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Three months of ownership, fresh out of La Rochelle after some minor guarantee work, our NEEL 51 is everything we could have hoped for and more. The extras we asked for, such as the upgraded solar system and child friendly extra height stanchions, are the icing on the cake.
Accommodating, friendly management and staff, from NEEL-TRIMARANS, Pochon (their electrical contractors), and their first-class UK broker MiCats made a potentially difficult process almost easy, from first viewing through to delivery.
Now for some safe, speedy exploration in our new floating home.
Steve, merchant marine officer and Rachel Rathbone.
NEEL 51 trimaran ‘Off The Hill’
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]]>Then a month of August to cross the French Riviera between Porquerolles and the Italian border with the arrivals and departures of the whole family.
We particularly appreciate the boat’s autonomy, which allows us to do without the ports that are not very available in August. Another major asset of the NEEL 51, the sun-deck for aperitifs at sunset, widely appreciated by the crew !
After the Cannes Boat show in September 2018, direction Capraia, the island of Elba then descent to the Pontines and the Amalfi coast, almost alone at this time with all the
advantages of summer without the crowd! Then climbed up through Sardinia (only to Calla di Volpe) with in addition some bonito and dolphinfish at the end of the fishing line (and yes
now there are some in the Mediterranean!)
What about the boat?
- There was a lot of light airs in the Mediterranean but we were still sailing under sail in 3 to 4 knots of wind at about the same speed while around us the sails were furled… we even got some close-ups to check if we weren’t using the Volvo breeze!
- The steering line changes me from the hydraulics of my previous catamaran; in fact we find the same sensations as the monohull… even if we entrust it most of the time to the pilot!
- The Cockloon initiated on the 51 is well thought out; the bay windows disappear completely, the layout of the different zones is optimal: chart table with perfect vision under the sails, closed kitchen with vast work surfaces, several straight benches allowing as many nap stations or even at night in extra…
- I was doubtful on the sun-deck and in fact on the one hand it does not interfere with the manoeuvres around the boom and on the other hand it is usable even when sailing, the boom passing 20 cm above the heads. At anchor it is a very busy place, especially as it is spacious.
- Finally the magic central hold; no more contortions, we have all the technique at hand and a great storage capacity.
Of course some finishing touches and tweaks are needed to adapt the boat to the way we sail and make it evolve but the shypyard is listening; it’s the most of an SME!
Forwards this year, to Greece and Turkey.
Download testimonie (pdf)
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]]>The post Enrico Tettamanti and his family on board his NEEL 51: KAMANA appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>We are already completely in love with our Neel 51 – Kamana 3.3! The boat is simply … smart!
“Just makes sense”, Neel’s motto could not have been more appropriate.
Every time I wake up, I look around, whether we’re anchored in a bay or sailing in the ocean and wonder: “why didn’t I think of a boat like that before?” Simply because it didn’t exist !
How it happened:
After living on sailboats for over 20 years, sailing around the world and from pole to pole, we decided it was time for a change. The family has grown and we wanted to have a more comfortable yet efficient. Our project is to sail around the world in 7 years (my third circumnavigation), exploring the more remote and less frequented places in the tropics.
I’m not a fan of catamarans, but I absolutely wanted to change for a multihull, so, until the birth of Neel 51, it wasn’t easy to find something attractive in the market. With 2 kids full time on board, I couldn’t make a mistake in the choice…
The NEEL 51 is the perfect boat for us and project, because of its great efficiency, that allows us to sail in almost every condition. After 5 months on board and 5000 miles I can say that the choice was perfect and that the boat exceeded my expectations in every respect.
Thanks to the extraordinary team of NEEL-TRIMARANS: young, motivated and with a great sensibility from the human point of view. They have always helped me find the best solution for every aspect of the boat. The systems of Kamana 3.3 are at the level of the most prestigious mega yachts in the world. But the real difference is that Neel philosophy has managed to keep all the systems as simple as possible and easily accessible. Thanks to the technical room and engine room of the central hull, it was easy to design the best and most efficient system that can be had in the boating market today.
Every person on the Boatyard site, with whom I confronted, seemed to be participating in the construction of Kamana 3.3 with the same passion and pride I felt. We are also very happy with the great layout of the boat and the space it offers in comparison our previous boats. We were amazed to see that the boat is soo spacious, above all we really enjoy the kitchen, as italians cooking is the number one passion. It feels really great to eat onboard, no heeling no rolling with a panoramic view!
The interior of the boat feels very light. There is plenty of storage and space for us and our friends.
Another important factor for us was safety and ease of use. The NEEL 51 handles very well in all conditions and you almost never have to leave the cockpit. Almost all maneuvers can be done single-handed. All the boat’s systems are accessible and very well organized which makes maintenance and repairs very easy.
We completely feel at home.
We already had many friends coming to help us in our adventures, the 9m beam makes living together so easy. We are currently in the Canaries Islands looking forward to crossing the Atlantic with great efficiency and comfort.
Download testimonie (pdf)
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