Windelo: Bridging the Simplicity of Nature to the Innovations of the Future
A Sailor’s Journey from Sunfish to Performance Catamarans
My sailing journey began on Lake Buckatabon in Northern Wisconsin, where I learned to sail on a Sunfish. As a kid, you could not get me off the water for 6 straight summers—every moment felt like an adventure, yet I had no clue what I was doing back then. I’m a self-taught sailor, having never taken a formal lesson until I was about 36. I learned through feeling—the effects of wind, waves, current, and sail trim, all became my guide.
In 2007, I bought my first boat, a Hobie 18, and discovered the thrill of multihull sailing. Sold just a few years later due to a job relocation, I went about six years before purchasing a new Dufour 382 monohull. In 2018 I started sailing production catamarans from brands like Fountaine Pajot and Leopard. And while I found them to be extremely comfortable and nearly perfect for cruising, I also found them challenging because they lacked the speed and thrill I fell in love with years before. When I sailed a Windelo for the first time, it changed everything. Windelo brought me back to the connection I had with the water—offering not only an exhilarating experience, but also a deeper connection to environment, all while enjoying the same comfort afforded by traditional production cats. Gone are the days when we have to choose between performance, sustainability, and comfort. With Windelo, you can have it all.
Windelo catamarans come in two base models — the 50 and 54, with the 54 offering additional space and options thanks to mold extensions. Windelo also recently introduced two new models, the high-performance 51 and 55, enhancing their standard design components while maintaining the core features that define the brand. Today, we will dive into the top five reasons I personally have geeked out on this catamaran brand.
1. Hybrid Electric Propulsion
The Windelo hybrid propulsion system combines two 20kW electric motors with a massive dedicated 48v lithium battery bank and a 24v house bank, offering a cleaner, quieter, and worry-free power management experience. No need to worry about losing power, you can option this girl out with nearly 6,000W of walk-on solar panels, or deploy the huge Gori props to activate hydro generation capability. Functionally all this means is you can easily keep your battery banks continuously topped off using solely what mother nature provides. You also won’t need to worry if it is cloudy for weeks on end without enough wind to create sufficient speeds to hydro generate. This girl comes with an 18.5kw backup generator with 250L of fuel capacity. In an emergency situation, this can take you about 1,000nm on the generator alone.
The brushless and virtually maintenance-free Bellmarine electric motors operate almost silently, allowing you to immerse yourself in the sound of wind and water, and without the distraction of exhaust that comes from traditional diesel engines. The hybrid system ensures that you can enjoy longer, quieter passages with reduced reliance on fossil fuels, making it perfect for eco-conscious performance sailors. Long story short, this catamaran lets you focus more on the best of sailing and less on the supporting power and propulsion systems, just like my first sailing experiences on the Sunfish and Hobie.
2. Lightweight Hull Design for High-Performance Sailing
Windelo’s lightweight hull is constructed from basalt fiber and recycled PET (plastic bottles), which ultimately drives both higher speeds and hull strength. This also reduces the boat’s weight, which significantly improves responsiveness and agility—key factors for any high-performance sailing catamaran.
Sailing a Windelo is about feeling the wind’s effect on the boat, just like I did with the Hobie 18 and Sunfish many years ago. The lightweight hull enhances that connection, allowing for faster and more efficient sailing. If you have ever tacked a production catamaran in light air, I bet you had to turn on an engine to get your bow through the wind at least a few times — with Windelo, those days will be far behind you, even in extremely light air. The Windelo quickly and easily responds, creating a more seamless and intimate experience with the boat, wind, and water.
3. Optimized Sail Plan for Efficient Sailing
Windelo catamarans are designed with an optimized sail plan that maximizes efficiency across various wind conditions. The tall mast, which comes in aluminum with the ability to upgrade to carbon, reduces drag and allows the boat to maintain high speeds, even in lighter winds, no matter which sails you’ve deployed.
