The new French shipyard Archipel Yachts is attracting attention with an unusual but extremely ambitious new-build project. Together with Gildas Plessis Yacht Design, a modern 11-metre yacht is being presented that combines many of the characteristics of a catamaran in a single hull.
The project presented under the name Archipel 36 is aimed at cruising sailors who are primarily focussed on coastal sailing. The most striking feature of the design is the raised steering position at the side, which offers an excellent view forwards and into the sails. As with many catamarans, all halyards, sheets and trim lines are routed to the helm station via the roof. The helmsman sits or stands elevated on a bench at the side. The arrangement of the exterior cockpit and saloon on one continuous level, separated only by a sliding glass door, is also reminiscent of modern multihulls.
Two cabins and two bathrooms
The interior design features a spacious saloon with a raised seating area and an elongated galley arranged to the side. To achieve full headroom in the saloon, the deckhouse is comparatively high, but is largely glazed. The all-round window strip provides plenty of light and an almost uninterrupted all-round view. There is a very spacious owner's cabin with an island bed in the foredeck, complemented by a large bathroom with a separate shower compartment. A second double cabin is installed deep aft and partly under the cockpit floor. There is also a second wet room aft, albeit without a shower. The shipyard emphasises that the interior can be extensively customised according to the customer's wishes.
The rig plan provides for an aluminium mast with two spreaders. As standard, the boat is equipped with a fully battened mainsail and a slightly overlapping genoa. The short, permanently attached bow nose serves both as an anchor holder and as a sprit for a gennaker or code zero, which are optionally available. The hull and deck of the Archipel 36 are made of plywood with glass and basalt fibre reinforcements; bio-based epoxy resins are used for the laminates.
Construction number one is scheduled to go into production in spring 2026. The shipyard quotes an initial price of 352,000 euros for the basic version including sails and engine. Including 19 per cent VAT, the gross price is just under 420,000 euros.
Technical data Archipel 36
- Designer: Gildas Plessis Yacht Design (GPYD)
- Hull length: 11.00 m
- Width: 3.75 m
- Draught: 1.40 m
- Weight: 5.5 tonnes
- Sail area downwind: 74.0 m2
- Gennaker: 60.0 - 90.0 m2
- Motorisation: Built-in diesel Volvo Penta 50 hp
