Shift Yachts brand debuts with 16.5m performance cruising catamaran

New Zealand-based boatbuilder Shift Yachts has launched the Shift 54+, its first vessel, a performance cruising catamaran aimed at owner-operators.

The company was founded in late 2024 by father-son partnership Paul Hakes and James Hakes, formerly of luxury cat builder HH Catamarans. Shift Yachts says the business draws on the duo’s more-than six decades of combined experience in yacht design and production.

Developed over 16 months, the Shift 54+ measures 16.45m in hull length and offers elongated wave piercing bows that, Shift Yachts says, are longer than yachts with similar-sized living spaces. This increased LOA also helps to improve waterline efficiency without requiring a larger rig and sail plan. Engines are positioned well forward to help centralise mass and reduce pitching.

Cabins have been moved forward, creating a beam-to-beam aft cockpit. The layout includes two swing helm stations, two aft lounge seats and two convertible dining or lounging areas. Engine rooms are arranged to allow standing headroom, while gear storage sits aft for easier access to water toys. Deployable swim steps extend overall length to 17.7m when at anchor.

The company says mast and foil placement has been configured to support comfort and performance underway.

The accommodation includes two ensuite cabins and a third configurable cabin. The saloon has a central island galley to improve versatility, and maintain an unobstructed connection to the cockpit.

Constructed in carbon, E-glass and epoxy resin, with an optional full-carbon specification, the yacht includes daggerboards, rudders and a deck layout intended for short-handed sailing. Hybrid propulsion is listed as an option.

“Our design brief was to create the Ultimate Couples Cruiser,” says Paul Hakes, managing director. “No easy task, as we are both our harshest critics. Yet after a few re-starts and 16 months of fine-tuning, we are proud to present what we believe to be a new benchmark for the industry.”

He continues: “The 54+ sheds excess and complexity in lieu of a better sailing and ownership experience. She will be lighter, faster, safer, more comfortable and more pleasing to the eye than anything in her class. Our new brand will stand for excellence and represent a shift in expectations of what a luxury performance catamaran experience truly means.”

The Shift 54+ is in the final stage of development, with build programme details expected to follow soon.