Over 10,000 yachts have been built according to blueprints by this French designer and his team. All of these boats can be subdivided into three groups: racing yachts, superyachts and production yachts. Philippe Briand, head of Briand Yacht Design bureau, tells us about his many-sided work.
- Philippe, could you tell about yourself? Where did you study?
- My father has raced yachts since 1947, and created the largest European sail loft in the 1970 and 1980’s. It was quite natural for me to start designing boats from a young age. My first professional experience was with Pelle Petterson in Sweden, when together we designed the boat representing Sweden in the America’s Cup.
- How and when did you realise that you wanted to spend your life building yachts?
- I started designing at the age of 11. It’s a vocation. I was 16 when the first boat was built to one of my designs, a 7.50 m quarter tonner.
- What do you think it takes to become a true designer?
- To become a true designer, you have to have had several successful boats built... But clients obviously only have confidence in designers having already built boats. Getting that all important first orders onto the drawing board is very difficult… but it is the only way to get experienced enough and to become a true designer.
- What essential skills are the proof of a true designer?
- A designer must: 1. sail – that’s the starting point ; 2. learn to teach oneself as it is an art which cannot be taught ; 3. remain focussed on his designs throughout his life – boat design is not "complicated" but "complex".
- According to your portfolio you like sail yachts. How are you able to design motor yachts as well, quite a different design challenge?
- Quite right. I am essentially a sail boat designer. To design a sail boat, you have to aim for maximum efficiency. Sail boats are propelled by the natural force of the wind alone. You have to optimise the volumes for comfort in an aesthetic envelope and optimise weight.
With the Vitruvius, we apply the same philosophy to the design of motor yachts. The result is an efficient motor yacht, with lower consumption levels, easy motion, a level of comfort comparable to that of other motor yachts and outstanding aesthetics.
- What does sailing mean to you? Is it a philosophy, a lifestyle or just a job?
- It is a passion, which has become my job and which has a lot of influence on my life style. I still find that there is something magic about being able to make a boat weighing several tons sail at speeds of 20 to 30 knots with the wind as the sole driving force!
When you think about it, it is one of the oldest professions in the history of the world, as sail propelled vessels have been in existence for more than 10 centuries, that it made the great discoveries in the 15th and 16t centuries possible and that it is by far the most environmentally friendly means of transport around … a great future still lies ahead!
- There are several outstanding designers, including yourself. Is it possible to talk about a particular school of yacht design? How does the Dutch yacht design school differ from the French, Italian, and English ones, for example?
- To my knowledge, the world is short on naval architecture schools. The most well-known is in Southampton, and there are other schools in Holland. That said I know of yacht designers who have studied architecture, interior design, physics, aerodynamics or who were masters in the merchant navy!
- Looking at the Vitruvius project, it is clear how you see yachts of the future. But in the future, is there any place for classic sail yachts?
- I also like classic yachts and I think that we need to know how to use certain of these boats’ lines in modern design – they are symbolic. Nevertheless, we are now in 2008 and today’s designers must design boats for the future, as 2010 to 2020.
- Which of your designs do you prefer?
- My favourite design is generally the one currently on the drawing board. But of course Mari-Cha IV remains the most exceptional yacht I have ever had the chance to sail.
- You are the creator of the biggest racing yacht, the 140 foot Mari-Cha IV. She won the Rolex Cup in 2005. Could you describe the project in greater detail?
- Mari-Cha IV was designed back in 2002 but is still the greatest racing monohull sail yacht, and remains current holder of the transatlantic record under sail in 6 days and 17 hours at an average speed of 20 knots. She corresponds to an ambitious design brief set down by the owner. She is now for sale and we have set down her cruising version refit, retaining 90% of her racing performance capacities. According to our cruising configuration, she would be the fastest cruising yacht in the world. Compared to a motor yacht and depending on wind conditions, she would be faster than 80% of the motor yacht fleet!
- You have known Andrew Winch for about 10 years. How did you start your cooperation?
- Andrew and I have known each other since 1990. We had wished to work together on a 50 foot production series boat which was a big project at the time. Since then, he has been very successful and so have we. We wanted to work together again but the occasion to do so did not arise until 2003, when we co-designed the Hamilton II, a 117 foot long yacht for the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. When we discussed the 180 foot design with the Royal Huisman Shipyard, Andrew was the natural choice as interior designer, particularly as he has already worked with this yard on several occasions.
- Do you judge your work in terms of the number of awards or in number of client orders received?
- I judge our work in terms of how many "new" concepts we create. No firm has created more concepts for production series yachts (Océanis, Sun Odyssey, First, Ovni…). Each one-off is also an attempt to offer a new concept. "Vitruvius" is our latest source of pride in conceptual terms.
- What plans does your company have for the near future ?
- We are looking to consolidate three markets; the design of production series yachts, the design of super yachts along the lines of the Huisman 180’ and the design of super motor yachts along the lines of the Vitruvius…
If I have any time left after that, I would also like to redesign a boat for the America’s Cup 2011…
Konstantin Startsev
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