NEEL 47 Trimaran. Guided Tour and our Review. 3 hulls are better?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ธ.ค. 2019
- We took a guided tour of the Neel 47 Trimaran at this year's Annapolis Sailboat Show. It, allegedly, sails faster than a traditional Catamaran but is 3 hulls better than 2? Is this a boat we would want to live on full time, as we sail the world? Watch the video to the end to find out what we like and possibly don't like about this Cat.
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I know they've got some documented build quality issues, but man do I love this boat. I hope they get the details figured out and they succeed with it. It's actually my favorite layout!
Yes, I have also heard some Quality concerns. Perhaps they can improve in that area. I am sure this TRI is faster than a traditional Cat. Thats a plus to many.
This guy is great in English
and absolutely hilarious in closed captioning English.
I loved Janice's response to no Princess Seats... "I will make one".
Ha Ha. Kind of hard to do that when the 1 and only real hull has 2 furling sails in the way. Clearly this boat can't have princess seats. Yet one more reason this is not the boat for us. :-)
@@Bowmans-Woods put them on the float/outer hulls ;) they're real hulls too! Just like Pinocchio is a real boy, haha!
Very nice speedy boat.
That guide was great!! His English was great!!!
If I remember right ... That boat was quite expensive!! And it was a pre-owned board as well.!?
hahahaha 2 sinks and I did hear a happy noise from Janice 😜. He did a great job in explaining the boat! maintenance room was really impressive!!!!
2 sinks was a small point in its favor. Who wants to climb down a ladder into the bilge to do laundry. Ha ha.
It is clear that NEEL is going for super light weight. The cabinetry reflects this, that is why it looks so "cheap". So I guess if you understand this going in - you may accept the finish. BUT - there is a guy that owns and is sailing a NEEL 51 - and is documenting on TH-cam all the faults with NEEL's...Like Cleats falling off while moored. Compressor Hose bursting - because the wrong hose was installed. Leaks at the mast...and so on. I would go for a Trimaran like a Neel any day over a cat...but NOT until NEEL upgrades their Fit-and-Finish. It is surprising that no other cat builder is producing a Trimaran similar to NEEL...
Good feedback. Good concept. Poor execution.
Technically that's not fit and finish. Fit and finish means relatively minor things like how well the furniture cabinet doors align, and how well the finishes like paint and varnish are applied.
What you're mentioning are fairly gross construction errors that should never happen on something where lives are at risk, such as a oceangoing boat.
There are many other trimarans available such as Corsair, Farr, Farrier, Dragonfly, even Marsaudon, plus custom/semi-custom boats, former race boats, older wood core boats, etc.
From a quality of build perspective, Neil sounds like the Elddis equivalent (caravan manufacturer in UK) of the yachting world....
If only you could get him to come around on every boat, you review it'd be amazing. I'm 195cm as well, and It's always so hard to judge the spacial perspective.
Neel..the Yugo feeling is undeniable.
That is probably the best reference I've seen yet but, you definitely dated yourself with that one!!!! :-)
Ha Ha. Good brand reference!
That is a bit unkind to the Yugo
A Yugo will last for decades....
@@tigersharkzh This struck me as hilarious... Thank you
Neel luxury condo,that floats.the fact that it sails fast is astounding
I was at the boat show also this year and it was our favorite boat, I believe that trimaran are going to take over, faster sailing and habitability than a cat, roomier and faster than a mono cruiser, low draft, priced lower than a cat, btw this was hull # 5
OK. If you get one let us know how it holds up over time. I'd be curious to speak to an owner after a few years of hard sailing, to see what they think.
@@Bowmans-Woods th-cam.com/video/mQPBZZ0Xelk/w-d-xo.html
50 foot Neel out cruising......a Polish couple
For English not being his main language. I think he did a great job.
Yes he did
Love the boat and the Frenchman is gorgeous. His accent reminded me of Peter Sellers in his role as Inspector Clousteau. In a very good way!
Ok then. Hopefully he reads this.
I like the idea behind the Keel trimaran. The design reminds me of a monohulled yacht with training wheels. LOL
Ha Ha. The fact that it still heels, which means putting away everything before you sail is a deal killer. Sure, it is probably fast, but, not a big enough selling feature for us. Plus, there have been some documented QC issues, so NO.
Great tour, thanks. For a couple it's a great boat. A lot of space! It's fast and easy single handed to sail. But the price is to high.
What I saw en quality, they have to improve a lot. It's not the hull it's the interior in finishing and the details. It's a great sailing vessel but the price is to high, for what I saw.
Walking back to front so fast, were there any grab rails along the cabin roof? I am used to your usual comments on most of your other boat tours about those rails and safety.
Cool boat. I can see a family with a couple of teenagers really enjoying this trimaran. For those 'missing' heads, tiny cassette toilets. Little cubes that can be tucked into almost any space, pulled out for use. To empty them, it's like carrying around a small jerry can -- sealed, no muss, no drips. Again teenagers, maybe not your elderly parents or guests.
