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Seawind 1260: A Comprehensive Review

Introduction.

The Seawind 1260 is a highly regarded catamaran that combines elegant design, luxurious comfort, and outstanding performance. Designed for avid sailors and adventurous cruisers, this vessel offers a remarkable experience on the water. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the features, design elements, and sailing capabilities of the Seawind 1260.

Design and Construction

Hull and deck.

The Seawind 1260 boasts a sleek and sturdy design, constructed using high-quality materials for durability and safety. Its fiberglass hull is built to withstand various sea conditions while ensuring stability and speed. The deck layout is intelligently designed, providing ample space for relaxation, entertainment, and easy maneuverability.

Step inside the Seawind 1260, and you'll be greeted by a spacious and luxurious interior. The open-plan layout seamlessly integrates the saloon, galley, and dining areas, creating a sense of freedom and comfort. The large panoramic windows offer breathtaking views and allow natural light to flood the living spaces.

The cabins are meticulously designed to provide privacy and comfort to the occupants. With generous headroom, ample storage, and well-appointed en-suite bathrooms, the Seawind 1260 ensures a cozy retreat for extended periods on the water.

Performance and Sailing Capabilities

Sail plan and rigging.

Equipped with a powerful sail plan and efficient rigging, the Seawind 1260 delivers excellent performance under sail. The rig is designed to maximize sail area while maintaining optimal balance and stability. The self-tacking jib makes single-handed sailing a breeze, allowing for effortless maneuvering in tight spaces.

Handling and Maneuverability

The Seawind 1260 exhibits exceptional handling and maneuverability, thanks to its dual helm stations. The responsive steering and excellent visibility from the helm provide precise control and ensure a pleasurable sailing experience. Whether you're cruising in calm waters or tackling challenging conditions, this catamaran effortlessly glides through the waves.

Comfort and Stability

One of the standout features of the Seawind 1260 is its remarkable stability. The twin hull design minimizes heeling, providing a smooth and comfortable ride even in choppy seas. The catamaran's shallow draft allows access to shallow anchorages and remote locations, expanding your cruising possibilities.

Onboard Amenities

The Seawind 1260 is equipped with an array of onboard amenities designed to enhance your boating experience. Let's take a closer look at some of the standout features:

Spacious Cockpit

The expansive cockpit provides an ideal space for outdoor living and entertainment. With comfortable seating, a large dining table, and a built-in wet bar, the cockpit is perfect for hosting gatherings or enjoying alfresco meals with family and friends. The rear swim platform offers easy access to the water, making swimming and water sports a breeze.

Well-Appointed Galley

The Seawind 1260 boasts a fully equipped galley that rivals that of a gourmet kitchen. With ample counter space, modern appliances, and plenty of storage, preparing meals onboard becomes a delight. The galley's clever design ensures easy access to all essentials, making cooking a pleasure even while underway.

Luxurious Saloon

Step into the saloon, and you'll be greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere. The spacious seating area provides a comfortable space to relax and socialize, while the large dining table offers a perfect spot for enjoying meals or playing games. The saloon's panoramic windows provide stunning views, creating a connection with the surrounding environment.

Master Suite

The Seawind 1260 features an impressive master suite that offers a private sanctuary for the owners. With a queen-sized island bed, ample storage, and an en-suite bathroom, the master cabin exudes luxury and comfort. Wake up to panoramic views of the ocean and indulge in a true retreat experience.

Guest Accommodations

The catamaran also offers well-designed guest accommodations, ensuring a comfortable stay for family or friends joining your boating adventures. The guest cabins feature spacious berths, storage options, and en-suite facilities, providing a welcoming space for overnight guests.

Innovative Features

In addition to its luxurious amenities, the Seawind 1260 incorporates innovative features that enhance safety, convenience, and performance:

Twin Daggerboards

The inclusion of twin daggerboards allows for enhanced upwind performance and improved stability. This feature enables the Seawind 1260 to maintain a steady course, even in challenging wind conditions, and provides a smoother sailing experience.

