XCAT Sail Multi Sport Catamaran
Stable in heavy winds, fast in light winds. Full speed ahead.
The XCAT combines versatility, portability and performance in a way that no other boat on the market can. Harness the winds with the XCAT Sail or row for fun and fitness with our innovative forward-facing RowVista or rear-facing RowMotion rowing systems. The XCAT opens up a whole new world of adventures.
A winner of SAIL Magazine’s 2017 award for Best Daysailer, the XCAT is engineered to endure any challenge including some of the world’s top boat races. During the 2018 Everglades Challenge Red Beard’s very own Alex captained an XCAT Sail with RowVista.
XCAT Sail Features & Benefits
The world’s first hard-hulled catamaran that can be transported on the roof of your car and assembled in 12 minutes—all without sacrificing quality or performance!
XCAT Sail Catamaran Innovations
The XCAT Sailing model has everything you need to start harnessing the wind. Both sails and all the rigging are included. We strongly recommend the Sailing Equipment Set to take your XCAT sailing experience to the next level.
Fully battened square-top mainsail creates a lot of power. This sail is looped onto the mast for easier mounting and so it can be stowed still attached to the mast while rowing.
Large laminated window in the genoa allows for safe navigation regardless of what tack you are on.
Forestay is cleated at the mast step. This allows you to drop the mast while on the water for easy passage under low bridges and powerlines.
Trampoline is made of a Textiline mesh that automatically tensions when the trampoline is installed. This prevents the need for tedious and time consuming lacing.
Color coded and marked trampoline speeds up assembly by removing the guesswork. Shroud blocks and shrouds are marked with their respective red and green coloring. The positioning for the genoa and mainsheet blocks are marked on the center beam.
Full length hull keels afford leeway resistance to the XCAT without the unnecessary draft of daggerboards or a centerboard. The boat will float in 6 inches of water!
Lightweight Construction
The XCAT hulls are made of an HDPE skin wrapped around EPP foam forms to create unsinkable but ultra-light hulls. Combined with the anodized aluminum frame and carbon mast, the XCAT weighs in at 165 pounds when rigged as a sailboat. The heaviest part of the boat are the hulls—at only 38 pounds each—which is lighter than most kayaks!
Continuous Line Furler
An in-house designed endless loop genoa furler allows for easy reefing of the sail area when on the water. An endless loop furler allows you to easily furl and unfurl the sail regardless of wind direction and speed.
Safety as a Priority
The XCAT was designed to be an expedition boat, which required a focus on durability and endurance. This translates to a day sailing beach cat that makes light work of foul weather. The XCAT rig has been tested to withstand conditions as high as a Beaufort 8. The mast float and mast with floatation inside makes sure this boat is quick and easy to right in the event of a capsize.
Built-In Heave-To Feature
Most sailboats can heave-to without too much trouble, but many boats struggle to remain hove-to as the wind builds. On the XCAT, if you furl the genoa, hard sheet in the mainsail, let the rudder free and sit forward of the mast: the boat will sit within 5º of true wind direction and will average a half knot in reverse, regardless of wind speed. This is a fantastic feature for novice sailors or anyone who gets caught by a squall in open water.
Motor Mount Included
All XCAT boats include a motor mount attached to the rear crossbar. This mount can handle up to a 3 hp outboard. Red Beard recommends either the EP Carry or Torqeedo 1103CL. If you don’t want/need the mount, you can unbolt the wooden motor mount from the crossbar for a clean aesthetic with reduced windage.
Fast & Easy Assembly in only 12 minutes!
The XCAT assembles with no tools or hardware. There are audible *clicks* when things get attached or are tight. This lets you know that it is locked and ready. Once you are familiar with the process, assembly can be done in about 10-15 minutes. The Red Beard Record is seven minutes and thirty seconds.
Genoa with Barber Hauler
Oversized 110% genoa allows for the XCAT to be rigged with a much shorter mast without sacrificing performance. This reduces heel in heavy winds and allows you to sail under bridges for which other other sailboats would have to de-mast. The centralized genoa cleats allow you to trim regardless of which side of the boat you are on. The barber hauler, typically seen on racing boats, allows you to haul the genoa closer to the mast, allowing you to point higher on the wind.
Kick-up Rudder
The anodized aluminum rudder is resilient and perfectly formed. There is a built in lifting and kick up feature. You can easily lift the rudder to clear any seaweed or for shallow waters.
Dyneema Shrouds
Dyneema shrouds are lightweight, easy to store and still allow for an incredibly tight rig that is ready to withstand heavy winds. The shrouds feature a double shackle system where it attaches to the boat. This makes the XCAT easier to right from a capsize by lightweight sailors.
