Yachting Art Magazine

In this episode of BateauScopie, filmed live from the Grand Pavois de La Rochelle 2025, Nicolas offers a sneak preview of the Sea-Scow 33, an ocean-going sailing yacht still being finished, presented here as a decked hull ready for fitting out. The appeal of this segment lies as much in the boat’s rarity as in its philosophy: it is a 33-footer designed for the open sea, a size now rarely seen in this category of sailing, which is often reserved for much larger vessels. In front of the camera, Patrick Fontaine, the project manager, details the origins and ambitions of this yacht, conceived in collaboration with naval architect Gildas Plessis.

The Sea-Scow 33 is the result of several years of careful consideration, driven by a clear objective: to offer a boat capable of taking its crew anywhere, whether through ice or across warm seas, in challenging conditions or along coastlines and through canal networks. This versatility is based primarily on one key feature: its scow-type hull, recognisable by its wide bow. Patrick Fontaine explains that this shape, still poorly understood by some boaters, is by no means a designer’s whim. On the contrary, it allows the boat to ride the waves better, to pass over them and, once the boat is heeled over, to offer a shape that is highly efficient from a hydrodynamic perspective. The Sea-Scow 33 thus follows a technical lineage long adopted by modern racing boats.

The other key feature highlighted in the programme is the aluminium construction. The boat is built entirely from this material, with a robust hull that is simple in design and built to last. Patrick Fontaine emphasises a common-sense approach: everything must be accessible, removable and repairable. He advocates a boat that is simple, practical and almost rustic in the best sense of the word – that is, a sailing yacht designed to sail long distances and for extended periods without relying on unnecessary complexity. The sharp chins, made possible by this construction method, facilitate assembly and contribute to the overall strength. The aluminium chosen is described as sufficiently flexible to absorb impacts without cracking, an important consideration for a boat intended for serious cruising.

The programme also highlights just how surprising this 33-footer is in terms of its interior volume. Thanks to the width of the bow and the layout of the spaces in two-metre sections, the Sea-Scow 33 offers an unusual level of liveability for its size. Patrick Fontaine claims it provides the volume of a twelve-metre boat. The cockpit, saloon and forward section are proportioned consistently, with the capacity to carry up to six people on a cruise. The boat can, however, be sailed solo or by a couple, which is one of its major strengths: remaining a reasonable size whilst retaining genuine family-friendly accommodation.

The lifting keel plays a central role in this design. When raised, it reduces the draught to 45 centimetres, enabling the boat to run aground, beach itself, or navigate locks and narrow waterways. The boat can thus change its playing field with great freedom, from the North Sea to inland waterways. Added to this is significant work on safety: sprayed polyurethane foam insulation to limit condensation and noise, watertight compartments, a crash box at the bow, an insulated engine compartment, retractable external rudders, and a protected propeller shaft. The entire design aims to make the boat reassuring, robust and suited to long-distance cruising.

Finally, this episode of BateauScopie presents the Sea-Scow 33 as a production boat, rather than an isolated prototype. The launch of the first vessel is scheduled for May 2026, with trials in the English Channel prior to a presentation afloat at the next Grand Pavois.

With a suggested price of around €400,000 excluding tax for a fully equipped boat, and a delivery time of approximately one year, the Sea-Scow 33 is presented in this episode as a unique offering on the market: a compact, seafaring, safe and liveable sailing yacht, genuinely designed for long-distance cruising.