hirondelle catamaran review

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Buying a Hirondelle Catamaran

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Hi, looking to buy a 1973 Hirondelle Catamaran MK1. Before I plunk the money down for a survey, does anyone know if this Cat has cored decks? Any issue with daggerboard trunks? Can't find any construction info on them. Thanks for any help. ***found my answer*** For those interested, the deck is glassed balsa core.  

Good luck with the new boat. You're going to love it.  

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Which Cruising Cats Hold Their Value?

• Updated: August 7, 2002

Catalac, Cherokee, Iroquois, and Prout are cruising catamaran names that live through the decades. Bill Ware of 2Hulls brokerage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says, “Generally speaking, the English cats have the best resale value. They built the most enduring catamarans in the world.” Depending on condition, they can fetch higher prices now than they did when they were new, even adjusted for inflation. The Iroquois, designed by legendary Rod MacAlpine-Downey, is a high-quality, fast-sailing, weatherly vessel with pivoting centerboards and kick-up rudders. Catalacs, an 8 meter (27-foot), 9 meter (30-foot), 10 meter (34-foot) and 12 meter (41-foot), each rugged and with great carrying capacity, exceptional layout and good handling, sail the other end of the performance spectrum, but many have crossed the Atlantic. Granddaddy to all the production catamaran builders is Prout, with models running from 26 to 50 feet, 2,000 boats in the ocean and 40 years of production experience. There is scarcely a harbor in the world where you cannot find at least one of these sea-kindly, seaworthy vessels. Prices on the used market border on the outrageous, but such is the law of supply and demand.

Other cats that may sell today for considerably more than they did when new include the Heavenly Twins 26, one of which recently completed a circumnavigation. In 1971 I purchased a 24-foot by 10-foot Hirondelle catamaran. My total cost, including sails and engine, was $9,010. Those boats now bring between $12,000 and $15,000 — not bad, especially considering the modern trend toward much larger boats.

The most ubiquitous cruising catamaran in the United States is the Gemini. In production since 1980, Performance Cruising has produced about 500 vessels. Considering that they are, by design, an economy vessel, they have held their value at least as well as comparable monohulls. Trade in used vessels is brisk due to their valuable shallow draft, both sea-kindly and seaworthy nature, strength, quality of construction and user-friendly layout.

Retiring boats from the French charter fleet produce opportunities to buy a large cat at a low price, but they have not fared well in the American market. Built to a different set of standards in the first place, the reconstruction and refitting of an aging charter boat can be more costly than buying a new boat.

– Chuck Kanter

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Modern hirondelle

Discussion in ' Multihulls ' started by guzzis3 , Nov 18, 2016 .

guzzis3 Senior Member

Hi all, I'm going to include the epic life story thing here in order to explain myself, but to spare you the pain I'll get to the boat idea first...and for consistency I'll try to stick to metric I have a boat in mind and would very much appreciate comments on how feasible it might be and any problems you see. Intended use coastal cruising east coast Australia 1 - 2 people staying close inshore and island hopping. 7 meters by 2.9 meters to fit into australia's "new" oversize towing rules .7 hull beam and about .35 draft plus LAR keels, tornadoish hull shapes, vertical bows. 1.8 headroom in the hulls, .4ish bridgedeck clearance deck to bow (no nets) but high forward, maybe 1 - 1.2ish transom hung rudders, jarcat style cockpit stepped mast,maybe 8m, small boomless main and large jib, prout/jarcat style rig. 4hp aux. Foam sandwich construction. So here's where the life story starts: I've wanted the same boat for the last 15 years. Unfortunately just the right thing doesn't exist. I keep convincing myself this boat or that will do the job, often I catch myself before I open my wallet, sometimes not and end up selling the thing some time later when I realise my mistake. Also a lot of the second hand boats around need a lot of work, and for the cost of buying and putting right you'd ALMOST consider new. So while contemplating a painfully cheap prout sirocco in the UK the other day (shipping kills it) I had a poke around some hirondelle stuff and remembering the changes to australian towing laws had a thought... What I'd like is a small multihull, just big enough to cruise the coast, marina hopping where possible and always able to run for sheltered water. It should be big enough for 2, ideally have a comfortable double, enclosed head and optionally a shower. It should be simple, and ideally be able to be stored in my front yard and towed the 2 kilometers to my local boat ramp. Yes it's a long way down the brisbane river to open water but I can live with that given the cost, maintenance and security advantages of having the boat at home. I realise a hirondelle size boat is going to have cramped accommodation, and I realise it's seaworthiness and comfort under way will be limited. Life is a compromise and until someone comes up with a boat that sails like a tornado has the accomodations of a gunboat, towes like a surf cat and costs about the same as an old hobie 14 well you gotta sacrifice something... Obviously the numbers above are a bit odd in order to fit the towing requirement but some calculations proved interesting. The 7 m waterline to 2.9 beam is almost exactly the same as a little barrier/J6/Waller 6.7. The shadow this boat casts on the water is 25% bigger than a jarcat J6/LB. I guess we all already know that you make a boat a bit longer and it gets a lot bigger. This boat seems small enough to be doable and not end up another broken 12 meter dream turned money pit and nightmare... So am I mad ? Anyone have any thoughts ?  

