Design
The Performance version has exactly the same hull shape as the LC version with an aggressively minimalist coachroof profile. Its displacement is 500kg lighter
G
rand Soleil has a new flagship. Or arguably two, because the Performance and Long Cruise versions of the Grand Soleil 72
have distinctly different decks. It’s a significant move by Cantiere del Pardo, scaling up to maxi yacht production. This isn’t their first foray into that market (witness the GS 80) but rather than being a full custom project, the GS 72 is designed and engineered for series production. The concept took shape in discussions
‘The rig is large enough that a pinhead main will supply ample power even in light winds’
between the shipyard and Nauta Design. ‘It started with the idea, shared between us, to realise a top-of-the-range project,’ Nauta’s co-founder Massimo Gino recalls. ‘A beautiful, fast, modern sailing yacht with
excellent performance, yet comfortable and elegant, a boat that is all-Italian and that exudes in every detail the luxury that distinguishes Italian design, offering a high-level lifestyle to its owners and guests, in the tradition of Grand Soleil.’ Is this a potential Maxi 72 racer? Not really, but sort of. ‘Yes, the boat can race with very good performance in the maxi class,’ says project manager Franco Corazza. However, it is primarily a performance
cruiser and the main reason for its 72ft LOA is a practical consideration. ‘That’s the ideal size to fit a pullman crew cabin in the stern with a separate bathroom,’ Corazza explains. ‘You can have a three- cabin layout with the crew in the stern or a four-cabin layout with the crew in the bow.’
Matteo Polli is the lead naval architect
with another of Grand Soleil’s regular design partners, Marco Lostuzzi, in charge of structural engineering.
Hull design
The GS 72 stands out from the rest of Grand Soleil’s current fleet because the naval architecture of the Performance and Long Cruise versions is identical, rather than being designed specifically for one or other of the marque’s two parallel ranges. ‘The larger size of the GS72 allows us to combine the peculiarities of both lines on the same hull,’ Polli says. At a smaller size the compromises would be too significant.’ ‘The hull has a very wide maximum beam that extends to the stern, although the beam at the waterline is quite narrow,’ he says. ‘It has a long overhang and soft, high chines. The volume distribution longitudinally and vertically is designed to reduce wave drag as much as possible and to maintain optimal longitudinal trim across the full range of heeling conditions.’ Doesn’t the stern overhang affect
performance? ‘Thanks to a plumb bow and very straight buttock lines, the dynamic waterline length can reach the overall hull length very soon as the boat starts to heel,’ Polli says, ‘whereas the static waterline is relatively short. These features make the hull shape morph across the wide range of sailing conditions.’ The hull has a very fine entry and a
Two semi-custom interior options are offered: this three-cabin layout with the crew’s quarters in the bow or a four-cabin version with the crew in the stern
72 SEAHORSE
deep forefoot, which might seem at odds with the current trend of putting more volume, rather than less, into the bow. ‘This choice fully reflects the main aim of the concept,’ Polli says. ‘The combination of fine entry and deep forefoot guarantees a very soft ride in head seas and also helps performance in light to medium conditions. More volume in the bow may help in some specific sailing conditions but at this size of yacht it is much less beneficial than at a smaller size.’
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