I love these trimarans, made for a cruising couple for sure. the main hull is like a small apartment which I think is fantastic. probably not the greatest for more than one couple but I dont think that is what it is made for. I would fill the outer hulls with toys, take off with the missus and be as happy as.
Thats my plan👍
We getting our 47 in end of april next spring. Its perfect for Just two off us. Had a Lagoon 39 before. This is a nicer and a faster boat. Cant wait🤗
@@stenerlingjuliussen6298 We just ordered one for delivery in 2021. And those outer cabins are just perfect for locking away our two teenage sons. The 'negatives' of the separate entrances are all positives for us!
well I am as jealous as. Do either of you plan to put some youtube stuff up? I cant get enough of the Neels.
@@scottlampe70 our youngest boy loves posting to TH-cam and wants to do a channel. My wife wrote a food blog for five years back before everyone was doing them. Between the two of them I'm sure some content will come out.
@@IanSGI See u out there one day👍
One engine, prop, keel. 😍
Hull's are like Testicles. 2 are better than one, so 3 must be FANTASTIC!!
Dude's English is GREAT!
Far better than my French. :-)
What is there to not like? They focused on weight and practicality. Brilliant.
I want one!
That’s great. It’s not our favorite but to each their own.
At first I wasn't sure about this design but it's growing on me.
Really? OK. The layout is wrong for our needs.
@@Bowmans-Woods I picture it as a Tri-MAN for an older couple and all the "down stairs" space can be for storage for long trips. Sleeping on the main deck during the crossings and then sleep below once you're at your destination and moored for a while. Imagine all the extra fuel and food you can carry? Not nearly as luxurious as most other boats you guys have profiled but it's practical.
I got the feeling that the 47 was just a little too small to be able to make good use of the amas. Cheeking the Neel website, the 51 is a small step in number of feet, but a big jump in livability. You get a head with separate shower added to the upstairs bedroom plus you get a bedroom with head and separate shower in the fore-peak. The accommodations in the amas is also much better, although I'd have to try one on to see if they lose much of that cramped feeling of those in the 47.
its like sleeping in coffins! i just noticed the bavaria next door!!!!!!!!!!! now i'll take one of those!
The pontoon cabins are snug for living in. Not sure how you are expected to sleep in them while sailing. I can only imagine you would get thrown around a lot.
I thought it's pretty good, considering it's built for speed. I'm sure a larger model has more amenities. He did a good job explaining, you did say just starting in the states, he has probably a few other languages being that it's been on the European market.
Love all your boat reviews! Huge fan. Not a fan of the NEEL though. I like the NEEL 65 better, but that's also too much boat for me and my family (and too expensive haha). Plus, I'm not sold of the trimaran over a catamaran.
Thanks Rene. You sound like us. We are just not sold on the layout and the guests being housed in outside torpedo tubes.
Have you sailed a tri? The characteristics can't be compared to the discomfort of a choppy cat - regardless of size. Tri's really are the best of both worlds. You should tri it.
As I want a boat for World Arc, rather than a pure liveaboard, the Neel’s have always interested me. I liked the 45, but it couldn’t really carry air conditioning/generator/Watermaker. The 51 was a little expensive, so I had high hopes for the 47. Sadly, the quality issues which others have mentioned torpedoed the idea for me. I wish Neel had priced their boats10/15% higher and addressed the quality issues as I still really like the concept.
Best,
Maldwin
I hear what you are saying Maldwin. There is probably a market for a fast well built Tri. People will pay dearly for speed.
Great concept, but is it seaworthy and built to code? What certifications does it have?
CE certification. Class A (ocean going) to 6 persons.
sort of a fancy camper to many weird little spaces and build quality seems like a sheet built a kit boat
Hai all. How could there is no steering wheel inside the cockpit?
Why it only at behind?
I think it become narrow vision for the sailor to wacth nearby yacht especially in crowded port
I also seen Neel 51 trimaran
Interesting boat. Not sure I like the layout with the master cabin and main bathroom.
My main issue is the power / single propeller in the main hull. One of my "main likes" about a cat is the turn radius while navigating in the marina and docking due to the two propellers being so far apart. Also, two engines is nice redundancy.
A good boat for watch standing. Only problem is the size of dinghy you can carry
Great review! On a side note, is that an old Polaroid “one step” camera in the background at your home? 😀
I think next year I will watch my head(ouch) on this one if they happen to have one around.
Alyn. I’ve seen you in person. Your not 6’5”. Ha ha. That guy was super tall so it seemed lower than it was. But the guest cabins in the pontoons were very small. Not a boat we would ever consider. Imagine your guests trying to get up in the middle of the night to go pee and they have to cross to the middle hull in the wind and rain to use the can??? Not a comfortable live aboard cruiser unless you hate having guests. Then it’s perfect. 😜
Craig, I didn't know the Neel boats are made in our home port, we see several being commissioned here but then as it's the biggest marina on our side of the pond it's no surprise we see new boats being prepped.
