Chantier Naval Couach-Cnc

Chantier Naval Couach (COUACH SAS) is a French shipyard in Gujan-Mestras on Arcachon Bay that has been building motor yachts since 1897, when Albert Couach produced marine engines and the first motorised pinasse of the bay. Today it designs and builds composite motor yachts from roughly 11 to 52 metres, alongside professional and military craft including 17-metre fast interceptors and rescue boats for the French SNSM. All stages from design to delivery are carried out in-house by a workforce of more than 250 people, using foam/fibreglass sandwich construction, carbon and Kevlar reinforcement, resin infusion and, more recently, bio-sourced epoxy resin. The yard also runs R&D in hybrid propulsion, hull hydrodynamics, structural bonding and fire-resistant composites.

Couach Naval Shipyard, based on Arcachon Bay in south-west France, traces its origins to 1897 and Albert Couach's marine engines. Over more than 120 years the yard has moved from series pinasses and the Arcoa range to yachts of 11 to 52 metres, including three 499 GT motor yachts in six years and two 50-metre units, La Pellegrina and Belongers. Alongside pleasure boating, Couach supplies professional and government customers, and states that it delivered 79 fast interception vessels (60 knots) to the Middle East over 20 months and 54 interceptor units in twelve months for the Lürssen shipyard. In 2019 it won the contract to design and build more than 70 rescue and safety boats, 8 to 17 metres, for the French sea rescue society (SNSM).

Services

Design and construction of custom and series motor yachts
Professional, military and rescue vessel construction, including fast interceptors and firefighting craft
In-house design office, naval architecture and engineering
Composite construction using resin infusion, foam/fibreglass sandwich, carbon and Kevlar reinforcement
R&D: hybrid propulsion, CFD and towing tank testing, structural bonding, composite rudders, intumescent fire-protection materials
After-sales service (contact function listed)

Facilities

Shipyard at Gujan-Mestras where all production stages are carried out, with more than 250 on-site staff (2019) across 21 trades
4,400 m² construction hall built to accommodate 50-metre yachts, plus a large launching ramp
Towing tank test capability
Supply chain capable of building up to one 17-metre boat per week
IMS Shipyard refit facility at St Mandrier, acquired in 2005 as its Mediterranean technical base

Vessel Types

Flybridge and open motor yachts: 2300 Fly, 2600 Fly, 3700 Fly, 4700 Fly, 5000 Fly and earlier 1100 to 3500 models
Green Power hybrid concepts: 4200 Lounge and 5200 Yacht, designed for transatlantic range
86'/2600 with a 26-metre hull moulded in bio-sourced "green" resin composite
Fast interception and surveillance craft, including the 1200 Wasp modular platform
SNSM rescue and safety boats from 8 to 17 metres
Hulls and decks for third-party brands, including VanDutch 75' and Wally Power 52'

Location

Rue de l'Yser, 33470 Gujan-Mestras, France (Arcachon Bay)
Mediterranean base at St Mandrier