24 Catamarans in Tuscany
Owner gatherings continue to be successful events: no fewer than 22 sailing multihulls (from the Isla 40 to the Samana 59) and two powercats attended the 11th edition of the Fountaine Pajot Owner’s Rendezvous held in Tuscany, across from the island of Elba.
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Publié le
31/07/2025
Par
Emmanuel van Deth
Numéro :
203
Parution :
Oct.
/
Nov.
2025
From the quays, it was impossible to miss the Fountaine Pajot fleet; 24 catamarans ranging from 40 to 59 feet do not go unnoticed in a chic marina mostly occupied by monohulls. From the Isla 40 to the Samana 59, it was a veritable brand catalogue moored alongside. Compared to the 2022 edition in Croatia, where charter boats were largely grouped together, the owners here were overwhelmingly represented aboard their own catamarans. Even more surprising: nearly a quarter of the participants were flying the Swiss ensign! There were no fewer than five Swiss crews: La Pinta (Helia 44), Lillesol (Elba 45), Maona and Blue Mandarin (Tanna 47) and finally Kapowai (Aura 51).
The highlight of the event was the “race” to Elba Island: this wonderful trip, with a lovely 15-knot breeze and calm seas, took the fleet to Porto Azzuro in less than three hours. The crew of the Isla 40 Terre, led by Richard and Dorothée, fought hard until they were overtaken at the finish line by the Astréa 42 Migaloo 2, because of the unpredictable winds caused by the topography at the bottom of the bay. The finish line was not that easy to reach under sail, prompting some participants to finish the course under motor. The third catamaran to cross the line was the Astréa 42 from the Fountaine Pajot team – an honorable finish considering that this chartered multihull had neither a gennaker or a spinnaker.
For the return leg to the Gulf of Follonica, the downwind sails were set again as the wind shifted to the left. This time, it was Maona, a Tanna 47, that took the lead, powered by its red and white gennaker. Halfway through the race, Lillesol, boosted by its large blue asymmetrical spinnaker, tried to regain the lead, but to no avail. Despite its smaller size, Terre once again demonstrated the advantages of having a clean hull... and folding propellers, finishing in third place on the podium.
On land, there was a succession of feasts and tastings of local products in the dreamlike settings that Tuscany has to offer. Due to strong northerly winds, the grand parade around the mysterious island west of the port and the scheduled “sunflower raft-up” in the Gulf of Follonica were replaced by sailmaking and electronics workshops, much to the delight of the 120 participants.
From Isla to Samana...
Countries represented: Australia, China, United States, France, Italy, Switzerland
Helia 44: the oldest multihull
Astrea 42: the most represented one with 6 vessels
Isla 40: the smallest one (2 multihulls)
Samana 59: the largest one
Terre: The Determination To Win!
Terre’s plan? “First, sail the length and breadth of the Mediterranean,” enthuses Richard, “And then, why not a round-the-world trip? That’s our dream…”
Kapowai: Ready To Discover The Mediterranean
“We had quite a bit of wind, often head-on, but it was ultimately an excellent opportunity to discover and get to know our catamaran. Today, we are delighted to share this enjoyable moment with other Fountaine Pajot owners in Tuscany, especially as this region of Italy is a fantastic place to sail. We are going to sail to Elba and then stay here in Port Azurro for a month to finalize the preparation of our catamaran. Then we will head to Sardinia, Sicily, Greece, Turkey – and why not Malta?”
Dinner with a breathtaking view of the Punta Ala marina... you couldn’t ask for a better location!
The sailmaking workshops were very popular and well attended.
The Hélia 44 La Pinta flies the Swiss flag... and was the oldest catamaran in the fleet.
The Samana 59 Libertà, registered in the United States, was the largest catamaran attending the event.
