The almost completely carbon-built Rapido 40 from Vietnam is an exciting multihull alternative to the conventional performance cruiser. It is fast and also suitable for touring

More than 2,000 nautical miles across the Mediterranean, mostly against the wind and sometimes in stormy winds and high waves: Paul Koch, CEO and owner of the Rapido Trimarans brand in Vietnam, took it upon himself to personally deliver Hull #02 of the Rapido 40s from Greece to southern France for the Multihull Fair in La Grande-Motte (April 2023). A tough tour for the skipper and, at the same time, a stress test for the ship, a trial by fire.

“I just wanted to see what my boat can do on the long haul and where there is still potential for improvement,” said Koch after the demanding but apparently completely trouble-free crossing.

With a total weight of just 5.2 tons, the Rapido 40 is correspondingly light. For comparison again: cruising catamarans of the same length displace around twice as much, with an empty weight of around ten tons.

The trimaran has a lot of speed potential

The consistent lightweight construction, the noticeably stiff carbon fiber connections, and the powerful sail plan with the rotating wing mast naturally result in an unusually large performance potential. In addition, the side hulls have asymmetrical, curved foils that prevent drift and generate additional lift. In the test in southern France in constant conditions of around twelve knots of wind, the Rapido 40 logged a respectable eight knots and more with the standard sail plan (fully battened mainsail with squarehead and self-tacking jib) close-hauled. The excellent upwind performance is also significant. The trimaran tacks over an angle of only 85 degrees at moderate wind speeds – an astonishingly good value for multihulls!…

• To read the original and unabridged article (in German), click here.
• To see 15 photos of the Rapido 40 (interior and exterior) from the article click on the same link.