Design and Construction
Seawind builds the 1370 with PVC foam coring in its infused hulls, decks, and other composite parts, using vinylester resin throughout anchor. Carbon fiber is added in a number of areas to help keep weight down and add strength where needed, a construction choice consistent with the builder’s use of carbon reinforcement in high-load zones on its recent catamarans. The deck and hull are fiberglass carbon-reinforced, and the interior woodwork is light-colored ash and bird’s-eye maple, giving the saloon a bright, modern tone. A composite arch supports the after end of the Bimini top and anchors a track for the mainsheet traveler, while a clever trifold door between the salon and cockpit can be raised and stowed under the Bimini top in good weather, opening the living space to the outdoors anchor.
Rig and Handling
The 1370 wears a versatile Solent sail plan with a full-batten square-top main, a self-tacking jib, and a screecher, the two headsails mounted on furlers anchor. Twin wheels sit to either side of the cockpit on the bridge deck, adjacent to the hulls, and just forward of each wheel, removable windows let the helmsman see through the salon for good visibility in all directions anchor. The mainsheet traveler is adjusted with a side-wind winch mounted on the side column. During sea trials the boat skipped along at close to 9 knots on a broad reach, and with the main up, screecher unfurled, and breeze in the midteens, she held 7-plus knots while reaching anchor. Beating upwind with the self-tacker, testers still made 6 or so knots at just under 40 degrees off the wind. The 1370 tested in Annapolis carried twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels with saildrives, and the boat runs on a 24-volt electrical system with four gel-cell batteries standard and lithium as an option anchor. Standard motors are 40 hp.
Accommodations
The 1370 is a galley-up design, with a U-shaped Corian counter just inside the salon doors, a sink facing aft, and to starboard an induction cooktop and electric oven anchor. Forward in the salon, two ports open wide to let breeze pour through, while to starboard a nav desk offers a well-protected watchkeeping station and to port an L-shaped couch surrounds a swiveling table that lowers to form a lounging area or berth. The owner’s hull is to port, with a best-in-class head and shower compartment aft, a queen-size raised athwartships berth amidships, and a walk-in closet in the forepeak behind a watertight bulkhead and sail locker. The starboard hull provides a double berth aft, a head and shower amidships, a fore-and-aft bunk inboard, and forepeak space that can serve as an additional berth or stowage, bringing sleeping capacity to nine.
Cockpit and Deck Life
The cockpit is spacious, with a bench seat running across the transom and stowage underneath, a sink at the starboard end, and a propane grill to port anchor. Engine controls at either wheel make docking from either helm a natural act. The trifold door and open salon connection mean the outdoor and indoor spaces blend in fair weather, and the composite arch keeps the bimini and mainsheet geometry tidy overhead.
The Verdict
The Seawind 1370 reads as a thoughtfully engineered cruising catamaran aimed at couples who still want guest capacity and real offshore range. The Solent rig with furling headsails and square-top main gives flexible short-handed control, and the noted trial speeds suggest a lively platform for a 45-foot cruiser with fixed keels. Construction is modern infused composite with carbon where it counts, and the accommodations balance a private owner’s hull with a versatile starboard side. The 24-volt system with solar and lithium option speaks to long-term liveaboard use.
Pros
- Versatile Solent sail plan with furling self-tacker and screecher for short-handed cruising
- Infused PVC-foam composite with vinylester resin and targeted carbon reinforcement
- Owner’s hull with walk-in closet behind watertight bulkhead and best-in-class head
- Trifold door opens salon to cockpit; twin helms with see-through removable windows
- 24-volt house with solar and lithium option; up to nine berths
Cons
- Galley-up layout places cooking in the social core rather than isolated
- Nine-berth capacity implies a busy interior when fully used
