Design and Construction
The Thira 80 is a twin-keel catamaran with a solid foredeck and no trampolines. In place of the open-net bows found on earlier cats, the solid deck provides a usable forward lounge platform.
Wide side decks, protected by high bulwarks, make it straightforward to move toward the bow. Glass panels in the gunwales preserve the view for anyone seated in the saloon. Large paddleboard lockers sit atop each side deck.
The hulls are built in La Rochelle, France. Aft, the boat is arranged like the beach club of a large motor yacht. Sugarscoops flank a large hydraulic platform that doubles as a swim terrace and can carry a tender up to 4.3 meters. Two side-deck lounges have retractable balconies that fold down over the water, while similar fold-down wings at the cockpit edges enlarge the social spaces. A robust watertight door leads directly from the cockpit into the saloon—a detail more in keeping with the superyacht brief than the design’s production roots.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
All lines lead to the twin flybridge helms, where electric winches keep sail handling at the steering stations. The proven fractional rig carries a standard Incidence Hydranet ZZ sail wardrobe with a Profurl hydraulic furling system. Both the working genoa and the light-air Code Zero use electric furlers.
The 2,153-square-foot mainsail and 1,507-square-foot genoa provide more than 3,500 square feet of upwind sail area. In 10 knots of wind and smooth water during testing, the boat proved ready to devour the miles under sail alone. Cruising speed in most conditions is around 10 knots, with a maximum near 13 knots.
Standard power comes from twin 270 hp diesels, with options up to 425 hp per side.
Accommodations
Fountaine Pajot offers three main layout families: Maestro, VIP, and a six-cabin version. Buyers can also choose between galley-up and galley-down arrangements.
The Maestro layout places a large owner’s stateroom and bathroom forward in one hull. It also includes an impressive VIP stateroom with its own bathroom and two guest cabins with double berths and ensuite heads.
The VIP Maestro galley-down configuration lists one owner’s suite, one VIP cabin, and two double cabins, each with a dedicated bathroom, plus crew quarters. The VIP version instead combines the large owner’s or VIP stateroom with four guest cabins, all fitted with double berths and private bathrooms. The six-cabin layout provides six separate cabins, each with an ensuite bathroom and shower.
The builder claims that the owner’s cabin offers more space than that of any other catamaran of this size. Its expansive ensuite can accommodate a sauna, hammam, or whirlpool bath. An optional jacuzzi hot tub can also be installed in the forepeak.
Crew accommodations include a captain’s cabin with a gull-wing door to the cockpit, two single bunks, and a mess area. Additional berths can be fitted in the forepeak lockers.
Equipment, Power, and Tankage
Transparent solar panels extend over the side lounges. Fountaine Pajot has also integrated four kilowatts of flexible photovoltaic panels into the flybridge and saloon roof, with a further 4.2 kilowatts available as an upgrade through clear overhead panels.
Freshwater capacity is 423 gallons. Standard diesel capacity is 634 gallons, with an optional additional 264 gallons. Those capacities support long, independent passages.
Verdict
The Thira 80 takes Fountaine Pajot’s production-catamaran experience to superyacht scale. Its solid foredeck, fold-down balconies, beach-club-style stern, and broad range of layouts distinguish it from the builder’s previous models. The sail plan can deliver double-digit speeds without engine assistance, while owner-driven customization extends from cabin arrangements to spa-style ensuite options.
That scale and complexity come with practical costs. The boat’s hydraulic and electrical systems call for a serious approach to ownership and maintenance, while its displacement and beam put it beyond normal marina and crewed-catamaran expectations.
Pros
- Largest and most customizable Fountaine Pajot catamaran to date, with superyacht-grade stern and side-deck beach-club spaces
- Proven fractional rig, electric furling, and sail controls concentrated at the twin flybridge helms
- More than 3,500 square feet of upwind sail area
- Multiple owner, VIP, and six-cabin layouts, with galley-up or galley-down choices and expansive ensuite options
- Substantial solar capacity and integrated tender stowage, offered as standard equipment or upgrades
Cons
- Approximate 66.0-ton displacement and 36-foot beam put the boat outside normal marina and crewed-catamaran norms
- Heavy reliance on hydraulics for the platform, balconies, and furlers implies a greater system-management load
- The solid foredeck and lack of trampolines trade the open-catamaran feel for volume and structure
