Dazcat Belladonna’s First Cruise Turns Into a Multihull Festival in Paradise

A first cruise is always memorable but taking the helm of Dazcat 10 Belladonna to the Isles of Scilly made it unforgettable. Join us on Dazcat 10 Belladonna’s very first cruise with her new co-owner (me, Dazcat Media!) as we sail to the beautiful Isles of Scilly. Until now, my only time on board had been during races with my co-owner Will R, so this was my first real chance to take command, learn her systems, and find out what Belladonna is really like to handle and when passage making. Nervous? Absolutely. But sometimes the best way to learn is just to go for it… even if that means a night passage across the Celtic Sea! We weren’t sailing alone: Dazzle, Nemo, and other friends from the Multihull Centre were also heading west, with Belladonna’s former owner and our @themultihullcentre Multihull Centre yard manager close by if I ran into trouble (which, yes, I did - cue a low-battery panic and a crash course in starting up the generator mid-passage!). The Isles of Scilly turned out to be paradise: sunshine, dolphins, great company, and, best of all, a surprise gathering of 11 Multihull Centre boats, including six Dazcats, for a beach BBQ and bonfire. What started as a nervous first outing became an unforgettable reminder of the amazing community that surrounds these boats. On board with me were: Will L., a hugely experienced multihull sailor and the perfect calm presence. Poppy, our enthusiastic and practical young yard hand, new to multihulls but an absolute star crew. This cruise was the start of a new chapter with Belladonna, and I’m already looking forward to the next adventure with her.