- Price : from 130 000 euros
- 195 units built from 2006 to 2013
Launched in 2006, the Mahé 36 remained in the Fountaine-Pajot catalog until 2013, with 195 units built. This 36-footer, the manufacturer's smallest model, benefited in 2011 from a refit under the name Evolution. The shipyard offers a hard bimini, a redesigned maneuvering station with an electric winch on request euros and slightly altered and better finished accommodation.
The smallest of the offshore catamarans
While most shipyards have quickly abandoned units under 40 feet, the Mahé 36 offers the advantage of providing almost equivalent comfort and seaworthiness, for a significantly lower budget. However, it is important to favour downwind conditions, manageable wind conditions and, above all, a reduced load capacity (1,500 kg max).
Convincing performance
The rather thin hulls at the waterline ensure an average of 8 knots as soon as the breeze comes in. Good performance is the result of a flattering sail/weight ratio: 15.4 m2/t, which is much higher than most models in this category, which are more like 10.
If the Mahé is at ease on the beam downwind, it is a little less so upwind. First of all because its fins are rather short euros 1.10 m draft but especially because the nacelle, rather low, quickly hits the sea.
A clear deck plan
The rather wide side decks and the huge trampoline at the front offer vast areas of idleness accompanied by well-designed rear skirts. The cockpit is content with a vast U-shaped bench seat that completely surrounds it and a table offset to port.
The helm station is a large raised seat with direct access to most maneuvers. As standard, the first Mahé did not have a cockpit protection. Most owners have opted for a textile bimini. The Mahé Evolution offers a hard bimini, which cleverly integrates the cockpit seat.
Two or three cabins only
Rather than trying to fit four cabins while the gondola remains modest, the designers of the Mahé 36 were satisfied with two or three cabins. In the first version, it is logically the front points which welcome the toilets. They benefit from a much larger volume than if they were located in the gangway, in the middle of the hulls. The three-cabin version has only one toilet.
In the nacelle, the builder has managed to accommodate a saloon, an L-shaped kitchen and a small navigation area. The ventilation is well treated and the famous cap, on the front of the deckhouse, effectively protects from the greenhouse effect when the sun is higher. The finish, rather basic on the first models, has improved significantly on the Evolution.
The diagnosis of Bateaux.com
Apart from a few models sometimes worn out by years of charter operation euros check engine hours, sails, electronics and standing rigging - the Mahé 36s have aged quite well. The structure and rigging are robust, the engines easy to access for routine maintenance euros and therefore inspection.
On the other hand, and more particularly on the oldest 36, some "new" problems were noted : approximate adjustment of furniture and partitions, incomplete or defective assembly of certain equipment. Most of these little glitches have of course been solved, most often by the manufacturer or its dealers. In short, you may still come across a boat with a squeaky deck or a squeaky bulkhead in rough seas, but not much more.
The advantages
- Easy to maneuver
- Easy to maintain
- Compact size
The disadvantages
- Low load capacity
- The basket hits the rough sea
- Average finish quality
But what is missing?
Wider rear skirts.
The equivalent today?
Few models except the Aventura 34 and the C-Cat 37 euros most manufacturers offer cruising catamarans under 40 feet.
