New Lagoon catamarans at Sunsail
The yacht charter company Sunsail has announced the order of 15 Lagoon catamarans for the Boot Düsseldorf. It concerns Lagoon 46 and Lagoon 42, renamed Sunsail 464 and Sunsail 424. The equipment meets the specific specifications required by the charter company. The 4 cabin yachts, also available for charter management, will be based in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Belize.
An industrial necessity
Having its own multihull builder within the group, the Robertson & Caines shipyard, producer of the Leopard catamarans, purchases from other brands are rare. The urgency of deliveries following Hurricane Irma and the internal order book explain the choice. "Before, Leopard only worked for The Moorings, then also for Sunsail, then for yachtsmen. That's a lot, because we've taken on 200 new boats from Irma. It is therefore planned within the group that if Robertson & Caines cannot respond on time, we can go elsewhere," explains Josie Tucci, Sunsail's Vice President.
Boats adapted to the programme and the image of the charterer
There is a boat for every boating program and every boating culture. The choice of shipyard is therefore essential for the charterer in a competitive market with a rapidly renewing fleet. "The operation with Lagoon is punctual for the moment, but another order for the Mediterranean could follow. It has a real interest for Sunsail's European customers who are familiar with the brand. We have contacted certain manufacturers, such as Nautitech. Others don't match our work and we must not blur Sunsail's image," says Josie Tucci.
Dream Yacht Charter has also announced a partnership with the catamaran shipyard of the Grand Large group, Outremer Yachting for its Dream Yacht Sabbatical offer. Here again, the choice to partner with a new builder corresponds to the intended use. The Swiss sailor Urs Rothacher, who initiated the project of a long-term charter offer for Dream Yacht, sailed for several sabbatical years, part of which on board an Outremer 5X. The shipyard of La Grande-Motte, a specialist in long-distance cruising, has thus found a first entry into the world of chartering, thanks to a new use of yachting corresponding to its know-how.
Excess is not for rent
While the majority of multihulls are present on the charter market, the positioning of Excess, the Bénéteau Group's new brand, could raise questions. Questioned by BoatIndustry, all the charter companies confirmed that the Vendée boatyard does not offer them these new catamarans.
