Annapolis Sailboat Show 2026 Catamaran Guide

The Annapolis Sailboat Show ran from 15 to 18 October 2026 at City Dock. The Knysna 550 made its world premiere, and several boats arrived with US debuts: the Windelo 54, Vaan R4, Aquila 45 Sail, Voyage 510, Fountaine Pajot FP48 and FP55, Leopard 43 and Seawind 1160XL.

Most of the other catamarans had been shown before, in Europe, in Miami or at earlier Annapolis shows. This guide covers the 18 boats in the carousel above, in slide order, then the extra catamaran news from the docks.

Each gives the status at the show, the key figures and what is new.

1. Knysna 550

World premiere. Dock K2.

Knysna Yacht Company of South Africa unveiled the 550 as the successor to its 500, drawn with VDS Marine Design. It has wave-piercing bows, a protected raised helm and three or four en suite cabins, and it is a semi-custom build.

There are two versions. The 550SL Sky Lounge adds an elevated lounge. The 550SE Solar Explorer uses that space for a large solar array and offers optional hybrid-electric propulsion, aimed at long-range self-sufficiency. The boat was shortlisted for World Multihull of the Year 2026 and is a Cruising World Boat of the Year 2027 nominee.

Key figures: 55 ft (16.76 m), light displacement 19.6 tonnes, fuel and fresh water about 1,000 litres (264 US gal) each, twin 80 hp engines or hybrid.

2. HH52

Returns after its 2025 world premiere here. Dock K1.

The HH52 is a carbon performance cruiser. It replaces the HH50 and uses a parallel diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain, an approach HH introduced on the HH44. The Sports Cruising version is full carbon epoxy. The Ocean Series version mixes carbon and glass and swaps the curved daggerboards for fixed keels.

Helm options include a forward helm station (with aft tillers as an option) with the working cockpit at the mast, or swing aft helms. Cruising World named the HH52 Best Full-Size Catamaran Over 45 Feet in its 2026 Boat of the Year, and SAIL listed it in its 2026 Top 10 Best Boats.

Key figures: 17.05 m (55 ft 11 in) overall, 15.8 m hull length, beam 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in), light displacement 11.1 to 11.8 tonnes, 2 x 38 hp plus electric.

3. Windelo 54

On display. Dock C.

Windelo builds eco-focused bluewater catamarans in France, with electric or hybrid drive, solar, hydrogeneration and wind charging. Owners report up to four hours of engine running a day at 6 knots from renewable energy on the 54. It comes in Sport, Yachting and Adventure versions, and the Yachting version won the Judges' Special Recognition in Cruising World's 2025 Boat of the Year.

The 2026 news is the 55 Sport, which made its world premiere at Cannes in September. It is based on the 54 with a waterline about 33 cm longer, reverse bows up to 17 degrees, about 500 kg less weight (12.3 tonnes) and more carbon. Windelo prices it at €2.35 million against about €1.9 million for the 54. The Annapolis exhibitor list shows the 54.

Key figures (54): 16.24 m (53 ft 3 in) overall, beam 7.98 m (26 ft 2 in).

4. Balance 502 and 580

502: new for 2026. 580: returns after its 2025 North American debut. Dock C.

The 502 replaces the 482. Hull one debuted at the Miami show in February. Balance offers two builds: the CX, foam-cored E-glass with carbon reinforcement, and the all-carbon-core CC, about 1,000 lb lighter. It is the second Balance model with the Integrel VersaDrive hybrid, which Balance says can cut fuel use by up to 25 percent. New details include the VersaStern boarding door and solar panels set into the hardtop.

The 580 is a 58 ft performance cruiser with a 210 m² sail plan, daggerboards and the adjustable VersaHelm. It is a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2026 winner and was a Cruising World 2026 Boat of the Year nominee.

502: 15.25 m (50 ft), beam 7.9 m (25 ft 11 in), about 12.8 tonnes, 2 x 45 hp.

580: 17.78 m (58 ft 4 in), beam 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in), about 16.7 tonnes, 2 x 57 hp.

5. Max Cruise Marine 48 SC

On display. Dock K2.

