Limiting constraints for easy sailing
The Breton shipyard continues its development with the DG 5.5, a small transportable sailboat whose first sketches were unveiled during the autumn boat shows. Construction of the first model in the series is already underway, and should be completed in December 2024, before she sets sail for the first time off the Morbihan coast.
The niche of small transportable sailboats is often under-exploited by the big shipyards, and it's a real pleasure to see a new unit come onto the market. This small sailboat was initially developed to meet a personal need of Jérome Clément, the shipyard's founder:
"On a personal note, I haven't had a sailboat since I launched the yard in 2019. So I was looking for a small, transportable unit that was easy to access and quick to set up. Lacking free time, it had to be quickly ready to sail, and easy to drive for family use."
"I didn't want a technical bomb, which limits the program and requires too large an operating budget."
Finding nothing to suit him on the current market, Clément and his team imagined and launched the construction of the DG 5.5, which at the same time will be added to the range already offered by the Lorient-based shipyard.
A transportable sailboat with a scow bow
The DG 5.5 has a hull measuring 5.50 m by 2.50 m, to stay within the road-going template. Its powerful hull and scow bow make it a fun and easy little sled. This twin rudder is equipped with a ballasted centreboard that completely disappears into the hull to allow beaching, all with one leitmotiv: simplicity.
Rather wide, it offers appreciable deck space for a crew of 4. The mainsheet returns to a central turret, close to the two headsail sheets.
Lightweight (380 kg with 85 kg of ballast), it can be transported on a single-axle trailer and does not require an extension to the road permit.
An ingenious modular front axle
The deck layout is highly innovative for a yacht barely 5.50 m long, and features a number of adaptable layouts:
" We wanted to remove some of the constraints of this size of boat, hence the idea of an open, self-draining deck layout. At the bow, a removable, flip-up sprayhood provides either a large berth or a cosy saloon. With the sprayhood open in fine weather, the crew can enjoy a 220x170 cm sundeck. "
And the crew will easily find room to stow all their gear. Below the cockpit benches, the DG 5.5 features two large storage lockers measuring 210 x 75 x 70 cm, a volume rarely seen on a yacht of this size.
On the budget side, the DG 5.5 is available for ?33,000 incl. VAT, fully equipped and ready to sail.
