SHIPYARD-NAUTITECH
105
OYSTERS,
SALT AND
CATAMARANS
Catamarans have been built in the beautiful
region of the Charente Maritime
since the 1980s - and since 2014 also
Bavaria Catamarans.
Oysters, salt and - catamarans. The region around the
mouth of the river Charente on the French Biscay
coast is rich in natural resources and rich in history.
Even the Sun King Louis XIV liked the area, perhaps
because of the many delicious oysters and the
Cognac that was produced close by ... Anyway, he converted
Rochefort on the Charente into his largest naval arsenal. And
therefore here also a piece of the history of American independence
was written. For it was here that the frigate “L’Hermione”
was built in 1779 which transported the French general
La Fayette to America one year later, where he brought George
Washington the welcome news that France would assist him in
his war of independence against England with 5,500 soldiers
and five frigates. Incidentally, the passage with the frigate from
Rochefort to Boston lasted almost 50 days.
The buildings, fortifications and even the shipyard of that time
are renovated and can be visited, as well as the frigate “Hermione”
- or, more accurately, a historically accurate, detailed
replica of the original, which eventually ran ashore somewhere
on the rocky coast of Brittany. The new “Hermione” was built
in the historic shipyard and in 2015 once more sailed across
the Atlantic and back, now it stays in the dock and is open for
visitors. Worth seeing is also the elegant, covered Corderie
Royale, the old rope walk of the shipyard for the production of
endless kilometres of ropes that were required per ship. And
you can find very pleasant lodgings here, in the old shipyard
area, at the four-star hotel “Corderie Royale”.
350 years of maritime tradition - in Rochefort this is visible
practically everywhere, even in the marinas, which are located
at the harbour that is separated from the river by locks and is
located almost in the city centre. Of course, the yard in which
the Bavaria Yachts Nautitech catamarans are built today is not
quite that old. In 1986, the CIM shipyard - which built mainly
maxi yachts from 78 to 115 feet in length - was founded here,
which built mainly maxi yachts from 78 to 115 feet in length.
In 1994 the catamaran series Nautitech was developed, at
that time mainly for the fast growing charter market. Thus, the
boats were designed from the beginning as good sailing, but
above all moderate, safe and comfortable catamarans.
Properties that soon also convinced many private owners. The
fixed Bimini above the cockpit, as an extension of the cabin
roof, as it is common today on many production catamarans
was originally also a development of Nautitech.
The brand Nautitech was then further expanded between 2003
and 2012, with many new and attractive models between
40 and 48 feet in length. A new era began in 2013 with the
Nautitech 40 Open, with the then new concept of blending the
inside and outside spaces on the bridge deck and cockpit and
softening the distinction between “inside” and “outside”. This
ship proved to be a bestseller: Since then, 113 of this type have
been built and it is still, now in a revised version, in production
and enjoys great popularity.
In 2014, Bavaria Yachts bought Nautitech, heralding a new era
in the history of these catamarans. In addition to the 40 Open,
the 46 Open was introduced in 2016, which is also available
with Flybridge. For this purpose, a new production line was
built in the shipyard, according to the experience of Bavaria
Yachts. At the time, things changed a lot, remembers Catherine
Briand from the sales department: “Suddenly, we built three
times as many boats as before. Accordingly, the production
was changed, but there were also many new jobs here at the
shipyard! Then the new Bavaria 46 Open, the cooperation
with Giebelstadt - all wooden furniture come from the yard’s
own carpentry workshop in Giebelstadt, for example - and the
quality and engineering from Germany: a lot has changed for
the better! “