Writing in Cruising World, one longtime tester described the center hull as standing plumb in the water, while the bow knuckles of the amas on either side floated just above the surface. The center hull stood plumb in the water while the ama bow knuckles floated just above the surface.
Design and Construction
The three hulls are vacuum-infused in a single mold using vinylester and polyester resin with PVC foam. The center hull has laminate ring frames for stiffness, while its floors and bulkheads are foam-cored and vacuum-molded.
That center hull provides the boat’s engineering stiffness, allowing the cabin house to span most of the 29-foot beam without intermediate supports. Displacement is about 30,864 pounds, and maximum beam is 29 feet 2 inches. The trimaran has a spade rudder and a fractional sloop rig.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The solent rig carries a self-tacking jib on the inner furler and an overlapping genoa on the outer furler. A sprit accommodates downwind sails, while three cabin-top winches—two of them electric—handle the sail controls.
The test boat had an optional carbon-fiber mast, and its standing rigging and lifelines were Dyneema and Spectra. With the solent rig’s large genoa rolled out in a breeze, the speedometer climbed easily into the high teens, and the wheel was described as smooth as silk.
In low-teen breezes, with two reefs in the mainsail and the self-tending jib set, the boat tacked upwind with just a turn of the wheel. In puffs, it heeled gently toward the leeward ama, then locked in and rode steadily.
The builder claimed the Neel 51 was capable of more than 200 miles a day. A 290-mile, 24-hour delivery run under a triple-reefed main and self-tending staysail supports that intent. The boat is designed to cruise at 10 knots.
Cockpit and Interior
The cabin spans most of the beam, with large glass windows wrapping around it. Sliding glass doors open across nearly the entire aft width of the cabin house, joining the saloon and cockpit.
A hard bimini shelters the cockpit. Two couches run across the stern, and a teak table to port seats eight. The outside galley to starboard includes a fridge, grill, and sink.
Inside, a second table of similar size can be raised or lowered. The enormous galley, set forward to port, offers plenty of counter space, a built-in stainless-steel oven and grill, two fridges, and an optional freezer. To starboard, a large chart table doubles as a workspace and indoor helm station.
The owner’s stateroom sits on the bridgedeck. Its athwartship bed is footed against the glass, and the cabin has an en-suite head and shower. A few steps down, forward in the center hull, is a guest cabin with a V-berth and day head. Each ama contains a guest cabin with an aft double bunk, plus a head and shower compartment in the bow.
Engine and Systems
A 75 hp Volvo engine with saildrive sits aft behind a watertight door. Another door in the saloon floor opens into a full engine room with 7-foot headroom. With the engine running underway, sound levels inside were whisper-quiet.
A single davit, mounted just off the centerline with stainless-steel mounts on both sides of the molded swim platform, serves the RIB. Tankage is 160 gallons each for water and fuel.
The Verdict
The Neel 51 is a serious, offshore-capable trimaran that combines a stiff, vacuum-infused three-hull platform with a solent rig and a genuinely spacious interior. It’s quick, quiet, and easy to handle short-handed, although its beam and draft require careful marina planning.
Pros
- Wide, glass-wrapped cabin with sliding doors spanning nearly the entire aft width
- Solent rig, self-tacking jib, and electric winches make upwind work easier
- Whisper-quiet 75 hp Volvo saildrive behind a watertight door
- Full engine room with standing headroom, accessed through the saloon floor
Cons
- The 29-foot beam limits slip and haulout options
- The ama configuration calls for careful judgment when docking
