Cruising Catamarans for Real Sailors

Seawind Catamarans have advanced in leaps and bounds over the years, developing multihull designs that have significantly influenced Australia’s fleet of modern catamaran while enjoying the success from overseas interest. In 1982, the company commenced operations building small “off the beach” catamarans of 4 to 5 metres in length known as the “Maricat”. These recreational craft quickly became the most popular Australian produced catamarans with over 3,000 built.

Corsair Marine was founded by John Walton who was the son of Sam Walton - the founder of the retail giant, Wal Mart. Corsair Marine was based in San Diego (Chula Vista), California.

Through the 1980’s Seawind was best known for the amazingly successful Seawind 24. Years ahead of its competitors at the time, this 24ft cruising catamaran became a world benchmark for small cat design and over 350 were built. They were successfully exported throughout the world in America, Japan, Holland, Hawaii, Thailand, Papua New Guinea as well as Australia.

Seawind have also offered design and construction facilities for the custom catamaran buyer. These custom projects have been quite diverse with some well - known examples being the Scott Jutson designed Formula 40 racing catamaran, “Simply the Best” which for many years was the fastest sailing boat in Australia. Also the super luxury 65ft catamaran “Sydney Crystal” was built at a cost of $3 million for a very large Japanese Tourist operator and is one of the most elegant charter yachts on Sydney Harbour. These were two ends of the custom yacht spectrum.

The 1990’s witnessed a revolution of modern larger cruising catamaran designs from Seawind. Firstly introducing the 28ft Seawind 850 in 1991 with immediate success, despite Australia being in the grip of a recession and the world sailing market very low. Approximately 25 of these were launched and sold to mostly Australian owners who placed many in charter companies in the Whitsundays. This popular cruising catamaran paved the way for the Seawind 1000 to become the success it is today.

In 1994, the company launched the Seawind 850’s bigger sister, the 33ft Seawind 1000. In that same year, this boat was awarded the “Australian Sailboat of the Year”, the first time ever such a prestigious award had been bestowed on a catamaran sailboat. This new cruising catamaran became an instant success with strong demand from many countries including the Easte & West coast of America, Italy, New Zealand, Mexico, the Caribbean, Brazil, Europe and South East Asia.

John Walton sold Corsair Marine to Paul Koch who was the then Australian Dealer for Corsair Marine. In addition to the Corsair dealership, Koch owned a boat building company called OSTAC.

Seawind Catamarans introduced two new designs to the marketplace. The Seawind 1050 Resort, a 35ft purpose built day sailor was developed and approved for commercial use for up to 32 people. The design formula provides a very viable investment for the day charter operator. The boat offers the exhilaration of sailing in safety and comfort by maximizing deck area and sailing performance combined with easy to clean interior finishes and high passenger capacity. As a result, the Seawind 1050 “Resort” has been a great success along the East coast of Australia. The first annual Seawind Regatta was held in 1998 and has been a huge success every year since with on average about 25 or more boats attending this fantastic weekend of racing and social sailing on Pittwater, located just north of Sydney Harbour. Seawind Catamarans also commenced the Seawind 1200, a top of the range, luxurious world cruising catamaran of 40ft length. Appointed with beautiful Australian timbers including Rosegum, Jarra and Ash, 25 of these beautiful blue - water ocean cruising cats were built in just over 5 years with this model being just as popular for charter use as it is for live aboard cruising.

Seawind Catamarans acquired the Venturer range of luxury power catamarans including the Venturer 38 and the Venturer 44 that had previously been exported directly to the USA. Both are in production and to be proven popular fishing, cruising and charter boats.

Seawind was recognised for its outstanding export performance as was awarded by the Illawarra Business Chamber, the “Best Exporter” and also “Best Overall Business”.

The latest development for Seawind is the launch of the new 38ft Seawind 1160 which combines design elements of the Seawind 1000 and Seawind 1200 to produce a boat that is both comfortable and accommodating, while creating a unique combined saloon & cockpit that is unmistakably Seawind featuring an innovative TRI-FOLDING DOOR that secures the interior from the elements.

