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Absolute Dreamer's JP54 Fast Cruiser

Discussion in 'General Sailing Discussion' started by Kevin, Jun 21, 2010.

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  1. Absolute Dreamer's JP54
    A revolutionary fast cruising yacht conceived
    by a Vendée Globe skipper.


    By Kevin Heistermann


    Born in the imagination of French sailor Jean-Pierre Dick while circumnavigating the globe in the Vendée Globe ocean race, and designed by Guillaume Verdier, the man behind the designs of no less than 5 IMOCA Open 60 monohulls, the Areva Challenge America's Cup Class yacht, as well as numerous other projects, the JP54 is a yacht with an unquestionable pedigree.

    The Vendée Globe, fundamentally a very simple concept, is a race around the world - a marathon of more than 24000 miles of ocean racing, alone on a 60 foot yacht, non-stop, and without any outside assistance. Jean-Pierre Dick - twice a competitor in the Vendée, as well a co-winner of the 2007-2008 Barcelona World Race, and a double winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2003 & 2005 - took all his experience and all the lessons learned on his IMOCA yacht, innumerable hours spent sailing single- or double-handed across the world oceans and came up with the concept of the JP54: fundamentally, a very simple cruising yacht. Fast, light-weight, and minimalistic.
  2. "I imagined the cruising yacht of my dreams during my last two Vendée Globe races," says Jean-Pierre. "I wanted to sail offshore and at the same time enjoy stopovers. I therefore conceived the JP54, a uniquely designed light and fast yacht, to retain the pleasure of surfing at 20 knots more comfortably than on my racing yacht. With the JP54, you can share the sensations and the pleasures of sailing with your family and friends."
  3. Guillaume Verdier, who also designed Jean-Pierre's next Vendée yacht, Virbac-Paprec 3, worked with Jean-Pierre to transform the JP54 from an idea to reality. "Jean Pierre was full of ideas linked to his mixed experience of 60’s and cruising" says Verdier. "Notably, the idea of creating a simple to manoeuvre cruising yacht which is still a pleasure to sail. This boat will reach very high speeds for a cruising boat, but, for all that, this does not make it a Vendée Globe boat. We used 'single-handed' techniques for the deck plan, since we can say that the skipper of a cruising yacht is often manoeuvring 'solo'. It is therefore simple. We reduced the number of complicated systems, which end up lacking in reliability,and require a great deal of maintenance." A example of their concessions to cruising over pure racing, hydraulics have been added to the Harken Racing winches to haul in or hoist the sails.
  4. Below decks, the minimalistic approach is immediately apparent. The design aesthetic is spacious, comfortable, and above all else, lightweight and functional. Centrally located, a literal revolution. The chart table/nav station/galley (shown here to port) can be rotated 180º, always keeping the most weight windward while the guests can enjoy seating to leeward.. An innovation that originated on Jean-Pierre's Paprec-Virbac 2, the rotating carousel eliminates the need for a complicated ballast transfer system. All the batteries, hydraulics, and storage - a total weight of approximately 600kg - can be rotated from one side of the yacht to the other in mere seconds with just the press of a button.
  5. Forward of the carousel, two small berths - suitably kid-sized- and a single head, complete with a canting toilet. Having just one head requires less piping, therefore reducing weight and keeping the plumbing simple. On the opposite side of the chart table, a simple galley, equally capable in port or offshore.
  6. Looking aft of the carousel (shown here rotated to starboard), two private cabins with larger beds to port and starboard with a storage space between them large enough to accommodate a RIB that can be accessed from the stern.
  7. In the words of Jean-Pierre Dick: "I imagined a fast, light yacht which would still keep the joys of surfing in the Great South or elsewhere, and more comfortable than my Vendée yacht. You need to take all the know-how from our powerful monohulls and remove the professional elements (centreboards, physical trimming) just to keep the sensations and pleasures of sailing. During my second Vendée Globe, I thought of stopping on the Auckland Islands south of New Zealand, however, this is not easy to do in an Open 60. I said to myself that the JP 54 would have to be able to anchor in a bay or set off again in less than 10 minutes. The pleasure of sailing comes with the ease with which you can discover a place."

    From the square topped mainsail to the 3 tonne canting keel, in the JP54 it would seem the Absolute Dreamers team has succeeded.
  8. Interior Arrangement:
  9. Specifications:

    Hull length: 16.45 meters
    Overall length: 18.235 meters
    Beam: 5.3 meters
    Air draft: 25.10 meters
    Draft: 3.5 meters (2.5 m with the keel canted)
    Displacement: 9 tons
    Engine: Steyr Motor MO54 Hybrid (sail drive)
    Diesel engine: 55 hp
    Electric propulsion mode: 7 kw
    Sail area upwind: 216 m2
    Sail area downwind: 434 m2
    Architect: Guillaume Verdier
    Interior designer: Stéphanie Marin
    Concept: Jean-Pierre Dick
    Builder: Absolute Dreamer

    Sail Characteristics:

    The inventory of the boat includes a full set of carbon / Technora / Dyneema North Sails.

    * Mainsail: 114m2
    * Solent: 68m2
    * Staysail: 31m2
    * Genoa : 102m2
    * Gennaker:185m2
    * Spinnaker (optional): 320m2


    For more information contact:

    Absolute Dreamer
    Base Sous-Marin de Keroman
    Hangar des Défis
    56100 Lorient - France
    Tel. +33 (0)2 97 87 86 05
    Mob. +33 (0)6 23 21 47 27
    www.absolute-dreamer.com
    www.jp54.fr

    ***​
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