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EXPLORING THE BOUNDARIES OF ADVENTURE WITH THE 80 BY ARCHIPELAGO

EXPLORING THE BOUNDARIES OF ADVENTURE WITH THE 80 BY ARCHIPELAGO - TheArsenale

The Archipelago 80 expedition catamaran is the most capable adventure yacht in the Archipelago Yachts lineup: a 24-metre, 16-tonne-payload vessel built on a hull form proven in the offshore wind industry, capable of reaching 30 knots while carrying a helicopter, a submarine, amphibious vehicles, and a sailboat simultaneously. It is designed for owners who genuinely intend to go everywhere and want to take everything with them.

 

Hull Design: From Offshore Wind to Luxury Adventure

The Archipelago 80's hull is derived directly from the offshore wind sector, where commercial vessels must operate reliably in open ocean conditions, heavy swell, and variable weather over extended periods. Adapting that industrial-grade hull form for a leisure vessel means the A-80 offers exceptional stability and sea-keeping qualities that conventional leisure catamarans cannot match. As Robb Report noted at its launch, the A-80 is a go-anywhere vessel in a literal sense, requiring just one metre of draft to explore any shoreline, river mouth, or shallow coastal anchorage.

Archipelago 80 expedition catamaran 24m offshore wind hull adventure yacht

Performance and Propulsion

The A-80 is powered by twin 1,300 HP MAN diesel engines paired with 250 kW electric propulsors, enabling top speeds of 28 to 30 knots. This hybrid propulsion setup, alongside options for waterjets and variable pitch propellers, gives the vessel both the sprint capability to cover ground quickly and the efficiency for longer passages on the 20,000-litre fuel capacity. Unlike conventional displacement catamarans that are speed-limited by hull length, the A-80 can genuinely transit at pace.

The 11-metre beam provides the structural platform for all of this, making the A-80 considerably wider than its length might suggest and giving the interior a genuinely spacious open-plan character.

Archipelago 80 catamaran interior saloon bar panoramic view accommodation

16 Tonnes of Payload Capacity

The defining characteristic of the A-80 is its 16-tonne payload capacity, managed by a Palfinger long-reach crane on deck. This makes it possible to carry a full inventory of expedition toys: a helicopter on the optional upper deck helipad, a personal submarine deployed from the stern, amphibious vehicles, tenders, and sailing support boats. The A-80 was co-designed with an owner who insisted that functionality and luxurious appeal be treated equally, and the result is a vessel where the toy garage capability does not compromise the quality of the interior finishes or the comfort of the 12-person accommodation.

More technical details are available directly from Archipelago Yachts.

Archipelago 80 expedition catamaran crane payload helicopter submarine capacity

Photo: Archipelago Yachts

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