ANAHITA 100

The 'world's fastest cruiser' is in build

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ‘cruise’ aboard an Ultim in comfort? This audacious new project, which is already being built for an owner, could be the closest thing yet. While the odd maxi cat has previously been retrofitted for minimalist fast cruising, this 100ft trimaran is designed from scratch to set a new bar of luxury performance sailing. The tri platform is also a more powerful, stable and safer one than a cat, its development team argues.

Anahita 100 is a project born in, and utilising the high-performance skills of, Brittany’s famed Sailing Valley. Designed by VPLP, it is being built at CDK in Lorient, led by Global Yacht Technology (GYT), a brand formed to help owners develop such projects. We were given a sneak peek of these renders by GYT’s co-founder Ulysse Harin, during the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

“We wanted to create the fastest cruising multihull in the world,” Harin stated. To put that in context, imagine crossing the Atlantic in six days in comfort! Anahita will be 60% lighter than most yachts this size, and is predicted to sail at twice their speed. While capable of 40 knots, it is geared more for cruising at 20-25 knots. The central hull is designed not to lift, and it can’t capsize, we are told.

Today’s new age of reliable AI-enhanced pilots means an autopilot will be in control most of the time. The project team use Ultim (and IMOCA) solo racers as examples as they almost constantly rely on pilot control during circumnavigations.

RACE INSPIRED

“It’s not a racing boat, but it looks like one,” adds a man who really knows: Loïck Peyron. He also confirms CDK is the best yard for such a project, having built leading Ultims such as the Banque Populaires and SVR Lazartigue.