Harmony 47

Peter Poland trials two versions of the popular charter yacht – a standard ‘Elegance’ in the Cyclades and more bespoke ‘Esprit Vintage’ model

- Peter K Poland

Branding can be a black art. Ask most sailors the names of the principal French yacht brands, and they will probably say Beneteau, Jeanneau and Dufour. Over many years, all these builders have had their ‘moments’, but all three are doing well today with their monohull cruising yachts and increasingly popular catamaran ranges.

Some yachtsmen may not know however that back in the late 1980s the keen sailor and entrepreneur Olivier Poncin bought the then ailing Dufour business from Baron Bic. Bic had first bought into Dufour in the late 1970s and produced his America’s Cup challenger France lll there.

Poncin proceeded to put the company back on its feet thanks to modernised methods and the skills of yacht designers such as J&J then Mortain & Mavrikios. Then Poncin sold the revitalised Dufour and used the proceeds to set up a new French yacht manufacturing company named Harmony Yachts, which formed part of Groupe Poncin Yachts.

And since Poncin was starting from scratch (albeit with much experience and a substantial pot of cash), he was able to invest in a new factory. He equipped this with custom designed and engineered state of the art robotic gelcoat applicators, resin injection and infusion tools and computer-controlled cutters. This laboursaving automated production line soon had the Harmony business booming. The net result was an efficient manufacturing system capable of making technologically advanced and strictly controlled products.

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