Sunreef Ultima 55
- Type: Performance power catamaran (classic thermal or Eco hybrid)
- LOA: 16.6 m (55 ft)
- Beam: 5.6 m (narrow performance hulls)
- Draft: about 0.9 m (classic version)
- Eco propulsion: 2 x 350 kW electric plus 2 x 600 hp thermal, 220 kWh battery at 625 V
- Top speed: into the mid thirties of knots (version dependent)
- Tankage: fuel around 1500 L, water around 300 L
- Accommodation: 2 cabins and 2 heads, previewed 2024
A catamaran built for speed
The Sunreef Ultima 55 breaks from the yard's usual formula, a performance catamaran where speed and handling come first. It runs slim hulls and a narrow overall beam of just 5.6 metres, a shape chosen to slice through the water. At 16.6 metres long it sits closer to a fast weekender than to a wide cruising catamaran. This is the model that shows the yard can chase performance when it wants to.
The Ultima matters because it opens a different kind of owner to the brand, one who values pace and a sporty drive over cabin count. It was previewed as a new range in 2024, marking the yard's first real move into the fast powercat class. The narrow hulls and the light build point at efficiency, with lower fuel burn than a heavier boat of the same speed. It reads as the yard testing whether its name can carry a performance boat.
Sport above deck space
With only 5.6 metres of beam the Ultima carries a lean, driver focused profile in place of a vast cruising saloon. The main deck still holds a social cockpit and a helm set up for an owner who likes to steer. A hydraulic swim platform and a beach club open the stern to the water at anchor. The lines sit low and sharp, closer to a sports yacht in feel. Sunreef keeps the finish to its usual standard so the sport does not cost the owner comfort.
Accommodation is modest by Sunreef standards, laid out with two cabins and two heads for a couple or a small group. The appeal lies in the quality of the day the boat delivers on the water. Owners can still expect the yard's bespoke touch in the materials and the layout of those cabins. Storage and systems are packed in to keep weight low and the centre of gravity where a fast boat wants it. Two people can cruise it for a weekend in real comfort without needing crew.
A slim hulled Sunreef built to slice through the water and top out in the mid thirties of knots.
Comfort at pace
Inside, the Ultima keeps the bespoke joinery and finish that mark the yard, fitted into a tighter envelope than the cruising cats. The two cabin layout gives an owner's suite and a guest cabin, both dressed to the same standard as the larger boats. Because the hulls are narrow, the designers work harder to win headroom and stowage. The saloon and galley are sized for a couple who cruise fast and light rather than a full charter party.
The Eco path brings the yard's solar and battery thinking to the performance hull, so an owner can choose a cleaner drive without leaving the range. Even on the standard boat, efficiency is part of the design, since the slim hulls ask less of the engines for a given speed. Non toxic hull paint and the yard's energy management carry over from the wider Eco programme. The green credentials sit alongside the performance rather than replacing it.
Two ways to drive it
Sunreef offers the Ultima 55 in a classic thermal form and in an Eco hybrid form, so the buyer picks the character of the drive. The classic boat runs conventional diesels, with Volvo IPS pod options quoted for the range. The Eco hybrid pairs two 350 kilowatt electric motors with two 600 hp thermal engines and a 220 kilowatt hour battery at 625 volts. That combination lets the owner idle out on electric power, then bring in the thermal engines for the fast run.
The narrow hulls are the heart of the engineering, since less wetted beam means less drag and a higher speed for the same power. The yard aims the Ultima at brisk cruising well above what a heavy cat manages, with a top end into the mid thirties of knots depending on the version. Fuel sits at around 1500 litres and water at around 300, tankage sized for fast days rather than long ocean passages. Sunreef frames the boat around efficiency at speed.
Who takes the Ultima 55
The Ultima 55 suits an owner who wants pace and a hands on drive from a boat that still carries the Sunreef name and finish. It is a couple's boat or a boat for a small group, used for fast day trips and weekends more than long expeditions. Buyers here often come from performance monohulls or sports cruisers and want catamaran stability at speed. The two cabin layout confirms that this is about the experience on the water.
In the market the Ultima enters the fast luxury powercat class, a segment with a handful of serious players. Its pitch rests on the yard's build quality and on the efficiency of the slim hulls at cruising speed. As a young model launched in 2024, it carries the uncertainty of any first generation boat in a new class. For the owner who wants a Sunreef that goes, it currently stands close to alone.
Design
- Exterior: Sunreef Yachts (in-house design studio)
- Naval architecture: Sunreef Yachts
Who it is for: Owners who want a fast, sporty catamaran with Sunreef build quality for day trips and weekends rather than long cruising.