Cantiere del Pardo continues to expand its sports programme and has presented the brand new Grand Soleil 52 Performance fresh from the shipyard as a world premiere at the Yachting Festival in Cannes. The YACHT editorial team has already been on board the excitingly attractive Polli design to get some first impressions. And there are also the first photos of the sailing ship.
Like all current yachts in the range, the new boat is also available in two versions as a performance cruiser or as a powerful racer. The Performance version comes as standard with a self-tacking jib, aluminium mast and the cruising-oriented "Easy Sailing" cockpit layout with sheets, halyards and trim lines consistently led aft. This means that the cockpit remains largely unobstructed for guests sailing on board and is completely free of any function for setting and trimming the sails. In this configuration, two large winches are available aft of the cockpit thwarts, which are easily accessible for both the helmsman and the crew.
The Race version of the boat is also available for demanding regatta sailors. This very sporty version can be optionally equipped with a jib or an overlapping genoa (106 percent) and, on request, with a higher and even more powerful rig made of carbon fibre. The layout in the cockpit is also designed differently. The halyards and trim lines are led to additional winches on the side of the companionway and operated there via powerful winches. Primary and secondary winches are available for trimming the genoa and mainsheet on and behind the coaming. The layout is consistently designed for handling with an experienced and ambitious regatta crew. In the race version, the carbon fibre bowsprit is also 90 centimetres longer than on the standard boat. The mainsheet is operated via a long, efficient traveller on the cockpit floor. Alternatively, a fixed mainsheet guide (single-point sheeting) can also be installed.
Owner's boat with three double cabins
Regardless of the variants, the buyer must also decide on the type and size of keel. The standard T-keel with its strikingly long, slender and hardened lead bulb has a draught of 2.90 metres. Variants provide for reduced draughts of 2.30 metres or 2.70 metres. The keel shaft is made of steel and is encased in GRP profiles. The hull and deck of the Grand Soleil 52 are built as GRP sandwich constructions with a foam core and vinyl ester resin using the vacuum infusion process.
The interior layout remains essentially the same with the same variants: a layout with three double cabins is planned. The owner's cabin in the bow is equipped with a comfortable island bed and its own bathroom with separate shower area. The VIP cabin in the stern can be equipped with either a double bed or two single beds and has direct access to the large toilet room with shower cubicle. The shipyard is installing a third double cabin on the port side, also with its own en-suite bathroom directly accessible from the cabin. The galley is particularly generously planned to the side of the companionway, as an almost closed functional unit with large work surfaces and plenty of storage space. The layouts are shown in the gallery above.
Prices were also announced for the first time at the trade fair in Cannes. The standard Performance version of the boat costs 689,000 euros net. Including 19% VAT, the basic price is 819,910 euros. As is generally the case with performance cruisers, the sails are not yet included in the basic equipment.
Technical data Grand Soleil 52 Performance
- Designer: Matteo Polli Yacht Design
- Interior and exterior styling: Nauta Design
- Hull length: 16.20 m
- Overall length Performance (with bowsprit): 17,05 m
- Overall length Race (with bow bowsprit): 17,95 m
- Width: 5.15 m
- Standard draught: 2.90 m
- Draught variants: 2.30 m/2.70 m
- Weight: 16.5 tonnes
- Mainsail: 95.0 m2 (Performance) / 100.0 m2 (Race)
- Gennaker: 250.0 m2 (Performance) / 280.0 m2 (Race)
- Self-tacking jib: 62.0 m2 (Performance) / 65.0 m2 (Race)
- Motorisation: built-in diesel Volvo Penta 75 hp/Saildrive
- Fuel capacity: 350 litres
- Fresh water capacity: 600 litres
- Base price ex shipyard: 819,910 euros (gross incl. 19% VAT)
