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TS5: A sporty cruising catamaran

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A neat sailplan: uniform, effective and set reasonably-well aft

The TS5 really raises the bar in light airs. Even in very light winds, it takes advantage of the conditions, to create its own apparent wind! Remarkable

Good, clean bridgedeck clearance, subtle wake, finer topside design and reduced wetted surface: TS solutions for a quick and comfortable catamaran

It’s just as much fun in light airs as in a breeze

Genoa, furler for medium conditions, gennaker for light airs, staysail for a breeze: a good selection of possibilities

Note the form of the bows! The sculpted topsides really play a wave deflector role

This helm seat is conducive to the enjoyment of the fingertip piloting of this beautiful machine.

On this version, the starboard helm station is home to the engine controls. This setup favors berthing this side to, but it’s effective, allowing you to make use of the direction effect of the large rudder blades

A big cockpit which is comfortable at anchor and well protected from wind and spray at sea. Note the form of the coachroof exterior hatches, protecting the polycarbonate itself and the interior of the boat from UV light. You can also see the centering sy

Relaxing lounger, large friendly dining area, well-equipped galley, abundant light and a remarkable view forward

This TS5, number 1 in the series, is fitted with a sliding door (a fairly heavy item): other alternatives are available

The aft cabins: Feng Shui ambiance and a view of your wake! The TS philosophy…

One of the forecabins: loads of room, little in the way of headlinings, but direct contact with the very nice composite

The heads compartments are simple and functional

Coming out of the mold, the lines of the TS5 already give an idea of the performance in store

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Practical info

Boat Test price$5.00Inc. tax

Purchase

Boat Test price$5.00Inc. tax

Purchase

The rebellious family of TS boats has already got an excellent pedigree. The strong character of the earliest of these designs by Christophe Barreau (based on an idea from none other than Francis Joyon) demonstrated both vigor and talent, through the first series manufactured by Marsaudon in Lorient, Brittany (for the 50') and at Xlight Catamarans (for the 52'), made at Canet en Roussillon in the South of France. The dozen examples that were built understandably made headlines, as they were among the fastest livable multihulls in the world (more than 400 miles a day with Francis at the helm!). The TS 42s in turn are very popular with fans. The TS5 is a brand new boat that successfully integrates the TS50 and 52's DNA by offering a much more consensual living space, grafted onto a sporty chassis similar to that of the TS42! Let’s discover a catamaran with teeth and long legs.

They haven’t lost the magic formula, but it’s had a serious review!

The TS50-52 offered rounded shapes: the coachroof seemed to make every effort to avoid appearing chunky, and the powerful straight bows appeared to belong to a larger racing catamaran. The stylistic power of this pumped-up surfer clearly betrayed its ambitions of wild speed. A formidable sporty multihull! Today’s TS5 is a big TS42: the relevance of this 12m model clearly reflects the creativity of the naval architect and his capacity for innovation in a growing segment, certainly, but also one constrained by expectations of volume and style which you have to be quite daring to do away with, even partially! The efficient simplicity of the 42, its assertive personality and its high level performance are all a precursor to those of the TS5. But can this be confirmed?

Captivating lines

The TS5 is beautiful. The white gelcoat doesn’t fully emphasize the formal subtleties of this multihull, but successful graphics would highlight the strength of this inspired design. The quadrangular coachroof houses free space and a panoramic view, now essential. This form succeeds in the feat of not penalizing the aerodynamics...

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