Grand Soleil Blue: we tested the weekender that’s about to revolutionize the market

The wheel is light and prompt, allowing for micro-adjustments — practically begging you to push it harder. I ease into the wind, tweaking gently until we hit 24 to 25 degrees apparent. The boat just won’t slow down — we’re still doing 7.4 knots!

A bit skeptical, I glance up and see the windex arrow well inside the usual range. No doubt about it — we’re absolutely nailing this upwind angle.

At the helm, contrary to what you might expect from a boat with this level of performance, the Grand Soleil Blue is always neutral and forgiving — incredibly easy to handle, perfect for fast, hassle-free sailing during the long weekends it was designed for. Even the heeling is always moderate. Matteo Polli specifically designed this hull with that in mind, and in fact, top performance is achieved without having to push the heel angle to extremes.

The wind picks up, rising to 15–16 knots with gusts over 17. Now, close-hauled, we’re constantly sailing above 8 knots, with peaks of 8.3 to 8.4 — unbelievable!

Bearing away, even with just the self-tacking jib, the speed increases and stabilizes at 9.5 to 9.7 knots. Once again, the Grand Soleil Blue astonishes me with its incredible balance — even in conditions where most sailboats would start heading up strongly into the wind.

We bear away further, furl the jib, and hoist the massive 100-square-meter gennaker. It fills instantly, the luff shifting to windward, and the Grand Soleil Blue accelerates again, pushing the speedo into double digits almost immediately.

Now the true wind is holding steady at 17–18 knots, and we’re consistently sailing above 10–11 knots, peaking just under 12. In these conditions, the lake kicks up waves that come in from astern — but they do nothing to shake our course stability. During a gybe, the sheet on the new tack is a bit too tight, and sure enough, the boat rounds up. I throw the helm hard over and, incredibly, the rudder still holds — immediately stopping what could’ve been a nasty broach. The trimmer eases the sheet, and just like that, we’re back on course, still flying along at over 10 knots.

The level of safety on this Grand Soleil Blue is unquestionably above average. We sail on like this for hours, playfully fighting over who gets to steer. This weekender, believe me, doesn’t just blow every other boat in its segment out of the water — it delivers pure joy and zero worries to anyone lucky enough to own one.

Grand Soleil Blue in detail

If I had to briefly describe what the Grand Soleil Blue is to a friend, I’d say it’s a classy weekender and I’d happily take it cruising for far longer than just a weekend. Fast, safe, and damn good-looking, it has a huge cockpit and an aft sundeck that just invites to relaxing moments.

Deck

The deck of the Grand Soleil Blue is a small masterpiece of design and space engineering, as immediately clear from the moment you step aboard. The large aft sundeck cleverly conceals both the fold-down swim platform with ladder and the mainsheet traveler, which can be operated directly by the helmsman. From the twin wheels, you can manage practically everything without moving an inch—winches and their electric controls, halyards, sheets… it’s all within arm’s reach.

Moving through the immense cockpit, we find two long side benches that can seat 3 to 4 people each, though personally, I love them for their high backrests and the forward-slanting ends that turn them into super comfortable chaise longues.

Between the benches, there’s a drop-leaf table that comfortably seats four and, if you want, can be completely removed and stowed below deck.

The coachroof features large solar panels that are fully integrated into the molding. They’re walkable, virtually invisible, and deliver an impressive 340 W of nominal power.

Interior

The interior of the Grand Soleil Blue is simply brilliant. Even with the typical headroom of a weekender, it cleverly solves the issue of getting below deck thanks to its slanted companionway. It’s a smart solution that allows even taller people to have access in total comfort and safety.

Once you’re down below, you’re blown away by how spacious it feels. The interior design creates a sense of volume that seems to defy physical limits—almost like a “charm of undetectable extension” (yep, that’s a Harry Potter reference).