The catamaran,
explained.
Stability under sail, shallow draft into sand-bottomed bays, the deck space of a boat 20 feet longer. Sizes from 38 to 60 ft across Lagoon, Bali, Fountaine Pajot and Leopard — here is how to read the fleet.
Three reasons catamarans own the Caribbean.
Stability
matters.
Two hulls. The boat holds under 5° heel under sail in the persistent trade winds — guests can stand, cook, eat and pour wine without the constant balancing act a monohull demands. For kids, older guests and anyone prone to seasickness, this is the single biggest reason catamarans dominate Caribbean charter.
Shallow
draft.
A 42-foot catamaran draws 1.2-1.4 metres. A 50-footer holds 1.4-1.6 metres. The same boat as a monohull would draw 2.0-2.3 metres — enough to be locked out of half the best Caribbean anchorages. Catamarans hook into sand-bottomed bays at Norman Island, the Exumas, Anses d'Arlet and Tobago Cays where monohull keels admire from deeper water.
Space, on
deck and below.
Bridge-deck saloon, exterior cockpit, foredeck trampoline, flybridge on larger models. A 46-ft catamaran has the usable surface area of a 65-ft monohull. Eight guests across four equal cabins (each with private head), wide companionways, no narrow passageways. Most Caribbean weeks turn the cockpit into the de-facto dining room.
From 38 to 60 feet.
Couples or families with one kid each. Lagoon 380, Bali 4.0, Fountaine Pajot Astréa 38. Charter from US$5,500-8,500/week peak.
Most-chartered Caribbean catamaran range. Lagoon 42 / 44, Bali 4.4, Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42. Charter from US$7,500-12,000/week peak.
Two families or a large group. Lagoon 46 / 50, Bali 4.6 / 4.8, Saona 47, Aura 51. Charter from US$10,000-15,500/week peak. Often crewed.
Premium / fully crewed segment. Lagoon 52 / 55, Bali 5.4, Sunreef 60. From US$22,000-45,000/week all-inclusive with captain and chef.
Four brands, one Caribbean fleet.
French builder, La Rochelle. Largest Caribbean charter fleet. Lagoon 40 / 42 / 46 / 50 / 55 dominate every base.
French builder, Canet-en-Roussillon. Open deck-saloon layout (no bulkhead between cockpit and saloon). Bali 4.4 / 4.6 / 5.4 strong on premium charters.
French builder, La Rochelle area. Saona 47 and Astréa 42 frequent on Le Marin and BVI bases. Owner-version layouts on the larger hulls.
South African builder. Leopard 42 / 45 / 50 / 53 strong in BVI through MarineMax Vacations.
Standard equipment on every catamaran.
What ships with the boat — no extra rental, no add-on line items. Some operators include additional kit on premium bookings (paddleboard, kayak, dive tanks, wakeboard).
- Two-burner gas stove + oven · 80-litre fridge · separate freezer
- Generator + inverter (110V/220V outlets in every cabin)
- Hot water shower (transom + cabin)
- Dinghy with 15-25 HP outboard
- Snorkel gear for all guests
- BBQ on the stern rail
- Bedding, towels, beach towels
- Bluetooth speaker (deck + saloon)
- Chartplotter + AIS + VHF + autopilot
Pick the catamaran that fits your week.
Tell us the group size and the region; we send three matching catamarans within four working hours — fully costed, on a 7-day soft option.
Not sure which size? We'll match it to your group.
Group size and region in, three matching catamarans out — fully costed, within four working hours.