Fountaine Pajot is the #1 builder in the world for serious, voyaging catamarans. Each model is designed to cross oceans in any weather, and to have the space and load-carrying capability to accommodate your serious, voyaging plans. FP MultiHull Article See the Fountaine Pajot Caribbean Rendezvous article here.

INDEX: BOATS

Index to articles Click here

One of the most important aspects for your enjoyment of a catamaran--The control cockpit and Its Bimini-- Control cockpit, or Fly Bridge--what's important? See the difference. Click here.

Click on the boat listed below, to go to the model and complete information

NOTE If you're looking for something over 50'--we have confidential information for the latest new product for 2011--Call 410-263-2311 X222--Eric Smith, President

> FP 36-Sail
> FP 40-Sail

> FP 41 New Model. 

> FP 44-Sail
> FP 48-Sail
> FP 60-Sail
> FP 65-Sail  

> FP 35-Power Cat
> FP 40-Power Cat I
> FP 46-Power Cat
> FP 55-Power Cat

Index:

1. See All the Boats
2. Customizing your boat
3. Information about Fountaine Pajot
4. Useful information
5. Comparison articles
6. Links-Power Cats

Get a quote or more details... Get a custom quote plus 6 page option list to plan your boat.

Customizing your boat

From offices, to customized storage rooms. We can show you how to take advantage of stock boat prices, while still getting a customized boat. Services Financing Instruction (With our partner LGC) Commissioning and service Insurance Surveys Customizing your boat. The new, Control cockpit concept... Click on the pictures to enlarge. We now incorporate a Hard top Bimini which provides more cockpit protection and an area to attach side curtains, while serving as a sun bathing platform above. The floor blends smoothly into the main saloon, with no awkward step down. Virtually the entire boat now serves as one large, comfortable entertaining or working space. The cockpit is open aft, for easy walk out access to the stern platforms, dinghy, or deck. The control cockpit itself offers easy, direct access to the deck, on one hand, and the cockpit on the other. A couple of steps down, put you and your guests back together. Food and beverages are easily passed to the helmsman who is not isolated from her guests! See a slide show of features and a successful helm bimini. Click here. All Sail Controls are led to the control cockpit including both jib sheets, main sheet and main halyard. One electric winch can control everything.

1.Custom boats

Customizing your Fountaine Pajot

(New or used!)

Most dealers give you a manufacturers option list and you put the boat together yourself.

We interview you to find out what is important to you. We introduce you to our systems engineer to discuss your options and to make a commissioning plan. Annapolis is "America's Boating Capital". We have access to the best people for electronics, carpentry, metal fabrication, sailmaking, canvas products and every other type of marine product that you can imagine.

Whether you're a seasoned pro, or a newbie, you shouldn't settle for less than  to have your boat meet your personal requirements. For an explanation of the process and issues, visit this link: Customizing and commissioning your boat, right!

We also arrange complete services. Everything from instruction, to financing and finding a slip.

Don't take our word for it, see what a few of the nice folks that we have helped recently have had to say...

Testimonials...

Contact us for details: 410-263-2311

Catamarans--the new generation...

Let me warn you now, this is a light, breezy discussion of some of the influences, and some of the developments that builders have used recently to differentiate themselves from the competition, or to launch their boats into today's market. (If you want a more robust, far ranging discussion, and more technical information, go to our famous article "Good Cat, Bad Cat--what makes for a good, offshore, live-aboard catamaran?"

I think success has come when the builder had the experience, combined with the intent (and success-translated: Money!) to move the bar forward.

Intent...

Will the boat sail in a 50 mile circle (Charter boat) or need to carry the kind of loads a serious, long range cruiser will carry?

In the real world,

(The reality is that serious cruisers carry more and more stuff in today's world! Your boat needs to be designed to accommodate and to carry these increased loads. A/C, Generator, watermaker, dive compressor and all of the inevitable equipment that finds itself creeping aboard--and then there's what your friends bring...)

Professional Testimonial...
A delivery captain's opinion:

From delivery captain, D.L., MSc who on Sept. 13th, 2006 completed the trans-Atlantic delivery of a Fountaine Pajot 43, Belize: "Compared to other catamarans that I have delivered, and especially compared to the Lagoon line, the Fountaine-Pajot Belize 43 is more responsive, points better and is much quicker to accelerate. The forward steering station is much preferred (over catamarans with aft steering) and the Fountaine Pajot station is much easier to work from than that on the Lagoon. I encountered very, very heavy (25') seas during this trip and nothing has broken and no stress cracks were seen--that has not been the case on other catamaran deliveries. Also, on the Lagoon, they seem to glue all the pieces together, like some of the mass produced monohulls, and so when we did need to get access to components it was very difficult. On the Fountaine Pajot, we checked this and even though we didn't have to get to anything, it would have been very much easier. I used to be prejudiced against catamarans and preferred monohull deliveries but, after the Fountaine Pajot delivery-I have definitely been converted! " D.L.

