Design and Construction
Wrighton built the Bi-Loup 66 in France, the yard's records placing the construction at La Rochelle, with the architect listed simply as Wrighton himself. The hull is solid monolithic polyester with a solid fiberglass deck, and the appendage is a bi-keelboat (bilge-keel) plan giving a maximum draft of only 0.75 meters. That shallow twin-keel layout, combined with a 2.49-meter beam and 5.80-meter waterline length, marks her as a trailer-friendly, grounding-forgiving coastal hull rather than a deep-fin racer. The minimum navigation category is C and maximum D, confirming her sheltered-to-moderate-water scope.
Rig and Handling
She is rigged as a fractional sloop carrying 25 m² of sail area — an 11 m² mainsail and 14 m² genoa, with a 30 m² spinnaker available for downwind work. The sail-area-to-weight ratio sits at 18 and the ballast-to-sail-area ratio at 20, with a ballast-to-weight ratio of 0.36 and a ZV ratio of 15. Those figures describe a lightly canvased, moderately ballasted small boat: not a rocket, but stable on her feet for her size. An 8 HP inboard engine provides auxiliary power, and the transmission is listed only as "other type" in the equipment record.
Accommodations
Below, the Bi-Loup 66 is a single-cabin layout with berths for two to four and 1.86 meters of headroom. For a 6.6-meter hull that is a genuinely usable standing height and a flexible sleeping plan, though the volume is what you would expect of a dayboat-plus: enough for weekending, not for liveaboard cruising.
Known Issues
The Bi-Loup 66 shows no structural defects or systemic faults in service.
The Verdict
The Bi-Loup 66 is a straightforward, shallow-draft French pocket cruiser: solid polyester, twin keels, a simple fractional rig, and a practical if compact cabin. She is best understood as a nearshore dayboat and randonnée boat for sailors who value easy ground handling and a low-air-draft profile over speed or offshore range.
Pros
- 0.75 m twin-keel draft for beaching and shallow access
- 1.86 m headroom in a sub-22-foot hull
- Solid polyester construction, simple and repairable
Cons
- C/D navigation category limits her to sheltered waters
- Only 25 m² of sail and 8 HP inboard suit her to light-duty use
- Single cabin with 2–4 berths restricts cruising scope
