Grand Soleil 80 Custom World premiere in North Adriatic sea

Portopiccolo (Trietse, Italy) -  It has been officially presented to the public and to the press: "Essentia", the new Grand Soleil 80 Custom, the number one hull of the new Custom range of Cantiere del Pardo, dedicated to sailing boats from 60 to 80 feet.

The "Custom Line" project of Cantiere del Pardo was designed and promoted to give a sense of continuity to the Grand Soleil owners, and not only, which are looking for bigger boats than the ones currently produced by the yard, which are more suitable for both long sailing and competing in international racing circuits for maxi and mini maxi.

The first model produced is the Grand Soleil 80. This project also marks the entrance of Cantiere del Pardo into a new market of maxi yachts, so far limited to great international shipbuilders.

In this project the involvement of the owner with the design and naval architecture teams is almost entirely, starting from the first stages of the project definition and type of yacht that will be built, than passing to the discussion on the type of rigging and deck equipment and finally to the choice of the various details that will be part of the interiors and the furnishing accessories. Meetings with the owner and his representatives will be made throughout the entire production cycle of the boat.

THE FIRST PROJECT – ESSENTIA (Grand Soleil 80 FD Race)

Essentia is the first GS 80 Custom and was designed in collaboration with the famous Italian naval architecture Giovanni Ceccarelli. Hull number one and deck will be made completely in carbon fiber and will be dedicated to the racing world, yet will have the comfort of a cruiser.

The interiors are divided in two main areas to separate the crew zone from the guests and owner. Crew cabins are located in the stern, with a separated entrance in case of need and a direct connection to the navigation table, engine room and kitchen.

2 guests and the owner cabin are located in the bow while a forth cabin can be transformed into guest or crew cabin when needing a chef or extra hostess for example. The boat will be fully equipped for long sailing and provide many storage areas as well as a closet cabin.

The owner's plans are to follow the most important racing circuit and in between to enjoy sailing with his wife and kid in a comfortable, stylish and luxuries boat, which was designed especially for his needs.

DESIGNER COMMENT - GIOVANNI CECCARELLI

“I am very honored for this prestigious assignment and very happy to work with important players such as Cantiere del Pardo’s new brand, the Grand Soleil Custom line. We have designed a performance cruiser, first of a custom series, with a strong personality in the hull and deck style, elegant, contemporary and sporty. A combination that aims to be a future point of reference for the “Made in Italy” in this dimension and typology.”

The owner's desire list included a very nautical boat yet easy to handle, comfortable both in the deck and in the interiors, with a moderate yet innovative style and in some aspects also cruiser friendly. The hull water lines were designed with the aim of obtaining a fast hull under medium-light Mediterranean wind conditions but also with a tendency to plan downwind in strong winds.