Nautitech build quality

[Wpg3ut]

We have been looking at Cats for over a year now and currently feel that the Nautitech 46 Open is going to be the boat for us mainly due to we feel that we want a bat that leans more towards performance than opulence and I have read many reviews and all seem to give fairly good marks. I have seen that some feel the build quality is not the same as the FPs or even the Lagoons. Please opine, All opinions appreciated.

[ozolli]

You can have a look at https://laventuredekumbaya.com
A French family of 4 on a Nautitech 46 circumnavigating from France. They now are in NZ.

[Wpg3ut]

Thank you

[Chrisatlantic]

Or my friends newish 44, one of the mini keels came off. No grounding, boat is only a few months old…

[Tin Tin]

You are going to be disappointed when you do the ARC rally and find Lagoon 46, 450 FP and Leopard 45 and 48 arriving at the same time or within a few hrs of you, or worse still in front of you. Unless you have a crack crew don't expect to perform any better than the competition in this space.

[jtsailjt]

It might “lean” towards performance but doesn’t quite get there. I recently chartered one in the BVI’s and didn’t think the performance was very good at all. Plus, due to the helm positions you need two alert people to safely traverse a crowded harbor because you can’t see what’s just ahead on the opposite side because the cabin blocks your view. Even in the open ocean I always was uncomfortable because I couldn’t see what was coming up on the opposite side. Before you spend all that money why don’t you charter one and see what you think?

[Wpg3ut]

Yep that's the plan. Just looking for others' opinions who have experience with this brand.

[Wpg3ut]

Thanks Tin tin. Not so concerned with "winning" regattas more so just the ability to sail @ speeds higher than the prescribed 7 knots that I have seen so many specs on other heavier, bulkier cats. Just looking for a cat that performs better than the floating condos that's all. Other than the Outremers any suggestions please?

[Wpg3ut]

What a drag. no pun intended. He had to hit something right?

[Chrisatlantic]

Reality? Who knows? He says not. Didn’t know there was a problem till they hauled it for the season in the Fall.

[Chrisatlantic]

That aside, I always thought the Open 40 and 46 looked to be better performers than their charter oriented peers. Maybe more true of the 40.
And certainly the air draft of the 46 (76’ IIRC) is substantially taller than the others, perhaps excepting the Excess.

Don’t really have an opinion on the performance of the newer 44.

[Wpg3ut]

Thanks Chris!

[yeloya]

Having sailed and or serviced almost all European brands, in terms of quality Nauthitec is about the same as the rest except Bali which is significantly worse. I haven't sailed 46 open but took my own Nauthitec 46 Fly myself from La Rochelle to Marmaris(3.000 nm) I know there are people comparing her to Lagoons in terms of performance but even Fly version of the 46 is faster than any Lagoon particularly upwind. Broad reaching or downwind sailing is a problem because of small self tacking gib and I strongly suggest that you get a assymetrical spinneaker and or a Code zero. After 5 years of charter we only had two issues on my 46 Fly, one idiot in the factory had left a small piece of cupper cable underneath the aluminum fuel tank which caused a galvanic corosion and hundreds of small holes under the tank. The factory paid 1.000 € under warranty and we fixed it. The other problem was with the hydraullic steering system , less serious but still ongoing problem from time to time .
Visibility might well be a problem on Open 46 (I have the same problem with my Catana) as a result of the steering position. I don't know if Nauthitec offers this option but if so, you should definately go with engine commands on both side.

Cheers

Yeloya

[Wpg3ut]

Thanks Yeloya! Great info, response greatly appreciated! The 46 I am looking at does have the dual engine command. The helm position is really my only concern but hope that can be mitigated w the AP remote from the salon. Thoughts?
What would you say is your overall average speed is in the fly?

[Wpg3ut]

One last… would you choose the 46 open over the FP Astrea?