Those who love sailing have known the name of Cantiere del Pardo for over 50 years now
Grand Soleil yachts are well known all over the world both as superb ocean cruisers and as titled racers that have won numerous regattas. Over half a century, the total number of hulls built by the Italian shipyard from Forli, not far from Bologna, has exceeded 5000. However, today they are not only sailing, but also motor models manufactured under such brands as Pardo and Van Dutch that Cantiere del Pardo launched recently.
Beginning: Grand Soleil sailing yachts
The story of Cantiere del Pardo started back in 1973 with the construction of the first Grand Soleil sailboat. The Grand Soleil 34 Finot designed by famous French studio Jean Marie Finot was rather small by today's standards – just over 10 metres (34 ft).
In 1977 the shipyard commissioned designer Cino Ricci to create a racing prototype based on her, the GS 34. The model was so successful that by 1982 they had made about 200 hulls. Production of other models that formed Grand Soleil range and were developed by Alain Jezequel started at that time, too.
In 1990s the great German Frers era started, when some of the iconic Grand Soleil models ranging from 34 to 52 ft were designed. The largest of them – the GS42, GS45 and GS 52 – were dubbed “Spaghetti Swan”, most likely due to the parallel with spaghetti westerns, i.e. the westerns made by Italian directors. It was really not easy to tell a Grand Soleil 52 from a legendary Finnish Swan 53.
At the turn of the century there was a “generation leap”: the hulls lines changed dramatically, and since this time there appeared modern Grand Soleils with a vertical bow and transom. This era opened with the success of the Grand Soleil 40, which won European and world IMS regattas (in total Grand Soleil can boast over 20 prestigious trophies).
The model was designed by Italian Massimo Paperini. Cantiere del Pardo has never been afraid of experimenting and working with different designers and studios: over the last quarter century Grand Soleil models were developed by such giants as Judel&Vrolik, Luca Brenta, Marcelino Botin of Botin Partners, Claudio Maletto who is known for several projects for the America’s Cup…
All the projects had largely been aimed at speed and winning races until about 2014, when the shipyard started looking at the cruising segment of long-range sailing yachts. The Grand Soleil Long Cruiser range still demonstrates excellent performance and seakeeping characteristics, as well as ample and comfortable interiors and a lot “friendlier” sail control compared to other racing yachts.
Today, there are two lines that coexist in the Grand Soleil model range: Performance and LC. But Cantiere del Pardo didn’t stop at them and entered the previously unfamiliar field.
Pardo Yachts
In 2016 Cantiere del Pardo manufactured its first motor yacht under Pardo Yachts brand. Taking into account the reputation that Grand Soleil sailboats had in the market, the motor range had to be no less impressive. And the shipyard suceeded in it.
The first Pardo Yachts unit was the 14-metre walkaround Pardo 43. The model is still produced, which is not surprising: Cantiere del Pardo calculated the recipe for her success most accurately. Here are the main ingredients…
Recognizable design: signature inverted bow and clean, “sculptural” lines.
Performance characteristics: high speed (35 knots), excellent maneuverability and seaworthiness thanks to the deep V-hull.
Versatility: the Pardo 43 is great both as a day boat and a cabin cruiser. The smartly planned open deck partly sheltered with a T-top and a windshield provide the genuine feeling of the sea, while two cabins and a bathroom below deck allow one to spend far more time on board than just a day or a weekend.
To develop this approach, later Cantiere del Pardo did not only increase the number of walkaround models, but introduced two more lines. They are larger enclosed models of 50-75 ft (16–23 m) for longer trips. In addition to the inverted bow, they feature a trawler-type superstructure with a reverse raked windshield and high bulwarks for safety.
GT (Grand Touring) range comprises coupe yachts with an enclosed saloon that are practical, ergonomic and fast. Their seaworthiness class is A (open ocean), as opposed to most planing yachts that are class B meant for offshore navigation.
E (Endurance) range includes flybridge yachts that are not so fast and are first and foremost focused on comfort, long-range cruises and economical fuel consumption. Thus, for example, at a speed of 12 knots, the Pardo E72 consumes just 80 L of diesel per hour, which with a fuel capacity of 6000 L ensures a range of almost 900 nautical miles.
It is interesting to note here that regardless of the performance characteristics, Cantiere del Pardo prefers to power its yachts with Volvo IPS, which gives them impressive maneuverability, ease of handling and minimal noise.
Production and service
Cantiere del Pardo is based in Forli, in the province of Emilia-Romagna, which is one of the most high-tech regions of Italy and home to the production facilities of such famous companies as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.
By the way, Cantiere del Pardo’s facility is enourmous and features state-of-the-art equipment, too. 40 000 sq.m of covered area are divided into three departments: millwork, carpentry for the interiors, and assembly, where everything is put together. At the end of the production cycle all the vessels undergo final testing in the large test tank, where engine and thrusters are tested to ensure functionality andthat the boat is watertight using high pressure water jets.
The structure (frame) is made of carbon and GRP composite reinforcements, glued and internally laminated to the hull to support areas of high loads, which makes the vessels secure in any weather. All the bulkheads on board are laminated to the hull and bonded to the ceiling pockets.
There is still a lot of hand-crafted workmanship at the outfitting stage. Firstly, it provides more customization opportunities, and secondly, this is a typical Italian approach to interiors, combining traditional know-how with the latest technologies.
The decks feature jigh quality 9 mm teak wood and vacuum bagging methods to apply the teak decks to do without screws and plugs. There is also an option of synthetic teak for the owners who want to reduce the environmental impact.
In fact, Cantiere del Pardo manufacturers everything inhouse and does not rely on external providers, which is definitely a huge benefit in terms of quality and production processes. Each stage of work is managed and controlled by the large inhouse technical office.
Cantiere del Pardo’s philosophy is quite simple and is based on three values: quality and tradition, service excellence and sustainability.
The shipyard is consistent in its strategy of minimization of environmental impace both in construction and operation. The yard’s aftersale team has the best understanding of the technical specifications and requirements of any Grand Soleil or Pardo Yachts model regardless of her age or conditions anywhere in the world. The company has 65 dealerships and a network of authorized service centres that keeps growing.
What matters most is that in the yachting industry (as well as many others) quality and traditions never appear out of nowhere, or even by copying somebody’s good decisions. They are developed over the years, through ups and downs, success and failures. Sometimes it is very useful to fail, as there is a chance to correct the mistake and not to repeat it. So, half a century of experience should not be underestimated, as it has allowed Cantiere del Pardo to develop the highest standards of yacht quality and safety first-hand.
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