Design Brief & Intent
The Catana 59 was engineered for experienced blue-water voyagers who refused to compromise on velocity or comfort. Its core mission was to deliver safe, double-digit cruising speeds across oceans while functioning as an upscale, stable home in port. While production multihulls of the era from builders like Lagoon or Fountaine Pajot focused heavily on maximizing interior volume at the expense of sailing characteristics, the Catana 59 stood alongside rivals like the Outremer 5X, striving for a more refined balance.
The construction of the Catana 59 reflected this high-performance ethos. The hulls, deck, and main structural bulkheads were built using a vacuum-infused Carbon-Twaron foam sandwich process. This aramid-reinforced laminate provided exceptional rigidity and impact resistance, offering up to ten times the perforation resistance of traditional fiberglass while saving critical weight.
Inside, the cabin layout departed from the traditional, heavily varnished woods of older Catanas, embracing a minimalist aesthetic developed by Couedel Hugon Design. The cabinetry utilized lightweight, foam-cored composite panels faced with high-quality veneers, trimmed with carbon fiber, Alcantara, and premium leathers. A signature design feature of the salon was the massive, three-part sliding door that could drop completely into the deck structure. This connected the galley and salon directly to the aft cockpit on a single, continuous level, establishing an open-air living space that set new design standards for the shipyard.
Variations & Configurations
The Catana 59 was primarily delivered in a three-cabin Owner's configuration, which was widely favored by private blue-water couples. In this layout, the entire starboard hull functioned as a private suite. It featured a king-size island bed aft, a central writing desk and dressing table, extensive leather-lined wardrobes, and a large forward head with a walk-in shower and separate vanity. The port hull housed the guest accommodation, typically configured with a VIP suite aft containing convertible twin-to-king berths, and a forward guest cabin that could be configured with bunk beds or a double berth. A four-cabin option was also available for charter operations or larger families, partitioning the port bow into a dedicated helmsman or crew cabin.
Up top, the sailing rig could be customized. While a standard high-aspect aluminum mast was offered, many performance-oriented owners chose the ultra-lightweight Lorima carbon fiber mast. This high-performance rig featured Diamond rod-rigging and Kevlar cap shrouds, paired with a carbon-fiber forward crossbeam and bowsprit to handle the immense loads of a square-topped mainsail and large reachers.
Under the hood, the standard engine configuration featured twin 110-horsepower Volvo diesel engines driving traditional straight shafts, a preference for blue-water traditionalists over sail drives due to their mechanical reliability. Many builds were optioned with upgraded 150-horsepower Volvo D3 diesels, providing substantial power to push through heavy head seas or quickly maneuver the vessel's wind-sensitive profile in tight marinas.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The headline innovation of the Catana 59 was its transition to curved carbon-fiber daggerboards, commonly referred to as C-boards. While older models relied on straight boards to resist leeway, the C-boards on the 59 were engineered with a pronounced inward sweep. When deployed at speeds above ten knots, these boards generated dynamic vertical lift, estimated to reduce the vessel’s effective displacement by up to fifteen percent. This foil effect physically lifted the hulls slightly out of the water, dramatically reducing wetted surface drag, smoothing out the boat's motion in a seaway, and preventing the hulls from digging in during hard reaches.
With the boards fully raised, the draft is reduced to just 5.1 feet, allowing the 59 to navigate shallow reefs and anchor close to shore. When close-hauled, lowering the boards to their maximum draft of 12.3 feet provided unparalleled lateral resistance, allowing the yacht to point exceptionally well to windward, far exceeding the capabilities of keel-equipped cruising catamarans.
Helming is managed from Catana's trademark twin outboard helm stations located on the aft quarters. Standing at these helms gives the driver a direct, unobstructed view of the sails and the entire length of the hulls. The mechanical steering setup delivers excellent tactile feedback, making the boat highly responsive. However, because the helms are completely exposed on the transom, the helmsman is vulnerable to heavy wind, rain, and salt spray, making the autopilot the primary driver on long offshore passages.
In terms of raw speed, the Catana 59 is exceptionally capable. It regularly registers double-digit speeds, easily maintaining 12 knots on a reach in a modest 12-knot breeze. For blue-water passages, owners report consistent daily runs of 240 to 250 nautical miles, with top speeds exceeding 20 knots under optimal conditions, allowing it to easily outrun bad weather systems.
Market Snapshot & Economics 6
Because of the complex and costly nature of its Carbon-Twaron construction, the Catana 59 was built in limited quantities, making it a rare find on the brokerage market. It maintains a prestigious reputation as a semi-custom yacht, commanding a significant price premium over production catamarans of similar vintage. However, compared to top-tier, ultra-performance cruisers like Gunboat or HH Catamarans, the Catana 59 represents a compelling relative value.
