See the Simbad 55 at Cannes: Free Show Ticket
A new Spanish shipyard is bringing its debut catamaran to the French Riviera this September, and if you sign up for a look here you can get through the gate for free.
Simbad Yachts is offering a complimentary one-day entrance ticket to the Cannes Yachting Festival for anyone who registers to visit their stand. It costs nothing to sign up, and it gets you access to one of the largest in-water boat shows in the world, with a private look at the boat everyone in the multihull world is talking about.
Why the Simbad 55 is worth the trip
The Simbad 55 is a debut, but it does not feel like one. It is the first model from Simbad Yachts, a shipyard in Alicante that took over an established refit facility and built a team of around 100 people to construct the boat in-house. The naval architecture is by Pierre Delion, known for the Garcia, Mojito and Nahoa ranges. The exterior lines and interior are by Franck Darnet, who has styled multihulls for Privilege, JFA, Outremer and the ORC yachts. There is some strong pedigree behind the launch.
At 17.59m, the 55 is built for long-range cruising, with a wide, sheltered flybridge, a protected forward cockpit and good interior volume. It made its debut at the International Multihull Show in La Grande Motte earlier this year and now heads to Cannes for its first appearance on the Riviera.
What sets it apart
Two things make the Simbad 55 different from the competition.
Transparent, all-inclusive pricing. Most yards quote a base price that is nowhere near a boat ready to sail away. Simbad does the opposite. There is no stripped starting figure to build up from with a long options list. Every version, including the entry-level Select, is equipped and ready to sail at the price quoted, with all three levels published side by side.
Flexible ownership. Alongside outright purchase, Simbad offers shared ownership and a leasing route where the yacht is paid off in installments and can be sold back, plus management, storage and delivery support. It is a rare offering in this segment of the market.
The boat has a flybridge layout with joystick docking that will feel familiar to owners crossing over from power catamarans and motor yachts. Twin helms up top, each with sight of the mast and sails, and a chart table below with engine controls mean the boat can be worked by a small crew, or solo when needed.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length Overall | 17.59m / 57.7ft |
| Beam Overall | 8.92m / 29.3ft |
| Draft | 1.64m / 5.38ft |
| Displacement (Light) | 28T / 61,729 lbs |
| Sail Area (Upwind) | 173m² |
| Mainsail | 89m² / 958 sqft |
| Self-Tacking Jib | 40.8m² / 439 sqft |
| Power | 2 x 110hp or 2 x 150hp Yanmar |
| Fuel | 1,200L / 317 US Gal |
| Water | 1,000L / 264 US Gal |
| Cabins | 2 to 5, plus crew option |
| Naval Architect | Pierre Delion |
| Design | Franck Darnet |
| Builder | Simbad Yachts, Alicante, Spain |
Choose your pack: Select, Ultra or Legend
Simbad sells the 55 in three specified equipment levels rather than a bare base boat with endless options. Here is how they break down.
Select is the entry point: painted aluminium mast, E-glass furling boom, polyester sails and twin 110hp Yanmar engines, with generator, solar, gel batteries and a fire-fighting system included as standard. There is no bow thruster and no chain washer at this level.
Ultra steps up the sailing and handling package: twin 150hp Yanmar engines, joystick control, bow thruster, folding propellers, 360-degree docking cameras and Technora sails, on the same aluminium rig as Select.
Legend is the full-comfort version making its Cannes debut: carbon mast and boom, Doyle Technora sails, electric winches, the Sea.ai obstacle-detection and night-vision system, a high-capacity watermaker, teak decks, underwater lights and the largest solar array.
They are marketing this yacht with a straightforward upgrade path. Each level is a ready-to-sail boat. Moving up the levels buys you more sailing performance, easier docking and extra comfort at sea, not a longer spec sheet to work through with a broker.
The Cannes Yachting Festival 2026
The festival runs Tuesday 8 to Sunday 13 September 2026, split between Vieux Port in the centre of Cannes and Port Canto to the east along La Croisette. Opening hours are 10am to 7pm daily, with a late night on Friday 11 September until 10pm and an earlier 6pm close on the final Sunday. Around 700 boats and 680 exhibitors are expected, with the sailing and multihull fleet based at Port Canto.
Getting there. The nearest airport is Nice Côte d’Azur, around 30 to 40 minutes from Cannes by road or a similar time by train. From the airport, buses run direct to Cannes, and a water shuttle service also connects Nice to the festival. Once in Cannes, a free shuttle boat links Vieux Port and Port Canto roughly every 15 minutes, so you do not need a car to move between the two sites.
Where to stay. Cannes hotel rooms fill up fast during the festival, so book early. Anything on or near La Croisette puts you within walking distance of both show sites. For better value, look at Le Cannet just inland, or Mougins and Antibes a short drive away, both well connected by the coastal train line.
Where to eat. The old town of Le Suquet has a good spread of small restaurants away from the show crowds. Marché Forville is worth a morning visit for fresh produce and a casual lunch. Rue Meynadier is lined with bakeries and delis for something quick between stands, and several hotel terraces along the Croisette are well placed for a relaxed dinner after a day on the water.
Make the most of your visit
The Simbad 55 Legend on show gives yo the chance to walk the flybridge, sit in the forward cockpit and see the fit-out in person. Registering for the free ticket means Simbad’s team can plan a proper walkthrough rather than a stand visit during the busy show week.
Register now for your free one-day ticket and reserve your visit to the Simbad 55