Big Cats V
by John Curnow, Global Editor, Powerboat.World 16 Mar 20:00 GMT
Well, I'll be. I can honestly say that at the point of inception I did not ponder, even for a moment, that a recurring theme had been created. We're now four and half years down the track, and so much has changed in the universe. Yet it is quite possibly the level of development that has gone into large cats, and the very usage of them that has adapted to their own very unique attributes and requirements, which in turn has provided the material that has gone into this Editorial's predecessors.
It would also be very remiss of me not to take this time to thank every reader who have taken each of the instalments into the tens of thousands of reads on their own, let alone cumulatively. It is greatly appreciated. If you'd like to review them, they are Big Cats I, next was Big Cats II, followed by Big Cats III, and then Big Cats IV from about 14 months ago now.
So, yes. The space has changed, and undoubtedly will continue to do so. As such, it would have to be one of the most interesting and evolving, as well as probably the fastest growing sector of the large powerboat market. Jeremy Tutt from GranOcean agrees, "We see all sorts of different clients converging in the space. We have clients coming down from longer monohulls but still looking for volume, people coming over from sailing vessels, and then those that are totally new to boating all together. It most certainly is a really interesting space."
This is no longer some small market niche, for sure, and what is really amazing is how adaptability pretty much reigns supreme... It is a different kind of boating.
The big question starts to be answered
Still, a couple of big questions remained. Unlike their sailing cousins that were dotted around the islands all over the planet, tucked up in a bay somewhere, or even resting gently on soft sand at some idyllic beach, powercats demanded answers to berthing, marina fees, dry dock/slipping/haulage. This was especially so for the 'converted' sailing cats with their humongous beam.
Now all of these are slightly less of an issue with the GenIII powercats that are now more the main fare, and you can read a bit about that here, but it remains, none the less.
Tutt added, "Geographically, it changes. Typically, in the Mediterranean people are struggling to find annual berths in the prime locations for large beam catamarans. However, cats are autonomous beings. So, the whole idea is that you stay out, and don't go into the marina. It becomes about the home berth, then, as we see far more use of the fast tender, where they keep the cat out at anchor on the mooring ball as a mothership."
"That covers off the cruising part, and then owners are looking at secondary, or even more commercial ports for winterization and that sort of thing. In the Caribbean it's much less of an issue, because there's not much there anyway. Remember too, that in this space, the bulk of the fleet is crewed to varying degrees."
"Mainland USA berthing in the main lifestyle marinas can be challenging. So, people are being inventive around it. By way of example, I've got clients in Croatia that keep the boat on an island. The crew bring the yacht to the mainland when owners and guests fly in, pick them up, and they go cruising."
"In terms of lift out, increasingly the yard capacity is bigger and bigger. Yes, it depends on where you are, but not so much of a challenge anymore," said Tutt.
Now the latest, narrower beam, higher bridge deck vessels retain the inherent stability, still deliver volume aplenty, ride better, especially into a seaway, and are easier to find berths for. GranOcean are powercats from the keel up. They are genuinely offshore capable, having been penned by Howard Appollonio, and there is no sail option. In this way, they are true GenIII powercats, arguably a little on the conservative side, but absolutely capable of being tailored to exact wishes, with a qualified team right there to help guide your choices into the world of practicality, usability, and value.
Real boat, real seas, real choice
"Case in point," said Tutt, "We launched a GranOcean W60 at our new shipyard, which is just outside Zhuhai, and it was delivered on its own bottom to Sydney. That's a 4,000 nautical mile shakedown cruise. I really think people are paying more attention to the real capability of the boats."
"Typically, a coastal cruiser would be a flat-bottomed boat, whereas a GranOcean can take on the long passages and sports a narrower entry and beam, so will behave better at sea."
Remember too, that powercats can deliver a main deck Master Stateroom like no other, and make a Portuguese Bridge the size of the Royal Balcony at Buckingham Palace look proportional. Equally, modern materials and construction allow for very different interior spans and spaces, so the design parameters have shifted significantly, just as have the expectations of the buyers.
"We build a W series with a conventional, traditional main deck, which is all given over to saloon and lifestyle space. Galley up or galley down doesn't really matter. It's all liveability, and then people go down to bed. We also build an X series where people can have a main deck Master. It all depends on how people are going to use the boat."
"We're also seeing more quests to put the master up on the flybridge level, as the added stability means there is less roll, and they can have their own private balcony, as well. It all comes down to where they want to the living space. Whilst at rest and entertaining, or for when I want to go to bed," added Tutt.
As mentioned, GranOcean's new yard is at Zhuhai in China, with direct water access, and room to grow (28,000m2 or 300,000ft2). It's an old shipyard that's been refurbished. At the moment, they build five or six boats a year, and now have the ability to significantly go up on the existing footprint (say 12-15 craft p.a.), and then expand into the additional land as the market dictates. The group is serious. Stimson for running surface and CFD, Gurit for Structural Engineering, and Vripack for the interiors. There is also an ever-expanding internal team to deal with changes and modifications.
Your way, not the highway
Currently, GranOcean have the W60 and 72 (Feet), then X 24 and 32 (Metres), and yes there are another two models (one for each model line) to be announced soon (at Palm Beach and Cannes). F.Y.I. Don't expect GranOcean to go down range, per se, but rather fill in gaps between 60 feet and 32m LOA (nor go into sailing vessels, either). Both model lines are ocean going, with W being more in the traditional powercat space, and X going into Explorer and Shadow Boat territory.
