The design favors rigidity, light-air performance, and a single-level indoor-outdoor living concept over maximum interior volume. Its narrow hulls, light displacement, and generous sail area place it firmly among lightweight, easily driven cruising multihulls.
Design and Construction
The 1260’s hulls are built with infused vinylester and polyester over a foam core. The hull-deck joint is fiberglassed along its entire length to produce the most rigid structure possible.
A distinctive reverse sheer in the deck provides generous headroom in the belowdecks passageways while keeping freeboard low. Narrow hulls and a deliberate effort to keep weight out of the ends minimize hobby-horsing, distinguishing the 1260 from fuller-nosed charter cats.
The boat is 41 feet long, with a beam of 22 feet 3 inches and a shallow draft of 3 feet 8 inches. Displacement is 18,400 pounds. The mainsail and self-tacking jib provide a combined sail area of 1,014 square feet, yielding a SA/D ratio of 23 and a D/L ratio of 119.
Cockpit, Rig, and Handling
The proven Tri-Fold door is a solid glass-and-metal structure that hinges up and out of the way, joining the cockpit and saloon into one continuous space. A hard Targa top extends aft to a composite archway, providing protection for the helmsman.
A single-spreader aluminum mast and boom carry stainless-steel wire rigging. The main traveler lines are mounted on the composite archway just aft of the Targa top.
Twin outboard helm stations give the driver clear sightlines to the rig and the boat’s course. The self-tacking jib simplifies maneuvers: when tacking, the helmsman can drop the wheel and walk across to the other station.
During testing on Biscayne Bay, the boat easily made 7 knots hard on the wind at 45 degrees true in 15 knots. Off the wind, it logged more than 8 knots with only the working jib hoisted.
Power and Tankage
Twin 29hp Yanmar diesels power the 1260. At 1,200 rpm, they moved the test boat at 4.7 knots; at a moderate 2,000 rpm, it made 6.9 knots.
The boat carries 126 gallons of fuel and 185 gallons of water, setting the platform up for extended coastal or bluewater stretches without constant replenishment.
Accommodations
Buyers can choose between two layouts. In the three-cabin owner’s version, the entire port hull becomes a single stateroom. A four-cabin charter layout is also available.
The inline galley is down in the starboard hull. That arrangement leaves room in the saloon for a massive U-shaped settee that converts into a lounging daybed. Forward, a pair of large hinged saloon windows provides strong ventilation in hot weather and secures the space when needed.
Verdict
The Seawind 1260 is a thoughtfully evolved cruising catamaran. Richard Ward’s design continues the development of the 1160 and 1250 platforms, trading maximum volume for structural rigidity, light-air performance, and a single-level indoor-outdoor living arrangement.
Pros
- Fully fiberglassed hull-deck joint and foam-cored, infused hulls provide structural rigidity
- Reverse sheer and narrow hulls reduce freeboard and hobby-horsing
- Tri-Fold door creates one flush cockpit-and-saloon space
- Twin helms, a self-tacking jib, and an arch-mounted traveler simplify handling
- Strong light-air test result: 7 knots at 45° TWA in 15 knots
Cons
- The working jib alone limits offwind speed potential compared with a larger reacher
- The three-cabin owner’s layout sacrifices berth count in one hull to create a larger stateroom
