Dazcat 1195 Merlin left the Multihull Centre in 2016 as a ‘structurally complete’ boat before being finished in France by her owner, Michel and a skilled boatyard team. She had her French launch in 2020 and since then those beautiful yellow hulls have steadily been expanding their horizons.

Her 2026 summer cruise added several thousand more miles to the log, taking Merlin from Brittany to Spain, Portugal, Madeira, Cape Verde and the Azores, before a return passage featuring storms, long hours without wind and a close encounter with a lone orca.

Very many thanks to owner Michel for taking the time to send all the updates and we’re so happy that your Dazcat is still giving so much pleasure and keeping you safe.

It should have been just a relatively short dash around the corner for leg one, but it turned out to be a testing beginning to what unfurled into a substantial Atlantic adventure...

It all began at 7am on 16 May, when Merlin passed through the lock at the Rance tidal power station. Sailing west against the prevailing westerly wind and the spring tide current made for a long, slow passage to the Trieux River and then onwards to l’Aber Wrac’h.

A Swiss sailor joined Merlin at l’Aber Wrac’h, keen to undertake an offshore test of a Dazcat. As an experienced sailor, he was impressed by Merlin’s easy, fast motion in light airs and by her safe behaviour while surfing down the Gulf of Biscay swell, habitually between 15 - 19 knots. He also brought a little Swiss cuisine aboard, cooking delicious rösti for the crew.

The marina at A Coruña proved as welcoming as ever: a well-protected marina with large berths, a warm reception and a very pleasant city within easy walking distance.

From A Coruña, Merlin continued south via Camariñas and Punta Caballo on Illa de Arousa.

Once again, the passage was made against the prevailing light south to south-easterly winds, and once again, Merlin demonstrated how well Dazcats sail in light conditions.

Ignoring the advice not to sail upwind in a catamaran

Many people had told Michel that he would be better off sailing to Brazil and the Caribbean than attempting the direct, 1,500-plus-mile upwind passage from Cape Verde to the Azores in a catamaran.

But by now he knew his Dazcat better than that and in practice, it proved to be one of the most consistent offshore legs he had ever sailed.

Merlin covered 1,691 nautical miles from Marina Mindelo to Horta Marina in nine days and one hour. That included six hours spent drifting at two knots alongside Pico, waiting to enter Horta Harbour early in the morning. Michel says it’s the longest beam reach he’s ever sailed!

The prevailing trade winds shifted from north-east Force 5 to east-north-east Force 4–5, becoming a true easterly Force 4 towards the end of the passage, a welcome development.

Merlin remained safe and comfortable throughout, although a little noisy inside, sailing under jib with two or three reefs in the mainsail. Particular care was taken with the old halyard that had replaced the newly cut one.

Horta is one of Michel’s favourite Atlantic island stopovers, and he thoroughly enjoyed his fifth visit.

His old friend José from Peter Café Sport was there to welcome the crew, and the café’s scrimshaw museum once again proved well worth visiting.

José had also kindly dedicated a full page to Double Trouble - the catamaran Michel sailed around the Atlantic in 1986–87 — in the Peter Café Sport memory book, Há Quem Espere Por Nós Assim. An English edition is due to become available by the end of the year.

The spectacular coastlines and volcanoes of Faial and Pico made the visit even more worthwhile, while Merlin left a(nother) new painting of her own on Horta’s famous harbour wall.

Leaving Mindelo for the sail back home they made sure they were well stocked up on delicious fruits and veg to see them across.

Merlin departed Marina Coruña on 26 July.

The Spanish Coast Guard had issued instructions to avoid the Iberian orca group, which had been actively damaging rudders and hulls for several days. One boat had sunk. With orcas reported close to Cape Ortegal, east of A Coruña, Merlin sailed due west towards the Sisargas Islands before turning north for Ushant.

Unfortunately, one lone female orca had not stayed with the main group…

She struck both rudders repeatedly before noon, returning to hit them again three hours later. The apparent damage was limited to the loss of both outer winglets, which looked as though they had been chewed, perhaps for 'fun'.

Merlin escaped further damage by making full speed under sail and both engines, heading for water less than 20 metres deep. On both occasions, the orca stopped “playing” when the boat reached eight knots. So that’s a new benefit we can add to Dazcat ownership – not exactly able to outrun the orcas (no chance when they can easily reach 30+ knots) but able to go fast enough for them to lose interest in the game, especially in shallower waters.

Simon later said that he was very surprised neither rudder shaft had broken. It appears, says Michel, that Merlin was built very strongly indeed and he sends his thanks to the yard team. Yes, the rudders were done during the ‘structurally complete’ phase by the Multihull Centre so Merlin could safely get to France for part two of her build. We never imagined they'd be subjected to an orca attack but it's good to know they held up.

The crew were able to safely continue towards Brittany, but exceptionally light northerly winds followed. West of Ushant, there was no wind at all, and the engines ran for 20 hours to reach l’Aber Wrac’h.

By this point, with home in their sights and some exhilerating adventures in their wake, the hours of motoring might have felt somewhat tedious but there's no doubt that Merlin's crew felt happy to be home with themselves and boat intact. 

Merlin is now, thankfully, safely back on her mooring on the Rance River, waiting to be brought ashore. The insurance company’s experts will then begin their work.

She will be back at sea next year for new adventures, although, Michel says, perhaps slightly closer ones!

For now, her 2026 Atlantic cruise has added a few thousand more miles beneath those beautiful yellow hulls, and another remarkable chapter to Merlin’s story.