gunboat catamaran 68

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Description

The Gunboat 68 is the first model to launch from Grand Large Yachting- the new owners of the famous performance multihull brand.

The 1 Minute Summary

– The Gunboat 68 has been designed as a green machine – You order your own boat from a menu of custom packs – The 2 main options: Cruising Pack and Racing Pack. – Gunboat 68-01 has clocked speeds in the 30s. Surfing, but still, these are fast yachts. – A very tidy design with most sail handling done from the forward cockpit. – Christophe Chedal Anglay’s interior design is luxurious. – The SA/D ratio on the Regatta set up is 38. Rotating mast is optional. – Price is over €6 million. You could hIt €8m for a regatta version with all of the toys, the price is highly dependant on your options  of course. – Examples sailing around include Highland Fling, Dash, Sea Tilt and Tosca.

Customer Feedback Loop The COO, William Jelbert, and the new team spent a good deal of time talking to existing Gunboat owners and skippers to find out how to develop the range, and then teamed up with multihull and racing boat maestros VPLP for the new design. They know a thing or two about fast boats having designed the Outremer 5X and Comanche.

The result is gaining plaudits from existing owners and new customers alike. The lines are sleek yet aggressive, with reverse bows and some neat ideas like a modular saloon interior that is fully demountable on race days. This boat is all about attention to detail.

Let’s see how things have moved on from the Gunboat 48 and their other iconic cats shall we?

• The Gunboat 68 is probably the fastest performance cruising cat on the water, and it achieves all of this without compromising on comfort.
• There are 2 main packs to choose from: the Cruising pack or the Regatta pack with a longer rotating mast, boards and more powerful sail plan.
• The whole boat has been designed so that you can add on options later.
• If you intend to race the Gunboat 68, the interior has been set up so that you can strip out modules and get the weight down even further. In less than a day, a crew can lighten the ship by almost a tonne.
• She boasts a huge array of solar on the coachroof – she´s pretty green.
• There is an option for tillers and bucket seats aft for outside steering as well as Gunboat’s traditional inside steering position. This is a first for the brand and something I am really keen on – you get the best of both worlds here.
• She will likely hold her value very well if the other Gunboat models are anything to go by.
• The price. This is a money no object, expensive yacht. Asking the “How Much Does a Gunboat 68 Cost?” is one of those “How Long is a Piece of String?” questions, because it depends on what options and pack you order, but don´t expect to be phoning the Gunboat sales team without €5-6 million in your back pocket to begin the conversation.
• Maintenance and running costs. The old adage applies, the more expensive your boat, the more expensive it is to run. You will be spending hundreds of thousands a year on the running costs. But, if you can afford to buy one, you can probably afford to run one. Just bear in mind that you can get a lot of boat for less money in the performance cruising market. The competition includes Kinetic, Ocean Explorer and HH. I doubt those other brands will hold their value as well though….
• This is no owner-operator boat. Most owners will have a professional crew to run the yacht for them. Theoretically you can sail her single-handed, but if things go wrong, which they do on boats, well… let’s just say there are some big loads involved. The main on the Regatta option is 175m², remember.

Feature Rich Supercat The fixed bimini will house enough solar panels to make the Gunboat 68 a true green machine without the need for a generator. There are options for tillers and bucket seats for pure adrenaline sailing (a nod to sister ships Outremer perhaps?) as well as Gunboat’s signature inside helm and forward cockpit. 6801, now renamed Highland Fling, went into a refurb in 2021 and was fitted with twin aft racing helms.

For sailing feel, I can only think of the Marsaudon Composites TS5, the Ocean Explorer OE62 or the Outremer 5X for boats that get anywhere close.

Build Your Own Boat You can customise the performance set up on these boats: choose between asymmetric or symmetric dagger-boards (there are 3 options here: short symmetrical boards for cruising, long asymmetrical boards, for racing or long symmetrical), long or short boom, rotating wing-mast or fixed rig and so on. In fact, there are more than 80 combinations available for the interior during the production process.

Gunboat are back to their very best with this head-turner. She’s an all-carbon build again, and those reversed wave-piercing bows and the low-profile coachroof, give her an ultra sporty look: this boat looks like she means business.

She´s Faster than the Wind VPLP design are industry veterans of some of the world’s biggest, fastest multihulls of course. They’ve increased the beam and stepped the mast aft for stability and ease of handling. With or without the longer rig, she’ll go like the wind or even faster in some cases.

You can expect to be shunting along at around 25 knots in a blow, and up to 16 knots in a decent breeze. Condor, which is hull #1, has clocked a 30kt surf.

500 nautical miles per day was the designer’s stretch target in the right conditions: speeds in the high teens and low twenties are not a drama on a 68. This 17.8-ton catamaran has been developed with advanced hydro and aero studies, an area of expertise at VPLP which they have used to develop raceboats such as Macif.

North Sails were also closely involved. A tacking angle of 90° should be achievable in most conditions – pretty unusual for a large cruising multihull.

Interview with William Jelbert on Dash (68-02)

Here´s a chat we had with William Jelbert (the Gunboat COO) at Cannes in 2019 on Dash where he takes us through some of the features of the boat. Dash is set up as a cruising boat.

The interior helm station is pure Gunboat, and she comes with a sunroof (or Moonroof rather) for keeping an eye on the sails and ventilation. The finish matches the quality you’d see on a private jet: she’s lavish with clever details on storage, ventilation and light.

The Classic Gunboat Forward Cockpit Step through two watertight doors in the front of the saloon and you are into the forward cockpit and the foredeck where all the sailing business happens- and this is an exceptionally tidy area for a boat this size, especially if we are talking the performance cruiser option (such as Dash Gunboat 6802) as you will have opted for the fixed rather than the rotating rig.

