Designers of the new flagship catamaran from Fountaine Pajot focused on providing plenty of space, particularly on the flybridge.
By Ryan Swift for Asia-Pacific Boating Magazine
The new Samana 59 is the flagship of the Fountaine Pajot line of luxury sailing catamarans. The yacht’s huge dimensions create a massive on-water relaxation area and private playground. The aft cockpit space, covering 27.5 square metres, features a huge dining table and settees, with a food prep station that serves both the cockpit and the transom area.
At 30 square metres, the flybridge is the largest of its kind, according to the yard. Fountaine Pajot has said that the flybridge is the “centrepiece” of the Samana 59. A centrally aligned helm station on the fly is matched with a huge seating area around a large table, with settees and sun pads. No skipper will spend much time alone on this yacht.
The flybridge also has a food prep station and wet bar to keep the party rolling. The hardtop Bimini option has skylights for the helm to watch the sails.
The Samana 59 replaces the Ipanema 58, which was launched six years prior. The Samana is a much more modern-looking yacht, and the designers have tried to squeeze out as much entertainment and lounging space onboard as possible. The Ipanema had a much smaller flybridge, and Fountaine Pajot has clearly worked to raise the bar on its top-most deck.
Fountaine Pajot describes its lounge and party areas as “decadent”, and it is easy to see why.
The master suite is in the starboard hull, with athwartships-facing bed. There is the master bathroom aft of the cabin, which leads up a short set of stairs to the aft cockpit. Large hull windows light up the interior so that guests in any cabin will not feel ‘stuck down below’.
The port side hull features the main galley area, which serves an expansive main deck salon, complete with stylish furnishings and tasteful design, as you would expect from a French brand. By having a main galley down below, owners could easily convert their boat into a charter vessel. The port side hull aft also has the crew cabin access, which is connected to the kitchen and has access to the aft cockpit area.
The forward cockpit is accessed directly from the main lounge and special attention has been paid to this space. Sunken seating turns this area into a perfect place to relax and lounge while at anchor.
The transom deck also drops down when at anchor, creating a large playground with both hulls connected, letting guests comfortably walk between the hulls or even sunbathe on the transom.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – SAMANA 59
LOA: 18.78m
Beam: 9.46m
Lightship displacement: 28.2T
Draught: 1.65m
Sail area: 117m²
Genoa area: 87m²
Standard Power: 2 x 110HP
Option Power: 2 x 150HP
Fresh Water: 1,150l
Fuel: 1,200l
Naval architect: Berret-Racoupeau Design