How to get started sailing on a catamaran?

The idea crosses your mind, then doubt sets in... Buying a catamaran without ever having sailed: is it reasonable? Is it risky? Do you need to go through a sailing school before daring to cast off?

Rest assured: becoming an owner with no experience is entirely possible. But not without preparation.

At Excess, we see it every year: crews cast off for the very first time. No nautical résumé, but with the desire. The drive. The conviction that something extraordinary awaits them on the other side of the dock.

So if you feel that urge too, what you're missing isn't experience — it's a realistic picture of what lies ahead.

Sailing is something you learn. Understanding the wind, anticipating a manoeuvre, reading your environment, managing a crew, holding the helm under pressure... none of that can be improvised. It takes discipline and method.

And on a catamaran like the Excess range, those sensations reach a whole new level.

A modern catamaran is a small ecosystem. Electrics, electronics, engines, procedures, safety... at first contact, at the dealership, it's a lot to take in. It can feel overwhelming.

That's why the handover starts at the dock, not at sea.

When your Excess 11, Excess 13 or Excess 14 is delivered in Les Sables d'Olonne, you are welcomed by Vincent Poiroux, Head of Commissioning at Excess.

Over several hours, you get to know your boat: How do you start up the systems? How do you check the fluid levels? How do you run through the engine routines or manage the electrics? With Vincent, you come to understand how your boat works day to day.

Navigation electronics, plumbing, engine, watermaker, generator, air conditioning... Every piece of equipment is explained, activated and checked, so you leave with solid foundations.

This dockside phase also covers safety: where is the rescue equipment? What should you do in an emergency?

The goal is simple: your boat should hold no more mysteries!

Vincent puts it plainly: "What overwhelms people at first isn't the manoeuvres — it's the sheer volume of information to absorb. Everything is new. So we take the time to cover the essentials, over 5 to 6 hours maximum. After that, the brain hits its limit."

With Excess, the catamaran handover is structured: the support is gradual, tailored to you. In the days that follow, our team remains available — because the real questions often surface when you're alone on board.

Sailing at sea is often easier than manoeuvring... in the marina. 

Handling a boat in a confined space, anticipating its reactions, coordinating the crew, avoiding a collision... on board, the pressure can build quickly. Whether you are a beginner or not, every decision has an immediate impact. No margin, no room for error!

 If you feel you don't yet have enough experience, Excess recommends bringing a professional skipper on board for your first outings — just long enough to build solid reflexes: with a little practice, you'll learn to read the wind strength, adjust your course and anticipate your manoeuvres.

Observe, practise and internalise the right moves on your own boat. It's the ideal way to build your skills! Every catamaran has its own characteristics, reactions and habits... and knowing your catamaran is already a different way of sailing.   

A few hours to understand. A few days for the first manoeuvres. A full season to truly improve... That's the pace when you start sailing on a catamaran, and that's perfectly normal.

Learning to sail a catamaran doesn't mean becoming an expert in a matter of days: confidence is built outing after outing, and real autonomy takes time.

For new Excess owners, there is the Excess Campus — an immersive, community-driven training programme designed to support owners beyond the purchase and fully welcome them into the Excess tribe.

According to Théo Le Lay, EMEA Sales Manager at Excess, the Campus is 3 days to explore 3 pillars:

• The technical pillar: electrics, electronics, engine, rigging
• The safety pillar: onboard medicine, equipment, towing
• The navigation pillar: weather analysis, routing, marina manoeuvres, sailing, racing...

Some participants are discovering it all for the first time. Others are deepening their knowledge... The Campus is a participative training experience, where everyone's experiences enrich those of the whole group. Either way, you meet other Excess owners and leave with concrete reference points.

Starting to sail a catamaran isn't a matter of experience — it's a matter of drive.

If you feel the urge to cast off, the rest can be learned.

Future owner, trust your instincts and join us!