Lines run outboard from the forward cockpit, like the daggerboard raise and lower lines and two sets of spinnaker sheets. A lot of planning went in to make sure that lines run as straight as possible to reduce friction  trip hazards. There’s a sealed tunnel through the cabin top from the cockpit to the daggerboard casings for example.

There is also an option of adding a tiller and bucket seats on the aft beam to give you that maximum sailing feel while you are out on the water.

Living Space

Stepping inside the luxurious saloon from the forward cockpit, the galley to port has an island if you wish, and the rear windows can be thrown open to connect the inside and outside into one. Down below, there is space for four, five, or even six full-sized double beds with fantastic views through the long topside windows.

Design Masterpiece The mastermind behind the interior design is Christophe Chedal Anglay who worked with Patrick le Quément on the exterior of the Gunboat 68. He was hired after his work on a full interior redesign for Gunboat 60 Moonwave. The key to his design philosophy is beauty through simplicity. The attention to detail can be seen in the master cabin, where the super comfortable bed has a U- shaped headboard designed to absorb sound. Much of the lighting is set into recesses to create a chilled mood and the air conditioning surrounds the bed in slow-moving, cool air.

The sight-lines have been well thought through. In all of the cabins, you can sit up in bed and see the horizon. The devil is in the detail, as they say.

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio The SA/D for the regatta version comes in at an eye-ball popping 38. As a comparison, a Lagoon 380 has a SA/D of around 21. There´s a lot of power in a Gunboat 68 rig!

The Regatta package comes with a rotating mast, whereas the Performance Cruising option is non-rotating.

All standing rigging is ECsix carbon. The Regatta Rig, if combined with the longer daggerboards should give a 12% boost to speeds upwind and up to 20% downwind in lighter wind conditions.

When the wind picks up and you start to reduce sail, both set-ups offer similar performance.

The traveler line driver winch is inside the aft beam so you can handle the mainsheet traveler lines at source, rather than have them led all the way under the boat to the forward cockpit. So you can ease the traveler from the forward cockpit, helm, or the back of the boat.

The Gunboat 68 sits at the very head of the Top Table of Multihulls – this boat sets new standards in design and construction. The primary target market is for sailors who want the ultimate performance cruising catamaran and are prepared to pay for the privilege. Many owners will race their boats once or twice a year, but most will be blasting off to skinny water destinations like the Bahamas.

She’s well worthy of the marque: Grand Large Yachting have relaunched the brand with a starting gun bang with this rocket ship.

If you are looking to gauge her against the competition (and there’s plenty in this market segment), then I recommend you check out our Ocean Explorer OE60 review which is produced in Finland, the KC62 from Kinetic, the Black Pepper Code C69 or take a look at some of the HH Catamarans (like the HH66).

Gunboat 68s

68.01 – Highland Fling (ex Condor) – Jan 17 2019, refurbed May 2021 with dual aft helms 68.02 – Dash – Jul 3 2019 68.03 – Sea Tilt – Jul 2020 68.04 – Tosca – Jan 2021 68.05 – Break Free – Apr 2022 68.06 – Convexity2

How much does a Gunboat 68 cost? What is the price? Well, it’s “Price on Application” and it will depend on the pack you choose (regatta? cruising?) and the options you go for, but have around €6 million tucked into your back pocket to even start the conversation. This could easily head up to €7.5 to €8m if you went for the full regatta option with carbon overload, rotating mast and so on. Don’t forget to budget for the VAT! There’s always a silver lining though. If any boat holds its value, it’s a Gunboat. There aren’t many of them, and demand outstrips supply if you want one quickly. If you have the capital and only want to hold onto a 68 for a couple of years, you might like the depreciation/appreciation numbers. Gunboat has offices in Newport RI, (USA )and La Grande Motte, France.

What versions of the Gunboat 68 are available? There is a cruising version with a 25m mast and symmetric boards. The other option is the regatta version with a 29m mast, longer boom and longeron  and asymmetric boards. There are a whole range of options between these end cases.

How does the 68 compare to previous Gunboat designs? The Gunboat 68 has more salon seating and volume than the Gunboat 60 and 62, but less than the 66. The aft cockpit is bigger than the 60, 62 and 66’s. All 4 VIP cabins are bigger than the cabins on all the other Gunboat models apart from the the Gunboat 78 (Nigel Irens) and 90 (Morrelli & Melvin). The 68´s hulls are narrower than her older siblings and the bridgedeck is shorter than a 66. The bows are longer and the sterns are longer, too. The mast is further aft.

Does the Mast Rotate on a Gunboat 68? Gunboat offer a rotating mast on the regatta rig version for extra power from the main. The standard rig is lighter (non- rotating). So for most owners, the complexity and cost of a rotating rig, plus the extra weight is not worthwhile. If you are racing Tribe (6201) in the BVI, however, it could come in handy.

Is the new Gunboat built by Outremer? No. Gunboat is entirely owned by Grand Large Yachting which also owns Outremer, but it is neither owned or controlled by Outremer. Gunboats are produced in a yard across the road from Outremer and the engineering department are all together at the Gunboat site. Gunboat has dedicated engineers for Interior, Structure, Deck/Rig and dedicated process/production engineers. They do share engineering resource with Outremer for systems. The production team is completely dedicated to Gunboat.

What’s the Top Speed of a Gunboat 68? How fast does she sail? Condor (68-01) has clocked 30 knots. OK, there was some surfing involved, but you wouldn’t call her a slow boat.

