1st pleasure boat for MerConcept
Skipper François Gabart's company, MerConcept, has not hidden its desire for several years to develop its business outside the ocean racing sector. This has now been achieved with the announcement of a project for a foil-built pleasure multihull. This electrically propelled catamaran is in line with the desire of the yachtsman and his team to transfer innovations from the racing sector to the nautical sector, notably in the field of flight and its piloting.
The yacht, intended for a passionate private owner, was initiated by the American architecture firm SDK. MerConcept, the project's prime contractor, relies on the VPLP firm for the naval architecture, design, structure and configuration of the appendages and on companies specialising in the specific fields of electronics, motorisation and energy. Assembly of the boat will begin in the summer of 2021 in the MerConcept premises in Concarneau.
A fast electric catamaran with a long range
The multihull will be equipped with two electric motors. The flight will be ensured by a main U-shaped foil, connecting the two hulls of the catamaran, completed by bearing planes on the bases of the propellers. 12 meters long and 5 meters wide, the boat will have 2 carbon floats and will integrate a part of bio-sourced materials. The performances announced by MerConcept are high, with a range of 90 nautical miles at 22 knots cruising speed and 8 passengers on board.
