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Lightwave 45
Vroom with a view Lightwave’s proven 45 footer is incorporated into the design of the new Maestro, creating a unique catamaran, reports KEVIN GREEN. The Lightwave 45 Maestro Lightwave Yachts flies the Australian made flag building quality catamarans in their Coomera yard under the guidance of shipwright Roger Overell. Roger and wife Louise acknowledged the […]
News
Lightwave Yachts Celebrating 20 Years I story ROGER OVERELL, FOUNDER AND BUILDER, LIGHTWAVE YACHTS We recently celebrated 20 years at the Lightwave Family Reunion at Great Keppel Island, Queensland, with 18 Lightwave vessels in attendance and 60 people present. What a moment. What a sight. What an effort from all involved. We are so thankful […]
News
STAYING TRUE BLUE The stormy waters of the global financial crisis have reshaped Australian boatbuilding, leaving a much leaner industry and Lightwave Yachts epitomises this new era with new boats and some radical new ideas, writes KEVIN GREEN. For company owner Roger Overell, the writing was on the wall several years ago when the Gold […]
Lightwave 38
LIGHTWAVE 38 GUARANTEED 100% ‘AUSSIE’! Seen from Europe, or the United States, we don’t always appreciate the real attraction of the Australians for the sea, and particularly the nautical industry. However, in the country of the kangaroo, there is an exceptional expertise as regards boat building, and a particularly large number of multihull specialists. A […]
Lightwave 38
To commission an Opus Ask anyone who their favourite band is, or what their favourite movie is and you can never get a right or wrong answer as everyone has their own personal preference. This also applies in a big way to boats. There are a lot of good boats on the market, and the […]
Lightwave 45
A syndicated Lightwave LIFE LW45G Blue Spirit is set up for long distance cruising with a roaming base location “Did you know each other before you joined the syndicate?” This is the question everybody asks when we talk about how delighted we are as syndicate owners of Blue Spirit, our brilliant new 45ft Lightwave Grande’ […]
Lightwave 45
Bluewater pedigree Running in big seas or reaching before a breathless backdrop of blue, the first Lightwave catamaran to find a home in New Zealand proves an impressive performer. Words John Martin Photos Will Calver/oceanphotography.co.nz The Lightwave Grandé benefits from generous spaces below decks and the tasteful colour scheme selected by Gill, making her a […]
Lightwave 38
An account of riding out the cyclone DISCUSSION CENTRED on the likely scenario that this system could intensify and take a very fast and direct approach to Cardwell. As days passed, this possibility was confirmed by the various national and overseas weather reporting agencies. This transferred to the local Councils and Emergency Management agencies which […]
Lightwave 45
Custom comforts Proving that quality built Australian catamarans have never been more popular Lightwave Yachts are busy supplying this growing market with innovative designs, as shown by the latest 45 Grandé, reports KEVIN GREEN. THE LATEST LIGHTWAVE, THE GRANDÉ 45 HAS just hit the water and with four other boats under construction the Coomera based […]
Lightwave 45
Lightwave conquers the World! WELCOME HOME : Lightwave Yachts host Homecoming celebration at Southport Yacht Club A blue water pedigree with sleek appeal, Lightwave cats are renowned for their awesome performance and long range cruising capabilities, and the latest accomplishment of a Lightwave 45, adds proven performance appeal, as a World conquering catamaran. SECOND TIME, […]
News
ONE OFF the list Having been the artist on this mag for many years now it might come as a surprise to readers that I have never been on a catamaran before (well, not one that is moving anyway). I can almost hear the collective groans of “whats?” and “why nots?”. Now that’s not to […]
News
Making Serious Waves Lightwave Yachts. By Mike Brown Queensland’s Lightwave Yachts have been making serious waves since 1996. They do build Australia’s fastest one design racing production cat, the Raider catamaran, but their renown is for cruising catamarans: sailing, power and, the logical combination, motor sailers. And these cruisers get cruised. This month the celebration […]
News
