Grand Soleil 72, the first photos of the Made in Italy sailing superyacht (23m)

We have told you step by step about its birth, climbed aboard to show it to you in detail, and now it sails. Here are the first photos in Capri (splendid) of the brand new Grand Soleil 72, the 22-meter that Cantiere Del Pardo offers in two versions GS 72 Performance GS 72 LC (Long Cruise) and that, in fact, launches the Made in Italy brand into a new dimension, that of superyachts.

Grand Soleil 72 – What a boat!

To understand the Grand Soleil 72, in the two versions GS 72 Performance GS 72 LC (Long Cruise) we resume the chat we had with an outstanding speaker, project manager Franco Corazza, who of the “superyacht” project is the daddy along with the shipyard team.

Grand Soleil 72, why a boat in two versions.

“One same hull, declined in two versions. One to satisfy those who want a true sports car design (Performance), and the other version for those who like to sailing with a Blue Water,” Franco Corazza tells us to begin with, continuing: “But the hull and construction are identical.

In both versions, a boat of the highest build quality, with the boat skeleton, spars, and longitudinal members all made of polyester-based vinylester composite with extensive use of carbon reinforcements where you really need them to make the structure more rigid and solid, i.e., where there are greater stresses and strains.

Interiors are made of composite or lightened woods. The result is a solid, lightweight boat at the top level of the world’s benchmark production. As an example, the boat including reinforcements and bulkheads succeeded 100 kg less than expected. The empty displacement of the Performance version is 31,000 kg, at the lowest limits of the category. And the LC version weighs only 500 kg more.”

All the secrets and record numbers of the Grand Soleil 72

Franco Corazza knows a thing or two about boat design, as he has won national, European and world championships with his boats in his career. He takes pains to explain the concept of the Grand Soleil 72.

She talks about it as if she were a supermodel preparing for a fashion show: “A boat with little wetted surface area and shapes that extend the dynamic length, goblet shapes that are narrow at the waterline and wide on deck.” Translated: a fast boat but also with lots of volume.

But there is no end to the description of the GS 72’s pluses, Corazza continues, “a boat with a single rudder blade with deep draft (m. 3.20) for better control in all wind and heeling conditions. Great attention to the trade-off between draft and performance. The standard draft is 3.70 meters, which in the reduced draft version is reduced to 3.20 and with the optional lifting keel (retractable keel) even to 2.70 to 4.40 meters. To top it off, there is also a Race option with 4.20 meters of draft.

Behind the birth of Grand Soleil’s new 72-foot “superyacht” is an all-Italian dream team. Matteo Polli on water lines, Marco Lostuzzi on structures, Nauta Design on deckhouse and interior design and layout. The conductors are Franco Corazza with Gigi Servidati, chairman of the Pardo shipyard, builder of the Grand Soleils. They are all important names, leaders respectively in their fields.

The differences between the Grand Soleil 72 LC and Performance

We said that the hull of the Grand Soleil 72 is one, the same for both versions. The real difference lies in the deckhouse, cockpit and interior dinette. The LC version has a slightly more pronounced deckhouse that allows for a raised “raised saloon” inside with a direct view of the sea. The trick is also on the inside where, compared to the Performance version, the GS 72 LC’s walking surface is only 30 centimeters higher.

Also inside, the Perfomance version is all on one floor, while the LC has two small steps leading to the raised dinette.

The cockpit of the LC version is more protected, raised by 15 cm, for long, dry and comfortable sailing. Performance’s is more open.

Still on the subject of interiors, the LC version can have a layout quite similar to the Performance version that has the galley towards the bow or you can choose with a more classic layout with the galley in the aft area.

Yachting tradition becomes current

Corazza is keen to end our chat with an important detail: “Our intention is to create with the new Grand Soleil 72 and the subsequent 65 and 80 to come, a process of actualizing the yachting tradition.

We recover the best of solutions and design and make them contemporary, timeless. Just look at that deckhouse, only 27 centimeters high, which makes the profile look like the as a boat flush deck, recovery of the past, to understand the work what we wanted to do.”

Data Sheet

Overall length 23.75 m
Length at waterline 19.84 m
Hull length 22.00 m
Maximum width 6.20 m
Standard draft 3.70 m
Sail area 310 sqm
150 hp engine
Fuel 1 ,000 liters
Water 1 ,000 liters
Cabins 4 with 4 bathrooms
https://www.grandsoleil.net/it/model/gs-72/