Design and Construction
The Eleuthera 60's hulls and bridgedeck are built as one piece using vacuum bagging and resin infusion, a method the builder claimed produced the biggest fiberglass structure in the world infused in a single shot anchor. Both hulls and the bridgedeck share this monocoque approach, and the builder described the layup as isophthalic and orthophthalic resins with multidirectional cloth secured before bagging. Reviewers at Multihulls World called the hulls revolutionary, noting Berret-Racoupeau's tighter, more modern lines anchor. The cabin top carries the recognizable Fountaine Pajot look and was praised as both aesthetically pleasing and useful in limiting solar gain below. Oblong portholes run along the hulls in place of lateral opening hatches, and round skylights supplement deck ventilation. With more than six feet of freeboard, the boat sits high to the water and a boarding ladder is effectively required at the dock.
Rig and Handling
The Eleuthera 60 is a fractional sloop carrying a 72-foot mast and a stated 100-percent sail area of 1,509 square feet, with a 1,300-square-foot screecher available to drive the 39,600-pound hulls (a test sail cited a 40,000-pound figure). A two-speed electric Harken winch on the cabintop eased maneuvers, and the helm is set to starboard of the saloon's aft bulkhead with 360-degree visibility and a raked windshield that shields the crew from wind and spray without blocking voice contact with the foredeck. The hulls' rockered shape and short keels promote willing, responsive steering, and on the test sail the boat reached 14.5 knots. Cruising World's testers found she could be sailed by two, though the work gets sporty when the breeze builds.
Accommodations
Fountaine Pajot offered the Eleuthera 60 in five layout versions — three for owners and two for charter — with the test boat showing the Orchestra arrangement of one owner's stateroom and three guest cabins. The owner's cabin holds a queen-size island berth on a Bultex foam mattress over wooden slats, a desk with 110-volt power and a foldout vanity mirror, and the cabin's douka-wood surfaces run through the interior. The U-shaped galley sits behind a bar with a four-burner Nardi stove and oven, double stainless sink, bar fridge, and room for a dishwasher; a huge stainless-steel fridge/freezer and a second CLD unit at the starboard hull steps support long stays. The saloon table seats five on the settee, while the cockpit's teak-sole layout and banquet-sized table accommodate eight to ten al fresco diners. Multihulls World judged the boat exceptionally liveable at anchor, with intelligent living areas and no shortage of space.
Equipment and Power
Standard power is twin 75-horsepower Yanmars with 100-horsepower units optional, and the test boat ran the larger diesels. A forward-facing nav station to port inside the saloon can take an autopilot remote, and the galley ventilation hood, electric winch, and generous tankage — 227 gallons of water and 158 gallons of fuel — round out the systems picture for extended cruising.
The Verdict
The Eleuthera 60 is a large, thoughtfully laid-out flagship catamaran whose single-shot infused structure and Berret-Racoupeau hull lines mark a clear step in Fountaine Pajot's design evolution. She is genuinely short-handable for her size, fast in the right breeze, and exceptionally comfortable at anchor, though her freeboard demands careful boarding planning.
Pros
- One-piece infused hulls and bridgedeck of unprecedented scale for the builder
- Responsive steering from rockered hulls and short keels; 14.5-knot test speed
- Five layouts, intelligent liveaboard spaces, banquet cockpit and owner's island berth
Cons
- More than six feet of freeboard complicates boarding without a ladder
- Two-person sailing gets sporty as wind increases
- Lateral opening hull hatches replaced by fixed oblong portholes
