From a one-off project to a range of motorboats
It all began in 2020 with the development of a 55-foot sailing catamaran. Philippe Chatel, director of the Swisscat shipyard, was looking for a dayboat for his own use. Not convinced by what was on the market, he asked the architects of the new catamaran - Yacht Design Collective - if it was possible to create a dayboat that would be fun and above all offer a great passage at sea. Francois Perus and Romain Scollari are working on the Leman 30, a dayboat with an overall length of 10.20 m.
What was supposed to be a one-off attracted the attention of customers and the yard finally decided to launch a new brand, in the middle of a pandemic. The decision proved to be a good one, as the market is doing well. Three units have already been sold - one for Switzerland and two for Greece - and a second 42-foot model should be launched in 2022.
A dayboat to have fun!
The Leman 30 (which will be called 34 for the sea version) marketed for the moment under the Swisscraft brand (which will soon change its name) is a fun and very stable dayboat at sea offering a maximum speed of 45 knots and a cruising speed of 35 knots. With a weight of 3 tons, the Leman 30 can receive from 2x250 hp to 2x400 hp Mercury outboard, but the shipyard recommends a power of 2x300 hp.
"We've just done the first sea trials with Mercury. The big strength of the boat is its sea keeping. It sails very well, remains very stable, sticks to the water, does not cavitate. At 30 knots, you can turn the wheel all the way around and still be very sandy. It's really nice to drive and offers a real feeling of piloting. It's a lot of fun!" explains Philippe Chatel.
A full option boat
As far as fittings are concerned, the Leman 30 has tilting bulwarks at the stern. In the cockpit, the saloon opposite can be transformed into a sunbathing area by lowering the electric table and the back of the aft bench seat. The small kitchen can be equipped with a gas or electric hob.
The cockpit has a double bench seat and allows protected sailing behind a windscreen extended by a hard-top. The front deck is fitted with a large sunbathing area accessible via a few steps and is equipped with an electric davit at the front.
Inside, the cabin is more for storage, with racks to store water skis and wakeboards. There is also a toilet. On request, it is possible to install a bed to extend the night on board.
"We remain in the Swisscat tradition, meaning that there are no real options. The boat is delivered fully equipped. We choose the colors and the engines. We still do a little semi-custom according to the owner's wishes says Philippe Chatel.
Two versions for inland waterways and the sea
In order to adapt the boat to the different water surfaces, the shipyard has introduced some mould modifications. Thus, the "sea" version will be equipped with a more powerful engine and a slightly different hull.
The Leman 30 is marketed at a price slightly lower than 300,000 euros excluding tax.
