McConaghy Launches First 25.54m GT86 Power Catamaran

McConaghy Boats has launched the first GT86, a 25.54-metre power catamaran intended to combine high-output propulsion, substantial multihull volume and extended cruising capability. The builder announced the milestone on 29 October 2026 after nearly two years of development and construction. The yacht is now moving through initial sea trials and onboard-systems commissioning ahead of shipment to her owner, so the performance figures issued at launch should still be read as the builder's stated targets rather than independently verified trial results.

Launch marks a new GT86 milestone

The GT86 measures 9.24 metres across the beam, with a relatively shallow 1.35-metre draft. Its twin-hull platform supports an unusually broad main-deck footprint for a yacht of this length, although actual usable space depends on the interior arrangement. McConaghy positions the project as a bespoke power yacht rather than a production catamaran with a fixed accommodation plan. The first launch provides a tangible reference point for a model previously known chiefly through design and specification material.

25.54 metres of power-catamaran volume

A central feature is the connection between the saloon and open-air spaces. According to the builder, the main-deck saloon opens onto an aft terrace, with panoramic glazing intended to carry views through the living area. An additional foredeck zone provides space for relaxation and entertaining away from the stern. Two staircases offer access to the water and separate hull-side circulation routes, a practical detail on a cruising catamaran whose broad transom can otherwise create long walking distances between activity areas.

Below the main deck, the arrangement includes a substantial owner's suite, guest cabins and flexible accommodation options. McConaghy has not published a complete final cabin-by-cabin guest count in the launch release, so that detail should not be inferred from earlier GT86 renderings or from similarly named designs. The builder emphasises customisation and privacy for extended time aboard. The open saloon and broad beam are promising ingredients, but an accurate assessment of sound isolation, storage and guest flow awaits detailed onboard inspection of the completed yacht.

Twin Volvo IPS 1350 propulsion

The first GT86 is equipped with two Volvo IPS 1350 drives. McConaghy quotes a top speed of approximately 28 knots and lists the displacement at around 50 tonnes. Those numbers describe the builder's published specification and have not yet been confirmed by an independently witnessed sea-trial report. The official GT86 model page also lists a cruising speed of 26 knots, a separate operating point that should not be confused with the longer-range economical passage mode. Loading, sea state and fuel reserves will all influence real-world results.

Its fuel capacity is listed at 15,000 litres, with a claimed range exceeding 3,000 nautical miles. Because range depends on the chosen cruising speed and fuel reserve, the 3,000nm-plus figure should not be combined uncritically with the approximate 28-knot top speed. Owners comparing the vessel with a monohull of similar length should seek a trial-derived speed-and-consumption table rather than assuming one quoted range applies across the performance envelope. McConaghy presents the GT86 as capable of both longer passages and faster offshore runs, two distinct operating cases.

Integrated controls for the first GT86

Another development is a new integrated vessel-control interface. McConaghy says it brings access to onboard systems into a common user environment with tablet-like interaction, reducing the need to navigate separate controls for individual subsystems. The company says the technology will be introduced on selected future builds. The launch release does not provide a component-by-component network architecture, independent redundancy assessment or a full list of connected systems, so the headline is integration rather than a claim that every function has been consolidated.

On a yacht with hotel loads, propulsion equipment and extensive onboard electrical systems, the value of an integrated display rests on how reliably it presents information and supports crew procedures. The commissioning phase is therefore relevant to more than the propulsion system alone. Alarm priorities, user access and the ability to operate essential functions if one display fails are questions that owners' representatives commonly examine during acceptance. These are evaluation points, not reported defects in the GT86; the builder has announced the system's introduction, not an independent certification result.

Composite engineering and practical proportions

McConaghy draws on more than five decades of advanced-composite construction experience, including Grand Prix racing yachts and America's Cup projects. The builder identifies itself as both designer and constructor of the GT86. Its published dimensions include two metres of nominal headroom and a 9.24-metre beam, figures that help explain how a relatively low-profile exterior can contain a broad living platform. They do not, by themselves, establish the completed yacht's weight distribution or structural performance; those characteristics require build documentation and testing.

The vessel's tankage includes 1,500 litres of fresh water, an 800-litre black-water tank and a 500-litre grey-water tank, according to the yard's specifications. These figures matter for independent operation, but time between service stops will depend on passenger count, water-making equipment, hotel use and local discharge requirements. The yard also lists CE Category A for the model. A category designation indicates a design classification; it is not a substitute for a skipper's passage planning or for conditions-specific operating limitations of a completed boat.

Sea trials are the next decisive step

With the hull now launched, McConaghy says the first GT86 is entering the combined trial and systems-commissioning period before delivery arrangements are completed. The yard has not supplied a firm public delivery date in its 29 October announcement. That makes sea-trial results, final fit-out documentation and an owner-specific equipment inventory the next useful disclosures for the market. Confirmed consumption figures would be especially valuable because the public launch information pairs ambitious speed and range claims without a published full performance curve.

The GT86 enters a growing group of large luxury power catamarans offering wide decks and long-distance capability in a package under 30 metres. McConaghy's first physical launch is a material step from design promise to on-water testing, but it is not yet the end of the development story. For prospective owners, the most meaningful evidence will be measured performance, documented commissioning and a view of the completed interiors. The company says further photography and video will follow as the programme progresses.

Primary source: McConaghy Boats announcement. Builder or supporting detail: official or attributed reference.