Comparison of two Wharram catamarans

Comparison of two Wharram catamarans – What is the difference between this two catamarans Tiki 21 and Tiki 26. Tiki 21 is the smallest catamaran that was sail around the world, and our Ariki? We try to answer that for you in this video.

Comparison of two Wharram catamarans

In the canal, where Ariki’s home port is, we met a lot of interesting people. There was a colorful group of lovers of the sea and boats. The second year of Ariki’s “stay” in the canal, only 100 m away, another catamaran appeared from the same architect who made the plan for our Ariki.

The truth is that the 6.4 m long Tiki 21 catamaran was first built, and a few years later the architect designed a proportionally enlarged version, which he named the Tiki 26.

Many such catamarans sail around the world. There are only two in my homeland. And purely by chance, the other appeared so close.

It took a few more months for us to meet the owner of little Tiki 21. This is Joe.

Comparison of two Wharram catamarans

Joe and his Tiki 21

Joe made a catamaran in the hills where he was the caretaker of the hut for some time. He brought him to the valley on foot, in a wheelchair. Each hull separately. He assembled it himself on the shore and after a short wandering came into the canal.

Tiki 26 is exactly the same as Tiki 21. It is only a proportionally enlarged version. Its volume is as much as 60% larger.

The cabin in the hull of the Tiki 21 is small. I could easily compare it to a coffin. Joe is a thin and tall man. It can only lie in the hull if it is stretched. But he can’t turn with his knees bent. If the cab cover is closed, it can only lie down. He can sit with the hood open, but his upper body is looking out of the cab.

The Tiki 26 already has such a large cabin that it is very comfortable to sit in and lie down in.

Another big difference is the cockpit. Tiki 21 has a flat board instead. The Tiki 26 has a large and comfortable cockpit with benches.

The difference between these two boats is therefore quite large. The small Tiki 21 is supposed to be a boat for short coastal trips, and the larger Tiki 26 is a real small cruiser for which there are almost no obstacles in the warm summer months. Such catamarans sail across the Atlantic and beyond.

The smallest catamaran to sail around the world

The difference between these two boats is therefore quite large. The small Tiki 21 is supposed to be a boat for short coastal trips, and the larger Tiki 26 is a real small cruiser for which there are almost no obstacles in the warm summer months. Such catamarans sail across the Atlantic and beyond.

Even little Tiki 21 isn’t just something. It is the smallest catamaran to has sailed around the Earth. Half that way even without an engine on board.

No, no, it wasn’t Joe! But Joe has just the same catamaran as the one that sailed around the world.

Same speed with engines

Joe is an interesting man. He grew up on the river in a canoe with a paddle in his hand. He started making boats at a very young age. Not for sale. Just for himself. He makes one every year. He has certainly made more than 20 of them. So we never know what his dinghy will be like on the next sail.

Many adventures have lined up in more than a decade-long friendship. We so easily compared both catamarans on sea voyages.

The Tiki 21 has a 5 hp outboard engine on board and reaches 6.5 knots of speed.

The Tiki 26 has a 9.8 hp engine and reaches a speed of 8 knots.

Write below in the comments if you have either of these two boats and have different information. I am very interested in how powerful the engine is and how fast the catamaran goes.

Same speed with sails

Joe and I sailed together in nice and bad weather, along the coast and on the high seas. With Tiki 21 sails, it easily follows the larger Tiki 26. With standard sails for this type of boat, they are completely equivalent.

We sailed together many times along the west coast of Istria. At a distance of 50 NM from the Gulf of Trieste to Cape Kamenjak, we were close together all the time. In winds blowing at 7 to 15 knots into the stern and flank, the catamarans reached the same speed throughout the day.

The next morning we sailed through Kvarner to the island of Susak. We made a special video about this interesting and unique island. The link to it is up here in the right corner.

In the morning we sailed towards the island of Susak in a light wind. When we sailed to Kvarner, we found ourselves in the middle of a rough and foaming sea. The gusts of the bora reached a speed of 25 knots. The two catamarans sailed side by side at the same speed all the way. The first 12 NM slightly to the wind, the next mile to the island slightly with the wind.

Two catamarans sailing along Istria

Comparison of two Wharram catamarans Tiki 26 vs Tiki 21

What are the differences

Although catamarans with sails reach the same speed, the differences between them are obvious. At small Tiki 21, one or at most a two-member crew awaits only pure asceticism. At bigger twenty-six, there is already so much space in the cabins and on the deck that this space, although still ascetic, already offers the basic comfort without which it is impossible to imagine a longer stay on the boat.

For us, twenty-six was the right choice. The Ariki catamaran is a boat that is neither too long nor too short. It’s just right for us. It is true that he does not have a double bed but only a single one. True, there is only basic comfort on it. But all of this is only in second place on Ariki. What matters most is its navigability. These, however, surprise us again and again.

The conclusion is the same every time: Wharram catamarans are obviously capable of anything their captains dare.

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