Independent guide: Not affiliated with Fountaine Pajot. Confirm model-specific details with documentation and a rigger.

Quick answer

Fountaine Pajot is a long-established French catamaran builder whose boats are common in Australian private ownership and charter. Their rigs follow the cruising-catamaran pattern: deck-stepped mast, swept shrouds, no backstay and a big mainsail, with the forestay attached forward between the hulls. Inspect the forestay attachment, chainplates, mast step and mainsail systems first.

Inspection priorities

  1. Forestay, furler and forward attachment
  2. Shroud chainplates
  3. Mast step and compression structure
  4. Mainsail halyard, headboard car and reefing
  5. Mainsheet and traveller

Services

Things owners report checking on Fountaine Pajot cats

  • Mainsail systems. Large, fully battened mains mean heavy loads on the halyard, headboard car and reefing lines; check for chafe where reef lines exit the boom.
  • Traveller and mainsheet mounting. Where the mainsheet runs to a hardtop or arch, inspect the mounting and the structure beneath it.
  • Forward crossbeam or bridle. The forestay's lower attachment carries headsail loads plus any code zero or gennaker tack loads.
  • Deck-level chainplates. Look for movement, cracking and weeping where they pass through the deck.

A re-rig plan for a Fountaine Pajot catamaran

  1. Gather the records. Rig installation date, previous inspection reports and, for ex-charter boats, the operator's maintenance log.
  2. Book an inspection aloft to check the masthead, spreaders and upper terminals before committing to scope.
  3. Decide what else happens with the mast out: furler service, running rigging, masthead lights and instruments, and mainsail track and car.
  4. Check crane and berth capacity for the boat's beam and mast height before booking the lift.
  5. Inspect chainplates and the mast step while the rig is off.
  6. Restep, tune and sea trial, then re-tension after the first sail in a breeze.

Costs

Catamaran re-rigs usually cost more than a monohull of the same length. See catamaran re-rig costs, and ask for an itemised quote that shows the forestay attachment, bridle and mainsail systems as separate lines.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main rigging checks on a Fountaine Pajot catamaran?

The forestay and its bow or beam attachment, the shroud chainplates, the mast step and supporting structure, the mainsail halyard and car, and the mainsheet traveller. These are the high-load points common to cruising catamarans.

Is a Fountaine Pajot rig different from a Lagoon or Leopard?

All three follow the cruising-catamaran pattern of deck-stepped masts, swept shrouds, no backstay and a large mainsail. Differences lie in mast position, forestay attachment, mainsheet arrangement and fittings, which vary by model and year, so a rigger should inspect the specific boat.