Sunreef Yachts, the Gdansk Yard That Made Catamarans Luxurious

A Frenchman in the old Gdansk shipyard

Francis Lapp, a French entrepreneur, founded Sunreef Yachts in 2000 with his son Nicolas after running a charter business. He set up shop in the historic Gdansk shipyard, making Sunreef the first Polish yard specializing in catamarans. The first 22.5 meter catamaran launched in 2003, and the Sunreef 60 followed in 2005.

Growth has been fast. Sunreef survived a 2011 fire that destroyed its premises and three boats under construction, rebuilt in Gdansk and expanded into a much larger operation, with a second production facility in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE opened in 2024. Lapp remains owner and CEO.

Luxury on two hulls, the Sunreef 60 and 80

Sunreef's insight was that catamarans could offer superyacht-like volume and finish at a smaller length. Its boats have expansive flybridges, full-beam saloons and customizable interiors, and they are built to each owner's choices. That makes them more expensive than production cats from Lagoon or Fountaine Pajot, often by a wide margin.

The Sunreef 60 is the brand's classic size and the most common Sunreef on the used market. It has gone through several generations, from the first boats of the mid 2000s to the 60 Loft of 2013 and the new-generation 60 that premiered at Cannes in 2018, and the Eco version integrates solar panels into the hull and superstructure with electric drive. Four guest cabins and crew quarters make it a natural owner-operator boat with a hired skipper or a charter yacht.

The Sunreef 80 is the step into true superyacht territory. At 78 feet 4 inches with almost 38 feet of beam, it offers a hydraulic aft platform, a vast flybridge and typically four guest staterooms plus crew, all laid out to the owner's brief. An earlier carbon 80, Levante, launched in 2013, and the current design arrived around 2018 with the delivery of Gaya to a repeat owner. The solar-electric 80 Eco followed in 2022, and for 2026 Sunreef revised the boat with a superstructure inspired by its NEXT designs in classic and Eco form. A motor version, the 80 Sunreef Power, shares the size.

Beyond these two, the sailing range runs through the 70 and 100, while the Power range and the Ultima series build motor catamarans, and the Explorer division goes past 40 meters. Because each yacht is customized, used Sunreefs vary considerably, which makes the build documentation and spec sheet central to valuation.

Resale, charter history and support

Many Sunreefs spend part of their lives in charter, often managed through Sunreef Yachts Charter. Charter use is not a dealbreaker, but it changes the maintenance picture. Sunreef has a strong presence at US boat shows, especially in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, though after-sales support in the US relies heavily on independent yards and the factory's traveling teams.

Older Sunreefs depreciate significantly from new, which can make a five to ten year old 60 an interesting buy for a well-funded cruiser. Used 80s are far rarer and still trade in the millions, with recent Eco listings ranging from about 6.7 million euros to $11.1 million.

• Review charter history and maintenance logs if the boat has been chartered.
• On Eco models, check battery condition, solar output and electric drive history.
• Survey the flybridge structure and hull-to-deck joints.
• Inspect custom interior finishes for moisture damage.