Grand Soleil 65 LC: sea trial for an out-of-the-ordinary sailboat

The brand-new Grand Soleil 65 LC is one of the most anticipated sailing yachts of the year. Anticipated not only because it carries the name of a profoundly important shipyard, but also because this vessel is the result of the work of an immensely talented team, led by a sailing giant: Franco Corazza.

The project was clear: to create a maxi-yacht capable of offering great volumes and excellent performance, a mission that Matteo Polli, Nauta Design, and Marco Lostuzzi, as you will read in the following lines, successfully completed, achieving a true masterpiece.

Grand Soleil 65 LC Sea Trial

It’s not a promising day that greets us in Palma de Mallorca: it’s raining, the sky is dark, and a very light breeze blows, making it feel more like in Milan than Palma… I resign myself and put on my raincoat while, one by one, colleagues from other magazines also arrive.

The cockpit of the Grand Soleil 65 LC is simply huge. The almost six meters of beam are all visible, and besides comfortably accommodating the 12 people on board today, they give this sailing boat an appearance that manages to be both powerful and elegant at the same time.

The boat is in “heavy cruising” setup today. In addition to the multitude of people on board, we must also add a full fuel tank, the water tank at 80%, the rigid-hull tender, the outboard motor, and a heavy galley. In short, we have four extra tons on board, so we will test the boat as it will actually sail during its summer cruises.

We cast off the moorings, in the rain, and leave the harbor under motor power. The Grand Soleil 65 LC has a cruising speed of over 9 knots, which it reaches at 2,200 RPM, consuming only 14 liters of fuel per hour. These are impressive numbers for a vessel of nearly 22 meters, which, in addition to having very low emissions, also allows for great engine range.

While it’s still raining, with only 5/6 knots of true wind, we hoist the mainsail, unfurl the genoa, and switch off the engine. The Grand Soleil 65 LC tilts slightly and, regardless of its weight and the very weak wind, sets off. It glides on the water with great lightness while, quite rapidly, it builds its apparent wind and accelerates without ever stopping. Close-hauled, we consistently sail above the true wind speed, reaching around 30 degrees apparent, hitting a peak speed of 7.5 knots with only 6 knots of true wind!

Unexpected performance for a cruising sailboat. I look aft and sense the reason—the wake of the Grand Soleil 65 LC is clean, and the wetted surface, at this slight heel angle, is truly reduced. This hull produces no resistance; drag is really kept to a minimum.

As we sail away from Palma and reach a sunlit portion of the sea, we find a couple of extra knots of true wind, which the boat immediately picks up and converts into speed. The heel increases, and again with only 8/9 knots true wind, the Grand Soleil 65 LC manages to surprise me, consistently sailing above 9 knots close-hauled, with peaks nearing 10.

This sailboat glides on the water with impressive ease, reaching speeds between 9 and 10 knots. The waterline length increases, and the boat rests on a sort of hull curve, which enhances stability by increasing the righting moment. Consequently, even at these speeds, sailing is always done with a modest heel angle and great comfort, the ideal recipe for covering many miles with little effort.

At the helm, you feel everything; small, measured movements allow you to keep the Grand Soleil 65 LC on course without losing speed. Steering this sailboat is a great pleasure.

We tack to head back, and given the speed, we send the gennaker ashore, which, equipped with a furler, is managed very easily. Once again, the boat accelerates, and in no time, at 90 degrees to the apparent wind, we’re back at 10 knots.

What’s still astonishing is the simplicity of handling; the rudder blade is deep and instills great tranquility.

I deliberately try to exaggerate the corrections, and instantly and proportionally, the bow follows the command, adjusting the course, disregarding the pressure exerted by the gennaker and the slightly too tight mainsail. If we were in a car, I’d say the steering is precise and direct, like that of a grand tourer.

The true wind increases a bit more, blowing at about10/11 knots. I tighten up to 60/70 degrees to the apparent wind, and the Grand Soleil 65 LC kicks into a higher gear, consistently sailing above 11 knots. Then, thanks to a gust, we touch nearly 12 knots, while this marvelous sailboat sails in an almost calm sea, just dotted with the first hints of whitecaps from the wind.

What a boat, folks, what a boat…

The interior of the new Grand Soleil 65 LC

After reluctantly handing over the helm, I descend below deck while my colleagues continue to seek new speed records. Silence reigns in the dinette, not a creak or a groan; the craftsmanship of this boat, which has already sailed several thousand miles, is nearly perfect, an undeniable sign of the shipyard’s great attention to the production process.

The layout of the Grand Soleil 65 LC is slightly different from the Performance version. The saloon is raised compared to the cabins, offering a 270-degree view towards the outside. The galley is located amidships, a solution that, together with the living area, creates a single, spacious open space.