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HITIA 24 - NEW!
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A catamaran for camping and day sailing from Phuket in ThailandMany of us will cherish fond memories from years gone by when life in general and sailing in particular was simple, adventurous and, not to mention, cheap. One would simply take a small open boat, a tent and some camping gear and there was a world full of wonderful places and experiences just waiting to be discovered. We cooked on campfires, slept fitfully in leaking tents; we made love under the stars and acquired a taste for tinned food and warm beer. How smug and superior we felt when sharing a particularly beautiful anchorage with what we’d call “a rich man’s yacht” and enjoy exactly the same scenery as “that millionaire”!Later, as we grew older, we grew accustomed to “creature comforts” in our lives and on our boats. Our sailing indeed has become more comfortable but somehow, at times, the sense of discovery, of excitement and adventure seems to have diminished in the process. Camping sailing seems to have gone out of fashion which is a shame and which is why we decided to build what we think is the “ultimate camp cruiser”, if only to counteract the trend (and perhaps hark back to our younger years?) Hitia 24, the ideal camping sailing catamaranWhat we wanted was a light, quick catamaran for two persons but one which does not capsize or fly a hull in strong winds and which has the largest deck space possible.The boat had to be strong enough to withstand habitual beaching and has lots of storage space to carry gear and provisions for extended camping voyages. A small engine to facilitate entering and leaving anchorages and to enable navigation on small rivers was required.
The Hitia 24 is very easily driven. Her long slender hulls enable her to effortlessly reach cruising speeds of 8 – 10 kts. Lightly loaded in day sailing mode she will do 15 kts and more. The boat’s draught is just over one foot (35 cm) so few places will be inaccessible. Camping & cruising in ThailandOvernight an igloo tent can be pitched either on deck or on the beach. With two anchors and plenty of rope (come as standard with the boat) she is well equipped for beaching.
Island discovery from PhuketThe obvious ideal sailing area for the Hitia 24 is the Pan Nga Bay, the islands off Krabi, Phi Phi, Lanta, Rok Nok etc. Here you find fabulous scenery and a myriad of islands, creeks, rivers and coves to explore.
If you baulk at the idea of “roughing it “ in a tent: The Hitia 24 is also available for day-sailing from our base in Ao Yon. Nearby Ao Chalong and the waters between Ko Lon, Ko He, Ko Bon etc. offer year round flat-water sailing. Overnight trips to Ko Racha, Ko Yao, or Phi Phi are also possible. For those disinclined to camp, bungalow accommodation is readily available there.
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 Siam Sailing is part of Makz Marine Co Ltd, Phuket 6/8 Moo 8, Tambon Vichit, Amphur Muang, Phuket, Thailand Tel. no.: + 66 (0)86 283 5536 or Contact us here  |
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Enter the Hitia 24. She is derived from the Wharram Hitia 17 design, dimensioned upwards to 21 ft and with 1 m (3 ½ ft) extra length added. The deck is on top instead of between the beams and thus level with the hull tops and is therefore completely flush. Resulting usable deck space is no less then 16 sqm. Rig is the wonderful Wharram oh-so-easy-to-handle soft wingsail sloop with a roller-reefed jib. A gennaker with “snuffer” for light down wind work comes as standard. 
In camping mode the boat comes as standard with a 2 person igloo tent, 2 sleeping bags and mats, ground sheet, camping cooker with 4 kg gas, pots, pans, cutlery, kettle, 20 ltr cool box, 20 ltr bottled drinking water, torch, kerosene lamp and a basic provisioning package. In addition you get a set of waterproofed charts and tide tables, pilot book and a pre charged mobile telephone.
With her exciting performance, ease of handling, versatility and outright cheap rates the Hitia 24 is the absolutely ideal boat for those who are either adventurous or poor or young or all of the above!