cavalier mk2 Senior Member

One of Richard's folding cats would do it well. A wider boat on a trailer diagonally works but you need a complex trailer or a hoist. I'm assuming you have reasons for avoiding a mono? I'd suggest that doing the sailing is more important than the perfect boat. The ability to compromise and adapt as well as improvise at times are what makes a good voyager.  

Tom.151 Best boat so far? Crowther Twiggy (32')

guzzis3 You don't often hear really good advice about this, but you got it from cavalier cavalier mk2 said: ↑ One of Richard's folding cats would do it well. A wider boat on a trailer diagonally works but you need a complex trailer or a hoist. I'm assuming you have reasons for avoiding a mono? I'd suggest that doing the sailing is more important than the perfect boat. The ability to compromise and adapt as well as improvise at times are what makes a good voyager. Click to expand...

jamez Senior Member

Hi D.C. good to see that you're still out there. Seems a long time ago since we both started looking at designs etc. One thing that has changed over the last 15 years is that there are a lot more stock designs on offer, such as.... http://ikarus342000.com/ECO6page.htm it is a ply build but seems to fit many of your requirements. Otherwise, check out Craig Schionnings 'Stowaway range' these have a foam build option http://www.spiriteddesigns.com.au/stowaway  

Thank you for the replies. I'll answer each point in order: cavalier mk2: I love sango but standing headroom shower is a problem. The pop bottom is no place to put a shower. Perhaps if the removable coach roofs had full headroom it might be an option. Also I'm not fussed on daggerboards. A part completed sango sold here recently last advertised for $8k. Incredible bargain ... Mr Woods elf as a self build would be a better option. Although only 2' shorter than gypsy it's a significantly smaller boat as far as I can see. It has full headroom in the hulls and one iteration came with a central pod. Shadow with more headroom would be nice but the LAR keels are difficult on a trailer. A bridgedeck cat can be suspended from the bridgedeck, that's how the little barrier is towed and so it has lar keels. If your spreading the hulls and assembling that's a different problem. Mounting a bigger boat diagonally is a possibility. It's not that hard. I'd only be towing it the short distance a few times a year and going on long trips. Part of the issue with a bigger boat is it's a bigger project. Labor is the big issue but of course the cost of everything increases. My idea here was to strip the boat to the absolute minimum. Mono. Well I learned on keel boats, discovered cats in the late 90's and instantly loved them. It's not about speed it is about easy sailing. I'm lazy I have been looking at keel boats lately as prices have fallen so far now they are pretty much throw away boats. You can get a top design scruffy 30' yacht for 12 and something very nice for 20. The only problem is you then have a 30' mono... Sailing is an illogical pursuit. I take your point about perfection, but I have to be happy, otherwise I might as well be on a cruise liner...my previous efforts over these some years haven't made me happy. Maybe the right mono would do that, but a weird cat is a safer bet Tom.151 3 months at a time. I've not been working for some time. I don't sail at night, nor in poor weather so sleeping is done at anchor in sheltered water. I don't like big boats. I don't like the sailing. I like being close to the action, and even getting wet...but 'm not particularly interested in speed. If the boat makes decent distance over the course of a day I'll be happy. What I don't want is a boat I don't feel safe on, or one that sails like a pig. jamez: I hope you were ok in the quake. I know your well away but I heard people up there felt it. I have friends in christchurch I've always not liked the echo 6. I'd have a little barrier all day over that boat. Personally in my opinion the LB and the J6 are by far and away the best mini bridgedecks anyone has ever designed. If you put the J6 cockpit stepped mast and rig plus dual entries on a little barrier I reckon you'd have perfection in that style of boat. My opinion...I just see lots of use problems with the others. The Schionning is fascinating. The 7.5 is very similar to what I've had in mind. Disturbingly so. I can do without the huge outboard though 60hp!! It give me heart though that my thought isn't entirely insane. The plan price is surprisingly reasonable. I've never liked his work, gigantic roomarans aren't my thing, and balsa...sigh...and there is plenty I don't like about that boat, but there is plenty that it has in common with what I've got in mind. Thank you very much for the link. Odd he quotes 3m beam. 2.9 is the limit for the oversize towing rule. After that it's wide load and much more trouble. Their comments on the design are really interesting. I'm not sure about the $80k finished price though. I wonder if he suggests solid gold taps ? Again thank you for the responses.  

