Cantiere del Pardo has quietly been building something significant in its Forlì facility. The result is the Grand Soleil Plus 80 Long Cruise, a 26.20-metre sailing yacht that makes no apology for its ambitions: this is a boat designed to cross oceans comfortably, handle heavy weather confidently, and still feel like somewhere worth living when the anchor goes down.
The first hull, named Bianca II, had its private debut at the Grand Soleil Cup 2026 before a wider public showing at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. It is the largest model yet in the Plus line, which now spans from 65 feet upward, and its arrival signals that the Italian yard remains firmly committed to sail at a time when much of the superyacht market has drifted toward motor.
What makes the Plus 80 LC interesting is not simply its size. It is the way the design team has approached the problem of scaling up without losing the handling qualities that define smaller Grand Soleil models. Naval architect Matteo Polli, who has worked across the Plus line, gave the hull narrow bow sections that slice cleanly through a chop rather than bludgeoning through it. The sections open up progressively toward the stern, which does two things: it keeps the motion comfortable at sea, and it recovers the interior volume that a finer entry removes from the bow.
Keel and rudder options reflect serious offshore thinking. Bianca II carries twin rudders paired with a telescopic keel offering variable draft between 2.90 and 4.40 metres, a combination that maintains steering authority even at significant heel angles. For owners who prefer a fixed setup, a conventional single-rudder configuration is offered with keel options ranging from 2.40 metres to deeper profiles. The flexibility matters on a yacht that might transit the Mediterranean one season and the Pacific the next.
The rig is built around a carbon mast and boom, with rod standing rigging chosen for longevity on long passages. A fixed bowsprit accommodates two gennaker options: a traditional nylon sail for light air and a furling gennaker on an anti-torsion cable for easier short-handed handling. An inner forestay can be added for a storm jib when conditions deteriorate. All running rigging is led aft to twin helm stations, clearing the central cockpit for crew movement and leaving the working areas distinct from the social ones. The V-boom assists mainsail handling on a sail plan measuring 400 square metres in total.
Below the waterline and inside the hull, Cantiere del Pardo built the boat using its standard in-house process: composite sandwich construction with epoxy-based vinylester resin, vacuum infusion lamination, and carbon reinforcement concentrated in high-load zones. One detail worth noting is how the bulkheads on Bianca II integrate carbon conduit for cable runs, reducing the visual clutter of wiring while making systems easier to trace and service. The yard’s project manager Franco Corazza describes the entire build, from first lamination to launch, as having been completed on site, a point of difference at a scale where subcontracting is common.
Energy management aboard is handled by a Torqeedo hybrid platform combining electric propulsion with hotel load management. Two 40 kWh battery packs provide 80 kWh of total storage, backed in long-range configuration by a pair of 45 kW generators. A separate buffer pack keeps essential systems running regardless of propulsion or generator status. All deck machinery, including winches, the telescopic keel mechanism, and mast systems, draws from a single centralised hydraulic circuit rather than individual electric drives, reducing weight and simplifying maintenance.
The raised coachroof that distinguishes the Plus line visually does more than aesthetic work here. The elevated saloon sole that results from this arrangement creates a usable technical void underneath, into which electrical and mechanical systems are tucked, freeing cabin and storage space above. The coachroof glazing wraps to 270 degrees, making the saloon genuinely light at sea rather than just on the dock.
Nauta, the Milan design studio responsible for exterior styling and interiors across the Plus range, configured Bianca II with four guest cabins and two crew cabins. A three-plus-two layout is also available. The master cabin sits forward with a walk-around bed and its own ensuite, while guest cabins can be arranged as doubles or convertible twins with Pullman-style upper berths for additional capacity. Crew accommodation and the galley occupy the aft section with dedicated access that keeps working areas separate from guest spaces. Bianca II forgoes a tender garage, freeing that volume for owner-specified equipment such as a freezer or laundry.
Interior materials on Bianca II run to warm oak joinery and textile-covered bulkheads, a departure from conventional painted or timber-panelled surfaces that Nauta says improves both acoustics and the sense of warmth below.
Massimo Gino, Nauta’s CEO and co-founder, put the challenge of the size succinctly: an 80-foot yacht needs to deliver what buyers of 95 to 100-foot boats expect. The Plus 80 LC makes a credible case that it can.
Specifications
Overall length 26.20 m / Hull length 23.99 m / Waterline length 22 m / Beam 6.60 m / Standard draft 3.95 m / Displacement (light ship) 42.5 t / Sail area 400 m² / Fuel 2,000 L / Fresh water 1,300 L / Engine Yanmar 4LV250 250 hp / Layout 5+5 / Naval architecture Matteo Polli / Design and interiors Nauta / Builder Cantiere del Pardo
