2024 Sailboat Premieres in Cannes
5 new model debuts in France and many more headed to the US soon.
October 1, 2024
Every year, Cannes marks the kickoff of the annual boat show season as beautiful people sip rose wine on beautiful boats. Although the vast majority of models are powerboats, this year, there was a healthy number of boats with sticks. Let’s look at five premiering models and a few more that were mentioned and will be here soon.
Bali 5.8
Above: A 2025 Bali 5.8 Catamaran. Image by Bali Catamarans.
Sixty is the new forty, or so it seems. Bali, a sister company of Catana, has been building 300-350 catamarans each year, many of which are bound for charter. This year, the 10-year-old French company stepped up its aspirations with the Bali 5.8, a voluminous flagship that has only been on the scene since August. Despite its short life, one will appear at the Annapolis boat show this year. The nearly 60-footer feels massive and will likely do very well, especially in crewed charter.
All the popular Bali features are present: the solid foredeck with a sprawling sunbed, the “garage door” entry that enables the interior to become the exterior with no doubling of the furniture or weight, and the commodious galley with a household side-by-side refrigerator. You can spec the model with 3-6 cabins and fully enjoy the entire space of 1,500 square feet.
We lounged aboard hull #2 as Boris Compagnon, director of the Catana Group, shared with us the painstaking details that went into building this model which comes on the heels of the Bali 5.4 and the 38-foot Catspace. “We’ve really upped the build quality in this new version.”
The base price is 1.5 million Euro with a fully equipped version coming in at 2 million Euro. We look forward to testing one next month.
Hanse 590
Above: A Hanse 590 Yacht. Image by Hanse Yachts.
Monohull sailors looking for space and luxury need to put the Hanse 590 on their shortlist. Stepping aboard, we had to pause to take in the massive deck ahead. Last year, the German builder introduced their 410, which was a perfect couple’s boat and this year, the 590 marks the fifth collaboration with French design team Berret-Racoupeau.
Twin helms meet you as you come up from the drop-down transom swim platform via the steps on port. The garage below has a swing-arm davit that launches the tender carried within.
Twin wheels welcome you to the cockpit which is covered by an overhead hardtop with a fabric sunroof cutout at the center. This top even has side wings that extend out to cover and protect the helms from the elements. The cockpit is divided into working and lounging zones with two tables ahead bisected by a central walkway. The winches are set far forward so those relaxing ahead of the wheels may be called up on to pull on a line since these secondary winches are out of the reach of the helmsman.
As enormous as the boat feels on deck, below it’s a bit choppy below partially due to the space dedicated to the vast forward owner’s suite with its double bed offset to port and a head in the bow. The galley amidships is linear and runs along the port side with an island on the centerline. Aft are twin cabins with various choices of head configuration.
Hanse is known for slippery hulls so we look forward to sailing one as soon as possible.
Dufour 44
Above: A Dufour 44 sailing yacht underway. Images via Atlantic Cruising Yachts in Maryland.
French builder Dufour launched their 41-footer last year and now makes a splash with its bigger sister. The first things you notice when boarding the Dufour 44 via the aft drop transom/swim platform, is 1) the life raft storage cubby, 2) the optional outdoor galley with a grill and sink that you work at while standing on the platform, and 3) the twin staircases, one on either side, both of which lead to the cockpit where you’re met with two wheels on swanky angled pedestals.
A two-part Bimini provides shelter for the cockpit when zipped together or a view of the mainsail when rolled up and out of the way. You can spec a self-taking jib or a larger genoa on the performance version.
Just like her little sister, the 44 has a broad bow creating more interior volume. Inside, you’ll notice that traditional companionway slat boards are replaced with drop-down door. Fortunately, it’s manual so more dependable than its electric forerunners. Aft, there are two cabins with two identical heads, or you can spec a sink and toilet on one side and a large shower compartment on the other. The galley can be a linear along the starboard side or be in a forward arrangement.
The master suite is in the bow accessed via a door offset to starboard just ahead of the compression post. This is done so that two cabins can be shoehorned into the bow for charter purpose. We expect to test one in Annapolis in a few weeks.
Lagoon 43
Above: A 2025 Lagoon 43. Image by Lagoon.
The new Lagoon 43 replaces the former 42 and is a blend of a flybridge and sedan style deck layout. The raised helm is to port and provides decent visibility all around. To starboard is a rooftop lounge where people can relax under way and chat with the skipper. This arrangement provides better visibility aft and less complexity of a true flybridge helm model.
The 43 adds some nice touches this year. First is the side boarding gate which is unusual on cats where you generally step aboard via the transom. Typically, loading bags can be a tricky operation but with the side gate, you just heft the luggage on board from a side dock. Also new is the transom seat with a swing backrest so you can face forward or aft. When in the aft view position, you lower the dingy davit which instantly forms a long bench to lay or sit on while dangling your feet over the water at anchor. It’s a lovely extension of space.
Inside, Lagoon did a switcheroo in the owner’s cabin. Typically, the bed is aft and the head is forward, but the French builder switched these to get the bed away from the noise of the engine. Amidships, there’s a long and extensive office setup and aft is a very large and bright head with a separate toilet and shower. This seems to be an experiment and time will tell how the public accepts this layout since most people don’t sleep aboard when under way with the engine running.
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350
Replacing the Sun Odyssey 349, the new 350 has already been nominated for European Yacht of the Year. With an all-new hull design, easy handling and an expected friendly price, this model is poised to draw new sailors.
The bow clears the waterline at slow speeds which helps with maneuvering in tight quarters which is a trait brought down from her larger siblings in the line. She also borrowed the walkaround deck that makes moving about much easier so whether you’re new to the sport or an old salt with achy knees, you’ll feel safe going from stern to the bow and back, Blissfully, Jeanneau has added the engine throttle to the pedestal which is a feature we love. This means no more bending down to shift gears and taking your eyes off the bow as you’re docking. Well done.
The cockpit can easily accommodate six which is normally a crowd on a boat of this length. The drop-leaf table is massive but slims down nicely when it’s time to walk aft and jump off the swim platform formed by the transom.
Inside, you’ll find standing headroom of 6’ 1” and 2-3 cabins. The starboard galley is compact but workable. The price in the U.S. is TBD but will most likely come in under $300,000.
Not at Cannes but in the US soon
We’re excited to note that Excess Catamarans announced a new model coming soon. The Excess 13 wasn’t at Cannes but will be a wonderful addition once it makes its debut. Slotting in between the Excess 11 and 14, the new model, which is 42’ LOA, will undoubtedly hit the sweet spot. When the Excess brand was launched just a few years ago, it seemed no one understood what it was. The promise of the brand didn’t match the product. But under brand director, Thibaut De Montvalon, the line has taken shape and absolutely makes sense now.
Leopard Catamarans of South Africa hinted at a new model but couldn’t show it at Cannes because hull #1 was already on its way to Annapolis where we expect to test it. The new 46-footer replaces the previous Leopard 45 and slots in between her 42 and 50-foot siblings. Leopard, which does a hearty business with charter company The Moorings, has stuck to their formula for years so we’ll see what new features this addition will bring.
Models coming to a dock near you
Most of the models above may have launched in Europe, but they’re bound for U.S. shores soon. We’ll be reporting in detail on all hulls which will be available to test.
