LIGHTSPEED 32 OD has unmatched bloodlines for a small multihull -- drawing innovation and technology directly from the French ORMA 60 trimarans and the Americas Cup Class. 

Design

 
For over 20 years, the French design firm Van Peteghem Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) has produced some of the world’s fastest boats, and today VPLP is one of the largest, most accomplished and best-respected yacht design firms in the world – and the unrivalled leaders in multihulls.

Starting with World Champion Formula 40s in the 1980s, VPLP have produced a long series winning and record setting raceboats.  Recent designs include the record setting 110’ Geronimo (the largest trimaran in the world), the experimental foil-borne 60’ l’Hydroptere, (which has clocked over 44 knots) and over a dozen ORMA 60’ trimarans. [See images of some of VPLP’s past projects in the Gallery]

For their latest ORMA 60, Franck Cammas’ Groupama 2, VPLP undertook an unprecedented R&D program including extensive tank testing, which developed a breakthrough hull form.   The result: Groupama 2 has dominated the ORMA Grand Prix circuit since she was launched in June of 2004.  The LIGHTSPEED 32 is a direct development of this R&D program, sharing her hull form, including the distinctive “dreadnought” stem profile, with G2’s floats.

At the same time as VPLP have been turning out the fastest multihulls in the world, they have also designed everything from mega-yacht sailing catamarans (the largest sailing catamaran in the world, the 145-foot Gemini, is currently under build at Derektor’s), to production cats for Lagoon and Switch.

Structural Engineering

Steve Koopman and Dirk Kramers at SDK Structures are among the leading composite engineering teams worldwide, and work with many top raceboat designers and builders.   Recently, SDK has been responsible for the engineering on grand prix Transpac 52s from Reichel/Pugh and Judel/Vrolijk.   In addition, Dirk is the Chief Engineer for America’s Cup defender Alinghi.  A longtime catamaran fan, Dirk raced and worked on Formula 40s, and the Stars & Stripes ’89 cats, and he has recently introduced a new semi-custom A-cat design. 

Build

Stewart Wiley and Ted Brown of al fresco Composites have been building high tech composite raceboats and components for 20 years, and have worked on the build team for numerous Americas Cup campaigns – America3, Young America, AmericaOne, and Stars & Stripes.  They have worked as consultants to top raceboat projects and have completed custom composite repair, modification and components for some of the world’s top raceboats – Pirates of the Carribean, ABN Amro, Mari Cha IV, Morning Glory, Pyewacket, Rosebud, Titan, Blue Yankee, Numbers, and Hissar to name just a few.