The Knysna 550 to Debut in Anapolis.
Knysna Yacht Company unveils the Knysna 550
South African builder Knysna Yacht Company has launched the Knysna 550, a 55-foot blue-water cruising catamaran and the newest addition to its range where it will sit alongside the Knysna 500SE.
The boat will make its public debut at the Annapolis Boat Show from 15 to 18 October 2026.
The 550 was designed with VDS Marine Design and carries over the hull DNA of the 500 while adding revised lines and a stiffer structure. Bulkheads, panels and partitions are bonded directly to the hulls and deck rather than mechanically fastened, which improves stiffness offshore.
The 550 has slender hulls with wave-piercing bows and a raised, protected helm station. You can specify either saildrive or direct shaft drive.
Displacement is 19.6 tonnes, with 1,000 litres of fuel and 1,000 litres of fresh water for extended passages.
Knysna is positioning the 550 as a semi-custom build, with owners specifying layout, joinery, fabrics, appliances and systems. Two configurations are offered the 550SL Sky Lounge, which adds a raised lounge deck, and the 550SE Solar Explorer, which extends the deck space for additional solar panels.
“The Knysna 550 represents everything we have learned in 25 years of building world-class blue-water catamarans. She is built tough enough to cross any ocean, yet finished with the care and artistry of a bespoke superyacht. We are thrilled to share her with the world at Annapolis — this is a vessel for those who want to truly explore the world in safety, style, and comfort.”
Grant Boshard, Director, Knysna Yacht Company
Accommodation runs to either three or four double en-suite cabins.
The boat is available to order worldwide through dealers in South Africa, North America and other markets.
Knysna says build slots are limited and is taking early registrations of interest.
Specs Knysna 550 vs 500SE
Knysna 550
55-foot blue-water cruising catamaran
Knysna 500SE
50-foot blue-water cruising catamaran
Base specifications. Both models are offered as semi-custom builds; final figures vary by configuration. Source: Knysna Yacht Company.
Building out of Knysna
The 550 is built in Knysna
Knysna is a small town on South Africa’s Garden Route, but it has become one of the more interesting places in the world with regards to building catamarans.
Three multihull yards now operate there: the Knysna Yacht Company itself, Kinetic Catamarans (a US company with its yard in Knysna), and Vision Yachts, founded by James Turner. They sit at different positions in the market, but they draw on the same pool of local labour, suppliers and composite know-how. It’s an impressive ecosystem
The cluster did not form by accident. A wave of young boatbuilders set up in Knysna with its a willing workforce, a favourable rand-to-dollar exchange rate, and advances in lamination technology that the yards adopted quickly.
The exchange rate keeps build costs competitive against European yards, and the setting suits buyers of large yachts, who often want to visit during construction to watch their boat take shape.
For the Knysna Yacht Company, around 25 years building the 440 and 500 is the key advantage behind the 550. A long production run means refined tooling, a proven platform that has already crossed oceans, and supplier relationships that hold up. The chemically bonded bulkheads and hull structure on the 550 are an example and the latest version of a method the yard has been developing for over two decades, with feedback from boats already out cruising the world. For bluewater boats, that counts for alot.