Sunreef 88 Double Deck

It took no more than 9 months for the Sunreef 88 DD, first announced at the 2016 Cannes boat show, to see its hulls hit the water in Gdansk, Poland.  Yet this is not just a well-honed semi-custom boat, but a brand new model in the range which is already known to connoisseurs and necessarily demanding owners. Having owned many of the best in English and Italian motor yachts, this family got into sailing with a beautiful 25 meter ketch.  The natural instability of a heeling monohull prompted them to ask Ian Sellers, their skipper, to think of another solution.  The choice of a sailing catamaran was a logical one: the space, stability, low draft, panoramic view and the economical running are irrefutable arguments for those who want XXL-sized comfort.  

A good average speed to cross the Atlantic or to reach new anchorages in the Caribbean islands after a beautiful summer season in the Mediterranean also guided their choice.  It simply remained to find a shipyard capable of satisfying the wishes of the owner.  With a budget of more than 4 million euros, this owner was looking for a boat that was not just ultra-equipped and of the highest quality, but a unit that was entirely made to measure and therefore unique.  With the many examples already sailing in the Mediterranean it didn’t take long for Ian (the skipper) to identify Sunreef as one of the few manufacturers with the potential to meet these specifications...

Starting from a blank canvas

With the 82 DD being considered too small, the decision was made to draw a brand new model.  The owner wanted four beautiful cabins with private bathrooms and proper crew quarters. Add to that  multiple living and relaxation areas, whilst maintaining an aerodynamic look and an elegant silhouette.  The boat will be an 88 foot catamaran in a double deck version.  The living volume achieved by doing this is much larger and some clever ideas have been used to increase it further.  In the saloon, the concept of a double deck was only used to house the helm station, giving the saloon a very large space with unparalleled headroom.  The jet skis were placed in a deck recess, molded into the side-decks of each hull. The reverse sheer of the deck allowed this integration while preserving the volume in the cabins.  This freed up the aft garage, allowing this space to be transformed into a beautiful skipper’s cabin with its own private and comfortable shower room.  The below-decks crew also benefit from a suite with galley and twin cabin, well-suited to performing their outstanding service over long periods.  The owner's cabin at the front enjoys a 180° view.  The 3 guest cabins are really very spacious with integrated dressing rooms.  This arrangement is, after all, fairly standard on models of this size.  But the realization of the project - taking on the ideas of the owners - under the supervision of the skipper has been particularly seamless. The interior layout makes it possible to maximize on board well-being, whatever the duration of the passage or the time on board.

The construction was particularly neat, with the choice of polyester for the hulls and coachroof, and carbon for reinforcements and structural bulkheads. The entire deck and coachroof was made in one piece.  The weight saved with this method of construction allows for details inside to be fine-tuned. In order not to exceed 45 decibels in the cabins and to guarantee a cozy atmosphere in all conditions, a lot of work went into thermal and sound insulation.  An example?  The doors are 6 cm thick and all the windows in the coachroof have been made of double-glazed armored glass...  To perfect the installation, a low-pressure forced-air circuit distils natural ventilation throughout the boat, thanks to numerous ventilation outlets, but also to extractors.  

This leads to it being a very quiet system, which can be connected to the reversible air conditioning, guaranteeing an ideal temperature with air always being renewed.  Every detail has been planned and anticipated with the goal being ease of use in every situation. The day heads are accessible from the cockpit, without having to enter the saloon. This is very convenient at anchor or when coming off the flybridge.  And on the flybridge, the roof of the rigid bimini has an anti-reflective coating and the large sundeck aft has bottle holders.

The technical department has also been well equipped to meet the needs of the epicureans on board: there are two 27 kW generators, two watermakers producing 150 l / hour, a wine cellar in the saloon for immediate consumption, and another larger one for storage down below.  Huge chiller compartments in the hulls complete a professional kitchen. No comment necessary.

