The renewal of a concept
Almost 20 years ago, Dufour, with the help of Philippe Briand, launched the Atoll range, designed by and for rental companies. The idea was to equip a monohull with the characteristics of a catamaran intended for rental in the tropics. The very relative commercial success did not exceed the rental companies.
Having spent several weeks aboard an Atoll 43 in the West Indies, I can confirm the ambivalence of the open level concept for a monohull. It's extremely pleasant to live at anchor but it's really not ideal for sailing.
So it was Jeanneau's turn to try the adventure of the monohull, renowned for the occasion as the monohull. After 3 years of gestation, Jeanneau unveils the Sun Loft 47.
A completely atypical sailboat
The Sun Loft 47 offers 6 cabins and can accommodate up to 12 people (plus skipper) on board. These characteristics are exceptional even for a 13 m sailboat.
The huge cockpit and the saloon are on the same level, they are one. This "monocat" has a modular cockpit with 2 large independent tables, each of which can be transformed into a sunbathing area. In the extension of the cockpit, so still outside, we discover a vast open kitchen.
And since the living space is outside, the design office has developed removable cockpit protections. Thus the cockpit is covered and closed completely or remains completely open to enjoy the good weather.
The interior is exclusively reserved for sleeping and bathrooms. And there are plenty of them. Inside, the Sun Loft 47 has 6 cabins and no less than 4 bathrooms with toilets.
To better understand this concept, we interviewed Antoine Chancelier, product marketing manager at Jeanneau and in charge of the Sun Loft 47.
Can you shed some light on the concept of this bateau??
Antoine Chancelier: Within the group and in partnership with our rental customers, we have seen an explosion and a renewal of cruising by cabin or even by berth. This is a new clientele between the ages of 20 and 35.
These customers are not sailors, but they are attracted by a nautical holiday concept initiated by actors such as "The yacht week". It is a concept of an ultra-festive holiday in a flotilla.
While these young people between the ages of 20 and 35 consume a lot of leisure time, they do not have the means of their elders. So, to meet this demand, we studied a sailboat that is 50% cheaper than a multihull and perfectly adapted to this type of holiday, the Sun Loft 47.
What if I have a large family and this sailboat intéresse??
Antoine Chancelier: We have no plans to sell this boat to private individuals. In addition, our order books are already well filled for the coming year.
Our customers are exclusively professional, they are tour operators. They charter fleets of boats for ultra-festive and inexpensive holidays for young people aged 20 to 35. And it is particularly in the Mediterranean where low-cost flights provide an attractive budget.
According to our prospects after the European development we should see a strong demand in the Caribbean for North American customers.
There is an air of resemblance with the atoll 43 released at Dufour 20 years ago ans??
Antoine Chancellor: Yes, absolutely. We can say that it was Philippe Briand's prototype. It was a very good concept, but it was probably too far ahead of its time. Times are changing and today the demand is there.
