Bouvet & Petite Simplex 41

Built in 1989 in Nice in the south of France by Pasqui shipyard, one of the too rare boats designed by Bouvet/ Petit, Argo is now for sale.

While Bouvet & Petit are more known for their success in designing winning racing boats, Argo is a perfect demonstration of these innovatively minded architects. The 43 foot hull, made from wood-epoxy, and 20mm of red cedar and mahogany combine rigidity and lightness.

The whole boat is extremely light; only about 5.5 tons including 2.5 tons of ballast embedded in the bilge for stability, since this boat has no keel but a centreboard.

The draft therefore is minimised (less than 1 metre) and the wet surface can be reduced significantly under running wind conditions.

The double rudder helps keep her well on track. It also reduces the draft and being fixed at a 10 degree angle on each side of the axis of the boat, works well when the boat is heeling.

With a fractional rig and 52 square metre main sail. A huge sail for this size boat! The small jib is self-tacking with a second overlaying jib for lighter air.

The many other Bouvet & Petit original features include –

An open cockpit which can be used as a diving platform and the size has been calculated to be a sleeping area when too hot inside.

Inside, the sitting area seats 8 and faces onto a large window on the cockpit with a view of the sea!

No partitions inside with lots of headroom, gives a real feeling of space when moving about in the boat.

Great attention has been paid to the weight balance of the boat. The engine is fixed close to the centre of gravity of the boat and the windlass and its chain stored more than 2 metres from the bow, in the bilge.

A beautifully crafted, elegant boat, easy to sail and fast, which was home to a Franco-Australian family sailing around the world.

Now lying in Pittwater.