Designer Darren Newton shaped a boat that can race offshore one month and take a family on holiday the next. Dazcat 1195s have entered RORC and MOCRA events, including the two-handed Shetland, Round Britain and Round Ireland races and the Fastnet. They also compete regularly in the two-handed Round Britain and Ireland and Fastnet classics.
Design and Construction
The 1195’s structure starts with low weight. All Dazcats are around half the mass of a standard production catamaran. The 1195 has a lightship weight of 4,500 kg and a maximum loaded weight of 7,500 kg, with a lightship-to-beam ratio of 10:1.
The hulls use multi-axial and uni-directional aramid and glass fabrics, vacuum-bagged around a PVC foam core. Carbon reinforces high-stress areas such as the bridgedeck and beam bulkheads, while the builder’s material list cites PVC, glass and carbon throughout.
Newton deliberately removed weight from the ends to reduce pitching. The hull and accommodation structure is stiff enough that the boat needs no crossbeam. With a capsize screening ratio of 3.97 and RCD Category A certification, the platform is engineered for serious offshore work rather than coastal pottering.
Rig, Helm and Handling
The 1195 is a fractional sloop with 882 square feet of sail area and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 27. An aluminum mast and stainless wire rigging are standard, while a carbon mast is optional. Owners can choose rig height and material to bias the boat toward cruising or racing.
On one test sail, the boat carried a large, square-top Banks Sails mainsail and a self-tacking jib. A screecher was later set from a fixed carbon sprit on a continuous-line Karver furler. In 10 knots of breeze on a close reach, the 1195 topped 6 knots. Once the screecher filled, she made more than 8 knots with a sweet helm and came about as effortlessly as a lightweight monohull.
High-aspect carbon daggerboards are controlled by a simple tackle. Twin helm stations sit well inboard, helping to keep crew weight centered. The easily singlehanded rig and cable steering make the boat manageable short-handed, while bulwarks enclose the cockpit on all four sides for security offshore.
Twin Nanni 14 hp diesels provide auxiliary power.
Accommodations
This isn’t a charter queen. The 1195 deliberately avoids the opulent interior found on more charter-oriented catamarans, but it still sleeps seven and provides standing headroom in both hulls and on the bridge deck.
Each hull has a double cabin aft. A narrow berth lies forward to starboard, while a head with shower is to port. In the saloon, the table runs fore and aft, and the navigation station is to port. The test boat carried Raymarine electronics, with B&G available as an option. The galley is set lower in the starboard hull.
There are no forward lounging cockpits. The layout favors sailing utility and practical family cruising over extra lounging space.
Performance and Sailing Role
The 1195’s brief covers inshore and offshore racing, local cruising and bluewater passage-making, whether singlehanded or sailed with family. One review described her as a coastal cruiser, offshore racing machine and performance bluewater cruiser in one. Despite her size, it also called her a great light-air daysailer.
The hull Rock Steady shows how far the platform can be taken. Launched in 2010, she was gently cruised on the UK West Coast before being sold to a French syndicate in 2018. She was subsequently prepared for racing with VPLP naval architects’ sign-off.
Owner Finishing and Used Boats
Multimarine has previously offered the 1195 as a structurally complete hull for owner finishing, which helps explain some of the variation among used boats. Rock Steady illustrates the range particularly well, moving from leisure cruising to use as an approved racer.
The Verdict
The Dazcat 1195 is an unusual combination: a true cruising catamaran that can also race competitively. She’s lightly built yet certified for RCD Category A offshore service. The design suits sailors who want speed and sea-keeping without the bulk and opulence of mainstream charter cats, while its race record shows that the dual-purpose brief is more than marketing.
Pros
- Around half the weight of a standard production catamaran, with a carbon-reinforced structure
- Offshore race participation including the Fastnet and Round Britain and Ireland
- Easily singlehanded rig and strong light-air performance of more than 8 knots under screecher
- Seven berths, standing headroom and RCD Category A certification
Cons
- Deliberately modest accommodations compared with charter-oriented catamarans
- No forward lounging cockpits, limiting relaxed social space on deck