Solar Power System

An environmentally friendly feature of the Seawind 1260 is its integrated solar power system. Solar panels on the roof generate clean energy, reducing reliance on the engine and minimizing environmental impact. This feature also ensures a more sustainable and cost-effective cruising experience.

Verdict and Final Thoughts

After thoroughly exploring the Seawind 1260, it's evident that this catamaran offers a remarkable combination of luxury, performance, and innovative design. Here's our verdict:

  • Sleek and sturdy construction for durability and safety.
  • Spacious and luxurious interior with panoramic views.
  • Powerful sail plan and efficient rigging for excellent performance.
  • Easy handling and maneuverability, ideal for solo sailing.
  • Outstanding stability and shallow draft for enhanced comfort and access to remote locations.
  • Expansive cockpit and well-appointed galley for enjoyable outdoor living and entertaining.
  • Impressive master suite and comfortable guest accommodations for a relaxing onboard experience.
  • Innovative features like twin daggerboards and a solar power system for enhanced performance and sustainability.
  • Limited storage space compared to larger catamarans.
  • Higher initial investment compared to monohull vessels.

In conclusion, the Seawind 1260 catamaran surpasses expectations and stands as a top contender in its class. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a novice cruiser, this vessel offers a combination of elegance, comfort, and performance that is hard to match. With its thoughtful design, innovative features, and exceptional sailing capabilities, the Seawind 1260 promises unforgettable adventures on the water.

Author image - Poppy Harvey-Fitzgerald

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Seawind 1260: Lightweight catamaran making waves on both sides of the Atlantic

Yachting World

  • July 8, 2020

First seen almost two years ago at the Miami Boat Show, this Seawind 1260 catamaran is at last heading to Europe

The Seawind 1260 has been well received in the States, where the brand has a strong following, but these multihulls are in fact built designed in Australia and built in Vietnam.

Seawind aims to make its boats safe and seaworthy above all, a fact reflected by their broad bluewater community of catamaran owners .

The helm station is in the cockpit, just as it would be on a monohull, bringing the boom down low for less heeling moment and a more efficient rig.

This has repercussions across the boat, whose vacuum infusion lay-up and pragmatic approach to interior comfort give it a sensible displacement of around 8 tonnes (the Lagoon 42 weighs 50% more).

This may lack some modern ‘luxuries’ such as foredeck cockpits and flybridge sofas, but that’s not to say that the Seawind 1260 is uncomfortable.

There’s extensive lounging in the saloon, which can be opened right up by swinging the rear doors up to stow in the coachroof.

The galley is placed down in the port hull and you can choose between three or four cabins sharing two decent heads with showers.

There’s a grill hidden in the console next to the seating at the aft end of the cockpit, and you can hand food and drinks up to the saloon easily from the open galley.

There are also seats at the bow and steps down onto small bathing platforms in the skirts of each hull.

Being lighter, the Seawind 1260 can get away with smaller engines – twin 29hp Yanmars – and less tankage, albeit still a respectable 480 litres.

Specification

LOA: 12.45m 41ft 0in Beam: 6.80m 22ft 3in Draught: 1.16m 3ft 10in Displacement: 8,200kg 18,078lb Price: $410,000 (ex. VAT)

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Seawind 1260: Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet

  • By Herb McCormick
  • Updated: December 11, 2018

seawind 1260 catamaran review

With four boats that shared many common characteristics, the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet class was one of 2019’s most competitive. The quartet of yachts — the Bali 4.1, Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42, Lagoon 40 and Seawind 1260 — all came in at under 42 feet and recorded fairly similar displacement/length ratios. Other than the Seawind, in varying percentages each model was destined for duty in the bareboat charter trade. They were all very versatile yachts.

With a spacious layout incorporating a “garage door” that, when opened, transforms the entire living area into a seamless, inviting ­wide-open floor plan, the Bali 4.1 is an ideal platform for living aboard and ­entertaining. “I thought that space was fantastic, and I was shocked at how well it sailed,” said Alvah Simon. But safety expert Simon also felt the anchoring system was inadequate for full-time cruising, and the yacht did not advance in the competition.