Mr Efficiency Senior Member

How easy would it be to get the boat on and off a trailer ? You'd not want any protruberances snagging rollers.  

Mr Efficiency: Well J6 and little barrier aren't difficult. I'd go for a trailer that supports it under the bridgedeck not the keels. Much bigger power cats sit on trailers like that. I think it would be ok ? And the mast would be manageable. My local ramp as mentioned is well up the river, so no waves and usually no wind to speak of. I row in that section regularly and canoes and kayaks use it a lot. There are severe currents mid tide, you'd have to watch that.  

rberrey Senior Member

You might look at some of the older tris . Horstman did have a 23/25 , and the 24 can be built as a folder .  

I remember your quest Guzzi. I spent years sailing a 23' mono with no standing headroom. It did have a pop top that never got used. The trick on standing room showers in camp size boats is to use the cockpit with a boom tent if the anchorage is squeamish. The cockpit already drains. I use a solar shower, the hose can go through a hole in the tent, on mine the topping lift opening was in the right place plus I could tie the bag above the boom on it. That is part of the improv necessary in small sizes. While the mono wasn't my dream boat it certainly helped me find one by going cruising. There are deals that don't get advertised if you stop to ask about the occasional gem in the rough.  

catsketcher Senior Member

Gday Guzzis That boat would be terrible - you can't make something that tall and expect it to be safe - you will be making it less stable and the windage would be awful - no going to windward in a blow. Therefore you will have an unsafe boat. You don't need standing headroom so much if you can sit down but do I get the proper double and the separate toilet area. This is always the killer for me with the smaller tris for really stress-free cruising. It takes a special type of woman to handle the idea you can use the toilet and use the stove at the same time without moving. Cats get around this simple bit of biology so much easier than tris. I have had a few terribly embarrassing experiences from my small tri sailing days with bodily functions and small spaces. I am taking our 7 metre folder down to the Gippsland Lakes in Christmas. It has done one trip from NSW to Hervey Bay last year - and after (always more) subtle modifications I should be taking it down to Victoria in early January. Sailing beam - 4.5m, trailering beam 2.5 . LOA 7.3m. Sitting headroom and separate toilet area and a 1.35m wide double. If you like I can post some pics to you and if you are interested you could come to Lake Macquarie and have a sail. cheers Phil  

Here are a couple of shots of the 7.3m at Wathumba in Fraser Interesting little story. We were motoring into Coongul creek 20 miles away from where these pictures were taken and saw a nice Easy. It had a good yacht designer on board and as we went by he didn't wave much or seem too interested in our boat. As it was the first cruise on the boat I was pretty excited to be out and slightly dampened in my enthusiasm by the reserved response. We met the designer and his wife when we were walking around at low tide. We talked a bit and said we were from Newcastle in NSW. He said "What boat do have?" "We have the little cat up the creek" I replied "Oh okay - and where did you come from?" "We came from Urangan" "When did you leave Newcastle?" I then had to think a bit as it was Tuesday. "We left on Sunday" "No, not when did you leave Urangan, when did you guys leave Newcastle?" There was a bit of a quizzical look at us. Could we remember the days of the week? Then it gelled on me. "Our boat folds up on the water. We drove her up to Urangan and it took just over one day - we launched her at Urangan on Tuesday" He was much more interested in the boat then and asked if he could have a look over her. I took that as a compliment as the boat obviously didn't cry out FOLDING CAT - BEWARE! cheers Phil  

Attached Files:

Trim wathumba.jpg, wathumba (1 of 1).jpg.

