They really did build a better Mousetrap!!!

Not solely is the magnificent and opulent VPLP-designed 110-footer of the identical title the most important all-carbon cat ever launched, however now she is offered on the market by means of Fraser Yachts at lower than half alternative price and with out the three+ 12 months construct time!

Very often one comes throughout a stand-out yacht that’s genuinely able to providing a singular expertise of life afloat. Mousetrap, a world-girdling 34m (110ft) VPLP design, is one among these and at 12 years outdated remains to be the most important all carbon cruising catamaran ever constructed. And he or she’s now on the market by way of Fraser Yachts’ Fort Lauderdale workplace.

It’s, in fact, well-known that catamarans make implausible spacious, quick cruising yachts that supply massive degree residing areas and related advantages that may’t be discovered even on bigger monohulls. This information extends to most of the world’s most profitable skilled sailors, together with Knut Frostad and Mike Golding, who selected catamarans for lengthy distance cruising with their households.

It is subsequently a shock that cats – and particularly efficiency cruising designs – are so not often discovered within the superyacht world. But Mousetrap continues to supply ranges of consolation, area, pace and stability that also stay uncommon, even amongst superyachts.

Particularly, an general beam of 14m (46ft) units this vessel aside from all besides mega-yachts of greater than 65m in size and provides scope for unparalleled lodging, with a number of broad open sociable areas. On the similar time, she is able to delivering 400-mile days when on passage.

But this isn’t a flighty, no-holds-barred, all-out pace machine. As a substitute, Mousetrap was conceived as a protected and steady platform for proprietor Daniel Borel, co-founder of Swiss expertise big Logitech, to discover the world with three generations of his household in consolation, in model and at tempo. She has fulfilled that function with aplomb and in so doing has given his three kids and 7 grandchildren experiences that might by no means have been doable with some other model of yacht.

Mousetrap is a VPLP designed carbon fibre efficiency world cruiser accessible instantly in able to go situation

Regardless of the spectacular lodging volumes, the lifting daggerboards that assist improve efficiency underneath sail imply minimal draught is just 2.4m (7ft 10in), opening up all kinds of harbours and anchorages which might be usually off limits for superyachts.

The preliminary temporary for naval architects VPLP was for a pure efficiency cruising yacht with large stability and the usage of carbon to create an especially stiff construction, with out pointless weight. On the similar time, the imaginative and prescient from the outset was for the boat to have the ability to cowl as a lot floor as doable underneath sail, so good crusing efficiency in all situations was a crucial design criterion. It was additionally crucial for the boat to be simply managed, together with the usage of spinnakers when cruising with household on board.

Building was by JFA in south Brittany, a boutique yard well-known for specialist light-weight cruising vessels. Since her launch Mousetrap has confirmed an ideal vessel during which to cruise your complete globe, together with an eight-year interval within the Pacific, in addition to notable visits to high-latitude locations.

‘I’m completely amazed by her stability, there is not any want for lee cloths and no uncomfortable heeling movement like a monohull. It is actually phenomenal,’ says Georges Bourgoinie of Fraser Yachts, who sailed 1,200 miles on board earlier this 12 months, together with a passage from Antigua and the Cayman Islands, and is dealing with the sale of Mousetrap.

Mousetrap’s 14m beam units her aside from all vessels besides megayachts

‘In 25kts of true breeze we had been reaching alongside at 18-20kts on a day once we coated virtually 400 miles,’ he provides. ‘I used to be sitting down, with my laptop computer and a restaurant latte on the espresso desk, speaking to my spouse by way of Starlink. Every little thing was steady and quiet with no creaking or groaning – the boat may be very nicely constructed and engineered. There was not one of the shaking and unpredictable movement lots of people affiliate with cats – it was predictable and really, very delicate. I used to be actually impressed with that.

This expertise is firmly backed up by Mousetrap’s captain, Bernard Labro, a double America’s Cup winner: ‘On Mousetrap you’re all the time relaxed and on a platform which is safe,’ he says. ‘Ninety per cent of the time you’re crusing flat – it’s a consolation that you just don’t realise is feasible till you attempt it.’