Bali 4.1

The Lagoon 40 scored high marks from the judges in the dockside inspections, and with a price tag of $400,000, it cost significantly less (anywhere from $60,000 to over $200,000) than its competitors. With solid systems installs and top-shelf equipment, and plenty of aesthetic improvements over previous Lagoons, that ­represented real value. But out on the water, where opinions are often swayed, the remaining two cats advanced with the judges.

Lagoon 40

As the deliberations ­continued, the two-boat battle was on.

The Fountaine Pajot Astréa 42 is a boat that does a lot of things well, which reflects the dual purposes it will address: a boat that will be put in charter in some instances, and serve as a dedicated cruising boat in others. The judges spent a lot of time discussing helm stations; like many contemporary cats, the Astréa 42 employs a wheel to starboard that’s raised from the cockpit.

RELATED: Seawind 1260 Catamaran Review

“On the Astréa, we have a kind of modified bulkhead helm station that’s split into two, so you’re sitting behind a wheel with engine controls on one level, then you step around a pedestal, and there’s a walkway through to all the sail controls,” said Tim Murphy, who found the arrangement well-reasoned and efficient. It separates the two functions — driving and sailhandling — but keeps them in close proximity, even for a solo sailor. Everyone agreed it was a smart solution, coupled with a good layout and solid performance.

Fountaine Pajot

So, the question became: Did the Astréa meet its stated purpose, for private ownership and for chartering, as well as the Seawind 1260 addressed its design brief, as a dedicated liveaboard cruiser without charter aspirations?

It was a question that elicited spirited remarks from all the judges.

“Look at those stainless-steel welds on the seawind 1260. they’re just mind- boggling.”

“Let me start with the Fountaine Pajot,” said Ed Sherman. “They did a lot of things really right. In terms of systems and wire labeling, all the workmanship was top-notch. I thought the glued-in keel concept was excellent. It made a lot of sense to me.

“But the one thing about the Seawind that I loved was the dual helms, as opposed to the Astréa’s single wheel,” he added. “It’s the whole visibility thing that we see on many cats, where the helmsman’s view is compromised on one tack or the other. That wasn’t an issue on the Seawind. And the builder is doing a great job. You look at the stainless steel and the polished welds everywhere on the boat; it’s just mind-boggling.”

“These are both good boats,” said Simon. “But I think, given their respective missions, that the Seawind did a better job as a true cruising boat than the Astréa did as a dual cruising/charter boat. Maybe barring places like the Northwest Passage and Cape Horn, to me the Seawind 1260 is a boat that can take people pretty much anywhere in the world. I think it’s the clear winner as the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet.” So did his mates.

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Seawind 1260: Review

The latest rendition of a famous australian cruising cat is easy to sail and kicks along even in light airs.

Evolving from one of Australia’s best-selling catamarans, the new Seawind 1260 continues the brand’s long tradition of delivering a tough, bullet-proof cat for cruising in local coastal waters.

OVERVIEW - Long-haul bluewater cruiser Like her earlier sisters, the 1200 and 1250, the new Seawind 1260 is designed for long-haul bluewater sailing, so a cruise around the Pacific is not out of the question. However, the immediate attraction for many Seawind fans will be the extra space and speed this 41-foot model offers. At the same time, she remains a size that a couple, or solo a sailor, can handle.

Now built in Vietnam at the Corsair factory, the whole design approach at Seawind is somewhat different to the European-style cat. The Seawind hulls are noticeably slimmer and feature lower freeboard and quite streamlined cabin structure. There's still generous water clearance under the bridge deck, but the result is a cat that cuts more easily through waves with less tendency to hobby-horse.

Certainly, keen offshore sailors will approve of the way the Seawind 1260 sails well upwind and holds a much higher pointing angle than most higher volume cruising cats. This is one of its strengths.