Tech Specs and Video

We calculated SA/D and D/L based on light displacement and the mainsail + solent (J2). This is to enable a meaningful comparison across katamarans.com

Technical Specification

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GUNBOAT 68: When a cruising catamaran becomes a work of art

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With just thirty example built (from 48’ to 90' in length) since 2001, the extravagant American brand created by Peter Johnstone, knew how to create something mythical! Successive relocations (South Africa, China, USA) combined with various technical and commercial tribulations threatened to put a stop to this great adventure, but then the French group Grand Large Yachting (Outremer, Garcia and Allures) acquired it in 2016. Some thirty months later, the first new generation 68' Gunboat was launched! We took the opportunity of a weekend around the Iles d’Hyères (off France’s Mediterranean coast) to discover this exceptional multihull.

Gunboat: a Phoenix Brand

The first chapter in the Gunboat story was set in South Africa (at Harvey Yachts), a country of maritime tradition, nautical competence, Anglo-Saxon culture... and low-cost labor! The Morelli-Melvin signature was a guarantee of notoriety and the first video of a G62 literally pulverizing a fleet of racing monohulls on their startline caused a sensation! These transgressive Nomex carbon catamarans, dressed in flashy colors and christened with evocative names, wreaked havoc in the upscale yacht clubs on the US east coast. Their annual migrations to St Martin or the St Barts regattas gave rise to spectacular yuppie contests in which a few mercenaries from the podiums of ocean racing or the America’s Cup gladly joined them. Some of them completed remarkable round-the-world trips at very high speed! Years later, the new subcontracting set up at Hudson Marine went wrong, the distance from the decision-making center, and from customers, and cultural misunderstandings with the teams in southern China caused major problems and precipitated a move too late to the new factory in North Carolina.... not yet technically ready to restart production, filing for bankrup...

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A true reference in the world of cruising catamarans, the Gunboat range was acquired by Outremer in 2017 and swiftly augmented with the Gunboat 68. The first two 68s were delivered in late 2018–early 2019 to American owners who were looking for the best in racing-cruising catamarans.

Built in La Grande Motte entirely in carbon fibre, the new Gunboat 68 came out of the yard weighing a little under 18 tonnes, a veritable exploit for a cruising boat of her size (the furniture below decks were made using Nomex). This thoroughbred catamaran features retractable rudder blades and curved boards. She retains the character of the original American brand with the cockpit and helm station forward, and customizable luxury interiors which can be partially removed for racing.

The first Gunboat designed by VPLP is a “Ferrari of the Seas” and should, like her precursors in the range, put her skippers on the podium of many a race in Caribbean and North-American waters.

Other Gunboats designed by VPLP Design:

• Gunboat 72 V

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Star of the Show: Gunboat 68

• April 23rd, 2022
• Sailing Yacht

It´s La Grande Motte time again and this French boat show in the both strange and picturesque Seventies futuristic bathing centre of South France turns to the epicenter of multihull enthusiasts meeting all those big and small brands. Showing their current line of products, their latest models and upcoming inventions, La Grande Motte is a must if you are interested in multihull-sailing and looking for a cat or trimaran yourself.

As we are catamaran dealers for the Beneteau Group´s brand Excess ourselves, this boat show is a must-attend for me, so I was happy t drive down to the South of France to take part in this occasion. It´s always great to be in France, my favourite country when it comes to sailing, as – that´s my personal opinion – the sailing heart of the world beats here. As with every boat show so far, I elected my very personal highlight of the boat show, but this time it was a boat that wasn´t even displayed at the show itself.

The star of the boat show that didn´t even attended …

Walking to the venue from my tiny French-style apartment for the first time, coming along all the way the basin of La Grande Motte marina, I suddenly saw two wavepiercing bow sections appearing behind mooring boats. Nicely painted in a very attractive, changing blue color, the lines started to grow into a tempting hull-shape that I was very familiar with. Could it be … a Gunboat? Yes, of course!

A – apparently very new – Gunboat 68 was moored besides the usual plastic series production boats. That contrast between spectacularly painted all-carbon hull and the UV-bleached decade old cruising boats even more intensified the view. Like a Sapphire the Gunboat catamaran was shining in the Mediterranean sun. What a view! I stood still in awe and admired the sexy sheer line, the aggressive racy looks – just look at the mast rake! What a wow!

I decided to make a little detour and noticed with joy that the pontoon wasn´t even a closed one. Approaching her from behind was even more spectacular! The stern ends widened up, offering luxuriously protruding stairs leading up into the cockpit. What a view! I don´t know any other current catamaran design that is as breathtakingly attractive as the current Gunboat 68. What a beauty!

Beauty and technology in perfection: Gunboat catamaran

The Gunboat 68 mooring in La Grande Motte was not by chance – just vis-à-vis the pontoon the Gunboat yard is located, right next to Outremer manufacturing, which is another performance oriented cruising catamaran brand. Unlike virtually all of the competitors, Gunboat´s luxurious racy cats are made of carbon fibre completely using prepreg technology. The yard is sealed off from the outside world and equipped with a dedicated climate control insuring best temperature and humidity conditions for the material.

I had asked both Gunboat and Outremer for a yard tour in advance, but received no answer from both – I guess this is dedicated to the high stress level a boat show like La Grande Motte is creating within the organization: I know this from my own brands, during a boat show virtually the whole marketing department is blocked and out of order, when it comes to external inquiries. Well, nevertheless, I had seen one of these live and in full bloom. It is a pleasure!

The Gunboat 68 is undoubtedly among the fastest catamarans for “ordinary” sailors to date. Even the setback of Alex Thomson´s latest RORC-campaign when he was sailing a Gunboat 68 attempting to get the overall win, cannot diminish my enthusiasm and admiration for this boat: VPLP , the principal designers, had indeed made a wonderful job in creating a one of a kind sailing machine that both catches a sailor´s imagination and is affordable for a lucky few. Although the price is kind of a confidential thing, unlike the one-off racing machines, a Gunboat may be considered a series production boat and is therefore a dream that can come true. As said, only for a lucky few, but that´s not the question today.

