The Skaw Paradise is a very beamy 11.3m foiling scow bow cruiser with its roots firmly in the racing scene, but with the concepts reworked to produce an ultimate cruiser. Skaw CEO and founder Benoit Marie is also technical director, coach and co-skipper (when racing double-handed) for Caroline Boule, who’s notched up a string of impressive results in the Mini 6.50 class this season in her full flying Sam Manuard-designed Nicomatic.

Marie co-designed the Skaw Paradise with naval architect Clément Bercault of Berco Design. “We could not find any boat on the market suiting our needs, so we started designing our own perfect boat,” he says.

“It’s one to take our friends and family around the world to unseen places, in the safest, easiest and fastest manner.”

The Skaw Paradise differs to Nicomatic in that it has fully retractable C-foils that are intended to act like motion dampeners, giving a smoother ride, while also increasing both stability and speed. While much is borrowed from the racing world, this boat has been simplified as much as possible, so it’s not complicated to sail. Yet it has a similar power to weight ratio to a Class 40 and planing at speeds above 20 knots is a realistic proposition when cruising.

Skaw Paradise is a cruising yacht that’s based on racing scow designs

Below decks the arrangement ahead of the two double aft cabins is very open plan, with galley to starboard, huge navstation to port and a large saloon right forward with seating for up to 12 people. This can be converted to twin modular double cabins for use at night.

A big doghouse covers the companionway, with the roof extending well aft, giving the kind of protection we now see on the latest designs in the Class 40 and IMOCA 60 fleets, or indeed on many cruising multihulls.

A guide price of €1.3m ex VAT will certainly make jaws drop, but that is for a fully equipped boat, “ready to sail across the ocean at 20 knots”. And bear in mind Marie’s concept: “The idea is to benefit from the space of a wide 50ft cruising monohull or 42ft catamaran, in a more compact boat of the size of a Class 40, displaying the performances of a Gunboat 60. The aim is cruising in full comfort at 15 knots average with no heel thanks to the lift of the foils.”

The first Skaw Paradise is scheduled to be launched in 2024.

Skaw Paradise specifications

LOA: 12.9m 42ft 4in
Hull length: 11.3m 37ft 1in
Beam: 4.89m 16ft 0in
Draught: 1.3m-3.2m 4ft 3in-10ft 6in
Displacement: 4,500kg 12,800kg
Builder: skawsailing.com

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