hh catamaran interior

Yachting World

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HH44 review: Taking fast multihull cruising to another level

• Toby Hodges
• February 22, 2024

Disruptive, innovative, and contemporary in style and technology, this electrified HH44 takes fast multihull cruising to a new level, says Toby Hodges

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

A fast, fun catamaran that is safe and comfortable may once have been a pipe dream, but is now perhaps the biggest growth market in yachting. However, creating a performance catamaran at or below 45ft is no easy task. It’s an elusive sweet spot because many buyers think they want what the 50ft+ catamarans offer but in a more manageable and, crucially, affordable package.

Meanwhile from the designers’ and yards’ point of view, that’s not so easily achieved – in particular the challenge of keeping a boat light enough to perform, yet offer all the amenities expected of multihull living.

Then try building something on which you can still turn a profit? That focusses the mind. It could be argued that those meeting this challenge most creatively and effectively at the moment are HH, led by experienced boatbuilder Paul Hakes, and in particular his son James – the 44’s lead designer. They describe this new baby of their range as ‘groundbreaking’.

The HH44 seemingly combines all the latest thinking around performance and technology while also adding a liberal sprinkling of fresh ideas, including being the first production catamaran to feature parallel hybrid propulsion. And all this while still being capable of ocean cruising.

Can such a feature-rich fast cat work harmoniously at this size though? I was keen to find out. A quick first sail during European Yacht of the Year trials in the autumn provided a taster and I hope a lengthier test will follow to draw more conclusions. But it was enough to get an idea of what works, what doesn’t, and get a feel for why this model has sold in such extraordinary numbers (over 30 off the plans alone).

Fresh thinking: unlike earlier Morrelli & Melvin HHs, the 44 has been conceived and designed fully in-house by James Hakes

A speed date

First impressions are of a very modern looking fast cat, more like a 50-footer perhaps that’s been squeezed a little, with length lost out of the ends. So there’s noticeably high freeboard and good bridgedeck clearance (over 3ft). The sporty look is set off by razor sharp bows and an attractive coachroof line, which extends right back to cover the aft helms. Next up you notice the powerful carbon rig, while even from the dock you can appreciate the formidable amount of natural light being encouraged in through the massive amounts of glazing in the coachroof and hull portlights.

The choice to go with aft helms triggered other design decisions, including keeping the boom (and centre of effort) low, and allowing HH to use the whole roof for a solar array. This resulted in a market leading 4.2kW of panels as standard.

Go to step aboard and you instantly appreciate some of the innovative features. For starters, with the boat moored side-on, you can actually step aboard via a gate in the aft bulwark, rather than having to perform some sort of gymnastic hurdle onto the transom steps, as you do on most high freeboard catamarans today.

Furling headsails set on a carbon longeron. All lines are led to the cockpit. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

This leads us on to one of my next favourite features: the folding transoms. Rather than the typical open transom steps that any clumsy crewmember, inquisitive child or pet can fall down and out of, the HH has lowering platforms which serve as a bathing platform, protect those aboard from falling out and, crucially, prevent a following sea from pooping the cockpit. And when you are helming from that far aft, this will be of real comfort.

Washboards are a popular option for many offshore cruising cats, but typically look like an afterthought and are used sparingly, where this is integrated into the design in a seamless fashion. Operation is also pretty neat: a line is led forward through the bulwarks to aside the helms, allowing a powered winch to be used. These lifting platforms also add extra usable space when folded down. The downside is they make the transoms look a bit high and, well, sawn off.

Smooth moves

We pulled away from the dock – in silence. The HH44 was designed from scratch to incorporate parallel hybrid propulsion. Not only do these ‘EcoDrives’ offer silent, fume-free motoring, but they can also hydrogenerate while sailing – more on that later.

Huge forward facing opening windows provide formidable through-flow ventilation to the interior. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

The test boat was the more popular and expensive Sports Cruising (SC) model, which is built in carbon epoxy and features C-shape carbon daggerboards, a Marstrom carbon mast and these EcoDrives as standard – 80% of orders have been for this, while an Ocean Cruising (OC) model is also offered with a gelcoat finish, aluminium mast and fixed keels.

Swing pedestals are used each side to allow the helmsman to steer either with an outboard view or from a more protected position beneath the bimini looking through the coachroof windows. This is an increasingly common practical feature on today’s catamarans and one fitted on the first HH66 a decade ago. It also allows you to free up some space when needed. Equally the fold down helm seats each side can be kept out of the way unless needed and while these do offer a nice perch, they are a little low for maintaining clear sightlines.

Once the sails go up you can quickly see why HH has incorporated such features as there is a lot going on in these aft quarters. You find yourself regularly swinging the helm over to get it out the way to work the winches. And yet there are still blind spots from the helms with pedestals canted – a drawback of having low helms right in the quarters.

Easy side boarding access. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

Sailing upwind with the Doyle square-top main and Solent set, we had a long beat into 11-15 knots true wind, making 7.5-8.5 knots against an awkward swell at 40° the apparent wind. Lining up against other yachts around us proved these were not far off performance monohull speeds and angles.