However, the real clincher for many buyers is the Seawind 1260's suitability for cruising our warm northern waters. Key to all this is a superb indoor/outdoor living space created by the deck saloon and rear cockpit. A clever tri-fold door system allows the whole back end of the saloon to open up and form a seamless living space with the cockpit.

The Seawind also has front-opening saloon windows, so in hot weather you can have natural air flow through the main living area. So, all the pieces fall into place for that long-dreamt cruise north to the aquamarine waters of the Coral Coast.

Once in the tropics, her shallow keeled hulls make her safe to sail amongst reef studded waters and, when the time comes to beach her in ‘Careening Cove’ at low tide for a scrub, no problems.

Back on the track, the Seawind 1260’s good turn of speed will also give you more than a chance if you drop in on the Airlie and Hamilton Island Race Weeks. Catamarans are welcome to race and with a keen crew you will 'put a cat among the pigeons' especially off wind under a big gennaker!

Still, cruising is the main purpose of the Seawind 1260 and here she shines with sleeping accommodation for three couples in three separate double-berth cabins. The best choice is the owner's deluxe on-suite that takes up the whole port hull.

A Charter Version provides four double berth cabins, and it's interesting to note the test boat bound for charter work in the Whitsundays features the tri-cabin layout. Called No Regrets she is owned by Chris and Joanne Rose who are passionate scuba divers and intend to use their cat for exploring the Barrier Reef and beyond. That's when she's not being chartered out, of course!

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT - Competitively priced and charter investment deals The base price for a new Seawind 1260 landed is from $670,000, with standard auxiliary power comes from twin 29hp Yanmar Saildrive diesels.

As tested — that is, built to Charter Survey — out boat cost about $750,000. Seawind has some charter investment packages that can help make your boat a bona fide business and investment in more than just your lifestyle.

The as-tested pricing included a full set of working sails, anchor gear, electric windlass, mooring gear, Compasses, DSC VHF radio, antifouling and solar panels with 40amp regulator.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION - Cockpit space is the big winner here The star of the show has to be the rear cockpit with its deluxe rear lounge and outdoor-cooking space. The whole area is protected by a rigid awning and Targa so there's very effective sun protection, yet you are free to enjoy the 'outdoor' life-style' in comfort.

You can enjoy this space so many ways, as the lounge can be folded into a day bed, or you can open up the stow-away gas BBQ and enclosed sink for cooking. You can also add a dining table and draw up two roller cooler/seat boxes to create an instant al fresco dining setting for eight people.

With the tri-fold doors lifted out of the way by a sheet winch, the saloon becomes a large, light, airy living space. Here you can also have eight friends sit down for dinner around a large dining table.  The open 'serving area' off to starboard allows food to be passed directly up from the galley below.

The galley is a Master Chef’s delight — way bigger than you see on yachts this size because it's a galley-down location in the starboard hull.

This long galley design ensures loads of bench space finished in Polystone. Here you have a double-bowl sink, three-burner gas stove/oven and 130-litre front-opening fridge. The narrow passage makes it ideal for cooking at sea since you can wedge yourself in quite easily.

Stairways lead down into each hull and portside reveals the spacious owner on-suite with its glamour bathroom and oversize shower booth. The elevated island runs athwartships and while you have to step up to the berth it's a genuine Queen size.

On starboard, there's a guest double berth cabin aft behind the galley and a second guest cabin for'ard with another queen-size bed. These cabins share a second bathroom situated in the fore part of the hull with plenty of light coming from the fixed side windows, plus nice ventilation from overhead hatches.

On longer trips you can use the saloon navigation table as a study or office. Here you can also swivel-mount a large GPS chart-plotter so you can view it inside the cabin, or from the helm.

You can also explore further with 700-litre water tankage and 480-litres of fuel.

HULL AND ENGINEERING - Composite build, shallow keels and Yanmar power Our new test boat featured the latest modular composite construction. The vinylester-infused fibreglass hull has modular furniture units that greatly increase hull stiffness and strength. She is further strengthened by composite bulkheads being fully fibre-glassed into the hull and deck structures. She also meets Australian survey and European CE Certification.

