Prestige enters multihull market with new power cat range

Prestige Yachts, part of the Beneteau Group and a leading builder of motoryachts from 40ft-70ft, has launched the first model in its new M-Line series of power catamarans – the M48. The move is significant as, until now, Prestige has always focused entirely on monohulls. According to Prestige: “Since the middle of the 1980s, large sailing multihulls have seen spectacular growth, progressively becoming the generic image of large cruising sailboat. Following in the wake of the sailboat segment, power catamarans, whose world production in 2021 is estimated at over 300 units of over 40ft, is a market that is experiencing considerable growth.”

“Our customers’ expectations now extend to multihulls,” says Erwin Bamps, executive director of Prestige Yachts, says.

”Prestige Yacht owners cruise with their families and, for the majority, without crew. They particularly value the feeling of spaciousness afforded by the 360° view in the saloon, the extraordinarily bright interior, the optimal design of the owner’s cabin, and ease of handling. Today, our buyers want more luxury, space, and comfort. High cruising speed is no longer a demand. Stability is, however, an important criterion which naturally pointed us to the catamaran hull form”, he adds.

The M48 was designed by long-standing Prestige designers Garroni Design together with Philippe Briand Yacht Design, combined with the experience of the Beneteau Group in the construction of sailing catamarans.

“The M48 is a villa that opens onto the sea. Ergonomic design and flow of movement on board are redesigned, while wide side decks ensure safety on board. For the design, we have chosen inverted bows, innovative for Prestige, which contribute to a unique and harmonious visual signature”, says Camilo Garroni.

Rosalie Le Gall, product marketing manager, says: “We worked on an entirely new basis for the M48, one that is 100% powerboat, without any of the constraints inherent to sailboats. For an optimal power catamaran, we decided to approve an exclusively powerboat design. This design concept enabled us to offer a multihull that is not as wide as a sailing catamaran, but taller, this allows for a full-beam owners suite of 18m², two identical guest cabins boasting queen-size beds and separate bathrooms together with a 22m² saloon area.”

The M48 features an electric aft platform which lowers to a position flush with the twin transom platforms, providing a 6m-wide terrace capable of serving as a tender lift, a beach club or cockpit terrace. The design also incorporates a large flybridge of nearly 20m² and a crew cabin in the forward bows, with a berth on one side and a head compartment on the other. The M48 features twin Volvo D4 320hp V drive diesel engines with conventional shafts and joystick controls. It displaces 23,000kg at full load, has a length of 14.3m, beam of 5.98m and a draft of 1.08m. Performance has been optimised for a cruising speed of 8kt-18kt. The cruising range varies from 250Nm at 18kt to over 600Nm at 8kt.

Žarko Knego, director of Euromarine d.o.o. which is the general Croatian representative of the French shipbuilder Jeanneau as well as Prestige Yachts and Excess Catamarans pointed out that the M48 is very interesting for the Croatian market.

“The M48, which was fully developed as a motor catamaran, greatly opens up possibilities in a new way of using space on deck and interior. Its overall width is not too large, but it has a much larger volume inside the hulls and cabins, because the hulls themselves are much wider than is the case with sailboats. M48 is very interesting for our Croatian market, primarily due to charter services. The first M48 will be available in a layout with three cabins, three toilets plus a skipper cabin or in a layout with four cabins and a toilets plus a skipper cabin. The M48 will be on display at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September this year, and will be seen live for the first time at the premiere in Monte Carlo in August, while it will be available on the Croatian market in 2023, "said Knego.