Grand Soleil 72 Long Cruise (22 m), the first photos of the new blue water

The Grand Soleil 72 is a boat on which the Cantiere del Pardo has invested heavily in research, in order to be able to present to the market from the first hull a mature boat, elegant in design and effective in performance. Matteo Polli and Nauta Design ‘s project started from a single hull, to decline the boat into two versions: the classic flash deck version more oriented to performance, and the LC version with a more prominent and differently conceived deckhouse, more oriented to the blue water dimension from long sailing. Of the LC version, the first hull went into the water, of which we now have pictures under sail.

“Our intention has always been to complete the Grand Soleil 72 project by designing and building a Long Cruise version,” explains Franco Corazza, project manager of the Grand Soleil fleet above 60 feet. “This boat was born out of a blend of tradition and innovation, combining Grand Soleil’s vast experience in advanced composite processing with the reliability and design skills of our Italian partners. In the wake of the success of the GS 72 Performance, of which we have already sold four hulls, it is gratifying to have also sold two units of the Long Cruise version“.

The differences between the Grand Soleil 72 LC and Performance

We said that the hull of the Grand Soleil 72 is one and 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.

Deliberately, the differences between the two versions are minimal, the most important being the raised deckhouse that creates valuable additional space in the salon. A choice that has two significant benefits for cruising. The first is the new fenestration that offers 270-degree panoramic views from the salon, whose 20 square meters are divided between a large dining table for eight and a deep, comfortable sofa to starboard.

The second is the off-center access ladder below deck, so that the spacious cockpit can be reconfigured to create a larger C-shaped sofa on the port side, without sacrificing the two sundecks in the aft section of the same. In this way, the Grand Soleil 72 LC is able to offer two outstanding social areas: one on deck and the other below deck.

From a technical point of view, this layout also ensures another advantage. Raising the deckhouse and salon floor slightly creates more technical space underfoot. Electrical and mechanical systems can be relocated here, in turn freeing up useful space elsewhere on the boat. Surprisingly, all the modifications dedicated to cruising add no more than 500 kg to the displacement.

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