Catana 70 Buyer's Guide
The Catana 70 is a semi-custom performance cruising catamaran built in France by Catana SA, designed by Marc Lombard and produced from roughly 2012 through 2020. What makes buying a used example genuinely different from shopping other large performance catamarans is the scale of the commitment involved and how deeply each hull was personalised from the factory. The Catana 70 was never a production boat in the conventional sense — each example was built to order, which means no two are identical in specification, equipment, or interior arrangement. Coming into the brokerage market, a prospective buyer is really purchasing a unique vessel shaped as much by its original owner's preferences as by the yard's design intent. That individuality is a strength in many respects, but it demands a more thorough inspection process than a purely production boat, because you cannot simply assume what has and has not been fitted.
The naval architecture, by Marc Lombard, prioritises sail area and low displacement. The hull is built primarily with infused glass or carbon sandwich, with carbon used in highly loaded areas. That structural philosophy — lightweight, stiff, responsive — carries through to the towering rig, which reaches roughly 85 feet above the water and drives the boat decisively even in light conditions. The Catana 70 sits at the serious end of blue-water performance catamarans, positioned for owners who want transatlantic-capable range without sacrificing pace.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because each Catana 70 was semi-custom, the accommodation layouts found on the brokerage market vary considerably. The yard offered three- and four-double-cabin configurations as the primary options, and both appear in used listings. The three-cabin arrangement typically provides more generous owner stateroom space forward in each hull, while four-cabin examples give greater crew or charter flexibility. Interior finishes were heavily buyer-directed, with sycamore veneer laminated to structural sandwich panels appearing as a notable choice on at least one early hull — offering the feel of a superyacht interior without a weight penalty. Galley placement, saloon layout, and nav station configuration all reflect individual commissioning decisions, so buyers should examine each boat on its own terms rather than assuming a standard floor plan.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The base specification already included twin diesel engines producing substantial combined power — two 150-horsepower units representing the factory fit, driving the boat to reliable auxiliary performance given the displacement. Fuel tankage is generous for extended passages, and water tankage similarly reflects a boat built for ocean miles rather than marina living.
Sail inventories on used examples are typically extensive, reflecting original owners who specified the boat for offshore work. The mainsail is large — well over 1,500 square feet — and the factory genoa and gennaker give a well-rounded wardrobe. Owner upgrades encountered on the brokerage market commonly include upgraded autopilot systems suited to the boat's offshore weight and speed range, watermakers, additional solar and wind generation, and upgraded chart plotting and communications suites appropriate for blue-water passages. Carbon standing rigging is a feature worth noting on any example; given the mast height, rig inspection is especially important and previous owners who invested in carbon rod or cable represent a meaningful maintenance head start.
Sail-handling hardware typically reflects the semi-custom orientation, with furling systems, electric winches, and carefully routed control lines to a single-station sail handling position being common features. Dinghy and davit arrangements vary between examples, with some owners specifying integrated davit systems while others preferred alternative tender storage solutions.
What to Inspect
For a boat of this performance orientation and size, the structural survey should begin with the composite construction itself. The infused glass and carbon sandwich laminate used in the hull and deck is excellent when built correctly, but any large-format performance catamaran of this vintage warrants careful moisture readings in hull laminate and foam core areas, particularly around chainplates, beam attachments, and any deck hardware penetrations. Daggerboard trunks deserve specific attention — the daggerboards are central to the upwind performance of the design, and the trunks, seals, and lifting systems should be inspected for wear, delamination, or signs of impact damage from grounding.
The towering rig — approximately 26 metres to the masthead — makes rigging inspection non-negotiable. Have a qualified rigger ascend and examine all standing and running rigging, spreaders, and masthead fittings. Given the sail area-to-displacement ratio, the rig loads are significant, and deferred rig maintenance on a boat of this scale has expensive consequences. Swage fittings on stainless rod should be examined for cracking; rod rigging that has accumulated significant passage miles may be approaching a replacement interval.
Engine room access and condition of the twin diesel installations should be evaluated carefully. Given the extended offshore passages many of these boats have accumulated, heat exchanger condition, impeller history, and the state of exhaust systems are worth prioritising. Fuel tank condition — particularly sediment and water contamination after years of oceanic passages — warrants inspection given the large fuel capacity involved.
Watermaker membranes, electrical systems (including any solar and generator integration), and sail inventories should all be evaluated for condition and remaining life. Because each boat was individually commissioned, the buyer should request as complete a build file and owner's history as the seller can provide, which is the best tool available for understanding exactly what was fitted and what has been serviced.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Catana 70 is a rare boat by any measure. Production was limited across the model's run, and examples surface on the brokerage market infrequently — when they do appear, they tend to do so through specialist multihull brokerages in France, the Mediterranean, and occasionally in the Caribbean or Pacific, reflecting the typical cruising grounds of the original owners. North American listings appear periodically but less commonly than European ones.
For the right buyer, a used Catana 70 represents access to a genuinely capable, architect-designed performance cruising catamaran at a point in the depreciation curve where the original custom commissioning cost has already been absorbed. The key is diligence:
- Commission a thorough survey with a multihull specialist experienced in infused carbon-glass construction
- Have an independent rigger inspect the full rig from masthead to chainplates
- Request the complete build specification and all service records from the original commissioning
- Inspect daggerboard trunks, seals, and lifting systems carefully for impact history and wear
- Evaluate the engine hours and full service history on both diesels
- Confirm the sail inventory condition and remaining service life on furling systems
- Verify watermaker membrane condition and electrical system capacity against your intended use
- Budget for immediate rig replacement or full refit if records are incomplete or the boat has accumulated heavy offshore miles without documented maintenance
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.