About Knysna Catamarans

Knysna Yacht Company has been building catamarans on the Garden Route of South Africa since 2002, turning out between four and six boats a year. They are not a volume manufacturer, and the boats reflect that choice: semi-custom, built for serious offshore work, with joinery and fit-and-finish that consistently surprises buyers who have only ever been aboard production boats.

Knysna 500SE – Knysna Yacht Company

The Knysna Catamaran Line

The design line traces to naval architect Angelo Lavranos and the blue-water sailing tradition of South Africa, where conditions are shaped by the Agulhas Current and the Southern Ocean, not weekend anchorages. Over the years the lineup grew, from the 440 to the 480 and eventually to the 500SE, which makes up the bulk of the used market today. The new 550 is now in production for buyers who want the current flagship, and Knysna will be debuting it at the Annapolis Sailboat Show this October. What has stayed consistent across all of them is the focus: a boat that can cross an ocean and live aboard comfortably when it gets there. A growing number of Knysna hulls have made exactly that trip, from South Africa to the East Coast of the United States, and several have found their way to the Chesapeake. Zimmerman Marine in Mathews, Virginia has become the go-to yard on the Bay for wide-beam catamarans of this type, and Knysna owners in particular have made it a regular stop.

The YaZu Connection

Jon and Anne made a similar crossing back in 2000. They were both schoolteachers in South Africa. After fifteen years in the classroom, they left it behind, bought a 35-foot Bob Perry cutter named Jacana, and set out from Knysna for Cape Town and then across the Atlantic to Brazil in thirty days. In the Caribbean they picked up work as captain and crew aboard 50-foot charter catamarans, which is where their knowledge of multihulls moved from theoretical to practical. They arrived in the U.S. in 2004, started brokering on the Chesapeake in 2005, and opened YaZu Yachting in 2020. Their connection to Knysna and the South African boatbuilding community has kept them close to the brand’s journey, from the earliest hulls through the 500SE and the new 550 now in production. Over time that connection has deepened, giving them a knowledge of these boats and the people behind them that goes well beyond what most brokers can offer. In a way, the Knysna story is part of the YaZu story, and they are always glad to talk about both. If you are looking to buy a Knysna or want to sell one, get in touch with YaZu.

Jon and Anne on the Knysna Lagoon

Knysna Catamarans on the Used Market

Knysna is a small enough builder that used inventory is not plentiful, but it is well worth the search. The model you are most likely to find is the 500SE, a 50-foot catamaran with twin diesel engines, a full blue-water equipment package, and an interior that consistently surprises buyers who have only ever stepped aboard production boats. Pricing varies considerably by year, condition, and how the boat has been equipped, and is best discussed directly with a broker who knows what separates a well-maintained example from one that will cost you on the back end. Earlier models, the 440 and the 480, appear occasionally and offer a way into the brand for buyers who want Knysna build quality at a different price point. At the other end of the spectrum, the new 550 is in production now, and Knysna will be debuting it at the Annapolis Sailboat Show this October. If you plan to be there, it is worth making time for. If you are in the market for a Knysna, reach out to YaZu. We know what is out there and what is worth looking at.

Servicing a Knysna Catamaran

For Knysna owners on the Chesapeake, one of the practical questions is where to haul a wide-beam catamaran. Zimmerman Marine in Mathews, Virginia is the answer for most of the Bay. The yard added catamaran capability in 2019, including a 50-ton hydraulic trailer that handles beams up to 32 feet, and they have worked on Knysna hulls specifically, at times hosting service technicians who traveled from South Africa to work on boats at the yard. YaZu has an established relationship with Zimmerman Marine. If your Knysna needs work, they are the right yard, and we can help make that introduction.

Zimmerman Marine – Mathews, Virginia

Want to know more about Knysna Catamarans?

Knysna is a brand worth knowing, and Jon and Anne are the right people to help you understand what you are looking at. Whether you are actively shopping, thinking about listing, or just curious about what makes these boats different, a conversation is where most good decisions start. Reach out and let’s talk.