SUNREEF 58' IN THE WIND - Multihulls World

TEST
Sunreef is now capable of offering completely
innovative atmospheres or turning owners’
dreams into reality...
1 : The Sunreef 58’s overall presentation is really convincing and
the image of the genuine little yacht is not encroached on.
2 : Under sail, this catamaran performs respectably... In strong winds,
speeds of 10 to 12 knots are commonplace!
3 : Even though the boom is excessively high, the Sunreef 58 has
pretty lines...
4 : A wild anchorage, a comfortable cat, and all that remains is to enjoy
the evening... ….
SUNREEF 58' IN THE WIND
An up to date builder and boat
In March 2004, when we tested the Sunreef 74' (an exceptional size for the time!
Multihulls World N° 74), we asked the question: is it possible to build bigger
cruising catamarans; does the clientele for these boats really exist?
Eight years later, the answers to these
questions seem obvious, and Sunreef has
made a name for itself as a major player in
the multiyacht segment. The Gdansk-based
builder presented, at Cannes, the very
successful 114’ CHE as well as the new 58’
IN THE WIND, aboard which we spent
2 days.
MULTIHULLS COMING FROM THE COLD
The port of Gdansk has a thousand-year-old
maritime tradition and houses some gigantic
arsenals. The town, ideally situated on the
Text: Philippe Echelle - Photos: Philippe Echelle and DR
edge of the Baltic Sea, on the Vistule river,
has 500,000 inhabitants, and the nautical
activity draws on the huge local skills at its
leisure. Supported by a university fabric and
numerous technical schools; the regional
training schemes are reactive, and are
diversifying. For its big boats, Sunreef at
first benefitted from the presence of top
level aluminium boilermakers and fitting out
cabinetmakers, and now masters the skills
of modern composites. The builder makes
its hulls using infusion, as well as the
carbon masts and booms, and sub-contracted
locally to equip CHE (34m) with a full set
of rails, stanchions and pulpits in titanium –
absolutely superb!
AN EXCEPTIONAL TOOL
In 10 years, Sunreef Yacht has progressed
spectacularly and launched more than 50
boats of from 60’ to 120’! Few of the players
in yachting can pride themselves on such
results. The success of this industrial
adventure is linked to the enterprising personality
of its founder (Francis Lapp), to his
ambitious and accurate view of custom or
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semi-custom catamarans, but
also to suitable marketing and a
suitable manufacturing centre.
A talented manager, Francis has
recruited and federated young
and dynamic skills in all areas
(communication, design, technical
studies) which optimise
the reactivity to customers’
requests, and the expertise to
meet the demands of customisation.
A new 25,000m² factory
can house boats of up to 50m
in length; a 300-tonne floating
crane takes care of the
launches! 340 of the 400 workers
take care of the production,
the research and development
consists of 30 people,
and a 30 year old Frenchman,
Thomas Serré, is in charge of
the architecture!
MADE-TO-MEASURE YACHTS
Sunreef’s vocation is to build
customised multihull yachts,
and the Polish builder seems to
have established a sound reputation
amongst wealthy amateurs.
For several years now,
the models exhibited at the
Cannes Boat Show have made
up a choice shop window, but
the presence this year of the
114’ CHE strongly reaffirms this
mastery, and allows the development
accomplished since
the 74’ (CHE n° 1!) to be measured.
Sunreef is now capable
of offering completely innovative
atmospheres or turning
owners’ dreams into reality, by
expressing them through creative
design and artistic finishing.
The use (on the 114’
CHE) of splendid sliced bamboo
decoration enhances the
impressive interior architecture,
and demonstrates the skills of
the Gdansk craftsmen. The size
of these giants reveals complex
sets of problems, which appeared
insoluble not so long ago.
The rigour of the MCA and
Veritas standards applicable to
these big boats covers all
departments of the project and
would exhaust an operator who
was poorly prepared for such
stakes. Semi-custom boats
benefit from this expertise.
THE 58’, A SUNREEF IN ITS
OWN RIGHT
It succeeds the 62’, and is more
liveable whilst remaining compact
(1.2m less) so as to meet
the manoeuvrability expectations
of owners without a crew.
It borrows a large part of its
architecture and takes advantage
of the experience generated
by the 30 examples of this
successful model. Although it is
the youngest of this enormous
range, the 58’ displays the characteristics
of its big sisters.
