Archambault Grand Surprise

Looking for a stiff sportsyacht with cool French curves, a powerful 7/8th rig that can be raced with a symmetrical and six crew or asymmetrical kite and half complement, that also lends itself to social sailing-

Then consider Archambault's 32ft Grand Surprise. It's true to its name.

Since its release three years ago, more than 220 of the slippery sportsyachts have been sold into Europe and Japan. Gill Finlay from Pacific Yachting spotted the pretty little keelboat at the Paris Boat Show. He crunched the numbers and found the price was right. What else can you get for under $200,000 race ready-

The Archambault Grand Surprise was one of the drawcards at the Sydney Boat Show with its navy-blue hull, standard kite running gear, 10hp Yanmar diesel motor with saildrive and self-feather prop, and deep 2.05m keel (optional retractable and shallow-draft versions) with 1050kg lead bulb. An aftermarket North Sails wardrobe added $16,500 to the $147,000 base (blue hull) price.

The importer hopes to sell four Grand Surprises a year to ex-Etchells or J24 owners who have grown tired of hardstand hassles. The sportsyacht will be competitive in the IRC divisions of regattas from Hamilton Island and Geelong, to Middle Harbour and Pittwater. The yacht can also partake in JOG races, and it could race in Category One offshore races.

The yacht's stability rating of 136° means it can, in theory, enter the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, which has a minimum stability requirement of 115°. Displacement ratio is 42.33 per cent, which is stiffer than a J92 - another French rival pitching for the same sportsyacht market.

North Sails sexed up the racer-cruiser with a wardrobe comprising non-overlapping 100 per cent jib, #4 high-clew working headsail, fully-battened main and the asymmetrical and symmetrical spinnakers. Other options include Raymarine speed and depth gauges flush-mounted in dedicated cockpit mouldings.

A masthead halyard was added for windward/leeward racing, which is popular on the yacht's home base of Lake Macquarie. Though it's early days, the yacht has apparently kept pace with those slippery flush-decked Adams 10s that are part of the Lake's landscape.

Like all good sportsyachts, this one offered the thrill of the (composite) tiller, which had a cool Spinlock extension and a stock that exits a pretty deck moulding. The slippery hull from well-known French naval architects Michel Joubert and Bernard Nivelt has a fine bow and narrow transom to reduce drag.

Construction is all solid GRP with a balsa-cored deck. Parts of the furniture such as lounge backing boards are foam cored to save weight. The weight that counts is down low and kept out of the end of the hull.

FRENCH FLAIR
While it is foremost a daysailor for racing, the sportsyacht has two very clever alter egos. The first is its ability to take guests out onto the racetrack. A separate mid-cockpit seating area is flanked by primary winches, however the sheets are fed through outboard blocks and back to Lewmar 40 primaries on the cockpit sides.

As the central seating area is devoid of lines, there is room for four people - say, curious kids - to ride aboard without getting in the way of sail trim. For serious racing, the centre cockpit will be the preserve of the headsail trimmer.

Importantly, the gunwales are nice and rounded for accommodating weight on the rail. The boat responds to human ballast, preferring to be sailed quite flat like many sportsyachts. There is plenty of room for the helmsman and continuous mainsheet system just ahead of the skipper for the trimmer, backed by stainless-steel footrests designed to put an end to scrambling for loose ends.

Lifelines and intermediate wires - 60cm high on this sea version - help keep the for'ard hand on deck. Bow to stern, the boat's smooth decks are easy to get around. And a subtle but effective kind of non-skid helps with your footing about the generous decks.

The 7/8th deck-stepped alloy mast has twin swept-back spreaders, no runners, no lazy jacks, an adjustable backstay, solid vang and standard reefing horns. The halyards and kite lines lead to Lewmar 30 winches and Spinlock clutches either side of the companionway. If you stand on the steps into the cabin you will get full headroom under the boom while tending the halyards.

The boat has a large sub-floor storage area behind the helm that is accessed via a deck hatch. You can reach the fuel tank and steering gear, and stow sails, but keep that weight out of the ends for racing.

The recessed throttle was within reach of the skipper's deck shoe, and the manual bilge pump is nearby. In short, Archambault has put a lot of thought into making this 32-footer mindful of crew and helmsman's needs. Some tweaking by North Sails and the yacht was ready to race.

FRENCH UNDERGROUND
While there isn't standing headroom below decks, the interior is comfortable. Like the intricately-moulded deck, the interior appears to be designed rather than cut and shut. A big Lewmar escape hatch up front, portholes and white internal liners keep the interior light and cheerful.

The companionway is wide and inviting, and the opposing lounges flanking the foot of the steps beg testing. The lounges are covered in a trendy blue-and-white-striped fabric and surrounded by storage shelves covered with see-through white nets. With lee clothes, you could use the lounges as seaberths.

Sail storage areas extend aft of the lounges and under the mid-cockpit sole, but not so far that the sails slip back near the transom. Motor access is via hatches either side of the companionway stairs (incidentally, fuel capacity is 25lt). I could get to both sides of the Yanmar, but not the top of the block to the oil filler. Hand pump needed.

The internal bulkheads are fashioned from what appears to be mahogany-veneer over marine ply. The timber is used for various accent panels, and I noted some trendy Euro-style fittings here and there.

There is a quasi nav station amidships with a marine radio and switch panel for the boat's 12V electrical system. The moulded storage unit could be used as an icebox or fridge if you fitted an internal plate. Failing that, you will need to bring a portable icebox and strap it to the mast base.

The day galley across to port includes a single-burner portable gas stove for boiling the billy, and a sink linked to a 50lt water bladder in a cupboard below. A locking catch or strut is needed so you can prop the ply lid open that rests above the sink. Otherwise, expect a finger chop any time soon.

Up front is the master cabin divided from the main living area by a half-bulkhead and privacy curtain. Storage pockets flank the forepeak double bed. Add the lounge/daybeds and it's possible to sleep four people aboard.

The forward bed has an infill covering a portapotti. Underfloor access hatches let you reach the transducer and auto bilge pump at the mast base.

SAIL AWAY
Lifting my head from my notepad, I noticed a glorious late-spring day on Lake Macquarie with nigh a cloud on a clear-blue sky. The southeast seabreeze was just starting to fill, and the boat revealed itself to be nothing if not slippery in the 10-12kt wind. The only thing we didn't get to do was fly the masthead kite.

On a beam reach flying the 3/4oz asymmetrical kite off the boat's retractable bowsprit, we maintained 7kt in 8kt of true wind. When we poled out the 1/2oz symmetrical kite in 10kt, we scored 7.6kt on a leeward course. Then we worked our way back upwind maintaining 6.6kt in 10-12kt. The non-overlapping jib and a smart crew made for some snappy tacks.

I judged the yacht to have good responsiveness and acceleration for around-the-cans racing. With a crew of six, 20kt and the 75sqm masthead kite, you should be able to get the boat surfing. The 32sqm fully-battened main isn't short on power, either.

But even tied to the marina the sportsyacht looks like something you can be proud of. The avant-garde mouldings and curves have poise and purpose. The Euro styling, with elliptical windows and striped blue-and-white canvas down below, is as contemporary as it comes.

Surprisingly, this Archambault Grand Surprise was the first yacht from the French company to make it Down Under. But there will doubtless be others. Archambault will have been making yachts for 50 years next year, and the Grand Surprise is a lot of yacht for under $200,000 race ready. The only thing that's slow to catch on are local sportsyacht buyers. Definitely worth a look.

HIGHS

LOWS