The TH38 features exterior design by Italy’s Garroni Design

Groupe Beneteau used to have one multihull brand. It now has four. Having developed Lagoon into the world leader in cruising catamarans and a builder of large power catamarans, Groupe Beneteau added the Excess brand of twin-helm sailing catamarans in 2019.

However, the French-owned conglomerate then made a major move into the heart of the powercat sector with a two-pronged approach. In 2022, the first models from Prestige’s M-Line of flybridge multihull motoryachts and Four Winns’ TH series of open cruisers debuted at the Cannes Yachting Festival, with Italy’s Garroni Design handling the exterior styling for both.

Four Winns followed up on its first model, the TH36, by debuting both the TH33 and TH38 at the Cannes show in September 2025. However, late last year, the American brand’s twin-hull range was repositioned within the Groupe Beneteau family, under Jeanneau, to better reach global markets including Asia.

France’s Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group handled naval architecture

“The TH series naturally aligns with Jeanneau and its sporty, fun image, long embodied by the Cap Camarat series and presented in a more premium offering by the DB Yachts series of dayboats,” says Tanguy Tertrais, Jeanneau’s Asia-Pacific Sales Director.

“Being under Jeanneau allows the TH line to reach a far broader base of customers, especially outside North America. The TH range now enjoys Jeanneau’s global dealer footprint of over 400 sales points, which matters to owners considering service coverage and resale. Also, plenty of Jeanneau owners were looking for a multihull platform and the TH line is the perfect solution.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I’m here in Cannes to test out the TH38, the larger weekender counterpart to the TH33’s dayboat-focused offering. Grey skies, jumpy seas and a low mist greet visitors for the sea trials of new models by Jeanneau and other Groupe Beneteau brands. The horizon is doing that unnerving thing where it blends with the sea, and it’s spitting intermittently.

The bow lounge is accessed by an opening central gate and folding windscreen

Boats line up along the quay, waiting to welcome journalists. I feel a twinge of anxiety, which is heightened when a friend and fellow journalist embraces me and asks me squarely: “What are you doing here?”

What, indeed? My specialty is 80ft and above, and the TH38 sits well below that threshold. I’m accustomed to yachts that are usually skippered, as opposed to owner-operated. This is an opportunity for me to get behind the helm and see how a 38ft powercat designed for coastal jaunts and island-hops really handles.

Before I even step on board, I size up the TH38 from multiple angles while she waits patiently in port. The silhouette is streamlined, designed to blend with the marine environment. The bulkiness that often comes with catamarans has been countered with a sharp strip of glazing running from midships forward, plus a raked windshield and flared line along the roof that give the boat a sporty appeal.

The aft deck is shown with the two L-shaped sofas slid to the sides, creating an open corridor to the swim platform

I’m among a group of journalists who gamely hop on. As we motor out into the choppy bay of Cannes, my first impression is that this is a yacht builder that knows what it’s doing when producing a family-friendly yacht.

The TH38 is focused on affordability, accessibility and safety. Jérôme Dufour, Jeanneau’s Powerboat Product Manager, calls the TH38 a “boat for everyone” with a “short learning curve” that prioritises ease of use above almost all else. “If you start having loads of systems, you start to lose the momentum,” he says.

TRANSFORMER COCKPIT

My second impression is that it’s a well-considered boat. At the back is a 1.5m swim platform that juts out between the twin outboard engines. The platform includes a hatch and integrated ladder just beneath, a feat which would be harder (if not impossible) to achieve on a monohull. It adds easy water access that proves this is geared towards fun and families.

Set between the two outboard engines, the aft platform includes side rails, a hatch and integrated swim ladder

The cockpit is dominated by twin corner sofas, which can slide sideways to either close together or sit far apart, spanning the yacht’s near-15ft beam.

As each L-shaped sofa has an adjoining table, the flexibility effectively creates two separate lounging set-ups: a spacious, two-sofa zone with a clear corridor from the swim platform to the helm, or an intimate, three-sided dining area flanked by circulation on both sides.

If neither of those options take your fancy, you can also transform the dining set-up to a sunpad by lowering the tables and covering them with cushions.

Each L-shaped sofa and attached table can slide together to create a three-sided dining area

“Luxury comes from space and modularity,” Dufour says. “By having everything flexible, you create different areas. You can create the lifestyle that people are looking for.”

He shows me how easy it is to unlock and lock the furniture into place. It’s intuitive, with nuts and bolts that work predictably and easily.

FUN AT THE WHEEL

As we cruise into the open sea, I decide it’s time for me to take over the controls. The handling is good: responsive and easy to understand. Some other boats in the Groupe Beneteau family have opted for gadgets and gizmos to support joystick control and manoeuvrability, but this boat keeps it back-to-basics with a single helm and good visibility.

Katia Damborsky at the wheel

I get her up to just below 31 knots, with minimal thumping and thudding. The smooth ride of the TH38 is credit to Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group, which handled the naval architecture of both current TH models. I do a wide sweeping arc over the murky blue water and enjoy the feeling of the flat turn, with the twin hulls keeping us from heeling too much.

“Jeanneau was designed for the family,” Dufour reminds me when I point out how flat the turn is. He nods to the high gunwales and the sturdy hardtop that keep you feeling safely cocooned inside the boat.

Checking out the rest of the boat, I find a midships counter space with a wet bar, fridge, sink and grill. I’m told 14 people can comfortably gather on the boat. Between the cockpit, midships area and the bow lounge, I can believe that.

The en-suite guest cabin to starboard (pictured) is mirrored in the port hull

Below deck, there are two twin cabins, both with en-suite bathrooms and both with enough storage packed in that you could spend more than a night or two onboard.

“We’re selling most of these for the exterior lifestyle, but the interior is also really nicely done,” says Dufour, showing me a cubby in the step access to one of the cabins.

The en-suite cabins to starboard (above) and port (below)

Protecting the helm, the three-piece windshield is large and connects with the hardtop. However, the boat can also be offered with a shorter windshield that stops short of the roof, allowing for breeze through your hair.

BOW LOUNGE SUPREME

To offer access to the foredeck, the central windscreen folds to port and a low door is opened, while even a central flap in the hardtop can be lifted. I quickly realise that the bow is my lounge space of choice.

The bow lounge has drinks holders and speakers integrated into facing C-shaped sofas that offer wraparound seating

The area is surrounded by two symmetrical C-shaped sofas, and includes integrated drinks holders and audio speakers, as well as a finishing that reminds me of my beloved superyachts. Again, with a couple of infills, this whole area can be switched to a sunpad.

It’s here that I park myself for the last bit of the sea trial, listening to the twin 350hp Mercury outboards doing their thing at about 3,500rpm for a speed of 17 knots.

The bow is my favourite area on most catamarans. It sits high above the water, so if the sea conditions are smooth enough, you feel like you’re flying. The sea isn’t particularly smooth today, but somehow the TH38 manages to glide anyway.

I’m being hypnotised by the sea when Dufour joins me at the bow. Sitting opposite me, he describes the TH38 as a boat that’s designed to be easy to operate.

“Jeanneau focuses on making boats better, so boaters can focus on having more fun on the water,” he adds. My interest has certainly been piqued, with the TH38 proving a winning boat that ticks all the boxes for a fun day or weekend at sea.

jeanneau.com