Max Cruise Marine builds semi-custom performance catamarans in Vietnam. The 48SC is its most popular model, with asymmetric hulls, resin-infused foam-core construction and four cabins. Owners can choose mini keels or daggerboards, a raised helm or aft helms, and diesel shaft drive or a Beta Marine parallel hybrid with solar.

The 48SC sits between the 45SC and the 55SC flagship. One owner of an early boat signed his build contract at the 2023 Annapolis show.

Key figures: 14.6 m (47 ft 10 in), displacement about 10.6 tonnes, 45 or 50 hp engines, draft from 1.35 m to 2.4 m depending on keel option.

6. Seawind

1160XL: North American debut. Dock A1.

The 1160XL updates Seawind's best-known model with more than 30 changes. Naval architect Stuart Bloomfield reworked the hull with reverse bows, higher freeboard and more beam. The forward beam is carbon and sits higher, wing-deck clearance rises by 90 mm and the boat now carries full ISO Category A certification. The aft starboard cabin gets a proper double bed.

It keeps Seawind's tri-fold saloon door and twin aft helms, and the 1160 line has more than 200 hulls built. The range was topped off with the 45 ft 1370, named Best Midsize Multihull in Cruising World's 2025 Boat of the Year, and the 39 ft 1170.

Key figures (1160XL): 38 ft 10 in overall, beam 21 ft 6 in, displacement 17,196 lb, 936 sq ft main and jib.

7. Excess 11, 13 and 14

On display. Dock C.

Excess, a Groupe Beneteau brand, showed three models. The 13 is the newest. It premiered in April 2025 and is the third from-scratch Excess design, with Marc Lombard replacing VPLP as naval architect. It has twin helms aft and is a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2026 winner, was a Cruising World 2026 nominee in Best Performance Multihull Under 45 Feet, and won its class at the Yacht Style Awards 2026.

The 14 (VPLP lines, 2022) is the largest of the three at about 44 ft. The 11 (2020) is the smallest at about 37.6 ft and was Cruising World's overall Boat of the Year for 2021.

Key figures (13): 42 ft 7 in (12.99 m), beam 7.25 m.

8. Fountaine Pajot

FP48 and FP55: North American debuts. Dock B.

Fountaine Pajot is showing the FP41, FP44, FP48, and FP51. The FP48 replaces the Tanna 47. Berret-Racoupeau drew both, and both had their world premieres in Europe along with the FP55 which did not make it Stateside this year.

The FP48 has a sliding door about 3 m wide that joins saloon and cockpit, a central galley, a bow cockpit and up to 2,300 W of solar. Layouts include the Maestro, with a full owner's hull, and a five-cabin Quintet. 60 orders were reported before the show.

FP48: 47 ft 4 in, beam 25 ft 10 in, about 39,000 lb, 2 x 45 hp.

FP55 (not shown): about 55 ft 10 in, beam 28 ft 9 in, 2 x 110 hp.

9. Vision 444

On display.

Vision Yachts of Knysna, South Africa, builds the 444 for long-distance cruising couples. It won Cruising World's Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet in 2024 and has three cabins, a raised helm and a self-tacking jib. The yard reports 38 boats sold, most to North American owners, and a 41 cm longer 444ES is also offered.

The news is the Vision 484, announced on 16 October. The first hull leaves the yard in March 2027, with a US debut at Vision Days in the first half of 2027. It adds a 4,300 kg payload, more headroom and a bridgedeck raised to 90 cm.

444: 13.12 m (43 ft 1 in), beam 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in), light displacement 11.32 tonnes, 2 x 37 hp, fuel 757 litres, water 833 litres.

484: 14.75 m (48 ft 5 in) hull, beam 8 m, 12.7 tonnes, three cabins.

10. Outremer 48

On display with the Outremer 52. Dock C.

Outremer first showed the 48 at La Grande Motte in April 2026 and this yacht sailed over the Atlantic to make the US show. It has the same 48 ft length as the 45 but is 41 cm wider and 1.8 tonnes heavier, with a payload of about 4 tonnes. VPLP designed it, the helm station from the larger 52 and 55 carries over, and the boom is lowered for more sail area and easier access. The saloon windows have 45 percent more surface area, there are about 10 layouts around the forward port cabin and a hybrid drive is optional. The launch price was €1.3 million ex VAT.