Following the launch of the Seawind 1160 at the Sydney Boat Show in 2004, the Australian Marine Industry Federation (AMIF) awarded the Seawind 1160 the “Best Non-Trailerable Sailboat” of 2005.

2006 Corsair Marine took the strategic decision to relocate its head office and production facility from San Diego to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. In the USA, margins had been under increasing pressure due to escalating costs and a market that was unwilling to pay higher prices. Moving off-shore created an opportunity to avoid charging higher prices. Ultimately, Vietnam was chosen for a number of reasons including its political stability, attractive FDI (foreign direct investment) provisions, booming economy and its young, talented, skilled, energetic, and resourceful labor pool. A number of key staff from California relocated to Vietnam to facilitate the successful migration of the business and the setting up and running of the factory.

The awards kept coming in 2006 starting Seawind’s promotional tour of the East Coast of the USA and also won two major categories in the USA Boat of the Year Awards. Back in Australia and Seawind were awarded the Best Business, plus Best Innovation for the Seawind 1160 and Best Manufacturer of the Illawarra region.

Seawind continue to expand with an ongoing program of increased production, new technology and quality management systems. The newly refined Seawind 1000XL has also been launched with great success, selling more than 20 boats in just a few months.

Seawind Catamarans acquires Corsair Marine. Seawind catamarans’ owner and Managing Director, Richard Ward said: “This is a marriage made in heaven. The two companies have products and manufacturing processes that strongly complement each other. For both Seawind and Corsair, it will signal new growth opportunities in both the manufacturing and sales areas.” "Our loyal Seawind customers will see benefit in technology transfers as well as the cost benefits of a larger overall manufacturing base and the integration of some common componentry, Corsiar customers will gain these benefits as well as strong Seawind management and greater financial strength. It's an incredibly good fit for both companies, allowing us to expand and compete in a global market."

Key staff from Seawind’s Australian plant are relocated to Vietnam to manage the acquisition and set up production of the 1000XL2 and 1160 models. The Corsair Sprint MkII is launched and is an instant success winning the SAIL Best Boats award at its Annapolis boat show debut.

With production of the 1000XL2 and 1160 successfully running at the Corsair Marine Factory, the 1250 Production is relocated to join the other two Seawind Models in Vietnam.

Seawind launches the new Seawind 1160 lite, incorporating successful systems of the popular entry level 1000 with the comfort and off shore capability of the 1160 design. Corsair launches its ultimate trailer sailor, the 32' 970 Cruze.

Seawind undertakes an aggressive development program announcing the release of 52' Seawind 1600, 41' Seawind 1260, 39' Seawind 1190 Sport and 38' Seawind 1160 resort. Corsair launches its smallest ever entry level trimaran at 20' the Pulse 600.

The first 1190 sport is launched and wins its first offshore regatta the Black Dog Dash, this is followed by another win in the Cruising world Boat of the Year competition. Seawind launches the all new 1160 Resort day charter boat sending three to new owners in the first few months of production. Seawind establishes a new service division with a strategic goal of delivering a pleasant and enjoyable journey for every new boat owner.

Seawind proudly launched its new flagship model, the Seawind 1600, designed by the world-renowned naval architects Reichel Pugh. This 52-foot performance cruising catamaran was conceived to achieve the perfect balance between high-end luxury cruising comfort and genuine performance sailing capability. The 1600 features a premium fit-out, simplified sailing systems, dual protected helms for safety and visibility , and vast, open cockpit space. The immediate, encouraging feedback received from sailors and customers upon the release of initial images confirmed the 1600’s destiny as the ultimate offshore cruiser in the Seawind line.

Seawind launch both the new blue water 1260 and 1600 performance cruiser and open a European based sales and service office with the aim of opening up the European market for 2018. Corsair launches the 760 range of pocket cruisers and introduces a sport lineup for those looking for more performance than the average sailor.