Understated decor

All this technology is particularly well-concealed, with a well-designed interior decoration, thought up and designed by the owner. The main idea was to create a calm and reassuring atmosphere...

Chambord oak was used for the veneer of the furniture and bulkheads.  Materials such as linen, leather, silk, wool and quartz have covered armchairs, beds, headlinings and carpets.  All selected in shades ranging from gray to beige through shades of brown.  A coral touch to the cushions, chairs and crockery enhances the soothing atmosphere created by these natural shades.  Parents are rightly concerned about the safety of the family and children on board, so a lot of work has been done by the yard on handrails and other handholds.  Made in stainless steel, one of the specialties of the yard. The result is as beautiful as it is practical!

Ocean and coastal aptitude

Since its delivery in July, this boat has already covered ten thousand miles. The two 425hp Cummins move the craft at almost 10 knots cruising speed and silently over transoceanic distances. Under sail – supplied by Incidences  (460m² upwind and 680m² downwind) - allows for good performance.  In the light breeze in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, below 10 knots true, the boat hit 7 or 8 knots and as soon as the wind picked up a little, she got into her stride. With 15 knots of wind, averages if 11-12 knots are made in great comfort. The foresails are composed of a genoa and a staysail, whose load from the halyard which is quite low on the rig, is handled by a pair of lower shrouds. This allows for peaceful sailing in a strong breeze.  Sail handling is assisted by Bamar hydraulic winches and high-end Harken electric winches installed on a console grouping all the sail trimming maneuvers in front of the flybridge helm station.  The fully-battened main stows on a carbon canoe boom which is manufactured by the yard themselves, as is the mast.  

During the trip down from Poland to the Mediterranean, an average of 16 knots was maintained under staysail and two reefs in the main, with 30 knots on the beam.  All with an impression of reassuring ease!  But it is especially the sensation of quiet power that is striking when under way.  Nothing vibrates or trembles, whether under sail or motor and even in a big sea.  Everything has been firmly assembled and fixed, and gives the impression of being able to withstand assaults from the harshest seas.  In the same vein, Ian Sellers has worked hard on preparing the boat so as not to be caught off guard by events that could interrupt anyone’s vacation, such as damage to a rudder or a dragging anchor.  To achieve this, the equipment in the forward hold is unequivocal: 4,500 Watt windlass, chain locker boarded in teak with 14mm chain and 110kg anchors, and an emergency rudder.  The sign of a truly professional skipper.

Conclusion

While we have lost count of the number of boats built at this Polish yard now plying the seas, it is safe to say that the level of finish of this Sunreef 88 DD marks a new step in the life of the brand.  A family of seasoned boaters who have thoroughly thought through and drafted their project and specifications as well as their program, an experienced skipper who played the role of project manager and the adaptability of the shipyard led to the creation of this maxi catamaran in only 9 months. A really short time in the world of custom yacht building!  Sunreef Yachts is demonstrating their ability to adapt, and build quality boats to a degree of finish never before achieved in their products.

Plusses

- An elegant silhouette due to the cat’s long length and a profiled coachroof

- The quality of construction and the resources used to achieve exceptional comfort

- The attention to the omnipresent detail which provides a constant well-being on board, whatever the conditions encountered

Minuses

- The need to determine the specifications on a professional level is imperative for such a project. The help of a competent skipper is essential.

- So much choice that a project manager is required for selecting and refining the details that create the end result.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Builder: Sunreef Yachts

Construction: Composite glass fiber/foam/carbon

Length: 26.8 m

Maximum beam: 11.2 m

Draft: 2.3 m

Mast height: 34 m

Motors: 2 x 425 hp

Diesel capacity: 2 x 4000 l

Fresh water: 2 x 800 l

Mainsail area: 270 m²

Genoa: 180 m²

Staysail: 76 m²

Gennaker: 290 m²

Code 0: 380 m²

Guests: up to 12 people

Crew: up to 5 crew members