Add in their tailoring to suit the client and it adds a level of complexity, to say nothing of extending the buying cycle. Staying profitable keeps to doors open. It is one of the reasons there are four interior style packages to select from to have as a starting point. Clients can merge and fuse, which at least is a pretty well-defined starting point.
In the W-Series it is about moving staircases or bulkheads, galley wherever you want it, but the X-Series is pretty much custom.
Galley placement, and sight lines is one thing a cat can work with. There is a GranOcean W72 in Italy that has a forward wraparound galley, all below the window levels of main deck for true 360-degree visibility on the main deck. There's a central bar, with all the refrigeration in drawers on the inside of that and then a breakfast bar to one side, then in the middle of the galley you've got the access to the bow seating and lounges. (FYI, there are four layouts available.)
This highlights that cats like this work to the new norm, which is not so much a norm as it is whatever you want. An extended family that has someone to drive, maybe someone to clean and make shipshape, but they will do the cooking. Like many a home today, the kitchen is the hub. The key word here is home. Today's powercat is an expression of a waterborne version thereof, and the usage patterns directly reflect that, which predicates design choices.
Equally, many are seeing that running the AC in the Main Saloon overnight is worthless, and just have it on in the bedrooms, which in turn can allow for silent running in the dark hours due to lower hotel loads. These sorts of changes in design parameters mean you do things like put additional cold storage in the crew mess, dedicate external square meterage to solar, and so forth. A new set of outcomes to the traditional boating compromise.
Externally, today's powercats have to have dockside appeal. As Tutt says, "When you walk into a marina, you want you and your mates to look at your new boat and go, 'Wow, that looks fantastic. There's thought gone into it. It's well structured, well designed.' I think we've got quite a low profile compared to a lot of the other builders that have gone, you know, slab sided and so on. So, we're trying to keep the lines really flowing."
Remember too, that with your powercat anchored offshore due to aforementioned scenario, not nestled into an overtly cramped marina, you could be at a beachside restaurant looking out to sea, and if you don't like what you see, well...
"We have not spoken about it so much yet, but the overall crewing expense is an issue. With the changes in the way people use boats, we're seeing people starting to come down from these big super yacht monohulls to more reasonable sized catamarans; a 32m powercat can easily go toe to toe with a 45m monohull, for instance," noted Tutt. BTW, GranOcean's first vessel in this bracket will splash late in 2026.
Pace - the other Nota Bene
Is it 12 knots? Is it 17-19? Maybe even 27-30? Totally different requirements. There is one GranOcean 72 powered by a pair of 550s, and they are happy doing 12 knots all day. It is also super-frugal (8 knots @22lph/5.8gph). There is also one in the USA with C18 Cats (1150hp) that will make 27 knots. The note here is that it is the same hull form, and the design was created originally to achieve that kind of spread. You'll do a lot of storm dodging or make the dinner reservation with the latter...
Then there's hybrid. Many a European port requires it for going in and out, and GranOcean can achieve that for you, but they do prefer to put work into hotel loads, storage, and outcomes. HVAC is always the big consumer, and you can be silent at anchor for two days with LiFePO4 and the new solid-state batteries, in conjunction with solar, but you do have to recognise your choices and the draw they command. Run a million lights, have the sound up at concert level, run more screens than an office tower, and the whole boat chilled to 17 degrees, and the answer is pretty simple - ICE.
Ultimately, if you picture a satellite in your mind, where the arms extend to set the solar array, well a 50m boat cannot deploy enough panels to cover the hotel load. That sets the tone, all right. Boats being built now will be different to those built in five years, but it is all predicated on technology continuing its mighty march.
One thing we can say is that certain Chinese manufacturers, and GranOcean is one of them, have advanced their construction methodology and outcomes to be on par with the bulk of the Europeans. Many of the same components are used. Tutt says, "We build really good boats with resilient specifications that are going to work on the water. QED. Our construction and fit-out is at least as good, if not better."
A lot of this could be put down to now the construction workers making the boats have actually been to sea on them, whereas in 2020, this was a rarity. The various craft or trades have evolved now. The next part is to see design follow suit, and perhaps they can draw on the learning of key Korean car companies. Indeed, two of the primary players in GranOcean, Eric So and Scott Suen were educated in Canada and California respectively, so they have a more international eye. Add in Vincent Mausset and Tutt to complete the pitch.
The real deal
A Gran Ocean can also go into charter quickly, by virtue of its original build spec. They find their owners have a cruising plan, and then want to infill the gaps with charter. A powercat is well suited to that.
Interestingly, despite having shipped them already, the upcoming Palm Beach International Boat Show will mark the global debut of the W72. The boats have not been 'shown' as yet, with the CYF really keen to get them there for this September. Proof could well be in the proverbial pudding. Might be making 12-15 sooner than they think...
This is a brand that put the conversations first! They build real boats for discerning boaties. It's for people who want to participate in the process and be a partner. GranOcean vessels are competitively priced, for sure, but at this level buyers sign on to the belief of what the builder is delivering. Get that and you get GranOcean. Flexibility and nimbleness to work to the buyers' aspirations is at the core of the process and thinking. "There's an excitement in that, and it is here GranOcean excels," as Tutt puts it.
A GranOcean can often be the end game, so not many have come up for re-homing, but do swap hands swiftly when it happens. That GranOcean have come so far on no real external activity speaks in volumes, which in today's world would be more like speaks in Terabytes, for the bookshelves full of encyclopaedias is a dodo now...
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John Curnow
Global Editor, Powerboat.World