Grand Soleil 60: Α new frontier of high performance and comfort

Cantiere del Pardo presents the Grand Soleil 60, a bluewater cruiser designed with Matteo Polli and Nauta.

The new Grand Soleil 60 stands alone among its peers, combining strong performance across a wide range of conditions with refined lines and exceptional onboard comfort. It represents the latest evolution of Grand Soleil’s fast bluewater cruising concept. All the hallmarks of Grand Soleil’s celebrated design heritage are there. The sleek shearline combines with the plumb bow and low profile coachroof to create an irresistible sense of speed and power. A generous, wide open cockpit and drop-down bathing platform are testament to the boat’s entertainment possibilities. And the towering rig speaks of exhilarating sailing. A project shaped by the collaboration between Matteo Polli, Nauta and Cantiere del Pardo, bringing together their distinct expertise in naval architecture, exterior and interior design, and construction to create a yacht defined by a cohesive and contemporary design vision.

“We are extremely proud of our newest model, the Grand Soleil 60 ,” said Marcello Veronesi, CEO of Cantiere del Pardo. “We are excited to present her to the public in Cannes and to showcase our concept of a super-comfortable cruising boat based on fast, efficient racing lines, designed to make every mile under sail a pleasure.”

Designed to spend extended periods on board without sacrificing the pleasure of sailing, the GS 60 balances generous living spaces with Grand Soleil’s unmistakable sailing DNA.

A saloon for living

Nowhere is this combination of liveaboard comfort and refined design on better display than in the voluminous saloon, which makes excellent use of the full 5.8m beam of the boat. With natural light streaming in through a combination of hull windows, port lights and overhead hatches, the sofa area provides luxurious lounging with a view of the ocean, while the table opposite can sit up to six people for an elegant meal or transform into a sea of upholstery for a movie night. Grand Soleil has also retained a flexible navigation area, including a large touchscreen display above a desk surface, allowing you to sit on the end of the sofa and plan the next day’s sail. The open-plan galley has been carefully positioned down a step against the forward bulkhead, so that you can cook or prepare a drink without being excluded from the conversation in the saloon. Grand Soleil has played with the levels so that the work surface is just below the backrest of the sofa, allowing a very natural flow between the two spaces.

Galley equipment is of the highest standard, with the option of an induction hob and electric oven, plus a full-height fridge-freezer, dishwasher and even a wine fridge. Storage is in a class of its own, with high cabinets positioned under the deckhead, lots of cupboards and further storage beneath the floorboards. In the standard layout, there is a pantry on the starboard side opposite the U-shaped galley, offering even more work surface and storage space. Or, like the first owner, you can opt to turn this space into a fourth cabin containing two cosy bunks.

Owner’s cabin

The owner’s cabin lies forward, in the most peaceful part of the boat. A large forward-facing double bed is offset to port, close to the boat’s centre of gravity, where the motion under way is most comfortable. There is dedicated hanging space and plenty of drawers and cupboards for long periods aboard. An elegant private owner’s bathroom in the forepeak has a separate shower with a seat. This is an oasis of calm and comfort. Grand Soleil’s experienced craftspeople hand-finish every element of the interior from a humble wooden fiddle to the luxuriant fold of a piece of upholstery, and the owner’s cabin is its highest expression. The quality of this detailing and the practical elegance of the materials used elevate the living experience and infuse the interior with a deep sense of calm. Two further guest cabins are positioned aft of the saloon, each with its own ensuite heads and shower. They can be configured with the port-side cabin always as a double, while the starboard-side cabin can be arranged as either a double (optional) or twin beds (standard). Both cabins offer excellent storage space and bathed in natural light. Powerful aircon or heating can be individually set in each cabin, and there is natural ventilation through opening hatches.

“We had to combine the request for more space and more comfort with the DNA of Grand Soleil,” said Massimo Gino, CEO and Co-Founder of Nauta. “That is to say, we always kept in mind that this must remain a true sailor’s yacht. The result is a careful balance of open-plan contemporary living with practical features like grab rails and storage space. It really is the best of two worlds.”

New level of performance

As with all Grand Soleil’s recent designs, naval architecture comes from the expert pen of Matteo Polli. He is renowned for his work on numerous race optimisation programmes and brings that experience to the GS 60. A deep 2.8m bulb keel, single spade rudder and tall 25.7m rig combine to harness plenty of power. Efficient vinylester sandwich construction maximises hull stiffness while controlling weight. In the low winds prevalent during the Mediterranean summer, the boat’s slim profile at the waterline minimises drag. This is a particular benefit on downwind courses, when the hull is more level in the water. Efficiency at the waterline translates into good sailing passage speeds of 6-7 knots even when the wind doesn’t reach double figures. And in a decent breeze, the high-aspect main and 102-square-metre jib allow the boat to hit 10 knots with ease.

“While the hull shape provides stability in a blow and low drag in light winds, it also offers remarkable volume below,” says Polli. “One of the key elements of the brief was to create generous living spaces without compromising on the brand’s celebrated performance. If you are going to spend a long time on board, it needs to feel every bit as refined and welcoming as home.”

Under sail

By any measure, the cockpit of this boat is large, benefiting from the way the boat maintains its broad beam right the way back to the stern. Here, family and guests can relax and enjoy the sailing without finding themselves in the middle of any manoeuvres. Flexible high-low tables can seat up to eight in great comfort, or be converted for sunbathing at anchor, and you can rig a sprayhood or bimini. In the standard configuration, the mainsheet comes down to a fixed point in the cockpit, between the twin helm stations. Either way, the powerful rig is extremely flexible, allowing you to adjust the mainsail’s draught and twist by jockeying the outhaul and halyard tension with the hydraulic backstay. Sensitive running backstays can add another dimension of trim, although they are essential to provide adequate tension to the staysail and allow complete control over mast bend. Sail control lines run back to the elegantly cantilevered pedestal helm stations, at the after end of the coaming, with the lines running inside it. Jammers, Harken Performa electric winches and low-profile push buttons for the electrical and hydraulic functions are integrated here, keeping the deck surfaces delightfully clear and uncluttered.

The standard mast is in high-quality, high-strength extruded aluminium alloy, with a performance upgrade to carbon spars and roller-furling or Park Avenue boom available. Sail handling is set up for a self-tacking jib, a staysail and an overlapping genoa. Meanwhile, the bowsprit has two electric furlers and two further tack points to suit a wide wardrobe of reaching and down-wind sails, including Code sails and furling gennakers. True to Grand Soleil’s easy sailing concept, an experienced owner would have no trouble handling the rig alone. And the option of putting a compact crew berth in the forepeak, where the first hull has a cavernous sail locker, opens up numerous different ways of operating the GS 60. For sailors who refuse to choose between genuine sailing pleasure and true long-range comfort, the Grand Soleil 60 brings them together in a single, beautifully balanced yacht. That is why Cantiere del Pardo defines its new model with one simple promise: Comfort beyond distance.