About

The journey of François Lucas

D.P.L.G. naval architect, based in Nantes since 1990. Design of racing yachts, cruising boats, powerboats and working vessels — for clients across the world.

Portrait François Lucas

Experience

From long-distance cruising to offshore racing — taking in working vessels, powerboats and refits along the way — François Lucas has broad experience designing anything that floats.

He sails regularly, both racing and cruising, with several transatlantic crossings to his name. A passionate offshore racer, he has notably competed in the 2001 Mini Transat 650 solo, the 2012 Transquadra in double-handed, and the 2015 Fastnet Race on a Class 40, each time aboard yachts of his own design.

He likes to get his hands dirty: after building countless windsurf boards as a young man, he built his own Mini 650 in 1999 and is currently finishing the last details of his personal composite cruiser.

As a result, his plans are always designed to simplify construction. Amateur builders all over the world have used them, from the smallest at 4.50 m to the largest at 16 m.

François Lucas has practised in Nantes (France) since 1990, after graduating as a D.P.L.G. architect in 1986 (Nantes School of Architecture). He works equally well on series production for shipyards and on one-off builds based on a client's or shipowner's brief.

Services

  • Full vessel design, A to Z
  • Assistance in defining the brief
  • Shipyard consultation
  • Construction documentation
  • CNC cutting plans
  • CE certification and homologation files
  • Hydrostatic calculations and stability documentation
  • Speed prediction
  • Construction supervision
Atelier & bateaux

Awards

1988
Winner of the Cruising World magazine design contest — Marin Marie 45
1989
Special mention at the Ancona contest — Haliocat
1992
Winner of the "Sailboat for All" contest by Bateaux magazine — Divatte
1998
Special mention at the La Spezia "A sail for Europe" contest — Uazo 99
2017
Second prize at the "Sailing Coaster" contest by Chasse Marée magazine — Seafret 35

The work

Designer of the Hermine and Aventurin ranges, François Lucas is a recognized specialist in long-distance cruising boats — whether keelboats, lifting-keel centreboarders or twin-keel designs, in aluminium or epoxy-plywood. His sailboats are always powerful, fast, stable and well balanced.

He has designed several Open-class racing yachts: a number of Mini 650s, a Class 950 and several Class 40s. He has also worked regularly with shipyards on powerboats, both in series-production polyester and in one-off aluminium builds.

He regularly answers calls for tender on working vessels, passenger and freight ferries, electric water taxis, hydrographic survey boats, and sail-powered cargo ships such as the SEAFRET 35. A member of the Wind Ship association, he campaigns for wind propulsion in commercial shipping.

He has also worked on the refit of various sailboats (including the three-masted ships of Father Jaouen's AJD association) and passenger boats.

Réalisations

Innovation

François Lucas has always been at the cutting edge of innovation.

  1. 1999The Mini 231 introduced three major innovations: the first racing-yacht hull with maximum power thanks to an evolving chine; the first 3D canting keel — swinging fore-and-aft with adjustable incidence (patented); and the TGV mainsail, a sail-area-increasing system that anticipated the now-ubiquitous square-top mainsail.
  2. 2005The "diamond point" bow for powerboats. SILLINGER's entire Rafale range of intervention RIBs adopted this bow design.
  3. 2008At his initiative, the Mini Class authorized kite sails. A Mini 650 with thick wingsail and kite is ready to be built.
  4. 2010Selected by Catherine Chabaud for the ADEME "Boat of the Future" project: an ocean-going monohull, lifting-keel centreboarder with foil-effect side daggerboards, thick wingsails and a kite.
  5. 2011Commissioned by the SEAFRET Caraïbes company to design a 35 m sailing cargo ship for inter-island freight (the SEAFRET 35 carries 100 t of cargo, including two 20' containers).
  6. CurrentlyFiling of a Kit-Foil patent: a pair of foils that can be fitted to any boat, regardless of age or shape, at an unbeatable price. Stay tuned…