WATER SPRITE – Leopard 48

Peter & Elizabeth Mullins

2022

We were 12 months into our circumnavigation on SV Water Sprite, our Leopard 48 catamaran. We’d left Sydney, Australia in April 2019 and were heading up the Atlantic in early 2020 when COVID hit. We had been aiming for the Med but had to divert to the UK and find a safe haven for ourselves and the boat – thankfully the Multihull Centre was recommended to us. 

Water Sprite had taken quite a hammering coming up the Atlantic, so although we were back in Sydney, the Multihull Marine team organised repairs including replacing (and significantly upgrading) the mast and standing rigging, replacing the rudders and engine mounts. As we worked (remotely) with the team we identified a range of possible improvements which morphed into a significant upgrade and refit for Water Sprite.

The work that has had the biggest impact on life onboard is the electrical refit. Water Sprite now boasts 3.4KW of solar panels – four fixed panels on a newly built solar arch; another 12 flexible panels on the bimini; backed up with 4 lithium ion batteries (1320 Amp hr). This enabled us to ditch the generator, replace the gas cooktop and oven with an induction cooktop and combi oven, plumb in the water maker, and an extra fridge, plus install a washing machine! Getting gas out of the saloon is great and access to creature comforts thanks to the sun has transformed life onboard – and it’s great to be able to say ‘no thanks’ to power plug ins at marinas! 

Because we were remote for 2 years while all this work was undertaken, we had to trust the team with so many decisions – our trust was well founded. The guys designed and delivered an amazing upgrade and took incredible care over every detail. They treated the boat as if she was their own. While no-one wanted COVID, there was a silver lining for us, thanks to the Multihull Centre team, and we’re now taking full advantage of that as we resume our circumnavigation. 

If you would like to talk to us about the refit, and our experience of working with the team at the Multihull Centre, please get in touch.

Carly & Dom from Sailing Cadoha – after sailing on D1495 Hissy Fit

03-08-22

“Many of our preconceptions were smashed in only a few short hours onboard. It was a lot of fun to sail that fast and the boat still be so comfortable. It was clear that so much thought has gone into the design over the years to try and strike the perfect balance between the space many seek on a cat, but also high performance speed and the ability to point so close to the wind still.

It really feels as if you’ve managed to pull off ‘having your cake and eating it’!”

Max Liberson

Multihull Centre customer

15-07-22

“Since I have been down in the Multihull Centre I have noticed what good company Dazcat is. The boats look marvellous and the staff are extremely knowledgeable and happy. It’s something that is noticeable.

John Busby the engineer came on board Trinity (the trimaran I am doing some work on) last week and sorted out the generator that was not starting. He is that last of a long list of engineers that have tried to sort that generator over the last 12 years. He found the source of the trouble that no one else has been able too. Just because he really wanted to fix it and had the patience to wade through a wiring diagram that simplified rather than explained. He found two wires had been connected wrongly from the factory! With people like that working for you I cannot but expect that Dazcat will go from strength to strength, enjoy your success, you are earning it!”

Owners of the new build Dazcat 1295 pre-launch July 2022

“The whole family did a secret ballot writing pros and cons between different boats, including monohull. The Dazcat 1295 won hands down.”

Bennett Allen

Adult and Offshore Programs Director, Sail Maine August 2021

 “Simon and Multimarine have provided extremely good customer service and expertise to SailMaine since our acquisition of the boat in the Spring of 2020. I have been very impressed with how responsive, supportive, and knowledgeable Simon has been, even though we are not the original owner of the boat. It is clear Multimarine takes pride in their craftsmanship and wants to see their boats sailed well and cared for, period.”

Bruce Sutherland, Dazcat owner

2019

“We have always found boatyards to be helpful. What makes the Multihull Centre exceptional is that you don’t just get help from other owners; you get help from craftsmen who have been building, maintaining and sailing multihulls all of their lives. From Striders, Heavenly Twins and Prouts to full carbon AC45’s they have done it all. The [yard] guys are always happy to simply advise or to carry out a full-service repair depending on your budget. With the new boat lift and continuing investments in equipment it is difficult to think of anywhere else in the UK with the same facilities and experience for multihulls.” 

Nigel Irens – Yacht Designer

2019

Nigel Irens Designs