Hull Design and Construction
The 1370's form owes its speed credentials to a collaboration between the Seawind team and Yacht Design Collective, which handled computer modeling for hull shapes and hydrodynamic performance. The result is a twin-hull platform that can skip along at close to 9 knots on a broad reach under an asymmetric chute alone, with the mainsail still stowed. That kind of light-air grunt from a cruising cat with fixed keels is earned, not assumed.
Below the waterline, construction quality runs to PVC foam coring in the infused hulls, decks and other composite parts, with vinylester resin throughout. Carbon fiber appears in targeted structural areas to keep weight down and add strength where needed — a sensible approach that avoids the cost and repairability headaches of all-carbon construction while capturing meaningful stiffness gains where the loads concentrate.
Rig and Sailing Performance
Seawind fits the 1370 with what it calls a Solent sail plan: a full-batten square-top main, a self-tacking jib and a screecher, both headsails on furlers. For a cruising couple managing a 45-footer without a professional crew, that arrangement reduces sail-change stress dramatically. You can shift from coastal reaching to open-ocean trade-wind running by unrolling a single sail.
Sea trials on Chesapeake Bay confirmed the package works. With the main raised, the screecher unfurled, and the breeze in the mid-teens, the boat reached in the seven-plus-knot range. Beating upwind with the self-tacker produced around 6 knots at just under 40 degrees off the wind — respectable numbers for a full-displacement cruiser with fixed keels rather than the lifting or daggerboard configurations found on higher-performance cats.
Helm Station and Cockpit
The twin-wheel helm arrangement deserves particular attention. Twin wheels sit to either side of the cockpit on the bridge deck, adjacent to the hulls, rather than perched on a centerline pedestal. Just forward of each wheel, removable windows let the helmsman see through the salon, giving all-around sightlines that centreline helms simply cannot match. The skipper can work from the protected, shaded position under the Bimini or move outboard atop the hull for a more open-air experience.
The cockpit itself is spacious, with a bench seat running across the transom, stowage underneath, a sink at the starboard end, and a propane grill to port. A composite arch overhead carries the after end of the Bimini and anchors a track for the mainsheet traveler, adjustable with a side-wind winch mounted on the side column — a clean engineering solution that keeps loads off the cabin top.
Salon and Interior Layout
The 1370 is a galley-up design, placing the cooking station where the cook is part of the social scene and not exiled below. A U-shaped Corian counter — or molded GRP as standard — sits just inside the trifold door between the salon and cockpit, with a sink facing aft and an induction cooktop and electric oven to starboard. When conditions allow, the clever trifold door can be raised and stowed under the Bimini, effectively dissolving the boundary between cockpit and salon.
The nav station occupies a well-protected watchkeeping position to starboard — useful when the skipper wants to be off-watch but within reach of instruments. To port, an L-shaped couch surrounds a table that swivels for different seating arrangements or lowers to create a lounging area or berth, giving the interior an adaptability rare in production cats.
Accommodation Layout
Owner quarters occupy the port hull, anchored by a queen-size athwartships berth positioned amidships where motion will be minimized — the most sea-kindly spot in a catamaran. Aft in the same hull sits a best-in-class head and shower compartment. The forepeak holds a walk-in closet behind a watertight bulkhead and sail locker — notable because watertight subdivision at the bow is a genuine safety feature, not just a marketing flourish.
The starboard hull configures as crew quarters, with a double berth aft, a head and shower amidships, a fore-and-aft bunk inboard, and the option to fit the forepeak as an additional berth or stowage. At full capacity, sleeping accommodations stretch to nine. Interior woodwork throughout uses light-colored ash and bird's-eye maple, giving the boat a bright, modern feel that photographs well but also ages gracefully in a liveaboard context.
Safety Details
Seawind established its offshore safety reputation with the 1160, and the 1370 carries those commitments forward — 30-inch-tall triple lifelines and solid handholds wherever they were needed were hallmarks of the earlier model that reviewers confirmed persist in the current design. A watertight bulkhead in the forepeak adds structural redundancy forward, a detail that matters in a grounding or collision scenario where bow damage is most likely.
The Verdict
The Seawind 1370 is the rare production catamaran that earns its bluewater credentials through accumulated engineering choices rather than marketing copy. The collaboration with Yacht Design Collective produced a hull that genuinely sails, the Solent rig is shorthanded-friendly without sacrificing range, and the interior layout reflects decades of listening to couples who actually live aboard. It won Cruising World's Best Midsize Multihull recognition on its merits — and a test sail confirms those merits are real.
Pros
- Solent rig with furling screecher and self-tacking jib manageable for two
- Athwartships owner's berth amidships minimizes motion at sea
- Twin-helm layout with see-through salon windows provides exceptional all-around visibility
- PVC foam-cored, vinylester-infused construction with targeted carbon reinforcement
- Watertight forepeak bulkhead adds offshore structural safety margin
- Trifold salon door truly opens the interior to the cockpit in fair weather
- Galley-up position keeps the cook integrated with crew and cockpit
Cons
- Fixed keels limit upwind VMG compared to daggerboard performance cats
- Base specification requires meaningful options spending to reach bluewater-ready equipment levels
- Factory locations across Vietnam and Turkey mean pre-purchase surveys should scrutinize build consistency carefully
