Fountaine Pajot Queensland 55
Anyone who has ever spent time on a long-range cruise knows well that stability is hard to overrate as a comfort factor. That’s why it should come as no surprise that boatbuilders are beginning to turn out more and more catamaran trawlers, which offer incredible stability with the added bonus of improved fuel economy. One such new boat is the Queensland 55 from Fountaine Pajot, the flagship of the French builder’s Trawler Catamaran line. She’s equipped with twin Volvo Penta IPS600s, and the company claims the boat consumes 40 percent less fuel than a similarly sized monohull. An added benefit of employing an IPS system on a cat is that the props are spaced farther apart than they would be on a monohull, which provides greater maneuverability—an advantage on any boat.
The 55 also has a feature that should make environmentally conscious boaters very happy: a solar panel on the sun awning that can reportedly produce enough power to avoid the use of a generator while at at anchor (assuming of course, you’ve picked a sunny anchorage). Meanwhile, the boat’s 25’6″ beam is put to full use, particularly on that expansive flying bridge, as well as in the cockpit, where a large dining table can comfortably seat a passel of guilt-free guests. Stability, comfort, maneuverability, and a commitment to a cleaner planet—not a bad combination for any boat. Maybe it’s time you made like a dog and chased after this cat.
Fountaine Pajot
(+33) 609 79 13 49.
Specifications
- Builder: Fountaine Pajot
This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
