Design
Focus on the job C
atch Me, the prototype high-end and high-performance GP70 catamaran, is capable of cruising at speeds of up to
25kts, yet offers sumptuous accommodation both internally and on deck. Unlike many high-performance vessels of this size, the boat is optimised for fast cruising without regard for the needs of racing crews. This approach made it possible to
create a unique yacht that’s safe, fast and very easy to handle. It’s the vision of Gael Paclot, who first approached VPLP and a team of advisors with an initial concept, with key priorities including simplicity, robustness, reliability, silence on board and the potential for very long periods of autonomy. At the same time the boat had to be light, with excellent performance over long distances with a small crew, while offering stylish, spacious and superbly appointed accommodation. A relentless drive to minimise weight, including epoxy carbon sandwich for
80 per cent of the construction and even interior furniture has kept displacement down to only 19,000kg. To put that number in context it’s significantly lower than many mass market catamarans 20ft shorter. Similarly, a concerted effort to rationalise systems that consume large amounts of energy, while maximising the use of renewable energy sources, has created a boat that can be self-sufficient for remarkably long periods. Both engines also have ultra-high output alternators, giving greater redundancy of systems. The design is being marketed by
‘The boat is extremely well designed and built with a superb quality of finish’
renowned broker and veteran Vendée Globe race competitor Bernard Gallay. What attracted him to it? ‘When a boat is well-built, well- designed and well-conceived, then you should find some simplicity on the boat,’ he says. ‘It shows that choices
have been made towards one direction and so everything is homogenous around the concept. This boat is also extremely well built, with a superb quality of finish inside and everything is well designed.”
If you are aiming to deliver the ultimate high performance fast-cruising catamaran then it helps to dispense with other criteria that are typical of the breed but irrelevant for your particular purposes
The first boat was moulded by
Technologie Marine near La Trinité sur Mer in Brittany and completed by Trimarine near Lisbon, where subsequent boats will be built. The firm was founded in 1989 by veterans of the Il Moro di Venezia America’s Cup campaign and remains at the cutting edge of boatbuilding. ‘They are very focussed on making the perfect boat, without the slightest flaw and with the best technical solutions,’ says Paclot. Throughout the GP70’s style is
understated, yet elegant, with a first-class level of finish and interior design meticulously crafted in a classic, sober and almost timeless style. Gallay also draws a comparison to the 82ftMagic Cat, created by Gilles Ollier, founder of the legendary Multiplast shipyard in 1996. ‘She's still a modern and very good looking catamaran – one of the nicest actually,’ he says. ‘The GP70 also has something special in the simplicity of the design and the concept and is also a yacht that will not date.’ Below decks, the layout gives over all of
the port hull to a huge owner’s suite, while there are two guest cabins, plus a crew cabin in the starboard hull, providing lots of space for everyone. Despite the sleek
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