PEDIGR EE CAT with charisma! The sun shines 364 days of the year in the Whitsunday Islands. The other day is reserved for my boat reviews; as such, the decidedly inclement weather on this one day I ventured north was surely a worthy test for the latest addition to the Lightwave Yachts portfolio, the Lightwave […]
News
PEDIGREE CAT with charisma! The sun shines 364 days of the year in the Whitsunday Islands. The other day is reserved for my boat reviews; as such, the decidedly inclement weather on this one day I ventured north was surely a worthy test for the latest addition to the Lightwave Yachts portfolio, the Lightwave 38 […]
News
HIS FOR From dream to reality From time to time we interview industry figure-heads, brokers, designers, CEOʼs, boatbuilders and marketing gurus who are only too happy to expound on the virtues and success of their boats, their products, their associations or their companies. Seldom until this opportunity arose however, do we get to hear first-hand […]
News
Lightwave Yachts is proud to announce the 2010 LW38’ Sail and Power Cat models. New features include an extended cockpit hardtop area, creating a more spacious outdoor lounging & dining area that is protected from the elements. Larger double sliding doors into the saloon provide a wider entrance and adds to the seamless fl ow […]
News
THE POWER OF TWO: THE LIGHTWAVE 47 MS Backing up with a second new release this year, Lightwave Yachts are pleased to announce the successful launching of their first Motor Sailer, the Lightwave 47’ Motor Sailer. Incorporating the new Grandé deck, the Lightwave 47’ Motor Sailer has been engineered to be a true Motor Sailer, […]
Lightwave 47 MS
LIGHTWAVE Grandé Series genuine Motor Sailer LAMENTABLE IS THE REALITY THAT MOST MANUFACTURER CLAIMS OF A GENUINE ‘POWER catamaran’ version within their range have historically been met with suspicion and contempt by potential clients. A ‘motor sailer’ version creates even more dubiety; as such it is ironically satisfying then when a manufacturer such as Lightwave […]
News
Lightwaves Cruise in Company: Guy Chester, EcoSustainAbility, Rally Organiser Photos supplied by Guy Chester & Rob Robson Louisiades Rally for 2009!2009! The Louisiades Yacht Rally will be held again in 2009. After a very successful inaugural Rally last year both the yachties and locals are getting ready for this year’s event. The Islands and People […]
News
Premier ONE DESIGN fleet racing EXTREME sailing with comfort included Congratulations to Rob of Perth, W.A., owner of PEARL Raider, delivered after being displayed at the ’08 C.M. Mandurah Boat Show This 30′ demountable sports cat offers the most exciting experience creating a spectacular sight. A proven Offshore and Fleet Racer, the crew of four […]
News
The need for speed The production multihull industry in Australia is deservedly proud of its ability to build excellent products at fair prices. I strongly believe that we have some of the best production builders in the world. Of course we also have access to some of the best designers and custom builders as well. […]
News
LIGHTWAVE YACHTS VOLVO PENTA ROAMING REGATTA08 This three day extravaganza, was the fifth Annual Regatta Lightwave Yachts has hosted since 2004. Extreme weather conditions didn’t dampen the high spirits of the Lightwave Owners and their Guests who braved blustery, wet weather over most of the Event time. The format for this year’s Regatta was for […]
News
Cruising the kimberley coast The Kimberley coast has become extremely popular with cruisers out of Darwin and also those travelling up the west coast from Perth and Fremantle. The number of boats visiting the area is certainly on the increase and quite a few tour boats take people in there now as well. The coastline […]
Lightwave 40 PC
Lightwave 40 Cruising under sail is a pleasant way to go, but when the wind drops, on go the engines. Review by Kevan Wolf. Most yachties will tell you that when they are cruising they spend about 70 to 80 per cent of their time on the motor. This is why power catamarans have become […]
Lightwave 45
Around the World Peter and Penny Faulkner, LW45 Innforapenny II The dream was always to sail around the world and although I have had some experience coastal sailing along the east coast of Australia and in Western Europe the thought of a circumnavigation was a little daunting. On discovering that you could join an around […]
News