The deck format is organized for environment friendly quick cruising, together with a really open foredeck the place three uneven spinnakers and code sails, together with one among 800 sq. metres, are stowed on a carbon fibre cradle that sits on the trampoline. This makes the spinnakers straightforward to deploy and recuperate, with the consequence they’re used liberally in accordance with Bourgoinie: ‘The boat’s all the time crusing, and never motoring, until there’s completely no wind.’

Every little thing could be dealt with with solely 4 crew on deck, two ahead and two on the flybridge. This has 4 massive Harken winches amidships simply aft of the mast, so all strains could be dealt with at this degree, whereas there are additionally sheet winches outboard for headsails and spinnakers. The absolutely battened sq. prime mainsail has a slab reefing and a Park Avenue increase into which the sail flakes itself neatly, whereas each headstays are on hydraulic furlers. The Southern Spars mast, which has EC6 carbon standing rigging, dates from 2016 and is well-proven as a strong and really dependable setup.

Her downwind setup is really easy to deal with that spinnakers are flown routinely on passage with solely 4 crew wanted to deploy and recuperate them

Mousetrap additionally advantages from an intensive, no expense spared 2022-23 refit carried out in France, which introduced her again to the situation of a brand new yacht. Because of her very educated crew and a major capital funding, the refit coated each system together with new equipment, new sails, servicing of mast and rigging, new teak decks, paint and general refinishing. She is subsequently offered in a able to go situation, with no work excellent and even her crew paid till the tip of 2024. That creates a very totally different proposition for potential house owners to the a number of years wanted to design, construct and debug a brand new absolutely customized undertaking of comparable measurement.

One other essential standards on the design stage was for your complete fundamental deck to be on a single degree, creating excellent residing areas with none steps, whereas the broad beam makes for big volumes. That is additional enhanced by the carbon arch that helps the mast base, which implies there aren’t any visually intrusive central posts or bulkheads, leading to ethereal uninterrupted inside areas which have unsurpassed 180 diploma ocean views.

One among her finest options is the flybridge with separate areas for visitors and crew operations

The principle saloon is split in 4 sections whereas retaining a versatile open plan design for leisure, eating, and dealing. Along with an workplace space, there’s a big central bar, beneficiant lounging zone with a wraparound couch, plus a proper eating area. The inside saloon seamlessly extends to the foredeck by way of a watertight, class accredited door. The foredeck has a six-person jacuzzi, additional lounging areas and a hid ladder for straightforward water entry, creating a really perfect area to unwind.

An enormous aft deck additionally spans your complete beam and gives ample solar bathing areas aft, together with a beneficiant sheltered eating and lounging area that seamlessly blends indoor and outside residing. From right here you’ll be able to see all the best way ahead, by means of the entrance home windows of the saloon and to the foredeck. Outside areas that can’t be air conditioned are geared up with a misting system to maintain visitors cool. The inside additionally advantages from optimised pure and compelled air air flow.

The proprietor’s suite is aft in the primary hull, with two VIP cabins ahead of that, plus a fourth within the starboard hull. Midships and aft within the starboard hull is snug crew lodging for six, and the galley.

Mousetrap has a variety of watersports toys and two top-notch tenders. These embody a 5m carbon crew RIB, whereas fundamental tender is a customized 6.3m Xtender, with a capability for 12 folks and a Z-drive unit able to powering the boat at 45kts. It’s additionally geared up with 4 shock mitigation seats, plus a boarding ladder and wakeboarding pole.

All strains are managed from the flybridge

Total, she is a one-of-a-kind vessel, with a singular mix of the consolation and liveability of a catamaran, mixed with the poise and energy of a thoroughbred crusing yacht, plus unsurpassed ranges of stability and security. The imaginative and prescient and willpower of her proprietor means she gives a way of life others can’t expertise.

The latest refit means Mousetrap is able to go anyplace on the planet, with no work excellent, whereas Bureau Veritas class compliance was recertified in 2023. Though she has solely been used privately so far, Mousetrap might enter the constitution market, the place Bourgoinie says she has each likelihood of appreciable success.

Mousetrap is offered instantly at a value that’s lower than half that of an equal new construct yacht and with out the three or 4 12 months wait a customized undertaking sometimes entails.

On the time of writing she was in Bodø, Norway, heading south by way of the UK and Eire in preparation for spending the autumn within the Mediterranean.

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