Fountaine Pajot unveils FP55 flybridge catamaran with hybrid autonomy

Fountaine Pajot’s FP55 is not just another sailing catamaran launch. It is the brand’s first flybridge model in its sailing range, a nearly 17-meter platform placed squarely between the FP51 and the Samana 59 for owners who want more space, more autonomy and a calmer liveaboard rhythm without moving up to a much larger yacht.

The company introduced the boat through its Nautic Broadcast video series, with Maël Jouan, area sales manager, and Erwan de Vuillefroy, product marketing manager, walking through the thinking behind the model. The emphasis was less on raw specifications than on how the boat is meant to feel in use: a long-range cruising catamaran with fluid movement between the cockpit, saloon and forward areas, a panoramic flybridge lounge and a direct access door to the forward cockpit.

That layout is the point. At sea, the flybridge gives the skipper and guests a 360-degree view and a higher, more social helm station. At anchor, it turns the upper deck into another living area, which matters for owners who value separation between sailing, dining and lounging spaces. Fountaine Pajot is clearly pitching the FP55 to the sailor moving up from the FP51 who wants more volume and privacy, but does not want the scale or running demands of a far larger multihull.

The company also pushed the boat’s onboard autonomy. The FP55 integrates 6,300W of solar power and Fountaine Pajot’s ODSea+ hybrid approach, which the brand ties to quieter, more energy-efficient cruising. That puts the model directly into the current conversation around practical self-sufficiency, especially for liveaboard owners and premium charter operators who want comfort without constant generator use.

Layout flexibility is another selling point. The FP55 can be configured as Maestro, Double Maestro or a 6 double cabin version, and it always includes two fully independent crew cabins with private bathrooms. That gives the boat a clear dual identity: private owners can spec it for extended cruising, while charter buyers get a format that can handle turnover and guest separation more easily.

Fountaine Pajot unveiled the FP55 at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2025 alongside the FP48, then followed it with a dedicated 3D guided tour and model page. The timing also fits the wider brand message. Fountaine Pajot says 2026 is its 50th anniversary year, and the company has said its fleet is moving toward hybrid powertrains by 2030. Seen that way, the FP55 feels like a marker for where the sweet spot now sits: big enough to live aboard properly, compact enough to stay realistic, and modern enough to show where the brand thinks cruising catamarans are headed next.