Earlier we wrote about the new Italian yacht Grand Soleil 54. Now we'll tell you a bit more about it in a broader context: let's take a look at the company, its model line and production technology.
Actually, there are two lines of Grand Soleil models: performance cruising and racing yachts. Let's make it clear straight away: Grand Soleil is not "off-the-shelf" products; these boats belong to the semi-custom class. In effect the yachts are built manually and about two hundred of them are launched every year. The mainline models (performance cruising yachts) are of much higher quality and have much better characteristics than widely popular and well-known to Russian yachtsmen boats by Beneteau, Jeanneau, Hanse and Bavaria, which turn up several thousand standard mass-produced boats a year. Compared with these, Grand Soleil is high-end premium-class merchandise. It's almost impossible to charter a Grand Soleil - 99.9% of them are privately owned by advanced, very particular yachtsmen. Of course they are more expensive than mainstream boats (by about 25%), but quality and membership in the premium club are worth it, and not everybody can afford that.
Designed by Botin & Carkeek, the new 37, 40 and 43 boats with their uniform style define the advanced image of the whole line. Grand Soleil 45 and Grand Soleil 50 created by Judel & Vrolijk, and Grand Soleil 56 by Philippe Briand also have that obvious family resemblance though. Regardless of the architects, all models' interiors are designed by Patrick Roseo, an independent stylist who works practically exclusively for Grand Soleil. Almost all interiors feature redwood panelling, with teak available as an option.
Grand Soleil - also known as Cantiere del Prado, the name of the company's official shipyard - is headquartered in the city of Forli in south-east of Bologna. There are two production facilities there, about one kilometre far from each other. The Grand Soleil head office and production unit was built five years ago. It's the coordination centre checking all the finishing and interior decoration works and supervising other Grand Soleil offices. All models except the largest model 56 are processed at one flexible flow line. The line has 17 finishing stations with the testing pool at the end, where each boat is kept for 24 hours before it moves on to the next workshop. The current flagship model Grand Soleil 65 is built outside the production line; it's a custom-made boat. One section at the end of the flow line is used exclusively for the 56 models.
Unlike many other Italian shipbuilders, Grand Soleil has very few subcontractors. The list of suppliers is kept as short as possible, which helps to maintain good relationships, minimize the costs and streamline administration and management processes. Many of Grand Soleil boats are equipped with Volvo Penta diesels, but the 56 comes with Yanmar. Sparcraft supplies aluminium masts which are installed on many yachts, but the client can always opt for a carbon alternative (usually supplied by Hall Spars). Standard equipment also includes Harken end fixture splices, Navtec hydraulics, Solimar steering, Lewmar deck hatches, Harken winches and metalware, Spinlock stoppers and North Sails sail controls.
Currently Grand Soleil builds about 190 - 200 boats a year. Since the day Giuseppe Giuliani, the founder of these yachts, launched the first Grand Soleil in 1973, over 3,000 boats have been made altogether.
Grand Soleil model line
Performance cruising line
37’
40’
43’
46’
50’
54’
56’
65’
Racing line
GP 42’
TP 52’
Konstantin Startsev
Photoreport
USD:
EUR:
