VPLP Design updates Winter 2025

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Few Design Studio have the Multihull pedigree of VPLP, from Oracle’s AC Trimaran first version to current offshore round the Globe Maxi foilers Tris, to 80′ Cruising cats, there is nothing this team can design.

Below a extense report sent by VPLP media reporting on their recent achievements. Check their web t www.vplp.fr

VPLP Design NEWSLETTER Winter 2025

TRANSATLANTIC SILVER AND GOLD

Represented in three of the four classes by resolute and talented duos, VPLP designs had a field day in the 17th edition of the Transat Café L’Or, with victories for SVR Lazartigue and Viabilis Océans in the Ultim and Ocean Fifty classes, and a second place for 11th Hour Racing in the IMOCA class. Present at the finishing line in Fort-de-France, Antoine Lauriot Prévost and Xavier Guilbaud, Partner Naval Architects at VPLP, talk us through the lessons learned.

Ultim: SVR Lazartgue’s perfect race

After two second places in the two preceding editions of the two-handed Atlantic race, SVR Lazartigue has finally achieved the win expected of her since her launch in 2021. “Tom [Laperche] and Franck [Cammas] were the favourites, but it’s still a transatlantic race on highly technical boats with all the associated contingencies, and that’s what we saw, in particular with the damage to Banque Populaire XI,” says Antoine Lauriot Prévost. “The delayed start of Armel [Le Cléac’h] and Seb [Sébastien Josse] in Lorient [due to a damaged rudder, eventually finishing fourth in Martinique] obviously felt like a missed chance because a duel with SVR Lazartigue would have allowed us to really get the measure of Banque Populaire XI’s new foils,” adds Xavier Guilbaud.

Both architects agree that Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas ran “a perfect race”, taking control from the very start, and resisting the attacks from Sodebo Ultim 3, which, like all the other Ultims, has greatly improved – proof that the entire class is raising the bar. It was during the run south that SVR Lazartigue managed to capitalize on her advantage to windward, before showing herself to be very steady when reaching, which has been a bit of an Achilles heel up until now. “The crew have made great progress on this point of sail, notably thanks to the aborted attempts on the Jules Verne Trophy last winter, a saving grace of sorts,” says Xavier Guilbaud. “The debriefing in Fort-de-France suggested that Tom and Franck weren’t flat out, that they realized a controlled crossing, and the boat arrived in the West Indies in perfect condition.”

Reason enough to plan for the future with confidence, which for SVR Lazartigue includes new foils next season (manufactured by CDK Technologies) and a new pair of rudders for the floats. “In the initial brief SVR Lazartigue dialled up the performance on the wind and reaching, with foils whose keenness and aspect ratio provided considerable lift for minimal drag,” says Xavier Guilbaud. “Today, they are looking for more versatility. Starting out as a typical downwinder, Banque Populaire XI has since moved in the opposite direction. It’s striking to see how, when all’s said and done, the specifications of both teams are converging in preparation for next year’s Route du Rhum.” Which is all adding up to an even more exciting prospect!

IMOCA: competitive boats and talented duos

Intensely physical and competitive, the IMOCA race also had a positive outcome for VPLP designs. 11th Hour Racing, crewed by Francesca Clapcich and Will Harris, took a very fine second place, while on the former Charal of 2018, now TeamWork-Team Snef, Justine Mettraux and Xavier Macaire finished fifth. Launched last July, Les P’tits Doudous crewed by Armel Tripon and Tanguy Leglatin, despite some understandable teething problems and a pit stop in Cascais, achieved her overriding mission, that of crossing the Atlantic, to finish 12th at Fort-de-France.

“In terms of accountability, it’s been a fine result for VPLP and on the human side of things, it’s wonderful,” says Antoine Lauriot Prévost, particularly satisfied with the second place of the former Malizia, launched in 2022. “We were aware of the boat’s potential and the talent of the crew, but Francesca only discovered the boat this year, so finishing ahead of Macif Santé Prévoyance was a very fine performance. The trade wind was very unstable and as soon as it started blowing more than 20 knots, Francesca and Will had the advantage. It’s a wind range where TeamWork-Team Snef found itself lacking compared to the 2022–2025 generation of designs.”

Designed, at the request of its previous skipper Boris Herrmann, to be sturdy and competitive on a broad reach in a breeze and a heavy sea, 11th Hour Racing proved on its passage through the Canaries that it was also very at ease in light winds. Antoine Lauriot Prévost concludes: “The difference in mass has evened out with the other IMOCAs which were notoriously reinforced after their launch in 2022. It’s been very encouraging, notably for Les P’tit’s Doudous which has the same hull for less displacement, a lower centre of gravity and next-generation foils, so more righting moment. It will be one of the competitors to watch during the next Route du Rhum.”

Ocean Fifty: some scares and a double

The Transat Café L’Or started badly for the Ocean Fiftys, which had left 24 hours before the rest of the fleet, with three capsizes in the first night: Lazare x Hellio, Koesio (both VPLP designs) and Inter Invest. Fortunately they suffered only material damage. “After the initial scare, we were soon reassured by the efficient rescues. The boats are all now on their way to being repaired, which is good news for the skippers and the class,” says Antoine Lauriot Prévost.

Lazare x Hellio’s flip having been caused by a broken float, probably the result of a collision, the focus fell upon the two other crews to explain in detail the circumstances of their capsizes. Antoine Lauriot Prévost gives his take: “Conditions in the Channel seem to have been very unstable both in force and direction, and this led to the two capsizing in very violent gusts. When you go from 20 knots on the bow to 35 knots on the beam, that changes everything on a multihull and the risk of capsizing is always very real.”

Wasn’t this amplified by the tarp fairings designed to reduce the boats’ aerodynamic drag? “Their role in this is very difficult to quantify,” replies Antoine Lauriot Prévost, who will be discussing these issues with the technical committee of the Ocean Fifty class in the coming weeks. “On light boats like these, they obviously reduce the critical angle where the vessel loses its ability to straighten up; however other Ocean Fiftys have capsized without tarp fairings. The moral of the story is to make sure you don’t find yourself at those angles of heel.”

Without a doubt the rest of the race was equally intense and exciting, with a compact group at the head of the fleet, and the first four crossed the line at Fort-de-France within 45 minutes of each other! It was hugely satisfying for VPLP, which bagged the first two places with Viabilis Océans (Baptiste Hulin & Thomas Rouxel, despite having made a pit stop in L’Aber Wrac’h at the start of the race) ahead of Wewise (Pierre Quiroga & Gaston Morvan), two trimarans launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively. “This is the great strength of this class, managing to maintain the competitiveness of these older boats. Compared to other classes, it’s a good signal and a just reward for Baptiste and Thomas who had bet their entire season on this race.” They were able to exploit the 4×4 character of this Ocean Fifty which confirmed its capacity to take a breeze and a rough sea in its stride.

LAGOON EIGHTY 2: LIVE ON THE SEA

Launched during the Cannes Yachting Festival last September, the Lagoon Eighty 2 embodies excellence in design and luxury for customers who want to “live on the sea”. Flagship of the Lagoon range, designed like its predecessors by VPLP, the Eighty 2 has been meticulously crafted in every detail to make it a veritable production yacht. Mathias Maurios, Partner Naval Architect at VPLP, talks us through the salient issues that guided its design.

Successor to the Seventy 7 at the top of the Lagoon range, this new catamaran is a standard-bearer for the values of elegance and luxury the brand holds so dear. At 23.91 metres long, it was designed to be the largest vessel possible under the EC standard for recreational craft. During the design phase, VPLP was minded to focus on the idea of movement unhindered by any structural elements, and on increasing the size of the outdoor living areas both on the main deck, fore and aft, and on the flybridge.

“With Guillaume Rey, who managed this project at VPLP,” says Mathias Maurios, “we did a ton of work to make the aft crossbeam disappear. Usually it serves as a bench seat. Overcoming this technical challenge resulted in an unrestricted perspective almost 20 metres long. The forward cockpit is also flush with the saloon. Even if we could see the 3D images of the boat clearly in our minds, this vast open layout completely floored all of us when we discovered the boat in Cannes.”

Deploying the 22 m² stern platform, which is wider than the space between the hulls, plays a major part in giving a sense of space hitherto unknown on a vessel of this size. On the practical side of things, the platform extends astern in two sections and permits the use of a 21-foot or 6.6-metre tender for greater versatility when cruising.

