Bluegame BGF45 test: foil and fuel consumption reduced by 40%
The new power catamaran introduces fixed foiling to pleasure boating. Born from America's Cup experience, it combines efficiency, stability, and comfort.
This service was published as a preview in the fourth issue 2025 of SUPER YACHT 24 Upstream Yacht Supplement available at this link
The new Bluegame BGF45 is one of the latest examples of technological transfer from the world of sport to the world of pleasure. It is a catamaran equipped with a fixed foil capable of reducing hydrodynamic drag for more economical and smoother sailing. Measuring 14,15 meters long and 5,12 meters wide, the BGF45 draws on the shipyard's experience during the XXXVII America's Cup in Barcelona, Spain, with the hydrogen-powered BGH-HSV chase boat, a vessel that reached 50 knots to follow the lightning-fast AC75s, the boats used in the last two editions of the Cup.
SUPER YACHT 24 had the opportunity to sail the yacht at the Cannes Yachting Festival on a day with a strong mistral wind and the short waves typical of these conditions. We're sailing with eleven people on board, 25% fuel, and 100% water. The catamaran is the result of a collaboration with Mario Caponnetto and Francis Hueber: after working alongside the Bluegame team on the BGH-HSV project, they contributed their experience to refining the hull shapes and performance of the BGF45. The project is by Zuccon International Project in collaboration with Luca Santella, who founded the shipyard in 2004, which later became part of the Sanlorenzo group in 2018.
The heart of the entire system is obviously the foil positioned between the two hulls. If you're thinking of America's Cup boats with foils that allow for various controls over the angle of the wings and thus the height of the flight, here on board the BGF45 the system is very different. This is, after all, a cruising yacht where simplicity and reliability must be paramount. The foil, made by specialist Angelo Ghisloni in Brescia, is therefore fixed and a single piece, made of steel and without controls. Speaking with Luca Santella during the test, he explained that more sophisticated controls are not excluded for larger models currently in development, but always with great attention to safety and certification aspects. The boat is powered by two Volvo Penta IPS600 engines that push the catamaran to a top speed of 38 knots. An automatic interceptor system adjusts the trim while sailing, leaving the owner to simply control the course and engine power.
The transition to "flying" mode occurs between 18 and 20 knots, the speed at which the front part of the hull feels the action of the foil. The stern, with the pods of the two IPS engines, obviously remains entirely in the water, and even at the helm there is no sensation of lift typical of fully foiling boats that emerge completely out of the water, canceling out the effect of the waves. With the BGF45, however, there is a marked reduction in their effect, while turns are stable and safe, with an excellent feeling at the helm and the hull firmly planted in the water. In our test, the maximum speed stopped at 38,1 knots with the engines at 3.830 rpm and a total consumption of 197 liters/hour. At the limit of 3 rpm, the recorded speed is 25,3 knots with a consumption of 115 liters/hour, while at 3.340 rpm the values rise to 30 knots and 139 liters/hour.
The shipyard estimates a 40% increase in fuel efficiency. This is thanks in part to the attention paid to weight during the design phase, a yacht development approach very similar to that used in sailing, where weight reduction is crucial to performance and handling on the water. The windshield is made of Plexiglas instead of the usual glass (made by Parema), while the stern system is by Opacmare. At top speed, the range is approximately 228 miles, counting on 15% reserve and 7% non-pumpable fuel. At slower speeds, between 14 and 22 knots, the range varies from 296 to 254 miles. Below deck, the vessel features three cabins, one with a double bed in the bow and three bathrooms. The VIP cabin amidships is accessible via a separate staircase from the master stateroom.
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