Licensed to Chill - 007 arrives!

Mission: sneak a HopYacht 30 undercover into Spain, disguised as two 40' shipping containers!

In conjunction with Tarraco Yachts, we're thrilled to announce our very first HopYacht 30 has been launched in, Spain. This is HopYacht number 007 – and yes, this is a number that comes with serious spy vibes.

Ready for action

Located in the Sant Carles Marina, adjacent to the delightful seaside town of La Ràpita, HopYacht 007 is officially ready for action. She’s available right now for viewing and test sails. If you haven't been onboard a HopYacht, you'll quickly discover this is no ordinary catamaran. The HopYacht 30 is a game-changer for sailors who want relaxed, effortless sailing, unbeatable efficiency, and a whole lot of fun.

Whether you’re bay hopping, sunset-chasing, or just soaking up the magic of the Mediterranean, this compact catamaran delivers big on comfort, space, and low-maintenance freedom.

But here’s a fun thought… what should a yacht with sail number 007 be called?  We’re thinking why not go full Bond? So far, we’ve come up with ideas along the lines of .. 

“Sea-cret Agent”

“Miss MoneyHop”

“Licensed to Chill”

However, we know you will have ideas that will be way better than these!

The more we played with the James Bond theme we figured this is a pocket catamaran with all the suave and swagger of Bond in a well-tailored tuxedo! In true Bond style, the HopYacht 30 is all about sophistication with an underlying solid physique. When you’re brainstorming great names, keep in mind the not-so-secret profile of our HopYacht 30.

 🛠️ Low Maintenance: More time sailing, less time paying bills.

⚓ Easy Handling: Sail single-handed – no crew required.

🌿 Eco-Friendly: Solar charged batteries and electric propulsion.

🏝️ A truly relaxed way to sail, designed for a holiday sailing lifestyle in protected waters .

Want to meet HopYacht 007 up close and personal?

📍 Location: Tarraco Yachts, Marina La Ràpita, Spain

🕶️ Status: On display and ready for test sails

🎯 Mission: Find the perfect name!

You can book a test sail with our Spanish partners Tarraco Yachts.  Click this link to connect.

And in the meantime, send us your best Bond-themed name ideas. We can’t guarantee the new owners will choose your name, however the HopYacht and Tarraco teams will pick what we collectively agree is the coolest winning name and you’ll go down in HopYacht history as the brilliant mind behind 007’s potential new identity.

To submit your name suggestions, drop us a comment, DM, or email with your idea (hello@hopyacht.co.za)  and we’ll publish all suggestions and announce our choice of 007 name in our next blog article. Let us know if you’d prefer us to publish your real, or secret agent name!

Until then: in the words of Q the MI6 quarter master ... "Need I remind you, 007, you should always have an escape plan!" In a HopYacht, escaping has never been easier.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard.

The HopYacht & Tarraco Yachts Team

Smarter storage means smoother sailing!

We've all got that friend who shows up with way too much gear. Even though the forecast says it'll be mild all weekend, they roll up to the dock with a sheepish grin and a huge sailing bag crammed with everything Helly Hansen had on sale during Black Friday. Just in case, they've also got a pair of full-length Dubarry sailing boots. And let's not forget the giant cooler bag packed with enough food and drinks to feed a small cruise ship crew!

As all this gear is loaded on board the clean uncluttered layout of your Hopyacht starts to take on the appearance of a garage sale.

But not for long ... despite being a 30' catamaran the HopYacht 30 has more storage space than you would first imagine.

Just when you thought you had it all sorted, "Hey, I hope it's cool, but I brought my paddle board along?" No worries! The Hopyacht's got plenty of space in both hulls for SUPs, inflatable kayaks, a couple of hydrofoil boards, and don't forget the fold-up barbecue. There's also room for water toys, a portable water-maker, and a couple of fold-up bikes.

Unlike conventional catamarans all the accommodation is on one level. The hulls are used for fresh, grey and back water tanks and very little else. So, with plenty of room for water toys ... you can be equipped to have a lot of fun when you've finished sailing for the day.

And how about the guest who arrives with a hard-shell suitcase? In a small yacht, even when you have unpacked a soft travel bag you still need space to store the empty luggage. The queen size berth in the forward cabin has a mattress that is hinged down the middle, making it easy to lift up each side separately, to access large storage lockers, big enough to fit unexpected baggage. 

