Hull Design and Naval Architecture
The most consequential decision VPLP made for the 14 was the switch to asymmetric hull forms. Unlike the symmetric sections found on most cruising multihulls, the 14's hulls carry more curvature and volume on the outboard side and less on the inboard face, a geometry that reduces drag from wake interaction between the two hulls and cuts bridgedeck slamming. The design team also revisited the keel arrangement. Rather than fitting the usual fat, low-aspect stub keels — or going all the way to daggerboards, which add operational complexity and rob cabin volume — VPLP settled on thinner, deeper fixed foils that push draft to 4 feet 10 inches. That extra depth allowed chord length to be halved relative to a conventional cat keel, and VPLP's modelling showed that a modest 10-centimetre increase in draft yielded roughly 15 percent better hydrodynamic efficiency. The rudders are also 20 centimetres deeper than the class norm, giving the steering considerably more authority than the compromised blade shapes typically found on production cats of this size.
Weight was treated as a design parameter in its own right. Carbon reinforcement was applied to highly stressed areas such as fully infused PET foam sandwich bulkheads, while lower-density end-grain balsa coring was used in hull skins where loads are modest. Each balsa square is separated by resin so localised damage cannot wick water through adjacent cells. The galley structure is reportedly 25 percent lighter than a conventionally built equivalent without resorting to expensive foam cores. Even interior knobs were replaced with small loops of rope. The published light displacement lands at 12,800 kg — two to three tonnes below comparable cruising cats of the same size, a margin that shows up immediately under sail.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The standard rig carries a square-top mainsail and an overlapping genoa that together produce 1,323 square feet of upwind area, with no backstay to conflict with the mainsail head. The optional Pulse Line package extends the mast from 64 feet 11 inches to 70 feet 8 inches and lengthens the bowsprit, lifting upwind area to 1,453 square feet and the Code 0 from 775 to 926 square feet. The longer sprit also extends LOA to 52 feet 5 inches, which is worth noting before booking a marina berth.
On the water the numbers are convincing. In 12 to 14 knots of true wind, boat speed held between 7.4 and 8 knots sailing upwind, a pace you would more readily associate with a 50-foot performance monohull than a family cruising cat. In 5 knots of breeze under main and working jib the chartplotter read 4.1 knots heading upwind — conditions that leave many similar-size multihulls stationary. Under Code 0 in 17 to 18 knots, speed climbed to a maximum of 10.3 knots, and the delivery crew logged a peak of 16.5 knots on the Atlantic crossing to Cannes. The design team's position is deliberate: this is not a boat intended for sustained high-teen speeds, making it a less intimidating, easier boat to sail for short-handed crews.
Tacking is reported as quick and positive with headsail sheets colour-coded so the manoeuvre is a one-person operation. Most sail controls are led to a clutch bank and a pair of winches at the starboard helm station. The test boat carried an electric Harken FlatWinder powered mainsheet traveller mounted outboard of the cockpit bench, keeping sheet winches within reach of either helm.
Helm Stations and Deck Layout
The Excess brand signature is its twin aft helm stations located at the outboard extremity of each stern. The position feels natural to monohull sailors, keeps the driver in conversation with cockpit guests, and provides an unobstructed view of the headsail luff. The Dyneema cable steering runs direct from wheel to rudder without the mechanical losses of a conventional quadrant system. Engine controls are standard at the starboard helm and optional at both stations; having throttle and gear on each side makes short-handed berthing easier than cats with a central helm or flybridge. The sole acknowledged visibility limitation from this position is the large sector where the driver must peer through saloon windows rather than over the coachroof.
The cockpit centre section is largely clear of sail-handling clutter. An extending table to port seats a crowd for dining without impeding movement. There is no forward cockpit well — weight saving ruled it out — but sunbeds and cushions at the front of the bridgedeck serve the sunbathing function. An optional sky lounge mounts on one side of the hardtop and is reachable via steps either side of the mast; it is designed as an at-anchor perch rather than an underway station because the boom sweeps low across the coachroof.
Interior and Accommodations
Interior design was handled by Nauta Design, and the brief matched the rest of the project: reduce weight without reducing liveability. Overhead, the cabin top is injection-moulded, eliminating the need for a liner. Some structural bulkheads use foam coring. There is less wood across furniture and stowage.
The result is a saloon that feels large and airy, with space to seat eight for dining and a full navstation. Two large front-window hatches, one outboard of the cooker, and wide aft doors provide natural ventilation. There are no full-height lockers, which floods the space with light and gives an almost all-round view from inside. Refrigeration and galley stowage are generous, with additional volume available beneath the sole.