I bet you see a lot. What did you think of this Tri? I am not really a fan of the sleeping locations.
@@Bowmans-Woods FP's & Lagoons are also prepped on the same pontoon so are frequently next to each other. To me the hulls of the cats have much more beam therefore spacious. Says this boater with a 28' long & 9' beam motor cruiser. So I'm no expert here LOL.
The bow cabins aren't really for guests, more like crew berths. Though I think most owners don't even put beds there, and use them just for storage.
The 47 is a bit of a miss, IMO. The master head with separate shower stall is nice, but the two convertibles are tiny. You end up either having one cabin with a shower and the other with a toilet (which is really weird), or everybody having to use a single shower. An inefficient layout in either situation. The 45 Evo has two standard wet-room heads with standing shower and toilet for 3 double cabins, while the 47 has one master head and two single toilets for the same 3 double cabins. Ironically, 47-footer boats are generally believed to combine the best aspects of 45ers and 50es in a reasonably compact package. This, sadly, doesn't seem the case here, since the 51 has two master and two wet-room heads for 4 double cabins.
If I had enough funny money to buy one, I'd take a long hard look at the 45 Evolution before considering the 47. The only notable drawbacks of the 45 Evo are the lack of a cockloon (pretty big one, though, given that it's the main selling point of the design) and the fragile davits restricting you to a small zodiac (if you put too much load on them you risk either ripping them off, or cracking your boat like that one guy). I wonder how much you can uprate the electrics to make it fully liveaboard. Maybe even install an integrated hybrid electric system (like the Torqueedo Deep Blue) and add hydro-generators (Oceanvolt or Watt and Sea) in saildrive config (to avoid using those hideous folding legs) beneath the outer hulls to complement the solar panels (when underway). Cheaper to install one compared to a cat, since you don't need to double-up the gensets/electrodrives (though you might want a small aux genset in addition to the main one).
Every trimaran I've seen has a bedroom on the main deck. Which I think is a waste of space. I want the master bedroom/bath in the central hull, and guests on the sides. A communal bath on the main deck in front of the helm would work, and not take up much space. And more long term food storage would be nice. All those lockers , though, looks like overloading would be pretty easy to do.
The 51 has flush hatches. A MUST on modern boats.
Ok. Thanks
Other reviews (47') and owner posts (45' and 51') out there really panned the quality. Would have loved to see a little input from you guys regarding quality to see if it still sub-standard or if any of the quality issues have been addressed. From what I could see in your video, it doesn't look like it, but would be good to hear from you.
We have heard rumors of a poor quality build but we really can't attest to the build of the hull and substructure.just from the boat show. I'd need to sail it and talk to present owners to know that for sure. So we kept our comments to what we could see. We didn't like the layout and the cabinetry seemed like cheap IKEA. So, you can read into that. :-)
Things like shelving in non visible spaces (engine compartment etc) dont worry bout that, just glass your own shelves in, easy peasy).
Agree with you guys..first of all..this boat is a really smart boat ..well designed..etc etc.but I think it have a very specific customer niche..this boat is not for big families who want to live in it ,full-time for a long term..if you are looking for maximum privacy and comfort for your guests over seaworthy capability stick to a catamaran..if you are looking for a more livable monohull without sacrifice( actually improving) sea capabilities ,then go to this trimaran.
Nevermind the boat, it's all about those legs. WOW just get on any boat soon!
I wish we could stop working and go now too. $$$ makes the world go round and I need to ensure I have a pension to ensure I can sail forever and restock the cruising kitty monthly. :-)
I'd also add that Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose did a review of a Neel and the QC was horrid on that boat (with the excuse being that it was rushed for the show). As such, I'd be wary that Neel might have a rather sketchy product. I'd need to do a lot more research regarding build quality before I'd even consider one. Which is a shame, because I think they're quite a good looking boat and I like the owner concept of the saloon/master berth/nav station.
I don't like the owner concept as it is just explaining the limitations of a trimaran away... Lots of boat with little space, compared to a 50' catamaran!
I thought that was the privilege 5 ?
@@TySteve539 No, they rather liked the Privilege. When they reviewed it, they rated it highly in all areas except performance and value for money. Had the Privilege been less money, it may have gotten the nod for their new boat over the SeaWind 1370.
@@TraneFrancks Sorry, it was Craig's Review of the privilege that they were making excuses
@@TySteve539 Hmmm. I recall their January review summing it up as a well-built boat, but $1.7M was just out of their range. I might be mistaken, though. Cheers.
Noticed that many new trimarans do NOT have a deck salon stretching across to the outer hulls. Most trimarans have the living space (salon) confined to the inner hull only.