Owner Ken French, comments on “Crossing to the Dark Side” after being a keen mono sailor all his life, and also recounts his experiences with buying an ex-charter Lightwave 38′ Sailing Catamaran… I think a lot of our family, friends and sailing mates were shocked when we told them we were going to buy a […]
Lightwave 46 PC
Why buy a LIGHTWAVE an Owner’s Perspective…by Robyn Jefferies, FLASHDANCER, LIGHTWAVE POWERCAT 46’ Why buy POWER not SAIL? There are a lot of yachties or prospective yachties who would be more suited to a power vessel than a yacht. Advantages include: Getting to your destination quicker and more refreshed, this is definitely an advantage for […]
News
SNEAK PEAK taking shape at the LWY factory Super Size The Lightwave 45′ Grande’ offers a cat focused on supreme comfort with a larger saloon and cockpit, whilst still offering responsive performance. Layout options include 3 or 4 cabins, two or four bathroom layout; and optional galley up. Having already secured orders prerelease, and the […]
Lightwave 45
South to Sydney by Andrew Crawford I am a strong supporter of the Australian Multihull Industry, be it small project builders, designers or large scale commercial production enterprises. I support the industry because it deserves it. By and large, Australia produces some of the finest multihulls in their class. ONE company I have watched with […]
Lightwave 38
A great custom to have Lightwave has revamped the popular 38 with options suited to the cruising, charter and weekend sailor markets, reports Roger Priest. The hardest thing about buying a new 38 from Lightwave is the plethora of buyer choices. To make things a little easier for you, Lightwave offers four basic layouts and […]
Lightwave 46 PC
Lightwave Superstar At first sight the Lightwave 46’ Powercat exudes a flair of powerful dynamism. Sporting a finer hull shape, the piecing power efficient bulbs slice through the water at level trim, leaving bows dry, and no stern drag. The re-engineered hulls and sharp bows deliver peak performance, enhancing stability, safety and speed. The new […]
Lightwave 45
Elegant, efficient and seakindly were among the must-haves in the design brief for the new Lightwave 45. How well does it achieve them? Caroline Strainig reports on the latest offering from the Gold Coast-based Lightwave stable. When it comes to catamarans, there’s one name that springs immediately to mind when you start talking Australian designers: […]
News
Lightwave owners regatta This year the Lightwave extended family held their regatta over a the Labour Day long weekend in Queensland. The format was for a get together and briefing on Friday night at the Southport Yacht Club, a race on Saturday leading into a beach barbie on Saturday night with an overnight stop at […]
News
Lightwave Regatta Lightwave Yachts on the Gold Coast, if you didn’t already know produce a fine production sailing catamaran, as well as a powercat. Nathan and Roger and the team are amongst the friendliest crew around and are proud of their success in converting Tony Grainger’s design into an exceptional sailing boat. TO celebrate that […]
Lightwave 38
Lightwave, Last edition I wrote of a short sail on a Lightwave 38 Sonja and I recently had the opportunity to have a longer trip, spending an entire weekend on the boat in an around the Gold Coast. I thought it might be interesting to further review the vessel from ‘the crew’s perspective’ so it’s […]
Lightwave 38
THE Lightwave 38 was on display at the Sanctuary Cove Boat show. Since then I have had the opportunity to test sail the vessel in the Southport area. Nathan, from Overall Stanton Yachts was demonstrating the boat to two couples who were interested purchasers. I am advised that one of the couples has ordered a […]
Lightwave 35
OUR first open water passage in our Lightwave 10.5 catamaran would be from the Gold Coast to Hastings in Westernport Bay, Victoria. Over the past 10 months, our boat was a resident of the Hope Harbour Marina. Although we tried to take as many long weekends from our jobs in Melbourne to use Zig Zag, […]
News
The growth of multihulls in Australia and indeed the world has certainly brought these boats and their designs to the fore in multihull boat production, not to be denied is the Grainger designed Lightwave 10.5, built by Overell Stanton Yachts on the Gold Coast. So it was we were greeted on a typical winter’s day […]

