SCOOP This will be the new RM 1600, the largest boat (16m) ever built by the French shipyard

The newRM 1600 (16.00 x 5.00m) The RM1600 (16.00 x 5.00 m) is the new boat from RM Yachts that we will most likely see in 2025: it will be the longest hull ever built by the French shipyard founded in 1989 in La Rochelle. Some time ago the yard (then still called Fora Marine) had tried its hand at a boat of this size, but the project then stalled.
Now, however, the time is ripe and the new RM 1600 has nothing to do with that “old” 16 m from 2015.
Like the rest of the range, this boat is designed primarily for cruising the high seas on long-distance cruises.

New RM 1600 (16 m)

Constructed of marine plywood impregnated with epoxy resin, RMs outperform fiberglass boats in terms of longevity, rigidity, and in addition, they have a reduced environmental impact compared to other materials usually used in shipbuilding.
The advantages of this material are numerous: lightness and stiffness, for greater performance under sail, and a dry and healthy interior atmosphere, thanks to its thermal and phonic characteristics.

RM 1600, which boat is

That it is a boat devoted to comfortable, long-range sailing can be seen from the design of the hull, which is high at the bow to cut through the waves and low and streamlined at the stern; in this area, moreover, a rollbar has been arranged on which antennas or photovoltaic panels, for example, can be mounted.
Other noteworthy and characteristic technical details of the RMs are the pivoting keel, which, from a draft of 4.18 m increases to 1.72 when retracted, and the double-bladed rudder. What is most striking, however, are the lines and solutions used by Marc Lombard Yache Design studio (which has designed every RM launched so far and is now moving forward after the passing of its founder) in the layout of the spaces.

The details that make a difference

Let’s start with the cockpit, which is very large and with the rigging arranged (counterintuitively) not toward the helm, but in the classic position on either side of the hatch; with this arrangement the La Rochelle shipyard hints that the boat was designed for crossings and not for solo daily cruising.

The double rudder wheel is widely spaced, measuring 5 meters the maximum beam, and because of this special attentions in the transition from the transom to the bow there are none, except to keep an eye on the mainsail luff. Marc Lombard’s studio put a lot of effort into the outdoor spaces, returning original ideas to the cockpit: this is the case with the port side sofa, which, thanks to the lowering of the table, manages to transform the area from convivial to a sundeck for three people.
The RM 1600 is one of the few sailboats to have two tables in the stern: on the starboard side, in fact, the actual extendable dining table capable of seating five people comfortably has been arranged.
Ingenious is the dome solution that, running along the perimeter of the hatch, can avoid the installation of the spray hood. Since there is no tender garage, the boat can be stowed suspended at the stern, where the support can also be equipped with solar panels.

Interiors

Below deck, the RM also differs from most boats because the large windows, even in the front, give a 360-degree view of what passes around the hull, allowing occupants dry and comfortable sailing even in bad weather.

The floor layout can be chosen from two combinations, both of which include a double cabin aft with double beds.
What changes is what is in the bow: either a master cabin with private bath, or two cabins on the bulwarks with overlapping beds.

RM 1600 – Data Sheet

Length f.t.: 16.00 m Overall length with bowsprit:
18.30 m Width:
5.oo m Draft:
4.18/1.72 m Displacement:
14.5o t Sail area mainsail:
84 sqm Sail area genoa:
72 sqm Sail area staysail:
35 sqm Sail area gennaker:
135 sqm Asymmetrical sail area:
260 sqm Engine:
Volvo Penta 100 hp Fuel tank capacity:
500 l Water tank capacity:
2 x 500 l Category:
A Construction:
RM Yachts Design: Marc Lombard Yacht DesignFederico Lanfranchi