Gib'sea 80 Plus Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The Gib'sea 80 Plus emerged from Gibert Marine, a company founded in 1972 by Olivier Gibert, who had a background as Operations Director for Jeanneau. Gibert Marine quickly established itself in Marans, France, focusing on fiberglass sailing yachts between 7 and 12 meters. While the company later became synonymous with cruising comfort, its early vision, and indeed the design brief for the 80 Plus, embraced a spirit of performance. The sailboat's designer, Jean Berret, lent his expertise, creating a fin-keeled, spade-ruddered hull form that directly descended from a successful Quarter Ton racing yacht. This strong lineage ensured the 80 Plus was not merely a recreational boat but one designed with speed and agility in mind. A total of 196 Gib'sea 80 Plus units were built during its production run, highlighting its modest but notable presence in the market.

Sailing Performance and Handling

With its racing pedigree, the Gib'sea 80 Plus offers an engaging sailing experience. Designed for performance, it features a fin keel and a spade rudder, a configuration typical of more performance-oriented yachts, allowing for good maneuverability and responsiveness. Its relatively light displacement for its length suggests a boat that can be spirited in various conditions. While its overall length is just under 26 feet, sources indicate it is "best suited as a racing boat," suggesting a lively character. Owners can expect a vessel that is "reasonably stable / stiff," capable of standing up to a breeze without excessive heel, contributing to a sense of security and control on the water. Like any performance-oriented sailboat, well-maintained and appropriately sized sails are crucial for extracting the best from its design.

Accommodations and Layout

Despite its performance focus, the Gib'sea 80 Plus was designed to offer practical accommodations for its size. The interior typically provides four berths, making it suitable for weekend cruising or short trips with a small crew. The layout usually features an aft cockpit design. While specific headroom figures are not consistently available, the focus of Gib'sea models generally leaned towards maximizing interior volume for liveability, balancing this with the performance hull shape. The freshwater tank capacity is approximately 11 gallons (40 liters), which is adequate for a vessel of this size intended for coastal hopping. Owners seeking more detailed insights into the interior arrangement would benefit from exploring specific boat listings or owner-contributed resources, as the exact finishes and layouts could vary.

Owner's Perspectives

Owners of Gib'sea yachts, including the 80 Plus, often appreciate the brand's reputation for producing robustly built French cruisers. While specific owner reviews for the 80 Plus are not readily available in aggregated form, the Gib'sea line, in general, is known for its practical designs and solid construction. Common maintenance considerations, typical of boats of this vintage, might include inspecting and potentially re-bedding deck fittings over time, or addressing engine-related items, as sometimes noted for other models in the Gib'sea range. A dedicated community of Gib'sea owners continues to maintain and sail these vessels, drawn to their reliable performance and accessible price point on the used boat market., 15]