While beating into an ugly, sharp 2.5m swell is not what most owners might choose, it’s something all need to do at times and proved helpful to get a feel for the HH’s manners. It resulted in a predictably awkward twisting motion aboard, however the fine bows did cut through the swell well, keeping speed up, and the high freeboard kept the deck dry. It was also noticeably direct on the wheel and responsive to sail trim (this despite the traveller being locked in a central position after the line driver developed a problem earlier in the week).

We bore away and set a top-down gennaker, increasing average speed to 8.5-10+ knots depending on the swell angle. Again these are respectable figures considering a breeze of only around 11 knots apparent. The polars suggest double figures should be easy to maintain when reaching in anything above 12-14 knots true. I felt a clear difference in small wind increment gains. This is a stiff yacht, which reacts quickly to puffs – you really feel that extra couple of knots as the boat accelerates – while Cyclops Marine sensors help you monitor the loads in the rigging, which is reassuring.

In terms of operation the HH has been set up to be completely controlled from the helms. The upgraded, powered winches on the test boat can be remotely operated with foot controls, which is particularly helpful for short-handed work and adjusting the 5m-long daggerboards.

sporty, compact nerve centres leave good cockpit space. Single panel sliding doors, aft windows swing open and there is no mullion between them. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

Moving forward the decks are a lot cleaner, thanks to all running rigging led through line tunnels underdeck (even jib sheets). Toerails and high stanchions give a good feeling of security, while comfortable, grippy Eva foam decking comes as standard all over the deck. Foam decking has been used a lot on race boats in recent years and offers an appealing solution for cruising boats as it’s so comfortable under foot, easy to clean and doesn’t get hot like teak or teak alternatives. A question mark perhaps remains over its longevity and durability.

See the light

Such is the extent of the glazing and natural light encouraged into the HH44, it’s almost as if there is no inside/outside divide. Granted, there is a particularly glossy white decor on this first model, which helps emphasise that brightness (many other colour and trim combinations are offered), but the real key lies in the size of the coachroof windows.

The SC model has carbon epoxy infused hulls with E-glass decks and foam-cored furniture, essentially a highly stiff construction technique which also allows for the two huge tempered glass opening windows. As well as an overhead and two central hatches, these massive Lewmar windows provide phenomenal ventilation at anchor.

Over 2m headroom in the particularly bright and well ventilated saloon and galley. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

The bridgedeck layout is ideal to benefit from all this natural light and ventilation too, with its large forward-facing navstation and saloon, and a galley which seamlessly links to the cockpit. In the hulls it’s a three cabin layout only, but there are some choices in the forward starboard cabin, which can be a compact double, a Pullman or a utility cabin. It’s here where you see the prime payoff of having a performance cat, with ultra fine bows and large daggerboard casings stealing precious volume.

Parallel hybrid power

The aft berths lift on struts to reveal the engine bays below. At first these look like conventional 30hp Beta marine diesels, before you notice the water-cooled electric motors bolted on their aft ends. These act as electric drives, high powered alternators and hydrogenerators.

This EcoDrive system was designed to provide the key benefits of an electric boat, without sacrificing the backup of diesel engines. So essentially, they “piggyback on reliable normal diesel engines”, says Paul Hakes. The diesels can become two DC generators, putting 10kW into the battery bank while motoring, or the props can spin to charge while sailing.

Plenty of light and headroom plus inviting doubles aft, but volume is lost forward with the fine bows. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

The crew used only the electric propulsion to get the HH44 in and out of Port Ginesta multiple times per day that week. The 10kW electric motors can provide 1.5 hours propulsion at max thrust without charge – at which stage you can run a diesel. So effectively you end up having four engines, HH reasons.

The 840Ah lithium ion battery bank is large enough to run AC overnight without running an engine. High load items are on 48V while 12V systems use a DC to DC converter.

When you consider the high level of competition, such as the Balance 442, the Outremer 45 and the new Seawind 1370, the HH44 is the highest end in terms of cost and exotic build. The SC is the only one in its class to have carbon fibre hulls as standard, including carbon rig, bowsprit, daggerboards, and rudders, while the electric drives, 4.2kW of solar and 48V battery bank etc all come as standard too. I also like how HH’s price list labels every extra with its weight; so if you want full aircon in the boat, for example (a strange choice with this much ventilation), it’s a whopping 200kg extra.

43.2kWh of lithium ion 48V house batteries can be charged by solar, the diesel motor and hydrogeneration under sail. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

James Hakes tells me they wanted to design the 44 in-house for multiple reasons: “It has so many new details not attempted before, and we needed very tight control over the design to execute them correctly.”

HH has “a lot of firepower to throw at design issues to rapidly iterate dozens of ideas” and needed to design it to be easy to build.

While HH’s production so far has been in Xiamen, China, the popularity of the HH44s and new HH52s is such that a new manufacturing facility is now running in Cebu, Philippines, which will help increase capacity to around 30 HH44s a year. This is also not a bad place for trial/shakedown sails or to start multihull cruising!

