Sunreef Yachts has shown the ULTIMA 88 after launch. The yard positions the model as the latest member of the ULTIMA range, a power catamaran intended to combine large deck area with performance closer to faster monohull yachts. The official Cannes Yachting Festival material lists a length overall of 26.8 m, a 9.1 m beam and a 12 m beam when the side platforms are open.
That is the number buyers should read practically. Fold-out bulwarks and the aft platform create the Ocean Lounge, but the real value depends on how often the owner will anchor, how tender handling works, where the garage sits and whether the crew can prepare the beach area without dismantling the whole cockpit.
Speed Is Only The Start
Sunreef lists two propulsion paths for the ULTIMA 88: a high-performance configuration or a hybrid layout. The Cannes material mentions twin 1000 HP engines and a top speed of up to 26 knots. For a buyer, that means the comparison must go beyond purchase price. Fuel, option weight, battery service, technician availability and warranty support away from the home shipyard all belong in the same spreadsheet.
The catamaran is designed for up to 10 guests, crew quarters for five and 387 sq m of living space. This is no longer just a larger dayboat with an attractive platform. It is a yacht where crew flow, laundry, storage, food movement and cooling will shape comfort more often than the maximum-speed figure.
The Home Port Matters
ULTIMA 88 will naturally be compared with large flybridge yachts and explorers in a similar length band. Its advantage lies in beam, stability and a saloon that opens towards the water. Its risks sit in berth availability, operating systems, service routines and the question of whether the owner truly needs such a large beach area.
For the broader discipline behind range figures and real cruising use, see our motor-yacht fuel and range guide. A broker should model at least three use cases: crewed Mediterranean cruising, family time at anchor and mixed-season passages. W Yachts should ask the yard not only for an options list, but also for service planning, hotel-load assumptions and berth constraints before a buyer treats the deck area as free space.
