MAGIC CAT WEBSITE IS ONLINE

The Gilles Ollier design with a new interior by Franck Darnet Design now has its own website.

I am not going to introduce again this fast, luxury catamaran built by the famous Multiplast yard. There is a very nice virtual tour to visit Magic Cat.

Enjoy.

Charter Magic Cat catamaran with Windward Islands.

MORE INCREDIBLE PICTURES OF MAGIC CAT

Thanks to Bernard Gallay to let me publish those beautifull pictures of Magic Cat at the Antigua Show and to Franck Darnet who send them to me.


Charter Magic Cat catamaran with Windward Islands

MAGIC CAT AT THE ANTIGUA YACHT SHOW

The magnificent Magic Cat is available for charter with Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage and will be at the Antigua Yacht Show. The Antigua Yacht Show will take place from the December the 6 th to the 11 th at Falmouth and English Harbour in Antigua. There will be 120 yachts in display, motor and sail, monohulls and multihulls ranging from 60 feet to 289 feet. Magic Cat will be docked with 9 other catamarans.

• Cat Bird 82 feet with Flagship
  
• Crodile Daddy 62 feet - Lagoon 620 with Blue Latitude Yachting
  
• Elysium 61 feet with Blue Latitude Yachting
  
• Ipharra 104 feet - Sunreef 104 with Sunreef Charter
  
• Maevi 62 feet with Blue Latitude Yachting
  
• Necker Belle 105 feet - Richard Branson's yacht with Burgess London
  
• Nirvana 60 feet with My Dream Sail
  
• Seazen II 70 feet - Sunreef 70 with Sunreef Charter
  
• Sparrow 60 feet with Sunreef Charter
  

Charter Magic Cat catamaran with Windward Islands.

MAGIC CAT BEFORE AND AFTER THE REFIT AMAZING PICTURES AND 360 DEGREES VIRTUAL TOUR

While I was in Lorient I met with Franck Darnet who designed the new interior of the legendary Magic Cat. Franck gave me the pictures of the new "Magic Cat" which is actually sailing in the pacific. They look really great and are by Eric Pinel a talented photographer based in Tahiti.

I was lucky a few years ago to board the Gilles Ollier 80 foot design in Martinique. This fast cat looked very nice from the outside but the inside was kind of cold. Franck Darnet kept the interior structure and added smart touches of light wood laminate which make a big difference. Part of the cockpit was also redesigned. The difference between the old and the new are striking, check at my older post. This shows the interest of hiring a design when refit a yacht interior.

This is a slide-show of the pictures taken by Eric Pinel in the Pacific but you should also check the 360 ° interactive visit of Magic Cat on Eric Pinel's website.

Charter Magic Cat catamaran with Windward Islands

FRANCK DARNET DESIGN PORTFOLIO

I am introducing to you the work portfolio of Franck Darnet Design. Franck Darnet is a very talented yacht interior designer involved in many multihull projects such a the Nahema 120, the Outremer 49, the Fenomen 150' and lately the refit of world famous Magic Cat. More than 1500 yachts, sailing and motor, above 15 meters are carrying Franck "Art of Space" signature. If you located in the US, Franck Darnet also has an office in the design disctrict of Miami. For press inquieries, please get in touch with me.

In this portfolio, we will find images of large luxury catamarans neither seen before. Enjoy

The document is of high quality so page might take some times to appear. click on the top right square with the arrows to see the full size, and then scroll down or choose your own presentation format.

WORLD MEGA-CATAMARAN LISTING - LAUNCHED AND IN BUILT

Last year, I listed all the luxury catamarans over 70 feet that I knew of and that I could find on the web in order to write NAHEMA's press kit. This was a special order from NAHEMA and it is available for journalists to read. (Just send me an email, it includes interesting bonuses about catamarans). This morning I asked Nicolas DAHER, NAHEMA's excecutive director, if I could share this list with you on my blog. Thanks to him for giving me a positive answer, so here it is.

