The Future of Landau and Multimarine

The Landau hull design perfectly responds to electric propulsion systems or hybrid drives. Multimarine’s advanced strong but very light construction methods will be ideal for maximizing e-drive performance. The construction techniques have been refined in Multimarine’s racing and cruising Dazcat catamaran designs which have gained a reputation for not only being fast but for completing the course up front in the most hostile conditions in round Britain and Fastnet races.

Complemeting the Powercat

Multimarine also have been developing the Cornish brand Powercats, including a new camper version. The first boat, launched this year, is designed to help you to find a little seclusion in these hectic times. The model has been so well received Multimarine has committed to re tooling this for further production next year. However, we are happy building just five of each boat per year – we are a small community-based boatyard and our goal is sustainability not huge growth and expansion. 

Multihull Benefits

The Landau complements the Powercat perfectly. One is a cat and the other is classified as a trimaran and both offer better fuel economy, linear acceleration, stability and shock mitigation. More so than any monohull design, creating a sweet ride without excessive uncomfortable slamming.  Though quite different in design they both have a massive following with about 100 boats built of each brand.

Both have what Darren likes to call ‘design benefits’. He rates these  over the ‘features’ that sales-folk tend to focus on. (If you contact us you’ll discover that we’re really not your typical sales folk!). They are fast stable and very comfortable to use.

The Landau 20 also offers a great forepeak area with berth/ seating and toilet. The cockpit will be covered with a composite roof and roll down sides and used as the saloon and gally. A canopy to mount solar panels for recharging the battery’s and a small optional gen set could also be fitted to extend cruising ranges, which will be more efficient with regard to fuel burn and offer almost silent or completely silent running – almost just like sailing!

Older, wiser and caring for the future

Ultimately we are sailors. We love pulling ropes and adjusting sails. However, we’re all getting older or are keeping more local and are looking for ways to extend our cruising enjoyment.  We love the sea and the life that lives in it, we enjoy being on the water and believe it’s good for mental and physical well-being to be with nature, especially in these times. However, these are motorboats and we all have to reduce our carbon output if we are to continue to enjoy this wonderful environment we have. This leads us to developing  the E- Landau range, to innovate using light weight low carbon composite infusion construction, use of recycled cores and natural cork cores combined where possible with natural laminates and resin systems, locally sourced renewable wood trims and other more ecologically sound materials. The Landau Electric will use an e-propulsion system about which we are already in consultation with a few different suppliers and engineers as we research what can best be achieved in range and performance while sourcing as much as we can from UK suppliers. 

Our aims are:

To reduce the overall weight of the boat so it uses less energy to move about, whether on the water or on the trailer 

Fit either hybrid or electric motor installations and reduce carbon through its manufacturing and operating life. 

Build for sustainability where finishes can easily be maintained or repaired to extend the boats life, resale value and end of life disposal.

Our workshops are based in a beautiful Cornish village called Millbrook, home to most of our 30 employees. We also recognize we need to further invest in infrastructure to reduce carbon output within the workshops. We are now 100% solar powered in our workshops bar heating, which will be another challenge, but through investment and innovation it can be achieved.

We not interested in ‘greenwash’ and accept it will be very difficult to become completely carbon neutral, but we need to try as every bit adds up and it’s something we can continue to work towards. 

Markets include both leisure and commercial and there will be two sizes of Landau to start with: the 20 and 29. The 20 is trailerable so delivery can be by road, and the 29 can be delivered with a boat mover or by water. The 29 would make a great patrol boat or water taxi so if you are like-minded come and talk to us!

Pricing will be available in the new year ………………………..

To start with we are committing to developing the perfect light weight boat. We will then test over the winter using a range of power sources to compare and with the ultimate goal of creating the perfect electric hybrid day boat. A boat that can be used as a camper cruiser so one can stay overnight from time to time as one explores the wonderful rivers canals estuaries and coast lines. The 29 will be a hybrid design, again keeping things simple with low maintenance costs and thus maximizing the benefits of low carbon operation.