XCAT Sail Technical Specs
Overall Length 16' 5"
Overall Width 6' 1"
Height 16' 9"
Total Weight 165 lbs
Sail Area (Jib + Main) 8.4 m2
Mast Length 14' 9"
Crew Size 1-3 People
Carrying Weight Capacity 529 lbs
Hull Material HDPE
Keel Type Full-Length Keels
Bag for Trampoline/Mast 8' x 6" x 6"
Bag for Crossbeams 6'6" x 15" x 10"
Assembly Time ~12 mins
Trailer Needed No
Tools Required for Assembly No
hether sailing, rowing, stand-up paddling or motoring, the XCAT is the perfect multi-sport platform. This boat is simply enjoyed thanks, in part, to its ease of assembly and transport. Simply unload it from your roof rack or truck bed and assemble it in only a few minutes with no tools. The XCAT is the perfect fit for anyone looking for a portable sail or coastal rowboat and aren’t interested in fussing with inflatables or trailers.
A winner of SAIL Magazine’s 2017 award for Best Day Sailer, the XCAT combines versatility, portability and performance in a way that no other boat on the market can. From capturing high winds with XCAT Sail, or leveraging the forward-facing RowVista® or rear-facing RowMotion® rowing mechanisms with the XCAT Row, the XCAT opens up a whole new world of adventures.
THE XCAT’S DESIGN IS COMPLETELYMODULAR
To create a boat as versatile, portable and unique as the XCAT, the cracked team of engineers at Row&Sail developed a boat that can be accessorized with a modular platform. But what does that mean for you? The XCAT starts with the XCAT Basic, you can then configure the boat with accessories to set it up as a 1-2 person SUP, a sailboat, a rowboat (with traditional or forward facing styles) and a motor boat (up to 3 hp outboard). But it doesn’t stop there, the XCAT has a trick of it’s own. It can be configured with all of these functions at the same time! You can even switch between functions while out on the water. Switching from rowing to sailing (or vise versa) takes less than 60 seconds!! No production boat on the market offers this many functions, and the XCAT delivers by doing each function very well.
Scroll down to explore the unique modular configurations of XCAT.
01THE XCAT BASIC
Whether you are planning to use the XCAT as a rowboat, a sailboat, or better yet, both, it all starts with a great platform—the XCAT Basic. Made from only 5 parts, the XCAT Basic is easy to transport on the top of your car or SUV and assembles in about 2 minutes or less. The frame is durable and lightweight, made from anodized aluminum for durability and corrosion resistance against seawater. The hulls, which are the single heaviest component of the boat at 38 lbs each, have skins made from a sheet of recyclable HDPE. The sheet is thermoformed into shape then filled with floatation foam—this combines for a portable and unsinkable boat.
While we don’t offer the XCAT Basic as a standard offering, we are happy to special order one for you. Click to link below to inquire about the XCAT Basic.
INQUIRE ABOUT XCAT BASE
02THE XCAT SAIL CONFIGURATION
So you like to go fast—like really fast—like 15 knots fast? Behold the XCAT Sail configuration. In this sailing configuration, the XCAT Basic gets a short mast and a generous sail area that provides plenty of speed with just a little bit of wind. The mainsail generates high-power thanks to its proprietary loop system. Not only is the XCAT Sail fast, but it’s also the most stable boat we sell, capable of handling big water and bad weather, with a built-in, heave-to feature that will work even in the strongest of winds.
With a tool-free assembly time of just 12 minutes or less (Red Beard Record is 7:30), you’ll be on the water in no time. To explore the XCAT Sail configuration, click the link below.
EXPLORE XCAT SAIL
03THE XCAT ROW CONFIGURATION
Here’s where the flexibility, versatility and unique functionality of the XCAT’s modular design system really shines. The XCAT Row is a smooth and stable rowing platform, thanks to being built atop the lightweight XCAT Basic. At Red Beard Sailing, we’ve pre-configured the XCAT Row into three different packages: the XCAT SUP, the XCAT RowMotion (available with or without oars) and the XCAT RowVista, our proprietary forward-facing oar system, to accommodate your rowing/paddling style.
XCAT SUP
The XCat SUP lets you stand up and paddle for fitness or fun. The catamaran stability, coupled with the optional tiller-fix accessory helps keep you on track whether you paddle alone or with a friend.
XCAT ROWMOTION®
The XCAT RowMotion is a traditional rowing system—available with 2-piece carbon fiber oars—that takes advantage of the catamaran’s stable platform resulting in a safe, comfortable ride. The XCAT RowMotion comes outfitted with Concept2 oarlocks which allows you to use your own oars if you’d like!
XCAT ROWVISTA®
The XCAT Row Vista is an award-winning forward rowing masterpiece that not only allows you to row in the direction you’re facing, but with an optional add-on sailing kit, you can both row and sail (downwind) at the same time.