World's largest Maxi-Trimaran Launched!

On Wednesday, 27th of August 08 the world's largest G-Class maxi-trimaran, Banque Populaire V was launched in Lorient, France. Measuring at 131ft (40 meters)long, the maxi-trimaran is the largest racing multihull ever built..

The trimaran was built at CDK Technologies shed and it took almost two years to be completed. It was a great feeling for the Team Banque Populaire to see their beautiful vessel land safe in water.



"The launching today pays tribute to a coordinated and committed team, and the reunion of the biggest French know-how in the field of marine construction." said Pascal Bidégorry, the team skipper.


Ronan Lucas, Director of Team Banque Populaire is very happy to see the boat finally on the water. He is sure that in time to come this boat is going to break many records. He adds "The Banque Populaire team, under Pascal, will test the trimaran ahead of its record breaking campaign". Read more...

Wave-piercing With The World’s Most Extreme Super Yacht!

It may not be the fastest, but what could be classified as the world's most extreme superyacht has been developed. This wave-piercing luxury trimaran may look like something from a Star Trek movie, but it's no fantasy.

Craig Loomes is making a point. Three points to be exact. In his latest Buck-the-Trend, D A M N the Torpedoes hull design, he’s combined one part superyacht, one part submarine and one part angry hornet trumped-up on amphetamines into a stabilized monohull with wreckless disregard for waves. And just who is this Loomatic? Craig Loomes is yacht designer from down under whose motto appears to be the first rule in Italian driving… “remove the rearview mirror, because what’s behind you doesn’t matter any more.”

The 146-meter Trimaran concept is the warp-forward offspring to the “Earthrace Wavepiercer Trimaran”, a globetrotting, purpose-built boat targeting the world circumnavigation record by favoring consistency over speed. This futuristic, 24-meter wave slayer is producing better than anticipated efficiency while taming decelerations induced by wave impact. The result is a much smoother, albeit wildly wetter ride.

In just a few short years, Loomes has gained worldwide recognition for hulls designed to silhouette waves and they have certainly pierced the press, claiming such accolades as the International Superyacht Society award for “Best Power 32m to 43m” in 2004 for his 33 meter Wavepiercer.

While the design doesn’t offer the usual exterior walkways, it offers something very different… observation lounges contained within the highest point of the arches for a birds-eye view of the main hull submerging itself with frequency. The exaggerated arches serve another purpose, to place the air intake for the engines at the highest point possible on the vessel.

The yacht concept also benefits from the submariner approach, with consistent transatlantic speeds estimated at 40 knots, moving it into a realm few others can venture. Projected power plants are four MTU V-20 8000 diesels, pumping out 8,200 hp each, which is expected to produce a sprint speed of 50 knots!

Because the hull form is narrow, accommodations have been split into multi-level staterooms for up to 28 guests. The master, seen here, is a tri-level suite. Other facilities include a helicopter pad on the aft deck and quite possibly… a cave, because if Batman had a boat, Loomes designed it.

Preliminary specifications:LOA: 148 meters
Beam: No slip wide enough
Draft: 3.6 meters
Weight: 3000 tons
Power: 4 x MTU V-20 8000’s
Range: 3000 miles at 40 knots
Cruise speed (estimated): 40 knots
Top Speed (estimated): 50 knots

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Flying Trimaran setting speed record!

The flying trimaran l’Hydroptere came back to La Trinite sur Mer marina in France after spending six months in the shipyard. The l’Hydroptere team took the opportunity of good weather period to put the flying trimaran back in the water and remast her..


Last season the carbon trimaran broke two world speed records. l’Hydroptere broke a first record over 500 meters at an average speed of 44.81 knots. The second world sailing record was one over one nautical mile, this run made her the fastest craft in the one mile.
After this triumph, the team decided to temporarily set aside open sea trials in order to concentrate on breaking the mythical speed barrier of 50 knots. Thus, 2008 will be devoted to pure speed. l’Hydroptere is now specialized.


In order to accomplish this, studies and trials have been carried out by their team of engineers, in collaboration with the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. The rigging, the platform and the external parts have been finely modified to bring the boat’s speed potential over 50 knots.


The next few days will be devoted to a series of tests on the new rigging and sails, and on the new textile streamlining, which has recently been installed. L’Hydroptere will then be convoyed to Lorient, where she will be transported by cargo ship to the Mediterranean.

After a final phase of assembly in Marseille, l’Hydroptere will be able to tackle her goal for 2008 – to become the fastest sailing craft on the planet!!... Read more...