"Naviguez autrement" - this is the slogan of the Chantier Naval Tricat near the picturesque Gulf of Morbihan: "Sail differently!" This means switching from a monohull to a tri. But it could also be interpreted differently: instead of the far more established multihull competitors Corsair and Dragonfly, consider the comparatively young brand from Plescop.
Far from the mainstream, it has developed quite valiantly since it was founded 20 years ago. And the boat we are talking about here clearly demonstrates its rise. The Tricat 30 is the top model from the shipyard, which started out with trailerable trimarans.
The big one is indeed impressive: at 9.20 metres in length, it measures a full seven metres in width when unfolded. If the floats are swivelled to the central hull, which works in a similar way to the Dragonfly, there is still a clearance width of 3.80 metres - making transport over land with a trailer and car impossible. The Tricat 30 is more of a seagoing vessel and therefore has a lot of righting moment across its width and, thanks to the very voluminous floats, plenty of buoyancy even in wind and waves.
Equally surprising is how much space it offers below deck. Thanks to its large windows and impressive headroom, it appears less compact than its direct competitors. All in all, it certainly has what it takes to compete with the established players on the market. However, the YACHT test revealed a few points that do not quite match the price tag. The price tag reads 200,000 euros for a ready-to-sail boat - a premium surcharge that is hefty. For less money, there is also a Pogo 30 with a canting keel and carbon rig, which also offers significantly more space.
So is the Tricat 30 worth considering? This and more in YACHT 8/2018, available in the DK shop, or you can download the test directly via the link below.