Multihull World Magazine Lightwave Yachts Celebrating 20 Years

Mhw 142 Lightwavefeature

Lightwave Yachts Celebrating 20 Years
I story ROGER OVERELL, FOUNDER AND BUILDER, LIGHTWAVE YACHTS

We recently celebrated 20 years at the Lightwave Family Reunion at Great Keppel Island, Queensland, with 18 Lightwave vessels in attendance and 60 people present. What a moment. What a sight. What an effort from all involved.

We are so thankful to everyone involved in the special celebration of 20 years. Quite a few travelled for days and weeks to get there by boat, challenging the weather, and based holidays around the weekend. Some flew thousands of miles and used several forms of transport to be there to support us. To each and every one of you, we so very grateful for your efforts.

This is a significant milestone for Lightwave Yachts. Twenty years of manufacturing catamarans, proudly in Australia. From humble beginnings out in the farm shed at Maudsland, through the turbulent global financial crisis that wiped out so much of the Industry, when we were building up to 10 boats at once, operating two factories, by the waterfront at Coomera. To our current location, condensing to one factory facility, within the Gold Coast Marine Precinct, we have now produced over 80 Lightwave catamarans, plus countless other parts and various other products.

There are plenty of special people that I need to thank who have shared this successful journey. No one stands out more than my wife and family. Louise has done so much in supporting me in our business. From supporting us on a single teachers wage in the early days for three to four years until the business could pay me a wage, to managing an office of 12 people and a grumpy stressed husband, to organising boat show and regatta events and bringing the happy spark to everything that she is involved in. But more importantly, raising our sons, Ned and Will, who are so involved with Lightwave family. I am so happy and proud that they are part of what we do, and share a passion for the water and boating.

Our parents played a huge part in supporting us right from the beginning, being wonderful grandparents and helping us make the home world go around. My parents have always offered amazing support, allowing me to not follow in the family rag trade business, and forge my own career, offering the hand on the shoulder support. My father Peter, gave his time at boat shows, despite not having the boat knowledge he needed to be there, he was the chief crowd controller, and kept spirits high. And my mum, Barbara, with always the encouraging word.

We want to thank all the Lightwave owners, both past, present and future ones. It has been a privilege to build each Lightwave for
each owner and share their journey of achieving their sailing and boating dreams. It is a very personalised process building a boat for the owners, and long standing friendships are formed. We literally haveshared births, deaths and marriages and are very proud of the strong bond shared with the Lightwave family. Starting a business at a young age, many of our owners offered great counsel and advice to our growing business.

The observation has been made that we have a lean marketing budget, and instead put that into creating exceptional vessels, allowing the boats speak for themselves. Consequently our owners are very much a big part of our ‘marketing’ team. Our owners’ pride and passion for their Lightwaves has always shone through, and given great strength to the Lightwave brand. Two very special couples have played a major role in helping us at special events and showing off the Lightwave product to the world. Wayne and Donna, former owners of Lightwave 38 Axis Mundi, and current owners of Lightwave 45 Maestro Axis Vitae, have been amazing supporters. They have provided many design ideas that following owners incorporated into their Lightwaves, and helped us for many boat shows. Our unofficial New Zealand sales office of Ross and Gill, have also done the same, allowing us to exhibit their LW45 Double Shot at three boat shows, have done countless unofficial test sails, and have been an amazing support in helping sell our product.

Playing a big part of our history, are the owners who have had not only one, but two Lightwaves built by us.

  • Peter and Penny, Lightwave 38 Innforeapenny and Lightwave 45 Sports Innforeapenny II and who now own a Raider racing cat
  • Steve and Hermi, Lightwave 35 As If and Lightwave 47 Motor Sailer Two 4 One.
  • John and Pam, Lightwave 45Sports Allikat, and Lightwave 45Grande Allikat II
  • Nils and Mayte, Lightwave 38 Muscat 7, and Lightwave 45Sports Muscat
  • Wayne and Donna, Lightwave 38 Axis Mundi, and Lightwave 45 Maestro’ Axis Vitae
  • The late Ian, & Lyn, Lightwave 38 Pretty Puss, and Lightwave 38 Fluffy Muffy
  • Geoff and Anne, pre-owned buyers of Lightwave 38 Two Shea, and Lightwave 45 Sports Skedaddle.
  • A huge commendation to our Lightwave team, both past and present, the Lightwave craftsmen who create, sculpture, and customise these vessels with me, including the likes of Ash and Shane who both started as apprentices and are now heads of their areas. Our accounts manager,
  • Sharon, has been with us for 11 years. She has poured her heart and soul into our business, and we are very grateful for her efforts, loyalty and commitment.

