Prestige M8: reinventing the motor catamaran

Prestige M8

PRESTIGE M8: Camillo Garroni does not innovate but, literally, reinvents the motor catamaran.

The launch of the new Prestige M8 finally breaks the mold of a market exaggeratedly accustomed to considering motor catamarans as surrogates (without masts) for a multi-hulled sailboat. In this context, Camillo Garroni not only innovates but literally reinvents the motor catamaran, finally giving it its own specific connotation, made of form and substance, effectively creating a new market segment that simply did not exist before.

PRESTIGE M8 is a cutting-edge boat that, in 20 meters, manages to give spaces, functions and settings that are typical only of large motor superyachts. A novelty that we just could not refrain from analyzing in detail.

The new PRESTIGE M8 in detail

It is hard not to be immediately captivated by the new PRESTIGE M8 which, despite her considerable size, flaunts a light sinuous and captivating line, distant light years from the squat and cubic design to which the multihull market had accustomed us in recent years.

The masterful hand of Camillo Garroni skillfully shapes the concave and convex surfaces of this catamaran, which, enhanced by chromatic contrasts, on the one hand celebrate the beauty of these lines, but on the other manage to clothe the new PRESTIGE M8 with a unique design that is certainly destined not to age over time.

But the design of this catamaran does not just impress at first glance, it goes far beyond that, permeating the very soul of this boat, which admirably succeeds in synthesizing form and function into a perfect cocktail, capable of eliminating any barrier between the sea and the craft itself.

A very clear example of this is the main deck, which, thanks to a clever use of windows and reflective surfaces, extends its boundaries far beyond the physical limit of its albeit enormous dimensions, reaching out to conquer the outdoor spaces in a way that is almost imperceptible to the senses. Thus the spaces range from an immense living room, very reminiscent of the style of a Miami waterfront villa, to this huge terrace that gives an unparalleled contact with its surroundings.

From here we descend to the beach area aft where a movable platform of more than four meters, made especially for this boat, comes alive and becomes a precious descent to the sea or, wanting to dream all the way, allows dining at the water’s edge when fully extended.

Going along the side-decks, we finally reach the bow, which, taking advantage of the almost nine meters of beam offered by the PRESTIGE M8, accommodates a simply immense sundeck and another salon capable of accommodating 8/10 guests with a privileged panoramic view.

As many as two staircases lead to the flybridge, which, thanks to its fifty square meters of surface area, gives sufficient (and abundant) space to the external helm station, a table for 8/10 guests, a bar cabinet, sofas and chaises longues.

As mentioned above, it is difficult not to be fascinated by the more than 350 square meters of this boat, although – it seems unbelievable – these dimensions are even more striking in the sleeping area.
It is here that we find the owner’s apartment, a true 30-plus-square-meter suite that takes advantage of the boat’s maximum beam to provide space for a king-size bed, a walk-in closet, and a private four-seat lounge. Equally enormous is the bathroom, which includes two sinks, a shower, and a cleverly separated toilet room.

The other cabins are spread across the two hulls and, depending on which version is chosen, galley up or down, there can be four or five, always with private en suite facilities. The version I definitely prefer is the galley down, which, while making the main deck even more beautiful, also takes advantage of the starboard hull to house the galley and a double cabin that can be dedicated to the captain although, in the bow, two more crew cabins can be accommodated.

In this version, the port hull accommodates two VIP cabins equipped with queen-size beds and larger than usual size.

For large families or owners who like to have the boat always full of guests, there is also a 5-cabin version that certainly optimizes the space dedicated to sleeping even more by bringing the galley to the main deck.

Lastly, there is also a very clever 4-cabin Galley Up version, which allows the port hull to basically accommodate a second Master Cabin, equipped with a private lounge.

The new PRESTIGE M8 is not only wonderful but, to a careful eye, it also proves to be able to satisfy many needs: basically a catamaran built in semi-custom mode… This concept is also confirmed by the choice of the interior designer, Valentina Militerno de Romedis who, again with great mastery, furnishes this boat with exquisite taste, making possible a great choice of materials and colors and, again, allowing the creation of a very custom boat, just as is done with superyachts.
But on the other hand, this PRESTIGE M8 a superyacht in its own right, both in terms of size and the great finishing work that, evidently, the Monfalcone shipyard manages to produce.

