Safety at sea is the most important aspect of an offshore cruising catamaran and involves many attributes such as hull and deck construction, bulkheads, keels, rudders & steering, deck outfitting and sail controls just to name a few. Broadblue is the highest quality built catamaran that focuses on all of these key safety features.
All Broadblue Catamarans are constructed to the highest quality standards. They conform and in many cases, exceed the European Recreational Craft Directive for Category A Ocean Going rating. Broadblue uses only the highest quality products under strict guidelines to construct a superior hull.
The Broadblue keels and hulls below the water line are built with high quality hand laid laminates covered with the best hand laid isopthalic gel coats (best resistance to osmosis). Our hulls are between ½ and ¾ inch thick of solid fiberglass and have Kevlar reinforcement in high stress areas such as the keels and engine room. The strong and thick hulls provide superior strength against holing (safety when you hit something underwater), damage after going aground, and other heart pounding events.
The Broadblue hulls above the water line and deck are designed and engineered using the latest in fiberglass and balsa sandwich technology for blue water cruising. Our topsides have strong and thick outside and inside laminates, together with Kevlar at high load areas, to give greater stiffness and impact resistance. Balsa is proven to give the best laminate to core adhesion, high compressive strength, good insulation qualities and long term life. Balsa is a standard in the commercial boat building industry.
Bulkhead Structures are used to keep the hulls from flexing when in a high load environment such as heavy seas. Most catamarans are built using 3 major bulkheads but Broadblue has 5 full bulkheads. All Broadblue Catamarans have exceptional tensional rigidity due to the use of two tensional boxes (fore and aft) each formed by 2 deep full width bulkheads reinforced with three or more longitude bulkheads forming a very strong and stiff box. The fifth full width bulkhead is located at the helm or aft saloon wall. The global structure is formed by these bulkheads in conjunction with the one piece hull and deck molding to which they are fully bonded. All bulkheads are vacuum bagged glass with high density foam core.
Each Broadblue catamaran has two forward and two aft water tight buoyancy chambers that provide flotation in the unlikely holing event. The buoyancy chambers make the Broadblue catamaran nearly impossible to sink.
Broadblue deck is built using tough laminate with balsa core for strength and durability. Wherever there are fittings, we use reinforcing pads of marine plywood and extra laminates to take high loads and to protect the balsa core. As a result, our decks are incredibly strong and do not flex. Chain plates are mounted in solid fiberglass with Kevlar reinforcement and they are strong enough to support the entire boat.
The Broadblue Deck is flat and coated with non-skid to minimize the risk of slipping and to make it easier to work the vessel. We also have molded toe rails at the edge of the deck for security (assist you from slipping off) and strength.
Hull length to overall beam ratio is critical to stability. Our designs are in balance with fore and aft stability and lateral stability; excessive beam increases the risk of a trip over the lee bow as there is not enough fore and aft stability to support the lateral stability.
Hull to Deck Joint is fully bonded (fiber glassed together) the entire way around the boat and cannot leak or fail. A significant replaceable rub rail is added to protect the hulls from minor bumps at piers & docks.
Our catamarans have high quality and well secured stanchions holding double stainless steel lifelines all round the catamaran. They are set at a height to provide safety without interfering with one’s ability to move around the boat.
Broadblue uses real hardened 8 to 10 mm (7/16”) tinted glass on all saloon and galley windows. Plastic windows have a tendency to craze, scratch, weaken and leak. Our real glasses windows are Category A Ocean rated and are set in separate powder coated aluminum frame. Broadblue moulds mullions between each main window to absorb the compression loads from the coach roof and strengthen the whole structure.
Our high freeboard minimizes waves breaking into the cockpit. If a wave does flood the cockpit area, large and efficient drains remove the water very quickly.
Broadblue Rudders are protected by a full skew which is moulded as part of the hull. The thick fiberglass laminate skew has three bearings (lower with a stainless steel shoe, at the hull and at the rudder controls) making the rudder smooth and easy to operate even under heavy load. The skew protects the rudder from damage (another bump in the night). The skew also protects the rudder and sail drive when the boat is beached or from catching ropes, etc. The engines are in front of the rudders, essential for close quarter maneuvering, weight balance and safe access in rough sea conditions.
Broadblue uses hydraulic steering to control the rudders. Hydraulic systems are self lubricating, powerful and allow the auto pilot to be integrated directly into the system for efficiency and reliability. Hydraulic steering systems are superior to the common wire/string and pulley systems.
The anchoring system has to be top notch. Our anchoring system is self launching, self stowing and can be operated from the helm position with the optional remote switch. The chain locker has ample fall to minimize the possibility of the chain jamming the windlass and it is not usually necessary to use a bridle.
All sail control lines lead back to the cockpit allowing one to sail without leaving the cockpit. This is a real benefit in the ocean, at night and during rough seas. The sail controls are designed for single or shorthanded sailing.
Engine rooms include an automatic fire extinguisher and are coated with fire resistant gel coat.
Safety is the most important aspect of a blue water cruiser. Cruising sailors must be safe at sea and when several hundred miles from shore the catamaran must provide a sound, solid and safe platform. Safety just cannot be an issue. There are many other safety areas that Broadblue takes very seriously. Taking care of safety first makes the other key features much easier. When you are on a Broadblue Catamaran, you know that you are on one of the safest and best built catamarans.