A major victory come in 2018 when Cruising World magazine named the Seawind 1260 the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet. This award is powerful reinforcement of Seawind's commitment to design and engineering, building upon the success of the award-winning 1160 and the legendary 1000. The boat was praised the 1260's strengths as a genuine cruiser and live-aboard vessel, noting it stood out against charter-focused competitors. Key factors in the win included the protected, safe dual helms with superior visibility, the unmatched indoor/outdoor living provided by the signature Tri-Folding Door, and the core design philosophy that prioritizes proven reliability and true sailing performance over mere volume. The 1260 confirms that this size offers the optimum balance between offshore robustness and manageability for a cruising couple.

In July 2020, Seawind announced the new Seawind 1370 via social media, triggering one of the most successful product launches in multihull history. Before the first vessel even officially hit the water, the new model achieved a monumental feat: 90 hulls were sold based purely on the design and reputation of the Seawind brand. This overwhelming market response highlighted strong customer trust and proved the immediate demand for the 1370's innovative blend of high performance, offshore safety features, and elevated luxury in the mid-size cruising catamaran market.

The year 2021 was pivotal for Seawind's flagship model. The Seawind 1600 was recognized by the industry, taking home the coveted SAIL Magazine's Best Large Multihull award. This achievement highlighted the model's exceptional balance of luxury and genuine offshore capability. Building on this success, Seawind Catamarans simultaneously released the updated 1600 Passagemaker edition. This new version featured critical upgrades, including advanced reverse bows and several other enhancements that significantly increased its blue-water cruising capability and reaffirmed its role as the ultimate high-performance passage maker.

The Seawind 1600 continued its streak of industry recognition by securing a coveted Cruising World's Boat of the Year (BOTY) 2022 nomination. Following its successful showing at the 2021 Annapolis Sailboat Show, the judges conducted a thorough on-water inspection of the vessel, including the upgraded Passagemaker edition . The nomination was a major honor, placing the 1600 alongside 28 other top contenders and reaffirming the model’s standing as one of the best cruising catamarans available, immediately following its win for SAIL Magazine's Best Large Multihull the previous year.

The year 2023 was transformative, marked by the exciting launch of the first hulls of two major new models: the innovative Seawind 1370 and the nimble Seawind 1170. To support the rapid production of these highly anticipated vessels, Seawind successfully expanded into a New Production Facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This significant increase in manufacturing capacity was strategically paired with enhanced customer support, as Seawind also opened a crucial Handover and Service Center in Ocean Marina, Thailand, cementing the brand's commitment to supporting new owners globally from production to cruising.

In a bold move to support growing international demand in general and in Europe in particular, Seawind announced the establishment of a new production facility in Izmir, Turkey. This strategic decision quickly translated into tangible output with the Seawind 1170 Hull being launched from Turkiye, marking the first official production from the new European manufacturing base. This expansion significantly reduces delivery times and logistics costs for European customers while reinforcing Seawind's commitment to operating as a truly global catamaran manufacturer.

2025 marked a milestone year of industry recognition for Seawind’s latest generation of cruising catamarans.
The Seawind 1370 received the prestigious US Cruising World Boat of the Year Award, while the Seawind 1170 achieved exceptional global acclaim, winning both Sail Magazine’s Best Boats Award and Multihull Yacht of the Year 2025 at the British Yachting Awards.
These accolades provided strong validation of Seawind’s evolving design philosophy and reinforced its position as a performance-led cruising catamaran brand recognised across major international markets.

Alongside industry acclaim, 2025 also signalled a new phase of product innovation.
Seawind officially announced the all-new Seawind 1270, introducing a performance cruising catamaran to the competitive 42-foot segment. At the same time, the first hull of the Seawind 1160XL was launched, reflecting Seawind’s continued evolution and expansion across key market segments.