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The HH44 certainly packs in the attractions. A fast and sporty carbon cat with efficient daggerboards that’s reactive and fun to sail, with a bright modern interior. It boasts the most sail power and highest performance ratio in its class, so cruisers will need to handle this hull-flying capable cat with care. There’s as much light and ventilation as you could wish for, renewable energy, silent power yet with the reassurance of diesel back up, all topped with a generous serving of clever ideas on deck and in the cockpit. However, you pay for all this... It may have the benefit of being a more manageable size but it’s still a 50ft+ cat in price. As mentioned, though, what comes as standard is seriously impressive. While I have enjoyed sailing other aft cockpit cats before, I did find the helms on the HH44 a bit crowded and with blind spots – but I’ll reserve full judgement on that for a longer trial please! So while HH’s new baby is not perfect, it is quite brilliant. And after all, who would buy such a boat for marina hopping? This is for long passages, tradewind sailing and tropical anchorages, where it’s sure to turn heads. Mark this as your must view or sail cat for 2024.

HH44 Catamaran: The sailing TIE-Fighter

• April 19th, 2024
• Sailing Yacht

Safe the best for last, as they say, right? And as such I´d like to write my final article from this year´s La Grande Motte Multihull show about a very special catamaran. HH Catamarans is neither a newcomer on the boating market – actually, the company was founded some 12 years ago by the renowned boatbuilders Mr. Hudson and Mr. Hakes – hence the name “HH” Catamarans. Nor is their no-compromise approach new.

Honestly, I´ve seen them around but never really approached this brand or boat. Maybe that is because “HH” is an awkward name to speak, but surely because I did not really know what HH Catamarans was all about and frankly, what an awesome build their boats really are! In this, join me for a really cool walkthrough in a yacht that sets the bar a bit higher. Quite a bit!

Emerging Player: HH Catamarans

First things first: Yes, these are boats which are built in China. But, like with so many other things, it is not the origin of a product that is deciding but the briefing and budget given to the makers. In terms of HH Catamarans, the company has set up a state-of-the-art production plant in Xiamen that is owned and run by the company (not a rented production facility!). I haven´t been there but from what one can see online and by talking to the guys present at the HH Cats stand, this is the best from the best. Most advanced CNC , infusion and Carbon Fiber processing technology on the market. Cheap China? Not at all! This 44-footer comes with a plus one million price tag: An HH Catamaran is absolute top shelf luxury.

As apparently the stand and the catamaran was full the whole boat show, I walked by several times hoping for a calm spot to not being interfered with when taking pictures. Which was really hard. Even before opening and after closing times, the cat was full of people checking it out. Which is a good sign. And I can understand why it attracts so many people: Nearing myself from bow, the design and lines are really breathtaking!

The extra-slim hulls and the negative stems make for a fine, slicing entry. The freeboard is very high and distance from the middle section to the waterline pleasantly high: A sign for a very seakind and fast catamaran. I liked the angled shapes very much, instantly I am reminded of the “Star Wars” starship design of the famous TIE-Fighters by the Empire – a daring look for sure. The high class paint of the hull sets it apart from the white deck-salon. A starship, ready to fly.

This enthusiasm changes a bit when I look from a stern angle at the boat. Again, I am reminded of another starship, this time Captain Jean-Luc Picard´s ENTERPRISE D, which looks awesome seen from some angles and doesn´t work anymore from others. The reason for this strange look of the HH 44 are the closed aft sections. The boat appears to have been sort of “cut off” or “sawn away” at the stern – but later more to this, because there is a not so stupid reason.

A hidden gem

Anyways, right on the last day of the “Multicoque 2024” it was my last chance to do the walkthrough and so I went over. Again, even for a traditionally lame last boat show Sunday, the yacht was full of people. So I thank all the guys who allowed me to have them on my pictures here, and so I started my tour.

The HH 44 is the smallest entry level catamaran of the range. The shipyard offers a staggering palette of eight models, ranging from 44 over 50, 52, 60, 66, 80 and a huge 88 feet flybridge super-catamaran. The model shown at La Grande Motte was a used boat, so not brand new anymore, but there were no visible signs of wear. Also, the HH 44 is offered in two principal versions: A cruising catamaran and a high-performance cruiser with daggerboards as displayed at La Grande Motte. Setting my foot into the salon, I quickly realized that this is truly a hidden gem.

A starship for sure!

To stay a bit with the starship-theme, it doesn´t feel like being on a boat. Her design – lightweight sandwich and painted carbon structures – is kept in shiny gloss-white and hard black contrasts. Only a few other colors, like the LED-lighting or slightly crème-colored leather cushion derive from the black/white design. I like it, it really feels like being on a starship.

The salon offers a classy layout with a nice wide L-settee around a reasonably sized dinner table. The windows to the front, the sides and abaft are huge and offer a true 360-degree roundsight. Having a lightweight build utilizing the latest material for stiffness, there are literally no bigger solid walls, it really feels like as if the roof is hovering above the deck.

To make a connection from the “inside” to the “outside”, which is the large aft cockpit under a rigid roof, the large galley window can be folded up and secured under the roof, the sliding door is also removed. In this, a ship´s cook facing backwards will have most fun when providing a meal. Dishes and food can quickly be shuffled out or hauled back in after a meal. Right onto the worktop where a large single sink is located. That this catamaran is a different level indeed can be seen at some really nice details.

For example, the integrated steps to go onto the roof are – at the inside – nicely stitched and wrapped in padded leather. Wow! I absolutely loved how nicely the sunshades work which are made of up to three moving fans going seamlessly up and down. Everything is made of a nice, “heavy” quality – there are literally no cheap plastic clasps installed in the boat.

