Neel 52: A Trimaran Revolutionizing Sailing Performance

The ultimate offshore cruising trimaran. Courtesy Neel Trimarans

Eric Bruneel was a visionary. An accomplished French offshore Trimaran racing sailor, Bruneel had been the driving force behind Fountaine Pajot—one of his country’s oldest and most popular catamaran builders—when he decided to strike out on his own with what was then a radical idea. By founding a new company, Neel aimed to bring cruising trimarans, which he believed raised the stakes in both performance and comfort, to the masses. After launching Neel Trimarans, a series of fast, stable, bluewater tris followed. Neel has since moved on, but with the introduction last fall of the company’s new flagship, the Neel 52, his original vision has now been fully realized.  

In form, features and execution, the Neel 52—designed by France’s renowned, cutting-edge Lombard Design Office—is a remarkable sailboat. The design brief for Lombard’s naval-architecture team was challenging: multipurpose arrangements with up to six double cabins with direct access from the central main cabin; aesthetic lines with moderate freeboard; a strong and stiff platform; less hull drag, more dynamic trim at high speeds; and improved hull shapes for better efficiency and safety in waves, an important requirement for an ocean-crossing trimaran.

It’s safe to say that the Lombard office met all of its stated goals.

In profile, the Neel 52 is a handsome boat, with a raised helm station to starboard, an upper-deck lounge, a low-slung coach roof with expansive windows, and an integral sprit forward for the ground tackle and headsails. The boat features Neel’s signature “Cockloon” layout, an open floor plan that seamlessly blends the beam-width cockpit with the central salon; that central bridge deck also contains the owner’s sumptuous stateroom, a professional-grade galley and a dedicated navigation station. Down below, there are several layouts with multiple double cabins from which to choose. Accommodations-wise, this is a boat that owners can customize to address their needs. 

What truly separates the Neel 52 from its competition—monohulls and catamarans—is the incredible optional “technical room” stationed deep within the vessel. The 150 hp Yanmar diesel with saildrive is housed here, but this is much more than a standard engine room. Every wire for the 48-volt system, which is charged with an Integrel set of twin alternators and a solar array, is clearly labeled and totally accessible. So too are all the hoses and plumbing manifolds. There’s even a bank of chargers for all the onboard power-tool batteries. It’s hard to imagine a better setup for self-sufficient cruising sailors. 

French-engineered trimaran redefining nautical travel. Courtesy Neel Trimarans

The construction, of course, is top-notch, employing vinylester resin and an infused foam core. The fixed keel draws 5 feet, 7 inches. The handsome furniture and joinerwork in the interior are solid oak. The standard rig is aluminum, but a carbon mast is optional. 

But what truly separates the Neel 52 from its competition is the stellar performance under sail. 

During the 2025 Boat of the Year contest following the U.S. Sailboat Show last October in Annapolis, Maryland, the judging team from Cruising World magazine had the opportunity to put the boat through its paces in superb conditions on Chesapeake Bay. In 14 to 16 knots of northwesterly breeze, the boat performed magnificently on all points of sail. The powerful, square-topped, full-battened mainsail provided plenty of power and does not require reefing in less than 25 knots of breeze. The test boat had a full set of excellent Incidence sails from the well-known French sail loft, including a jib, genoa, code zero and gennaker, all controlled with a full suite of Harken winches and hardware. 

A revolutionary three-hulled sailing vessel. Courtesy Neel Trimarans

The Neel team says the 52 will easily average better than 200 nautical miles on passage, and it was clear they were not exaggerating. Jibing downwind with the big asymmetric kite, the boat easily topped 9 knots. The boat fairly leapt to life. Closehauled under genoa, the boat averaged 8.5 knots to windward, with a maximum speed of 9.2 knots. Steering from the elevated wheel was a delight, with best-in-show, 360-degree visibility at all times, something that can’t be said on most catamarans. It’s hard to describe the sensation of sailing such a boat, something like driving a tennis court. The Boat of the Year team was unanimous: It was easily one of the contest’s best sea trials. 

As witnessed at the last several editions of the Annapolis show, multihulls are the largest and fastest-growing segment of the marine industry’s production-boat market. Catamaran builders insist that two hulls are better than one. But now, Neel Trimarans has upped the ante in long-range, liveaboard multihulls that are making their own emphatic statement: Three hulls may be best of all.

For more information about the Neel 52, visit https://go.pyachtsales.com/neel-52.

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