Poetry in Motion

Drawing the line between a classic Greek poem and a modern line of powercats might seem a difficult thing to do, but step aboard ILIAD Catamaran’s 53F and suddenly it all makes sense, as catamaran virgin Kyle Barnes quickly realised on the Gold Coast.

Why call a boat brand ILIAD? If you didn’t know, The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem by Homer that references a brief but important period in the Trojan War. The Iliad simply means poem of Troy, so what’s the link with ILIAD Catamarans? ILIAD’s business development and marketing manager Kate Elkington has the answer.

“Homer’s ships are legendary for their long-range capabilities and commanding performance,” she explains. “This resonated with us as in addition to luxury and quality, these are some of the defining features of our range of catamarans.”

Now, I’m in a bit of a conundrum. I’m on a vessel that I’m not typically drawn to – in fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a multihull before. For me, the traditional cat captain was more like a middle-aged, passionate Volvo driver who lorded it over you with too much research and loads of safe car rhetoric.

These days, it’s a little like getting a Tesla owner started on the benefits of their EV compared to internal combustion cars. But, time has moved us all on and I’m now a middle-aged Tesla owner. It also seems to me that catamaran builds and their use of space are fabulously innovative and exciting to talk about.

I met with senior sales executive Marcus Overman early one morning at The Boat Works on the Coomera River. It’s pretty hard for one vessel to stand out here, but the ILIAD 53F did. The numbers on this boat are massive. The length is just over 16 metres with a beam just under 8 metres. That takes care of your saloon, cockpit and foredeck – and equates to the space on board some of the 22-metre boats I’ve seen.

There’s a lot going on in the saloon, with its clean-lined and chef-friendly full-size galley. The area is serviced by double doors aft and fold-back windows that open the aft up nicely, and one forward midships window for cross breeze. Myriad soft sofas and seats with upholstery crafted in synthetic Ultraleather create a fabulous feel.

Under every recess and height change, there’s a lovely golden glow from hidden strip lighting. The helm is to starboard and normally has a double seat with bolster – our ride had optioned a single helm chair that swings to starboard to become an office chair with a desk set-up. There are lots of hidden power points, hatches and hidey-holes, so you could never complain about storage.

In the starboard hull, there’s an athwartships owner’s cabin midships of the hull that can either be a full king or queen, with loads of light thanks to the hull windows and tinted deck hatches. There’s also a full ensuite, and the cabin has a nicely placed chair
to curl up on in the sun, as well as a vanity table and shelving. Having a hull to yourself is also the perfect way to get privacy, even from your own guests on board.

Across in the other hull are two ensuite guest cabins. The forward cabin is a sort of twin with one single and a double – it’s a great space for kids or a couple with a little one.

“You can also carry two tenders, one on the aft deck and one on the top deck, which for a 53-foot vessel is a lot of toys. And finally, it has a shallow draft, which means you can get further up into bays and inlets to avoid any inclement weather.”

The upper deck boasts a huge outdoor area, with a couple of removable chocks that can house a tender or hold a 12-seat dining table.

On the port side, further forward, is built-in seating for 10 with a retractable dining table that comfortably accommodates everyone. To starboard is a barbecue and everything else you need for alfresco fun – it even has the kitchen sink.

Then there’s the helm, with an oversized adjustable bolster sit/stand seat with room for another few navigators on your port side. The helm works off a couple of Raymarine 16-inch displays, almost mirroring the downstairs helm in terms of tech.

The side decks are wide and generous with a few tinted skylights to let light into the hulls. Up forward, as well as a welcoming and generously proportioned place to rest, the boat has a few more tricks up her sleeve, or more to the point, in her hull.

The first surprise is looking into the midships forward storage lockers and anchor space – they’re enormous. I reckon there was
room for half a dozen fenders at least, and not the skinny little ones but the big fat ones that new boaties furnish the rails with to bounce off the pier.

The second surprise comes in the forecastle of the nulls. These things are huge in terms of head height and length and, according to Overman, can be fitted out as crew quarters for charter vessels. It’s fair to say I’m now a catamaran captain convert, thanks to the 53F.

What’s been crafted in the ILIAD models in terms of space, fit-out, sound engineering and economy is sensational. The space is mind- blowing when you consider you’re on a 53-foot vessel. And the fit-out is right up there with the top longer-established brands with huge amounts of fitted furniture and styles that hold together the elegance of the boat.