For a 44-footer, die salon made a great impression on me. The layout is classy and very practical. It holds also a fine balance between providing as much (free) space as possible and at the same time having a safe (less empty volume) room to roam about even in heavy seas violently moving the boat. Comparing the HH 44 salon to “our” Excess 14 , which has roughly the same measurements, this one has less room and feels more “filled”, but on the other hand, comes with a very cruising- and owners-sailed optimized layout.

Design meets practical solutions

Looking at some key features, the distinction between an owner-optimized and vacation-optimized boat becomes apparent. For example the nav-station. This is an indisputable feature in a cruising catamaran, but of course, for boats predominantly used as vocational ships which as well must work fine in charter business , a dedicated nav-station will be as small as possible. This is different from a catamaran or boat (same goes for monohulls) which are intended and thought-through for sailor and owners-couple usage.

If you liked the huge role model nav station on the Outremer 52 , you will simply love the one on the HH 44! The desk is big enough so that two persons can take a seat on the lightweight, very practical poufs . I personally like the pivoting stool on the Outremer 52 more, but I´m sure the yard could fit something like this here as well. Also, all electronic displays and controls of the boat to be found outside are mounted as daughter displays in here. A fully operational control-bridge – best for a heavy weather watch!

Another deciding detail – this time much, much better solved than on the (much bigger) Outremer 52 and many other catamarans I´ve seen is the galley. It´s a U-shape, which not just provides so much extra stowage, but also a safe standing position to prepare food or doing the dishes. A ship´s cook can wedge in here and there´s no danger of falling through an all-open salon.

The boat is loaded with such amenities and practical solutions. The point is that you will never have the feeling that something has be done afterwards or as some sort of concession to some weird client´s requests, but it feels like the boat has been constructed around these things. Best seen where the large washing/drying machine is installed. They haven´t taken out a cabinet and just somehow fitted a washing machine, the whole area was planned to fit it. And to look nice, on top.

A Cathedral of light: Cabins aboard the HH 44

Let´s stay down below for a while because this is there the HH Catamaran really gets exciting. First of all, the black/white design in combination with huge and manifold windows and deck opening hatches makes for a wonderfully light suffused interior. There are windows literally everywhere you look – and a friendly light atmosphere. Many other boats are like “traps”, rather boosting seasickness than curing it.

This light-concept is best understood when checking the aft sections of the hulls: Huge rectangular bed which utilized all of the area between the hulls´ walls instead of island beds (which in my opinion are nice to look at in a catalogue but are a waste of space and unsafe in heavy seas). But the best are the windows … just look at this:

Owners and VIP-guests sleeping aft will enjoy a sunroom-like openness. I cannot remember having seen a boat´s cabin that offers such a huge amount of transparent area, being here whilst underway on the blue Ocean must be a tremendous experience. The only downside – as with so many boats – is that the hull windows are so high that you cannot look out whilst laying in bed. I guess that´s a safety issue, but it would have had an extra boosting comfort effect for sure.

Have no fear for your privacy, all windows on the HH 44 are tempered so that nobody can peep inside. This is especially important for the aft cabin´s windows which are directly en par with the cockpit: Essentially, any helmsman would have a front row seat and look through a +70 inch TFT-screen onto the owner´s berth. Normally, you don´t want this. The beds aren´t just big, spacy and cozy. Underneath, parts of the really advanced propulsion system are installed.

Hybrid propulsion and autonomous energy generation

Sustainability in boat building is a huge thing currently and I support this. Big companies are investing a lot in research and development, smaller startups try out their ideas and approaches. Of course, full electric or hydrogen-based propulsion is a thing of the future, but the first brands have launched their hybrid boats already. The HH 44 is such a yacht and the shipyard calls their concept the “Eco Drive”.

It´s basically the proven, rigid and reliable Diesel engine with a linear electric motore directly attached. This electric drive with two 10 kW also works as an alternator so that, when under Diesel engines, the large batteries are constantly reloaded. The Diesel engines (Vetus) are fitted directly underneath the aft beds. This is a rather uncommon approach and I have a lot of questions regarding heat, possible (dangerous) fumes, noise and vibrations and last not least questions like maintenance (inside the cabin) to possible exchange of an engine, but apparently HH found a solution to this.

The interesting aspect of the HH Catamarans “Eco Drive” concept is the interaction of the ensemble. Diesel-mode is clear, all electric mode is also clear. Furthermore, the alternators – when sailing and the props aren´t locked – recuperation mode is possible. Meaning by having the props rotate when sailing, they function like a hydro-generator. Also, there is a very clever “mix”-mode, as I call it. When you need Diesel-Power but also sleep, only one of the Diesels can be operated whilst the other is in recuperation mode.

Entering via a big removable door or wall piece from the forward guest cabin, there is full access to the battery and charger-room. The HH 44 is equipped with a set of 48 Volts lithium batteries with a combined power of over 43 kW hours, which is very impressive. This capacity is more than enough to ensure a cruising range (at 7 knots) of over 600 nautical miles or the utilization of all possible amenities for onboard comforts, like fridges, freezers, washing machines and even an AC.

