360deg visibility. The Seawind quickly picked up speed. The confused seas caused the occasional wave to slap one part or another of the Seawind on occasion and in varied locations. We never felt the rhythmic solid bump on one appendage which would tell us that something was the wrong shape or the bridge deck to low. Nor did we feel our progress impeded by the lumpy water though the Seawind, like most light boats, will add on another 15% or so in increased speed if the water is calm. As the wind direction settled we found ourselves sailing fairly close-hauled at between 8 and 10 knots with regular surfing speeds of about 12 knots. Flinders Island approached rapidly and we were soon in the protected lee, maintaining speed but with a smoother ride. We arrived in the semi protected bay of Leeka on the northwest shore at about 12:30pm.

We continued with a fast close hauled passage down the west coast to what turned out to be the least port –like port we had ever seen. Sailing at 8-9knts upwind in 16-19knots of breeze with a finger-tip light helm and 360deg viability we rapidly made our target, to find that the ‘port’ was a beautiful and somewhat exposed undeveloped bay.

Flinder’s Island is not known for an abundance of sheltered places to anchor and Port Davies was no exception. We radioed a sport fishing boat as she exited the bay and they voiced caution about holding and exposure. We thought it would be OK for the night and were attracted by the possibility of abalone for an evening appetizer. The Manson Supreme held us firm, and Richard found his abalone. They were truly delicious.

I awoke early Thursday, aware that I had to catch the one and only 11:00am flight from Whitemark, some 12-15nm down the coast, and known for having a very shallow and exposed bay rather than protected harbor. There seemed plenty of margin for error and no fall back, so I started the engines and we quickly brought up the anchor on the Muir electric windlass. As we headed off, Richard came on deck and suggested we get the main up right away. We set the first reef, rounded the headland, and went hurtling off again close hauled at 9-10 knots. We needed to head south first and then east, directly into the wind, to get close enough to the landing stage where we could launch the dingy into relatively protected waters. At these speeds it was going to be quicker to tack directly into the wind rather than motor, and so we had a great early morning sail to Whitemark, arriving just at 10am, having also had ahot showers and breakfast! We were tacking through about 60-70degs apparent wind, and charging along. The wind picked up as we caught the downdrafts off the mountains, and at one stage we had 29-30knts. If we had been offshore, it would definitely have been time for a second reef, but in these relatively sheltered waters, with 1m short chop, we just blasted along, feathering the sails slightly in the puffs as though it were a big dinghy.

We anchored up quickly, said quick goodbyes, took the dinghy ashore, met up with a friend of one of the crew, and arrived at Whitemark Airport, by about 10:30am, just in time to the check in for the little 8 seat Cessna Titan that was to take me back to Melbourne.

Saying goodbye to this impressive new Seawind and her hospitable and competent crew was sad indeed. The purpose of my trip was help decide whether to keep my 1160 or trade up to the new big brother. As I write this am still thinking this through. They are both great boats and similar in so many ways. The 1160 slips under the common 40’ length rule and allows access to smaller harbors, cheaper fittings and insurance, etc. But it can feel just a little bit small when far out in the open sea, though never worryingly so. In the 1160 it pays to keep the payload light and a crew of 4-5 or less is probably the optimum. The 1250 feels like the big brother that it is. It can take on a greater crew and provisions load and still pile on the miles. By keeping the accommodation modules similar, but adding draft, freeboard, and lengthening both the bow and the stern, the boat becomes a very convincing blue water cruiser.

If I can find the funds, then I think that I am up for the trade. I have always thought that the key to a great catamaran was to avoid squeezing in too many berths in a short boat – and the Seawind 1250 has the ratio of accommodation to boat size just right. I have now had the opportunity to sail her in a wide variety of conditions and this boat epitomizes Richard’s approach to evolutionary design. Each model is that little bit more refined than the last: refined in design, build quality and technique, style and features.

The 1250 represents the current peak, but Richard has a restless mind and my guess is that we will see further refinement both at the top end of the fleet and in re-working contemporary themes into some of the smaller Seawinds. In summary, this an elegantly and strongly built owner’s yacht, that is easy and rewarding to sail and promises many miles of comfortable passage making in a wide variety of sailing conditions.

CRC
1 February 2010