Archipelago, the new builder of ocean-crossing, expedition-class power catamarans, just announced that it’s expanding its fleet.
The UK builder launched its first vessel, a 47-foot aluminum-hulled cat with a 3,000-nm range, last summer. Now, it’s completing designs for a new 38, a new 52 (see rendering above), and ultimately a new 60. Founded just two years ago, Archipelago is planning ahead.
The company says the new cats will share “the same philosophy as the original Archipelago 47 with sea-keeping at their very heart, and attainable luxury built as standard.”
On its web site, the company also says, “Each of these models offers something very different from other yachts on the market.”
Archipelago was founded by Dr. Steven Weatherly, a cyber-security specialist with a PhD in astrophysics. He’s also a veteran cruiser, and a few years ago he was looking for a blue-water power catamaran to replace his family’s Mitchell 31 power cruiser. Not finding one to his liking, he decided to make his own.
Weatherly set up offices in Hampshire on the south coast of England, and hired Chartwell Marine, a commercial yard on the Isle of Wight, to build its boats, including what the company calls its “impossibly practical 38” and its “lightweight” 52 fly.
The original 47 (pictured above) was meant to be equally at home crossing oceans, exploring high latitudes or taking the family out for a day cruise. It has unusually high hull sides that seem to lower the profile of the pilothouse. The 47’s raked roofline and inverted windshield add to its no-nonsense military look. Inside, it has luxury touches; the sole in the galley and salon is heated. And the high hull sides mean there’s lots of headroom in the cabins in the hulls.
The aluminum construction keeps the boats’ weight down, as well as providing for easy repairs anywhere in the world and custom upgrades in the future.
Powered by twin 420-hp Iveco diesels on straight shafts, the Archipelago 47 tops out at 30 knots. You can also order it with hybrid or electric power. Base price at the factory is about $1,465,000. Read more at http://archipelago-yachts.co.uk and see video below:
