The Swiss 55 Catamaran is a new semi-custom design from the acclaimed French naval architect Francois PERUS of Yacht Design Collective and built by Italian builder Top Marine Construction. The hull design incorporates wave-piercing reverse sheer bows, semi-planning hulls, minimal hull rocker, and daggerboards. The Swiss 55 is exciting to sail, achieving great performance both up wind and down wind, often matching boat speed equal or better than true wind speed in light air conditions. It was also important the sail plan could be easily and safely managed by one.
As far as construction, the tooling of the molds was fabricated using a computerized 5-axis router for producing precision molds. Prior to construction Rivoyre Ingenierie produced a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to calculate loads for the entire structure (hull / appendages / rig) . Construction consists of only 3 molds with ¹both hulls and bridgedeck laminated in one-shot; ²deck mold laminated in one-shot, and ³roof mold.
The hulls, deck, and roof are constructed using E-glass, Core Cell Sans foam core, and epoxy resin infusion post cured to include the three carbon primary bulkheads, carbon longitudinal stringers, chain plates, inner hull bottoms, and daggerboard junctions. The longeron is carbon composite and forward crossbeam consists of a laminated carbon I-beam encased in a composite shell. All thru hulls and deck fittings are in solid laminate to prevent moisture penetrating the foam core. For added safety there are several watertight bulkheads and crash boxes.
The Swiss 55 is offered as a semi-custom model which provides a buyer a great deal latitude for interior layout and décor, as well as sail plan and running rigging options. And having a 5t designed payload capacity ensures you can have your cake and eat too! See Specifications for principal measurements.
Custom yacht builder Top Marine Construction is located in Fano Italy, which is well known in the yacht world as the “Silicon Valley” of the Italian yacht industry. Here there is a deep pool of experienced craftsmen who are passionate about what they build. The managing director of Top Marine is a composite engineer with decades of composite experience in the aeronautical industry, commercial wind turbines, Wally Yachts, Formula 1 racing, and Ferretti Group.
