Darren Newton, or Daz built his first catamaran Dazcat 1 with the help of his parents Rodney and Sonia and his brother Carl. He’d been a keen Hobiecat sailor in his teenage years and ended up winning the Round the Island race on his first boat. Then came the second build: Renegade after which he moved to Millbrook in Cornwall to work on the third Dazcat and set up the business.
In 1994 he won the Trans-Atlantic with Bob Beggs on Active Air (Dazcat 3).
In 1999, Multimarine was formed. Business expanded into building boats from other designers and maintenance work which helped the business grow on a solid footing going into the new millennium. In 2013, the company bought the Multihull Centre (previously run by Pat Patterson from Heavenly Twins) allowing them to expand their services into brokerage and berthing.
The combined strengths of Dazcat, Multimarine and the Multihull Centre have enabled the group to grow steadily over recent years with rising demand for their services and products including a refit for Gunboat 55 Rainmaker which was salvaged and relaunched as a performance power cat.
The Boats
Photos credit: Dazcat from Multihullcentre.com
Dazcat #1 1988
Dazcat #1 was a 28-footer that won the 1991 Round the Island Race in 3h 55m.
Dazcat #2 Renegade 1991
A 26-footer that you could dismount and transport by trailer. Built with ISO Polyester and Spheretex core biaxial glass.
Dazcat #3 Clarke’s Active Air, renamed Brain
This F26 Micro-racer was built in 1994 and was the first Dazcat to be built in Millbrook. Originally called Clarke’s Active Air, then Brain, she was last spotted in Croatia. It looks like she’s now called Oceano.
She completed two transatlantic races, first with Darren Newton and Bob Beggs in the two-handed, then later in the single-handed by Bob.
LOA: 8m
Beam: 5m (approx.)
Weight: 1150 kgs
Berth: 2 (for 2 small ones)
Construction: Airex PVC foam core
Dazcat #4 Cloud 9 1995
Launched as a 35-footer but later extended to 40 feet. Cloud 9 was Dazcat’s first cruiser
Dazcat #5 “Specially Selected”: Dazcat 920 SBC: 1997
SBC stands for Sports Bridgedeck Catamaran.
This was designed for the Three Peaks Yacht Race, a race up the West Coast of the UK with runs up the summits of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the highest peaks of Wales, England & Scotland. The galley and navigation station are set half down in the hulls like the new designs and give full-standing headroom and great all-round views. The saloon seating is U-shaped and the table drops down to create a double berth.
Dazcat #6 “Paradox”. 9m Trimaran 1997
Designed for Alan Grace for the Round Britain and Ireland Race which she won three times. Also came second in class in the Fastnet.
Dazcat #7 Deja Vu 1998
8m beach cat with trapezing racks.
Dazcat #8 “Leigh” Dazcat 920 ORC 1998
An open bridgedeck 920. Won a 3 Peaks Race.
Dazcat #9 “Belladonna” D10 1999
Built as a 10m cruiser and refitted in 2006. Construction is vacuumed foam sandwich, with multi-axial E-glass fabric, Kevlar and carbon reinforced with vinylester and isophthalic polyester resin systems.
Dazcat #10 “Zaba” D10 2001
Weighs 2.8 tonnes and lives her life as a cruiser.
#11 “Lady Bounty” – Dazcat 1400 SBC 1999
#12 “Raperee” – Dazcat 1400 1999 kit sold, launched 2017.
#13 “Dazzler” Dazcat 1500 2000
#14 “Bedazzled” Dazcat D10 2001
#15 “Dazzle” Dazcat D12 2002
#16 “Stellar Marine” Dazcat D14 2005
#17 “Born Slippy” Dazcat D1190 2006
Now based in the Cape Verde Islands.
#18 “Easy Tiger” Dazcat D10R 2007
Helm with tillers…
#20 “Drama Queen” Dazcat D1150 2009
Dazcat D1195
#21 “Sueños” Dazcat D1195 2010
The first D1195. This model is no longer in production, but you can still buy the completed hulls to finish.
#22 “Spirit of Freedom” D1195 (2010)
#23 “Dazla” D1395 (2011)
Last seen at the Caribbean 600
#24 “RIP Van Winkle” Dazcat D1195 2013
Now based in the US.
#25 “Rock Steady” D1195 2010
Dazcat 1495
#26 “Hissy Fit” Dazcat 1495 2014
The 1495 is one of 2 models currently in production.
Read our Dazcat 1495 review here.
MOCRA champion, winner in class in the Fastnet, Round the Island, Round Britain and Ireland
#27 “Apollo” Dazcat D1495
#28 Merlin D1195 2019
The D1195 is only available now as a “Structurally Complete Hull”. Dazcat production is now focused on the D1295 & 1495 models
Dazcat 1295
The 1295 is the shortest boat in the current range.
#29 Slinky Malinki Dazcat D1295 2017
Plenty of races under her belt including a 4th in class in the 2019 Fastnet. Weight: 5.6 tonnes.
#30 Mangata 5 D1295 XL 2019
Built for a family whose three children have varying special needs.
#31 Tomcat Artemis (D1495) 2019
Built for wheelchair accessibility. She rounded the Horn in March 2023.
Artemis is skippered by Tom Hughes who was injured playing rugby when he returned as an Army captain from a tour of Afghanistan.
Tom Hughes set off on Artemis to sail the world, having planned the trip for six years.
Dazcat Ocean Cruiser 55
The flagship of the range.
A supercat, designed for high daily average mileage for longer distances: built to handle all conditions. Light Displacement is 12 tonnes.
Main sail area 105m2, slab reefing (in-boom option available).
This boat is designed for two to four people living aboard for extended periods with two to four guests for the longer passages. Ergonomically designed living areas are modern, comfortable and practical: a true home from home.
Plenty of storage and carrying capacity.
– Designers: Dazcat
– LOA: Dazcat 16.75/17.45 m
– BOA: 8m
– Weight Lightship: 12,000kg
– Weight Loaded: 16,000kg
– LWBR: 13:1
– Rig: Carbon Mast with Aramid rigging
– Main Sail Area: 100m2 (in-boom furling)
– Main sail area 105m2 (slab reefing)
– Self-tacking jib: 55m2
– J1 Area: 92m2
– Code 0 140m2 Option
– Spinnaker: A2 200m2
– Parasail 250m2 Option
– Construction: Infused composites
– Berths: 6-8
– Headroom Below: 2m Headroom Bridge Deck: 2.2m
– Foils: Twin carbon dagger-boards
– Auxiliary Power: Twin 80hp Yanmar sail-drive
– RCD: CAT A