Craig, I don't like the Neel 47, but the Neel 51 is beautiful, I visited it. Unfortunately, these are cheap built boats with a lot of problems on all models, and some serious problems sometimes. A Neel 45 nearly sank because of the central hull opened at the back. So, boat to flee!
I understood the English from the representative Neel with his French accent ... Lol
We were probably too polite in our review. We said the cabinets felt cheap and the layout was bad, but reading all the comments there seems to be a lot of quality issues.
Great that it's set up for pole dancing! :-)
Y'all took forever to get to this review out, haha. However, I definitely see why: the Cats were definitely better quality yachts. I still love the concept and would like to see how VPLP's Dragonship 25M layout was designed.
I would also be interested in knowing why you couldn't use exaggerated wave piercing Amas to allow the upper section to be wider and accommodate improved layouts. This would permit some nice guest space setups.
Concerning the Owner's Suite, some of the Cats do a nice job of placing it forward like this. You could even have the head downstairs and out of the way.
Now, as for the lack of heads, look at an iliad larger Cat and they have one available before even entering the saloon. Their designers need to be replaced or sent to the competitors to see what to really do with so much space.
Always a pleasure to see y'all's reviews. It is obvious your view / perception of these boats hasn't change. Poor quality at best. However, if you compare size, extra hull compared to weight, quality of build, and cost when looking at equally length yachts, Neel is going cheap and not for setting a stand out product.
Thanks. I agree. Layout is not what we would want and cabinets and interior felt cheap. I have not heard great things about overall build quality but I have no personal evidence to point to so I never said anything about that.
How many toilets do you need? For a charter cat I can see the appeal of 4 heads in a 50 foot boat but if I owned one, my wife and I really only need the one head.
The Tri'$ are for speed !
No doubt!
I wouldn't mind if these videos were longer and you spend more time giving your opinions on the boat at the end, especially with this format where you don't talk much during the tour.
Ya. This boat we were not in love with so we didn't say as much. It's hard to go on and on bashing things we weren't in love with. If we really like a boat we tend to go on for a while saying all the things we like. What's the saying our mom's all told us? If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all. ha ha. We did say it felt cheap inside. Can't really talk about rumors we have heard about poor construction.
@@Bowmans-Woods but you did say a good bit at the end! I liked it very much.
The NEEL 47 MINIMOLE arrived 1st overall in the Rallye l'ARC+ on Tuesday 3rd December, after a 12day crossing, beating the 2nd by 35 miles.
THE NEEL 47 had already finished 1st (all categories combined) on the first stage of the Rally between the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands.
3 NEEL trimarans were racing in this edition, their ranking is as follows:
• NEEL 47 MINIMOLE (Italian crew) : 1st (all categories combined) • NEEL 51 SAN (German crew) : 4th (multihull category) • NEEL 51 (Norwegian crew) : still in the race on December 4th, positioned to finish 6th (the multihull category)
Ok. Good to know it is fast. So that’s a plus.
NEEL motivates me to get a trimaran custom made (not by NEEL).
Ya. A tri would be fast so that is a selling point for some.
Dragonfly or Rapido ?
Listen to Janis at 6:00 when two sinks are shown :-)
Ha Ha. It did have that going for it at least. But the 2nd sink was small so maybe only half marks for that.
@@Bowmans-Woods 🙂
The condensation problem bothers me when he unlatched the hatch shades water drop down on the berth. How can condensation problem be solved?
on a window like that, the only way is to insulate. if you replace the canvas shade with a solid foam one or double glazing. if it is warm inside and cold outside you end up with water condensing on the cold parts inside (glass window).
Great video. Do you have anything to say about the quality of the finishing inside the boat and also on the outside, I recall Ruby Rose another TH-cam channel, made of video also reviewing the same boat indicating the finishing quality was absolutely terrible. Very curious to see what you have to say of this.....
that was a different boat, that one was pushed into the show unfinished
The only good boat I've seen and it was their first one, I believe, is the one owned by the family on SailOceans TH-cam channel. It looks like they made it a little better.
Honestly, you need a Sunreef, Outremer, Privilege, or other solid name to workout a layout and appointment.
The little bit of heeling seems acceptable considering the trimaran benefits.
We tried to be obvious that we were not fans by calling it cheap IKEA furniture feel, without being rude or blunt by saying it was terrible. Lets just say it felt very cheap and I can only imagine then when this boat has a few years of bouncing through waves, it will show where the quality may be lacking. We have never sailed it to say how it feels but, Im guessing sleeping in those outside torpedo tubes would be very uncomfortable, bouncing up and down through the waves.
26k subscribers! The rep should take you for a test ride. Just get a shirt with sealing off duty logo and your followers stats. It will be a win win for everybody. Videos are improving every time.
