Review: Sunreef 80

Sailing catamarans are arguably the best cruising vessels for several reasons: fast off-the wind performance, economy under power and they don't heel over to spill your drinks as you glide along. This 80-footer is from the Polish yard (under French ownership) that specialises in large vessels from 50 to 165 feet.  The privately owned company, under the management of Founder and CEO Francis Lapp, has produced more than 100 vessels in both power and sailing varieties since 2002 and is well versed in what a semi-custom cruising catamaran should be. 

Lapp, an award winning entrepreneur and keen catamaran sailor, first came to Poland as a rally car driver before discovering the quality of the workmanship available in the port city of Gdansk, which had shipbuilding as its lifeblood. Talking with the quietly spoken Frenchman was an interesting experience for me and it was heartening to hear of his strong desire to supply the Asia Pacific region with these elegant craft – the first Australian-owned Sunreef 80 launches in March of 2019, according to dealer Brendan Hunt at Vicsail. 

The fine entry of the tall bow is aimed at reducing drag while the beam rapidly increases to create inside volume and most importantly the nacelle is well above the water to reduce wave drag. Overhead, the flybridge creates that third level of living space while also containing all the navigation, leaving the rest of the boat for relaxation.

SALOON WITH BOW ACCESS

Stepping up to the stern from the swim platform, one is confronted by a vast aft deck, a feature that only is found on large catamarans. Quite rightly a major selling point, it allows the enjoyment of open air dining beneath the protective overhang of the flybridge, with transom bench seating in addition to the side benches. Sun worshippers may choose to bake on the equally vast foredeck cockpit which has two sunken lounge areas with low slung table.

The saloon in our review boat, hull number one, was devoted to entertaining as the galley and crew quarters are below in the aft part of the hull. Most striking in the saloon are the large windows, created by upright bulkheads that maximise volume in this vast open-plan area. Perhaps too open-plan for a bumpy seaway, but that is the price you pay for this loft-style space, with convenient access to the bows via a large (and strongly built) front door. 

The saloon is dominated by L-shaped lounges, ahead of which is a wet bar to port and navigation console to starboard. The console includes the autopilot and throttle so despite lacking a steering wheel, course adjustments can be made here, along with navigation via the B&G 16-inch screen. Most usefully, the ship management screen gives control of many services as well. Furnishings included some unfixed chairs – which, again, aren't good in a seaway, now is the lack of significant fiddles to prevent food sliding off tables. The mood is ultra modern with smart use of traditional teak combined with brushed metal and lacquered laminates; all credit to the in-house Sunreef design team.

The Sunreef 80 comes with two main accommodation layouts that have four double en suite cabins as standard, with crew quarters and galley aft (in port quarter). Alternatively, with the galley-up version, a fifth cabin is aft on starboard with crew quarters and storage in the port aft quarter. 

Accommodation access is neatly hidden in an alleyway behind the steering console on starboard and similarly on port, while the back of the saloon has two more stairways to each hull. The standard layout on our review boat is a versatile arrangement that should suite owners who may also do some chartering, as the four double-cabins are spacious; especially the master cabin. Located in the ideal spot – midships and on the starboard side – it uses nearly half the hull to create an opulent space with vanity desk opposite a king sized bed, and at the rear a spacious bathroom with double sinks and vast shower cubicle. My only complaint was the rather dull grey finish on some parts that darkened the area, but the stylish rectangular hull lights do bring in just enough sun. 

However, customisation is a key selling point for the brand so owners can specify their own décor. Guests should also feel at home on the Sunreef 80, thanks to queen sized island beds, spacious en suites and good privacy – the latter something that an 80 footer can afford to create. At the business end, where the galley nestles in the port quarter, its longitudinal layout allows several crew to work at the Siemens electric hob, or load the washer/dryer, but the single sink is a limitation. On the plus side, the many cupboards and ample refrigeration, hidden behind stylish lacquered doors can house enough victuals for a month at sea; ideal for that Atlantic crossing to enjoy the Caribbean season.

SPECTACULAR FLYBRIDGE

Nearly all navigation takes place on the flybridge, which is well clear of the main deck, making it ideally suited as a crewed vessel. It will typically require a skipper, deckhand and host-cum-chef. However, this vast space is much more than a mere navigation area, thanks to the comfortable bench seating with large teak table to the rear and sunpads beyond; all safely housed within sturdy life rails. With the main boom well clear overhead, the views can be enjoyed underway as well. 

Twin helms are ideal for a vessel of this huge beam (38 foot). Instrumentation was dominated by the B&G plotter. Alongside were the key controls of twin electronic throttles and, most importantly on such a large vessel, joysticks for the fore and aft tunnel thrusters. All surfaces were finished off in stylish black composite, as were the large-diameter steering wheels. Sail controls were equally well laid out with electric Harken two speed drum winch for sheets while a cluster of two sat nearby at the mast foot for halyard controls. A very workable layout, as I found out when using it in the bay of Cannes.

