Yacht charter in Auray · Catalac — Catalac 9m (1980)
Description of Ilya's catamaran
Catamaran Catalac Catalac 9m 9m
Important notice. 2024: Dear customers, Finally I am happy to announce that Hippo will be ready for renting again in Summer 2024. The boat can be rented with a skipper only, since no PEER-TO-PEER CHARTER insurance is available via "Click and Boat"for this old catamaran. The boat has only third party insurance option. I will stay aboard of "Hippo" to accompany you as a skipper in terms of "Co-navigation" or "Accompanied sailing". At the same time, you can practice with navigation and piloting if you wish so. 2021: I am happy to inform you that after long break due to Covid-related travel restrictions, "Hippo" will be available for renting again! During this winter I have done overhaul of starboard motor. I bought this catamaran in 2013 and we use it for family cruising every Summer. Cumulatively 1609 NM - long trip from Kröslin (Germany) to Auray (France) was performed during vacations in 2013-2018. Catalac 9m "Hippo" is a safe cruiser boat proven by time. The model was designed by John Winterbotham of MG Duff LTD in 1968 and has a similar reputation among multihull cruisers as VW Bus among the fans of camper cars. It is not designed to reach speed records but it is very strong, seaworthy and comfortable boat perfect for family cruise. It is very safe model of catamaran. Accordingly to information from the Internet, no cases of capsize were recorded for Catalac catamarans, most likely due to the lacking of the keels. Deep "V" shape of the hulls plays a role of the keel and prevents leeway, but lets the boat to "slide aside" instead of capsizing. "Hippo" is equipped with Main sail, Genoa on furling and Gennaker. "Hippo" has a close steering cabin, 6 berths in 3 sleeping areas and saloon which can be transferred into "king-syze" bed. It can comfortably accommodate a family with two kids (in saloon) + family couple (in double cabin) + one person (in single cabin). One extra berth is also available mid starboard hull, but it is not very comfortable and usually is occupied by suitcases, bags etc. There are many lockers inside the cabin and in cockpit with plenty of space. Catalac 9m has large (about 2x4m) cockpit and Bow sundeck (with no trampolines). Cockpit is equipped with bimini top and plastic cockpit enclosure (for anchorage at rainy day). Inflatable boat with 2,5 outboard motor is included into the price. There is an equipment for snorkeling for 4 persons and 1 set of neoprene suits (7+5mm) of XL size. Two sets of fishing gear are also available. 2 bicycles are available for those who like to explore the land around (no extra payment). "Hippo" can be even used as "floating hotel" to spend some time in this beautiful and rich with culture area of France. Bed linens + towels are available for 10 € per person. Final cleaning 50 €. Boat is located in Auray at Gulf of Morbihan in Southern Brittany (France). The Gulf of Morbihan has been described as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. The are other true "gems" of nature located around, like: Belle Île, Île-d'Houat, Glénan Islands. From Auray it is possible to perform a 3 days-long "One Hop" to cross the Biscay and reach the Spanish coast. I have some experience in photography and can organize sailing photo session for you to have a good memory of your trip. If you are interested in renting this Hippo, please contact me via Click and Boat messaging. Welcome aboard! See you soon!
Equipment available on the catamaran
Services provided by Ilya
Overall rating
21 comments
We had an enjoyable few days on Hippo Ilya was an excellent captain and made sure we knew everything about Hippo before we set sail
Great Boat, Great trip & Ilya is a very nice and caring person, always available on the phone when questions or tips concerning the sailing area are necessary.
We had the boat for one week in Morbihan and also went to Belle Ile. The boat is old but very confortable for a family trip. The boat owner, Illya, is punctual, very helpful & accommodating. Lots of equipments like diving, snorkeling, bicycles etc... We will rent again.
First, we had excellent support from Ilya; far beyond "welcome and reception". We nominated a bareboat charter, but agreed to his suggestion that he come aboard for the first day, and it was a good decision. He helped us get acquainted with the boat. From then on, he provided constant support by phone. The big positive feature for me was the battery power management system on Hippo. Although in our week (early August 2019), the max temp was not much above 20, so not an extreme test), we had no problems keeping the fridge (a good size) cold. In my experience of bare-boating, the fridge is a problem more often than not. As well as battery isolation (not so unusual), Hippo has solar panels and a wind generator. Navigation and trip planning in the Gulf of Morbihan is a challenge, due to the tidal range. This is why we chose Hippo, a catamaran with a draft of only 0.8m. Having two motors adds an extra dimension to potential manoeuvrability, but in retrospect, I should have sought an opportunity to add to cat twin-motor experience before starting our holiday. Of course, the alternative would be to have Ilya aboard as captain. Hippo is equipped with all necessary navigation equipment. The Navionics chart plotter was particularly useful, especially since Ilya had retained recent track history. These "purple tracks" provided an invaluable back-up for our conventional navigation. The 4/5 score for compliance largely relates to fumes from the starboard motor, but Ilya plans to rectify this. Our 4/5 score for comfort accommodates the conventional marine toilet on Hippo, but my recall of energy-draining modern head systems (and consequent problems with refrigeration), not to mention the imperative "call-out" help with head systems get clogged with toilet paper, implies the big advantage of simple, old technology! Similarly, a battery-powered anchor winch would be nice, but it's even better not to risk draining the battery. Given the availability of berths on pontoons and moorings in the area, we only had to anchor once in our solo period. Likewise, we learned how to accommodate for the lack of hot water; not really an issue in summer! Most of all, any inconveniences were more than compensated by the price of renting Hippo. Given the opportunity, we would take Hippo again.
