JFA Yachts Launches 26.25m Long Island 87 Sailing Catamaran

A new sailing multihull reaches the water

French builder JFA Yachts has announced the launch and mast stepping of its new 26.25-metre Long Island 87 sailing catamaran, a significant construction milestone for an owner planning extended family voyages. The yard’s 12 October 2026 statement identifies the boat as a genuine launched vessel rather than a concept or merely another design in the Long Island range.

The yacht is a development of a platform already associated with remote cruising, but its accommodation and upper-deck arrangements have been revisited for this project. JFA says the previous Long Island 85 yachts have operated in Antarctica, Greenland, the Pacific and the Baltic, although that record belongs to earlier vessels and should not be presented as a voyage completed by this new 87.

A flybridge intended as living accommodation

The defining visual change is an expansive flybridge arranged as much more than a secondary steering position. Two helm stations share the elevated deck with a sheltered bar and lounge, enabling the area to serve watchkeeping, informal dining and social use without requiring every guest to gather in the main saloon.

Solar panels installed on the flybridge roof are intended to contribute electrical power while the yacht is at anchor, potentially reducing generator running time under suitable conditions. JFA has not published a verified battery endurance figure in this release, so the installation should be understood as one part of the onboard energy system rather than a promise of fuel-free operation.

The layout behind the 11.93-metre beam

Naval architecture is credited to Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group, and the beam measures 11.93 metres, giving designers unusually broad platforms to organise circulation and indoor-outdoor spaces. The yard describes 124 square metres of living area and accommodation for up to ten guests and four crew, with substantial windows admitting light into the saloon.

A particularly notable decision places the owner’s cabin across the full width of the main deck, with panoramic forward views. Lower down, the two hulls distribute the owner’s bathroom, a four-berth children’s cabin, further guest accommodation and crew workspaces, aiming to preserve privacy when children, friends and professional crew are all aboard.

Tender handling and practical water access

Aft of the main accommodation, the platform can carry a five-metre tender, a practical consideration for a long-range sailing yacht expecting to anchor away from large marinas. At anchor, that same part of the boat is designed to function as a waterside space where guests can swim or prepare equipment for other activities.

This dual role has consequences for operating routines as well as leisure: tenders require secure stowage underway, clear launch procedures and separation from guest movement during lifting operations. The arrangement underscores why experienced owners assess a catamaran through everyday deck use and crew logistics, not solely through total lounge area.

Materials selected for bluewater use

JFA specifies aluminium hulls combined with a composite deck and superstructure, a mixed-material strategy intended to control structural weight without sacrificing the durability expected of a yacht for extensive travel. The yard links the specification with sailing performance and comfort, but actual passage performance will need to be judged through testing and use.

An offshore owner is likely to value service access, redundancy and repairability alongside light displacement, particularly when planning legs far beyond the Mediterranean. The builder’s release focuses on the yacht’s design and launch and does not give a certified range, speed or sail-trial result that could yet support a more precise claim.

Interior character and family cruising

Interior design is attributed to Darnet Design, continuing a relationship with the shipyard rather than introducing an unrelated styling studio. The designers face the challenge of making a broad catamaran feel cohesive while keeping guest accommodation, navigation areas and technical routes usable on a moving vessel.

The arrangement of a children’s cabin with four berths is a strong indication that the commissioning brief prioritises family cruising over maximising the number of independent double cabins. Details such as sightlines between spaces, sound separation and access to the main deck become particularly important when young guests are part of the planned complement.

A particular owner brief, not a generic series claim

According to the yard, the client intends to circumnavigate with a family of four, and David Johnson of Denison Yachting represented the buyer in the transaction. The release further states that Johnson was entrusted with marketing the Long Island range, distinguishing the brokerage role from JFA’s role as builder.

The yacht therefore reflects an actual customer’s requirements rather than a speculative showroom arrangement. No confirmed delivery handover or full cruising itinerary has been announced, so the next reportable developments will be commissioning progress, test sailing and any information the owner chooses to disclose about future passages.

Why this launch matters for superyacht cruising

At more than 26 metres, the Long Island 87 fits the superyacht category while occupying a distinct segment from large high-speed motor yachts. Its wide sailing platform, separate crew quarters and emphasis on comfortable bluewater passages make it relevant to owners considering autonomy as a priority rather than speed between fashionable ports.

For shipyards and designers, the challenge is delivering spacious accommodation without losing sight of sail handling and offshore seamanship. JFA’s successful launch and mast-stepping are tangible milestones, while operational claims about the new yacht must remain tied to future verification instead of borrowed experience from earlier examples.