DOUCE FRANCE THE LARGEST EVER UNTIL GEMINI IS LAUNCHED

LAUNCHED

DOUCE FRANCE 138’4’’ VPLP ALUMARINE 1998
LADY BARBARETTA 105’ CPA CMN 2003
ALLURES 99’4” BLUBAY COMPOSITE WORKS 2006
CILIAM 92’ VPLP SALT HOUSE BOAT BUILDERS 2003
SUN TENAREZE 86’ JOUBERT NIVELT JFA 2004
HIGHEST HONOR 85’ VPLP DRA 1991
LONESTAR 85’ VPLP DRA 1991
MAGIC CAT 82’ GILLES OLLIER MULTIPLAST 1996
ALUMARINE 80 80’ P. LAURENT ALUMARINE 1992
ETOILE MAGIQUE 80’ PLESSIS/ DILASSER BOB ESCOFFIER 2005
LADY PACA 79’ ALUMER 1991

FAT CAT 78’ MORELLI 1992
CORIOLAN VI 77’ VPLP MULTI YACHT COMPOSITE 2003
ZINGARA 75’8’’ MATRIX MATRIX YACHTS 2005
AKASHA 75’8’’ MATRIX MATRIX YACHTS 2005
LIZ 75’4’’ VATON DESIGN PETTER YACHTS 2000
PRIVILEGE 745 74’5’’ MARC LOMBARD PRIVILEGE 2006
PRIVILEGE 745 74’5’’ MARC LOMBARD PRIVILEGE 2007
PRIVILEGE 745 74’5’’ MARC LOMBARD PRIVILEGE 2007
CHE 74 VPLP SUNREEF 2003
NAHEMA IV 72’3’’ YACHT INDUSTRIES YACHT INDUSTRIES 2006
INDIGO FLYER 71’ WORMWOOD DOUGLAS BROOKS 1989
BELLA DONNA 70’2’’ YACHT INDUSTRIES YACHT INDUSTRIES 2005
WONDERFUL 70’1’’ BERRET RACOUPEAU YACHT INDUSTRIES 2004

Clearly we can see there is a positive trend in this market which is increasing in number and in size as you can see below in the "being built" list.

NAHEMA 120 THE LARGEST BEING BUILT IN COMPOSITE

IN BUILT

GEMINI 145’ VPLP DERECKTOR SHIPYARD
NAHEMA 120’ GILLES VATON NAHEMA
SUNREEF 102’ SUNREEF SUNREEF YACHT
HH100 100’ VPLP ALUMARINE
BLUBAY 95’1’’ YACHTS INDUSTRIES YACHTS INDUSTRIES
BLUBAY 92’1’’ YACHTS INDUSTRIES YACHTS INDUSTRIES
GUNBOAT 90’ MORELLI/MELVIN GUNBOAT
CATANA 87’ CHRISTOPHE BARREAU CATANA
YAPLUKA DD 85’1’’ YAPLUKA YACHTS INDUSTRIES
EXCLUSIVE 76’ GILLES OLLIER DESIGN KING CAT/J EUROPE
EXCLUSIVE 76’ GILLES OLLIER DESIGN KING CAT/ J EUROPE
SILHOUETTE 75’8’’ MATRIX MATRIX YACHT
The catamarans mentioned above are ocean sailing cruising catamarans.

Day charter catamarans are not mentioned.

I also read in the last Boat International Issue that 2 Berret Racoupeau Designs (27 and 31 meters) were being produced but I couldn't find any more information. In the latest issue of Showboats, the Global Order Book features a new 85 foot by JFA but again couldn't find more information. If you have any they are very much welcome.

Charte Allures Catamaran with Windward Islands.

MAGIC CAT SOLD BY BERNARD GALLAY YACHT BROKERAGE - MULTIPLAST 82 ' -

"Magic cat has been sold by Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage and has undergone a complete refit with a new interior and cockpit design by Franck Darnet".

MAGIC CAT was designed, built by Gilles Ollier's team at the Multiplast shipyard and launched in 1996.

She has been completely refitted in 2005 after 10 years of intensive sailing, including a three years around the world voyage and is still in perfect conditions. She is probably the fastest luxury cruising catamaran ever built so far.

MAGIC CAT has benefited from the great experience of Multiplast in building racing multihulls. She was built in vacuum bagged carbon composite, features a kevlar rigging with a rotating wing carbon mast and a carbon boom. Very fast, she is capable of cruising above true wind speed with usual speeds over 25 knots. With 4 double cabins for 8 quest, she is handled by a crew of three.

During the 12 month refit at her birth shipyard, the structure has been completely checked. New systems, engines, generators, have been installed. MAGIC CAT is ready to go for another ten years of luxury and fast sailing. (She was sold by Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage and is now available for charter.)

I just realized this is my 51 st post. I hope you enjoy as much reading my blog as I enjoy writing it. Please if you want to leave any comments it would be great. Also if you have news I can post they will be very welcome.

If you want to get in touch with me directly use this email adress : sebastien.barthez@gmail.com.