Fountaine Pajot debuted the Power 80 at the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival

When Fountaine Pajot set out to create its latest powercat flagship, it wasn’t just thinking bigger – it was thinking smarter. The challenge was to craft a motoryacht that could rival larger vessels yet still showcase the performance and liveability the French builder is known for.

The result is the Power 80, a 24m power catamaran that punches well above its length, marrying superyacht style with the stability and spaciousness of a multihull. Berret-Racoupeau Yacht Design is responsible for the exterior design and naval architecture of many of Fountaine Pajot’s catamarans including the Power 80 and its sailing sibling, the Thira 80, which debuted in 2023 and is currently the builder’s flagship sailing cat.

“The shipyard’s specifications were fairly simple: to create an 80ft boat whose exterior and interior spaces could rival some of its competitors, some of which are larger,” says Olivier Racoupeau, cofounder of Berret-Racoupeau Yacht Design. “It also had to feature lifestyle elements worthy of superyachts. All this had to be achieved with an exterior design in keeping with the ‘FP style’.”

The Power 80 reaches 17 knots with standard propulsion and 22 knots with the option of twin 900hp engines

For nearly five decades, Fountaine Pajot – which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – has been among the leaders in multihull innovation. After making its name in the 1980s with sailing catamarans, the builder decided wind alone wasn’t enough. In 1998, it launched the Maryland 37 and Greenland 34, bringing its sailing savoir-faire to the burgeoning power catamaran market.

In recent years, Fountaine Pajot’s motoryacht portfolio ranged from the MY4.S coupe and MY5 and MY6 flybridge models to the Power 67 and Power 80, the latter pair based on hulls of the brand’s two largest sailing cats. Currently going through a transitional phase, the brand’s Motor Yachts division currently comprises the MY6, Power 80 and upcoming FPY70, while the Veya 53 is coming soon as part of a collaboration with Couach.

DOUBLE PLATFORM

The Power 80 is built on the same platform as the Thira 80, but with modifications to accommodate bigger engines and improve hydrodynamics. The family lineage between the sail and power versions of the 80 is clear. The lines have the same spirit – elegant, with a low profile and a subtle sense of speed.

Solar panels are integrated into the flybridge hardtop and overhangs plus the forward coachroof

“The exterior of the Power 80 is sleek and sporty, keeping the Fountaine Pajot style, with its large signature portholes,” Racoupeau says. “The hulls have been designed to adapt to two different versions, whether in the sailing configuration or the motoryacht version, which guarantees excellent performance in both cases.”

The Power 80 cruises at a respectable 13.7 knots and has a top speed of 16 knots with the 600hp Volvo engines. Upgrading to the optional 900hp engines, she tops out at 22 knots. At lower economic cruising speeds, the Power 80 offers welcome efficiency and a lower fuel burn, with the catamaran offering transatlantic range.

Solar panels discreetly integrated into the flybridge hardtop and overhangs as well as the forward coachroof generate enough energy to power onboard systems and reduce reliance on generators.

The flybridge offers 40sqm of shaded social area

The two yachts are twin reflections of one idea that puts a priority on intelligent space planning, maximising the beamy body of a multihull without sacrificing seakeeping and performance. After all, catamarans offer a far wider beam than monohulls of the same length – the Power 80’s wingspan is over 11m – which translates into more floor space for a comparable length.

With more than 400sqm of living space for guests and crew, the Power 80 is ideal for hosting family and friends in droves. Wide decks, multiple lounges and shaded areas – including a wide, covered 40sqm flybridge – naturally lend themselves to entertaining.

Racoupeau says: “The outdoor spaces are vast and offer many small islands of privacy, whether in the beach club, the side wings, the flybridge or the forward cockpit.”

On both sides, an outward-facing sofa offers sea views and is complemented by a drop-down balcony

The enhanced stability of two hulls can also make multihulls more appealing to those who might not be accustomed to a boat’s movement. Then there’s the shallower draft. The Power 80 draws only 1.5m, making it easier to access shallow anchorages, so expanding cruising possibilities.