Back to real life …

Every day from now on I took a detour via Gunboat´s pontoon both in the morning and after closing of the boat show to let my eyes travel the beautiful lines of this catamaran. Every time I detect something new, a detail here and a tiny accessory there. Just a marvel to look at – and a shame it isn´t displayed at the show over there: I guess, at Gunboat they don’t need the general public but, I have no doubts, if displayed, she would have been the star of the show.

So I return to “my” display of Excess catamarans , which aren´t all-too fast (but quick enough for ordinary sailors like me for sure) and aren´t made from Carbon fibres as well. But in my heart I take with me the fascination and joy of looking at such a boatbuilding marvel like the Gunboat 68 and turn that enthusiasm into the joy of sailing, also conveyed by more traditional boats like the Excess. Something we all do, I guess: Me when I get aboard my little First 27 SE , with a smile, imagining myself aboard a Sam Manuard-made IMOCA-class racing boat.

Maybe that´s the spirit of La Grande Motte, of boat shows in general: You look at these unattainable marvels of boat building, these beautiful and tempting pinnacles of what the boating industry is capable of making, you treasure this fascination and those great emotions and transfer them onto the very boats you can afford. Maybe you add a bit of those onto your boat – in form of a laminate sail , racy instruments or even techniques and sailing tactics. In this, even a bit of this wonderful, never to reach Gunboat 68 is in our production boats, a spark of sailing excitement and thrilling racing.

You may as well find interesting to read:

At the carbon-heart of boatbuilding in France: Multiplast

VPLP´s trick: Asymmetric hulls

Catamaran boost – Delivery of an Excess 11 through a stormy Biscay

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• Sailboat Guide

2021 Gunboat 68

Description

Seller's Description

Tosca is Gunboat 68 number 4 launched in March 2021. Tosca is built to the highest specification of all of the existing Gunboat 68s and has been significantly optimized for both performance on the race track and refinement of systems and comfort onboard

The owner had Whitecap representation through the build to work with the yard and ensure that his exacting expectations were met and that his dream project was realized.

Additional Details

Manufacturer Provided Description

Boldly moving into the future

Fast, technologically advanced, and elegantly designed, The Gunboat 68 is the culmination of development within the fleet since the first Gunboat launched in 2002. Incorporating the best of what has come before with experienced boatbuilding and valuable industry partnerships, the Gunboat 68 is a step-change in the evolution of the brand.

Life is too short to sail a slow boat

Enter the steadfast ambition that sparked Gunboat: applying proven, Grand Prix race boat building and sailing performance technology to what is at its core, an optimized world-cruising sailing yacht. The Gunboat 68 was designed and engineered with aesthetics, performance, and utmost safety in mind for extended bluewater cruising. Lightweight, all-carbon composite construction is the foundation of this robust platform, designed to be highly capable of handling a wide variety of conditions encountered when offshore sailing, and an absolute pleasure to sail in the entire range of conditions.

Rare opportunity to purchase a brand new, recently launched Gunboat 68.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

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Professional BoatBuilder Magazine

Gunboat is back.

By Dan Spurr , Jan 18, 2020

The Gunboat 68 (21m) is the first model launched by the new ownership of the company. Two boats are in the water, and two more are in build at the facility in France.

Actually, this builder of high-performance luxury cruising-catamaran sailing yachts has been back since 2016, the year Grand Large Yachts (parent of Allures, Garcia, and Outremer) bought the assets of Gunboat and relocated them from North Carolina to La Grande-Motte, France, where it commenced construction in a new 38,736-sq-ft (3,600m²) assembly facility. Gunboat founder Peter Johnstone, son of Bob Johnstone (J Boats, MJM powerboats), had declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May of that year. Production had originated in South Africa, moved to Xiamen, China, briefly to Hudson Yachts in an attempt to economize, and then to North Carolina (see “Building the Big Guns,” Professional BoatBuilder No. 144) before succumbing to financial woes after 14 years.

During the period between bankruptcy and purchase, the owner of an incomplete Gunboat 55 (16.8m) retained designer Nigel Irens to modify the boat, Vai Vai , to 57 ‘ (17.4m).

Johnstone created a boat that could cruise the world in safety, and with performance bettering that of the catamarans designed for the charter trade. Most are intentionally underrigged for safety, generally operating at 8–10 knots; Johnstone sought and routinely achieved faster double-digit speeds. The first South African boats were designed by the California firm Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering (see “M&M,” PBB No. 72).

Today, with managing partner Benoit Lebizay at the helm, Gunboat designs, engineers, and builds new models with cutting-edge technology. In January 2019, the company launched its first new boat, the 68 ‘ (20.7m) Condor , which has a removable interior for racing. Next was #6802, Dash , in July 2019. Two additional yachts, #6803 and #6804, are in build.

Gunboat now has French DNA

Design and engineering are by the French company VPLP (see “Flying Machines, Part Two,” PBB No. 91), one of the premier designers of high-performance multihulls for racing and cruising. Those include the Macif , the 100 ‘ (30m) Ultime class trimaran that set a solo singlehanded round-the-world speed record of 42 days, average speed 27.2 knots (see PBB No. 181 , page 18). Styling, of course, was extremely important to attract the kind of buyers Gunboat wants, so Patrick le Quément, a multiple design-award winner and former designer at Ford and Renault, and Christophe Chedal Anglay were enlisted to develop the look. Marc Van Peteghem (the VP of VPLP), based in Paris, performed the weight studies and systems planning, while Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (the LP), in the Vannes office, executed the lines, structure, and sail plan.

