Skip Navigation or Skip to Content

Inside and outside modular thinking

A new lifestyle with a novel modular 360° space onboard

By unleashing their creativity, the architects stretched the catamaran’s comfort to the limit without compromising on performance. The result is a resounding success. Christophe Barreau, who co-designed the Windelo catamaran with Frédéric Neuman, agrees: “The team really welcomed new ideas with regards to how space was organized and this helped us to develop a really original concept that leverages all the positive features of the catamaran.” The result is a vast, single, seamless space comprising the cockpit and main galley, with a 360° view of the sea, and retractable bulkheads opening it up to the fresh air.

A modular living space

Living Aboard The Windelo In A Inside And Outside Modular Thinking

Owning a cruising yacht is about so much more than simply going sailing. At heart, it’s often about a shared experience; as much about swinging at anchor off an exotic anchorage or beautiful historical port as it is about breasting the rolling feathery billows of the open ocean, booming before the trade winds.

 

A cruising yacht, therefore, has to be a versatile machine, part dynamic ocean goer, part comfortable home. At heart, it has to be a boat you can live with and live within comfortably. 

 

Achieving the perfect balance has been challenging for naval architects for many decades. There is little doubt that in recent years multihulls have changed the game once more. Suddenly you have a yacht that provides a stable platform for living equivalent in size to many decent-sized apartments. How that space is used to provide an ideal living space has been carefully refined and tweaked for many years. Yet it has been Windelo that has pioneered a new and game-changing approach.

Whether you choose the Windelo 50 or 54, they both share the same basic DNA in their layout, and the idea at the heart of this is that sailing and living aboard are not two separate experiences but become one shared adventure. To achieve this, the cockpit space has been placed forward of the saloon at the same level, accessible from both the bow and also via huge sliding doors into the main saloon. This means that, although there is a clearly defined space for sailing, the two activities are able to be carried out side by side. Too often, yachts end up with sailing areas completely separate from the main living space, and this leads to a divide between those on watch and those relaxing.

With the Windelo, the nerve center of the boat when it is sailing sits alongside and blends with the nerve center of the boat when it is at anchor or in port, the galley, saloon, and dining area. To this end, the skipper can trim the sails working alongside the cook preparing dinner. It’s a more sociable way to sail.

Inside or outside ?

This is not the only manner in which the Windelo range blurs previously defined barriers. In the past, many boats presented you with a stark choice; do I head down below, or do I head ‘outside’ on deck? Well, with inside and outside modular thinking, Windelo succeeds in removing the need to make that decision by spectacularly blurring the lines. In fine weather, almost the entire platform of the hull becomes a giant living space, all on the same level, open and accessible. Perhaps the piece de resistance that sums up this approach best is the rear door that separates the main saloon from the aft ‘outdoor’ space.

06-1
P1000354
layout-1-1
04-4
forward-cockpit-wnaderlust
webtemoignageericpascalselection-13-uai-516x387
Cockpit-Windelo-50-Adventure-4header
a life experience without borders

This huge plexiglass door can either be opened like a traditional patio door or raised entirely thanks to a tilt/slide setup, which removes the barrier between the interior and outdoor area aft entirely. In hot weather, it’s hard to emphasize what a boon this is, breaking down defined dividing lines and making for a sociable setup.

a life experience without borders

This extends onto the aft terrasse, which when deployed at anchor allows bathers swimming off the aft bathing platform to chat freely with the chef in the galley. There is also an outdoor dining table that can be quickly shipped on this aft deck – hosting up to 10 friends & family members.

a life experience without borders

Meanwhile, the forward area with its huge trampoline is easily accessed either via the wide side decks or a sliding door in the forward cockpit and offers an excellent additional sunbathing area.
a life experience without borders

Of course, while many of us aspire to find the endless summer, a boat cannot just be set up for warm weather sailing, and here again, the Windelo proves itself to be a winner. The forward cockpit lends itself to sailing in cooler climes. Close a few windows, and you can sail the Windelo from the cockpit without ever getting your hair wet.

a life experience without borders

On the other hand, on a fine day, with all the windows and that huge back door open, you’ll enjoy the full outdoor sailing experience: 360-degree views, breeze blowing through your hair, and a sailing experience so involved and life-affirming that you’ll feel like you’re sailing a beach catamaran.
a life experience without borders

All the winches are to hand and, apart from stowing the mainsail or setting up the gennaker, everything else can be done without ever leaving the comfort and security of the cockpit. Long watches in cool climates no longer mean a battle to keep warm, meaning that, due to the inside and outside modular thinking, you are less fatigued on a long passage and in a better state of mind to face whatever challenges the ocean throws at you.

More details

In terms of saloon layout, there are two options, one featuring a L-shaped galley that is set to starboard just aft of the cockpit with the dining table & sofa just aft and a second sofa to port. 

 

W54-CUISINE-L-3
 
The second choice is a U-shaped galley to starboard aft and dining area to port. This keeps the chef well enclosed in rough weather yet still at the heart of the action, whilst enjoying a somewhat larger galley.
 

W54-CUISINE-U-1

09-1

Whichever layout you choose, the great strength of both is that, with the saloon well connected to the cockpit, you are always in touch with the sailing experience. Indeed, you can actually retire to the day bed/pilot berth situated to port and pilot the boat from there.

It is set at a height that provides excellent panoramic views, and on a hot day, it’s also a great place to get some shade and just relax. Meanwhile, on a long night watch, you can keep an eye on things from here in total comfort.

It’s also no longer a question of diving down below to make a hot drink; you simply saunter back to the galley and prepare whatever you wish to at your leisure while still keeping an eye out for any lights or dirty weather out to sea.

All this is also great for family sailing as, even in rough weather, children can be involved in the sailing – or simply watch what the grown-ups are up to – in total security, with no need to go outside whether in daylight or at night.

10-2

A room with a view at 360°

This brings us to the next point; anchored up or sailing in cold climes can often be a rather tedious experience, with stunning views often going to waste as you huddle down below. Not so with the Windelo, which, thanks to simply enormous windows, dishes up stunning views from every angle. This is really useful when you are on watch and also adds to an incredibly involved sailing experience even when you are off watch. At anchor, it is, if anything, even better. Even if it is minus 10 outside, you can close the boat up, keep warm, and still treat yourself to stunning panoramic views from inside. It’s just down to you to find a suitably spectacular backdrop.

P1000354
12-2

Out aft, the outdoor space is well protected by the roof extension that keeps the sun off when it’s seriously hot. Speaking of hot, this is a boat that does everything possible to keep you cool when required. Those huge windows and doors can be left open fore and aft to create a thorough breeze that keeps things fresh even in tropical climes.

A Modular Catamaran Designed for Shared Life at Sea

All of this means that you have a boat that brings people together rather than pushing them apart into different sections of the boat. This is incredibly important – particularly on long blue water passages, which are all about the shared experience afloat. This is a boat that brings people together in a manner that few boats have done before, and by bathing the boat in natural light and treating those aboard to incredible views from inside, it ensures that sailing is truly a shared experience and makes the magic of being out on the ocean – or at anchor for that matter – more accessible and easier to enjoy than ever before.

Discover what makes Windelo unique !

Discover more