French naval architect François Perus, working through Yacht Design Collective, collaborated with the Seawind team on the hull design and performance, with computer modeling underpinning the result. The boat combines a displacement of 24,251 pounds and a beam just under 25 feet with twin fixed keels. Its 4.25-foot draft keeps it manageable in shallow anchorages while preserving the footprint of a proper bluewater cruiser.
Design and Construction
Seawind builds the 1370 with PVC foam coring in its infused hulls, decks, and other composite parts, using vinylester resin throughout. The fiberglass deck and hull are carbon-reinforced, with carbon fiber added in several areas to reduce weight and provide strength where needed. This approach is consistent with the builder’s use of carbon reinforcement in high-load zones on its recent catamarans.
Inside, light-colored ash and bird’s-eye maple woodwork gives the saloon a bright, modern tone. A composite arch supports the aft end of the Bimini top and carries the mainsheet traveler track. In good weather, a clever trifold door between the salon and cockpit can be raised and stowed beneath the Bimini, opening the interior to the cockpit.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The 1370 carries a versatile Solent sail plan with a full-batten square-top main, a self-tacking jib, and a screecher. Both headsails are mounted on furlers, making the arrangement well suited to short-handed sailing.
Twin wheels sit on the bridge deck to either side of the cockpit, adjacent to the hulls. Just forward of each wheel, removable windows give the helmsman a view through the salon and provide good visibility in all directions. Engine controls at both wheels make it natural to dock from either helm. The mainsheet traveler is adjusted using 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. With the main up, the screecher unfurled, and the breeze in the midteens, it held 7-plus knots while reaching. Beating upwind under the self-tacking jib, testers still made 6 or so knots at just under 40 degrees off the wind.
Standard motors are 40 hp. The 1370 tested in Annapolis had twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels with saildrives. The boat uses a 24-volt electrical system, with four gel-cell batteries as standard and lithium as an option.
Accommodations
The 1370 has a galley-up layout, with a U-shaped Corian counter just inside the salon doors. The sink faces aft, while an induction cooktop and electric oven sit to starboard.
Farther forward, two salon ports open wide to bring in the breeze. A navigation desk to starboard provides a well-protected watchkeeping station. To port, an L-shaped couch wraps around a swiveling table, which lowers to create either a lounging area or another berth.
The owner’s hull is to port. A best-in-class head and shower compartment lies aft, with a raised, athwartships queen-size berth amidships. In the forepeak, behind a watertight bulkhead and sail locker, there’s a walk-in closet.
The starboard hull contains a double berth aft, a head and shower amidships, and a fore-and-aft bunk inboard. Its forepeak can provide either an additional berth or stowage. Altogether, the boat can sleep nine.
Cockpit and Deck Life
The spacious cockpit has a bench seat running across the transom, with stowage underneath. There’s a sink at the starboard end and a propane grill to port.
In fair weather, the raised trifold door connects the cockpit and salon into one living area. Overhead, the composite arch keeps the Bimini support and mainsheet arrangement tidy.
The Verdict
The Seawind 1370 is a thoughtfully engineered cruising catamaran for couples who still want guest capacity and genuine offshore range. Its Solent rig, furling headsails, and square-top main provide flexible short-handed control, while the recorded trial speeds suggest a lively platform for a 45-foot cruiser with fixed keels.
Construction combines modern infused composites with carbon reinforcement where it counts. Below, the layout balances a private owner’s hull with versatile accommodations to starboard. The 24-volt system, solar installation, and optional lithium batteries suit long-term liveaboard use.
Pros
- Versatile Solent sail plan, with a furling self-tacker and screecher for short-handed cruising
- Infused PVC-foam composite construction with vinylester resin and targeted carbon reinforcement
- Owner’s hull with a walk-in closet behind a watertight bulkhead and a best-in-class head
- Trifold door that opens the salon to the cockpit
- Twin helms with removable windows providing a view through the salon
- 24-volt house system with solar and optional lithium batteries
- Sleeping capacity for up to nine
Cons
- Galley-up layout puts cooking in the social center rather than in an isolated space
- The interior is likely to feel busy when all nine berths are occupied
