The Neel 45 Trimaran is one of the coolest boats introduced in 2013 and is an absolute blast to sail. It was voted Best Boat in 2013 by Cruising World and Sail magazines and they had good reason to do so. Joubert-Nivelt designed and built by French offshore racer Eric Bruneel, the boat is a great combination of intriguingly radical and elegantly innovative. It’s an easy to sail, high performance, cruising multihull, appealing to high speed enthusiasts as well the cruising couple looking for a little excitement. It is light and spartan with enough creature comforts to make it a very comfortable cruising boat.
The 645-square-foot mainsail is simple to manage. The block-and-tackle mainsheets offer full sail-shaping control without a traveler; A self-tacking jib and a bow-thruster simplify sail-handling and maneuvering in tight spaces. In 15 knots of breeze, we reached at just over 11 knots boat speed, in 1-2ft sea state. With a 55-hp Volvo pushing us at 2600 rpm, we made about 8.5 knots; The boat can reach speeds as high as 20 knots but a comfortable cruising speed is about 10 knots. Continue reading for Neel 45 reviews and a video.
Neel 45 Reviews
Below are a couple of top-notch reviews that really help you get a feel for the Neel. Plus, check out the video at right to help you make your own opinions.
Read the Cruising World Review of the Neel 45.
Neel 45 Trimaran Specifications
- Overall length 44 ft
- Overall width 28 ft
- Draft 4 ft
- Air draft 63 ft
- Light displacement 6.5 T
- Full load displacement 9 T
- Self tacking staysail 65 sq ft
Furling genoa 495 sq ft- Battened gaff mainsail 645 sq ft
- Engine Volvo 55 hp sail drive
- Freshwater 160 us gallons
- Diesel 80 US gallons
- Designer: Joubert Nivelt Mercier
- Concept: Eric Bruneel
Furling genoa 495 sq ftNeel 45 Layout Plan
Owner’s Version
- Three double cabins
- Two bathrooms
Charter Version
- Three double cabins
- Two tween cabins
- Main cabin bench also converts into double bed
Neel 45 Construction
- Structural calculations by finite element modelling and loading dimension case study.
- Glass / Isophthalic Polyester Resin / closed-cell foam and honeycomb PVC sandwich construction.