Thanks. I was wearing a Cruising Off Duty T-shirt or sweatshirt the entire time. Only reason I got so many private tours. Many builders (the big 3) couldn’t be bothered. So many prospective clients on the docks. Plus the mass production builders know we will showcase the cheap quality cabinets and creaky floors so they’d rather not have us filming. No upside for them. The boutique builders know they have good quality so they are happy to have us film.
I so wished , but a 5'-2" draft , Ikea interior and a price that matches Maverick 400 when kitted out . I think not . An awesome concept for boat for 2 and guest over a weekend ............... The sales guy french accent was fine , English is spoken so main different ways
I agree. May be a good concept to have a Tri in the market. Just don’t think this has the quality interior people want.
This is a boat for people who enjoy the sailing more than the destination, the accommodation is fine for those 4-5 day regattas and the adventurous sail to and from, but not ideal for 2 weeks at anchor in paradise.
I think you are right. Performance is its selling feature.
Cracks me up to hear all the hand-wringing about how much a Neel tri "heels." This after no time in the boat on the water, just basing this on a marketing photo in which Neel packed on a lot of sail on a boat that is assuredly not loaded for cruising. We sail a much smaller, lighter cruising tri and if we don't want to heel, we ease the sheets a touch to level out and still fly by monos thrashing through the water heeling 30 degrees. We pass by a lot of condomarans motoring to their destinations, too.
My first thought early in the video was "I hope it has a bow thruster because it only has one engine". Yup
The salon layout is more like a 'bachelor' apartment (or 'efficiency' for other countries) It is nice if you are a couple sailing but, having your bed on display to guests doesn't appeal.
Given the list price of a new one, it might be worthwhile to at least put a used one on the list to check out when you are ready to cut the lines.
My first thought was "Bachelor Pad!", I know exactly who this is for and it ain't them.
Totally agree. I hate the location of the Master bedroom in the middle of everything. It will not be our future boat. We were being polite. :-)
In looking at the NEEL it looks like veneer over particle board, is this the case or am I mistaken?
It may be over foam core. But it felt cheap and light with sharp corners. Think cheap IKEA student desk quality.
The boat is finely balanced. More shelves in engine room would be like pooping your pants. Junk in the trunk. You have a workshop/basement forward of the engine, in the center of the boat, for good weight distribution.
Big yikes for me: the guests in the capsules are completely exposed to the weather when they want to go to the saloon or back. Imagine having a nice evening, it's raining, you had some wine, it's late and then having to find your way across to the hole/entrance of the guest capsule all while struggling with an umbrella or getting soaked.
Yikes is right. Plus I can only imagine how loud and uncomfortable it would be to try and sleep out in those torpedo tubes as you bounce up and down through waves. You have to really hate your guests to stick them out there in some serious chop.
Hahaha , an umbrella on a yacht - clearly none of you sail
its a fast boat....is the tradeoff worth it to have guests make compromises to be on your half million dollar yacht for free? how spoiled are these guests anyway as there must be a billion or two people on earth who'd kill to travel somewhere exotic in a boat like this. In any case...its probably not as bad as you imagine given the chines.
Here's a great video showing the speed of the Neel 45. It's a totally different layout, and one would assume the 47 might be a bit quicker.
th-cam.com/video/bS8Xv60ufhA/w-d-xo.html
This is a full on cruising boat with all the gear, and going 15 - 18 with little fuss. The toddler sound asleep on the cockpit settee is priceless! Obviously it's the best point of sail, being a beam reach, but impressive knowing it's a not an empty race boat or tricked out for a speed run. Or being sailed by a crew of pro sailors!
Thanks as always for your excellent reviews!
Looks like a fun Boat! Owners cabin lacks privacy. Wall it in? If you want to shave days off your passage this one will do it!
Thanks. Not for us for a bunch of reasons but if speed is what u want. This may be an option.
Would prefer to see it powered up surfing monster waves :)
Hey if they want me to go on a test sail, I am up for filming it. :-)
Are they 8 berths?
It's a fast boat, not a floating condo. So if you you want sprawling rooms go big. But if you are a sailor and want to get 15 -18 knots, and average 10 in light airs... this lightweight concept offers a lot of comfort considering it's speed. It competes for those considering Outremer class cats. Would I take an HH or Gunboat over it... of course. But for the price, very clever and fast and serviceable.
I hear ya. It is selling itself as a faster than Cat option. There are trade offs with everything.
@@Bowmans-Woods In a couple more years everything will be on foils, regardless of hull count. That will even the field (and the seas) Have you seen the G4 yet? Almost there.
I think if they turned the outside crew cabins into just 2 long births it would be a better use of space
It looks like a large home built kit boat
One wonders about the history and backgrounds of the designers of this Neel. Certainly not for me and my family members, young and old. Oh well, different strokes for different folks. Sort of reminds me of one stroke that invented thick plastic handcuffs that had changeable liners in the wrist areas. I had to explain it to a handcuffed DUI suspect once that laughed his ass off! Carry them still in my vehicle, just in case. They never rust!