Special thanks to our suppliers, who like us, stand by the high quality products that go into each Lightwave. There are a handful who we have shared the 20 year journey with, including All Yacht Spars, Ronstan, Ashtia, and NCS Resins, and Power Equipment. Longevity is hard to come by, and is not easily achieved, and we appreciate the long standing relationship we share with these companies.

Final thanks to our promoters, Multihull World magazine, who have offered great support and have played a significant role in promoting multihulls in Australia and indeed the world. The charter companies including Charter Yachts Australia, Cumberland Charter Yachts & Sydney Harbour Escapes, who have Lightwaves in their fleets, and provide opportunity for charter investment and Lightwave lovers to experience the joy of sailing and being on board a Lightwave.

Eight years ago, we partnered a company, FujiClean. Fuji Clean is the biggest manufacturer of Waste Water Treatment Tanks in Japan producing 40,000 units per year. To date Lightwave Group has produced nearly 4000 waste water treatment tanks for the Australian market to all States, and we are very proud to have this strong relationship, and be involved in a growing market that is outside the marine game, providing income stability and security.

OUR FUTURE

We remain focused on building our current models, and are very excited to be announcing a new model in the New Year. We will continue to remain focused on remaining a leading International brand, Australian manufacturers of exceptional quality, customised, blue water catamarans. Manufacturing fibreglass parts and tanks remain a strong part of Lightwave Group’s future, securing our position as an Australian manufacturer. We welcome any additional growth that this market provides. Maintenance and refit of our Lightwave fleet remains strong and is a service seen as essential support for all our Lightwave owners, to allow them to keep the boats and the brand to the highest and most sought after brand on the market. Here’s to riding the wave for another 20!

Lightwave Family Reunion at Great Keppel Island
I story ANNE & GREG RYAN, OWNERS LW35 CHANCES

Our boat, along with 79 others, was built by an Australian company at Coomera, Gold Coast, owned by Roger Overell, the Builder, and his wife Louise.

To celebrate 20 years in business, they organised a get together at Great Keppel Island, Queensland, from 14th to 16th October. 60 Lightwave family members attended, including 2 owners from New Zealand, 1 owner from Malaysia, 2 previous Lightwave owners, and a fleet of 17 Lightwaves. Special guests, Toshiro and Rebecca Otowa, from Fuji Clean Japan, also attended (Lightwave Group is also the Australian manufacturer for Fuji Clean). Long time Lightwave upholster, Bill & Carol from Ashtia, also were in attendance.

A program was set but with winds of 20-30 knots forecasted, it was soon dismantled and totally rearranged! We couldn’t anchor at the beach near the
Hideaway Resort so we ferried from Svedson’s Beach anchorage around the corner, to the resort, where we met for lunches instead of dinners.

Friday was registration, cocktails, introductions, speeches and a great power point presentation showing the progression of the business. Gary made a speech on behalf of all the owners, acknowledging the successful 20 year journey of Lightwave Yachts, and the pride Lightwave owners share of their beautiful catamarans. We were glad to spend the night on our boats as it was a rough night even in the better anchorage.

Saturday morning we ferried around to Hideaway Resort for a day on the island. A hearty breakfast was had by all. We competed in Tug of War, a Treasure Hunt and a game involving a stick and roll of toilet paper (you don’t want to know!!). Attendees could then attend the Lightwave Owners Forum or go for a walk to Long Beach. I opted for the walk with three others and Toshiro. He’s a lovely man and asked the question, “what do we do we do when we fight on the boat?” We walked over to Long Beach, and upon arriving there, we discovered it was a nudist beach!

We arrived back in time for lunch which was followed by “Lightwave Has Talent” entertainment. Great acts were performed by Lightwave owners and guests, including a tribute poem by “Banjo Paterlamb”, incorporating all the Lightwave boat names that were in attendance.

