Douce France
Douce France ("Sweet France") is a 138 feet luxury sailing catamaran design by VPLP design and built by Alumarine in Brittany (France).[1] At its launch in 1998, she was the largest sailing cat ever built and won most innovative Sailing Yacht 1999 - Showboats Design Awards.[2] It was built at Alu Marine also underwent a refit in 2009 and 2015.[3] The exterior and interior design was done overall by Peteghem & Lauriot Prevost (VPLP design). [4] The vessel is known for a panoramic window interior lounge, one of the areas along with the teak wood aft deck, upper level cockpit, and the interior cabins in the twin hulls.[5]
The Douce France was the largest sail catamaran in the World, and significant step from previous designs in this history of these type of vessels.[6] Douce France has been analyzed in attempts to build similar large sailing catamarans especially for luxury cruising.[7]
Douce France has a displacement of 120 tons and has a range of 3500 nautical miles, for up to 12 guests and 8 crew.[8] Typical sail cruise speed is 9 knots and maximum speed under sail is 19 knots.[9] This vessel has twin diesel engines and can motor at 12 knots.[10] The hulls are made of aluminum.[11]
Typically operating as Charter vessel in the South Pacific, it has six cabins and has various items to support hospitality business, such as wine cellar and various tenders.[12]
Specifications:[13]
- Length (Overall) 42.2m / 138.5'
- Length (waterline) 38.25m / 125.5 ft
- Beam 15.4 meters
- Draft 2.5 meters
- Sail area - 206m2
- Gross tonnage - 218 gt[14]
- Displacement - 120 tons[15]
As of 2018 the vessel is flagged to Belgium.[16]
Designers
[edit]Design firm was VPLP design and it was built at Chantier Naval Alumarine in 1998.[17]
- Naval Architecture:Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prevost, Marc Van Peteghem
- Additional designers: Vincent Lauriot-Prevost
- Interior Designers: Anne-Monique Bonadei
Legacy
[edit]The same design firm went on make an even larger sailing catamaran, the 145 foot Hemisphere.[18] The sponsors of that yacht spent time aboard the Douce France, which aided in developing that yacht which was completed in 2011.[19] Unlike Douce France, Hemisphere has quarters outside the hulls and additional deck but carried on tradition of a large deck area.[20]
See also
[edit]- List of large sailing yachts
- Hemisphere (yacht) (44.2 m sailing catamaran yacht)
- IDEC SPORT (Sailing trimaran won Jules Verne trophy for circumnavigation)
References
[edit]- ^ "Specs Douce France". doucefrance-yacht.com. 17 March 2021.
- ^ "Projects - VPLP Design". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
- ^ "Yacht Douce France Technical Specifications - Luxury Charter Group".
- ^ "Yacht Douce France Technical Specifications - Luxury Charter Group".
- ^ "DOUCE FRANCE Yacht | 138.5' Alumarine catamaran".
- ^ "Specialised Ship Design" (PDF).
- ^ "Specialised Ship Design" (PDF).
- ^ "Luxury Yachts for Charter".
- ^ "Luxury Yachts for Charter".
- ^ "Yacht DOUCE FRANCE, Chantier Naval Alumarine".
- ^ "Yacht DOUCE FRANCE, Chantier Naval Alumarine".
- ^ "DOUCE FRANCE Yacht | 138.5' Alumarine catamaran".
- ^ "Yacht Douce France Technical Specifications - Luxury Charter Group".
- ^ "Luxury Charter Yacht Douce France Specifications | Superyacht Charter".
- ^ "Yacht DOUCE FRANCE, Chantier Naval Alumarine".
- ^ "DOUCE FRANCE (Passenger Ship) Registered in Belgium - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 8977285, MMSI 205388000, Call Sign ONAD".
- ^ "Yacht DOUCE FRANCE, Chantier Naval Alumarine".
- ^ "Pendennis Hemisphere: The Year of the Cat". August 2018.
- ^ Gauert, Cecile (August 2018). "Pendennis Hemisphere: The Year Of The Cat". Yachts International.
- ^ "Pendennis Hemisphere: The Year of the Cat". August 2018.