Les Fruits de Mer Design World’s First Octomaran for Marine Research

An interior schematic of the octomaran Calamari.

Move over, boring old catamarans—make way for the octomaran! The Les Fruits de Mer association is finalizing its design for the world’s first eight-hull sailing ship. The ship, to be named the Calamari, will serve as a traveling laboratory for ocean research.

“How much more stable is the octomaran compared to a single-hull ship? Obviously, eight times more stable,” explained conceptual designer Mark Yokoyama. “There are also significant safety benefits. The Calamari will be partially unsinkable. Our computer modeling shows at least one hull remains afloat in every possible scenario. In a real-world disaster, a substantial portion of the passengers are likely to survive.”

The Calamari is the first octomaran ever designed. Each hull will have its own sleeping quarters, laboratory space and kitchen. The research team will be able to conduct up to eight experiments at the same time. They will also be able to cook up to eight different kinds of food simultaneously.

A maritime artist’s rendering of the Calamari at sea.

“The Calamari will be a platform for conducting research that has never been attempted,” declared Les Fruits de Mer expedition chief Jenn Yerkes. “We’ll also be able to feed a crew with any combination of dietary restrictions and food allergies imaginable. It will truly be a new age of exploration.”

Its groundbreaking design will give the Calamari eight times the typical buoyancy, making it suitable for extremely shallow areas as well as the profound depths of the big blue. “We’ll be able to deploy teams of extreme shallow snorkelers as easily as deep-sea divers. We’re thrilled to develop this truly unique craft to discover and share the natural heritage of St. Martin’s seas!”

Once the design is finalized, construction will begin at shipyards in Halifax, Newark, Sheffield, Mumbai, Nagasaki, St. Petersburg, Stroobos and Saint-Nazaire. The components will be assembled on St. Martin.

In addition to the Calamari, the association has already created initial designs for a nine-hull octomaran to be called the Octoplus.

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