The designer Jean-Michel Dufourc worked for more than a year on the research and development of this project. He wanted the "five-legged sheep". The birth of the TES 246 in 2017, met his expectations. A sailboat of modest dimensions to be usable without effort by a small crew. A sailboat that remains transportable with an easy mast system. A bulky sailboat for a comfortable cruise. A sailboat capable of withstanding the sea and planning long cruises in complete safety.
The TES 246 notes all these promises. Despite a hull length of 7.50 m, there are two double cabins, a kitchen and a toilet inside. Not to mention the large square.
It is the owners who talk best about it. Whether in the Mediterranean, the Arcachon basin or Brittany, the TES 246 is unanimously acclaimed for its manufacturing quality and layout.
The yard opted for original solutions such as the arrangement of the engine against the transom, which makes it possible to clear space under the cockpit to accommodate the aft cabin. Also new is the off-centre descent to starboard to enlarge the toilet.
In strong winds too
To be transportable, the TES 246 is also a dinghy. An architectural solution that does not offer the most stiffness at the helm. And yet the TES 246 has an above-average marine behaviour. Its ballast integrated in the bottom of the boat (from the shot cast in the resin) ensures good stability. Even in 25 knots of wind and heavy seas, the sailboat continues to progress against the wind, as experienced by a skipper on a convoy in the Mediterranean.
A new kind of service
Jean-Michel Dufourc has a long experience in the marketing of transportable sailboats. The TES 246 Versus offers the advantage of being able to easily change the navigation basin. But transport is still a constraint. You need a suitable trailer, the vehicle to tow it and the corresponding up-to-date permits. Not to mention the hours of driving to move your boat.
To help TES 246 owners discover new horizons, Jean-Michel Dufourc has set up a tailor-made transport service to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Corsica or the inland waters and lakes, and the first feedback from owners shows that they are very receptive to this new and highly anticipated offer.