Instead of wardrobes or bulky hanging lockers, how about soft dual purpose garment bags? These are designed so that you can pack the clothes you need on hangers at home, into these special breathable mesh travel bags. When you arrive on board, simply hang the garments bags on the special hooks provide on the bulkhead either side of the forward cabin door. There's even room for shoes with a separate zip for easy access. 

With the addition of two shelving units, large drawers beneath the bed, and saloon seating, along with a spacious overhead locker and storage in the saloon table, your HopYacht's clean, uncluttered living space is confidently restored.

While all your clothes are neatly packed away, you might still be dealing with a mountain of food and drinks. First off, we've got a 130-liter fridge freezer for all your perishables. Right next to it, there's a grocery cupboard and a pull-out 40L rubbish bin. 

Did we mention this is just a 30' yacht? 

In the galley unit, you'll find three large drawers for cooking utensils and extra food storage, plus a large cupboard under the induction hob, with a shelf for a coffee maker and a lower compartment for all the cleaning supplies you need to keep your HopYacht looking ship-shape, just in case unexpected guests drop by! 

With cockpit seating for 4-5 people and room for a few more on the bulwarks, it's amazing how folks seem to flock to a HopYacht when the drinks and snacks come out! Oh, and let's not forget the storage space inside the cockpit seat... there's tons of it!

And with the boat looking fabulous you'll want to look your best too. The HopYacht 30 has a proper bathroom not a wet head! The basin and vanity unit has room for toiletries cosmetics, sun screen, first aid kit all stowed neatly. 

Thanks to digital navigation, the saloon table, which was typically used for paper charts, can now accommodate all your gadgets and equipment. Plus, we've installed multiple USB ports throughout the boat, to ensure everything stays charged. We even included a 12V plug for the air pump to make to inflating your water toys a breath of fresh air!

Smarter storage in the HopYacht 30, cuts the clutter and makes life on board a lot more fun. If you'd like to explore owning your own HopYacht email hello@hopyacht.co.za today.

Exploring the HopYacht 30 design.

Why is the HopYacht 30 designed with a narrower beam compared to conventional catamarans?

A popular joke among sailors when they gather is, 'if two or more yachts are moving in the same direction, it's automatically a race!'

In reality, there is a different type of yacht race that often occurs in the Mediterranean and other cruising areas worldwide. This is a motor-sailing race, typically beginning around 3pm, with the main goal of securing a berth for the night, particularly in locations with many charter yachts!

In Turkey and Greece, with yachts typically moored 'stern to' the harbour wall, it's amazing to watch how yachties cooperate with each other, setting their cocktails down, to help squeeze yet another monohull in.

However, if you arrive later in the day with a wide-beam catamaran, you'll often find that there are no available spaces large enough. The alternative is to locate a sheltered bay and anchor for the night.

The advantage is that you might not be disturbed by noisy neighbours in the harbour, but you're less likely to have a restful night's sleep while anchored!

Having witnessed these scenarios during our sailing holidays, we questioned why a small catamaran couldn't have the same beam as a typical monohull and fit into the same berth or marina dock. What if this also meant being charged the same mooring fee as a monohull, avoiding the usual 75%-100% premium for a wide beam catamaran?

From the outset, the team at Du Toit Yacht Design believed that the overall concept was entirely feasible. Their main focus was on establishing the optimal length-to-beam ratio and ensuring this would allow for an efficient sail plan and sufficient living space.

In partnership with North Sails, the primary goal was to achieve comparable stability to a conventional wide-beam catamaran and the approach taken was to design a low-profile rig. The mast height for the HopYacht 30 measures 10 meters, nearly matching the boat's length of 9.35 meters. Typically, a cruising yacht features a mast that is 25-35% taller than its overall length.

The HopYacht 30 has a unique single-sail configuration. The mast is set further aft, allowing the genoa to extend back and serve as both mainsail and jib. Consequently, with a 10m mast, the sail's centre-of-effort remains low and upwind performance is preserved.

By integrating a distinctive sail plan with Du Toit's hull design expertise, the final product precisely met the HopYacht design brief—a remarkably stable and user-friendly catamaran, with a beam similar to that of a standard family monohull, allowing it to fit into a typical berth.

The HopYacht 30 has CE certification as a Category C yacht, meaning it is suited for coastal cruising in winds up to 27 knots and significant waves up to 2 metres.

HopYacht 30 Dimensions

L.O.A. - 9.35m

Beam. - 3.44m

Mast Height: 10m

Sail area: 29.5 sqm

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