A 30-nautical-mile passage from Newport to Block Island gave the new Seawind 1160XL an unscripted offshore test—and an opportunity to show what its latest design refinements can deliver when conditions become demanding. The trip began after the Newport International Boat Show with Seawind Catamarans founder and CEO Richard Ward aboard, joined by Kerry, marine journalist Herb McCormick, and SAIL managing editor Lydia Mullan.
What started as a fresh sail quickly became a serious real-world trial. A large low-pressure system building off the Atlantic Coast pushed northeasterly winds from 15–20 knots to approximately 30 knots, with gusts reaching 38 knots. Seas built to an estimated 10–13 feet, creating conditions that called for an offshore-capable platform and a confident crew.
With a single reef in the mainsail and the full jib set, the Seawind 1160XL settled into a broad reach and regularly maintained speeds between 8 and 12 knots. The boat remained composed as the wind and waves increased, demonstrating the balance between responsive sailing performance and the control expected from a modern cruising catamaran.
The most dramatic part of the passage came near the northern end of Block Island. Bearing away put the 1160XL nearly dead downwind in large following seas. The outgoing Long Island Sound tide steepened the waves, and the catamaran began surfing toward the island. During one of those runs, the boat reached 19.5 knots.
The result was more than a headline speed. The increased-volume reverse bows resisted burying as the boat accelerated down the waves, helping the 1160XL maintain confidence and control in a demanding sea state. For Ward, the passage validated the design effort behind the new model and the decision to continue developing the proven Seawind 1160 platform.
The Seawind 1160XL builds on one of the company’s most successful cruising designs with more hull volume, reverse bows, additional waterline length, and refinements intended to improve both offshore capability and sailing performance. Those changes are designed to support the practical needs of extended cruising without giving up the engaging performance that attracts sailors to Seawind.
Specifications help explain a new boat, but passages like this reveal how the design behaves when the weather becomes the test plan. The Newport-to-Block Island run showed a cruising catamaran under 40 feet delivering speed, stability, offshore confidence, and the comfort and practicality needed for ambitious cruising. Windcraft Multihulls can provide current availability, pricing, and showing information for sailors interested in the Seawind 1160XL.
