EXCESS 11

LOA 11.33m 37ft 2in • LENGTH 11.06m 36ft 3in • BEAM 6.59m 21ft 7in • DRAUGHT 1.15m 3ft 9in • DISPLACEMENT 9,000kg 19,845lb • UPWIND SAIL AREA 77m2 829ft2 • PRICE ex VAT €235,000. www.excess-catamarans.com

Excess, the new Groupe Beneteau brand of catamarans, launched the third and smallest model in its range at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January. Indeed, the Excess 11 is one of the smallest production cats on the market at 37ft and the company is marketing it as

‘the most accessible entry-level catamaran’.

This is a sporty looking design from VPLP and Patrick le Quément, with the coachroof brought right aft to create long bows and a more dynamic aesthetic (see page 90 for our profile on VPLP’S Marc van Petegham).

A key ingredient to its potential performance is a Pulse Line turbo option, as seen on the existing Excess models. This equates to a taller rig with nearly 10% more sail area, which Excess says will enable the 11 to sail well in just five knots of wind.

Once again we see the option of a sliding roof over the cockpit, which allows you to feel the breeze and see the sails, sun and stars, and the use of aft helm positions at cockpit level, which should be more familiar to those coming from monohull sailing.

Excess has employed some innovative manufacturing techniques to help keep the weight below nine tonnes (lightship is 8,888kg yet with a hefty 4,300kg payload). Injection moulding was used for the deck and roof to save weight and space, and the interior has been pre-fabricated in modules.

“Building with these modules is key to making this an affordable, voluminous boat,” thinks Nauta’s co-founder Massimo Gino, responsible for the interior design. The weight saved is largely in joiner work and the result is bigger beds, lockers and worktops.

Excess hasn’t tried to squeeze cabins in for charter demands – it’s a two (large) heads only boat in a three or four-cabin layout.