The Power 80 also has a well-designed crew area with a dedicated mess and good-sized cabins, although it’s able to run with just a handful of staff.

STERN TO BOW FLOW

On the Power 80, social areas abound, including eight sofas in the cockpit area alone. Each aft corner has a sofa that faces inward to back-to-back central sofas: one overlooking the high-low swim platform and one facing forward. The latter looks complements two L-shaped settees before the saloon, with a dining table beside the port one.

The high-low swim platform is overlooked by a wide, aft-facing sunpad and inward-facing sofas in each aft corner

Furthermore, at the start of each side deck is an outward-facing sofa, which offers guests fantastic sea views and is complemented by a fold-out platform.

When the saloon doors are opened, the well covered cockpit blends into the welcoming, open-plan interior, designed by Isabelle Racoupeau in collaboration with the shipyard. When stepping inside, it’s the light that first steals the show, as expansive glazing and open sightlines create a space that feels airy and infinite.

A convertible lounge/dining area to starboard enjoys sweeping 360-degree views, while a forward door leads to the expansive foredeck, where there’s multiple seating and sunbathing areas, plus a spa pool option.

Connecting seamlessly with the interior, the aft cockpit offers alfresco dining to port and three inward-facing sofas

Benjamin Lachaise, Fountaine Pajot’s 80 Sales Project Manager, says: “Our design philosophy focuses on brightness and openness to the sea. The Power 80 is conceived as a yacht that offers a seamless connection between the interior and exterior, with panoramic views and direct access to both the aft and forward cockpits.”

CHOICES ABOUND

Key to Fountaine Pajot’s USP is the range of options available for their clients, from interior decor to layouts, so each yacht can meet an owner’s unique needs for on-water living. Owners can choose among dark, grey or white flooring tones, as well three furniture finishes: Stripped White, Velo Natural or American Walnut.

Durable fabrics are available in a variety of colours and textures so the yacht can be matched to a client’s personal style. All materials are marine-grade, chosen for their resistance to humidity and UV exposure.

The interior, shown in the galley-down version; alternatively, the galley can be located on the port side of the saloon

“Our interiors are designed to be stylish, customisable and durable,” Lachaise says. “The design emphasises natural light, soft textures and refined finishes to create an atmosphere that feels both comfortable and sophisticated.”

With a sailor’s sense of sustainability at its core, Fountaine Pajot also offers a wide selection of vegan leathers and eco-friendly materials.

Layout options abound as well. The Power 80 is typically offered in an ‘owner’s version’, with a master suite occupying most of the starboard hull. The cabin feels downright residential, with ample storage, a vanity or desk area and a full-size bathtub in the forward en-suite, an indulgence not usually seen on a yacht of this size.

View of the saloon’s port side social area

Other layout possibilities can forgo an owner’s suite to include up to six double cabins in the galley-up version, while the galley-down version includes the kitchen towards the aft end of the port hull. The latter option creates space in the saloon to offer another social zone to port, so expanding the entertaining abilities.

While Fountaine Pajot offers an impressive degree of personalisation for a production builder – the VIP cabin, for instance, could become a large office, massage room or gym – Lachaise notes that the structure itself remains sacrosanct.

“We can discuss specific requests and customisation within the available volumes, but we do not modify the structural design of the boat,” he says. “Maintaining the strength and integrity of the structure is essential. Our catamarans are recognised for their solid construction and safety at sea.”

Accessible from the saloon, the foredeck has multiple seating and lounging areas

It’s this balance of creative freedom and technical discipline that gives the Power 80 its distinctive character: airy and open, yet reassuringly robust. Furthermore, with the Thira 80 and Power 80 selling close to 20 units between them to date, Fountaine Pajot is expanding the size and range of its larger catamarans, with sail and power versions of both the FPY70 and FPY110 underlining the brand’s growing ambitions.

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