We had a fantastic time aboard Hippo and our host was very helpful and available to speak to every day
We stayed on Hippo for 5 days and sailed the area of Brittany. Ilya stayed on board with us and lend a hand where it was required. In general he is a very caring host and tried to fullfil all our wishes. He also is an excellent cook and nice person to spend time with. The gulf of Morbihan is a beautiful area but can be quite challenging due to ride and currents. Hippo is a nice boat that can easily accommodate 5 people. We are already thinking about renting hippo again (in a warmer time of the year).
Our 3-day trip with Ilya on the catamaran Hippo has been one of highlights in the 3-weeks we have toured France so far. Our cruise was really unforgettable, made so by Ilya's expert planning and the sterling level of service he provided. The unique sailing vessel, and its amazing seaworthiness, supported this cruise excellently. Hippo's amenities (galley, "lounge", berthing, deck) were well suited to our needs. Ilya's professionalism and friendliness qualities are amongst the best we've seen in chartering. We chose an early season sail with chill temperatures, and with some unpredictable weather and our demanding tour schedule, Ilya made our trip work flawlessly. His flexibility on the schedule ensured we would enjoy the experience immensely. Highly recommend Ilya and his Hippo for experiencing the French coast in a way most cannot.
Great stay on Ile aux Moines! Thanks Ilya!
Hello, our trip was very nice. Discovery of the very pretty Breton islands and enjoy. This trip also allowed us to reconnect with English a bit, it was nice. Ilya is a very nice and very friendly person. He knows his boat and Brittany well. Very good experience to repeat.
Ilya made us feel very welcome aboard her Hippo catamaran. He really is a wonderful person and we had an unforgettable time. Besides being a very good skipper Ilya knows all the cool places to visit in the region. Everything was perfect from start to finish. The boat is ideal for two to four people plus Ilya as a skipper. It is an older boat with all the comforts needed for a cruise lasting a few days. The Gulf of Morbihan is a magnificent site and a very good starting point to discover Brittany or more. Thank you again a thousand times to Ilya for his kindness and his welcome. Thanks also to Click&Boat for allowing this meeting.
Ilya was a great skipper. Day trip as a couple with two children (3 and 6 years old). The catamaran allows children to be able to play inside. There are vests adapted to their ages. He organized the day of departure from Auray for us with a visit to the islands, Payotte oyster at noon, sailing lessons and relaxation time with swimming. Even though the boat looks old, it is very stable and is perfect for a relaxing day at sea.
A great family time with Ilya, looking after the kids. Ilya is an exciting man, very cultured, a good cook and happy to share his passion for sailing and traveling. To recommend.
Ilya made our EVJF memorable. It is an excellent browser, but also an excellent host. He let us fly, gave us coffee and tea for awakening, and was hyper available upstream to organize the trip. Go there with your eyes closed!
Wishing to engage in sailing in the years to come we wanted to discover with the family the life in Sea. Ilia us terribly welcomed and made us very largely benefited from its experience of Marin and its knowledge of golf of Morbihan. We had great times both on land and in the sea. Ilia is a man open to others, traveler, curious about nature and he loves the French !! The language barrier is ultimately not a problem. We spent a wonderful week (swimming, fishing, maneuvers etc ..) now convinced that we will own a boat in the years to come. Thanks again Ilia
I found with great pleasure Hippo, always valiant despite his age and also found with great pleasure Ilya always available to answer various questions to operate the boat. A next navigation!
Ilya is an amazing host. We traveled to 6 adults with good comfort. The boat fits the description well and even if it is old it is very well maintained. Hippo is very well equipped: neoprene, snorkling equipment, diving equipment for 2 people, harpoon, fishing equipment ... Ilya is a good captain, careful, attentive, discreet and reassuring. Especially since we had no experience of navigation before. He is very welcoming and has nicely cooked us some good food. Her personal journey is atypical making Ilya a rewarding encounter. He made himself very available in the organization and the preparations of the stay and despite the language barrier, communication in English is perfect. We will keep excellent memories of our navigation and will renew the experience on hippo with pleasure.
Excellent stay. Having a twin boat, we wanted to experience a catamaran. We were delighted with the welcome of Ilya, he is attentive, discreet, pragmatic and careful in navigation and has humor! We find it very friendly. He answered all our questions. Even though his boat is old, it is clean and well maintained. The Catalacs are rock solid. The rental is very good value for money. A rental to recommend without hesitation!
The navigation with Hippo is very pleasant, a lot of place on board, it is an ideal boat to discover the gulf and the islands. Both engines make it easy to maneuver. It takes a lot of wind to sail, it is well equipped. I will start again.
Charming host, very good explanations on the particular functioning of this boat. Hippo is in good condition for its 40 years of age. Certainly, to see it sailing well, you need a certain wind and in the right direction. Like all comments on the internet about Catalac, you have to like this kind of boat. For my part, I consider that, if we take it as it is, it really makes a great time on the water.
Offered by Ilya
Location
Location of the catamaran: Port Saint-Goustan, Auray
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