Practical Sailor · video

What this video covers

The Tortue 147 is a 48-foot aluminium exploration catamaran built by the Cataruga shipyard in Tanzania.▶ 1:20 Designed for autonomy rather than speed, the vessel features 8-to-10-millimetre thick aluminium plating without balsa coring.▶ 2:02 The hull incorporates bulbous bow tips to reduce pitching and long stern tails for longitudinal stability.▶ 2:35 Long keels and protected rudder skegs allow the boat to sit flat on the seabed during low tide.▶ 2:47 Propulsion consists of two 57-horsepower diesel engines paired with two 10-kilowatt electric motors.▶ 3:20 The electrical system includes 5.5 kilowatts of solar panels feeding a 65-kilowatt-hour lithium battery bank.▶ 4:15 Tankage capacities reach 1,100 litres of diesel and 1,200 litres of water, supported by a 100-litre-per-hour water maker.▶ 3:48 The interior layout offers three cabins with up to nine berths and a suspended cockpit balcony.▶ 5:08 With a base price of approximately 2 million, the design prioritizes structural durability and off-grid endurance over racing performance.▶ 6:27

More from Practical Sailor

How To Use a Boat Battery SwitchAug 2026A Liveaboard That Sails Like a Race BoatJul 2026The History of Beneteau BoatsJul 2026Performance Sailing – Beneteau First 44 ReviewJul 2026

From Practical Sailor — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.