Design and Construction
The 1600 combines retractable daggerboards with deep retracting rudders, giving it both upwind ability and a shoal-draft mode for exploring lagoons and beaches. Its captive daggerboards don’t protrude through the deck. With boards and rudders raised, the catamaran draws just over 2 feet; with the foils lowered, draft increases to 8 feet 6 inches. That range allows the same boat to cross sandy shoals and then point tightly offshore.
Construction is vacuum-infused throughout using vinylester resin, with carbon-fiber reinforcement above the waterline and in high-load structures, including the chainplates, bulkheads, and stiffeners. An outer layer of Kevlar protects the hulls and stiffens the areas around the daggerboard trunks. Inside, the furniture uses honeycomb foam cores with veneers to reduce weight without sacrificing strength.
Sharp plumb bows provide a fine entry, while a hard chine runs aft to the transoms just above the waterline. The low coachroof extends aft into a hard bimini. Beneath it, twin elevated helm stations provide shelter for night watches and clear all-around visibility.
The transoms descend through three steps to a pair of substantial swim platforms. The cockpit is arranged on a single level, with an L-shaped dinette to starboard and a straight settee to port.
Rig and Handling
The standard sail plan includes a square-top, full-batten mainsail and a 7/8 self-tacking jib. The solent rig can be supplemented by an optional screecher for light-air reaching and a furling storm jib on an inner forestay.
There’s no traveler. Instead, two mainsheets run through stern blocks to a central transom winch that also handles the reefing lines. A Harken winch aft manages the halyards, while the headsail sheets lead to winches beside each wheel.
Test sailors found that the rig sliced easily through tacks. On a beam reach with the screecher, the GPS remained in the high 7-knot range. With the spinnaker set, speed rose to 8.5 knots and a little more in the puffs. Upwind under the self-tacking jib, the boat still returned a respectable 6.6 knots.
Twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels are mounted wide apart across the near-26-foot beam, aiding close-quarters maneuvering. Engine controls at both helms are optional.
Accommodations and Storage
Buyers can choose a three- or four-cabin layout. In the three-cabin version, the entire starboard hull forms the owner’s suite, with a queen berth aft and a head and shower forward. The queen berth has cutaway corners for easier access. The head includes a single vanity and a large shower, although the daggerboard casing intrudes slightly into the stall.
The port hull contains the guest accommodations. A narrow double cabin sits forward, while the aft cabin has two single berths that convert into a double. A single shared head amidships serves both cabins—an unusual count for a boat of this size.
Windows surround the bright saloon, and opening forward ports provide ventilation. The aft-facing galley has sliding windows that allow the cook to join those seated at the cockpit dining table to starboard. A forward-facing navigation station sits to port alongside U-shaped indoor seating.
Storage includes five large foredeck lockers and a tall pantry with deep shelving.
Equipment and Systems
AGM batteries are standard, with lithium-ion systems available as an option. Eight solar panels atop the bimini are optional for off-grid living, and a full-size washing machine is also listed as an option for passage life.
Steering is by Lewmar Mamba. The binnacles can accommodate 12-inch B&G multifunction displays and engine controls. Flip-up deck sections cover the tops of the daggerboards, protecting the lifting gear and keeping the decks clear of offshore snag points.
The 1600 is presented as a high-mileage mariner’s boat, with 200-mile days described as a quiet, standard reality. The ex-factory Passagemaker edition is aimed at extended ocean crossings while retaining the same cruising practicality.
The Verdict
The Seawind 1600 is a considered response to the performance-cruiser brief: a light, infused catamaran with real offshore bones, shoal draft for exploration, and a rig that a couple can manage. Its weaknesses are few but specific. One head must serve both guest cabins in the port hull, and the daggerboard trunk takes a little space from the owner’s shower. The fine bow entry also makes the forward port cabin feel narrow.
As a modern flagship, the 1600 works as both a passage-maker and a livable home.
Pros
- Retractable foils combine just over 2 feet of shoal draft with 8 feet 6 inches of draft for upwind performance
- Vacuum-infused vinylester construction with carbon-fiber and Kevlar reinforcement
- Sheltered twin helms with clear visibility and optional engine controls at both stations
- Square-top mainsail, self-tacking jib, and optional screecher suit fast, short-handed sailing
- Three-cabin layout provides a full owner’s hull
- Bright, airy saloon with substantial storage
Cons
- Only one head serves the port guest hull despite the boat’s 52-foot length
- Daggerboard casing intrudes into the shower stall
- Fine bow entry leaves the forward port cabin feeling narrow
