New Seawind Model - Announcement July 10

[3cdad]

Regarding the potential for Seawind to add capacity... that possibility was publicly stated by Shane Grover, the Seawind Sales Manager, during a video podcast on the 1370. It was part of the Seabatticals series from Multihull Central. He mentioned that they are looking at a building near their existing factory.

[Phyrcooler]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

This looking thru the forward opening windows is often repeated as an issue except you NEVER hear it from a Seawind owner. The window immediately in front of the helm is removable, and that's how we sail, even in rain. It goes in when the air con is turned on. The front windows are usually open when sailing. Go to a boat show, look thru, and you will see its not an issue. Went to a boat show. Hoping to like the boat. Stood at both helms looking past window mullions and corner posts and envisioned it at night with people trying to carry on in the main cabin. But then, there was darkness and spray and closed windows reflecting the cabin lights from my boating experience that obviously clouded my imagination.

I have never heard a Seawind owner say wish I could steer while sitting on the top of a hard top. Or that i really wish the boom was so far off the deck to make the mainsail undersized. Yeah, at anchor that hard top patio is really neat. But realize Seawinds are made for sailors, and nothing about that upstairs patio says sail perfomance. We all accept various features or things we don’t love about our boats. I have a couple with my own. You’re confusing folks dislike of the Seawind helms with wanting a flying bridge. That is far from the truth, or reality. There are many cats with raised helms where you are only head and shoulders above the cabin roof, and the boom is not raised appreciably whatsoever. For example - the Versahelm on the Balance is a good compromise. I’ve NEVER said it was better to sit on TOP of the cabin! There is much to like about the Seawind line. I get it. However, helm position offshore (especially at night) is important to me.

Yeah, and when we race the boat, you sit on the coamjng and look around the hardtop to see the telltales, and steer to them.

I think your last statement is telling. Many of the folks looking at Seawinds cite performance as a significant purchase factor. Maybe sitting on the coaming, wind in their hair is how they envision themselves on the boat. Others like myself are evaluating it more from a cruisers perspective where unobstructed 360° visibility day and CRITICALLY - night from a comfortable helm are weighed higher. Everyone has their checklist. That’s high on mine. A couple years ago, we walked up to the stern of a Nautitech at a show, and saw the twin exposed helms sitting litterally at the stern of the boat, and politely said ‘no thank you’ to the salesman inviting us aboard. As I’ve noted elsewhere - I was hopeful that Seawind would be providing a reasonably priced cruisers catamaran (not a 4 cabin/4 head charter boat!) with features cruisers appreciate. Unfortunately for us, too many of their design characteristics became compromises that we don’t like. Low helms and galley-down are two right off the bat. We’ll keep comparing until we’re ready. I’m glad you’ve found your boat that checks your boxes. Wishing you the best.

[Yihang]

I wonder how many of those 40+ deposits will end up being built. I think i read somewhere the deposit is only 1000. Thats an amazing number considering knysna sold something like 50 boats over 14 years.

Great for people wanting to buy a 1370 10 years from now.

[B23iL23]

General question here and I suppose not strictly related to the Seawind but are exposed helms really a problem? How much time do people spend at the helm on a passage?

I would assume and maybe I'm wrong but on a passage I would do a watch from inside at the chart table with a remote for the helm and where I can have good visibility but protected.

Seawind looks like it's got this covered. No?

[Alistair242]

When you actually sail a Seawind it becomes clear how good the visibility is from both helms. It’s also excellent from within the salon and from sitting on the aft settee. As someone above mentioned, when cruising it is unlikely that you are stuck at the helm. However, if you were the visibility is excellent and you are fully protected from sea, weather and sun.
Visibility is not an issue on the 1160 through the 1260. Assume the 1370 will be the same.

[CaptainMarkS]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

2 1/2 year wait after signing the dotted line??? Seems to me they are a long way from actual production.

Currently 4.5 year wait! I'd absolutely put the deposit down for a one year wait... 😎

[CaptainMarkS]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

This looking thru the forward opening windows is often repeated as an issue except you NEVER hear it from a Seawind owner. The window immediately in front of the helm is removable, and that's how we sail, even in rain. It goes in when the air con is turned on. The front windows are usually open when sailing. Go to a boat show, look thru, and you will see its not an issue.

I have never heard a Seawind owner say wish I could steer while sitting on the top of a hard top. Or that i really wish the boom was so far off the deck to make the mainsail undersized. Yeah, at anchor that hard top patio is really neat. But realize Seawinds are made for sailors, and nothing about that upstairs patio says sail perfomance.

Yeah, and when we race the boat, you sit on the coamjng and look around the hardtop to see the telltales, and steer to them.

I agree with the theory of impaired / limited vision with the cockpit level helm position looking through glass, especially when combined with ocean spray. To me, a higher helm position means more safety (for every 1m height increase there's an addition 1.5 km view horizon, it also means better visibility of semi submerged objects). I like the Antares approach with glass and windscreen wipers. However, nothing beats the experience of Seawind owners who resolutely claim this is not an issue. Experience trumps theory. Same with the galley down debate.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Mark Selawry

I agree with the theory of impaired / limited vision with the cockpit level helm position looking through glass, especially when combined with ocean spray. To me, a higher helm position means more safety (for every 1m height increase there's an addition 1.5 km view horizon, it also means better visibility of semi submerged objects). I like the Antares approach with glass and windscreen wipers. However, nothing beats the experience of Seawind owners who resolutely claim this is not an issue. Experience trumps theory. Same with the galley down debate.

