Excess 13 makes Australian premiere as Asia-Pacific demand grows

Excess is using the 2026 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show to do more than unveil a new model. With the Excess 13 set for its Australian premiere at Sanctuary Cove, the brand is making a direct play for Asia-Pacific buyers who want a catamaran with helm feel, speed and enough liveaboard comfort to make longer cruising practical.

SCIBS runs from May 21 to May 24 in Queensland and marks its 37th year, with more than 300 exhibitors, 740 boats and 2,500-plus marine products and accessories expected across the Gold Coast display. That scale gives Excess a crowded but powerful platform, and 38 South Yacht Sales is leading the Australian showcase. The brand has also built a dedicated presence around the launch, including a press cocktail and an invitation-only sunset spritz event, the sort of hospitality that signals a dealer network trying to turn curiosity into orders.

The timing is no accident. Excess unveiled the 13 in July 2024, premiered it at the 2025 International Multihull Show in La Grande Motte and watched it collect major recognition soon after, including Multihull of the Year 2025 and European Yacht of the Year 2026 in the Family Cruiser category. Excess also said the boat won the Yacht Style Award in Singapore on April 22, 2026, its sixth international accolade. Nearly 50 units have already been delivered worldwide since launch, which gives the Australian debut the feel of a regional rollout, not a first look at an unproven concept.

The APAC numbers are the clearest clue to Excess’s strategy. Two units were handed over through European Delivery, one boat arrived in Australia in February and another reached Thailand in March. The first Asia-Pacific Excess 13 was being commissioned in Brisbane, while the dealer network has expanded further with Pro Sail Asia in Singapore and AquaHub in Hong Kong. Taken together, that points to a brand building sales, commissioning and support around the southern hemisphere, not just chasing boat-show attention.

The 13 itself is pitched for a different kind of catamaran owner than the broad-volume charter crowd. Excess says the design centers on twin helm stations, a Pulse Line rig and optimized onboard living space, a combination meant to deliver direct sensations and true agility under sail without giving up the hybrid cruising lifestyle that modern owners expect. In Australia, where the cruising culture rewards boats that can be driven hard and lived aboard, that formula may land better than the bigger, softer platforms that have dominated charter fleets. The Sanctuary Cove debut will show whether Asia-Pacific demand is moving toward lighter, more performance-minded cruising cats, and Excess is betting the answer is yes.