Chic and surprising

At the 2005 Paris boat show, the manufacturer Latitude 46 presented an eye-catching sailing boat that drew many curious visitors. The visual appearance of Tofinou 9m50 is surprising to say the least, and gives off an impression that varies depending on the line of sight. From the front, the hull is all finesse, and from the side, the combination of wood and anthracite polyester is very impressive. And at the stern, the teak deck adorned only with a large flag mast is reminiscent of the old motorboats. A successful combination of modern design and traditional looks, this day-boat designed by Joubert and Nivelt leaves nobody indifferent.

Elegant and simple

The most striking aspect of the Tofinou 9m50 is its appearance. The tiller and coaming are made of solid mahogany. All the sheets and halyards are hidden by the coaming, which is fully removable for easy maintenance and slots in to the polyester structure. The mainsail traveller extends from the aft of the coachroof, which itself extends forward into a large companionway hatch cover, home to the mast foot and the self-tacking jibsheet traveller. The blend of varnished wood and metallic grey polyester is visually striking and highlights the long cockpit, covered with strip teak like the deck. In front of the helm station there are two winches with their 6 respective blockers, which means all manoeuvres are within arms reach, whilst floor space remains unencumbered because they fit into the lockers. As well as being elegant, this sailing boat is marvellously simple and functional, so much so that it can be sailed single-handedly.

Performance and fittings

Since the Tofinou 9m50 was launched in 2004, it has shown high performance levels. The carbon mast with 7/8th rig has a 26.5 m2 mainsail and a 14.5 m2 self-tacking jib. With its slender hull, 2.45 m wide for a length of 9.5 m, this boat has a lot of potential. Especially because with the long rudder, all 2300 kg can be easily manoeuvred. The 2.2 m draught with keel down (and 1.2 m with the keel raised) allows for sailing in a variety of conditions. The keel and its lead bulb are easy to manoeuvre thanks to a manual or electric winch. Of course, the centreboard case takes up some space inside, but the well-designed interior has room for a double berth forward of the mast foot, plus two side berths and a toilet. The large companionway hatch cover is raised on a jack.

Classic style

Following in the footsteps of the famous Tofinou, whose name and spirit it retains, the Tofinou 9m50 is sure to delight all who share nostalgia for boats with charm, as well as people who like excitement. All the boats produced by Latitude 46 in their shipyard on the Ile de Ré are elegant and high-performance, with the systematic use of teak and mahogany, as well as polyester for reasons of cost and longevity. For the last twenty years, Philippe Joubert’s shipyard has been combining technology and classic style, with irresistible results.

NauticNews.com Tech Specs of Tofinou 9.5

The range of Latitude 46 on NauticNews

– NG –