Late afternoon, we returned to our Lightwaves, some via a walk over the hill and around the beach. The crews enjoyed a fire on the beach and sundowners
were shared, whilst other guests who didn’t attend with their boats, stayed at the resort accommodation and worked their way through the bar tab.

The winds eased and we finally got to have a sailing event Sunday morning. We retired hurt, tore the Screecher, but the fleet continued on to meet at Fisherman’s Bay and ashore for lunch.

After lunch, there was presentation of prizes and the annual trophies. Sponsors including Ronstan, Evolution Sails, Ashtia, Fusion, Garmin, Marine Trade Supplies, Globatec, Yanmar, Seabreeze & Vetus contributed prizes that were shared around. A trophy was presented to Roger and Louise for 20 years in business, and a book of commendations from all the Lightwave owners. The afternoon was spent drinking, talking, and laughing. We went to Blue Spirit for more drinks and then said goodbye as they headed off next morning. We have only known them for a week but feels like ages!

We woke up Monday morning to the fleet slowly disappearing into the horizon. Some had spent months cruising to the Family Reunion destination at Great Keppel Island, catching up on the way. Others would continue to cruise in company home. Thanks to Louise and Roger, with their kids, Will and Ned, for a great family weekend of proud Lightwave owners.

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“We Cannot Discover New Oceans Unless We Have The Courage To Lose Sight Of The Shore” – Faulkner

Model Lightwave

Lightwave 46

Model Outlines Updated 1 (1)

Lightwave 55

Lw45 Popup Plumbing

Plumbing System

The Lightwave 46 has 800L of fresh water & 800L of diesel, in tanks that are built directly into the hull. High quality, purpose grade materials are used in this labour intensive construction method which guarantees an extremely high-quality product that will last for the lifetime of the boat. Dual freshwater pumps provided piece of mind through redundancy. A water transfer line is built into the system to allow water to travel between either tank. Fresh water vacuum toilets that use minimal fresh water (less than 400ml per flush) are a standard feature on the Lightwave 46, eliminating the stale saltwater smell that can encroach the cabin area.  A saltwater system is also fitted to the vessel to allow an anchor wash, saltwater tap in the galley and hose in the cockpit.

L46i Engine 2

Electrical System

The Lightwave 46 is designed for self-sufficient blue water cruising. The vessel is supplied with a 12-volt DC and a 240-volt AC electrical system. A 600Ah AGM battery system is offered on the vessel with an optional 660Ah lithium-ion battery bank. There are various solar options producing up to 2000kw of power. There is also the option to have a 4Kw AC diesel generator which is coupled with the inverter to allow for a high output. All areas of the vessels electrics are designed to be easily accessible and traceable with minimal disruption to the boats systems. Electrical components on the Lightwave 46 are carefully selected to ensure a minimum power consumption is achieved. Onboard systems incorporate the latest in technology, allowing remote control and monitoring of critical power systems, battery and charging status, tank levels, bilge pumps, aerial and security CCTV as well as an array of other custom options.

Lw45 Popup Engine

Engineering Systems

The Lightwave 46 offers a very spacious area in the external engine rooms, to accommodate the standard 50hp engines & other engineering systems. All steering components as well as the optional generator are housed in the engine rooms, carefully positioned for ease of access for servicing and maintenance. The engine rooms are separated from the accommodation area with a bulkhead lined in sound dampening material to defer noise, heat and odour from entering the cabins. The engine rooms are also accessible from the inside of the boat if required.

Lw45 Popup Img

Sailing Systems

Designed with the priority for the ultimate sailing experience, the deck layout and sailing systems are configured for ease of handling while shorthanded. The line system on the Lightwave 46 has been designed so all lines are organised and accessible from an area where the sails can be easily observed. Lines all lead to the cockpit and travel under serviceable fibreglass boards which not only keep the lines organised, but also remove possible tripping hazards. Hanging points are purposely provided creating a neat and organised place for line tails to be stored. Anderson winches and Ronstan deck gear are superiorly selected as standard equipment, with optional electric winches also available. A bridal main sheet system is cleverly applied to eliminate the safety concerns of a traveller car system traditionally used on catamarans. 

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