Design and Construction
Schionning Design drew the 1280-S as a performance-minded cruiser rather than a volume carrier. At 9,921 pounds displacement, with a 22.31-foot beam and a 1.31-foot minimum draft, the platform is beamy but light. Its capsize screen of 4.15 and sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 36.55 place it firmly at the lively end of the multihull spectrum.
The hulls and decks are foam-cored fiberglass. The owner-built example Duality took almost three years to complete, from the kit’s arrival to launch. The owner handled most of the work, while a friend helped with fairing, painting, and some hardware installation.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Performance
A rotating carbon mast supplied by Current Marine defines the 1280-S rig. The owner documented a sail inventory comprising a 66-square-meter mainsail, a 33-square-meter jib, a 75-square-meter screacher, and a 135-square-meter asymmetric spinnaker.
With that inventory, the boat can sail at roughly wind speed across most normal angles, both upwind and downwind. In flat water and 19 knots of breeze, she has reached 19.5 knots of boat speed. Upwind, she settles at around 9.5 to 10 knots while tacking through 90 to 95 degrees. The daggerboard hull form and low minimum draft provide the offwind acceleration and close-angle capability intended by the slimmer-hull design brief.
Accommodations and Cruising Practicality
Bridge-deck cabins create a raised central living space, separate from the lower hull quarters. On Duality, the owner chose a single head to reduce both weight and construction time. That deliberate decision also shaped the interior arrangement around the bridge-deck cabins.
The owner reports that Duality exceeded expectations for sleeping space, storage, and room for a few toys. These included a 2.6-meter tender carried on the davits with a 6-horsepower outboard. Throughout the boat, the emphasis is on cruising utility without the added mass of a second head or fuller hulls.
The Verdict
The Arrow 1280-S is a purpose-built performance cruising catamaran that succeeds on the terms set by its originator. Slimmer hulls, a longer waterline, and a pared-back, single-head interior produce a boat that can sail at or above wind speed and tack efficiently upwind.
The foam-cored construction and kit-build path keep weight down. However, the light construction and owner-led completion mean that each boat’s condition depends heavily on how well its individual builder carried out the work.
Pros
- Slimmer hulls and a longer waterline deliver strong performance, based on the owner’s documented speeds
- Rotating carbon mast, supported by a large screacher and asymmetric spinnaker
- Bridge-deck cabins with good sleeping space and storage in a weight-conscious layout
Cons
- A single head offers less accommodation flexibility than a twin-head cruising cat
- Completion quality can vary with the owner-builder’s skill and the time invested