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Supplemental information

2.Fountaine Pajot

Fountaine Pajot is the largest builder of offshore/liveaboard catamarans in the world. Volume production brings the economy of scale, and allows a stable, skilled work force to build your boat to exceptional standards at a production price.
FP is familiar with, and has used the highest tech construction techniques in racing and one-off boats, but chooses to use moderate high tech techniques in their cruising boats. You see, in racing boats, you can afford to take risks with unproven techniques, and unyielding laminate structures in order to gain a small speed advantage. However, in your cruising boat, you want proven technology and a measure of give when you brush a piling, or go aground. moderate
Compared to the typical monohull, FP is probably still considered high tech. Their skilled, and experienced work force is totally familiar with vacuum bagging, cored construction in laminates and internal structural members, and higher quality, less forgiving resins. But don't be fooled. The builders that throw out all of the fancy terms and names may be choosing unforgiving untried technology to your ultimate detriment.
Here, then are a few of the important features found on every Fountaine Pajot:

Fountaine Pajot is one of only two yards now offering it's boats built to the highest ISO 9001-2000 latest version-- European standard for offshore yachts. Over 1/2 of the Fountaine Pajot Catamarans built, sail trans-Atlantic in their first year--These boats are built, must be built, for Ocean sailing! The power boats are cruising in virtually all oceans of the world.  ( About the ISO standards here...)
All Fountaine Pajots  incorporate vacuum bagging construction and careful hand lay-up with sophisticated high strength resins which results in an extremely high strength to weight ratio while maintaining tremendous

Because of the anticipated volume of construction, FP spends more on initial tooling. By designing complex, interior molds that also use cored, vacuum bagging, where appropriate, we use many fewer pieces which are structurally bonded to give true unibody construction. Compare our 38, for example, with a total of 12 molds to competitors who use over 50! We get strength through better design.

Extra beam provides more stability. The hulls are built to offshore standards. Bulwarks with SS solid rails (not lifelines) surround the wide walk around decks. Structural skegs protect the shafts and rudders. Everything is carefully thought out and designed for offshore exploration and voyaging. Technical information about choosing a Power catamaran

On Sail Boats, we maintain a Beam/Length ratio of over 50%. This gives you very high stability, and a large window of opportunity before you need to reef (for safety). NOTE: Boats with exceptional beam beyond this may simply be adding unnecessary weight and get into an area where the hulls sail in different wave systems. That's why the larger FP's have a proportionally smaller ratio.
The keels are fixed and filled with foam. They are a separate piece, glued into a molded socket in the hull. They protect the rudders and shafts, but should they strike a reef or submerged object they harmlessly break away without allowing water intrusion.
Our boats are designed with multiple watertight compartments in each hull. Not only are FP's unsinkable, but they are designed so that if you hit floating debris and compromised a compartment, you could probably sail on. Even if you compromised two or more compartments you would be O.K.
All FP's meet not only the European standards, but the highest French, Offshore standards. (Necessary to sail out of the country on their own bottoms!) There are, for instance, reentry hatches located appropriately above the inverted waterline so that in the unlikely event of a capsize, you can use your inverted boat as a life raft with all supplies still available.  Choosing your catamaran

The beam offers less rolling. The narrower hulls offer less wave making resistance for better fuel economy on up to higher speeds. The FP's track straight as an arrow, even in following seas. Technical information about choosing a Power catamaran

We use nets forward and eliminate weight in the forward hulls to prevent pitching and aid bow recovery in heavy seas. (The nets let the water through, rather than tripping the boat, the full, light bows provide buoyancy so the bows don't bury.)
The hulls are rather full, with rounded shapes allowing FP's to sail at designed speeds under load. Typically, a loaded FP will sail at speeds approximately 20% greater than a comparable sized Monohull. (How do we know? Because we regularly deliver Monohulls and Catamarans from Annapolis to the Caribbean for our charter fleet and we look at the logs!)
The sterns are full and incorporate considerable overhang aft so that they adequately support the weight of the diesels and mechanical equipment. Again, the actual sterns are kept absolutely empty to reduce pitching.
There is consistently high bridge deck clearance and a smooth, unobstructed under bridge shape that prevents pounding at sea.
All FP's have twin diesels. You have the security of backup systems for virtually all mechanical and electrical functions. We can motor at approximately 80% of hull speed on just one engine which greatly increases your range and is at least comparable to the hull speed of single hull boats.
Flat deck spaces, and especially the relatively flat coach roof, make it comfortable and easy to move around. Choosing your catamaran

The galleys are up so the cook is in one of the lightest, airiest parts of the boat. Additional storage, pantry and utility spaces can be designed in below to accommodate live-aboards who require fewer cabins. On many of our charter boats, we design in removable bulkheads and extended floors to accommodate work shops, pantries, offices and more later when the owner takes his boat out of charter.
The Nav area is up with a full 360 degree view. With a remote on an autopilot the boat can be completely navigated from inside much like with a pilot house design.
A unique, patented feature is the eyebrow overhang of the coach roof over the window areas. This prevents the high sun from creating a greenhouse effect inside the boat. There's a difference you can feel on a sunny day. This is very important, and something you may not notice on a short visit but note that on the competitors Cats with wrap around windows that the wonderful panoramic view you normal expect is blocked most of the time with curtains or window coverings designed to keep out the sun!

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