The shallow keels naturally protect the hull and there are spade rudders under each stern to provide better steering at speed. The steering wheels are independently linked to the steering system as a back-up safety feature.

The rig has a deck-stepped alloy mast supported by gunwale-mounted shrouds and a diamond-stay system. Having the steering wheels located at the cockpit sides allows the helmsman to view the sails and also work the winches at the same time.

Standard auxiliary power comes from twin 29hp Yanmar Saildrive diesels that deliver a decent turn of speed (7-8 knots) and provide great response in reverse, which helps when backing into a marina berth.

Talking of standard inventory on deck, you get two bow pulpit seats, several large lockers for mooring gear and a remote-controlled electric windlass and 45lb CQR anchor and chain within an anchor launcher.

The Seawind 1260 also comes standard with three-line, 70cm life-rails that meet survey/charter requirements.

UNDER SAIL     - Light airs test, but she moved along     Our Sydney test served up a very light westerly so we weren't able to experience the Seawind in full flight. However, we did get to see how well the 1260 sails in lighter winds.

Where most big cruising cats would virtually stop, the Seawind 1260 kept moving along doing 3.5-4 knots sailing upwind in no more than 5 knots. It's a pretty impressive effort and bodes well for sailing on those long passages where you don't always want to be resorting to the motor.

The Seawind's modern, high-aspect rig certainly puts sparkle into her sailing performance. It's all pretty easy to set sail with a boom drop bag and lazy-jacks on the mainsail and furler on the headsail. There's also roller-bearing bat cars up the mast track for easy hoisting of the full-battened mainsail.

Our test boat had the standard self-tailing (40ST and 46ST) winches, but electric winches are also an option. I also like the drop bins alongside the helm to keep all the ropes ship-shape.

Overall, the Seawind 1260 feels responsive and easy to sail. I can only imagine the pleasure of sailing aboard in the tropical north with the wind up, sun going and Pina Colada in hand!

A self-tacking jib and halyards leading aft to the twin helm stations also help with short-handed sailing, even if that's due to the cocktail. The helm positions either side are shaded by hardtops, offer good vision, and have sunroofs that let you see the main'sail above.

The twin helms on this 1260 are an advantage over a single central helm station.

VERDICT - A local favourite with a long life The Seawind brand has enjoyed a strong following in Australia for decades so I expect this will continue with the new model even as the brand expands internationally.

Many buyers will be the traditional bluewater sailing type, however, I see buyers also coming from the ranks of the investor/owner. That's because cats like the Seawind 1260 are perfectly suited to the charter world.

There is plenty of room to relax on deck and loads of inside accommodation to suit group charters. The way the Seawind sails in a level manner, without heeling, also makes her way more appealing to the less experienced 'holiday' sailors.

In places like the Whitsunday Islands, the big Seawind 1260 will just scoot along before a fresh south-east trade wind providing her guests with a fast, fun yet comfortable ride. So, I expect a quite a few Seawind 1260 will weave their way to those warm, beautiful waters. Will you be following them?

LIKE >> The tri-fold doors making for great indoor/outdoor space >> Rear lounge and stow-away BBQ are brilliant features >> Master Chef size galley on lower level

NOT SO MUCH >> Having to take steps up to master berth >> Navigation table is a wee small >> No drink holder at the helm Specifications: Seawind 1260 Price as Tested: Built to Charter Survey for $750,000 including twin 29hp Yanmar engines with Saildrives, a set of working sails, anchor gear, electric windlass, mooring gear, Compasses, DSC VHF radio, anti-fouling and solar panels with 40amp regulator. Base Price: From $670,000, with 29hp Yanmar engines with Saildrives

LOA: 12.45m Beam:  6.80m Displacement: 8200kg Underwing clearance: 0.80m Steering: Twin wheels Auxiliary Power: 2 x Yanmar 29hp Working Sail Area: 85sq m Fuel Tankage: 480lt Water Tankage: 700lt Sleeping: 6+1

Supplied by: Multihull Central, Rozelle Bay, Sydney Phone: 02 9810 5014 or email [email protected] More at Multihull Central.