The dimensions of the flybridge were also revised upwards. With a surface area of 50 m², it allows the entire crew to enjoy an exceptional view at moorings or underway. It also provides an excellent vantage point for monitoring the sail plan of 338 m² on the wind, comprising mainsail, genoa and staysail. The 3D hauling points eliminate the need for cumbersome sheet tracks and ensure the sail can always be trimmed to the angle of the apparent wind. All the lines lead efficiently to five winches placed between the two steering wheels. The Lagoon Eighty 2 has no blind spots at the helm and a direct view of the sail plan, like the one from the bow net.

Anticipate each detail

Thorough digital modelling, entrusted to Vincent Combaut at VPLP, also allowed the team to look at a wide range of details, and formed the basis for efficient discussions with Lagoon’s engineering and design department. Integrating solar panels, concealing the lashings around the net – the latter flush with the deck – and refining the design of the companionway and handrail to the bridge are just a few examples of the many parts that were subjected to rigorous modelling.

“The ambition to create a yacht like this demands you deal with each detail one by one, and encourages you to be creative,” says Mathias Maurios. “The divans which conceal the mooring windlasses are yet another example of the clear lead that Lagoon endeavours to maintain in its market.” Lastly, the possibility offered to customers to furnish their catamaran with loose furniture is no mean feature of the Lagoon Eighty 2.

Everywhere, both inside and out, the level of the finishings is worthy of the standing of this latest iteration of the range, and combines to produce an immaculate environment almost as big as a shore dwelling. For instance, the owner’s cabin has more than 25 m² of floor space and opens to the outdoors via a hull door. Certified for 14 people in category A, the Lagoon Eighty 2 is available in 4 or 5 cabin versions, with galley above or below deck.


Global Yacht Technology
NEWS

CRUISING. VPLP Design and Global Yacht Technology seized the opportunity of the 2025 editions of the Monaco Yacht Show and Metstrade (Amsterdam, in November) to present Anahita, a 100’ cruising trimaran resulting directly from VPLP Design’s years of experience on the Ultim trimarans. The first boat in the series, built by Global Yacht Technology and CDK Technologies, is scheduled for launch in 2027.

MARITIME/CRUISING. As indicated in our previous newsletter, VPLP Design, Xplorer Yachting and Norse Shipyard signed the contract during the last Monaco Yacht Show for the future MG, the first wind-assisted expeditionary yacht in the world, which will be the showpiece in Xplorer’s new Wind Voyage range. Measuring 106 metres in length and equipped with two Oceanwings, this superyacht is expected to launch in late 2027.

RACING. Late autumn is always a favourable moment for attempting round-the-world records, and this year is no exception. Under the aegis of The Famous Project CIC, Alexia Barrier and her seven-strong female crew set sail on the former IDEC Sport on Saturday 29 November at 14:40 hrs to compete in the Jules Verne Trophy. Their principal goal is to be the first all-woman crew to complete this circumnavigation. And if possible to run a similar time to the record held since 2017 by this very same boat with Francis Joyon at the helm, in 40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes. This legendary VPLP design launched in 2006 has achieved three wins on the Route du Rhum and is a two-time holder of the Jules Verne Trophy. Another trimaran set out on 15 December at 21:01 hrs with its eye on this very same Jules Verne Trophy: Sodebo Ultim 3 (VPLP contributed to the design) commanded by Thomas Coville and manned by a crew of six. Lastly, Guirec Soudée set sail on Tuesday 23 December with the ambition of being the first to complete the round-the-world trip on a multihull via the westward route (against the dominant winds and currents), aboard MACSF, which is none other than the former Geronimo, also designed by VPLP and completely converted in 2014 for Thomas Coville.

CRUISING. Launched last spring (see our article), the first of the MODX 70s (cruising catamaran designed by VPLP) has completed an initial 40-day voyage in the Mediterranean on behalf of Explorations de Monaco, combining scientific research, environmental diplomacy and raising public awareness. The boat, which welcomed aboard Prince Albert II of Monaco during a stopover in Alonissos (Grèce), travelled a total of 2,500 nautical miles, serving as a mobile, noiseless and CO2-emission-free scientific platform. The boat also received numerous awards this year, including the Boat Builder Award at the latest Metstrade in Amsterdam.

CRUISING. The Outremer yard has announced the launch in 2027 of two new catamarans [article in French only], designed once again by VPLP: the Outremers 57 and 64. Construction gets underway in January at La Grande Motte.

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