Sunmare 50

Although the venerable F. Hervé shipyard was established in La Rochelle back in 1946, just after the war, it has evolved over the generations (currently the fourth) who have successively taken the helm. As proof, we went along to discover brand-new premises in Périgny, on the outskirts of La Rochelle, along with a mysterious multihull - it’s a sub-contract job currently in build. They know about quality work here: in 78 years, only 37 boats have been produced. All are one-offs, and most are wood construction, often of traditional inspiration. However, Hervé soon turned their attention to composites and electric powertrains, and even produced three powercats - Nomad, a small cruiser based in La Rochelle, Glaz Mor, a powerful cruiser based in Canada, on the St. Lawrence, and the astonishing A2V prototype, a boat with aerodynamic lift. The fact remains that the Sunmare 50, with its sharp design and modern, neo-retro look, is a somewhat of a UFO in Hervé’s catalog... and I’m delighted to see it “in real life”. Just enough time to grab a quick snack from the unmissable eatery,...