Intended for the comfort of its
passengers, its aim is above all
to satisfy its owner and create a
way of life. John, the captain of
IN THE WIND, confided that his
holidays with his children and
grand children had been a success,
an aim he had never
achieved with the superb 70’
Sparkman/Stevens he owned
previously!
IN THE WIND
Launched at the beginning of
spring, this first boat is representative
of the expectations of
the enlightened clientele for
these catamarans with customised
interiors and equipped with
all the available options! The
overall silhouette does not have
the slimness and the elongation
of an Iphara or the Che, but the
complex-free hedonism of the
services appeals to everyone! A
saloon and steering position on
the flybridge, an exterior dining
room and the luxury of the
cabins justify a little corpulence.
The silhouette benefits from
good acceptability and the boat
catches the light well, even
though the height of the gooseneck
(justified by the rigid
bimini!) raises the visual centre
of gravity. A curved boom fitted
lower and a fluid wind deflector
would alleviate this difficulty
cleverly! The overall presentation
is really convincing and the
image of the little yacht is not
encroached on.
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TEST
ARCHITECTURE AND
CONSTRUCTION
Sunreef has been practising
infusion for 6 years now, and for
the 58’, set up a complex resin
drainage network, which allowed
lamination in one single
operation for the hulls and the
whole of the primary structure,
with the omegas, to obtain a
one-piece chassis. Balsa is used
as a core (foam as an option)
associated with vinylester and
polyester resins and glass
cloths. The mast and boom, in
carbon/epoxy are manufactured
by the Sunreef teams. The
underwater design is classic;
the full, almost circular hull sections
are intended to tolerate
load variations, but the forward
sections are slim and the counters
are completely coherent.
The keels have a low aspect
ratio, to reduce the draft, whilst
ensuring stability when beached.
The bridgedeck has a lot
of overlap; it is quite low and the
protrusions in the hull occupy
part of the tunnel, to offer a
maximum amount of internal
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space, which may lead to parasitic
impacts. Optimisation of
the scantlings of future models
will favour a significant weight
saving, of more than 2 tonnes,
to improve the flow at this level.
GUIDED TOUR ABOARD
The optional engines (2 x 110hp
Yanmars) are really accessible
for ordinary maintenance or a
more technical service. The
same goes for the generator,
housed in the starboard engine
compartment. The circuits for
water, engine cooling and fuel
(with diesel centrifuge) positioned
on the bulkhead have also
been rationally fitted. Grey technical
bilge paint and coded marking
of the functions would be
appreciable.
Stowage for the batteries and
the air conditioning machinery is
judiciously grouped together in
the central locker at the mast
foot. The main feature is
obviously the cockpit lounge-flybridge-saloon-galley
unit. The
care dedicated to the fluidity of
the relationship between these
four centres is a strong point of
the quality of life aboard the 58’.
Dinners will be eaten in the loggia,
which acts as a welcoming,
protected terrace, predisposed
to convivial or romantic evenings.
We tested the judicious
dinghy management system
(without davits): returning from a
diving trip or the market will no
longer be acrobatic! The flybridge
area offers a unique, perfectly
safe viewpoint, with an
upper saloon-sunbathing area,
the steering position and the
control line piano. The 4 cabins
on this private owner’s version
are all enviable and superbly
equipped (air conditioning, TV,
DVD); the owner’s studio is
The 58' is a real sailing boat; it sails well
in light and moderate conditions...
obviously the biggest. The
Japanese style decoration
draws on the contrasts in the
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light tints of the floors, the deep
shades of the wengé decoration
and the red alcantara. The tasteful
design research is supported
by attractive joinery and an
unquestionable build quality.
ON THE WATER
Our test version was equipped
with big 110hp engines (shaft
transmission), a copious solution,
ideally suited to the boat’s
mixed programme. Control of
the machine is taken care of
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with such a reserve of power
(8.5 knot cruising speed), but
the bow thrusters appears to be
essential for pivoting in tight
spaces. Generator operation is
discreet, we couldn’t hear it; the
engines are as quiet as possible,
and don’t generate unpleasant
frequencies or vibrations. Their
operation is imperceptible on
the flybridge. Installation of 2
wind generators on the bimini is
a step in the right direction! The
control line piano is on the top of
the coachroof, the battery of big
jammers is carefully organised
to distribute the pendants,
halyards and sheets to the electric
winches ad hoc. The low friction
turning blocks are all assigned
to reassuring stand-up or
pivoting blocks (Harken)...taking
into account the forces in play.
