Sleek as ever - grandsoleil.net · sector but you must still remain ... flexibility without hurting...
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The collaboration between Felci Yacht Design and Cantiere del Pardo has a long history. It is now 15 years since Umberto Felci designed the GS70, the Italian yard’s custom flagship produced for a German customer. In 2002, in collaboration with Rolf Vrolijk, we also designed both the GS45 Cruiser and the successful GS44 Performance Cruiser, which kick- started a string of similar designs that for many years dominated IMS racing, winning several European titles. After the GS45, in 2003 we designed the GS50, working with French designer Patrick Roseò. So after so many years we were pleased to return to work with Cantiere del Pardo, this time with another great studio, Nauta Design. Our task involved the naval architecture of the new Grand Soleil 58 Performance, a fast-cruiser designed and built to the highest production standards. We tried to create an efficient hull that was able to accomplish the difficult task of sailing fast but that was also easy, safe, comfortable to handle and, last but not least, with generous internal volume. When we approach a project for a so-called fast-cruiser yacht we have to first look at the compromises that will always be necessary in a multi-purpose boat of this type. This is a matter of sensitivity, balance and a good feel for the client’s objectives more than just a matter of numbers and science. In the intervening years since we last worked with this yard we have designed several yachts of a similar concept from 45 to 80ft. I think we have sharpened our abilities in this sector but you must still remain flexible as each client has his own priorities. I like to imagine that the ‘race’ or ‘speed’ factors sit on one side of the equation and ‘cruising’ or ‘comfort’ factors on the other. In fact, the understanding of what a client really wants is sometimes the hardest part of the process. If the race capabilities are central to a project, then more effort will be put into hull and appendage refinement. If an elegant, comfortable cruiser is the goal then other factors take on at least equal importance. But you also know that most customers want the same dream in every area; we are often asked to deliver maximum speed together with maximum comfort! And this was rather the case with the GS58... our brief was for the fastest and most stylish and most comfortable yacht of its type… To define the hull shape we began with a study of our CFD database looking at the potential differences in performances between chined and rounded hulls, analysed by equalising the main hull parameters including volume, LCB position and especially equalising Sleek as ever 46 SEAHORSE Umberto Felci’s new Grand Soleil 58 design does a nice job delivering performance plus contemporary styling typical of a much larger yacht Clearly working very well together, Umberto Felci, Nauta Design and the Cantiere del Pardo shipyard have come up with a stylish new 58-footer that does a pretty passable impression of a much larger contemporary yacht… those famous words Wally-Style even spring to mind. Nobody is calling € 860,000 cheap, but take a look at the cost of some similar sized rivals… the righting moment at 20°. Due to the small performance differences between the candidates analysed, the yard’s decision was to stay with a conventional round-bilge hull in the classic Grand Soleil style. That said, we had to accommodate a wide range of boat and keel weights due to the options that would be on offer. To allow this flexibility without hurting performance a traditional hull was made a bit narrower at the waterline and deeper in profile. The final hull has generous volumes providing plenty of space inside. The balance between the width of the canoe body and its depth is fundamental to a project like this one. We needed the saloon floor to be high for good visibility and light and of generous area. But we also needed to control beam waterline in order not to overly increase resistance. I consider this ratio the real key factor with this kind of hull, so we undertook a specific analysis to identify the correlation between hull resistance and internal volume. Three keel configurations are available: a shallow draft keel (2.45m), a deep draft keel (2.90m) and a ‘race keel’ with a draft of 3.15m, manufactured in high- modulus stainless steel with a CNC-machined bulb. Umberto Felci, Garda SEAHORSE 47 Above: bend your knees a little and it’s easy to convince yourself that you are at the helm of the latest dual purpose Mini Maxi… Go down below and the illusion might continue. The GS58 is a very long way from a typical production yacht of this size with the emphasis very much on creating a mid-sized ‘big boat’ rather than a smaller design that has been over-fertilised in order to cram in as many beds as possible. Most certainly ‘a looker…’ Sleek by nature With the new Grand Soleil 58 Performance Cantiere del Pardo is trying to increase its grip on a sector of the market in which the Italian brand has been strong for decades: racing in style. The first public display of the boat was a true grandezza, centre- stage at the 2016 Cannes Yachting Festival on Quai Saint-Pierre, where, painted in the deepest, hottest and most lustrous black imaginable, she drew an impressive crowd. Just a year ago the yard had broadened its range with the 46 LC (‘Long Cruise’), aimed at the comfy end of the mid-sized luxury market. She won European Yacht of the Year, boosting sales as well as confidence at Cantiere del Pardo – which had changed ownership and management a couple of times since 2010 but now seems to be back in calmer waters. The Grand Soleil 58 Performance is intended to sharpen the brand’s profile in its core market of fast cruiser-racers. Before the first boat was completed four owners had paid their deposit; a further seven boats have been sold since with plenty more serious enquiries. As a result the yard is now restructuring its build process just to keep up with demand. ‘We were pretty stunned by the initial popularity of such a big boat,’ acknowledged general manager Fabio Planamente. Cantiere del Pardo left nothing to chance. They put together a strong all-Italian team of designers. Along with Umbert Felci and Nauta Design they brought back Marco Lostuzzi, who had previously helped create the popular GS46 LC. ‘We have produced more than 200 boats of around 50ft in the past 20 years,’ says Planamente. ‘We have a big database and so we talked to many of our customers about their expectations of a modern performance cruiser.’ Not surprisingly, the feedback highlighted a somewhat contradictory wish for beauty, power and sailing performance… as well as generous cruising amenities. ‘Owners have grown older,’ says Planamente. ‘They still want to sail fast but they are no longer willing to give up their comforts… In fact, they want more of them.’ So when you step onboard the new GS58 you will certainly not feel as if you are on a raceboat. But don’t be mistaken – more than 80 per cent of the modern interior is veneered foam sandwich, the main bulkheads are composite and the structural hull grid is also predominantly carbon. Deck layout is split into two parts. There is a guest section aft of the companionway, behind which is the control centre of the boat with winches plus a piano of stoppers. Aft again are two pedestals. The set-up keeps the companionway clear of all ropes and hardware, also maximising the clean visuals of this new yacht. Grand Soleil offers the GS58 in a variety of flavours. The base boat is an all-rounder. But with a generous options list you can customise it to taste – from ORC or IRC-optimised racer with tall carbon rig and deeper keel to a full-on luxury toy with air- conditioning, generator, dishwasher and multiple fridges… We sailed a model a notch or two up from the standard boat in terms of power, but not with the maximum performance possible. It came with carbon rig and membrane sails, with a big Code 0. Sailing any luxury 58-footer at 8.5kt in 8-10kt of wind at 90° TWA is still something of a novelty to this sailor. With 11-12kt TWS you are quickly up to 9.5kt. If you are looking for a boat perfectly suited for Mediterranean conditions this may be it. With the 58 Performance you do not just get Grand Soleil’s latest racer-cruiser, you also get a ticket to a GS58 circuit to be launched in 2017, hooking the class into five of the most iconic Mediterranean regattas including the Rolex Middle Sea Race. My friends at Seahorse tell me that Cantiere del Pardo is already working on a scaled-down and souped-up 48ft version of the 58, due to launch in 2018. Who called the performance cruiser market down and out? www.grandsoleil.net ❑ Brought to you in association with
Transcript of Sleek as ever - grandsoleil.net · sector but you must still remain ... flexibility without hurting...
The collaboration between FelciYacht Design and Cantiere delPardo has a long history. It is now15 years since Umberto Felcidesigned the GS70, the Italianyard’s custom flagship produced fora German customer. In 2002, incollaboration with Rolf Vrolijk, wealso designed both the GS45Cruiser and the successful GS44Performance Cruiser, which kick-started a string of similar designsthat for many years dominated IMSracing, winning several Europeantitles. After the GS45, in 2003 wedesigned the GS50, working withFrench designer Patrick Roseò.
So after so many years we werepleased to return to work withCantiere del Pardo, this time withanother great studio, Nauta Design.Our task involved the navalarchitecture of the new Grand Soleil58 Performance, a fast-cruiserdesigned and built to the highestproduction standards.
We tried to create an efficienthull that was able to accomplish thedifficult task of sailing fast but thatwas also easy, safe, comfortable tohandle and, last but not least, withgenerous internal volume.
When we approach a project for aso-called fast-cruiser yacht we haveto first look at the compromisesthat will always be necessary in amulti-purpose boat of this type. Thisis a matter of sensitivity, balanceand a good feel for the client’sobjectives more than just a matterof numbers and science.
In the intervening years since welast worked with this yard we havedesigned several yachts of a similarconcept from 45 to 80ft. I think wehave sharpened our abilities in thissector but you must still remainflexible as each client has his ownpriorities. I like to imagine that the‘race’ or ‘speed’ factors sit on oneside of the equation and ‘cruising’or ‘comfort’ factors on the other. In
fact, the understanding of what aclient really wants is sometimesthe hardest part of the process.
If the race capabilities are centralto a project, then more effort will beput into hull and appendagerefinement. If an elegant,comfortable cruiser is the goal thenother factors take on at least equalimportance. But you also know thatmost customers want the samedream in every area; we are oftenasked to deliver maximum speedtogether with maximum comfort!And this was rather the case withthe GS58... our brief was for thefastest and most stylish and mostcomfortable yacht of its type…
To define the hull shape webegan with a study of our CFDdatabase looking at the potentialdifferences in performancesbetween chined and rounded hulls,analysed by equalising the main hullparameters including volume, LCBposition and especially equalising
Sleek as ever
46 SEAHORSE
Umberto Felci’s new Grand Soleil 58 design does a nice job deliveringperformance plus contemporary styling typical of a much larger yacht
Clearly working verywell together,UmbertoFelci, NautaDesign andthe Cantieredel Pardo shipyard havecome up witha stylish new58-footer thatdoes a prettypassableimpression ofa much largercontemporaryyacht… thosefamous wordsWally-Styleeven spring tomind. Nobodyis calling€860,000cheap, buttake a look at the cost ofsome similarsized rivals…
the righting moment at 20°.Due to the small performance
differences between thecandidates analysed, the yard’sdecision was to stay with aconventional round-bilge hull in theclassic Grand Soleil style. Thatsaid, we had to accommodate awide range of boat and keelweights due to the options thatwould be on offer. To allow thisflexibility without hurtingperformance a traditional hull wasmade a bit narrower at thewaterline and deeper in profile. Thefinal hull has generous volumesproviding plenty of space inside.
