Maine Cat 41 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Vermeulen's hull form is distinctive: each hull is narrow and set well apart, with a length-to-beam ratio of 10.5 to 1 and a beam of 23 feet — just over half the boat's length hull length-to-beam ratio of 10.5:1. The fine hulls reduce wetted surface and make her more easily driven. The entire structure — hull, deck, hardtop, and interior components — is vacuum-bagged composite laminate cored with high-density Corecell foam, and there are no liners or structural grids. Wood appears only in doors and interior trim; bulkheads and decks are wood-free. A solid centerline plank runs out to the forward crossbeam and supports twin anchor rollers, while a solid walkway spans between the forward trampolines. The bridgedeck itself is well elevated, with 32 inches of clearance at full load to limit wave slam, and grey two-tone non-skid cuts glare on deck.

The underwater package is built to forgive. High-aspect 7-foot daggerboards are foam-filled and designed to break long before the trunk is damaged, and the hold-down is a deliberate weak link that fails if a board strikes bottom. Rudders tuck under the hulls so they do not ventilate. A builder-reported joint defect on an earlier hull — polyester putty between the hull flange and bulkhead that cracked — was addressed by switching to Plexus adhesive for a solid bond.

Rig and Handling

The 41 carries a fractional sloop rig with a fat-roached full-batten mainsail of 715 square feet and a self-tacking 281-square-foot jib, both Pentex laminate as standard. Working sail area is 996 square feet, rising to 1,290 with the gennaker; a removable carbon-fiber screecher sprit is robust, though some owners report the furling drum is too small. There is no boom vang because the hardtop reaches close to the gooseneck, and some owners run an off-the-wind preventer forward. The mainsheet is a 4:1 double-ended system trimming under the deck to Lewmar 50s, and the traveler sits on the afterdeck with 2:1 controls.

Control stations cluster the boat's only social spaces: two long L-shaped settees, swivel chairs by the aft winches, and a dinette between the forward winches. Two winches sit just behind the helm, another pair (one electric) just forward, with the controls well concentrated for a catamaran. The single steering station is mid-bridgedeck, linked by an Edson system of three rack-and-pinion assemblies. Test sailors found her helm remarkably sensitive for a catamaran, and her daggerboards let her tack through 90 degrees in eight knots of true wind on smooth water. Owners attest she lifts her bows as the breeze builds. The builder's literature claims an 18-knot top speed; several owners report cruising averages of 11 to 14 knots.

Accommodations

The open bridgedeck is sheltered by a permanent hardtop on aluminum posts, with flexible acrylic side-curtains that can fully enclose it; the hardtop also blocks sail view from the helm, partially remedied by three small hatches. Raised blister cabinhouses with large fixed windows lift headroom to 6 feet 9 inches and flood the hulls with light — 15 portlights and hatches in all. The port hull holds a queen berth, a head with pull-out shower, the full-aft galley, and a forward single; the starboard side has the master queen with stall shower, an office area, and a forward single. Decor is white-painted fiberglass with satin-varnished cherry. Storage is limited, and the cockpit dinette converts to a queen berth.

Known Issues

The open saloon is drafty and cool in bad weather even with curtains deployed. On at least one boat the fasteners securing the hull windows worked loose, and cockpit locker latches have loosened with time. One owner saw gelcoat cracking in the master cabin, and the windlass gypsy jams on chain per several reports. Refrigeration drew one complaint of excess condensation and another call for more insulation atop the box.

Refits and Ownership

Standard equipment is generous: twin Yanmar 30-horsepower diesels in insulated compartments, Flex-a-fold props, 80-amp alternators, four bilge pumps, a Lewmar V-3 windlass, six batteries, Mastervolt monitoring, and keel-cooled Frigobot refrigeration. A boom stinger lifts the RIB to aft chocks. The builder now uses Plexus in the flange joint, a point worth confirming on earlier hulls.

The Verdict

The Maine Cat 41 is a thoughtfully engineered cruiser that trades enclosed-salon volume for a light, airy deck and genuine performance. Her foam-cored structure and fine hulls deliver easy speed, while the daggerboard and rudder details show considered design. Minor hardware and condensation issues are the cost of her open plan.

Pros

Fine, widely spaced hulls and 10.5:1 ratio for low wetted surface and easy drive
Daggerboards and break-away trunks built to survive groundings
Generous standard equipment and well-concentrated catamaran controls

Cons