F
our ILIAD 50s have been ordered since the prototype was
launched and evaluated last year. The first was sold during her
official launch at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show late May.
Her sibling ILIAD 70 is appearing at Sydney Boat Show
early August, a second is under way, and two bespoke and pre-bought
ILIAD 60s are already on the slips. Buying now can still ensure a late
2020 delivery.
This remarkable reception is in part because ILIAD powercats are
the product of decades of research. Mark Elkington, managing director of
Multihull Solutions, has logged over 400 new-build multihull sales. Each
one has provided an informal case study on what owners really want.
That information has been distilled into the ILIAD Project, which
has assumed almost Utopian objectives. “Like the legendary Achaean
ships of Homer’s epic poem, ILIAD power catamarans are designed
to ride out the most treacherous conditions with confidence”, he says,
waxing a little lyrical.
Custom options allow clients to pick their own preferred layout. This is
not a choice of two basic alternatives, as offered by some production yards.
A whole spectrum of very different arrangements has been envisaged, and
costed at efficient rates, including location of the master suite.
Other variables could include timber finishes, electronics
packages, luxurious fabrics, and many types of engines, albeit always
watching weight and power performances in the ILIAD hulls.
Fully optioned, the ILIAD 50 sells for about US$1.5 million, the
ILIAD 60 for US$2.5 million, and the ILIAD 70 for US$3.2 million.
The ILIAD 90 is a “work in progress”, and will be released in 2022.
ILIAD’s chosen yard is already being expanded to handle an
anticipated much-increased volume of orders, based on initial sales.
Called Yuanhe Xinlong Shipyard, it is situated in Zhanjiang, a
former French colonial port 50nm north of Hainan, which like Hong
Kong was leased for 99 years from 1898, but returned to China after
WW11 by President Charles de Gaulle.Stern quarter view. Design has evolved from the practical experiences of over 400 multihull ownersAl fresco aft set-up for relaxing, swimming, wining,
dining or waiting for a big fish to biteRenowned Italian naval architect Riccardo Bulgarelli, who has
lately established a full design office in China and is handling these
ILIAD power catamarans, helped to introduce the yard. It also builds
explorer Bering Yachts, and is familiar with Western quality and
certification norms.
Elkington toured Zhuhai yards with me a few years ago, looking
at Greek-Canadian owned Nisi Yachts, and noted that Australia’s
McConaghy had already established a high-tech yard there, building
among other vessels the advanced 43m composite trimaran superyacht
Adastra for Anton Marden.
But he felt the work ethic and experience at Yuanhe Xinlong was
more suitable for his project, and after due diligence, committed to
constructing the ILIAD series at this site, not far from the Vietnam
border.REVIEW ILIAD 50 World Premiere