Buyers must anticipate that the economics of running and maintaining a carbon-composite catamaran of this scale are substantial. Any structural or aesthetic repairs to the vacuum-infused laminate require specialized composite yards. Upkeep of the high-tension synthetic standing rigging, replacement of high-modulus sails, and servicing the complex hydraulic and electrical systems common on these vessels will demand a professional budget. Nonetheless, because Catanas are renowned for their robust build quality, well-maintained examples tend to hold their value exceptionally well.
Known Issues & Triage
While the structural integrity of the Carbon-Twaron hull is rarely a concern, the Catana 59 has specific areas that require careful monitoring:
- Daggerboard Trunk Wear: The curved C-boards exert significant lateral and upward loads on the internal daggerboard trunks. Over time, the Teflon or high-density composite wear pads inside the trunks can degrade. If neglected, this causes play in the boards, resulting in a loud clunking noise under sail and potential stress fractures in the trunk structure. Regular inspection and replacement of these wear pads is a critical maintenance item.
- Helm Exposure and Instrument Failures: Because the twin helm stations are mounted completely outboard on the transoms, they are highly exposed to the marine environment. The helm pods, engine control panels, and navigation screens are prone to salt water intrusion and corrosion. Navigational electronics at the helms require frequent inspection of their seals, and many owners fabricate custom canvas covers to protect them when not in use.
- Steering System Wear: Due to the boat's massive 31.14-foot beam, the steering cables (often Dyneema or heavy stainless steel wire) must make long runs from the outboard helms to the rudders. These cables can stretch or slip over time, which introduces play at the wheel. The steering quadrant, sheaves, and tensioning systems must be inspected annually and adjusted to ensure crisp helm response.
- Retractable Window Track Drainage: The large sliding window that connects the salon to the cockpit retracts downward. The drainage channel at the bottom of this track can easily become clogged with salt, dust, or hair. If the drains clog, water from rain or washing down the decks can back up, overflowing into the interior sub-floor and damaging the window's manual or electric mechanism.
Modernization & Upgrades
Many Catana 59 owners have modernised their vessels to bring them up to modern cruising standards, focusing heavily on power generation and weight management:
- Lithium Battery Conversions: The massive domestic load of a yacht this size—frequently equipped with multiple air conditioning units, watermakers, and electric winches—makes traditional AGM battery banks heavy and inefficient. Upgrading to high-capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery banks significantly reduces weight in the hulls while drastically increasing usable capacity.
- High-Efficiency Solar Integration: To support these lithium banks without constantly running the auxiliary generator, owners regularly install high-output, walk-on solar panels across the expansive coachroof and the hardtop bimini, often generating up to 2,000 watts of clean solar power.
- Modern Rigging and Sail Handling: Retrofitting old, stretched Kevlar cap shrouds with modern, lightweight carbon fiber or advanced synthetic rigging (such as PBO or Dyneema) reduces weight aloft and improves stability. Upgrading to high-performance, light-wind sails, like a modern Code 0 on a continuous line furler, maximizes light-air performance.
- Thruster Additions: Due to the boat's high freeboard, wide beam, and lack of underwater keels when the daggerboards are raised, maneuvering in crosswinds can be extremely challenging. Adding or upgrading to high-thrust, retractable bow thrusters has become a popular modern upgrade to simplify close-quarters docking.
The Verdict
The Catana 59 remains a benchmark model for sailors who demand blistering speed, structural rigidity, and spacious liveaboard comfort. By incorporating racing technology like curved daggerboards and carbon infusion, Catana created a luxurious blue-water passage maker capable of matching the daily runs of legendary racing multis. While it demands a knowledgeable hand at the helm and a dedicated maintenance budget, it stands as an exceptional machine for serious blue-water voyaging.
- Exceptional sailing speed, regularly capable of sustained double-digit averages and daily runs exceeding 240 nautical miles.
- Outstanding windward pointing ability when the curved daggerboards are fully deployed.
- Superior composite construction utilizing vacuum-infused Carbon-Twaron, offering high impact resistance and weight savings.
- Innovative, flush-deck salon layout with a fully retractable sliding window, creating an expansive indoor-outdoor living zone.
- Shallow-draft capability with daggerboards raised, allowing access to anchorages off-limits to most deep-keel boats.
- Complete exposure of the twin aft steering stations to the wind, rain, and ocean spray.
- Highly complex steering cable runs across a wide beam, requiring routine tensioning and inspection.
- High sensitivity to weight overload, which can quickly degrade the performance benefits of the reverse bows and foils.
- Demanding and costly maintenance requirements for specialized carbon-fiber components, rigging, and curved board trunks.
- Challenging harbor maneuverability in high winds due to the boat's high freeboard and lack of fixed keels.