Sea Trial

Comfort is the primary concept around which Marc Lombard (another great name) has developed the naval engineering of the two hulls that, as mentioned above, give the new PRESTIGE M8 the ability to navigate almost flawlessly.

At the helm the feeling is of total control, from the flybridge the view sweeps 360° giving a great feeling of safety. I put my hand on the throttles and accelerate slowly, we are not aboard a speedboat, but a great catamaran, a boat that deserves respect.

We cruise, of course, with a stability unmatched by any monohull and, in this case, also in absolute silence, a decidedly wonderful way of boating. At 8 knots we are cruising on velvet and, thanks to the hydrodynamics that only a catamaran makes possible, we consume less than 20 liters per hour, or less than 3 liters per nautical mile! This speed is not only economical but also makes possible a very low level of emissions for a boat of this size.

Even at 10 knots PRESTIGE M8 consumes very little, less than 4 liters per mile, a true record, certainly due to the meticulous work Marc Lombard has done with these two hulls.

The boat navigates in pure displacement mode up to about 10 knots then detaches two parallel wakes, one from each of the two hulls, clears the water and gets up on plane. Between 14 and 16 knots we are going in fast cruise mode, which is useful for escaping bad weather or simply reaching our destination quickly. At these speeds we clearly consume more, about 12 liters per mile, but still far, far less than what a motor monohull would do.

At full throttle PRESTIGE M8 easily reaches 21 knots, a speed we can hold for a limited time, but which can be useful in getting us out of trouble on more than one occasion.

At maximum speed I perform a couple of turns that our catamaran tackles without uncertainty, in complete safety, then through without decelerating the waves caused by a large passing boat. PRESTIGE M8 cuts through the large wave coming forward without the structure joining the two hulls impacting the wave, an excellent feature, quite unique for a catamaran. This quality certainly comes from the star design that Lombard has given to this structure, a real touch of genius.

I slow down and stop, the stability is impressive, PRESTIGE M8 just won’t roll! Spending the nights at anchor will be a five-star experience aboard this yacht.

I engage one throttle forward and another backward, at idle, just to try and see how this CAT evolves, and immediately it begins to turn in place, with absolute precision. Okay I get it, mooring this superyacht is a piece of cake, very comfortable indeed.

PRESTIGE M8 has definitely won me over, in every way.

PRESTIGE M8: Test Data

RPM	Speed	Consumption l/h	L/nm	Range
600	4.27	4.1	0.96	3853
750	5.14	7.1	1.38	2679
1000	6.7	11.5	1.72	2156
1250	8.24	21,1	2.56	1445
1500	9.81	35.6	3.63	1020
1750	10.7	54.8	5.12	722
2000	11.4	87	7.63	485
2250	12.2	131	10.74	345
2500	14.3	168	11.75	315
2750	17.7	208	11.75	315
2950	20.7	241	11.64	318

Test Conditions: 12 passengers, moderate swell, low wind, water 50%, fuel 80%

Technical Specs

LOA	19.82 m
LH	19.67 m
Max Beam	8.85 m
Draft	1.65 m
Height	8,5 m
Light Displacement	41 120 kg
Full Load Displacement	52 670 kg
Max Speed	20 Kn
Cruising Speed	15 Kn
Fuel Capacity	2 x 1 850 L
Fresh Water Capacity	2 x 425 L
Hot Water Heater Capacity	120 L
Black Water Capacity	240 L
Accommodation	4/5 + 1 crew (std) + 1 crew (optional)
Category	A – 10 / B – 12 / C – 16 / D – 20
Engines	VOLVO 2 x D8 – 600 HP – V-Drive
Designers	Garroni Design / Marc Lombard
	Valentina Militerno De Romedis

Luca D'Ambrosio

Editor-in-chief, boat tester and journalist. Luca began sailing at an early age with his father then as an adult discovered sailing regattas and offshore racing. He has been working in publishing for more than 30 years and continues to sail incessantly, especially aboard the editorial staff's boat, an old lady of the seas that he has completely rebuilt and which serves excellently as a "mobile laboratory" for The International Yachting Media.