While the first Gunboats were laminated with vacuum-bagged polyester and E-glass, advances in materials and processes compelled the company to turn to carbon fiber for reinforcements. Major parts—hulls and decks—are infused in-house. According to the Gunboat website: “If you take a cursory glance at the material choices, prepreg offers about a 15% weight saving on a composite structure. While it’s easy to get excited about that at face value, the devil is always in the details. On a typical Gunboat, the composite structure only makes up about 30% of the total displacement. A percentage of a percentage gets pretty small pretty quickly, to the point that building in full prepreg carbon did not justify the additional costs and complexity involved.”

European Supply Chain

William Jelbert, who manages construction, elaborates: “All tools are female molds, E-glass monolithic—same technology used to build 100+ boats out of. It was the technology available to us in Europe, and we wanted really fair molds to reduce fairing, and the big gelcoat-type boats around here need really fair tools because they are doing gray gelcoat boats. Our plugs were 5-axis foam machined, filler machined, then final faired by hand. We made the entire hull mold off of a one-piece plug for best fitting—always outsourced, as tooling is not our specialty. In Europe you have a great supply chain with a lot of specialization. We used a tooling company in western France.

“Everything structural is carbon. Anything that can fit on a truck is made by Fibre Mechanics and is prepreg. Why? Because they are best at prepreg, and this was an opportunity to save weight in a value-for-money way. Doing the hull and deck in prepreg would have meant very expensive infrastructure, tooling, and skills. We stuck with what we were good at: infusion in-house, prepreg outsourced to the best we could find.

“For a little partition panel that separates a compartment and is not structural, we use E-glass; it is more affordable and flexible, so tends to go along for the ride better. It is the same weight as a carbon panel would be.

“Corecell is used in everything that needs core in the structure—hull, deck, bulkheads. We use some PVC core for nonstructural partitions and Nomex honeycomb for the furniture, which is outsourced.

“All the structure is NDT’d [non-destructive tested] by a U.K. tester who works for small teams like Ineos Team UK and Hugo Boss.”

The interior structure, including these massive bulkheads, is made by Fibre Mechanics of prepreg carbon, much of it cored with Corecell and with North Thin Ply Technology robotically placed tape.

Stringers, bulkheads, and other flat panels are made by Fibre Mechanics utilizing North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), described in this column in PBB No. 169. To summarize, the Swiss company first developed the product for making sails, specifically the black carbon sails for the America’s Cup yacht Alinghi , which won the 2007 event. It then made parts for F1 racecars, and found a partner in U.K.-based Fibre Mechanics, founded by former Green Marine employees, to move into yacht building. NTPT employs an Automated Tape Laying machine to “lay down” super-thin 12 “ -wide (300mm) tapes of prepreg carbon on a table to form computer-designed panels with the fibers oriented to the load paths. The panels are cured in Fibre Mechanics’ two autoclaves at 230°F (110°C). In fact, the entire interior structure is outsourced to Fibre Mechanics.

Fibre Mechanics’ founder and managing director, Geoff Stock, who has compiled an impressive résumé first with Jeremy Rogers and then Green Marine and SP Systems, says, “We make all the structural panels, 73 in all, plus some solid-carbon monolithic structures. Also very lightweight interior cladding panels, mainly Corecell but some Nomex. Everything is machine-cut prepreg, and, yes, we use significant amounts of NTPT material.”

To install these parts, Gunboat uses Spabond structural adhesive. Gelbert says, “Some glue joints are pure glue but mostly glued and taped. All major structural bulkheads are glued and taped using vacuum.”

The Gunboat 68 is offered with options, including asymmetric or symmetric daggerboards, long or short longeron/bowsprit, choice of boom length, and a fixed spar or rotating wing mast.

Gunboat, 1 Washington St., Newport, RI 02840 USA.

Fibre Mechanics, Waterloo Rd., Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9DB, U.K., tel. + 44 (0) 1590 427007.

NTPT, Chemin du Closel 3, 1020 Renens, Switzerland, tel. +44 21 811 08 88

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Sail Performance

Description

Enter the steadfast ambition that sparked Gunboat: applying proven, Grand Prix race boat building and sailing performance technology to what is at its core, an optimized world-cruising sailing yacht. The Gunboat 68 was designed and engineered with aesthetics, performance, and utmost safety in mind for extended bluewater cruising. Lightweight, all-carbon composite construction is the foundation of this robust platform, designed to be highly capable of handling a wide variety of conditions encountered when offshore sailing, and an absolute pleasure to sail in the entire range of conditions.

Explore in 3D

Performance Indicators

Performance

Bruce Number

(higher is faster)

Sail Area to Displacement

Displacement to Length

(lower is faster)

Specifications

Length (LOA)

Length (LWL)

Displacement ​ (light)

Payload capacity

Sail Area (main+jib)

Draft (min)

Draft (max)

Mast clearance

Bridgedeck clearance

Manufactured Since

8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Engine (hp) ​

Hull Material

Gunboat, VPLP, Patrick Le Quément, and Christophe Chedal Anglay

Daggerboards

Mechanical/Hydraulic

2 x 80hp Yanmar

Carbon composite

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A puff and her carbon hulls cut the water at 14 knots

Home » Boat » Catamaran » GUNBOAT 68

Presentation

Yacht class n°23 (dec 2020/jan-feb 2021).

The Gunboat 68, with three units produced and two under construction, reflects a philosophy apart in the world of high-end cruising catamarans. If her sailing performance leaves competition far behind, the layout, comfort and construction open wide the way to circumnavigation.