Hi Phil, Great that you found time to finish her off. She looks great. More pics please. Are you planning on re-establishing the website?  

Guzzi, we were fine thanks, but the in-laws at Blenheim (top of the south island) had a sleepless night. For that type of boat (small bridgedeck trailer cat), I think the Echo makes good use of the space. Having had first hand experience of a couple of B K's smaller designs they do seem well thought out. The little Barrier was a nice looking boat. I assume the molds were destroyed in the fire at the factory years ago......... The stowaway strikes me as more of a motor sailer type of boat - especially if you fit the big engine , although Im sure it would be fine with a 10-15. If you are committed to that configuration it might be worth speaking to the designer to see if it could be altered to suit your spec. If it was me though, I'd be checking out Phils folder.  

Good morning all and thank you for the comments. Again I'll try to address each in turn. cavalier mk2: Excellent point about talking to people. I realise there are a lot of boats out there that change hands without ever being advertised. I had thought of cockpit or foredeck showers and yes they solve that problem. I hadn't spelled this out previously, in my J5 the cabin was great, but just a little too small. I thought often that if the proportions were just a little bigger it would be a much nicer space. The J6 is longer but neither wider nor higher. Get into a little barrier cabin and it feels a LOT bigger. It isn't much bigger, and the white helps, but a little more in a small space like that makes a big difference. I was seriously considering buying one new and looked over the boat at length at the factory. It was a tremendous loss when that burned down. He was selling the sportdeck GBE's faster than he could build them. They were a great boat and both models sell for good money now second hand. At the other end of the scale the red barron, nominally the same size, is much more cramped and awkward in side. So my thinking, possibly misguided, is that creating a larger cabin will not only afford more luxury but also a more amenable space. There are other cheap larger options around atm. I'd forgo trailering if I went down this path, obviously, and as I said previously bigger boats bring a whole other set of issues. There is an imp 10 opendeck on gumtree atm for $22k. I know they are a pig of a boat but even an awful 10 meter cat would have to be more seaworthy and comfortable than what I'm proposing catsketcher: What I'm proposing is very close to a hirondelle. They had 5'6" or 6' headroom, 10' beam and 23'long. While unconventional I think it's doable. Is your boat your own design or one available to buy ? jamez: I've been to Blenheim. Stayed a week in picton. Absolutely love the place. Did you get your trimaran finished ? I have been looking in here occasionally but some fairly serious health issues have had my attention these last 4 years. Yes I believe the molds were destroyed along with everything else. Such a loss... Incidentally if you stick to 4hp aux in queensland you don't have to register the boat. Cheeky I know but $380/year I've had another crazy thought. A crowther international 23 has almost exactly the hulls I was thinking of. There are a few around in poor condition. If I could get one at the right price I could build a new connecting structure, cockpit and push the headroom up as far as I dare.  

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You would think all these years of cad I'd be better at this. Anyway this is a really crude picture showing roughly what an international 23 would look like with 6' headroom amidships. It's clunky, but not as awful as one might at first suspect... Obviously I stole the photo from the internet. I hope the owner doesn't mind...  

6 headroom.jpg

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Brand: Hirondelle 7M

These boats are a great family weekender design with full length sleeping berths for five adults, cooking facilities and a small but useful separate heads (toilet). Hirondelles have an outboard motor as auxiliary power, mounted in a well in the centre of the cockpit. The sailing performance of the Hirondelle is excellent and loads of fun for a boat of its size. Comes in 4 versions Mark I to III and the Hirondelle Family version.

There are no catamarans currently for sale by owner of this brand.

Please see our catamarans for sale by owner page for a full listing of other currently available models.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Multihulls: owners’ experiences and reviews

• Toby Hodges
• January 18, 2019

How do you select the right catamaran to best suit your cruising? Learning from other owners is a good place to start

They have two different boats, different sailing plans and two very different sets of experience. But what these cruisers have in common is a desire to explore in two hulls rather than one. Hal Haltom explains how he drew on decades of monohull sailing to choose a relatively light displacement Outremer 51 for the World ARC, while David Weible and Kellie Peterson tell of their snap decision to sell up and set sail in a Lagoon 42. They share hard won tips about setting up the boat for ambitious cruising and give an insight into life at sea.