Galley down/galley up is a bit like monohull/catamaran or stainless anchor/galvanised anchor or guns on board/no guns on board: heated debates with no correct answers where the adherents of both sides believe they alone have the blindingly obvious right answer.

Helm position looking through one or two panels of glass seems weird and not so good in certain situations to me (I have a single exposed helm on a bulkhead, which has its own issues) but as you point out nobody with experience on the boats is complaining (publicly) about the helms.

[Sand crab]

The rear window in the 1260 is motorized like in your car. I imagine the 1370 will be also so looking through 2 pieces of glass will rarely happen.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by B23iL23

General question here and I suppose not strictly related to the Seawind but are exposed helms really a problem? How much time do people spend at the helm on a passage?

I would assume and maybe I'm wrong but on a passage I would do a watch from inside at the chart table with a remote for the helm and where I can have good visibility but protected.

Seawind looks like it's got this covered. No?

When we come back across the Gulf (4+ days), or do overnights, generally the off watch is asleep in the saloon. (Most of the time, just my wife and myself.) We have the red LED's lighting the stairs into the hulls, and the two lighting the cockpit floor. All other lights off, so there is no glare - plus not losing your night vision. Generally, I will sit at the helm for a while - Seawind has a very nice padded seat, albeit optional - and view instruments, radar, look either forward thru open windows, or just lean out a bit and look around the hard top. The boat is always on autopilot then. I'll walk over to the other side and look around, and sometimes go sit in one of the stern seating areas (which also have a view forward thru saloon windows). Movement is the best thing to keeping alert and awake at night. Note there is no climbing up into a helm and down - in a Seawind, all of this is one one level. If it's raining, you are under a hard top the entire time.

We have a chart table as well. It's not used during passage. The instruments are all at the helm, the chartplotter and VHF just inside the removable window - where they are protected from elements. Paper chartbooks are spread on the table in the saloon. Usually we have XM radio going, to the speakers outside at the helm and cockpit. Another thing to help pass the time, stay awake. Talk radio, or music.

[sailjumanji]

Galley down. Seawind has a pass-thru above the upper cabinets, so you can hand plates of food up, or hold a conversation with crew in the saloon. Plus there is a large window that runs the length of the galley down below, and an opening side hatch above the stove (plus one above). So being able to look out, and fresh air ventilation addresses most issues with the galley down. Plus, with the ability to have upper cabinets and refrigeration above the counter, the galley down has more storage capacity.

(Frankly, some of the cats feel like you are walking down into a submarine furnished by Ikea, and I wouldn't want a galley down in one of those either. Ditto for even having a berth down there.)

Some of the initial reaction of the 1160 and 1260 owners on the owners forum when the 1370 was announced was "I hope they offer a galley down version."

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Yihang

I wonder how many of those 40+ deposits will end up being built. I think i read somewhere the deposit is only 1000. Thats an amazing number considering knysna sold something like 50 boats over 14 years.

Great for people wanting to buy a 1370 10 years from now.

I doubt the deposit was that low. The contract for our Seawind 1160 build in 2018 was clearly deposit of $20k to be assigned a build slot, and then about 25% was due upon commencement of construction. And three more payments thereafter based on specific completion hurdles. As a company, you would want a deposit to show significant commitment, especially to keep a bunch of "maybe's" from pushing serious buyers away due to long delivery time.

Yeah, I think Seawind has stated how surprised they were at the depth of interest in this new model. And from what I hear, the 1160 and 1260 are still selling strong, and they are making deliveries of 1600's.

[B23iL23]

thanks for the feedback and good info.

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

When we come back across the Gulf (4+ days), or do overnights, generally the off watch is asleep in the saloon. (Most of the time, just my wife and myself.) We have the red LED's lighting the stairs into the hulls, and the two lighting the cockpit floor. All other lights off, so there is no glare - plus not losing your night vision. Generally, I will sit at the helm for a while - Seawind has a very nice padded seat, albeit optional - and view instruments, radar, look either forward thru open windows, or just lean out a bit and look around the hard top. The boat is always on autopilot then. I'll walk over to the other side and look around, and sometimes go sit in one of the stern seating areas (which also have a view forward thru saloon windows). Movement is the best thing to keeping alert and awake at night. Note there is no climbing up into a helm and down - in a Seawind, all of this is one one level. If it's raining, you are under a hard top the entire time.

We have a chart table as well. It's not used during passage. The instruments are all at the helm, the chartplotter and VHF just inside the removable window - where they are protected from elements. Paper chartbooks are spread on the table in the saloon. Usually we have XM radio going, to the speakers outside at the helm and cockpit. Another thing to help pass the time, stay awake. Talk radio, or music.

[Yihang]

flying twin headsails DDW seems pretty popular. On a raised helm or flybridge would you be essentially blind? In this situation the twin helms of the seawind seem to be the only sensible solution. Although the lagoon in this pictures manages to do it on the ARC.

[3cdad]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSch...ature=youtu.be

Production Update #1 on the Seawind 1370