As usual another great review. Personally it's not a layout that I like none of the advantages of a cat and none of the advantages of a mono and it doesn't appear to be high on quality. Perhaps perfect for a couple that only very rarely have others on board.
I agree with you Glen. It seemed to have none of the benefits of a solidly built Cat, with it comfort and privacy, but also not really a true Mono. I wonder what it would feel like trying to sleep in those outside pontoons as you are smashing through waves. I am guessing it would be impossible to sleep, off watch.
@@Bowmans-Woods Forget about sleeping, what would happen if you are crossing an ocean in a storm and you want to go to bed, four meter seas, torrential rain, 30 knots of wind and you have to go out on an unprotected hull, open a hatch (in the open) and climb in to go to bed. Not what I call safe or close to comfortable.
@@Bowmans-Woods Yes sleeping in the outer hulls (technical name armas) is very difficult in conditions except for dead calm, even anchored most of the tri's I have been on dont have enough displacement on the armas to prevent the boat flopping in the a waves
I agree trimarans you have to make great sacrafices in the terms of liveablitity and cost for their one big feature, that speed tri's are so much faster than the equivilent mono/cat. I have been sailing and racing yachts for 30 + years and spent 2 years on a cruiser racer. Loved the tri but no way I would live on it. The annoying features I could put up with for a few weeks would after a few months start to drive the crazy
Preferred floor plan over the 51’ Neel.
You may be right. The Neel is probably not a strong contender for us.
Your good review is missing to point out one key element: this 47' trimaran has a width of 27feet (8.23m ) !!
Having sailed the Neel 45, and visited the 47, let me give you my humble opinion on some aspects concerning the 45 and the 47 (which I saw in a boat show).
45': +
the 45 is fast, and light (much lighter than the 47), tacs with ease, speeds up at light winds (4/5 knots of wind and you are already over 5 kits). Roomy, reasonable draught (5.2'). weight distribution is fantastic, and the boat is real pleasure to sail.
45': -
cabin size, heads size (too small). low ceiling, cheap quality built,
47':
- the layout is not what you can expect for that price range (fully equipped, before tax, that boat is almost 700k USD !)
- the "guest" hulls (the so nicknamed torpedo tubes) are no real cabins, and even less so real heads.
except maybe for children, but even so, you need at least a second REAL HEAD on a boat that size.
- the owner's cabin is too small to feel comfortable, not to mention the limited amount of storage,
At the same time it takes so much space out of the saloon/kitchen.
(the 51 is much roomier)
General comment,
why I would hesitate to buy a trimaran compared to a catamaran
1. space (catamarans are much spacier)
2. trimarans tangle a lot more at anchor (one hull being lifted)
3. trimarans have only a single engine, located in the center hull
4. you need a bow thruster. but even so equipped, they are not that easy to handle in tight marinas (width + single engine)
5. trimarans are VERY WIDE (in Europe, finding a berth for a Neel 47/51 or 65 will be a challenge, and very expensive)
6. layout of a catamaran is better
what I prefer in trimarans
a. they are faster, and they are nice to sail
b. they are very safe
c. they are easier to sail.
Thanks for all that feedback. I agree with your thoughts.
I've said it on other channels and I'll say it here as well. On paper these are really cool, innovative designs. In reality, the execution is quite poor. Fit and finish is bad just by observation, and a little bit of online research on existing boats shows quality problems that are downright scary; one boat literally had the transom separate from the hull of the boat soon after delivery, and that wasn't the only problem they had. Gonna need to see much higher quality from Neel before this boat is worth considering.
As a skipper for hire I have sailed one and saw 2 other Neels. They sail like a dream and the concept is great, although the guest cabin sucks for a skipper on rough sea. However the quality is extremely bad on all the ones I saw. They all had huge issues and I really would not recommend one.
Craig has pointed out the quality issues big time in other videos as has other independent reviewers. Seeing his face and statements at the huddle around time at the end, neither of them are actually impressed. Neel seem to be counting on the industry sales people to glamorize such a poor product, which is too bad. It would be better if they just made a quality product.
In fact, based on the needs they've mentioned to date and given a chance to cross the Pacific or Atlantic with one, if the quality and layout were actually there, IMHO, they would love such a boat.
Hey guys. I read all of your comments. I think you could tell we were not in love with the boat. We did not like the layout with the Master right in the middle of everything and the side cabins would be very uncomfortable in a wavy bouncy sea. The cabinetry looked like the cheapest IKEA cabinetry so, no we were not a fan. I have heard a lot of comments and rumors about the poor quality but I had no direct experience on the poor build quality, other than the cheap feel of things. So we politely declined to go into detail on that point, other than to say the cabinetry looked and felt cheap.
@@Bowmans-Woods 👍
Nop & no & no ..... this compared with Sunreef 50 this boat is like a bad joke.
Guess it would not take much to fix a centre bord instead of the keel. I allways wonder why they do not offer this as an option, to exploit the shalow draft of multihulls, plus it would produce less leeway.