Hal Haltom – Outremer 51

Hal Haltom, 59, from Texas, bought an Outremer 51 in 2016 and set off on the World ARC that winter. With his wife Marsha and daughter Haley, he has sailed more than 27,000 miles across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans to reach South Africa and believes that it makes sense to buy a lighter boat that performs better in light winds.

We did two trips through the eastern and western Caribbean with our kids about 10 years ago on a Tayana 52 monohull. This time we switched to a catamaran because it had features that we thought were better: living above the waterline, level (and not rolly) and easier sail handling. Once we decided to switch, we started looking at the available boats in our price range. My wife Marsha and I have raced sailboats for many years and we wanted a better sailing cat, which ruled out the heavier ones. At the Miami Boat Show in early 2015 we looked at a Catana and St Francis but it was an Outremer 51 that interested us . Afterwards, we flew to the company’s factory in La Grande- Motte in southern France and were impressed. We thought the Outremer 51 was a boat that a couple in their 50s could handle and we ordered one and took delivery in May 2016.

Fit for bluewater

Ours is the base boat with only a few options added because Outremer builds a boat that is ready to go bluewater cruising. We have an aluminium mast, Mastervolt lithium battery system (360Ah at 24V), Dessalator watermaker, 560W of solar panels, and a Watt & Sea hydrogenerator. All this equipment worked well. As did the B&G instruments, Lecomble & Schmitt autopilot, Volvo D2-40 engines, and Incidence and Delta Voile sails. We don’t have a diesel generator. Sailing on a sunny day, we can run the watermaker using only the batteries and on a cloudy day, I may need to turn on an engine for an hour or so. Each engine has a 110A alternator running through a Sterling booster. At anchor, we rely on the solar panels, which is all that is needed in the Tropics.

My advice would be to buy a boat that sails well and handles easily. Also, I would keep the equipment as simple as possible while maintaining the comfort level you need. Passagemaking is hard on boats. A light boat requires less effort to sail and a simpler boat requires less maintenance and repair. Even though our boat is a light cat, we have found it to be well-built and comfortable. Outremer has also been very responsive in dealing with any issues during the two-year warranty period and beyond. After spending the summer cruising the Mediterranean, it was time to head off on our big adventure. We left La Grande-Motte in October 2017. We sailed to Spain and Gibraltar and crossed the Atlantic to St Lucia in November 2017 with the ARC+ rally. We joined the World ARC rally in St Lucia and sailed to Panama, through the canal, across the Pacific to Australia, and then across the Indian Ocean to Richards Bay, South Africa, where we are now.

The three of us have sailed more than 27,000 miles and are pleased with our choice of boat. Fast cruising is enjoyable and it is always good to get into port sooner. We typically sail in tradewind conditions at boat speeds of 8 to 10 knots. We had six 200-plus mile days in a row during our crossing of the Pacific from the Galapagos to the Marquesas. During our Indian Ocean crossing we had 30-plus knots of wind for several days and 4m seas. The boat also performed well in those conditions. When cruising, you see more light air than heavy air and it is very nice to have a boat that will sail fast in light air. An additional benefit of a fast cat that is often not mentioned is the ability to sail with a reduced sail area and still go fast. We often sail with two or three reefs in the main and just our working jib in 15 knots of wind, which makes the boat very easy to handle, while still going fast. Another advantage is with narrow hulls and a smaller saloon the side decks are wider, which make moving around much safer. Our huge foredeck also makes sail handling much safer and easier, with less stress all round as we move through the water.

David Weible and Kellie Peterson – Lagoon 42

David Weible had a liveaboard adventure on a leaky monohull many years ago but he and his partner Kellie still managed to surprise themselves when they decided to sell their Florida home and go cruising. They chose a Lagoon 42 and, with few regrets, have just crossed the Atlantic to Saint Lucia after a summer in the Med.

A little more than a year ago, we were riding our bikes across the playa at the Burning Man festival in Nevada when a dust storm rolled in. We took refuge in a lighthouse art installation, talked about our dreams and hatched a plan: sell everything, buy a sailboat, sail the globe — and share our story on YouTube. Four months later, we made an offer on a Tartan 44 monohull in St Petersburg, Florida. A sea trial and inspection revealed major issues, so we kept looking for another bluewater cruising boat. In February, we flew to San Diego to see a Tayana – another disappointment. But the effort wasn’t a total loss: we discovered catamarans. We looked at Leopard, Fountaine-Pajot and Lagoon. When we boarded the Lagoon 42, a comfortable catamaran that could really take us places, we were sold.

