This new model, officially launched at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2024 and due for market release in April 2025, is a compact 12.1-metre catamaran built for extended passagemaking but scaled to meet the needs of sailors who want space, sustainability, and autonomy—without stepping into superyacht territory. It also marks the start of a completely new generation of boats from the La Rochelle yard, and a fresh design language that will carry into future models.
The New 41 will be available with either a traditional twin-diesel setup (2 x 20hp or optional 2 x 40hp) or a hybrid-electric powertrain. The electric option features ODSEA+ with twin 25kW motors powered by two 21kWh battery banks, supported by 2,300W of solar panels. According to Fountaine Pajot, this configuration enables up to four days of autonomy under normal usage, or around 12 hours with air conditioning running. The yard calculates a 46% reduction in lifetime carbon emissions when compared with a diesel-only version—part of its broader goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Fountaine Pajot’s ODSea+ hybrid electric catamarans herald new era of sustainable cruising
In terms of hull design, the 41 represents a considered evolution. The draught has been increased slightly for better upwind performance, and the hulls now include chined forward sections to improve buoyancy and volume without compromising the sleek lines. A carbon bowsprit contributes to reduced weight and better sail handling, especially when running larger headsails. Construction materials include recycled PET foam cores and bio-sourced interior fabrics—a move that aligns with FP’s growing commitment to sustainable production.
At first glance, the New 41 looks like a scaled-down version of its bigger sisters. The lines are low and stretched, with fine entry bows and plenty of topside glazing for improved natural light and visibility. The helm setup will be familiar to existing FP owners: a mid-height pod with twin wheels that combines visibility, safety, and ease of communication between helm, cockpit and sail plan. It’s not quite a flybridge and not quite a bulkhead helm—it splits the difference, and works well for shorthanded sailing.
The layout options are varied. Buyers can choose from three main configurations: the Maestro 2 (three cabins, two heads), the Maestro 3 (three cabins, three heads), and the Quatuor (four double cabins with up to four heads, plus a skipper berth). In the owner-focused Maestro versions, the entire port hull is given over to a generous suite, with a wide berth, large ensuite, and ample storage. Guest accommodation is set in the opposite hull, with space-efficient heads and showers depending on the version selected.
Living space flows easily from inside to out. The saloon opens through wide doors to the aft cockpit, where seating is expansive and sociable. An optional aft-facing sofa helps increase cockpit seating to up to ten people, and a 150kg-capacity tender lift integrated into the transom makes dinghy handling more practical. Inside, a large serving hatch between the galley and forward saloon seating adds usability during passages or at anchor.
Displacement is a manageable 12.7 tonnes (unloaded), thanks to vacuum-infused construction and strategic weight distribution. The sail plan—65m² mainsail and 35m² genoa—is enough to move the boat comfortably in a variety of wind conditions. This is not a performance catamaran, but it’s capable of maintaining respectable passage speeds while keeping the crew level and comfortable.
Interior finish follows FP’s 2024 ‘Millésime’ styling, with a more modern, lighter design approach: rounded cabinetry, light-coloured materials, and a contemporary feel that avoids feeling sterile. Large hull windows provide views from each cabin, and the chines in the hulls allow for wider beds than previous models.
Perhaps one of the most appealing features is the price. With a base price of around €400,000, the 41 undercuts its predecessor, the Isla 40, by around 15%, while offering significantly more in terms of volume, features and cruising range.
Designed by Berret-Racoupeau Yacht Design, the FP 41 doesn’t throw out the rulebook. Instead, it quietly modernises and upgrades what’s already proven successful. It’s a boat made for long-term living, extended cruising, and coastal exploration—with enough options and flexibility to suit private owners, charterers, and first-time multihull sailors.
For Kiwi sailors with dreams of Pacific island cruising, the New 41 ticks a lot of boxes. It’s easy to imagine this boat slipping out past Cape Reinga, bound for Fiji or Tonga, with its solar panels quietly topping up the batteries, and plenty of space on deck to stretch out under the sun.
It won’t outsail a finely-tuned monohull, but that’s not the point. What the Fountaine Pajot 41 offers is competence, comfort, and genuine cruising capability—wrapped in a smart, sustainable and well-priced package. For many, that’s exactly what bluewater sailing should look like today.
In New Zealand or Australia? Enquire about Fountaine Pajot catamarans from The Yacht Sales Co.
