The Coolest Yachts: Spotlight on Pangaea

Every month, we invite renowned sailors and marine industry experts to highlight the most innovative and impressive yachts of our time. This month, adventure seeker Guirec Soudée shines a light on the remarkable Pangaea, a vessel that marries design ingenuity with the thrill of exploration.

Guirec Soudée’s Nomination

Soudée, known for his daring maritime feats, passionately endorses Pangaea, originally conceived by South African explorer Mike Horn. He shares, “One of my dreams is to build an expedition boat. I spent some time in Lorient with Mike Horn on his boat, and he truly inspired me, even though it’s too big for me. But it’s a real 4WD of the seas with zero limits, allowing you to do whatever you want.”

Meet Pangaea: A Custom-Built Marvel

Pangaea is a 32-meter custom-built expedition vessel that stands as a testament to high-performance nautical engineering. Designed by Luc Bouvet and built in Brazil in 2007, Pangaea is engineered to withstand extreme conditions while providing comfort for its crew and guests.

Design Specifications

• Type: Ketch
• Length Overall (LOA): 32m (105ft)
• Top Speed: 15 knots
• Berths: 14
• Price: Undisclosed
• Adrenalin Factor: 80%

Pangaea’s design features a sharp bow, strategically distributing weight forward to facilitate icebreaking—a vital capability for polar exploration.

Adventures on the High Seas

Pangaea isn’t just a vessel; it’s a platform for exploration and education. The yacht has embarked on numerous missions, including providing young adventurers the chance to experience the thrill of exploration firsthand. One of its most noteworthy journeys was the Pole2Pole expedition, a two-year circumnavigation that saw Pangaea push boundaries, sailing further north than any other sailing yacht.

Engineered for the Extreme

Built specifically for high-latitude conditions, Pangaea boasts several advanced features:

• Ice Navigation: The vessel is designed to ride up onto ice and break it, ensuring safe navigation in icy waters.
• Closed Circuit Engines: This innovative design prevents the engines from sucking in ice, preserving functionality.
• Comfort on Board: Pangaea is equipped with an onboard gym, a movie theater, and a conference room, ensuring that adventures can be both exhilarating and comfortable.

The Man Behind the Nomination

Guirec Soudée has become a celebrated figure in the sailing community. He gained popularity for his solo circumnavigation of the globe, an epic journey that he undertook with an unusual companion: a hen named Monique. Their adventure included an extraordinary 130 days icebound off Greenland, highlighting Soudée’s resilience and bravery.

Later, he made headlines again by rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and participating in the prestigious Vendée Globe race in 2024, where he achieved an impressive westbound solo circumnavigation record on the Ultim MACSF.

Explore Pangaea and More

For yacht enthusiasts looking to dive deeper into the world of extraordinary vessels, the ongoing series of “Coolest Yachts” features numerous remarkable stories and insights. Each yacht tells a unique tale, blending the spirit of adventure with cutting-edge engineering and design.

Just as Guirec Soudée finds inspiration through his adventures on Pangaea, readers can also dream about the possibilities that these magnificent yachts offer.

Further Exploration

For those curious about more stunning yachts, be sure to check out the full list of the Coolest Yachts available, showcasing vessels that redefine what it means to be at sea.

Yachting World remains the leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailing enthusiasts, providing adventures and practical insights to transform your sailing ambitions into reality.