Enjoy the pleasure of being on the water and sailing in shallow water
The JPK Nomad 40 is the first model of motor boat of the Breton shipyard JPK, conceived for the ballades and the coastal navigation. Transportable, it has a draught of 0,70 m and allows to run aground.
"In coastal sailing in Brittany, we do not sail much. We are more at anchor than sailing. Even if I love sailing, regattas and cruising, I also like to go for walks and enjoy the pleasure of being on the water. I had this model in mind for 3 years. I wanted to improve the pleasure on board by removing the maximum of constraints compared to a sailboat. With the JPK Nomad 40 we replace this pleasure of the sail by going to sail in zones with reduced draft. The objective was to create a boat which is the most purified possible, with a rather fine hull design, a very low center of gravity, which does not hit, which is not excessively greedy and is pleasant to handle" explains Jean-Pierre Kelbert, founder of JPK.
Narrow design and fine water inlets
The JPK Nomad 40 is a J.Valer design of 11,98 m, a minimal size to offer a sufficient living space with the possibility of accommodating 6 people to sleep. It has a pinched hull design with very fine water entries, while being very narrow, 3.70 m wide. The design is reminiscent of the Loxo 32 from another Breton sportsboat specialist, the Structures shipyard, which is also launching a 40-foot version of its motor model.
"Structures had a pretty great idea. euros at that time, we were not yet in that perspective. I visited it and liked the concept, well built and not very greedy, but a little small for my taste." explains Jean-Pierre Kelbert.
Low cruising speed and low engine power
Concerning the motorization, the JPK Nomad 40 will be equipped with an engine of a power of 110 to 150 hp offering him a cruising speed of 12 knots and a top speed of 18 knots with a propulsion in line of shaft. For the engine manufacturer, JPK is considering Nanni or Yanmar, which manufacture "compact engines in the desired power ratings. Volvo was producing the D3 which we were also interested in, but they stopped it. We want a simple, robust engine to go on the road and low on fuel consumption to go quietly up the river, fish at very low speed and navigate without noise, to obtain a boat with a reasonable budget. We designed the boat so that the engine is under the floor and is forgotten. We are not looking for engines similar to those of a real motorboat, but rather to obtain speeds of ultra fast sailboat type TS with average values of 10/12 knots, speeds that allow to sail comfortably with wind and sea. "
Hybridization at the heart of developments
A hybrid motorization will certainly be proposed by the shipyard, for small coastal sailing at low speed.
"Hybridization is very important to us. We are thinking of a retractable pod system to have 2 or 3 hours of navigation at low speed or to slave the propeller shaft on an electric system. We built a JPK 45 sailboat 100% electric. It can be recharged under sail, which is not the case on a motor boat. We are also thinking of an electric outboard of 10 hp maximum, not too heavy, on a chair or in an internal well. It is a less expensive solution", says the founder of the yard.
A large living space to sleep 6 people
Concerning the layout, the large flush cockpit will have a removable transom. It will be directly linked to the convertible saloon which will serve as a second double bed. The cabin located at the front will offer a double bed at the tip and two bunk beds on the port side as well as a toilet, a layout already discovered on the sailing boats.
"It's either a storage area or a sleeping area. It's very flexible. In constrained spaces, we optimize the volume we have on board. The saloon is extremely spacious, with a lot of room to spare adds Jean-Pierre Kelbert.
A know-how in shipbuilding
The shipyard will use the same construction methods as for the sailboats, i.e. infusion with PVC foam and will work in particular on the hull passages to isolate the engine noise as much as possible.
"We benefit from a good experience of careful construction with a preponderant weight factor. This is also linked to the hull design and the engine that we want to install. On fast motor boats, the structure must be robust and the weight increases by 30%. Here, the hull is thin, the engines less powerful, the hull well structured which reduces the overall weight of the boat and increases the range. A trawler of this size consumes on average 4 liters per hour" adds Jean-Pierre Kelbert. The JPK will weigh 5.5 tons.
See you in a year to discover the JPK Nomad 40
With a production time of 9 months between the tooling and the launching of the boat, the first unit (which will be reserved for the shipyard) should make its first sail in April 2023.
"After presenting the first sketches, some clients have already shown interest. We want to take our time to bring out the first boat and to take good care of the copy. We will start marketing afterwards. It is a niche market, which can attract boaters. There are few offers on the market - Structures, Irens, - and a place to take", concludes the JPK founder.
