Simbad Yachts launches ready-to-sail catamaran ownership model

For catamaran buyers who want to get offshore without months of spec decisions, Simbad Yachts is making a clear pitch: take the boat ready to sail, pick an ownership route, and leave the project-management burden behind. The Spanish builder has launched the Simbad 55 as a bluewater family cruiser that can be bought, leased or shared, with the company steering would-be owners away from the delays and customization spiral of a fully bespoke build.

Simbad says it took over a refit shipyard in Alicante, on Spain’s southeast coast, and assembled a 100-person team around the project. The first model, drawn by Franck Darnet with naval architect Pierre Delion credited on the design, marks the brand’s entry into a crowded but fast-moving multihull market. Darnet Design says its team brought 25 years of passion and expertise to the boat, which was publicly presented in spring 2026 and was set for a world premiere at the International Multihull Show in La Grande-Motte, France.

On paper, the Simbad 55 sits squarely in the serious cruising bracket. It measures 17.59 meters overall, with a 16.95-meter hull length and an 8.92-meter beam. Draft is 1.64 meters, displacement is 28 tonnes, sail area is 173 square meters, fuel capacity is 1,200 liters and freshwater capacity is 1,000 liters. The layout can be ordered with the galley up or down and from two to five cabins, including crew quarters, giving private owners, charter buyers and long-range cruisers room to tune the boat to how they actually sail.

Simbad is also trying to avoid the old trap of a low headline price followed by a long list of expensive fit-out decisions. The Select version comes with painted aluminium spars, polyester sails and 110hp Yanmar engines, with solar panels supporting the onboard energy supply. At the top end, the Legend version adds a carbon mast, Furlerboom, carbon Technora Doyle sails, electric winches and furlers, four 19- to 22-inch chartplotters and Sea.ai collision avoidance. It also brings a 220-litre-per-hour watermaker, a projector screen, seven fridges and ice makers, plus a bespoke jet tender matching the mothership’s livery. Pricing runs from €1,895,000 for Select to €2,990,000 for Legend.

The ownership model is part of the story. Simbad says owners get personalized support, with a dedicated assistant available 24/7 for maintenance, service and technical issues. Alongside that sits Simbad Care, the company’s management-and-service program, and SplitSail, a shared-ownership plan offering 1/3, 1/2 or 2/3 stakes with up to three owners per yacht. For sailors who want the reach and volume of a modern catamaran without having to build the whole experience from scratch, Simbad is making the promise as practical as the boat itself.