Apart from than, the whole rooftop of the catamaran is completely covered with solar panels . The maximum power generation of these is 4.200 Watt-peak, which is also a lot when sailing or anchoring in sun-rich areas. The HH 44, like his bigger sisters, is a proven concept and a safe offshore-capable system. I found especially impressive how openly and honest the shipyard declares that they consider all-electric propulsion for not ready now. For the sake of seamanship and safety at sea, this is a brave and trust-building standpoint, better than offering something that is not ready now.

Luxury amenities and full-cruising capabilities

So, with such a rich abundancy of electric power and a long lasting range of almost complete autonomy, this catamaran is set to re-define the combination of luxury cruising with performance sailing. Luxury, that´s often a matter of being able to use the same household appliances which make our daily life at shore so convenient.

The HH 44 offers all of them, and even more. For example, in the very roomy and tasteful designed owner´s bathroom I was happy to discover an electric towel dryer. Such a small appliance that can make life so much easier. A washing machine, dishwasher in the galley up and many more little “helpers” not only add to the impressive price tag here, but also and foremost add to the label “luxury sailing” which is truly earned.

HH Catamarans utilizes latest production techniques. This can be seen by looking at the bare numbers: The HH 44 has a displacement of 10.2 tons (empty) and 14.5 tons with maximum load. Compared to the Nautitech 44 for example, that’s 1 ton lighter. Even more, almost 3 tons lighter than the 12.8 tons of the Excess 14 . How is this achieved? Carbon, lightweight sandwich layups and even prepreg-applications are used to build the boat.

Here and there the shipyard offers a glimpse onto these facts by having bare glossy painted Carbon there to admire, for example in the bathrooms. People who know will easily recognize the thumb-metallic sound when knocking on the materials, which is a totally different sound from ordinary GRP layups.

Both boats are made for four persons who will love their aft cabins, but there´s also another guest cabin in the front with a single bed. At least here a small window nearly at the height of the head of the occupant is offered. I guess this is the cabin that will remain unoccupied anyway or utilized otherwise as additional stowage. Let´s check the performance data, now that we´ve seen her interiors.

Performance through High-Tech

In the 44/45 footer class there isn´t much to compare the HH 44 to. So let´s stick to the Nautitech Open 44, the Excess 14 and the Outremer 45 . The upwind sails area of the HH 44 is said to be 116 square meters, whereas Nautitech, Excess and Outremer clock in with 105, 135 and and 106 square meters. Being the lightest of them four boats sporting the second biggest area of canvas up in the wind, it should be clear which one performs best.

The Excess 14 is an excellent, easy to sail cruising catamaran which exceeds the projected sailing performance by the shipyard by far. But it is not a performance cat – as well as the Nautitech, both have no daggerboards which gives both the Outremer and the HH Catamaran a much better directional stability and upwind performance with significantly lessened leeway. I haven´t sailed the HH 44 (yet) but I´d say a match race between her and the Outremer 45 would be a great feat.

The HH 44 has rounded (C-shape) daggerboards made of carbon fibers, hence provide a huge safety margin, high stability with flexing capability and are easy to operate due to their light weight. Besides these features, walking the deck and inspecting the running rigging, I notice so many great details, like the Carbon shrouds with soft shackles or the tall 90 cm stanchions which provide maximum safety.

The HH 44 is a classy sports catamaran with two full-sized helm stations in the cockpit. The starboard side features the primary plotter and all control panels for anchor windlass, all electric winches (which can also be operated by foot) and some secondary displays for wind and log-data. Like on the Outremer 52, the steering wheels are mounted on a pivoting stand.

So in active “fun” sailing mode, the wheels are put to the outer face of the hulls, granting perfect view over the leeward hull. In cruising mode or during bad weather phases, the wheel is put to middle position (as shown in the pictures) to grant a dry stand for the helmsman underneath the hardtop and they can even pivot further into the inside of the cockpit, maybe useful in long motoring sessions.

The handling of all lines and winches is ergonomically perfect, all is well protected. I must say that for my taste a bit more “exposure” to the elements wouldn´t had been bad as I deemed the forward vision through the cabin windows an bit obstructed. Excess and Outremer have much more exposed helm stations in this matter. On the other side, aboard the HH 44 safety is apparently of utmost importance and a such this explains the decision for the positioning the helmstations this way.

A perfect ship?

Praise for the HH 44 is unison high. These boats win awards like Tiger Woods in his golden days. This year the catamaran was nominated for the prestigious “Multihull of the Year”-award. And as rumors go, they haven´t won because of the – surely justified, but ridiculously – high price of well over 1.5 million Euros. I can clearly see why the yachting magazines and blogs are full of admiration for this boat: Her finishing and building quality is close to flawless.

So I leave the boat after my intense time aboard. I leave her over one of the foldable bathing platforms, which also brings me back to the beginning of this article. Comparing the HH 44 to the ENTERPRISE D, with a “best view” and some more awkward angles. The closed stern with a foldable bathing platform is the reason for the strange looks of the HH 44. Now that I understood that safety is the main thing on this boat – I can see the advantage of having such a closed stern.

This is a view I could grow into and make my peace with. Yes, the high-active fully exposed Outremer 45 helm station is super exciting and makes for the most adventurous shots, but at the same time, standing a watch up there in really bad weather is clearly much more dangerous than on the HH 44. In the end, this catamaran shows how high class boatbuilding goes if tooling, machinery, material choice, intense high-class labour and of course a later price to be paid is all but secondary. The full order books of HH Catamarans speak for themselves, as well as the opening of a second high-tech production facility in Cebu. Impressive!

