NEW LAUNCHES
Words by Sebastien Barthez
NEEL, the multihull 
of the future
Eric Bruneel is a multihull specialist. He has over 30 years experience in the design,
construction and sale of multihulls. He has cruised them, successfully campaigned
beach cats, raced successfully offshore at the highest level of competition. After 26
years at Fountaine Pajot where he played a major role in building the company to the
international success that it has become he has moved onto develop this interesting
and quite unique trimaran.
services that would usually
take up living area. This
concentrates weight where
it will have least effect on
performance.
The accommodation is that of
an ‘American Loft apartment’
with excellent views that
always change. Eric, a keen
pianist, has installed an
electric piano in the saloon
but this space could be used
for anything. The boat is
well appointed and could be
luxurious or down to earth,
the buyer will decide. Eric has
chosen Force 3, the well know
La Rochelle based builder to
e believes that the market for catamarans is
H
develop the initial boat They
mature and that there is a thirst for innovation
build the Challenge range of trimarans are well known
and change. The concept for the NEEL
in this specialist field.
trimaran was borne from Eric’s experience with
his successful 50’ racing trimaran Tri-logic designed by
Whilst European buyers do not generally view
Joubert-Nivelt.
trimarans as cruising boats, the US market likes
them. Arthur Piver and Norman Cross developed
He felt driven to develop with them a roomy trimaran for his
the concept that has been taken to modern times
own use but also for what he believes is a new market.
by the likes of Waler Green, Dick Newick and Chris
White. An observation of modern catamarans is that
The NEEL has a huge 65m2 central accommodation area.
in some the relationship with the weather and the sea
The central hull and has two large double cabins on each wing
is lost through hydraulic steering, solid bridgedecks
deck each with their own toilet and shower compartment, a
and pretty modest performance. The well designed
large open galley area, a comfortable seating area with all of
trimaran has the advantage of performance, shallow
this on the same level as the cockpit which is also spacious
draft (just 1.2m), responsive to the helm and the sea
and sheltered. Forward of the saloon but down in the hull is
and therefore a real relationship with the weather. The
another double cabin. The floats are empty and are used for
NEEL concept attempts to re-conNect the sailor to
righting moment and therefore performance.
their sport. .
Beneath the saloon, within the large bottom area of the main
Eric Bruneel thinks that his trimaran will interest
hull is a ‘basement’ that has within it all the storage and
owners who like to sail fast but be comfortable and
have a boat that is unique and built to suit their taste
38  MULTIHULL REVIEW : OCTOBER 2009
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