When the catamaran turns into a real superyacht
Comfortable and luxurious, the Thira 80 is the first example of the new range of Fountaine Pajot multihulls
After nearly half a century of history, the shipyard founded in 1976 by Jean-François Fountaine-in which majority ownership, control and management of the company have remained in the hands of the Fountaine family-Fountaine Pajot always makes catamarans that make their mark. In fact, Fountaine Pajot knows very well that every owner is unique and therefore designs its boats to meet the individual needs of each one. Whether planning an ocean crossing or a family cruise to each customer Fountaine Pajot assures them that in designing and building their catamarans they have considered every detail, from conception to final production, to provide solutions that really make a difference at sea. Not to mention that each year the shipyard updates its range to ensure that its catamarans represent the pinnacle of modern design and incorporate the latest technologies in the industry. From entry-level catamarans to the prestigious Flagship range, the Fountaine Pajot offering sets the benchmark in style, comfort, safety and performance. The catamarans are not for nothing in fact created in collaboration with the world’s most famous designers and represent the pinnacle of refinement and timeless elegance in going to sea. French nautical style blends with meticulous attention to detail and rigorous construction processes, creating an onboard experience that evokes all the pleasures of a five-star hotel.
ELEGANCE THAT CONQUERS AT SEA
As one quickly discovers upon boarding, Fountaine Pajot’s Thira 80 is the first example of the new generation of catamaran superyachts, the multihulls of the future that the market was already eagerly awaiting. A flagship launched just this year, which is truly large in all but one small but not insignificant detail: in fact, it has an overall length of 23.98 meters, which is just two centimeters short of the fateful 24 meters that is the watershed between a “simple” pleasure craft and a ship, with all the resulting positive consequences in terms of paperwork, bureaucracy, and constraints. And again, two centimeters less that do not change the substance, but rather allow the brand new Thira 80 to absolutely compete with the 24-meter monohulls, however, with the advantage of having 50 percent more space than their competitors. The calculation is simple: just take the 11.09-meter width figure of the Thira 80 and compare it with that of an 80-foot monohull, which typically has an average width of 6 to 6.50 meters, to realize that a catamaran is worth at least as much in terms of footprint as a 40-meter-long monohull. But the bet won by Fountaine Pajot is to make a catamaran a true superyacht in terms of luxury as well. Because while the multihull has so far won the game on space and functionality, it has not yet conquered that of design. Making the aesthetic side of the catamaran beautiful, rich, appealing as well is the other challenge that stimulated the shipyard. That in order to conform to the standards of the luxury yacht, he chose top solutions for the Thira, taken more from motor yachts than from sailboats. For example, in the aft area with two side platforms with balconies or with the presence of a hot tub in the bow. Also in its outdoor spaces, the new Thira 80, designed by Berrett Racoupeau Studio, features two “side wells” with water-facing sofas and drop-down balconies. The beach club, on the other hand, has a large aft-facing sofa-under which is the garage for the jet ski launched from the platform itself, two corner sofas, and a central hydraulic platform that can be lowered to connect the two stringers and create a large area on the water. The boat can be equipped with 45 kw of lithium batteries, powered by 8 kw of solar panels to ensure environmentally friendly and sustainable boating. For this model, the in-house carpentry was entrusted to the skilled hands of Italian craftsmanship to achieve those finishes imposed by this segment. The layout includes a 4 or 5 double cabin version depending on whether the owner wants to have an owner’s suite or a VIP cabin. Both versions include the option of up to 4 crew cabins. Last but always important feature the hull of the Thira 80 under sail gives great satisfaction for speed and agility as per Fountaine Pajot DNA.
THE CATAMARAN OF THE FUTURE THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR
FOR EVERY NEED
The aft bridge of the Fountaine Pajot Thira 80 folds down to create a terrace overlooking the sea, while the large aft sofa opens and its locker can also accommodate a jet ski.
IN COMFORT
This is the large suite in the VIP version, which also has two guest cabins in the starboard hull: on the other hand, in the Maestro version there is a VIP cabin aft and a master suite forward.