Design and Construction
The 401 is built by Catana SA as a solid-fiberglass catamaran with a solid hull core and fiberglass deck, carrying a fractional sloop rig with 1,022.57 square feet of sail area and a mast 55.77 feet above the waterline. Her hull speed is cited at 8.55 knots, with a capsize ratio of 3.53 and a comfort ratio of 9.55. Multihulls World described her as the smallest Catana taking advantage of the shipyard’s experience and solutions tried and tested on other models smallest model in the Catana range. The review noted that the purchase price may seem dissuasive at first, but the finishing, quality of amenities and fittings, and manufacturing processes justify the cost price is justified by the finishing. A ready-to-sail 401 was listed at 396,100 Euros plus VAT, and for that sum buyers could choose among ten different feature versions at no extra cost.
Rig and Handling
With a length-to-waterline of 40.68 feet against the 41.01-foot LOA, the 401 remains maneuverable with a small crew, a trait the review tied directly to her size. The same length that delivers appreciable comfort also keeps handling manageable in close quarters without a large crew. Her daggerboards and spade rudders (per background spec) suit a performance cruising brief, and the 26.39 sail-area-to-displacement ratio reflects a lively rig for the category.
Accommodations
The review credits the 401 with appreciable comfort, a function of the ~12-meter platform and the 21.98-foot beam that the 40-foot niche allows. Catana offered ten no-cost layout variants, so interior arrangement could be matched to owner preference without pushing the base price upward. The tested example, Teresa III, represented one of these early configurations.
Production and Market Context
At the time of the review, five units were already on the water with seventeen more under order, marking the 401 as an early-production model in the late-1990s Catana line before the 2003 end of production. She sat below the larger Barreau-designed cats of the era and reflected the yard’s pre-2008 construction approach before vacuum infusion became standard.
The Verdict
The Catana 401 is a compact, well-finished performance cruiser that packages the yard’s larger-model lessons into a 40-foot footprint. She is manageable short-handed and offers rare layout flexibility at base cost, though the initial price sat high for the size.
Pros
- Smallest Catana of her era yet draws on larger-model solutions
- Maneuverable with a small crew
- Ten no-cost feature versions
- Solid fiberglass construction with daggerboards
Cons
- Purchase price dissuasive at first
- Limited production run ending in 2003
