The Maine Cat 38 features an “open bridgedeck” design, in which the cockpit and saloon are essentially one and the same, with all accommodations and even the galley placed down in the two hulls. The two hulls, in turn, sport daggerboards, a pair of sharp, tumblehome bows and a dramatic reverse sheer in the interest of maximizing accommodation space below. Flared chines and radiused topsides provide 6ft of maximum beam in each hull, which serves to create yet more interior space at the same time the hull’s maximum waterline beam remains a mere 3ft 2in. This, in turn, provides a 12:1 length-to-beam ratio (assuming you keep the boat light). Yeah, we’re talking raceboat proportions here. In the event you do choose to overload your boat, that flare will also provide plenty of reserve buoyancy.

Access to the accommodations spaces in the two hulls is via a pair of sliding hatchways. An inline galley is to port, and there is a double berth aft in each hull, a narrow double berth forward of the galley and a head forward of the open space amidships to starboard. I loved the combination of white gelcoat and cherry veneer throughout the accommodations area. It reminded me a lot of the old Herreshoff look. In fact, come to think of it, I suspect Capt. Nat would have not only loved the Maine Cat 38’s accommodations, but the boat in general. An “LS” version of the boat, which eliminates some of the woodwork, thereby also trimming 600lb of weight, is also available.

There are many cruising cats out there, but few, if any, sail like a Maine Cat 38. For our test sail on Miami’s Biscayne Bay we had a beautiful little breeze wobbling between 9 and 14 knots, and the boat absolutely ate it up. With a true wind speed of 12 knots, we easily notched 7.8 knots under working sail alone with the true wind just aft of abeam. Moments later a 14-knot gust immediately popped us over 8. In the light chop, the boat’s motion was easy and predictable, thanks in no small part to the boat’s fine entry.

Later as the wind dropped to around 9 knots, we hardened up to a 35 degree apparent wind angle, where the boat walked along at around 5.5 knots. Yes, 5.5 knots. At a 35 degree angle. When I remarked on how the boat went to windward “as well as a monohull” I was immediately reprimanded for my comparison. The problem is not that “multihulls” can’t sail hard on the wind, it’s that today’s “multihulls” are so overloaded they no longer sail like true multihulls—fair enough.