You might as well be interested in these related articles:

Carbon overflow: Gunboat!

At the Outremer shipyard

Sea Trial of the Excess 14 catamaran

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How This Pioneering New Catamaran Builder Is Creating the ‘Ferrari of Sailing Cats’

Hh catamarans is building sleek, nimble and fast vessels., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, kevin costner cruised on this luxe 75-footer last summer. now it’s debuting at cannes yacht fest..

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Multimillion-dollar sailing cats are a small but fiercely contested niche, mostly dominated by European brands. So it’s worth paying attention when an eight-year-old builder from China is considered a legitimate challenger to pedigreed French names such as Privilege and Lagoon .

HH Catamarans , with a line ranging from fast, wave-jumping 50-foot cruisers to 88-foot ocean yachts, has gained a loyal following in the US and Europe, in part because COO Paul Hakes—he’s one of the H’s in “HH”—is obsessed with mating upscale interiors to featherweight racing hulls.

Hakes assembled what he calls a “mini-UN” of expat experts at HH’s production headquarters in Xiamen, China. Naval architecture is done by the California-based firm Morelli & Melvin . The yachts are built by local labor: With an average of 40,000 man-hours per cat, the labor savings add up significantly, allowing HH to focus on superior performance through exotic materials and expensive carbon-fiber weaves. “We’re determined to make HH the Ferrari of sailing cats,” Hakes says.

HH Catamarans

Befitting that famed Italian marque, the HH55 and HH66 are sleek, nimble and beautiful vessels, though the HH88, with its exponentially larger interior and oceangoing hull, is more
 like a Mercedes-AMG G-Wagen. But to stick to automotive analogies, it’s worth mentioning that HH’s upstart nature makes it more like Lamborghini , founded to challenge Enzo Ferrari’s already successful brand—and we all know how that turned out.

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HH Catamarans Announces New 48

• By Cruising World Staff
• Updated: February 6, 2017

HH Catamarans announced the newest addition in their new line of luxury, performance, carbon fiber cruising cats Monday. Renowned naval architects Morrelli and Melvin will lead the design team, and the yacht will be built by Hudson Yacht Group at their state-of-the-art production facility in Xiamen.

The HH48 will fill a void in the semi-custom high performance catamaran market – a robustly built, blue water capable, fast cruiser with intelligent yet simple systems ideally suited for the owner-operator. The 48 will adhere to HH Catamarans’ core philosophies: advanced design, lightweight construction and luxurious finish, but will aim to reach a slightly different audience. For the sailor who’s serious about safety, speed, comfort, technology and style, the HH48 will offer the best of all worlds in a compact, easy-to-manage package.

“I’m excited,” HH President Paul Hakes said, “we’ve been working through the conceptual stages of design for quite some time now. We feel the HH48 will appeal to discerning sailors that have been wanting an easier-to-manage blue water catamaran with the quality of design and construction that make a great enduring yacht. Although smaller than the HH55, the living space inside is still plentiful. This remains a big volume boat with excellent payload capacity, meaning that even when fully loaded for world touring this boat will still perform to expectations. We have at least five prospects who have expressed serious interest in a slightly smaller, simpler version of our HH cats that can be run without crew. The HH48 will retain the best features and benefits of our existing models but will widen our market base by offering a top quality product that’s currently not available elsewhere.”

Deck layout and sailing systems have been designed with the owner operator in mind. Dual helm stations aft provide excellent visibility and allow the helmsman total sail control from either side of the boat. Push button mainsheet and self-tacking jib are standard. For those who wish to optimize performance, a powerful 520sqft overlapping solent is optional. All line handling is done from the helm stations, opening up the rest of the boat for living space. Future development will provide a new deck and interior layout, allowing for the option of a forward helm station, a popular option which allows for total boat operation from the safety and comfort of the saloon. Like in the larger HH models, the HH48 will have curved “C” daggerboards with optional push-button controlled line drivers. Fully retracted boards will yield a draft of 2.25 ft (0.68m), allowing the boat to comfortably navigate shallow waters.

The HH48 features a spacious general arrangement. The large saloon offers a generous sized galley to starboard with an island just outboard of centerline. Seating for six around a large dining table and a dedicated navigation station are to port. When at anchor the forward sail handling area easily converts to an a comfortable forward facing seating area. An attractive ‘eyebrow’ around the cabin top adds to the aggressive styling but is very practical in creating much needed sun shade in the saloon as well as creating a safety hand hold when walking the side decks. The aft cockpit is perfect for entertaining: an L-shaped settee and table set the stage for dining alfresco, made complete by an integrated wetbar and barbecue.

Down below you’ll find a luxury queen cabin aft in each hull. On port side, the master, which offers an office/lounge space amidship with substantial storage space and a generous head and separate shower forward. The guest side is to starboard with separate head and shower amidship and a third cabin forward. Dual companionways allow easy access to the saloon from either starboard cabin.

