Excess 13: A New Chapter
La Grande-Motte, France – The 2025 Int. Multihull Show included the debut of a new addition to Excess Catamarans: the Excess 13.
Representing the latest evolution in the French manufacturer’s line, the 13 embodies a blend of comfort, smart design, and sailing pleasure. The guiding principle is a yacht that is “Designed for Sailing and Crafted for Living”.
Design Innovation: The Excess Story
Born from Groupe Beneteau’s vision to fill the gap between cruising catamarans and performance multihulls, Excess Catamarans made its debut with a clear mission: deliver sailing catamarans that offer a hands-on sailing experience without sacrificing livability.
The range began with the 12 and 15 but found a unique identity with the Excess 11—the brand’s first fully original model. This was followed by the flagship Excess 14, and now the Excess 13, which builds further on the yard’s evolving DNA with its own original flair.
The Excess 13: Designed to Sail
The 11 and 14 were designed by VPLP and the Excess 13 builds on their successful legacy through the drawing boards of Marc Lombard Yacht Design, known for creating responsive, seaworthy multihulls. The brief: keep it light, keep it fast, and keep it fun—while maintaining the space that multihull cruisers love.
This third design from Excess is a move toward a yacht designed with sailors in mind. Lombard’s signature asymmetric hulls provide extra interior volume above the waterline while reducing wetted surface and maintaining performance.
Standout Features and Design Ethos
At the heart of every Excess 13 is a “Less is More” philosophy. Every gram saved translates into speed and responsiveness.
Excess achieves this through some clever design touches such as doors that function as both cabin entryways and closet covers, furniture with carbon struts, and minimalist yet durable materials. All while maintaining a warm, welcoming space throughout
Sailing Performance
The sail area-to-displacement (SA/D) ratio of the Excess 13 (with the Pulse Line option) is over 25, comparable to many performance cruising brands. With a powerful rig and reduced displacement, this means better light-air sailing and responsive handling.
A direct helm connection, forward-facing chart table, and helm stations set far aft with good sightlines and visibility of the main and overlapping genoa underline the commitment to real sailing feel.
Comfort Without Compromise
Despite the sailing pedigree, comfort hasn’t been an afterthought. In the owner’s version, sailors will find:
· 180 cm wide berths
· A large workstation and desk space ideal for mobile workers, especially with the Starlink option
· A spacious forward shower and head setup in the owner’s version
· Generous storage space designed for active cruisers: with room for SUPs, wing foils and kitesurfing gear as well as all of your cruising essentials.
· A clever rainwater collection system integrated into the cabin top, with a dedicated 300L tank—a good design touch for longer passages that was developed from the “Excess Lab”: feedback from owners and customers.
· Fold-down transoms are another key feature, transforming the cockpit at anchor into an expansive, safe lounging or gear-staging area. While under way, these swing up to close off a safe space for all the crew including children and pets.
· A Hybrid option with hydro generation will be available from 2026
There are 3 options for the bimini roof –
Sky Lounge
Sun Roof
or Solar – roof designed for rigid or flexible solar panels .
Key Specifications
Overall Length std 12,99 m / 42’7”
Max Overall Length std 15,30 m / 50’2”
Max Beam 7,25 m / 23’9”
Draft 1,48 m / 4’10”
Lightship displacement (CE) 10,6 T / 23 369 lbs *
Upwind sail area 115m² / 1 237 sq ft *
Upwind sail area PULSE LINE 124m² / 1 334 sq ft *
Standard water capacity 300 L / 79 US Gal
Optional water capacity 300 L / 79 US Gal
Black water capacity 80 L / 2 x 21 US Gal
Fuel capacity 2 x 200L / 2 x 53 US Gal
Engine 2 x 40 Hp / 2 x 29 Kw
Cabin 3 to 4
Berths 6 to 12
SA/D (over 25) and D/L ratios place the Excess 13 solidly in the “fast cruiser” bracket, giving sailors the ability to sail in lighter airs without having to start the engines, especially with the Code 0 or gennaker option flying off the integrated bowsprit. This helps to solve of the most common frustrations with cruising cats.
A Step Forward in the Multihull Market
The Excess 13 is a ssuccessful counterpoint to the common narrative in multihull design: that performance and comfort exist in opposition. Instead, it delivers a strong balance of both. It’s a boat for those who like to sail, while maintaining the comfort levels with all the space for the kit to explore your destination when you get there.
In Summary
The premiere of the Excess 13 is a confident evolution for Excess Catamarans. With the design pedigree of Marc Lombard, a smart approach to comfort, and decent sailing capabilities, the Excess 13 has raised the bar. For sailors looking for a value sweet spot between performance and liveability, this might be the new gold standard.