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I first saw Beneteau’s Excess brand of sailing catamarans in 2019 in Düsseldorf, Germany, with a room full of marine journalists, some of whom, like me, weren’t convinced of the brand’s vision. Most were perplexed, some got snarky. The models were based on modified Lagoon designs, and none of line made sense—not the marketing, positioning, or design.
But two years later, Beneteau revamped the brand’s management and messaging and launched the Excess 11, which was new from the keels up. Fast forward another two years and another from-scratch hull in the form of the Excess 14, which made its U.S. debut at the Miami boat show in February, and now it’s safe to say that the brand has evolved and is living up to its initial promise.
The design by VPLP naval architects leans on the firm’s ocean racing expertise. The hulls are asymmetrical, with hull sides that are fuller outboard and flatter inboard. This moves the center of buoyancy outboard for better stability and reduces interference drag between the hulls. The bridgedeck has been raised for better clearance, and the bows are inverted and free of the surface, which makes for more precise steering. By comparison with previous Excess models, the keels are thinner, and the rudders are 8 inches deeper for a better bite and higher pointing ability.
Two rigs are available—the standard and the powered-up Pulse Line. Although both carry square-top mainsails, Pulse Line is the performance version, adding 6 feet to the mast and 130 square feet to the upwind sail area.
A 120% overlapping genoa is standard for a better sail/displacement ratio (SA/D of 26.5), and there’s no self-tacking jib. The cabinhouse has been moved aft, so the rig sits on deck forward of the house and outside of the salon. Full, easy access to the mainsail and boom is via three steps to the cabintop.
All Excess models have twin helms with the wheels out on the hulls. Visibility is excellent forward and aft and fair when sighting through the salon windows to the opposite bow.
An odd oversight is that there’s no physical compass at either wheel or even inside at the nav desk, so any sightings will have to be done with a hand-bearing version.
Available layouts include three or four cabins, with the owner’s version main suite in the starboard hull. Twin bunks may be added on this side ahead of the master head; when not in use, they simply fold up to the sides and the platforms beneath them fold inward. The French call this the “transformer” cabin.
“It didn’t make sense to have the master bath take up a third of the entire hull,” says Excess Brand Director Thibaut de Montvalon. “Charterers want additional bunks, and owners need more space for cruising gear.”
The salon is spacious with an outboard-facing retractable navigation desk and “secret” storage by the glass door. It’s considered a hidden locker because it isn’t obvious how it opens, making a perfect place to hide passports and small valuables.
For our test sail, we motored out of the marina at a cruising speed of 7.9 knots at 2,300 rpm and ran up to wide open throttle of 8.4 knots and 2,860 rpm. Standard power is provided by 45-hp Yanmar diesels, but our test boat was fitted with upgraded 57-hp engines that pack a punch.
We sailed the Pulse Line version on the flat waters of Biscayne Bay just south of Miami. In 6.6 knots of true breeze, we sailed 5.5 knots of speed over ground (SOG) at 70 degrees apparent wind angle (AWA). It’s quite possible that the boat will sail at wind speed once the breeze freshens to 10 knots or more, which means the model is reaching into performance cat territory.
We pinched up to 40 degrees AWA—impressive pointing for any cat—and carried the Code 0 up to 60 degrees AWA. The helm was responsive, and the cat seemed to be itching for more wind to show what she could do. The Excess 14 looks sporty, like she means business even just sitting at the dock. She’s the kind of boat you look back at as you leave the slip.
“When we first launched the line, the promise didn’t match the product,” says de Montvalon. “We’ve changed that in only a few short years, so kudos to Beneteau for being open-minded and willing to do things differently.”
Indeed, the brand seems to have found its footing. Per de Montvalon, 85% of buyers are monohull sailors making their first foray into catamarans. The Excess 14 delivers on the brand’s initial positioning, and it’s a kick to sail, so I can say with conviction that I’ve moved from snarky cynic to true believer.
LOA: 45’ 9” (52’ 5” Pulse Line)
Beam: 25’ 9
Draft: 4’ 10”
Displ.: 28,219 lbs.
Fuel: 106 gal.
Water: 150 gal.
Power: 2/45-hp Yanmars
Optional Power: 57-hp Yanmars
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail at sailmagazine.com/multihull
Multihull Power & Sail / Summer 2023
