There was a time when the Brits were at the forefront of cruising catamaran production, but decades later this accolade has long since gone to the French, South Africans, Australians and others. So when a new British cat comes along, our interest is sparked. The current trend in cruising cats is bigger and bigger: many manufacturers ranges now start at 45 feet. Big is all very well, but big is expensive to buy, big is expensive to dock, big is expensive to maintain, and so is out of reach for many. Here, we have a "small" boat, yet the advert says two large double cabins, two single berths, heads with luxury shower, additional heads, large galley, large dining table and chart table in the saloon, large cockpit, and so on... Really? On a 33 footer? And all for £139,500? Surely corners have been cut, compromises made? And will it sail? We sent Graham over to the UK to see what the story is with the new Broadblue 346.
Infos pratiques
- Le chantier : Broadblue 346
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- Articles autour du Broadblue 346
Origins Broadblue has been around a while, with their most prolific model being the 385. Plenty of these have been cruised long distances by liveaboards, and make good average speeds (some boat buddies set out from the Galapagos on theirs the same day as me on my own catamaran, and got to the Marquesas two days ahead of us!). But what about this smaller boat? Well, the new Broadblue 346 is an evolution of, and is replacing, the Broadblue 345. Keeping the same hulls as her predecessor, the deck and interior are new. The hull, deck, engines and interior joinery are completed at Broadblue's facto…