Buyers choose from three main layouts. The four-stateroom charter version fits four cabins and four ensuite heads with reasonable privacy and stowage. Owner versions reclaim the fore section of the starboard hull as a flexible forepeak that converts between a walk-in dressing room, a workshop, and a twin berth for grandchildren. The midships washroom in that layout features twin sinks alongside separate toilet and shower compartments. The aft owner's stateroom has a generous dressing table and desk area for those who work aboard. In the Transformer version the same forward hull space takes a paddleboard or folds down for sleeping; it is the layout most praised by those who have spent time on the boat.
In hulls with two staterooms and two heads, the toilets share a single holding tank and the staterooms share one Webasto air-conditioning unit, reducing plumbing runs and the weight of redundant ducting. Fresh water tankage is 300 litres standard, with an optional additional 300-litre tank; fuel is carried in two 200-litre tanks.
Known Compromises
No single-source review of the Excess 14 surfaces structural or reliability failures, but a few handling characteristics are consistently noted. In appreciably less than 10 knots of true wind, the boat falls off quickly if you try to point too high — the penalty for a fairly full underwater volume optimised more for drag reduction than extreme upwind pointing. In a short, steep chop, speed was quickly lost if the helmsman pushed too close to the wind on a beat; bearing off to around 50 degrees true was necessary to keep the boat accelerating. These are tradeoffs inherent to a 26-foot-wide platform rather than manufacturing defects, but sailors migrating from narrower performance designs will need to recalibrate their close-hauled expectations.
The capsize screening formula result of 3.39 is a function of the cat's wide beam relative to its displacement. This is higher than the offshore threshold of 2.0 used for monohulls and is normal for a cruising cat, but it is worth acknowledging for passages that stray beyond coastal waters.
The optional sky lounge is flagged as suitable only when at anchor; with the boom set low, it is not a place to sit underway. Visibility from the helm also has a blind arc where the genoa and coachroof overlap that requires looking through the saloon windows, something crews accustomed to high-flybridge cats will find unfamiliar.
Refit and Options
The Excess 14 leaves the factory with meaningful decisions still on the table. The standard 2 x 45 hp Yanmar diesels are adequate; the optional 2 x 57 hp engines pushed the test boat to 7.8 knots in cruise mode and 8.4 knots hard. The Pulse Line rig is the more consequential upgrade: the taller spar and longer bowsprit unlock a 12 m² increase in upwind area and 14 m² additional Code 0 area, a difference that is felt in every light-air passage. Sailors planning routes with regular light winds or frequent headwinds will likely find the Pulse package a worthwhile addition; those primarily sailing the trades may find 1,323 square feet of standard sail area sufficient.
The electric Harken FlatWinder mainsheet traveller is an upgrade worth specifying for short-handed sailing, as is the electric main halyard winch at the starboard station. Davits, cockpit biminis, and an Onan generator complete the typical bluewater outfit. Laminates for the performance mainsail and genoa are recycled material, and hemp fibres injected with partly bio-sourced resin are used in some non-structural components, reflecting Groupe Beneteau's broader sustainability targets.
The Verdict
The Excess 14 succeeds at something that has historically been difficult: bringing genuine performance DNA into a production cruising cat without inflating the price to niche-builder levels or creating a boat that demands an experienced crew. VPLP's asymmetric hulls, deeper fixed foils, and systematic weight reduction add up to a package that is quicker, livelier, and more rewarding to sail than most cruising cats of this size. The accommodation is spacious and intelligently laid out across multiple owner and charter configurations, and the aft helm stations put the driver in the right place — connected to the boat and the crew simultaneously.
The tradeoffs are real but not damning. Light-air upwind pointing is modest, and a steep chop demands patience rather than aggression at the helm. The high capsize screening number is consistent with all wide-beam cats and should be weighed honestly for bluewater plans.
Pros
- Asymmetric hull forms and deeper fixed foils produce measurably lower drag and better helm feel than production-cat norms
- Light displacement (12,800 kg) translates to genuine light-air performance
- Aft twin helm stations feel natural, simplify short-handed docking, and keep crew connected
- Flexible interior layouts serve owners, liveaboards, and charter operators equally well
- Optional Pulse Line rig significantly extends the performance envelope in variable conditions
- Sustainable construction materials without a weight or cost penalty
Cons
- Upwind pointing falls off noticeably in true winds below 10 knots
- Short, steep chop requires bearing away to maintain boat speed on a beat
- Boom sits low over the coachroof, limiting the optional sky lounge to anchorage use
- Helm visibility has a blind arc requiring drivers to look through saloon windows
- Wide beam produces a capsize screening figure unsuitable for extreme offshore passages without careful seamanship planning