The delights

Hull #300 was delivered in August. We moved aboard on a Saturday and set sail across the Bay of Biscay the following Wednesday. Sitting at anchor in Spain, navigating narrow rivers in Portugal, picking our way through the Atlantic fog, surfing big swells on the way to Madeira, lounging with the wildlife in the Selvagens and currently sailing across the Atlantic Ocean have all added up nicely and validated our decision to buy the catamaran.

Starship Friendship handles a lot better than we expected. These heavier cruising catamarans sail really well with the right sail plan, but they do come with a relatively conservative set-up. The square-top main, Code 0 and ACH cruising chute options are a must. On a dead run, speed over ground exceeds half of the true wind speed; up to 45° into the wind, with 15 knots or more, she does even better. On a beam reach, she nearly matches true wind speed; fly the chute in as little as 8 knots and she’ll keep a comfortable walking pace downwind. In a solid swell, she’s balanced and comfortable. Crew members suffer little or no seasickness and are not worn out after longer passages.

We still have a wishlist of improvements including a dual battery charger for 110V and 220V, painted bow compartments to avoid fibreglass itchiness, an accessible place for wet gear and fishing tools, and a bit more solar and battery capacity (oh, and a Parasailor too). The broker recommended two rigid LG300 solar panels, which put out roughly 270W each at max output. This is not enough to run all systems on the boat, so when we go offshore, the generator becomes a necessity – we run it for roughly four hours per day. If money were no object we would have loved to put a custom stainless attachment above the dingy davit with three or four panels, which would be the correct amount of power necessary for our boat. Otherwise, we have not done much to her. The lighting indoor and outdoor is bright and does not have dim or colour option. We put red spinnaker tape over our lights when offshore to create a more friendly night environment and intend to have red lighting in the Caribbean. We also installed an electric toilet in the owner’s cabin, which has been really nice. The helm station is a hot topic among Lagoon 42 owners. It’s a love-hate relationship. A lot of owners find the seat uncomfortable and too short. We have seen many modifications. In bad weather we are cautious and always use safety tethers while at the helm. We run a piece of webbing on occasion from the arm rail on the seat to the grab rail on the helm for additional safety in heavy conditions.

Our only real regret is that we were rushed to meet our Atlantic crossing deadline. Buyers benefit from more time and support during the handover. Details like setting up the boat, walking through the installed gear, testing the systems and reviewing best practices make the experience less stressful and more satisfying for those with resources on hand. If we ever pick up a new boat again, it would make sense to deal directly with a local representative — having boots on the ground seems to improve the experience for those we’ve talked to. Our friends in the Lagoon community rave about the assistance they received with warranties, training, and delivery services from local agents. That said, would we buy again? Yes. The stability, easy sailing rig, forgiving design and comfortable floor plan deliver one hell of a good lifestyle.

The Starship makes cruising easy and handles a variety of conditions comfortably. Her reliable performance under sail has made our passages pretty awesome. From France to Gibraltar, Tangier to Madeira, Salvagen to Cape Verde and across the ocean — the voyages of Starship Friendship have been stellar. She’s even a bit famous. The YouTube channel ‘Sailing Starship Friendship ’ chronicles all the good and the bad. Luckily, the stability of a catamaran makes editing at sea easy and new episodes are published every Sunday – even in big seas and strong winds!

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• Yachting Monthly's Scuttlebutt

Hirondelle Catamarans

• Thread starter Kurrawong_Kid
• Start date 20 Nov 2006
• 20 Nov 2006

Kurrawong_Kid

Well-known member.

What's the difference between Mark1, Mark 2 and Mark 3 versions of the Hirondelle cat? Does anyone know if there is an owners' association ? Any info gratefully received.  

• 21 Nov 2006

Mark 1 and 2 had dagger boards, Mark 3 small keels. I believe the early dagger boards had a rep for leaking. Early ones had the galley on the step between the hatches, later ones had the galley in the starboard hull. There is an owners club - I can post the URL tonight if you want.  

snowleopard

Active member.