POWERFUL RIG

Sunreef  has been building its own carbon masts in-house since 2008, which is an impressive feat. Our rig was built for power, featuring large-diameter mast and outboard rod shrouds with twin headsails, plus an inner forestay. Sheeting is done at the far end of the deep Park Avenue-style boom to maximise control of the mainsail, but sensibly the mainsheet track is outside the safety rail of the flybridge sunpad. The mainsail had three cringles for single line slab reefing, controlled by twin two-speed Harken winches at the mast base. 

Crew will also appreciate the mast steps to reach the huge Bryt Dacron mainsail when the need arises. These are Polish sails and the company supplies a wide variety of cruising and racing boats with mix of cruise laminate and 3DI style sails, and so has good credentials. The headsails are located on a structural fibreglass bowsprit outside the safety rail. The jib is on an electric furler that leads sheeting near the mast base, while the gennaker is manually winched at deck level.

The teak cladding on-deck was welcome underfoot as the Cote d'Azure summer sun beat down, the practical layout reflects the company's extensive build experience. There are large capstans on each stern quarter, heavy-duty safety rails and a sizeable anchoring arrangement with 3,000 watt vertical windlass/capstan and rode running below the trampolines to a 66 kilogram CQR anchor. Ideally, a second bow roller should be fitted, given the size of this vessel. The aft deck is sheltered by the flybridge overhang with wide steps leading to the water on each hull side with spacious hydraulic swim platform between.

HULL AND ENGINES

Access to the engines was in the aft cockpit, where a ladder led me down to a footplate on top of the 280 horse power shaft drive John Deeres. The voluminous hulls give plenty working space around the six-cylinder turbo charged motors, with accessible service points, filters and electrics sensibly located up high; as a former superyacht engineer I'd have no complaints doing my job on this Sunreef. 

In the port engine room good features include a second generator (two Onan 19.5 KVAs in total) sat alongside the 120,000 BTU air conditioner. Here I could also see the smooth hull layup which is infused E-glass sandwich laminate. Also notable were the sturdy moulded pillar supports for the twin rudders (with large aluminium quadrants). Rope cutters are also fitted to the shafts, ideal for coastal waters where fishing gear abounds. Optional tankage is available (6,000 litres) which makes the Sunreef 80 ideal for bluewater sailors.

SAILING FROM CANNES

Departing the Cannes Vieux Port using our fore and aft tunnel thrusters, skipper Henry nudged the twin bows between the myriad of boat show craft, which was not a job for the inexperienced steerer. Cruising cats like this only have shallow keels so even the large ones can be blown around. 

However, a vessel of this calibre is set up for professional crew. Thankfully the windage was minimal on the towering flybridge, where the helms gave us clear views forward but not aft, so I acted as a spotter for the skipper while we cleared the harbour. Taking the helm beyond the mole I gently pushed the twin electronic throttles down and the shaft drive engines faintly growled as we reached cruising speed – 8 knots with the John Deeres spinning at 1500rpm. Fuel consumption at this speed was a modest 12 litres per hour, giving a total range of more than 3,000 nautical miles (or significantly more if the 12,000-litre tanks were optioned). Given that cats can nearly go as fast on one engine, it means huge savings compared with similar monohull powerboats. For the record, I put the throttles fully down – to check for shaft and structural vibration – and the Sunreef 80 majestically surged forward to a maximum of 11.3 knots with the rpm at 2,300. 

Turning into the wind, we then arranged the fully battened mainsail for hoisting by clearing the reefing lines and putting the main halyard on the large electric Harken drum winch. It turned out to be a three man job, with the steerer, someone on the halyard and a spotter because we couldn't easily see the mainsail through the fibreglass bimini. However there were no dramas thanks to the lazyjacks guiding the mainsail upward before I put the wheel down and we unfurled the gennaker; after ensuring the that the propeller was feathered to minimise drag. 

Off the wind the Sunreef gathered surprising momentum in the light eight or nine knot breeze, reaching five knots boatspeed at 60 degrees wind angle. The hydraulic wheel felt a wee bit ponderous, which both the skipper and I put down to air in the system but nevertheless it did the job of controlling our direction as I called for a gybe. For the gybe the inner forestay, rather annoyingly, required the gennaker to be furled before we set off on the new tack but apart from that all lines ran easily. Tropical waters with their light airs require light sails, so ideally a self-furling Code 0 would be fitted and the winches are already at deck level for what is a well equipped and competent luxury sailing catamaran.

Facts and Figures

Sunreef 80 

Sailing Catamaran

PRICED FROM

€4,500,000 (ex- factory Poland)

GENERAL

construction Composite

LOA 24.4m (80’)

Beam 11.5m (37.7’) 

Draft Undisclosed

Mainsail 200m sq

Genoa 155m sq

CAPACITIES

Fuel 2400-6000L

Water: 1600L

Displacement Undisclosed

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL         

2x John Deere 280HP 6068AFM85 6-cylinder turbo (or 2x 225HP as standard)

AVAILABLE FROM

www.vicsail.com.