What sets the MC86 apart from the rest of the fleet isn’t simply her scale, but her flybridge treatment. On the open version, twin helms and a generous seating area occupy an elevated perch reached by a staircase from the aft deck.
Design and Construction
Ker Yacht Design developed the MC86 in partnership with McConaghy, continuing the team’s work on the high-performance cruising multihull ranges. The low profile and progressive styling carry over from the MC75, making the MC86 look more like an evolution than a departure.
The structure is built to Bureau Veritas standards. Above the hulls sits a predominantly glass superstructure spanning almost the full beam, while dynamic glass panels and UV-reflective glazing run along the hull sides. This extensive glazing is a theme throughout the McConaghy multihull line, bringing daylight into the interior and strengthening the visual connection with the water.
The builder specifies an overall length of 26.2 meters and a beam of 10.1 meters. A published review reports a 38-foot (11.6-meter) span.
Rig, Daggerboards, and Performance
Central carbon daggerboards extend to roughly six meters below the waterline. They’re central to the MC86’s upwind ability, allowing the catamaran to excel when sailing close to the wind. Multihulls World described her as faithful to McConaghy’s performance requirements and as a genuine fast cruising catamaran. It also noted that she offers great range under power.
The builder gives an approximate five-meter draft with the boards down, while the review lists a 6-meter figure. That deep daggerboard configuration shapes both her performance envelope and her anchoring profile.
The published review also gives a displacement of 55.7 tonnes and an air draft of 121 feet 5 inches. Those figures place the MC86 firmly in the large-bluewater-catamaran class rather than the day-sailing bracket.
Accommodation and Interior
The main saloon has an open-plan layout, with a lounge and dining table alongside a galley arranged around a centre-console breakfast bar. Full-height sliding glass doors connect the saloon with the aft deck and its spacious exterior lounge, creating an inviting area for alfresco meals.
Headroom ranges from 2.0 to 2.4 meters in the saloon and from 2.0 to 2.3 meters in the hulls. Accommodation can be divided between the port and starboard hulls to suit the owner, and the multiyacht is fully customizable. Owners can tailor the interior layout and equipment using a wide range of bespoke options from the shipyard.
For crewed operation, McConaghy proposes a master cabin and VIP double in the starboard hull. The port hull can accommodate a guest twin, a double and a forward triple bunk.
Deck Equipment and Outdoor Living
The aft deck’s spacious exterior lounge sits behind the central superstructure, balanced by a second deck area forward with a large sun pad. Above, the open flybridge provides a raised vantage point for the dual helm and adds another generous seating area. Its extended aft overhang also provides stowage for water toys.
Farther aft, a hydraulic beach-club platform helps with tender deployment and recovery. At water level, it also becomes a terrace large enough for a sun lounger.
At 26.2 meters long, the MC86 offers considerable versatility. The builder positions her for both private ownership and commercial charter operation.
Verdict
The MC86 is a large, customizable carbon cruising catamaran, built to classification standards and shaped by a design partnership with a clear performance brief. Her central daggerboards, low profile and extensive glass architecture distinguish her among semi-custom cats of this size. On the open version, the flybridge and its elevated twin helm provide the defining feature.
The trade-off for that scale and serious upwind capability is a substantial air draft and deep board-down draft, both of which may restrict access to some cruising grounds.
Pros
- Central carbon daggerboards provide strong close-winded performance
- Extensive glazing and a near-full-beam glass superstructure bring light into the interior and open views toward the sea
- Accommodation in both hulls is fully customizable, with bespoke options from the shipyard
- Open flybridge has an elevated dual helm and direct stair access from the aft deck
- Hydraulic beach-club platform and water-toy stowage suit private or charter use
Cons
- The 121-foot 5-inch air draft and approximately 6-meter board-down draft limit access to some cruising grounds
- Extensive customization means no two layouts are directly comparable
- A displacement of 55.7 tonnes places her at the upper end of the cruising-catamaran spectrum