CATANA – Why a Deck Without Hatches?

A technical approach to thermal comfort on board

For more than forty years, CATANA has designed its catamarans without deck hatches. This deliberate approach to naval architecture follows a simple principle: limit heat gain at the source while promoting efficient natural ventilation on board.

Naturally reducing heat on board

On a catamaran, glazed surfaces directly exposed to the sun can contribute to rising temperatures inside the boat. By eliminating horizontal glazed hatches from the deck, CATANA reduces direct solar heat gain and helps limit the greenhouse effect inside the cabins.

The white deck, designed to minimize solar heat absorption, also contributes to thermal comfort on board. This approach naturally helps reduce heat build-up inside the boat without requiring additional covers or protection for deck hatches.

Prioritizing direct lateral ventilation

Rather than bringing air in from above, CATANA favors lateral ventilation through vertical openings.

This configuration promotes effective airflow and air renewal throughout the cabins while avoiding glazed surfaces directly exposed to solar radiation.

The principle is simple: keep the air moving without introducing additional sources of heat.

A design choice that also benefits the structure

The absence of deck hatches is not solely about thermal comfort. It also offers several advantages in terms of structural integrity, watertightness and safety on board.

A solid deck provides a more continuous and rigid surface. Reducing the number of openings also helps limit potential areas where water ingress could develop over time.

This architecture also makes moving around the deck easier, with fewer obstacles and interruptions underfoot, providing a clearer path for the crew during manoeuvres.

A design philosophy true to CATANA

For more than forty years, CATANA has developed its catamarans around the same philosophy: prioritizing technical solutions that deliver tangible benefits both under sail and in everyday life on board.

The choice of a deck without hatches is one example of this approach. Thermal comfort, natural ventilation, structural integrity, watertightness and safety are considered together as integral parts of the boat’s overall architecture.

Because in naval architecture, the most effective solution is not necessarily the most complex one.