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Full sail plan view of the Seawind 1260 - photo © John Curnow

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Multihull of the year

Seawind 1260

A traditional design, with the weight under control and open layouts, this Australian 41-foot catamaran comes with a proven pedigree, good practicalities and enough speed to reel in the miles for bluewater passage-making. A future classic!

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  • Builder : SEAWIND CATAMARANS
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  • Available in issue # 172

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The Seawind 1260 was launched in 2018, and was an evolution of the popular 1250 that had proven herself across all the world’s oceans, as had her smaller sibling, the 1160 that continues to be built. Straight away, I got a positive feel, and having sailed on the original 1250s, even delivering one around the north of Australia, I can testify to their seaworthiness after that 1,500 nm voyage in all kinds of weather.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

The proven pedigree of the Seawind 1250

Following the financial crisis of 2008, this former Australianbased company saw serious financial difficulties which led them to establish a more cost-effective base in Vietnam, which I visited to see their modern operation. More recently, boss Richard Ward has been telling me about further expansion plans for their Hoh Chi Minh site: the construction of an entirely new purposebuilt yard which will be near the water to allow much easier launching of their entire range of Seawinds and their Corsair brand as well. The 1260 is clearly following in the wake of the previous model, right down to that familiar rounded topside profile that has positive shear and a chine on the inboard side of the hulls, creating more space inside. ...

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Seawind catamarans.

For 35+ years, Seawind catamarans has been building and designing cruising catamarans. In 2010, they acquired Corsair Marine and all Seawinds are currently build at the Corsair facility. Seawind builds performance oriented catamarans that are fast, seaworthy passage makers. Seawind catamarans offers 15 different models of catamaran and trimarans and is one of the largest multihull builders in the world. They build strong, light weight composite catamarans that leverage resin infusion and vacuum bagging. Seawind catamaran prices as low as $100,000+ for a used Seawind 1160 and up to $800,000+ for a new Seawind 1600. For information on pricing of new Seawind catamarans please visit their website or contact an authorized dealer.

Seawind Models

Seawind 1600 Catamaran

Seawind 1600

The Seawind 1600 is a blue water cruiser designed to have a balance of sailing performance and cruising comfort. It is built with the latest techniques using a composite construction, and a great effort is made to save weight, making this catamaran fast and practical. DESIGN – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR The Seawind 1600 was designed by renowned naval architects Reichel Pugh and built by Seawind, an Australian based company that recently moved its production facilities to Vietnam. Designed with performance and weight saving in mind, it’s hulls are narrow and reinforced with Kevlar and carbon. The interior has a minimalist design and is offered in two finishes, “European” and “Traditional.” The retractable rudders and daggerboards give a maximum draft of

Seawind 1260 Catamaran

Seawind 1260

The Seawind 1260 was named the best sailing catamaran under 50 feet by Cruising WorldMmagazine in 2018. It was designed for serious bluewater cruising and is based on the earlier Seawind 1250 with upgrades and refinements. The spacious living area with brilliant natural ventilation, protected cockpit lounge, and social helm seats create an open, indoor/outdoor lifestyle. While the robust and comfortable design contributes to it being a safe and luxurious offshore cruiser. DESIGN – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR Seawind has been manufacturing and designing cruising catamarans for over 35 years. Originally established in Australia, the Seawind 1260 is built in Vietnam after production was moved there a few years ago. These boats are constructed as full female molded hulls and decks,

Catamaran Makes

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SEAWIND 1260

Continuing the line of legendary 12-metre seawind catamarans, this boat is the perfect balance of cruising practicality and powerful sailing performance., best catamaran under 50 feet, 2019 cruising world boat of the year.

The 41ft Seawind 1260 catamaran is a product of the best ideas, engineering and craftsmanship accumulated by the Seawind Catamarans team of expert boat builders and designers. With over 30 years’ experience in building high quality offshore cruising catamarans, the 1260 combines the best of the company’s expertise and experiences into one of the world’s most practical and capable 40’ blue water cruising catamaran sailboats.

