HH Catamarans was formed in early 2012 and set out to develop something extraordinary. From there, HH has come to represent a commitment to the quality and success of every boat built.
“This is a new generation of luxury high performance cruising cats – the goal is to take multihull yachting to the next level”.” – Paul Hakes, HH.
In 2021, the HH Performance Catamaran family includes the HH50, HH55 and the HH66 and continues to grow with the newest arrival – the HH88 – on the not too distant horizon. In addition, a new division of blue-water capable luxury cats, the HH Ocean Series, has been developed to expand the HH range further.
When Doyle Sails is tasked with fitting sails to these extraordinary vessels, the sail inventory must meet the expectations and needs of the blue-water, luxury catamarans and their performance-oriented owners—currently powering HH50’s Tribute and Lickety, HH55’s Hai Feng and OC50 Seabattical alongside others.
Performance Multihulls continue to gain momentum, and with more performance comes better handling and style. At Doyle Sails, performance, handling, and style are our forte, delivered through a global network of sailing experts. For those that seek more from their sailing experience. Doyle Sails has become the sailmaker of choice to many HH and Ocean Series yachts worldwide, with innovation and technology making sail handling easier.
In the past ten years, weight-saving benefits have been embedded in the Doyle manufacturing process; attention has focused more on performance and how the sails work. Doyle Sails Design Director Richard Bouzaid comments, “A great deal of what we do now is about how we can manipulate our membranes to do more. It is not just about sails retaining rigid shapes. Our structures are designed to be manipulated, hence the evolution of Structured Luff and Cableless sails.
“This ability to manipulate the shapes means you no longer need five codes of each sail locked into a narrow working range. Our inventories provide flexibility and overall, fewer sails required.”
Advances in sail technology also feedback into broader areas of performance and design. On their own, lighter, stronger sails reduce weight aloft, which improves performance, but Structured Luff and Cableless sails also reduce loads, placing less demand on rigs and supporting structures.
“We can take the load away from the mast and stays and carry more load in the sails,” says Bouzaid. “Big gains are being made there.” This has obvious benefits in racing applications and creates a virtuous cycle in Multihulls, where reduced loads and weight can lead to smaller engines, reduced fuel consumption and better sailing performance.
For the performance multihull customer, performance is manifested in several ways, but primarily durability, ease of use and speed – after all, sailors are there to enjoy the journey. Time is spent designing sails that ensure ease of use and longevity – with Doyle Sails designers listening to individual requirements.
Doyle Sails are the experts in designing complete inventories. Often for Cruising sailors, performance can also mean utilising a limited number of sails across a wide range of wind angles and strengths. Often sailing short-handed or with friends and family, sails must be designed for that specific purpose. Downwind sails tend to spend a lot of time in the air aboard cruising yachts – primarily because sailors who are there to enjoy the journey spend a large portion of their time either reaching or running for comfort, if possible. The addition of the Doyle Cableless sails in 2017 introduced a new era to cruising sails. The Cableless Code sails have proven to be the missing link between a genoa and a gennaker, gaining power in light air and performance across a broader range of angles, both reaching or running.
Over the last 30 years, Naval Architect, Morrelli & Melvin have built an enviable, worldwide reputation for excellence in yacht design, engineering and customer support. The list of famous boats Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin has helped bring to life is beyond impressive – 2013 America’s Cup Challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC72; 2010 America’s Cup winner, Oracle/BMW; 1988 America’s Cup winner, Stars and Stripes catamaran; 125′ record-breaking cat PlayStation; and 2016 Olympic Class Nacra 17. Gino raced extensively on Stars and Stripes with Dennis Conner and PlayStation with Steve Fossett, setting 12 world records including Atlantic W-E, 24-hour, Round Britain/Ireland. Morrelli & Melvin designs have won 20 Boat of the Year awards, including 2018 Overall Boat of the Year from Sailing World Magazine and 2018 Best Boats – Catamaran from SAIL Magazine for the HH66, and Boat of the Year – Multihull from Cruising World Magazine for the HH55.
ABOUT HH CATAMARANS // HH Catamarans are designed to exacting specifications and built to each owner’s specification using the most advanced methods in the industry. We delivery luxury yachts that are elegant performance machines, and offer them at unmatched value. Learn more here.
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // As sailors, our obsession with sailing connects us to the water. The water is our playground, a sanctuary where we seek enjoyment, a competitive playing field where we race; it’s sometimes our home and always a place that unlocks our sense of adventure wherever that adventure might take us.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those who have the same passion for sailing as we do. Sailing is in our DNA, where the water unlocks our sense of adventure. We are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for close to four decades, and while our world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment and adventure as we do hasn’t.
From our sailors to yours, we are your experts in sailing. Your adventure starts with Doyle. By sailors, for sailors.
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS QINGDAO // Doyle Sails Qingdao is owned and operated by Mark Fullerton and John Hearne. The company has been in operation since 2006 and is located in Qingdao, in mainland China. Led by a team of qualified sailmakers, the loft has the design and sailmaking experience to offer quality sails from dinghy’s to superyachts. The loft also manufactures for a significant number of the other Doyle Sails lofts globally. As competitive yachtsmen, from one design to ocean racing, the experience the loft can share to customers is unparalleled. With an area of over 2400 sqm and 40 qualified sailmakers, Doyle Qingdao can offer both performance orientated sails or cruising sails right through to traditional sailmaking with old fashioned service.