Vision Yachts’ 1st European Vision Days in Port Ginesta

Vision Yachts is holding its first European Vision Days from 28 to 30 August at Port Ginesta, near Barcelona. The South African builder is using the three-day event to mark two years of acticvity in Europe, with three boats on the water and both current production models available for test sails. There’ll be plenty of time to talk about the new 484 too.

What’s Happening

Vision Yachts has been building blue water sailing catamarans in Knysna since 2017. The yard’s pitch is quality with a finish that stands apart from mass produced boats, backed by lifetime after-sales support on every boat delivered. The boat’s systems are designed for easy maintenance, a deliberate choice aimed at owners who sail off the beaten track.

The current range is the 444 and the 444ES, with a third model, the 484, in build and four hulls sold before the launch theis year. The 444 won Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet at the 2024 Cruising World Boat of the Year Awards, the industry benchmark in North America. 38 boats have sold to date, most have gone to North American owners, with others sailing the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and the Caribbean.

Vision Days is part of a wider European push. The yard is represented in the Balearics through Agulhas Marine, and has recently added S6 Marine in the UK and Cat Sale in Germany as brokers.

Three Days at Port Ginesta

Three boats will be on display and ready for test sails: one 444 and two 444ES. The daily format is:

• Morning: open boat visits, with the chance to talk through customisation options across the range
• Afternoon: sailing sessions
• Evening: an informal dinner bringing together prospective owners, current owners, suppliers and shipyard staff

Owners of the boats on display will be present throughout, sharing first-hand experience of life aboard, feedback on their boat’s condition after real miles, and how the after-sales relationship with Vision has worked. Most have covered the distance.

The event also brings in Vision’s partners: North Sails, Nanni, Gori Propellers, Parasailor, Integrel and Cyclops Marine. Between the boats and the suppliers, Vision Days functions as a small private boat show focused specifically on blue water catamaran equipment and technical choices.

444 vs 444ES: What’s Different

Both models are on the water at Port Ginesta, so it’s worth knowing the difference between them before booking a slot on each.

The main difference is the ES’s longer sugar scoop, roughly 0.4 metres longer than the standard 444’s. Thse extra centimetres stretch the waterline which Vision says improves handling under sail and under power, while making the boat easier to board and acces from the water. The longer scoops mean easier tender loading, dive and fishing access, and more usable deck space at the waterline.

Everything else matches: the self-tacking jib, mini keels, raised helm position, and the washboard system that protects the sugar scoops from following seas. The 444ES is an evolution of the 444, not a different platform. Sailing both back to back over your visit is a useful exercise.

Getting to Port Ginesta

Port Ginesta sits on the Garraf coast in Castelldefels, roughly 20-25km southwest of Barcelona and about 10km from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN).

From Barcelona

By car, it’s a 25-35 minute drive down the C-32 or coastal road, depending on traffic. Taxis and rideshare apps cover the same route in similar time.

Without a car, take a Rodalies R2 or R2S train from Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gràcia towards Vilanova i la Geltrú, and get off at Castelldefels (or Playa de Castelldefels if you fancy a 30 minute walk). From the station, it’s a short taxi ride to the marina, or pick up the L94 or L95 bus, which stops close to the port entrance. Journey time from central Barcelona runs to roughly an hour door to door on public transport.

From Other Parts of Europe

Barcelona-El Prat is the gateway, with frequent connections from most major European hubs and a wide spread of low-cost carriers alongside full-service airlines. From the airport, Port Ginesta is about 15-20 minutes by car or taxi.

Driving from France or elsewhere on the continent, the AP-7 motorway runs the length of the Catalan coast and connects directly to routes into Castelldefels. The French border is roughly 150km, about 75 minutes by car once past Girona.

High-speed rail is also an option for those already on the European network. Barcelona Sants connects to the French TGV network via Figueres and onward to Paris, Lyon and beyond, with a change onto local Rodalies services to reach Castelldefels.

From the US and Rest of World

Barcelona-El Prat has direct connections from several major US airportd, including New York (JFK/EWR), Miami and other East Coast hubs, alongside seasonal and codeshare options from further afield. Travellers from outside Europe without a direct routing typically connect via a major hub such as Madrid, London, Paris or Amsterdam before the final Barcelona leg.

On arrival, the airport train line into Barcelona connects to Rodalies services heading south towards Castelldefels, or a taxi direct from the terminal reaches Port Ginesta in around 15 minutes. For anyone flying in specifically for the test sail, building in a buffer for jet lag ahead of an afternoon on the water is worth the extra night.