One reason they don't need a big keel is the pontoons keep it up. Mono needs the keel for the weight below the boat.
@@Bowmans-Woods But they still need to put down some sort of foil to resist drift upwind, which in this case is a fixed keel resulting in a draft of 1,6m. That's a lot for a multihull, that as you said, doesn't need a counterweight. A center board could be a deeper and more efficient foil and at the same time shallow when needed.
They offer a sports version of their 45 footer and that has a deeper keel than the cruising for enhanced upwind performance.
In a multihull I tend to wanting all the benefits of the concept in exchange of the self uprighting capability, i.e. shallow draft, speed, space, dinghy options, smooth ride, etc...
Others may not care so much for one or the other and many have sailed to far more places then I ever will, with boats drawing a lot more than that.
A lifting keel and beaching rudders would make a big difference.
Thanks for the review! Hmm, I agree on the points you made, and the somewhat skimpy finish, plus my take-away is that a trimaran, for all its "advantages", has definite downsides. Speed is not really a factor on long hauls IMHO. So, for me a good size mono (70'+) or a medium size cat (50+') are the choices. It all depends on the money you are able (and willing) to spend. Cat-manufacturers are slowly applying new hull-shapes. My personal favorite is Privilege 60'+! Lots of room and good overall sailing characteristics!
Thanks Otto. Good points.
A 47' mono would have more room and better cabins and probably be cheaper to buy. Disliked the layout , really bad design .. Sailing Ruby Rose hammered Neel for bad build quality but it was a different design (maybe it was the 51). I love tri's but this left me cold.. Very cheap (Ikea) style furniture and looks,, YUCK.. Great review though, thanks.
Very nice idea but their boats are built cheap . I look at how it built .
I've heard rumors of quality issues but had no personal experience to comment on that. Just looked at if it was laid out in a way we would want to live on. Decided, no on those grounds alone. The quality issues would have to be something I looked into closely IF this boat was in serious contention.
S/V Ruby Rose - also found some big quality issues with the fit & finish of the Neel 51' Trimaran.
It was a bit shocking for a large, expensive sailboat. I think they may have had to pull that vlog off YT, which I think speaks to bigger issues with Neel. There supposed to be some reason - like that boat was "rushed" into production to meet the show deadline - yet WHY would any reputable boat builder rush a product to the show -when it would only show how bad it is?
This one - looked better -though I have to run vids in low res (work bandwidth) and was not not paying close attention either - great design - maybe they need some polish on execution. Well beyond my budget, for sure.
@@drx1xym154 I just had a look, and the review is still on their channel, and he is right, the build quality and fit and finish was shocking. considering the price you pay it should be perfect, especially for a boat you are taking to the boat shows
Anyone else think the bow of the center hull looks like a Unicorn Fish??
Other layouts? Staterooms are for sleeping, so I don't care about them, and wish I had that space in the salon for seating. Same goes for the galley. Put it below and just give me a wet bar up.
Ya. I hear you. I am sure if you are getting it built new you can ask for changes.
I liked the price. It seemed to have a lot of room, just not laid out very well. Also all the sharp corners made me cringe. Last negative for me was the Ikea look. It made it look cheap. My biggest positive was the mechanical room.
Agree completely. I don't like the Master right up in the action and the cabinetry looked very cheap. Not the boat we will get.
Despite questionable build quality, the Neel 47 Minimole is currently leading the ARC+ 2019, so they ain't slow, but a little Pogo 36 mono in 4th is only 35 nm behind, and in the company of 51-65 footer cats and monos...
www.worldcruising.com/arc/arc/eventfleetviewer.aspx
Sailing speed is it's biggest claim. So for those looking for that, this could be an option. But .......?
Headroom in the galley seems small! Salesperson head was touching the ceiling!
To be fair the guy was tall.
@@Bowmans-Woods How tall was he?
Light, fast, great design configuration but just not the best execution of the concept. Not a big fan of outer stateroom access not integral to the main hull but it does keep the bridge deck lines up and clean. Fast is the reason for tri hull. Fast cats are not much more comfortable or practical. Most have a better executed finished though. Love the look of the boat. Great lines.
Yes, I'd have to go for a test sail but I assume it sails quite fast since it is so light. I think most of the comments are pointing to the lack of quality than its lack of sailing performance.
About all the negative comments on the layout....that really, really, really must be a very subjective thing. Because this is the only fast sailboat I have ever seen that can be handled easily by a single couple that would feel like living in an apartment on land. Up until I saw the Neel 47, I felt there was no way I could ever feel totally at home on a boat in this size range that was capable of actual sustained speed...and especially not with guests. A lot of people like cozy...but why do you think it is so many people live in houses way bigger than they need? For one couple, this boat would feel as roomy as a 75' mono hull that would take 3-4 people to sail. And I love that the guests are so separated from the living quarters for the owners space....the guests are only there a small percentage of the time, why should the owners break up their living space for this? Seems my dream layout is everyone else's quirky but unrealistic novelty.
