The team at Windelo is celebrating the news that the Windelo 54 has been named Multihull of the Year for 2024 in the Premiere category at the International Multihull Show in France.
“Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and a real recognition of all the work accomplished by our Windelo family,” Gautier Kauffmann, Windelo’s co-founder, stated in a press release.
The Windelo 54, which has electric motors for more sustainable cruising, is built with an eco-responsible composite that reportedly reduces the environmental footprint of the production process by 47 percent. The composite is made of basalt fiber (volcanic rock) and PET foam (from recycled plastic bottles). Windelo architects Christophe Barreau and Frédéric Neuman developed this composite in collaboration with researchers from the École des Mines d’Alès in France.
Windelo’s team also reorganized the onboard space for additional guest comfort, with a forward cockpit and full-length nacelle that is open 360 degrees. “Your sailing experience has become more comfortable and social while entirely connected with the surrounding environment,” Kauffmann added.
Creation of the Windelo 54 follows the builder’s Windelo 50, which was named European Yacht of the Year in 2022. The Windelo 54 builds on lessons learned with that design, such as sailing at 3 to 4 knots on true wind speed for minimal energy use.
The Windelo 54 can use renewable energy, including solar and hydrogeneration, for up to four hours of engine range per day at 6 knots. That’s with all the navigation and “home comforts” being used, according to the builder.
Windelo also used natural, eco-friendly or bio-based materials in the boat’s interior design. Examples include wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council along with recycled and organic textiles.
Like the Windelo 50, the Windelo 54 can be ordered in three versions: Sport, Yachting and Adventure.
The Sport version is a high-performance boat built with carbon and technical fabrics to reduce weight, along with equipment and deck gear options to optimize performance under sail.
On the Yachting version of the Windelo 54, owners can choose the widest range of customizations, such as materials and detailed trims.
The Adventure version—which is ideal for owners who want to offer their boats for charter—has upgraded hull protections with robust, easy-maintenance materials for exploration cruising.
Where does Windelo build its catamarans? In a 17,200-square-foot facility in the Occitania region of France, at the port of Canet-en-Roussillon.
Where to learn more: go to windelo-catamaran.com