A COMFORTABLE INDOOR/ OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

Open lifestyle with the best natural ventilation.

The innovative tri-fold door system converts the boat from having the security of a centre bulkhead separating the outdoor cockpit and internal saloon, into a large alfresco dining and living space as the door folds away and stow up into the ceiling of the cockpit roof.

OPTIMUM BALANCE

The ultimate mid-sized ocean cruiser.

The Seawind 1260 continues a long and successful series of 12-metre Seawind Catamarans which now carry legendary status among cruisers.  In many cases, this size offers the optimum balance between cruising robustness, and manageability for a couple.  The sustained success of this series is built on key features which are part of our DNA.

BEST CRUISING CATAMARAN UNDER 50 FEET

ALL controls are at your fingertips and use Seawind Catamarans' refined short handed sailing optimization system to provide ultimate control from the helm, avoiding the need to go forward for virtually any task!

With over 30 years’ experience in building high quality offshore cruising catamarans, the 1260 combines the best of the company’s expertise and experiences into one of the world’s most practical and capable 40’ blue water cruising catamarans.

Twin helm positions are a must have for any true sailor, the Seawind 1260 offer the perfect balance between excellent 360 degree visibility and total protection from the weather in any conditions, whilst always offering the skipper full control and comfortable navigation around the cockpit.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

SPECIFICATIONS

Overall length, 41' / 12.45 m, 22'3" / 6.8 m, 3' 8" / 1.16 m, displacement, 18,077 lbs / 8,200 kg, diesel saildrives, 2 x 29 hp yanmar, 126 us gal / 480 litres, fresh water, 185 us gal / 700 litres, 1,014 sq ft / 94.2 sq m, screecher (optional), 296 sq ft / 27.5 sq m, spinnaker (optional), 1,238 sq ft / 115 sq m, let's go sailing, 41-footer to cruise the world.

After the Annapolis Boat Show, Nick and Terysa from Sailing Ruby Rose went for the test sail of the Seawind 1260. Let's look at how the Seawind 1260 performs and why it is sailors' best choice!

RECOMMENDED OPTIONS

seawind 1260 catamaran review

BATTERY LITHIUM UPGRADE (720AH)

seawind 1260 catamaran review

Change from the traditional AGM battery system to a high capacity Lithium system from Mastervolt. This option not only upgrades the batteries but also modifies the entire charging system ensuring a total compatible system including upgraded mastervolt alternators and regulators, additional AGM start battery and DC/DC charging unit.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

B&G FORWARD SCAN OPTION

Explore poorly-chartered or unfamiliar waters confidently, avoid upcoming dangers or obstructions and set custom shallow depth alarms with B&G’s forward-looking sensor. With an effective range eight times the actual depth, ForwardScan® helps you avoid groundings or damage to keels and rudders while pinpointing the ideal spot for anchoring.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

DUAL TELEFLEX ENGINE CONTROLS - MECHANICAL

This option gives the skipper the ability to control the engines from both helms delivering the optimum in boat handelling capability and maneuvering.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

ANCHOR BRIDLE

One of the few shortcommings of a catamaran is its’ tendancy not to stay head to wind on anchor. As wind blows across the bows the boat will tend to twist from side to side around the anchor chain. This effect is combatted by the use of an anchor bridle.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

MARINE VINYL COCKPIT FLOORING

This foam backed waterproof marine flooring by Infinity Luxury Woven Vinyl will help keep your cockpit clean and tidy, It reduces pressure on your heels when barefoot onboard and looks super classy!

seawind 1260 catamaran review

C-ZONE DIGITAL SWITCHING (DC)

The sleek CZone® touch screen digital switching system provides a lightweight sophisticated switching system enabelling control and monetoring of your vessel through the navigation tables touch screen display or through WiFi connection the system can also be controlled at the helm mounted chart plotter or wirelessly via tablet or smartphone.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