Santa if you're watching. i want one,
Have you been that good?
No motor under the beds!!! I bet this is a huge difference to most cats.
Yes, but, only 1 motor instead of 2. So if your 1 motor conks out? Pooched.
@@Bowmans-Woods lol how many motors do monohulls have???
and they get around the world just fine
Tri’s are minimal go fast, cats are luxury cruisers that are fast roomy and comfortable enough to wonder why anyone would buy a mono, mono’s are old school sailing with comfort and fun (I like heeling) but slow: I own an F32 because I like fast and sail solo, I love the look, I also like the look of most cats but I’ve yet to like the look of any of the big tri’s tying to compete with cats, plus they just don’t seem to be able to make the usable room, they just have cubby holes everywhere... if I were to sell my house for a permanent live aboard I’d buy a Seawind or Schionning cat for no other reason than I just plain like both of them.
Trimarans are probably not in our future.
The idea of a comfortable cruising trimaran is really interesting and Neel got quite a few things right. I guess they aimed for a price range which didn't allow the minimum of quality that the market expects.
James with the 51 vlog absolutely loves his boat despite some teething problems which he says are to be expected on a new boat, the Polish couple on the 50 are super satisfied with their boat, I have spoken at length with the owner of the 45 which won the ARC and he is raving about his boat and has zero complaints. I have heard that the guy who had the transom problem put a jet ski on the back...!
But I agree the interior and attention to details is horrible and the layout of the 47 truly horrid.
I love the idea of sailing from 4 knots of wind, fast passages, and having a boat that can be really fun to sail! But after careful consideration I will most probably give it a pass.
Agree completely. They are the only one (practically) on the market. They should charge more and go with top quality interiors. This boat just felt cheap. People will pay extra for quality. Especially if the boat also sails fast.
Its nice they try some new like the master bed.. But they not consequent whit the corners, some are rounded some are sharp.. and it not seems so sturdy, nah not some I like.,.
I am not sure how much sleep you are going to get "off watch" if you are trying to sleep in the master cabin if the other crew is doing things in the Galley Salon. And what is your other option for sleeping? To sleep in those outer pontoons as you bash through the waves? No thanks/.
Cruising Off Duty ..... If or rather when I get a boat for sail and live onboard its exact for avoid other people 🙂 So no crew to me. But yes its a point if have others onboard. I will never get a neel how ever.
I watched Ruby Rose's review of this and the fit and finish is absolutely horrendous. Interior parts were bascially falling apart. I wonder what other compromises have been made building this boat and how it would hold up over time. Such a shame, since there is a lot of potential here.
All those sharp corners, it looks more like a model of a IKEA home than a nice boat. What I want to see is how they tabbed the bulkheads to the hull and the structual integrity. After seeing how Lagoon 45 are glued together I don't trust any boat out of France.
Agreed. Not a fan of sharp corners either.
Generally speaking, I do like the concept of the trimaran the best, but this offensive excuse for a boat is just horrible. It's hard to imagine a worse use of space.
Who is doing best use of space?
What aspects could be done better? How? (Note: I'm not disagreeing with you but honestly interested in how to do it better.)
The only reason you guys didn't like this boat is because its price was close to what you could afford and not way out of your price range like the => $3,000,0000.00+ Carbon HH 55 ft boat...
You think that is our only reason? ha ha
I don't want a sales pitch, I'm just interested in the design..
It may be fast but do you want to live on it full time? We wouldn’t want to.
As impressed & envious as I usually become when seeing ANY trimaran....This NEEL was a bit underwhelming to say the least. The owner's berth, although the idea behind it is quite smart, was just such a waste of all that glorious salon space. It also just looked really out of place, as you both seem to think as well. Actually, IMO, the entire layout & design of it was just odd. There was just so much missed opportunity for a trimaran.
I hear and agree with everything you say Mark.
Money no object, I would be temped to purchase a NEEL 51 and strip out all the finishes and rebuild the interior spaces.
MrMarkymark005 they are trying to make it cheep and appealing at the same time. Its not working!
@@canadaboycanada3620 how cheap is cheap?? fully loaded that total 47 footer will be cost you (before tax) well over 700k USD. how cheap is that for a single head, + 2 fancy "wet areas" that you can convert into a lilliputian shower/rotable toilet head... and a bed that is about ....hummm 1.2m wide?? I almost signed for one, off plan.... Thank God I didn't.
Not every new idea is a good one, and this is all the proof you need. The outside space isn't bad, but after that it all goes south.. Not a good live aboard sail boat at all.. Nice tour though.
I agree Andrew. Thanks
Really don't like the layout, loads of tight sharp edges. Capsule outside cabins, imagine the banging in bad weather. The large bed in the central area is in full view?