According to HH in-house designer James Hakes, the team is confident the HH48 will establish a new benchmark for the owner operated performance cruising cat, “Our ultimate goal here is a quick, strong, user-friendly boat. With very modern lines the 48 is beautiful and makes a statement of quality and style. Practical and robust, it will be the perfect boat for a couple who want to sail around the world or a group of friends looking to island hop through the Caribbean or South Pacific. We haven’t forgotten the sailor looking to take home the regatta silverware; with Morrelli and Melvin’s renowned abilities to deliver vessels with enhanced performance, we’ve given the 48 a generous sail plan that is well balanced with advanced rudder and dagger foils, and lightweight carbon construction that will satisfy the racer too.”

Though not finalized, the design brief for the HH48 allows for significant cost reduction in comparison to the larger HH models. Alternatives to carbon rigging and construction materials will be offered, as well as incentives for buyers who stick to the standard specification and a la carte options. Standard options will include dual aft helm steering stations or a forward helm station, three or four cabin layout, and many other standard possibilities to complete the package.

The HH48 design will undergo a final round of review and market feedback before tooling commences in the spring. The first hull is expected to launch in the fall of 2018.

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Electrifying New HH52

The all new HH52 is an evolution of our Award Winning HH50, which we have completely redesigned with electrification in mind. Featuring an all new cabin top with 4,900 watts of solar, a new deck plan, a new interior layout, and increased sail area, this yacht brings the very latest design features and performance improvements to our mid-size luxury cruising catamaran

HH52 Dual Aft Helm (OC or SC)

The HH52 dual aft helm configuration can be ordered as an e-glass “Ocean Cruising” or 100% carbon-fibre “Sports Cruising” version and will feel more familiar to those used to monohull sailing. With helms at both aft quarters of the yacht, all sailing and steering is managed with clear visibility of the sails or can be swung inboard for protection from the elements. Meanwhile, a larger interior saloon provides a level of comfort and refinement not found in any other performance cruising catamarans this size.

With helms at both aft quarters of the yacht, all sail controls are led back to the twin winches at each helm station through line tunnels under deck, keeping the side decks free of clutter. A fold out helm seat is available at each location, out of the way for everyday living and there when you need it. Without the forward cockpit, the salon and galley are larger, with ventilation coming from the two large forward opening windows and the refinement of a modern apartment, complete with an island galley, large navigation table and seating for six or more at each of the two tables. If you are looking for a luxurious yet enthralling cruising catamaran, look no further.

EcoDrive, a parallel hybrid system

The HH52 has been designed to work with our parallel diesel/electric hybrid, a large solar array on the cabin top and hydro-regeneration while sailing.

Our EcoDrive provides all the benefits of an electric boat: silent fume free motoring, instant torque for maneuvering, and hydro-regeneration while sailing; while also providing the reliability of trusty diesel engines as a back up.

For the technology shy, traditional standalone diesel engines with shaft drives are also offered.

Designed with Electrification in mind

The electrified HH52 is a game changing, eco-friendly cruising yacht designed to appeal to owner/operators looking for a no-compromise performance cruising catamaran. With 4,900 watts of solar, a 48 volt electrical system and a 43.2kWh battery bank you have to wonder if you will ever use your Diesel engines again.

• LOA 55.94ft/17.05m
• Draft 1.65m/3.54m
• Displacement 11590kg
• Mast Length 21m

Boat Description

HH Catamarans are soon to release details on their all new HH52 catamaran, inspired by the success and innovations released on the recent HH44 (30 sold already). Details will be shared at the Cannes boat show where the HH50 will be on display. To receive an info pack once released, register here.

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E-Glass and Fixed Keels The main difference is in how she is built. HH use e-glass on this boat with carbon reinforcements in high load areas. The daggerboards have been switched for winged fixed keels and instead of a carbon composite mast, boom and rigging, she has alloy (there is an option to go carbon). The hull shape is the same, with an ample interior, and luxurious fittings.

This keeps the cost down and makes her more robust: she’s been designed with circumnavigating couples in mind who are looking for a boat that is simpler to sail short-handed and will take a knock or two. Instead of the twin helms on the HH50, the OC50 has a single helm station with all of the lines running back. This boat sits between the Kinetic KC54 and 50 foot cruising catamarans like the FP Saba 50

Many thanks to Multicats International, the European Agents for HH, and of course the owners of Seabbatical for showing us around the #1 hull and taking us out on a test sail.

A Performance Boat We have included this catamaran in our Performance Catamarans section, but bear in mind that HH also make a more highly tuned version. But this is still a fast boat with a powerful sail plan and a high end finish. If you dream of owning an HH catamaran but can’t stretch your budget to their 66 footer, now you have an option.

The SA/D ratio doesn´t hit the levels of a Looping 50 , (another fixed keel performance catamran) but it´s above average.

You can´t really call her a volume production boat. HH will be making around 4 of them a year. In terms of performance, we’d say she sits somewhere between an Outremer and a Nautitech. Read our Outremer 45 review if you are interested in boats in that category, but bear in mind the 51 is closer comparison.

