Nicolas Harvey: The man who brought the catamaran to Four Winns...
The Four Winns TH36, whose final version has just been officially released at the Cannes Yachting Festival, is the first catamaran from Four Winns. A major event, and even more so, knowing the project represented a real challenge. To mark the launch, we spoke to Nicolas Harvey, the Four Winns brand’s director. We talked about the project’s origins, philosophy, future prospects and the secrets behind one of the powercats of the future.
Image
1
/
1
Publié le
25/09/2023
Par
Dominic Salander
Numéro :
192
Parution :
Nov.
/
Dec.
2023
For those who aren’t (yet) familiar with the brand, could you introduce us to Four Winns?
Nicolas Harvey
- Four Winns is an American brand that is almost 50 years old, having been created in 1975 by the three Winns brothers and their father, in Michigan, USA. The boats are still manufactured in the same factory. It’s an iconic bow-rider brand. In addition to their elegance, Four Winns boats are renowned for being easy to handle, comfortable and well-equipped. The brand was bought by the Bénéteau Group in 2014, and since 2020 we’ve set about giving it a new lease of life. The idea is to retain the Four Winns DNA but give it a more international dimension and improve the user experience as much as possible. For example, 98% of bow-riders are sold in the United States, and we want to offer this brand more prospects by conquering new markets.
MW
The new TH36 is a catamaran, why did you decide to go down this route?
NH
- In fact, the Bénéteau Group wanted to get involved in the powercat market of this size, and it appeared that Four Winns was the most appropriate brand to carry out this project. In addition, as I said before, we really want to develop Four Winns by opening up new horizons. The Multihull sector is a fast-growing market, with very optimistic prospects according to industry specialists. A catamaran means more space on board, a more practical deck layout and greater stability on the water. It’s also more economical in fuel consumption and very practical to maneuver, thanks to its twin engines, while offering very pleasant sailing. In a few words, a catamaran is a bit like a deck boat on steroids, in that you get the best of both worlds.
For the TH36, we called on an expert in the field, Marc Lombard, a well-known naval architect in the multihull world
(Editor’s note: we just learned about Marc Lombard’s passing). The upper part and the design of the layout are by Garonni.
In the end, we kept the iconic Four Winns line, but in a much-improved version
MW
How did TH36 come about?
NH
- Once we had validated the project, we started looking for an architect. There are many talented architects on the market, but Lombard’s experience and reputation in the multihull sector made them the best choice. Next, we went in search of a designer. Here again, the Bénéteau group has been working with talented professionals for a long time, and for what we wanted to do on the TH36, it was the Garonni firm, with whom we had already collaborated on numerous projects, who was really the best candidate. They really listened to us and followed our specifications to the letter. In particular, it was very important to adopt the Four Winns brand codes - it’s a brand with a very strong identity
MW
How did you combine the brand’s heritage in this new concept, and how did you turn it into a boat destined for worldwide distribution?
NH
- We really had to immerse ourselves in the world of this American icon to bring out its DNA and to define the use our customers will make of a powercat of this style. We also took a close look at what was available on the market, to identify where we could do better. This is particularly evident in the cabins, as we are the only ones on the market to offer two real cabins and two complete heads on this type of catamaran. The other point on which we worked hard was the layout of the aft cockpit. We really wanted it to be modular to improve circulation on board, adaptable to different uses, and also provide maximum protection.
Finally, our last concern was to make a “global“ boat, and not just one adapted to the American market. To achieve this, we took into account the sailing habits of different countries. For example, while Americans tend to be used to boats without side-decks, particularly in the Four Winns range, the TH36 has a passage on each side, which is practical for maneuvering or attaching fenders. On the other hand, the companionway door is an essential feature for North American customers. And then there are the points that are the direct result of our teams’ experience. A good example is the long bathing ladder that descends more than 70 cm (27 inches) from the surface to facilitate ascent. In the end, the combination of these different constraints and elements enabled us to create a boat capable of seducing boaters all over the world. It also gives the TH36 a unique personality of which we are very proud.
MW
So, this is your very first catamaran. What are your expectations and plans for the future?
NH
- We don’t want to replace the models that have made the brand so successful for so long. The TH 36 is an opportunity for Four Winns owners to evolve, to move on to a slightly larger, slightly different unit, while retaining what they liked about their current boat.
The idea, of course, is to build up a complete TH range, with probably a smaller model in the future and, certainly, a slightly larger unit, but it’s still too early to talk about that, as the powercat is just starting its commercial career.
As for the target audience, we sincerely believe that it will be a balance between current Four Winns boat owners who wish to upgrade, and new customers who will take advantage of this opportunity to discover the brand.
One thing’s for sure: this is just the beginning of a new adventure!