The 48 is a confirmed Cruising World Boat of the Year 2027 nominee and a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2027 nominee.

Key figures: 14.63 m (48 ft), beam 7.56 m (24 ft 10 in), displacement 10.5 tonnes, 2 x 38 hp.

11. Catana Ocean Class

On display. Dock K1.

Catana is bringing the Ocean Class to Annapolis after Cannes and Genoa, where it showed the updated Ocean Class² in September. The update brings a cleaner design, reworked preparation and circulation areas, more storage, a modular cockpit table and up to 2.5 kW of solar.

The Ocean Class is a daggerboard performance cruiser built in foam-cored vinylester infusion, with carbon and Twaron reinforcement in high-stress areas. It carries the same 90 m² mainsail as the larger Catana 53.

Key figures: 14.99 m (49 ft 2 in), beam 7.83 m (25 ft 8 in), draft 1.17 m to 2.49 m with boards up and down, 2 x 45 or 57 hp, fuel and water 800 litres each.

12. Xquisite

54 E-Plus and Sixty Solar Sail on display. Dock B.

Xquisite of Cape Town showed two sail catamarans. The 54 E-Plus is the third generation of the X5 line and made its debut here and replaces the X5 Plus. It has hybrid propulsion with a 60 kWh lithium bank and 4.75 kW of solar.

The Sixty Solar Sail is the larger boat, drawn by Dixon Yacht Design. It has 38 integrated solar panels (6 kW), a lithium battery bank and electric sail controls for single-handed sailing.

54 E-Plus: 16.63 m (54 ft 7 in), 16.5 tonnes, 2 x 15 kW electric plus 2 x 80 hp.

Sixty Solar Sail: 18.8 m (61 ft 8 in), beam 8.9 m.

13. Lagoon

38, 43, 51 Iconic and 55 on display. Dock B.

Lagoon showed four models, and dealer The Multihull Company says every demo boat Lagoon brought was already sold. The 38 is the headline. It succeeds the 380, was named Multihull of the Year 2026 and is a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2026 winner. VPLP drew it with a self-tacking jib, up to 1,420 W of solar and twin 29 hp Yanmars.

The 43 launched in spring 2024, has passed 100 sales and adds an extra aft entry on each hull. The 51 Iconic is a restyle of the 51 with a reworked forward cockpit. The 55 is the largest boat on the Lagoon display, and its US specification sleeps up to 12 in six cabins.

38: 11.38 m hull length, 836 sq ft upwind sail area.

43: 13.85 m overall, beam 7.69 m.

51 Iconic: 15.6 m overall, beam 8.1 m.

55: 18.39 m overall, beam 8.99 m.

14. Smart Cat S280

On display. Dock D.

The smallest multihull on the list is S-Com Tech's Smart Cat S280, which the show roster lists as the SunCat 850 (28 ft). The South Korean builder designed it as a low-maintenance liveaboard with an open deck, a shallow draft and a build that dismantles to fit two 40 ft containers. Layouts are three berths and one head, or two berths and two heads. Propulsion can be inboard, outboard or electric, and the rig can be left off. Multihulls World notes it is built for comfort at anchor rather than sailing performance.

Key figures: 28 ft (8.5 m), beam 17 ft 5 in (5.29 m), displacement about 4.5 tonnes, draft 2 ft 10 in, main 417 sq ft, jib 174 sq ft.

15. Bali

4.2, 5.2 and 5.8 on display. Dock B.

Bali, part of Catana Group, builds its range around outdoor living: a rigid forward deck, a tilting aft door and a large flybridge or rooftop. The 5.8 is the largest Bali on the Annapolis list, with 139.5 m² of usable space. The 5.2 launched in 2025 and comes with three to six cabins, a 48 V electrical system and room for a large solar array. The 4.2 is the family-sized model, with 79.2 m² of usable space.

4.2: 12.86 m (42 ft 2 in) overall, beam 7.07 m.

5.2: about 52 ft, beam 8.16 m, light displacement 19.15 tonnes. Published lengths range from 15.9 m to 16.4 m between sources.

5.8: 17.65 m (58 ft) overall, beam 9.06 m.

16. Antares 44

On display. Dock C.

