Fountaine Pajot plans ‘carbon-neutral’ boat by 2030

The group announced at the weekend it would spend €33 million ($A52 million) developing up to 13 new models due to be launched by 2024, as well as changing its boat-building process to make more environmentally friendly products.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the business hard, Fountaine Pajot deputy managing director Romain Motteau said, with revenue for the year falling 17 percent to €172 million as factory shut-downs affected operations.

However, both Fountaine Pajot and its sub-brands Dufour and Iliad were profitable, with the company still able to launch two new boats – the Fountaine Pajot Samana 59 and Isla 40 – despite the lack of international boat shows in response to the pandemic.

The company also has €177 million in forward orders on its books, up five percent on the previous year. Sales to private buyers has overtaken sales to charter businesses as new buyers reach out to the brand.

“In the market, we are really enthusiastic to see a lot of newcomers to the boating experience,” Motteau said.

“We started to see the surge in demand in May and it looks like the COVID-19 effect is strengthening the willingness of millennials to jump into boating.”

The recently revealed Fountaine Pajot 51 sailing catamaran features built-in solar panels generating up to 2000W of electricity, which is enough energy to power the boat’s electronics, fridge, cold storage, ice-maker, TV and audio equipment, and rechargers.

First deliveries of the Fountaine Pajot 51 are expected in April, with the boat priced in Europe from €750,000, or around $A1.2 million.

Fountaine Pajot’s official Australian distributor, Multihull Central, plans on having three of the French brand’s catamarans on show at April’s 2021 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, including the Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 sailing catamaran, Fountaine Pajot MY 40 power catamaran, and the Iliad 50 bluewater power catamaran.