GP70

And then cruising became fantastic...

The GP70, previewed at the International Multihull Show 2024 in La Grande-Motte, stands out from its competitors of the same size thanks to deliberate choices aimed at clearly asserting personal use by the owner. The philosophy is clear and precise: this extraordinary catamaran is aimed at a select club of enlightened, wealthy yachtsmen who want to enjoy multihull sailing for themselves. The presence of a skipper or crew will in no way detract from the program, but the general idea is to enable a seasoned couple or a short-handed crew to take control without imposing physically demanding maneuvers. Energy self-sufficiency, top-of-the-range equipment, adapted deck hardware (electric assistance for sailing maneuvers), a powerful sail plan, but exceptional construction... all these elements go into creating top-level performance.

The lightship weight has been kept to 17.5 t, guaranteeing a catamaran that’s a pleasure to helm! ©Ludovic Fruchaud/Imacis

25 knots of wind and choppy seas translate into a speed of 20 knots for the GP70. Exceptional performance at the price of a bit of spray... ©Ludovic Fruchaud/Imacis

In light airs, the GP70 proves pretty fast. Note the wide sugarscoop and gentle slope back to the cockpit. © Multi.Media

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Practical info

Boat Test price5.00€ Inc. tax

Purchase

Boat Test price5.00€ Inc. tax

Purchase

Test location: La Grande-Motte/Canet-en-Roussillon, South of France
Conditions : 15 to 28 knots, sea state slight to moderate

Despite the difficulty of finding a berth for a very large multihull - and the cost of such a berth - the multiyacht segment is experiencing strong growth, even though production of these XXL units is limited to just a handful of builders worldwide. These superlative multihulls fall into two categories: small series and custom. Sometimes, they fall somewhere in between: the GP70 featured here was built as a one-off unit... but could well attract other buyers!

Design for an attractive silhouette

Designing a 70-foot (21 m) sports catamaran is a challenge, almost an architectural feat, since the purity of lines of a racing machine (take Orange 2 as an example) must be sacrificed to install a coachroof as “elegant” as possible, and that will house all the expected amenities. To be successful, this design must clearly reflect the program’s cornerstones, assert a personality independent of fashion and competitors, and suggest the avant-garde while avoiding the pitfall of over-design. This is how a custom multiyacht can hope to span several decades without ...

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