Design and Construction
Voyage Yachts builds the 590 using a hand-laid, three-piece hull mold. The hull, deck, and structural grid are foam-cored and vacuum-bagged. The builder’s standard laminate uses vacuum-bonded, closed-cell PVC foam core with multiple layers of quadriaxial glass roving, finished in white polyester gelcoat.
Low-aspect reinforced keels and reinforced areas around the cleats and chainplates reflect the loads imposed by charter service. The bridgedeck underside is shaped to shed water and deflect waves, contributing to comfortable motion under sail.
The South African yard builds large bluewater catamarans in small production runs. Launched in 2020, the 590 is its current single marketed model. Just under 200 Voyage catamarans have been launched overall, at a rate of five to six boats per year.
Rig, Helm, and Sailing Performance
Five steps lead from the aft cockpit to the flybridge, where Voyage has concentrated the sailing systems. The 7/8 fractional rig uses an anodized aluminum mast with single spreaders, intermediate shrouds, and cap shrouds. An electric winch raises the gargantuan mainsail, while three electric stainless-steel Andersen winches and Spinlock clutches handle the color-coded lines. The mainsail is raised by an electric winch and controlled by three electric stainless-steel Andersen winches and Spinlock clutches, which manage the color-coded lines.
A Harken Battcar system, lazy jacks, and a mainsheet system assist with handling and stowing the main. A Profurl electric roller furler handles the Ullman furling genoa.
All lines lead to the helm station, which has a single wheel to starboard, controls for the twin Yanmars, and a suite of B&G instruments. Cruising World’s test sailors recorded better than 6 knots upwind in 8 to 10 knots of breeze and better than 7 knots on a reach. Steering is by a standard Lewmar wire arrangement. It isn’t feather-light, but it’s adequate.
Accommodations and Living Spaces
The 590 is laid out as a high-end charter platform, with six equally sumptuous staterooms. Four berths run across the beam, while the other two lie fore and aft. Each cabin has a super-queen berth with split mattresses, an en-suite electric marine toilet, a separate pressurized shower, and Acrylic Corian-type surfaces.
The main living spaces connect almost uninterrupted from bow to stern. Sliding doors and an electric lifting front window link the forward cockpit to the saloon, which has lounge seating for six. Aft, the deck provides dining for 12, along with a prep basin, built-in propane barbecue, and drawer fridge.
The forward galley has a window opening toward the forward cockpit. Its equipment includes a gourmet propane oven and cooktop, plus Vitrifrigo drawer-style refrigeration and freezer space.
The flybridge adds upholstered seating for eight, a large sunbed, and a starboard helm with a double seat. At water level, swim platforms in both hulls step up to a wide boarding platform with access to the cockpit.
Three layout versions accommodate 12 to 14 people. Voyage Yachts has also completed preliminary designs for owner’s layouts with fewer staterooms, with the first expected to launch in early 2024.
Equipment and Systems
The 590’s systems reflect its charter role. Four automatic electric bilge pumps have high-level alarms, and manual bilge pumps can be operated from the cockpit. Two black-water systems and holding tanks serve the heads.
A 24V, 600-amp-hour house bank feeds a Victron 5 kW inverter-charger and a Blue Sea breaker panel. The electrical system provides 240V/120V AC supply and a 50A shore socket.
Cruising World reported that the 590 is available either as a dedicated all-electric model or as a hybrid with diesel propulsion augmented by Bellmarine electric generators, and that all versions carry lithium-ion battery banks. Testers noted that the MG lithium banks were originally created by Victron Energy, while very high-end inverters power variable-speed air-conditioning.
The ground tackle is substantial: a 60 kg Delta anchor, 80 meters of 12 mm galvanized chain, 60 meters of nylon rode, and a Lofrans 2300W windlass.
Ownership and Alternative Layouts
Although the Voyage 590 was conceived as a Caribbean charter boat rather than a long-range liveaboard, each boat is delivered to the islands on her own bottom—a testament to seaworthiness.
The charter-specific specification is exceptionally heavy at 26 tons. An owner’s specification could shed a couple of tons, however, and the builder claims that infusion across the range now produces a much lighter boat. For buyers who want a less densely packed interior, the preliminary owner’s layouts suggest greater configurability in the future.
The Verdict
The Voyage 590 is an engineering marvel that fulfills its design brief superbly. It’s a purpose-built charter catamaran with six equal suites, serious systems, and a flybridge helm where every sailing control is close at hand.
She isn’t a long-range cruiser or a liveaboard. As a platform designed around guest comfort and shorthanded control in charter service, however, she’s difficult to fault.
Pros
- Six equal en-suite staterooms with super-queen berths
- All sailing controls and running rigging concentrated on the flybridge and led to the helm
- Foam-cored, vacuum-bagged construction with reinforced keels and fitting areas
- Hybrid or all-electric drivetrain options with lithium battery banks
- Delivered under her own power to the Caribbean
Cons
- Charter-specific displacement near 26 tons limits light-air agility
- Not intended for long-range cruising or full-time living aboard
- Standard wire steering is adequate rather than precise
