Seawind 1600 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 1600’s hull form is built around a sophisticated arrangement of retractable daggerboards and deep retracting rudders, giving it both upwind ability and a shoal-draft mode for lagoons and beaches captive daggerboards that don’t protrude through the deck. With boards and rudders raised the catamaran draws just over 2 feet, yet with foils lowered it reaches 8 feet 6 inches, a range that lets the same hull wander 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 such as chainplates, bulkheads, and stiffeners carbon fiber reinforces the chainplates, bulkheads and stiffeners. An outer layer of Kevlar shields the hulls and stiffens the areas around the daggerboard trunks, while furniture inside uses a honeycomb foam core with veneers to trim weight without sacrificing strength.

The deck and profile follow a sleek logic: sharp plumb bows yield a fine entry, a hard chine runs aft to the transoms just above the waterline, and a low coach roof extends into a hard bimini aft. Twin elevated helm stations sit under that hardtop, sheltered for night watches yet with clear all-around visibility. Transoms slope down through three steps to a pair of substantial swim platforms, and the cockpit itself is a single level with an L-shaped dinette to starboard and a straight settee to port.

Rig and Handling

The 1600 carries a square-top full-batten main with a 7/8 self-tacking jib as standard, and a solent rig supplemented by an optional screecher for light-air reaching and a furling storm jib on an inner forestay. There is no traveler; instead two mainsheets run through stern blocks to a central transom winch that also handles reefing lines, while a Harken winch aft manages halyards. Headsail sheets lead to winches beside each wheel. Test sailors found the rig sliced easily through tacks, and on a beam reach with the screecher the GPS sat in the high 7-knot range; with the spinnaker up speed rose to 8.5 knots and a bit more in puffs, while rolling out the self-tacking jib upwind still returned a respectable 6.6 knots. The twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels are set wide apart across the near-26-foot beam, aiding close-quarters maneuvering, and the boat is offered with engine controls at both helms as an option.

Accommodations

Buyers can choose a three- or four-cabin layout. In the three-cabin version the entire starboard hull is the owner’s suite, with a queen berth aft and a head and shower forward; the queen has cutaway corners for easier access, and the head carries a single vanity with a large shower, though the daggerboard casing intrudes slightly into the stall. The port hull holds guest quarters: a narrow forward double and an aft cabin with two singles that convert to a double, served by a single shared head amidships — an unusual count for a boat this size. The saloon is bright with windows all around and opening forward ports for breeze, while an aft-facing galley with sliding windows lets the cook join the cockpit dining table to starboard. A forward-facing nav station sits to port with U-shaped indoor seating, and the boat provides five large foredeck lockers plus a tall pantry with deep shelving.

Ownership and Equipment

Standard energy gear is AGM batteries, with optional lithium-ion systems and eight solar panels atop the bimini for off-grid living; a full-size washing machine is listed as an option for passage life. Steering is Lewmar Mamba, and the binnacles accept 12-inch B&G multifunction displays with engine controls. The daggerboard tops are covered by flip-up deck sections, keeping the lifting gear protected and the decks clear of offshore snag points. The 1600 is presented as a high-mileage mariner’s boat where 200-mile days are a quiet standard reality, and ex-factory the Passagemaker edition targets extended ocean crossings with the same cruising practicality.

The Verdict

The Seawind 1600 is a considered answer to the performance-cruiser brief: a light, infused catamaran with real offshore bones, shoal draft for exploration, and a rig that a couple can drive. Its weaknesses are few but specific — the port-side head count is thin for the length, and the daggerboard trunk nibbles at the shower. As a modern flagship it reads as both a passage-maker and a livable home.

Pros

Retractable foils give 2-foot shoal draft and 8-foot 6-inch keeled performance in one hull
Carbon and Kevlar reinforcement with infused vinylester construction
Sheltered twin helms with optional dual engine controls and clear visibility
Square-top main, self-tacking jib, and screecher make short-handed sailing fast
Three-cabin owner’s hull and bright, airy saloon with deep storage

Cons