There are some boat designers out there, mostly unnoticed by the masses which makes me curious about their work… if the design triggers my sailing senses. So happened with the Cabon Trimarans.
In 21st century we live in speedy times… what if multihull buyers would slow down their clock and take some years time to check the 3-hull market (which is very small) before they make their decisions to buy a new trimaran ? – Probably then we won’t see so many tris under the brands of Dragonfly (Quorning Boats/Denmark), Farrier Foldying System (Ian Farrier, c/o Farrier Marine Ltd. / New Zealand) or Corsair (Corsair Marine Intern./Vietnam, originally located in San Diego, California/USA)… and some of these buyers would get the chance to discover very uniquely boats which rarely have been built. Today we will take a look at such jewels: a 40 and 50 foot Trimaran.
naval architect Philippe Cabon
The father of these two boats is the French designer Philippe CABON whom we can find on the Atlantic coast in Olonne-sur-Mer, a small commune in the Vendée department (Pays de la Loire region / Western France).
Tender Shipyard SAS is a yard specializing in tenders for superyachts. This yard was established by Philippe CABON after he designed the Tresco Tender range for many years. The shipyard’s first contract was to build a new 7.4m tender for the 53m motor yacht Berkut (former Baraka).
The hull designs and whole under water lines of Philippe’s tenders clearly remember us a shape of catamaran-trimaran structure.
… but Philippe Cabon also has designed sailing boats like the Virgo II with a 93 foot aluminium monohull (being built by CNB) and the MCM50. It is a 50 foot motor sailing catamaran. The composites construction was built by MCM (Matériaux de Consruction Mécanique) in Tunisia…
… and the Catamaran CDK 28 (Formula 28), a composites construction built by CDK composites in La Forêt-Fouesnant, France. The boat of 8.52 m length and 5.50 m width (weight: ~850 kg) with a max. sails area of 130 m2 can race impressively 15 knots in light winds of 6 knots.
Philippe’s design: 50 Foot Trimaran M’Pulse …
The owners of M’Pulse originally looked for a boat similarly to multihulls designed by Dick Newick (1926-2013) as we can read on the official website.
In his drawings Philippe Cabon picked up some other important security features. Due to it’s height on the water (free board), it’s generous size and shape (“banana” floats) the Trimaran M’Pulse became a boat which gives great stability at sea = safeness + comfort. Indeed it offers a rare comfort for this type of boat: large chart table, kitchen with stove, convertible bunks to form a square toilet.
Finally the warranty strength was led by Charlie Capelle and Marine Technology shipyard who built M’Pulse with a rare thoroughness strip planking (wood-epoxy) with a weight of around 5.5 tonnes at the dimensions of 14.95 meters length and 8.9 meters width (beam). The boat is equipped with an inboard engine (28 hp).
Upwind sail area: 115 square meters, down wind sail area: 200 square meters.
The boat is sailing around Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Azores (see plannings). M’Pulse is offered by its four owners (Yann, Pierrick Jean and Jerome) for charter guests to experience the living on board of a multihull and participate actively (inclusive maintenance work) for sailing this speedy boat.
Philippe’s design: 40 Foot Trimaran Felicidade …
This yellow beauty was built in 2004-2006 by it’s first owner Pierre Scieux (Belgium). The boat was sold in spring 2014 at a prize of ~85,000 Euros (see expose as PDF).
French skipper Patrick Morvan at the age of 69 overtook the 12.20 m long multihull (width of 10,00 m, total weight: 3 tons) for participating and racing the 10th edition of legendary Route du Rhum (which started on 2nd November 2014 at 02:00 pm).
Felicitade, trimaran 40′ construction (wood composites) self built by his 1st owner Pierre Scieux (Belgium)
Patrick Morvan is well known in France. He sailed together with Jean Le Cam (1959-2009), Marc Guillemo (who started in June 2013 a single-handed record attempt on a 60 footer for Safran Sailing Team) and legendary professional racing skipper Serge Madec to set a new speed record in 1984 for the transatlantic crossing on the 18 metre catamaran Jet Services II … with 8 days, 16 hours and 36 minutes… at an average speed of 14.29 knots. (Rec.: The latest new record mark was set in 2009 with maxi trimaran Bank Populaire V (130 foot): 3d 15h 25min 48s – average speed: 32.94 knots.)
Patrick Morvan went into his preperation for the start in November 2014 with a budget of 90,000 Euros to make Tri Felicidade competitive (e.g. by weight reduction and a 17 meter carbon mast) against other participants of the Multi 50 class and the legendary Trimaran Acapella which participated under skipper and boat builder Charlie Capelle (born 1955). Charlie is well known as founder and owner of Technologie Marine in St Philibert La Trinité sur Mer. The Tri Acapella was designed and built by Walter Greene in 1978… and same year sailed successfully by Canadian Mike Birch who won the 1st edition of the Route du Rhum.
Patrick Morvan and his preperation for the 10th Route du Rhum (Nov 2014)
World of Trimaran Enthusiasts 