High speed multihulls have the ability to broaden your horizons in the most extraordinary way. Sea Tilt, a Gunboat 68, is a case in point.

The circumference of the globe is 24,000 miles, and few sailing yacht owners would plan an annual cruising itinerary that takes in such an eye-watering distance. To set yourself such a goal would be beyond ambitious; you’d need a yacht that was capable of sailing consistently at very high speeds, all while keeping your flat white very stable on the coffee table.

Sea Tilt is that boat. She’s a Gunboat 68 catamaran that has been skippered for the past three years by Sebastian Barrett, accompanied by his partner, Xiara Scott, also the Chef. During that time Barrett reckons Sea Tilt generally does 20,000 nautical miles per year. “We seriously try to stay off the beaten track,” he explains. “Last year we did Greenland, Hawaii, Alaska, back down the West Coast and then across to Scotland. Sea Tilt covers a lot of miles and we enjoy it.” Although the boat is capable of doing 30kn, Barrett suggests, “that’s pushing it and you tend to end up getting very wet!” However, she can comfortably cruise in the high teens and that “really opens up your horizons”.

A recent visit to Greece was a change of pace for the team and offered something of a contrast to the wilder, more rugged destinations favoured by the owner. Nevertheless, they once again chose the road less travelled; eschewing tourist hubs in favour of the slower, more laidback Peloponnese region of Greece, checking into the country at Gythio and then exploring often overlooked islands such as Kithira, Monemvasia and Elafonisos. “In some ways this was a different sort of a trip for us,” Barrett reflects. “This is probably the trip where the boat has just anchored off small villages and everyone has chilled out much more than usual, just heading ashore for supplies or to visit a taverna.

“We did the trip in May so it was quiet and generally we were anchored on our own or with one other boat which was great,” he continues. “The weather was beautiful although the sea was still cool, and for the most part the wind was light. That wasn’t a problem though because in some ways, the boat is more impressive in light winds. With 8kn of breeze we will match the windspeed going upwind and be doing 10kn off the wind.”

The Gunboat 68 is an all-carbon composite lightweight flier designed by VPLP. It’s a boat that needs to be sailed and, although Sea Tilt is only used for cruising, she is race specced and among the most performance-oriented Gunboat 68s out there. Last year the performance of the boat was further boosted as the owner removed the bow thrusters to keep weight down.

“We may be cruising but when we’re sailing, it’s with a race-minded attitude,” Barrett says. “The owner loves sailing fast and if he is out with his son, they like to test the limits and that keeps me on my toes. We never motor if we can avoid it. Even if it’s a short trip, we put the sails up. Once we’re anchored, it’s out with the toys; wing foiling, snorkelling, free diving and hiking – it’s always a packed programme.”

Sea Tilt carries two permanent crew – Barrett and his partner, Scott, who, as mentioned, is the Chef. Generally there are four or so guests on board. On delivery, there tends to be a crew of four. Although the boat was certainly not expressly conceived for high-latitude sailing in places such as Greenland and Alaska, she does have certain advantages compared to traditional cruisers, as Barrett explains. “The shallow draft is an advantage for anchoring in sheltered spots, while the speed of the boat can really help when you are dealing with the tight weather windows that you get in the high latitudes,” he explains. “I can make passage planning a lot easier. The boat can handle heavy weather well, too. We had 40kn of wind leaving Greece and the boat was fine.”

Barrett has only ever skippered Gunboats, but he did previously work on large monohulls and there are a number of significant differences, the biggest one being the feeling of separation between crew and guests. “Even on a 68’ multihull, there is still no designated crew space,” he explains. “On a monohull the crew and guest space are generally quite strongly delineated, so on a multihull, it’s really important that the crew/guest dynamic is good – otherwise, for sure, I wouldn’t still be on the boat.”

With Greece ticked off the list, Sea Tilt is heading back up to the higher latitudes, to destinations including Iceland, Scotland, Falmouth and then possibly the Azores before heading onto the Canaries in preparation for an Atlantic crossing and winter in the Caribbean. Indeed, for all the beauty of Greece, it’s clear that this is a boat that’s drawn in this direction. “Greenland is both mine and the boss’s favourite place to take the boat,” Barrett reflects. “It’s just so extraordinary and such a challenge – 90 per cent of it is uncharted and I find that really exciting. We are already planning another trip in the near future.” And with an itinerary that takes in 20,000 miles per year, one suspects that Sea Tilt really will be back there soon.