Design and Construction
The Maine Cat 41 has distinctive proportions. Its narrow hulls are set well apart, with a hull length-to-beam ratio of 10.5:1 and an overall beam of 23 feet—just over half the boat’s length. The fine hulls reduce wetted surface and make the boat easier to drive.
The hull, deck, hardtop, and interior components are all built from vacuum-bagged composite laminate with high-density Corecell foam cores. There are no liners or structural grids. Wood is limited to the doors and interior trim; the bulkheads and decks contain no wood.
A solid centerline plank extends to the forward crossbeam and supports twin anchor rollers. Between the forward trampolines, a solid walkway provides access across the boat. The bridgedeck has 32 inches of clearance at full load to limit wave slam, while grey two-tone non-skid reduces glare on deck.
The underwater gear is designed to be forgiving. The high-aspect, 7-foot daggerboards are foam-filled and intended to break well before their trunks suffer damage. Each board’s hold-down is a deliberate weak link that fails if the board strikes the bottom. The rudders are tucked beneath the hulls so they don’t ventilate.
The builder reported a joint defect on an earlier hull: the polyester putty between the hull flange and bulkhead cracked. The builder addressed the problem by switching to Plexus adhesive to create a solid bond.
Rig, Controls, and Performance
The fractional sloop rig carries a 715-square-foot, fat-roached, full-batten mainsail and a self-tacking 281-square-foot jib. Both sails are Pentex laminate as standard. Working sail area is 996 square feet, increasing to 1,290 square feet with the gennaker.
A removable carbon-fiber screecher sprit is robust, although some owners report that its furling drum is too small. There is no boom vang because the hardtop extends close to the gooseneck. Some owners rig an off-the-wind preventer forward instead. The mainsheet is a 4:1 double-ended system led beneath the deck to Lewmar 50s, and the afterdeck traveler has 2:1 controls.
The control stations share the bridgedeck with the boat’s only social spaces: two long L-shaped settees, swivel chairs beside the aft winches, and a dinette between the forward winches. Two winches are positioned just behind the helm, with another pair—one electric—just forward. For a catamaran, the controls are well concentrated.
There is a single steering station at the center of the bridgedeck. It uses an Edson system with three rack-and-pinion assemblies. Test sailors found the helm remarkably sensitive for a catamaran. In eight knots of true wind on smooth water, the daggerboards allowed the boat to tack through 90 degrees. Owners report that the boat lifts its bows as the breeze builds. Builder literature claims a top speed of 18 knots, while several owners report cruising averages of 11 to 14 knots.
Bridgedeck and Accommodations
A permanent hardtop on aluminum posts shelters the open bridgedeck, preserving the breeze and sightlines that define the open style. Flexible acrylic side curtains can enclose it fully, though the space remains drafty and cool in bad weather even with the curtains deployed. The hardtop also blocks the helm’s view of the sails; three small hatches provide a partial remedy.
Raised blister cabinhouses with large fixed windows increase headroom to 6 feet 9 inches and bring plenty of light into the hulls. There are 15 portlights and hatches in all. The interior finish combines white-painted fiberglass with satin-varnished cherry.
The port hull contains a queen berth, a head with a pull-out shower, the full-aft galley, and a forward single berth. To starboard are the master queen berth with a stall shower, an office area, and another forward single. The cockpit dinette also converts into a queen berth. Storage is limited.
Equipment and Ownership
Standard equipment is generous. It includes:
- Twin Yanmar 30-horsepower diesels in insulated compartments
- Flex-a-fold propellers
- 80-amp alternators
- Four bilge pumps
- A Lewmar V-3 windlass
- Six batteries
- Mastervolt monitoring
- Keel-cooled Frigobot refrigeration
A boom stinger lifts the RIB onto aft chocks.
The builder now uses Plexus adhesive in the flange joint, a point worth confirming on earlier hulls.
Known Issues
Several relatively minor problems have been reported. On at least one boat, the fasteners securing the hull windows worked loose. Cockpit-locker latches have also loosened over time, and one owner observed gelcoat cracking in the master cabin.
Several reports say that the windlass gypsy jams on the chain. Refrigeration prompted one complaint about excess condensation and another call for additional insulation on top of the box.
The Verdict
The Maine Cat 41 is a thoughtfully engineered cruiser that trades enclosed-saloon volume for a light, airy deck and genuine performance, occupying a deliberate middle ground between stripped-out performance cats and bulky enclosed-saloon cruisers. Its foam-cored structure and fine hulls deliver easy speed, while the daggerboard and rudder arrangements show careful design. The trade-offs include limited storage, poor sail visibility from the helm, and an open bridgedeck that remains cool and drafty in bad weather. There are also reported hardware, windlass, and refrigeration issues.
Pros
- Fine, widely spaced hulls with a 10.5:1 ratio, reducing wetted surface and making the boat easy to drive
- Daggerboards and breakaway hold-downs designed to limit damage during groundings
- Generous standard equipment and well-concentrated controls for a catamaran
Cons
- Open bridgedeck remains drafty in bad weather, even when enclosed
- Hardtop blocks the view of sail trim
- Limited storage below
- Reported windlass-gypsy jams and loose window fasteners
