Go Simple, Go Small, Go Now

One of the catchiest phrases ever applied to sailing might be Lin and Larry Pardey’s “Go Simple, Go Small, Go Now”. It became their mantra, and was etched into sailing lore in their books from Crusing in Serafyn to Self Sufficient Sailor. Many others have since extolled the virtues of simply getting out there and making your adventure happen now – without waiting for the bank account or the free time to come to you. They urge taking a small and manageable boat now – not a behemoth that always seems financially just out of reach, or even worse – perhaps just out of control.

Since those days many boats have appeared on the market designed to deliver the “true spirit” of cruising (whatever that is, to whoever is buying). And in fact there’s now a whole division of boats of a retro-style design aiming to deliver a nostalgic tug to help inspire you to part with you hard earned cash and spend it on a boat with “authentic values”. But while the logic is sound, shipyards that are traded publicly don’t make their shareholders happy by building you something small and manageable.

That’s why, after 36 years in the business of building catamarans, Seawind continues to build a seaworthy, fast, and self-sufficient 38-footer. And here’s the list of reasons why:

1. 80% of our buyers don’t truly need anything bigger. They might opt for the more powerful sail area on the 1260, or love the fact that our 1190 is full of carbon. But they would have, for the most part, all of the same fun on the Seawind 1160. There’s only so many places where a couple can sleep, or sit. A 3-cabin 1260 has more than enough.
2. Smaller means simpler when it comes to sail handling. Self-tacking jib and bridled main sheet controls mean there’s nothing to do but turn the wheel to tack. Sail hardware positions have been refined and perfected over many years. It all adds up to having safe control over the boat from the helm.
3. She can go everywhere her big sisters go, with the same self sufficiency. And that’s important – self sufficiency depends on reliability, and the larger the boat, the more complicated the systems must be. The 1160 does the essentials well: refrigerated food, efficient cooking, and power generation.
4. Equipping a #Seawind1160 for cruising can be done on a reasonable budget. Watermaker, solar panels, proper anchoring systems, navigation, and bluewater emergency equipment – it’s all in a reasonable budget.
5. You don’t need to forego technology to go small and go now – this isn’t about disconnecting you from modern comforts and safety. The 1160 Lite has advanced foam-cored, resin infusion construction. It’s ready for AIS, broadband radar, and has 2 refrigerators as standard.
6. Versatility is ever so important – the hard top on the 1160 protects from harsh Australian sun as well as it does Irish Sea rains. The forward opening windows and tri-fold doors make a well-ventilated boat for the tropics, and expand the living area from which to observe waterside villages in the Med. There’s no need to constrain yourself to a narrowly defined boat.
7. The 1160 Lite is beachable. If you find a place to dry out, maintenance is easier and cheaper with such a boat. And it opens up many more places to explore.

The 1160 isn’t legendary to us – it’s for others, such as the Pardeys to decide what makes a legendary cruiser in our sport. But after launching hundreds of this model, what we’re most proud of is that this boat, year after year, continues to open up the world of catamaran cruising to a set of buyers who might otherwise be told they’re excluded. The 1160, at 38ft is fit for circumnavigating Britain, circumnavigating Australia, or circumnavigating the world. What more do you need?

Watch our latest demo sail and walkthrough of the Sesawind 1160: