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Flying cat

French yacht brand Gunboat has unveiled its latest concept, the Gunboat 72V – the first catamaran with Gunboat performance and a flybridge.

02 July 2021

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The new Gunboat 72V flybridge catamaran will complement the existing heritage series currently in production (the Gunboat 68 and Gunboat 80).

For each series, Gunboat sets the parameters and the owner sets the cursor with semi-customisability on a spectrum of performance and lifestyle preferences.

The name, V, is a nod to the blended culture of Gunboat, which is French and American.

Since Gunboat joined Grand Large Yachting in 2016, the French sailing culture asserts itself on both fronts: cruising lifestyle and offshore multihull performance (as evident in the Gunboat 68).

V stands for vie, life in French and the way you will enjoy it on board a 72V – the experience of a lifetime.

Construction of the first 72V started in early June and is scheduled to splash in 2023. Built entirely in-house at the Gunboat factory in La Grande-Motte, France, alongside the 68 and 80.

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Design and engineering is the collaboration of Gunboat, VPLP, Christophe Chedal Anglay and Patrick le Quément (the same team for the Gunboat 68) with a bespoke interior by Isabelle Racoupeau.

Designed with the enjoyment and pleasure of cruising in mind, with the knowledge that even the most turbo Gunboats may spend as much as 90 percent or more of their time in cruise mode.

This new range invites clients whose cruising plans were just out of reach of full high-octane Gunboat capabilities at the performance end of the spectrum, with priorities for family and coastal cruising.

Built by the yard that has delivered each and every Gunboat 68 on weight, the focus remains on accurate, high-quality, all-carbon construction and performance optimisations. The result is a flybridge catamaran that yields comfort, stability and capability in the widest range of conditions.

The 72V will sail at wind speed and above from 8 knots true. The 72V is engineered with the historically highly accurate data modeling of VPLP.

A focus on delivering sailing capabilities that are truly advantageous over motoring as a foundation for a sustainable life at sea: lightweight construction, energy systems boosted by renewables and a boat that delivers effortless, mile-eating performance.

It’s configured for simple, controlled, shorthanded performance sailing from the flybridge helm station with streamlined sail controls and cruising-optimised sail plans.

The 72V features no less than five distinct social areas: saloon, aft cockpit, flybridge, foredeck lounge, aft beam lounge and the choice of davits or a swim platform/aft beam lounge extension.

The design aesthetic of Isabelle Racoupeau balances the dual personality of the cat, achieving comfort and richness while maintaining that Gunboat sense of light.

“Technology has come a long way in 20 years, and so has the vast popularity of multihull cruising,” said Benoit Lebizay, Managing Partner.

“Families come in droves to boat shows, searching for the perfect match between the significance of their world cruising adventure and the vessel that will carry them, which they will also call home.

“The flybridge catamaran: that free-spirited force to be reckoned with sits in pole position on the dock at every boat show, flaunting the best views and happy hours, without truly revealing her unruly nature offshore.

“Armed with more than 20 years of experience, top engineers and advanced lightweight technologies, it’s time to tame the flybridge.”

 

gunboat.com

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