Written by: Christophe Varène – Photos: All rights reserved

For once, we were almost glad that Aeolus was absent and gave way to a light breeze. Off La Grande Motte, where its shipyard is located, the Gunboat, the third unit of this series presented in 2017, was able to demonstrate her ability to take advantage of the slightest breath of wind to glide over the waves, a rare but sought-after aptitude: on a sailboat, isn’t the best moment the one when the engine is turned off to be lulled by the melody of the waves and wind? And this atypical catamaran, in this new version initiated by an owner with a passion for regattas and performance – he also competes in the highly competitive GC32 circuit, a racing foiling catamaran – has been optimized in this direction with a 4 m higher rotating mast, a lengthened central spar to expand the surface area of the forward sails and deeper daggerboards increasing the draught to 4.50 m. From the manoeuvring cockpit, located at the foot of the mast, forward of the superstructure, the North Sails 3Di sails are hoisted using the four Harken 990 winches, the fastest of which “eats up” the halyard and sheet at high speed – 3 m/s! – and the sailboat takes off immediately. With a wind between 6 and 8.5 knots, the speed, under the mainsail and A3 (furling gennaker), varies between 6.5 and 9 knots.

The well-thought-out ergonomics of the cockpit  

During the various sail changes, the cockpit demonstrates its ergonomics, for a small crew, and its technicality with jammers from the competition sector, its mast rotation adjustments, the load monitoring of the shrouds, the thin halyards with automatic hook system… The decision to place all these elements forward on the boat meets several criteria: to separate the spaces between the passengers and the sailors (manoeuvring is carried out without danger for the guests who enjoyed a certain intimacy), the best visibility on the entire sail plan for the adjustments, the closeness with the helmsman settled inside at the navigation and helm station. An option makes it possible to fit two bucket seats with a tiller at the stern for a steering experience worthy of ocean racing multis. The interior navigation station is also a model with its central steering wheel, its controls for the rotating mast, the sheet and the mainsail traveler, its large control screens, its throttles accessible near a door, visibility over the entire boat – complemented by cameras mounted under the trampoline and in the mast both forward and aft.   A few tacks closer to the wind, under J2 and then under J1, showed the potential of the Gunboat 68 when the wind gets somewhat more pronounced around 15 knots of wind, the two hulls split the waves at 13-14 knots at 45° to the apparent wind, with a slightly more intense heel than on a more conventional cruising catamaran. The return to port offered us the opportunity to test the engines, two 80 hp Yanmar giving her a cruising speed of 9 knots. The retractable bow thruster facilitates the approach to the pontoon: an alarm is triggered beyond 3 knots if it is in the low position.

Between a cruising cat and a racing multihull

Once moored, an overview of the deck is necessary to appreciate the details making a difference. Two beautiful stairs in the skirts lead to the water and in the lower locker, we appreciated the rudder lifting system to reduce the draft to 1.20 m and access to anchorages close to the shore. The two aft winches are used to adjust the mainsail track, but can also take over the spinnaker sheets. The circulation via the walkways is easy and one can note, in passing, the large and resistant solar panels on the deckhouse. Forward of the mast are located two lockers, the one on portside for storage and the starboard one for the hydraulic plant. Similarly, the bunkers in the forepeaks have different purposes: the bow thruster occupies the port one and the sails are stowed on starboard. The world of navigation, especially on a sailing boat, is full of paradoxes. The most famous one is that of calling “pleasure” the “slowest, most uncomfortable and most expensive” way to get from one point to another (according to our British friends). With the Gunboat 68, some of these paradoxes were challenged – the boat is fast and comfortable – but new ones immediately appeared. For a start, at first glance, she has confusing lines. Inverted bows, discreet deckhouse, and massive sails: this catamaran has all the attributes of the most recent racing machines and yet, she is definitely a cruising boat – admittedly a fast and intended for deep sea one – but a cruising one all the same. Then, its construction uses the most sophisticated materials, coming from ocean racing or even aeronautics (infused carbon fabric, honeycomb structure, titanium…), therefore not necessarily the most sustainable and recyclable, but the Gunboat 68’s philosophy is also based on a quest to preserve the environment in the long run: because the boat is fast, even in light winds, the engine can be shut down from 5, 6 knots of wind when other sailboats still rely on this polluting propulsion. Likewise, the solar panels and the hydrogenerator, which has no real impact on the boat’s speed, are sufficient to supply the on board energy and compensate for the lack of a conventional generator.

High-quality but not ostentatious finishes  

The comfort of passengers is not affected by the great performance of the Gunboat 68 because let’s not forget that this catamaran is designed to take her owner and crew around the world. The aft cockpit offers a good protection against sun, wind and sea spray and a nice convivial space with three settees or a sofa and its table. Access to the saloon is through a large glazed door and the central helm station is immediately noticeable. On starboard, the saloon with a table for meals enjoys a beautiful panoramic view, as does the galley on portside. It features a central piece of furniture for storage that can be used as a work surface or countertop. The whole is well arranged and functional. The master cabin occupies a large part of the starboard hull with a desk area, a large transverse double bed with a sea view thanks a long porthole, closets and storage and a beautiful bathroom with sink and shower cabin at the bow. The aft part of this hull houses a guest cabin with private shower room. Based on the same principle, two guest cabins occupy most of the port hull, but if they each have their own bathroom, they share the central shower with double entrance. The bow accommodates the crew quarter: two bunk beds and a toilet. High-quality finishing, without being ostentatious, marine amenities, the use of mastered technologies from high-tech sectors and great sailing performance: an incredible alchemy that results in the Gunboat 68.

