Catana Group, the world's number two in the pleasure catamaran market through its Catana and Bali sailboat brands, creates a surprise by unveiling YOT, a new brand that will carry its powercats offering.

The French Catana Group occupies a unique position in the pleasure catamaran market.

The world's number two in this segment is the only pure-player, a position it has acquired over the years through two emblematic brands: Catana in the ocean-going catamaran segment, and Bali in the cruising catamaran segment.

With a primarily sailing offering - two motor models have been offered in recent years to assess the market - the Canet en Roussillon-based group had to offer motor boats to meet a strong evolution in demand.

This offer will therefore be carried by a brand specifically created for the occasion - YOT - following the example of the choice made by the Bénéteau group with Prestige to replace Lagoon, and unlike Fountaine-Pajot, which markets its powercats under the same brand as its sailboats: Fountaine-Pajot.

YOT, a specific brand to meet motorboating expectations

It was in 2020 that the project to launch a specific brand for the powercat market was born within the management of the French group.

With the launch of two powercats, the Bali Catsmart MY and Bali 4.3 MY, the group realized the limits of the exercise: these two models were directly inspired by Bali's sailing models, which did not fully meet the expectations of customers looking for a motoryacht. 

The work was put back on track, both in terms of product offering and branding: it was decided to launch a range with a specific name. This brand will be YOT!

A different offering on the market

In terms of product, the Catana Group design office, in close liaison with marketing and sales, set itself the goal of offering something different, stemming from the pure-player DNA of the shipyard's catamarans. 

The project is driven by a single ambition: "to design a range of top-of-the-range power catamarans, with well-thought-out design and comfort, agile and high-performance seakeeping, good range (often the weak point of powercats on the market, editor's note), reasonable fuel consumption and the ability to cater for the widest possible range of sailors. Olivier Poncin, President of Catana Group, and his partners and teams have been working towards a single goal: pleasure on board".

YOT - a dedicated production unit in Portugal

For this new market segment, Catana Group has chosen to combine its know-how and experience with a team and service providers specialized in motorboating.

A production facility dedicated to this family of yachts has been acquired in Portugal.

Boris Compagnon, Catana Group's Sales and Marketing Director, explains to ActuNautique: "For us, YOT is both a leap into a world in which we'll have to make our mark, as the offer is solid and tempting, but also a playing field in which we have full legitimacy, with our industrial expertise in catamarans. Catana Group's DNA is the ability to have an in-depth and visionary reading of the market, and it's under this prism that we imagined YOT."

J&J Design at the helm

The conception and design of the YOT range has been entrusted to J&J Design, a major player in the sector, who has worked for some of the biggest names in the industry, including Prestige Yachts, Saxdor, Monte Carlo Yachts, Greenline, Aquila, Bavaria R, Rossinavi...

A dedicated distribution network

Marketing of the YOT brand will be entrusted to a specific distribution network, capable of marketing both dayboat and blue water catamarans.

YOT 36 unveiled at Cannes!

Boris Compagnon announces the preview presentation of the first model at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2023.

"The first YOT 36 unit will be presented as early as September 2023 at the next Cannes Yachting Festival, and we have put ourselves in a position to be able to respond to our first owners very early in 2024."