• She’s fast and comfortable. Those Morrelli & Melvin shaped hulls slip cleanly through the water and a lot of work has gone into distributing the weight in the optimum way. You can expect to be just below true wind speeds with the right sails up.
• The price of an OC50 will be pitched around the same level as a Outremer 51 or a Catana 53. For the same money, you´ll get a high performance machine with a far superior level of finish. This is a luxury performance cat
• The OC50 is a semi-custom boat. You can add or take away as much carbon as you like to hit your performance/cost sweet spot
• This is a simpler boat for a couple to sail than the HH50. There are no daggerboards to worry about (just keels with winglets) and a single helm station. I wouldn’t call the OC50 a simple yacht to sail, but she’s been designed for a couple to handle. With a bit of practice.
• The finish of this boat and the attention to details hit a very high level. Examples include davits that are custom built to your tender
• I prefer the profile of the single helm station to the twin helms on the HH50. This is a pretty boat.
• With fixed keels instead of daggerboards, you are going to lose some performance upwind, especially in lighter winds. Having said that, those winglets on the keels help the boat to point upwind pretty well, and when the wind picks up you won´t notice much difference.
• With the use of e-glass to keep the cost down, this boat is heavier than a HH50 and that will affect her performance. I wouldn’t call this a slow boat though. We are talking relative, right?
• I thought the saloon could do with more ventilation for a boat in this price point. The forward starboard window is pretty small, for example. I am guessing you can customise this.
• The huge aft windows in the cabins make for a spectacular view, but I’d want more privacy personally. Having said that, the owners were still waiting for their aft blinds. I´d worry about big waves smacking into all of that glass on an ocean crossing, but there are washboards that fit into the top of the transom steps.
• With that semi-raised helm, the boom is pretty high. That means the centre of effort of the mainsail is higher than other performance cats and it´s more difficult to get to your mainsail. We are not in flybridge boom height territory though.
• You access the helm via the side deck which could leave you exposed in heavy weather. You can nip up from the starboard daybed in really rough weather if you don’t mind a bit of dirt on those fancy leather cushions.

With a few trade offs here and there that have had minimal impact on performance and a decent impact on ease of sailing, they have developed a catamaran that offers good performance and high levels of comfort without sailing to the extremes.

The  E-glass in the hull, deck, superstructure and interior paneling, saves cost compared with carbon. In highly loaded areas such as the cross beams, carbon is used to ensure a tough, rigid boat. The standard mast is aluminium and not carbon (although you can opt for the lighter material, but there is an associated cost of course).

According to the specs, the OC50 is around 1 tonne heavier than the HH50, but this difference can be reduced if you go for more carbon. The owners of Seabbatical assured me that he´d minimised the excess weight to around 500 kg with their carbon options.

Seat Up for Short-Handed Sailing All the reefing lines and sheets come back to two electric winches at the single helm, and your furling lines run back down the port side. You can lead the furling line back to the starboard cockpit winch under the helm station if you like, or just run it onto the cockpit winch to port.

Other sail options include a fractional reacher that is flown off the bowsprit, plus an spinnaker and storm jib (both optional).

The owner of the #1 hull has invested in a parasailor for downwind sailing. I´d love to see this up – this sail can be kept up from 4.5 kts – 20 kts apparent and 70 – 180 AWA. That should push Seabbatical along at a rate of knots!

At 13.2 tonnes lightships, the OC50 gets going quickly and cuts nicely through the water with those axe bows.

Unfortunately during our test sail we had very little wind, but the OC50 will approach true wind speeds in a breeze.

Living Space & Finish

This is where the OC50 puts some clear blue water between herself and the competition. The quality of the furnishings is superior to comparable cats in the same price range – they have tried to match the level of finish that you see in the HH line and in the main they have succeeded. She feels like a very spacious 50 footer with the sliding doors between the aft cockpit and the saloon open.

Forward amidships is another seating area with fridge and freezer drawers to starboard. And to port is a great looking corner navigation station with good visibility.

Happy Guests In the starboard hull, the 2 cabins have been cleverly split with their own steps down from the saloon. Each cabin has their own head and a shared “jack and jill” shower in between. It’s a clever use of the space and it feels big.

Storage Space

The 2 forepeaks in the boat give you lots of storage. These are customisable: on Seabbatical the owner has installed a dive compressor and scuba tank rack in one and left the other for sail storage.

How much does an HH OC50 cost? What’s the list price? This is heavily dependant on the options you go for and how much carbon you want on the boat. These are semi-custom catamarans, but to give you an idea, HH are pitching the OC50 at around the Outremer 51 or Catana 53 price range. So let’s say around €1.3 million would get you a pretty fantastic machine. The cost is considerably lower than an HH50.

Why No Daggerboards? I thought this was a Performance Cat? HH have made the decision to simplify the systems on the OC50 to make it easier for a couple to sail the boat over long distances. Fixed keels are less complex than boards and arguably safer on long cruises (in the event of a grounding for example). The winglets on the keels help the OC50 to point respectably into the wind. Studies have shown that the performance difference drops away when the wind picks up in any case: you will notice the biggest difference going upwind in light airs. But we would still call the OC50 a performance boat based on her Sail Area to Displacement ratios.

The HH50 is a clever design and I would think that the traditional performance cruising catamaran manufacturers are looking over their shoulder at this one. The single helm station works well for short handed sailors and arguably she looks sleeker than the HH50 from some angles.

She has all the looks of a Morrelli and Melvin speed cat, with the kind of finish you would expect from HH at a comparable price to the competition: a sturdy, blue-water, luxury semi-custom cruiser with a lower cost and build time.

Next up for HH? The OC56 – a bigger boat with a flybridge.

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