Gunboat : A shipyard in search of excellence

Sporting a very distinct identity from the beginning, Gunboat had a difficult start. Famous across the Atlantic where the concept was born in 2002, the first boats suffered from a lack of quality and an imprecise construction, be it in the United States or when it was outsourced to China and South Africa. The acquisition by Grand Large Yachting Group, which owns the brands Allures (aluminum dinghies), Outremer (ocean cruising catamarans), Garcia (ocean cruising yachts), Alumarine (professional vessels) and Océan Voyager (day-charter catamarans), has enabled Gunboat to make a qualitative leap symbolized by the 68. The design office works with the best in the world of shipbuilding by involving in its projects VPLP, Michel Desjoyeaux’s studio Mer Agitée, the designers Christophe Chedal Anglay, Patrick Le Quément and the best suppliers, such as Lorimar, Cariboni, North Sails. Quality research starts at the design stage with a 3D modeling of all elements, well-defined operating procedures for each workstation, numerous controls at each stage and constant communication between engineers and operators. Closeness to Outremer also makes it possible to pool some resources or services. This reassures and satisfies the most demanding customers.

Technical sheet

The current magazine

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

First look: Gunboat’s GB80 and GB70

• Toby Hodges
• May 9, 2023

Toby Hodges on a new dawn of semi-custom supercats as Gunboat continues to turn out a range of impressive cats, now 7 years into their new ownership

Product Overview

In the seven years since Grand Large Yachting purchased cult catamaran brand Gunboat and brought it to a new headquarters in the south of France, it has steadily increased its market stature. Today we see a yard at full capacity, specialising in a real niche of top end quality and high performance, at a big size (and cost).

It has two GB72Vs in build (its first flybridge model), two GB80s, and numbers six and seven of its GB68 – which is now redesigned as the GB70 (featured here). When you consider the GB80 is equivalent to a 100ft superyacht in size and price, you start to understand quite how far this brand has progressed.

I have toured the La Grande-Motte yard a couple of times, the most recent being last year, and have been highly impressed with the quality of engineering and attention to detail.

When I spoke with Gunboat’s managing partner, Benoit Lebizay, both then and at the Düsseldorf boat show in January, he explained that they see little point in going below this current size range. Its client base now is a high profile one, with owners typically coming from maxi racing yachts and looking to reduce crew numbers. He also reasons that 55ft is the maximum size before you need a crew, and that once you have a crew you then need privacy.

Gunboat has two of its new GB80 models already in build for a pair of high profile serial boat owners

A supercat capable of matching low single figure windspeeds yet topping 30 knots, the GB80 has a pretty unique brief: a Grand Prix maxi-sized cat, that can be handled by a small crew, is capable of luxurious world cruising and is a semi-custom repeatable build!

The first GB80 is the latest in serial boat owner Irvine Laidlaw’s Highland Fling series, due to launch this summer, while the second is for Team Argo. Hence you get the idea these are for serious, competitive and experienced racing sailors who want a turbo catamaran they can also cruise, with the equivalent accommodation of a maxi yacht. “The cult is coming back – but at a higher end,” thinks Lebizay.

To see these beasts in construction phase is eye-opening. These are full prepreg carbon builds with much of the construction done by industry leaders Fibre Mechanics in Lymington and Multiplast in France. Pick up a panel and it’s featherlight yet super strong.

An aircraft company builds the furniture in Nomex (including 6mm Corian veneer) – it’s incredibly expensive but the most valuable place to save weight, says Lebizay. Gunboat is now updating its GB68s with the learnings and technology from the GB80.

The GB70 has longer hulls than the 68 and the mast is brought aft onto the coachroof. Everything above deck is new

The GB68, the first new VPLP designed model under Grand Large Yachting’s ownership, has already proved a success. Gunboat has delivered five 68s and has two in build. But this is a six-year-old design now, and has evolved alongside performance developments of the GB80 in build. The new, slightly extended version shown above, is the GB70.

It looks very similar, with the same sporty aesthetic appeal, but the longer hulls and different mast placement could make key differences in performance and handling.

“For this V2 we wanted a small 80, not a big 68,” Lebizay explains. “Actually it’s a 72 but we already had a 72 [a flybridge model].” Where the GB72V is an extended GB68, with the extension added midships to create wider hulls for increased payload, the 70s are kept narrow. Everything above deck uses new moulds.

A dual aft helm option is now offered as well as Gunboat’s signature forward cockpit and interior helm (now with a canting wheel).

Better interior flow and visibility, plus a canting wheel

Another significant alteration is that the mast is further aft and is stepped on the coachroof rather than in front of the cockpit. This helps allow for a high aspect ratio main and larger foresails, including a generous self-tacking J2/Solent. The reasoning is to make it more balanced and easy to handle.

It should also make a big difference to the views from the interior wheel and saloon.

Historically, Gunboats have had forward cockpits, transverse berths and midships engines to help centralise weight. “But we know how to maintain balance with the mast moved aft like raceboats,” says Lebizay. The engines are now in the more conventional position aft and have improved sound proofing insulation.

The saloon area has been extended with better flow and has larger sliding doors connecting the aft cockpit. The owner cabin is now also larger with a longitudinal berth, which is still close to midships, with a bathroom aft. The GB70 is offered as a five cabin version as standard or a four cabin option with galley and crew mess in the port hull to help give more privacy and segregation for owners. Lebizay thinks the GB70 will be around two tonnes heavier than the GB68, but it is longer and will be able to take a seven tonne payload.

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The Evolution of Innovation

When a Gunboat sails into an anchorage people stop what they’re doing. Heads turn and mouths open – It’s part of the joy of owning one! First impressions are as important as the view from two feet away, from any angle. The design is seamless, the finish millimeter perfect and the luster unusually deep. This is no ordinary yacht, but one with intoxicating looks and sailing prowess that most will only dream about. The first of the Gunboat-VPLP collaborations was an immediate trend-setter: The Gunboat 68 marked a step-change in the evolution of the brand, and performance cruising catamarans would forever be changed again. Building on the best, now we invite you to explore the Gunboat 70, the latest integration of sailing and lifestyle, elegance and comfort, in an ultra high-quality, ocean-going catamaran.

