Description
Excess Catamarans have been busy since they launched their first model in 2019. First they splashed the 12 and the 15 which used modified Lagoon moulds for the hulls. They followed that up with the Excess 11 which was designed from the keels up.
The second “pure” design is the Excess 14, which continues to develop the sporty DNA of this brand while offering plenty of comfort onboard. The 14 comes with twin aft helms (read our Vaan R5 review for another option with this setup), a low boom, asymmetric hulls to reduce leeway, and deeper rudders along with other enhancements. There are plenty of “power up” options if you choose the Pulse Line.
The Excess “look” continues to develop with reduced windage thanks to a lower freeboard, sporty lines, an aft-set coachroof, a forward stepped mast, a composite bowsprit and inverted bows.
This model has once again been designed with VPLP. Unlike her sisters, she has an overlapping genoa as standard for more power up front and a square top mainsail giving you a very decent SA/D. They’ve optimised the construction too (foam sandwich with carbon reinforcements, etc.)
Pros
- The Low Boom, Overlapping Genoa and Main give you very decent SA/D ratios, especially on the Pulse Line
- She’s extremely comfortable with some modular options to make the best use of the space.
- All the lines come back to the helms.
- There is an option for a Sky Lounge, like a Fountaine Pajot, but with no compromise on boom height.
- Foam sandwich with carbon reinforced construction
- Twin aft helms maximise sailing feel and living space
- Longer rudder blades help you pinch upwind
- Textile steering lines for maximum sailing feel
- One piece longeron/bowsprit option
Cons
- Not everyone likes aft helms. There is an option for biminis, but the visibility to the forward port bow is through the windows
- Those helm seats look a long way from the wheels. Let’s see on the test sail
- If you go for the full bowsprit option, your marina fees might be heading up into the bigger bracket.
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Down Below
This is a very comfortable boat that sits somewhere between a Fountaine Pajot and a Nautitech. In the hulls are wide, comfortable beds, and bathrooms with a separate head. There is loads of storage. There is also an option to convert the forepeaks into skipper cabins. If you compare the space down here to something like the HH44, you will start to get an idea of where they have set the dial on this boat: she’s good value for money.
There are several options on the layout, and they are cleverly targeting couples working from their boats- the “digital nomads” – with a large office area with desk and a flexible space upfront which you can use as a dressing area, workshop or cabin with extra berths.
3 Cabin Version
You get:
- A central bathroom amidships
- A big private dressing area
- An option for extra bunks
4-cabin version
- 4 cabins, 4 heads & 4 separate showers
- An optional skipper cabin in the forepeaks
- The skylounge option: lounging space on the coachroof at anchor with no compromise on the boom height.
- A walk-in dressing room
Sailing
We are looking forward to getting out on a test sail on the Excess 14. The standard set up is powered with 118 m² of upwind sail area that gives you an SA/D (Sail Area to Displacement) of 23.3. That puts you in Nautitech territory. If you go for the Pulse Line, you will be letting fly with 134 m² of upwind sail area with a bigger square top mainsail and overlapping genoa that boosts your SA/D to 26.5. Now we’re talking Outremer territory.
Now chances are that you’ll have more gear on this boat than you would do on an Outremer, and there are no boards. Even so, with deeper rudders and those asymmetric hulls, the Excess 14 will be no slouch upwind and we haven’t even discussed the Code 0 yet.
She comes with textile steering lines to maximise responsiveness and sensitivity
Summary
I love the direction that this brand is heading with the Excess 14. I thought the Excess 11 was a clever design and it was great to see more options at that catamaran length. This new boat ticks many boxes if you are after a sportier cat that is still very comfortable. I can’t wait to get out on a test sail.
