VPLP Design

VPLP Design is a French-based naval architecture firm founded by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost. These two French nationals first met at Southampton College of Higher Education both having enrolled to study Yacht and Powercraft Design.

During their years at college Marc and Vincent forged a friendship that was later to be the catalyst for VPLP. The company was formed in 1983 and first opened its doors in Marseille with a focus on developing racing trimarans, which was a burgeoning niche market in the early 80's.

VPLP's initial project was to design a racing trimaran commissioned by skipper Vincent Levy for the 1984 OSTAR, (otherwise known as the English Transat). This 50-foot (15 m) foiler baptized Gerard Lambert was the first in a long line of racing trimarans that created a name for the firm and established the young designers as innovators in the field of naval architecture.

This led to Yvon Fauconnier commissioning them to work with Phil Morrison in designing him a new 26 mtr trimaran. Fauconnier had just won the 1984 OSTAR in Umupro Jardin V designed by Morrison and built as Exmouth Challenge. and its more recent history here.

Morrison worked for several months in Marseille with the two French designers at Fauconnier's request and they credit him with creating the idea that they successfully developed, using large volume floats (amas), as long as the main hull on a trimaran, instead of the smaller floats aided by foils that they had used before. This innovative design concept underlies all modern trimaran design because the much larger floats were more efficient.

VPLP designed their first cruising catamaran in 1984 for Lagoon, which was then a division of Jeanneau Techniques Avancées. The Lagoon 55 was the first in more than 240 cruising catamarans designed by VPLP. Lagoon is now part of the CNB division of Groupe Bénéteau and has produced more than 2000 catamarans with worldwide distribution. VPLP are the principal designers for the Lagoon fleet of sailing catamarans.

In 2018, VPLP Design created Ayro to develop and market rigid wings, allowing cargo ships and yachts to reduce CO2 emissions.'

In February 2021, Simon Watin, who had been with the agency since 2008, was appointed president, while Mathias Maurios, Quentin Lucet, and Xavier Guisnel joined the new executive committee.'

VPLP worked on several serial production boats programs, including the Lagoon range from the beginning, The Outremer 5X and the power monohul dayboat Smartboat.Catamarans de luxe | [site:name]