Pachoud’s Voodoo range is a perfect example of a foil assisted powercat.
We had a huge feedback to our story on the foil assisted Carbon Cat 20 in our recent issue and had more than 5000 views of the video on Face Book. It got me thinking about the ever-evolving boating scene that is changing so fast it is hard to keep up with the latest trends and developments. We read about electric outboards, electric PWCs and electric boats that not so many years ago were just dreams and projects being developed. Like the automotive industry, it seems the way forward in most minds is electric. Â Â
Someone asked me why they couldn’t see the foils on the Carbon Cat, and I had to explain that, unlike the ones we see hanging off the side of an America’s Cup boat, they don’t lift the boat out of the water, they just assist it. They are hidden between the hulls.
Foils are another evolving design medium that is becoming popular in larger powercats. One of the earliest advocates in New Zealand was South African Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, who introduced the foil assist concept to local builders. There are many successful examples of his designs on the water today, such as the 20m, 50 knots, U21.
So, while the foil assist is not that new, it’s just that it has been perfected and finely honed over the years. In 2011, Tauranga based Pachoud Boatbuilders, in collaboration with designer Roger Hill and foil guru Giuseppe Musca, launched their first Voodoo 18m foil assist powercat and put a whole new slant on fuel-efficient boating. Pachoud Yachts have spent ten years fine-tuning their Voodoo XF60 foiling high-speed powercat to near perfection, and the first one launched, five in built and eight in order, it seems the world was ready and waiting for this exciting concept.
The idea of the foil assisted hull is not so much about top-end speed, although that is certainly a bonus, it’s more about economy and efficiency. When I reviewed the first Voodoo 18m in 2011, it was the first time I saw over 40 knots on the GPS of a boat of this size. What set Voodoo apart from other boats was not only the top-end speed but that it could cruise at 30 knots. I have to agree with Pachoud’s when they say that “For a 25-tonne luxury cruiser, this speed is fantastic, but when combined with excellent fuel efficiency, it is just amazing”.
Pachoud Yachts continue to ‘reinvent’ their Voodoo range and today are regarded as one of the world’s leading foil-assisted recreational powercat builders.