The balance between the widthof the canoe body and its depth isfundamental to a project like thisone. We needed the saloon floor tobe high for good visibility and lightand of generous area. But we alsoneeded to control beam waterlinein order not to overly increaseresistance. I consider this ratio thereal key factor with this kind of hull,so we undertook a specific analysisto identify the correlation betweenhull resistance and internal volume.
Three keel configurations areavailable: a shallow draft keel(2.45m), a deep draft keel (2.90m)and a ‘race keel’ with a draft of3.15m, manufactured in high-modulus stainless steel with aCNC-machined bulb.Umberto Felci, Garda
SEAHORSE 47
Above: bendyour knees alittle and it’seasy to convinceyourself thatyou are at thehelm of thelatest dualpurpose MiniMaxi… Godown belowand the illusion mightcontinue. The GS58 is avery long wayfrom a typicalproductionyacht of thissize with theemphasisvery much on creating amid-sized ‘bigboat’ ratherthan a smallerdesign thathas beenover-fertilisedin order tocram in asmany beds as possible. Most certainly‘a looker…’
Sleek by natureWith the new Grand Soleil 58Performance Cantiere del Pardo istrying to increase its grip on asector of the market in which theItalian brand has been strong fordecades: racing in style.
The first public display of theboat was a true grandezza, centre-stage at the 2016 Cannes YachtingFestival on Quai Saint-Pierre, where,painted in the deepest, hottest andmost lustrous black imaginable,she drew an impressive crowd.
Just a year ago the yard hadbroadened its range with the 46 LC(‘Long Cruise’), aimed at the comfyend of the mid-sized luxury market.She won European Yacht of theYear, boosting sales as well asconfidence at Cantiere del Pardo –which had changed ownership andmanagement a couple of timessince 2010 but now seems to beback in calmer waters.
The Grand Soleil 58 Performanceis intended to sharpen the brand’sprofile in its core market of fastcruiser-racers. Before the first boatwas completed four owners hadpaid their deposit; a further sevenboats have been sold since withplenty more serious enquiries. As aresult the yard is now restructuringits build process just to keep upwith demand. ‘We were prettystunned by the initial popularity ofsuch a big boat,’ acknowledgedgeneral manager Fabio Planamente.
Cantiere del Pardo left nothing tochance. They put together a strongall-Italian team of designers. Alongwith Umbert Felci and Nauta Designthey brought back Marco Lostuzzi,who had previously helped createthe popular GS46 LC.
‘We have produced more than200 boats of around 50ft in thepast 20 years,’ says Planamente.‘We have a big database and so wetalked to many of our customersabout their expectations of a
modern performance cruiser.’ Not surprisingly, the feedback
highlighted a somewhatcontradictory wish for beauty, powerand sailing performance… as wellas generous cruising amenities.‘Owners have grown older,’ saysPlanamente. ‘They still want to sailfast but they are no longer willing togive up their comforts… In fact,they want more of them.’
So when you step onboard thenew GS58 you will certainly not feelas if you are on a raceboat. Butdon’t be mistaken – more than 80 per cent of the modern interioris veneered foam sandwich, themain bulkheads are composite andthe structural hull grid is alsopredominantly carbon.
Deck layout is split into twoparts. There is a guest section aftof the companionway, behind whichis the control centre of the boatwith winches plus a piano ofstoppers. Aft again are twopedestals. The set-up keeps thecompanionway clear of all ropesand hardware, also maximising theclean visuals of this new yacht.
Grand Soleil offers the GS58 in avariety of flavours. The base boat isan all-rounder. But with a generousoptions list you can customise it totaste – from ORC or IRC-optimisedracer with tall carbon rig and deeperkeel to a full-on luxury toy with air-conditioning, generator, dishwasherand multiple fridges…
We sailed a model a notch or twoup from the standard boat in termsof power, but not with the maximumperformance possible. It came withcarbon rig and membrane sails,with a big Code 0. Sailing any luxury58-footer at 8.5kt in 8-10kt of windat 90° TWA is still something of anovelty to this sailor. With 11-12ktTWS you are quickly up to 9.5kt. Ifyou are looking for a boat perfectlysuited for Mediterranean conditionsthis may be it.
With the 58 Performance you donot just get Grand Soleil’s latestracer-cruiser, you also get a ticketto a GS58 circuit to be launched in2017, hooking the class into five of the most iconic Mediterraneanregattas including the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
My friends at Seahorse tell methat Cantiere del Pardo is alreadyworking on a scaled-down andsouped-up 48ft version of the 58,due to launch in 2018. Who calledthe performance cruiser marketdown and out?www.grandsoleil.net �
Brought to you in association with
