Design and Construction
What sets the Explocat 52 apart is the uncompromising aluminum shell. Plating runs from 5 mm at its thinnest up through 8, 10 and 12 mm, reaching 14 mm at the bottom of the hulls anchor. Framing is up to 14 mm as well. A substantial keel with a long chord length is welded to the bottom of each hull, and the structure is engineered to eliminate flexing between the hulls. The extreme rigidity of the platform eliminates vibrations and parasitic noise, and guarantees top-level performance even in rough conditions. Two watertight bulkheads sit at the bow and stern, upstream of the steering system, and all seacocks are lifted above the waterline by upstands for through-hull fittings. A skeg ahead of the saildrives and rudders provides protection, and the rudders themselves are large enough to offer redundancy if one is lost, with a sacrificial zone at the top aft corner to prevent a struck blade from puncturing the hull.
Rig and Handling
The rig is a fractional sloop with a square-top mainsail whose "gaff" is pulled forward by a Dyneema strop, twin headstays carrying a marginally overlapping furling Solent jib and a self-tacking furling staysail that runs on a Dyneema strop rather than a track. A fuse on one of the mainsheet blocks is intended as a capsize-prevention device if the boat is overpressed. Upwind sail area is 170 m² with a 190 m² gennaker available. All routine sail-handling is centralized to one location on the starboard side just aft of the helm, so a single watchkeeper can manage the boat. The external helm carries a pivoting wheel that drops to a sheltered position under the hardtop in bad weather or rises for open-air maneuvering. In testing, she made 5.3 knots close-hauled in seven knots of true wind, rising to 9 knots upwind in 15, and cruised at 10 knots broad reaching with a Code 0 before an unfussed 11.8-knot maximum; daily averages over 220 miles are quoted, with peak speeds to 17 knots.
Accommodations
Inside, Darnet Design produced a contemporary and warm interior intended for long-term living in any weather. The nacelle sits 85 cm above the waterline — higher than conventional catamarans — with a 360-degree view from the saloon, chart table and galley. A forward cockpit is reached directly from inside through a secure watertight door, and the passage from aft to forward cockpit is on one level through large openings. The boat is offered with three to four cabins sleeping six to ten, and the sail locker can be arranged as a workshop, extra storage, or a skipper's cabin. For high-latitude use, the aluminum shell is lined with up to 76 mm of high-density foam for thermal and acoustic insulation, a central diesel-fired boiler feeds radiators, and an air-extraction system vents stale moist air without opening hatches; forward saloon windows carry demisters and foul-weather gear lockers are vented and heated.
Expedition Equipment and Seakeeping
Shallow draft of 1.50 m lets the boat reach lagoons and remote beaches, and the sturdy aluminum structure makes beaching for maintenance a practical pleasure. Saildrive propellers on each hull are shielded by aluminum fins, and substantial shoreline attachment points at each bow waterline plus a drogue point aft are built in for extreme conditions. The forward cockpit is a place to walk serenely between ice or sandbanks in exploration mode. With 1,100 litres of diesel and 660 of water, plus optional hydrogenerator, solar or generator, the boat is set up for autonomy, and all components are accessible for easy maintenance.
The Verdict
The Explocat 52 is a genuinely go-anywhere aluminum catamaran that trades the fragility of many production multihulls for structural serenity in extreme regions. She is an adventurer of the same temperament as Garcia's monohulls, built to venture further north or south than most, yet she handles with the easy pace and centralised control of a well-mannered cruiser.
Pros
- Aluminum plating to 14 mm with watertight bulkheads and above-waterline seacocks
- Rigid platform with redundant rudders and protected saildrives
- Centralised sail handling and pivoting helm for sheltered or open steering
- Insulated, heated interior with all-weather ventilation and forward cockpit access
Cons
- Coachroof is not aluminum, breaking the all-metal shell
- Heavy aluminium construction still limits ultimate lightness versus exotic builds