Antares builds the 44 in Argentina as a blue-water-cruising owner's catamaran with shaft drive, an enclosed cockpit and a protected helm. The design dates to the PDQ years in Canada, and production moved to Argentina in 2008. The hybrid version has 2 x 10 kW electric motors. The GT version has a well-protected helm station under a large bimini.

Key figures: 13.6 m (44 ft 7 in), beam 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in), light displacement 8.85 tonnes, draft 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in), three cabins, main 57 m², genoa 44 m².

17. Leopard 43, 46 and 52

43: North American premiere. 46 and 52 also on display. Dock I.

The Leopard 43 replaces the 42 and had its world debut at Cannes in September. Simonis Voogd drew the new hull with wave-piercing and reverse bows. The mast is about 3 ft taller with 12 percent more upwind sail area, and glass solar panels can produce up to 1,365 W. The saloon has 360-degree glazing, and there are an upper lounge, forward cockpit seating and an integrated dock step. Charter versions are the Moorings 4300 (three or four cabins) and Sunsail 434 (four cabins).

The 46 (2024) offers a hybrid option with 25 kW electric pod drives, good for about four hours at 6 knots on electric alone, and was a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2025 winner. The 52 (Cannes 2025) was a Cruising World 2026 nominee. Its test boat had 2 x 25 kW motors, a 27 kWh battery bank and a 24 kW generator as range extender.

43: 12.98 m (42 ft 7 in), about 14.7 tonnes, 2 x 45 or 57 hp.

18. Vaan R4

North American debut. Dock C.

Dutch builder Vaan Yachts launched the R4 in Europe several years ago, and Annapolis was its US debut. It is a 42 ft aluminium catamaran with a hull of about 60 percent recycled aluminium, recyclable again at the end of its life. Cork decking and recycled fabrics replace conventional materials, and the boat is all-electric, from propulsion to cooking. Two 15 kW electric motors run from batteries charged by solar and by hydrogeneration under sail, and a backup generator is optional.

The R4 has a helm at the aft end of each hull, an option for a cockpit with a removable bimini instead of a fixed hardtop, and an owner's hull with four full-width closets.

Key figures: 42 ft (12.8 m), beam 23 ft 3 in, draft 4 ft 3 in, about 24,000 lb, 914 sq ft main and jib.

Also on the docks

These catamarans are not in the carousel but had news at the show.

• Aquila 45 Sail (Dock B): North American debut after its world debut at Cannes. It has three or four cabins, each with a private entrance, a fixed bow deck instead of trampolines and a split-level helm by the flybridge. Light displacement is 35,615 lb.
• Aquila 50 Sail (Dock B): the first Aquila sailing catamaran, with up to six cabins and an optional Torqeedo hybrid system. It debuted in Miami in February.
• Voyage 510 (Dock B): North American debut for the Cape Town-built 51 ft 10 in model, a smaller sibling of the 590. It has four en suite cabins, a single raised helm and twin 57 hp Yanmars.
• Also listed: Island Spirit 525e (electric drive, built in Thailand), Privilege Signature 510, Nautitech 44 Open, HeySea Seaview 50 and 60, and the Dragonfly 28 and 36 trimarans.

Awards and nominations

• Cruising World Boat of the Year 2026: the HH52 won Best Full-Size Catamaran Over 45 Feet. The Dragonfly 36 trimaran was Best Overall and won Best Performance Multihull Under 45 Feet, ahead of the Excess 13. The Balance 580, Leopard 52 and Lagoon 38 were also nominees.
• SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2026: winners include the Balance 580, Excess 13, HH52 and Lagoon 38.
• Cruising World Boat of the Year 2027: confirmed nominees include the Knysna 550, Fountaine Pajot FP48, Outremer 48, Voyage 510 and Seawind 1160XL. Projected nominees include the Balance 502, Vaan R4, Aquila 45 and 50, and Leopard 43.
• SAIL Top 10 Best Boats 2027: SAIL counts 11 catamarans among its nominees, including the Aquila 45 and 50, Balance 502, FP48, Knysna 550, Leopard 43, Outremer 48, Seawind 1160XL, Vaan R4 and Voyage 510. Results are due in the January/February issue.