Lines are stowed in voluminous
rope lockers, but the Perspex
lids are not attached. The superb
23-metre carbon mast with no
spreaders (cap shrouds – lower
shrouds) is generously-dimensioned
(as is the canoe boom)
and supported forward by two
forestays equipped with furlers
(genoa and staysail). The asymmetric
or the gennaker are set
on the bowsprit, which is integral
with the compression strut.
As always aboard these big
boats, it is advisable to manoeuvre
methodically and with anticipation,
but actions concerning
the sails are easy and the visibility
is perfect. The mainsail is
equipped with a preventer line
which controls the leech when
the sail is ‘opened’ wide
(bravo!). The foresails offer the
usual ease of the cutter rig, and
hoisting the spinnaker in its
snuffer only needs 2 people. The
58’ is a real sailing boat; it sails
well in light and moderate weather:
we immediately reached 7
– 8 knots in 12 knots of wind on
a broad reach, and 9 knots with
14 knots of true wind on the
beam. It will sail to windward if
necessary and is capable of long
delivery trips or ocean crossings,
as long as it is not too
heavily laden. In strong winds,
speeds of 10 to 12 knots are
common; expectations of higher
speeds do not correspond to the
boat’s programme, even though
several 62-footers have jammed
their speedo at 22 knots on instantaneous
speed
CONCLUSION
The 58’ appears to have aimed
accurately. It is very comfortable,
can be fitted out to its
owner’s taste and its use can be
optimised by charter management,
for which the builder
offers a ‘turnkey’ service. This
choice allows the owner to have
a skipper aboard, so he can
enjoy the boat immediately. On
charter, this convivial catamaran
will be a success.
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Architect: Sunreef
Builder: Sunreef Yachts
Length: 18.25m
Beam: 9.20m
Draft: 1.65m
Displacement: 26t
Air draft: 27.30m
Material: foam/glass/polyester–vinylester
sandwich carbon-epoxy reinforcements,
infusion process
Mainsail area: 118m²
Gennaker: 120m²
Genoa: 63m²
Staysail: 32m²
Spinnaker: 230m²
Engines: 2 x 75hp / 2 x 110hp
Diesel: 2 x 700L
Water: 2 x 390L
Price: 935,000 euros exc. VAT;
1,450,000 euros with all the options
5 : All the control lines return to
the steering position on the flybridge.
6 : The cockpit is really impressive.
Perfect for organising some
nice parties.
7 : The galley allows the crew to
pamper the guests aboard.
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8 : As always at Sunreef, the
interior has been designed according
to the owner’s tastes.
9 : The chart table...or how to
spend your watches in incredible
comfort...
10 : This owner’s version’s four
cabins are all enviable and superbly
equipped. But the must is of
course the owner’s cabin.
11 : The engine rooms are very
easily accessible, for maintenance.
A real plus!
THOMAS SERRÉ, THE SUNREEF
58’s ARCHITECT
We haven’t tried to create a particularly
fast hull, but rather retained the versatility
in all circumstances and load conditions.
The hull does not have too much rocker
(banana shape), just enough to be able to
tack well! The keels are not very deep, to
allow access to anchorages close to the
beach, without losing much efficiency. The
round sections limit the amount the boat
sinks into the water, and the wetted surface
area, when loaded, and allows good
performance in light weather. The forefoot
and the transom are slightly immersed to
combat the start of pitching and improve
performance under power. This boat aims
for a compromise between economical
consumption, respectable speed and great
comfort.
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THE PLUSSES:
• Relevant multiyacht concept
• Build quality
• Quality of life aboard
THE MINUSES:
• Obligatory boat management
• Low bridgedeck
• Difference between basic and full
options prices
MODEL
Builder:
Windward sail area in m²:
Weight in t:
Price exc. VAT in euros:
THE COMPETITORS
SANYA 57' LAGOON 560 NAUTITECH 542 SWISS 55'
Fountaine Pajot Lagoon Nautitech Swiss catamaran
150 210 144 121
18.8 28 15.5 16.45
867,690 825,000 798,490 1.250.000
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