South African craftsmanship, an Angelo Lavranos hull and lithium-powered independence — this 48-foot cruising cat is already parked at the gateway to the Ionian.
Most cruising catamarans pick a side: volume or performance. The Knysna 480 has spent more than a decade quietly arguing that you don’t have to choose, and S/V Seaducer — a 2013 example lying in Preveza, Greece — makes that case as clearly as any boat in the class. Listed by Will Miller, she’s a semi-custom blue water cat built in the South African coastal town of Knysna, from which the yard takes its name.
A design that has aged well
The hull comes from naval architect Angelo Lavranos, and the walkthrough spends real time on why that matters. The low-profile coach roof slopes forward and extends aft into an integrated hard bimini over the cockpit; raked bows, reverse transoms and chines running nearly the full length of each hull give her a purposeful look that still reads modern more than ten years on. The video’s framing is fair — this is a boat that rewards proper sail trim rather than simply plowing along, while keeping the forgiving stability multihull sailors expect.
Cockpit, helm and deck
The cockpit sits under the rigid hardtop with generous seating, a large dining table and wide sliding doors that connect it directly to the salon — the sort of indoor-outdoor flow that makes a catamaran worth living on. Wide side decks, substantial stainless handrails and secure lifelines make moving forward straightforward under way. The elevated helm gets particular attention in the tour: excellent forward visibility, sail controls close at hand, and enough proximity to the cockpit that the person on watch is still part of the conversation. For a shorthanded couple, that combination is the whole ballgame.
Systems built for time away from the dock
Seaducer runs twin Yanmar diesels for close-quarters confidence, plus an onboard generator for AC power. More telling for modern cruisers is the substantial lithium house bank, supported by solar and the yacht’s charging systems, which lets refrigeration, navigation, lighting and household electronics run without leaning on the generator. Aboard is comprehensive navigation and communication gear, quality ground tackle, and an extensive safety inventory — life-saving equipment, fire protection, harness attachment points and multiple bilge pumps.
Inside, the Knysna build quality is the headline: handcrafted cabinetry, premium joinery and warm finishes, with panoramic windows filling the salon with light. The galley sits between salon and cockpit — the natural gathering point — with ample refrigeration and provisioning storage. Owner and guest cabins offer natural light, ventilation, storage and en suite heads.
Where she sits in the market
The 480 doesn’t come up often. YachtSite currently shows a small, thinly traded field, with buyer interest ticking up.
| Active Knysna 480 listings | 2 |
|---|---|
| Asking range | $325,000 – $690,000 |
| Median asking | $507,500 |
| Inquiries, last 30 days | 2 (vs 1 prior 30) |
| Low asking | $325,000 | |||
| Median asking | $507,500 | |||
| High asking | $690,000 |
Preveza is the other quiet advantage here: no delivery voyage required before the Ionian Islands, the Adriatic and the wider Mediterranean open up.