Catamaran World Map
Do you know where Catamarans are made?
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Countries
France dominates the scene with approximately 60% of the action followed by South Africa at 20%.
Do you know all of these manufacturers? Who have we missed?
| Country | Est. Global Share | Brands / Yards |
|---|---|---|
| France | 60-65% | Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, Bali, Catana, Nautitech, Excess, Garcia, Privilege, Outremer, Gunboat, Windelo, NEEL Trimarans, ORC, MODX, Tournier |
| South Africa | 15-20% | Leopard/Robertson & Caine, Balance Catamarans, Kinetic, St. Francis Marine, Xquisite, Voyage, Knysna Yacht Co., Vision, Phoenix Catamarans, Two Oceans Marine |
| Poland | 5-7% | Sunreef Yachts |
| Australia | 3-5% | Lightwave Yachts, Fusion Catamarans, Stradbroke Yachts, Cure Marine |
| China | 2-4% | HH Catamarans, McConaghy, NYX, Alquila |
| Netherlands | 1-2% | Vaan Yachts, Vanquish Yachts (power) |
| Vietnam | 1-2% | Max Cruise Marine, Seawind |
| Tunisia | <1% | Aventura Catamarans, Bali |
| Italy | <1% | C-Catamarans (Comar), ITA Catamarans, NEO |
| UK, Ireland | <1% | Dazcat (UK), Broadblue Catamarans (UK), Safehaven Marine (IE) Archipelago (UK) |
| Spain | <1% | Astilleros Dalmau, Flash Catamarans, Aister Boats, King Marine, North Wind |
| Argentina | <1% | Antares |
| Portugal | <1% | Punch Catamarans, Catana Group (YOT), Trimarine |
| Brazil | <1% | AG Catamarans |
| Thailand | <1% | Asia Catamarans (Phuket), Fusion |
| Turkiye | <1% | Seawind (Izmir) |
| Dubai, UAE | <1% | Portofino Catamarans |
How is France so Successful in this Market?
Key Success Factors
- Boatbuilding Infrastructure
Vendée/La Rochelle cluster: The world’s largest yacht production hub with 500+ composite yards, suppliers, and R&D within a 50km radius. Beneteau/Lagoon factories alone employ 5,000+.
Economies of Scale: Lagoon produces 400+ boats/year at single Marans site; automation cuts costs 30% vs competitors.
Heritage: Multihull pioneers (Fountaine Pajot 1976, Outremer 1984) built supply chains others can’t match.
- Charter Market Synergy
Mediterranean demand: French Riviera/Corsica/Balearics generate a big share of European charter revenue; cats perfect for week-long island hops. Other areas (Greece, Croatia) are dominated by the French suppliers.
MOORINGS/ Sunsail fleets: A large share are Lagoons/Fountaine Pajots—proven durability drives repeat buys. Leopard (SA) also win here.
Tax-efficient leasing: French “LOA” (long-term lease) recovers 20-30% VAT + depreciation for private owners.
- Culture & Export Focus (15%)
Sailing DNA: France has 900,000+ licensed sailors (the world’s highest/capita); Vendée Globe/Match Racing culture feeds the talent pool.
Global brands: Lagoon/Fountaine Pajot = 50% brand recognition; ANCRE export support (80% production exported).
- Overseas Territories
Testing grounds: New Caledonia/Polynesia perfect for bluewater trips; local charter demand.
Overseas sales <5% of total, it’s the mainland that drives the volume.
- EU Regulations
Emission standards: French yards lead hybrid/solar tech (Windelo); smoother CE certification vs non-EU rivals.
Summary
Industrial clustering plus the charter economics create a virtuous cycle. Their huge scale lowers costs. They dominate the charter market with proven reliability. Along with private sales, they reinvest at scale.
South Africa follows a similar charter logic with Leopard/Moorings/Sunsail (also Voyage in the Caribbean) but lacks France’s supplier ecosystem. They are very successful in the premium sector however (Balance, Vision, Knysna, Kinetic.