• Race & Cruise modes
• Short handed sailing
• Extended Salon & Aft Cockpit
• Spacious owner state room
• Galley down

Uncompromising Design

Eye-opening, head-turning, jaw-dropping..

The synthesis of performance and lifestyle. The world’s foremost multihull naval architects and leaders in the yacht design industry came together to move the needle of the high-performance cruising catamaran market and set the pace for the future of Gunboat. Today’s Gunboat designs evolved through a close collaborative loop with VPLP, Patrick le Quément and Christophe Chedal Anglay, driven by our in-house design team. The Gunboat 70 blends athleticism and aerodynamics with aesthetically captivating sleek lines.

The latest generation of Gunboats would not go unnoticed, with visual appeal as provocative as their ability to sail.

“For the interior we orchestrated a seamless experience and a feeling of streamlined integration. The design team utilized virtual reality to test the experience of the environment to make every detail a pleasantry, more functional, an extension of natural use, a lifestyle.” Christophe Chedal Anglay — Chedal Anglay Design

devil is in the details

Creating an Ocean Home

The Gunboat 70 interior design team guides you on a stimulating adventure to discover the unique characteristics and personality of your Gunboat. Patrick le Quément and CMF specialists Diane Noetinger and Estelle Barreau collaborate under the supervision of Christophe Chedal Anglay to present a number of concepts as a springboard. The essence is subtle and balanced, a well-rounded and well-traveled imprint on the core spirit of Gunboat style. We invite each owner to explore their own aesthetic inspiration and create a truly personalized yacht interior.

From sail handling to sunset lounge mode. The Gunboat 70 features a spacious, multipurpose forward cockpit and trampoline area with clear unobstructed views. Welcome to the front terrace.

An inner sense of light

The disciplined focus on weight savings and performance continues throughout the interior with no compromise on the alluring style of a Gunboat, for an interior that is light, elegant and inviting. Gunboats feature luxury aircraft furniture constructed of a Nomex core and ultra-thin veneers - saving weight and elevating style.

Beautifully appointed, exceptionally intentional.

Throughout the interior, the selection of exotic materials enhances comfort and the feeling of light and space, creating clean and sophisticated spaces with ergonomics and practicality at the forefront. Each thoughtful detail of the interior adds to the overall feeling of comfort and refinement.

Space is maximized for usable storage and ample headroom.

Lighting is recessed and on dimmers for perfect ambiance.

Air conditioning is strategically placed to surround you in slow-moving cool air.

Upholstery panels and soft materials add comfort and absorb sound.

Performance & Sailing

Adrenaline-infused.

Pure performance is a magnetic force. Gunboat ignites the deepest desire to cast off the dock lines, take the helm, trim the sails. The attraction to the experience is as dynamic as the sailing itself. Any one of the compelling characteristics will lure you to the rest: sensational helm feel, aero design, high end materials and construction, and the finest sailing gear and instruments to name a few. Speed – the freedom to go – awakens the senses. You feel alive. The quest for superior sailing ends here.

Stability and comfort, thrill and adventure - and to the monohull’s chagrin - an inverse relationship between performance and suffering.

“In design, there is a rule that one searches for balance. With Gunboat we sought the perfect imbalance – the notion of movement and speed. The proportions make the boat look right, positioned to move forward in the sea, resolute and intentional for its purpose.” Patrick le Quément

• Mast Clearance
• Draft Board (Down)
• Bridge Deck Clearance

Specifications & Customization

01. general specifications.

Stunning exterior lines exude speed. Luxurious interiors deliver true comfort and refined style. Systems are engineered to be accessible and require minimal maintenance. Semi-customizable layouts and owner preferences are integral to the design from the earliest design stages. Evolutions in the 70 design enhance the core Gunboat DNA: stylish, lightweight, high-performance, and ready to sail the globe.

• LOA 21.95 M
• LWL 21.95 M
• DRAFT BOARD DOWN 4.6 M
• DRAFT BOARD UP 1.3
• MAST CLEARANCE 32.5 M
• MAST LENGTH 29 M
• DISPLACEMENT (as per standard specifications) 20 t
• DISPLACEMENT MAX LOAD 27 t
• BRIDGE DECK CLEARANCE (Mid Load) 1 M
• FUEL CAPACITY 2 X 378 L
• WATER CAPACITY 2 X 378 L

02. Rig and Sail Plan

Cruise in comfort with your family or trim for speed in race mode – with rig and sail plans optimized for your sailing preferences. Race-industry technology is applied to this platform with an intentional focus on remaining simple, strong and reliable. Choose the sail plan and package that best matches your need…for speed! Inquire with Gunboat for an in depth look at Gunboat 70 sailing performance.

03. Layouts

Gunboat layouts are highly customizable. Choose the number of cabins, additional private owners’ space such as an office or lounge, galley up in the salon or below within crew quarters. Interior designers paid special attention to the flow between spaces and the connected indoor outdoor lifestyle of the salon and aft cockpit. The Gunboat 70 also features dedicated machinery spaces – two aft engine rooms and a forward port tech space – maximizing access and the separation of work and leisure. Working closely with our design team, each Gunboat 70 will reflect the lifestyle of the owners. Inquire with Gunboat to preview layouts and discuss your preferences.

04. Customizability

You set the cursor. Conceptually designed to be a versatile platform, the Gunboat 70 allows for customization and development on the continuum from full cruising to maximum performance and anywhere between. The options we present are fully engineered in collaboration with VPLP for performance, safety, and viability of the platform. Clients who choose to develop their Gunboats have the opportunity to collaborate with Gunboat’s extensive network of experts across the industry.

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Events: Bol d’Or Mirbaud & Cannes Yachting Festival

Boatbuilding

Building up to debuts in 2023.

VOTE FOR THE GUNBOAT 72 !