Based on the hull form of the sailing PDQ 32 Altair, this power cat is not simply a sailboat sans mast, but a completely new boat beyond the hull mold. It has always bothered me that many catamarans intentionally take advantage of their enormous footprint by providing charter service accommodations, with minimal range and provision space. Since charters typically only last a week or so and cover short distances, that's no surprise, but it's not exactly the ticket for a couple planning extended cruising. So it is nice to see a power cat suited more for a couple with occasional guests. The major multihull bugaboo has always been, in my opinion, a balancing act between accommodations and aesthetics.
Some boats offer maximum accommodation, yet result in an unusual-looking craft.
The look is different, yet somehow familiar. From our office at Horn Point in Annapolis, we watched the 32-footer travel up and down Chesapeake Bay during demonstration rides around boat show season. From the side profile, the boat has a Grand Banks look to it, at least in my mind. The plumb bow, angle of the windows and shape of the house have a GB quality as seen from a distance. Yet the cat produced almost no wake as it ran across the bay at 12 knots.