SOLAR PANEL UPGRADE FROM 2X 125W TO 2X 210W RIGID AND 2X 320W FLUSH PANELS

In this configuration we installed 2x 320w flush panels on the hardtop and 2x 210w framed panels off the back of the targa arch giving a total of 1060W. The flush mount panels can contour to the shape of the roof and can therefore cover more surface area, their weakness however is reduced efficiency (our tests showed a 10% reduction compared to the framed panels of equivalent wattage).

seawind 1260 catamaran review

PROPELLER 3 BLADE GORI FOLDING UPGRADE

A great upgrade for Yanmar inboard diesel engines the 3 blade Gori folding propeller’s “overdrive” function adds a new dimension to sailing under power. The helmsman can choose the propeller pitch and profile in the water while sailing forward, by regulating the yacht’s shift and throttle control.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

UPGRADE TO 12" ZEUS3 CHARTPLOTTER

The Zeus³-12 is a complete chartplotter navigation system for blue water cruisers and regatta racers. This high-performance multi-function display features a 12″ diagonal widescreen display, incorporating SolarMAX™ HD technology for brilliant daytime visibility and ultra-wide viewing angles.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

B&G AUTOPILOT REMOTE

Stay in control, wherever you are on board. Incorporating long-range Bluetooth technology for up to 30 metres range in a compact and lightweight package, the WR10 wireless remote works with Simrad autopilot systems to enable precise heading adjustments and autopilot control.

seawind 1260 catamaran review

SATELITE PHONE/DATA WIFI ROUTER IRIDIUM GO

The IRIDIUM GO! is a satellite wifi router/phone. Once installed in the boat the boat will have a wifi hotspot the same as any office/home and all devices (phones, computers, chartplotters, c-zone etc) can then easily be connected to the internet. The unit is made by Iridium and the service provider is a company called PredictWind, which also supply the Iridium GO! kit with all parts needed including a pre-activated SIM card.

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Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums.
11-06-2023, 06:45  
Boat: 34' Crowther tri sold 16' Kayak now
11-06-2023, 07:34  
1170. I came across an informative video that provides an excellent overview of the . You can watch it here: (starting at 9:05).

I wanted to inquire about the performance of the 1170 in comparison to the Seawind 1260, considering its higher , smaller sail area, and shorter length. With its increased , the 1170 might have a larger wet surface area and more drag. How do you think its performance will measure up to the 1260, given the similar range?
11-06-2023, 07:41  
Boat: TRT 1200
11-06-2023, 08:23  
11-06-2023, 17:52  
Boat: Yamaha AR192
option in the future (maybe after they drop the 1160).
11-06-2023, 17:54  
Boat: TRT 1200
option in the future (maybe after they drop the 1160).
11-06-2023, 18:00  
Boat: Yamaha AR192
11-06-2023, 18:03  
Boat: TRT 1200
11-06-2023, 18:08  
Boat: Yamaha AR192
11-06-2023, 19:59  
of it sailing. Looks like less Bridge clearance than 1260? Makes sense, they sacrificed that for the headroom above the . Also heavier.

11-06-2023, 22:51  
Boat: Building a Max Cruise 44 hybrid electric cat
of it sailing. Looks like less Bridge clearance than 1260? Makes sense, they sacrificed that for the headroom above the . Also heavier.



13-06-2023, 06:47  
Boat: 34' Crowther tri sold 16' Kayak now
I just got says #1and 2 were built in but #3 is being built in . Is this accurate or a typo? And are they going to build the 1170 in 2 locations or shift it all to ?


Edit: That is from Seawind and they say that they are going to shift it all to Turkey (I think). It makes sense because is inconvenient for the majority of buyers.
13-06-2023, 09:13  
Boat: TRT 1200
13-06-2023, 20:37  
14-06-2023, 15:21  
Boat: 34' Crowther tri sold 16' Kayak now
were made there and it was too expensive to get them to or the of the US. Vietnam is still close to there but I think SW wants a foot in the worldwide market.
 
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