They used to be offered with an Aerorig option. Well worth considering if you can find one.  

jamesjermain

In addtion to what's been said, I think the beam increased slightly with the Mk3 model. They are good little family coastal cruising cats. The late, great Geoff Pack had one for a short while when his children were small and had a ball in it  

Hirondelle Association Hirondelle Owners Community  

Many thanks for responses. Info. sought for friend who needed clarification of differences and did not know of the forum.  

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• Boats for Sale

Hirondelle Catamarans for sale

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Manufacturer

For Sale By

2 New and Used Hirondelle

Hirondelle Mk III

S England (United Kingdom)

OFFERED BY:

Multihull World

Hirondelle Mk1

* Price displayed is based on today's currency conversion rate of the listed sales price.

FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT HIRONDELLE

Hirondelle is a well renowned boat manufacturer which crafts a wide range of styles and models of boats including the popular models Mk1 and Mk III.

Their wide range of boats spans multiple categories, including multihull boats, catamaran boats and catamaran, sail. Hirondelle has been a major player in the marine industry for many years, and as such you'll find models of their boats dating between 1975 and 1986.

Hirondelle offers a wide range of sizes of boats to choose from , with their smallest model measuring 23 feet and their largest 23 feet. This broad range allows their customers the chance to find the model that suits them best, while benefiting from Hirondelle's impeccable build quality. With such a large variety, you'll find Hirondelle boats of very different prices, from the most affordable at $8,215 to boats costing upwards of $10,743.

The company prides themselves on building their boats with the highest-quality hull materials , including grp and fiberglass. Engine power is also a key factor when choosing a boat. Hirondelle boats have a range of engine power options with an average horsepower of around 8 hp, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 6 knots, a cruising speed of 5 knots, Of course, range and speed vary on the engine type, depending on the specific model, as well as several options of world-class makes and models of engines.

At Rightboat you'll find 2 used and 0 new boats available, offering you a broad range to choose from that fits your budget and requirements.

HIRONDELLE BY MODEL

• Hirondelle Mk iii 1
• Hirondelle Mk1 1

HIRONDELLE BY COUNTRY

Hirondelle by category.

Hirondelle Mk. 1 Catamaran In Superb ‘Sail Away’ Condition.

Engine Make: Honda 4stroke

Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom

Hirondelle Catamaran mk1 in superb order. Comes with all gear ready to sail away. Change of plan promotes sale. 5 berths including a double which converts to a table. Recently re upholtstered with matching curtains.

Honda 4stroke electric start outboard housed in pod. Sails comprise of Genoa, storm jib, mainsail, spinnaker. List of gear as follows-ADM mainsail (2016)Mainsail coverFurling GenoaSpinnakerStorm jib2 batteriesLowrance 3500 plotterSimrad tiller pilot2 new solar panelsFocus compassNassa clipper logNassa target wind speed and directionCobra dsc vhfFm,am radioWindvaneClock and barometerNav lights including tri colour masthead, anchor lightSafety dan buoy, flaresFire extinguisherSmoke detectorBilge pumpS/s pulpit, push pit, guard rails, spray dodgers (not shown), almost new cockpit cover,cockpit cushions, spinnaker pole, sheet winches, halyard winches, dinghy davits, 20lb main anchor with 10 m chain and 20m warp, 15lb. Kedge anchor and warp, mooring warps and fenders, slab reefing mainsail, Cabin led lighting 2burner spirit stove20gallon flexible water tankSeparate heads compartment with sea flush, privacy door.Recent running rigging.Spare outboard bracketTools and sparesPlates, cups, knives and forks, kettle. Just needs a coat of antifouling and off you go, there is nothing you need to buy!

Can be viewed on hard standing in Essex. Possible part exchange . 0phone phone or text. Email email This item is advertised on my classifieds board business account but is a private sale and carries no warranty. It is always adviseable when purchasing a boat, to have a professional survey carried out.

This is normally required by marine insurance companies prior to offering cover.

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• Sailboat Guide

Hirondelle MKII

Hirondelle MKII is a 22 ′ 8 ″ / 6.9 m catamaran sailboat designed by Chris Hammond and built by Brian Carvill & Assoc. (UK) starting in 1968.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The HIRONDELLE MKII has a shorter rig than the first version.

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