The Windelo sail plan offers the basic inventory you’ll need right out of the factory, including a full-batten main and a self-tacking solent on a furling system. If you really want to take your sailing to the next level, they have options to add a Code 0, Gennaker, and recently added the highly sought-after ISTEC symmetrical Parasailor spinnaker option, ideal for downwind sailing. From gliding along at 100% of wind speed up to 8 knots, to handling stronger winds and downwind sailing at 20+ knots of speed, the boat remains responsive and easy to control, keeping you connected to the experience the entire time, just like the old days at summer camp.
4. Single-Handed Sailing in the Forward Cockpit
One of Windelo’s standout features is its forward cockpit, which makes sailing and anchoring single-handedly incredibly easy. This innovative design allows for nearly 360 visibility and access to sail and auxiliary power controls, all from one centralized location.
For sailors who prefer solo sailing or with minimal crew, the forward cockpit transforms how you interact with the boat. Everything is a short reach away, making the boat more intuitive to handle, especially during anchoring or sail changes. It’s a feature that adds ease without compromising performance, enhancing both safety and convenience for sailors of all skill levels. Whether you’re docking, handling sails or daggerboards, or maneuvering in tight spaces, the forward cockpit simplifies the processes, giving you confidence knowing full control is just an arms reach away.
5. Luxury Interior and Sustainability
Windelo offers a spacious, customizable interior that seamlessly blends luxury and comfort with sustainability. With eco-friendly materials used throughout, the interior offers modern amenities cruisers often seek—air conditioning, heads and full showers, interior volume, and a fully equipped galley—without compromising the boat’s environmental impact.
All four Windelo models provide an open, light-filled layout, with spaces that can be customized for any lifestyle. From a huge salon for entertaining guests on anchor to embarking with your salty crew on a passage across The Atlantic Ocean, Windelo’s interior, offered in a U or L-shaped galley with both 3 and 4 cabin layouts, are designed to be comfortable and practical. What is special about Windelo’s approach to interior design is that the luxurious feel of their interiors do not come at the expense of anything else. Sailors no longer have to choose between Luxury and sustainability — Windelo achieves both in harmony together.
The Big Picture
Helping my clients find the right boat is about more than matching features—it’s about finding a catamaran that connects them to the experience they are looking for. Windelo catamarans offer that connection for those seeking comfort, sustainability, and high-performance, allowing sailors to disconnect from the world and reconnect with nature, without sacrifices.
As I look back on my time at summer camp on Lake Buckatabon, I remember the pure joy of sailing—the freedom, the endless tranquility, and the connection to the water. Windelo gives me that same feeling today, but with the added knowledge that I am sailing more sustainably than any other performance catamaran on earth. Windelo is more than just a boat—it’s the bridge between the simplicity of nature and the innovations of the future.
Tour a Windelo 54 in Miami
The newest Windelo 54 to reach the U.S. will be featured through Just Catamarans, the exclusive North American Distributor for Windelo, at The Miami International Boat Show from February 12 - 16, 2025. Choose a meeting type below, and then book a time that works best for your schedule.
Windelo Discovery Session
For the curious looking to learn more.
Considering a catamaran for a future adventure or just curious to learn a little more? This 30-minute session is designed for those who are browsing and want to learn more about the innovations Windelo brings to the market. I will provide an overview of its standout features, sustainable design, and performance capabilities while giving you a solid understanding of what makes this catamaran unique.
Windelo Buyer Consultation
For serious buyers ready to explore details.
Ready to take the next step? This 60-minute consultation is tailored for serious buyers with a near-term purchase timeline within the next 3-6 months. We will dive into standard specifications, discuss customization options, and explore how the Windelo aligns with your sailing goals. Whether you’re comparing models or preparing to place an order, this session ensures you get the insights and answers you need to move forward confidently.
Windelo Configuration & Order Planning
For those ready to build a custom order.
Congratulations on your decision to choose Windelo! This 90-minute session is designed to guide you through the initial process of creating a custom specification order sheet tailored to your sailing needs. We will review available options, discuss configurations, and ensure every detail aligns with your vision for the perfect catamaran. By the end of this meeting, you’ll have a clear and actionable path toward your new Windelo with the ability to secure an order slot should you want to move forward.
