Design and Construction
The 16.5’s defining feature is its telescopic float system, which allows the boat to be transported without dismantling it. With the floats retracted, the hull meets all road-gauge width rules. Beam is 2.5 meters folded and 3.8 meters unfolded, providing 8 square meters of platform area when open.
The central hull is 4.94 meters long, with 4.40-meter floats carrying 500 liters of volume per side. The builder describes the shape as more modern and sporty, with harmonious curves and a narrow water entry. Review coverage notes that the folding arrangement is an Astus family trait, intended to make the boats simple to pack up and trailer. The planing central hull and floats draw on VPLP’s recent maxi-trimaran work rather than a conventional pocket-cruiser lineage.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Astus 16.5 comes in two versions. The sports model has a more powerful sail plan aimed at private owners, while the more forgiving recreation rig is intended for sailing schools and club use.
The recreation version has a 7.06-meter mast, a 10-square-meter mainsail, a 5-square-meter jib, and a 15-square-meter gennaker. The sport version increases sail area to an 11.5-square-meter mainsail, a 5.5-square-meter jib, and a 20-square-meter gennaker.
A sabre board is fitted for ease of use. Draft is 0.2 meter with the board raised and 1.1 meters with it lowered. The narrow entry and planing form keep the boat light, with a builder-listed contact weight of 210kg. In its editorial review, the publication described the boat as a responsive and lively sailer that is fun and thrilling to steer.
An outboard of up to 2.5 horsepower can be fitted for coastal passages. That limit confines auxiliary use to calm coastal hops.
Accommodation and Intended Use
This isn’t a cabin cruiser. It’s a dinghy-style multihull with limited weight and a category D rating for five people. Its principal shelter is a large storage locker rather than berths or a galley, and the boat is sold in club or sports trim. Its 500-liter-per-side float volume supports the platform’s stability when unfolded.
With its shallow draft, 2.5-meter folded beam, and telescoping floats, the Astus 16.5 is positioned as a daysailer that can be launched, rigged, and retrieved without requiring a marina berth. Its small size and sparse accommodation keep its practical role to daysailing, coastal trips, and light cruising.
Ownership
Owners who choose the sports version get the larger mainsail and gennaker, while club and school buyers receive the tamer recreation rig. Because the floats telescope rather than being removed, routine ownership centers on the folding mechanism and trailer compliance rather than structural refit.
Verdict
The Astus 16.5 is a clever pocket trimaran that trades cabin comfort for a trailerable, foldable platform with real multihull performance. VPLP’s input shows in the planing hull and lively steering, while the choice of two rigs broadens the boat’s appeal from schools and clubs to private sport sailors.
Pros
- Telescoping floats allow trailering without dismantling the boat
- Lively, responsive handling and a sporty sail plan
- VPLP-derived hull form with a modern, efficient shape
Cons
- No real accommodation beyond a storage locker
- Auxiliary power is limited to 2.5 hp, and the boat has a category D rating
- Small size limits its role to daysailing and coastal trips
