23.8m Gilles Vaton 78 Aluminium Sloop for Sale.

This 23.8m VATON 78 SLOOP for sale is a cruiser / racer sailing yacht designed by Gilles Vaton and extremely well built in aluminium by the French shipyard Pouvreau under the supervision of the famous French navigator Éric Tabarly. This sailboat is robust and very seaworthy. Flush-deck sloop with elegant and timeless lines, she is very high-performance vessel and used exclusively for private purposes. She has crossed the Atlantic several times with a crew but is regularly used by 2 because she is easy to manoeuvre.

The VATON 78 SLOOP yacht's performance is not only due to her magnificent hull, but also to her high-tech equipment: Axxon carbon mast, Rod rigging and Kevlar backstays, Harken furlers, thirteen Harken and Lewmar electric winches, and a beautiful North Sails wardrobe (130 m² full-batten mainsail, 170 m² genoa, 120 m² solent, 40 m² staysail, 200 m² gennaker, and three asymmetrical spinnakers of 290 m², 400 m², and 450 m²).

Her aft cockpit is dedicated to manoeuvring with its huge white steering wheel, electronic repeaters, and winches. It has direct access to the crew quarters via a staircase protected by folding sprayhood, and is separated from the central cockpit by a deck area where a sunbed can be installed while anchored. The central cockpit is dedicated to relaxation with two benches and a teak table. It has access to the interior saloon via a staircase, also protected by folding sprayhood. It is also shaded by a bimini.

The interior layout is classic and functional, with a U-shaped galley to port, a chart table to starboard, a U-shaped main saloon/dining room around a large table to starboard and a secondary dining room to port.

This VATON 78 SLOOP sailing yacht can comfortably accommodate 6 guests in 3 cabins and 4 crew members in 2 cabins. The two double guest cabins are forward. The Owner's cabin is located amidships, below the cockpit. Each of these three cabins has its own en-suite bathroom. The two crew cabins are on the aft section of the vessel.

In addition, she’s equipped with: 7 kW Onan generator, 600W Watt & Sea hydro-generator, 2 Eberspacher heaters, 120 l/h Aquaset watermaker, complete navigation electronics and Standard C satellite communications, Iridum telephone, 3.4 m Highfield tender, etc…

This legendary GILLES VATON 78 SLOOP sailing yacht has belonged to the same Owner for over 30 years. She was refitted in 2009, 2014 & 2019 and is always meticulously maintained. She is in excellent condition and is seeking an experienced sailor to take her on new long-distance adventures.

KEY FEATURES

Please click on the « Full Specs » tab for complete details of this Performance Sailing Yacht for Sale.

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

Builder: Chantier Naval Pouvreau (France)

Model: Vaton 78 Sloop

Design: Gilles Vaton Design

Type: Sailing Yacht / Sloop

Construction: Aluminium

Year Built: 1983

Refit(s): 2009, 2014 & 2019

LOA: 23.80 m (78’ 1”)

Beam: 6.00 m (19’ 8”)

Draft: 2.90 m (9’ 6”)

Displacement (light load): 32,000 kg (70,548 lb)

Displacement: (full load): 35,000 kg (77,162 lb)

Upwind Sail Area: 300 m² (3,229 sq ft)

Downwind Sail Area: 580 m² (6,243 sq ft)

Engine: 200 Hp VOLVO TAM

Location: Lorient, FRANCE

RIG

AXXON mast in carbon fiber

SPARCRAFT boom in aluminium

Spinnaker pole in carbon fiber

NAVTEC hydraulic boom wang

Rod standing rigging

Kevlar backstays

SPECTRA running rigging

HARKEN genoa electric furler

FACNOR gennaker electric furler

SAILS

Sails by NORTH SAILS

Hydranet Full Batten Mainsail: 130 m² with lazy bag & lazy jack

Dacron Gennaker: 200 m² (2,152.8 sq ft)

Spectra Genoa: 170 m² (1,829.9 sq ft)

Hydranet Solent: 120 m² (1,291.7 sq ft)

Spectra Staysail: 40 m² (430.6 sq ft)

Spinnaker 1: 450 m² symmetric (4,843.8 sq ft)

Spinnaker 2: 400 m² symmetric (4,305.6 sq ft)

Spinnaker 3: 290 m² asymmetric (3,121.5 sq ft)

PROPULSION

Type / Fuel: Single Diesel

Main Engine: 200 Hp VOLVO Tam D41 (rebuilt 2019)

Engine Hours: 650 h (April 2026) since major overhaul

Transmission: Direct stainless-steel shaft

Propeller: 3-Blade MAX PROP 2 X folding propeller

Maximum Speed: 10 knots

Cruising Speed: 8 knots

TANKAGE

Fuel Capacity: 2 x 400 l = 800 l (211 US Gallons)

Fresh Water Capacity: 4 x 450 l = 1,800 l (475.5 US Gallons)

Grey Water Tank: 70 l (18.5 US Gallons)

Black Water Tanks: 2 x 40 l = 80 l (21.1 US Gallons)

ACCOMMODATION

Classic interior

6 Guests in 3 en-suite cabins

Guest Cabin Configuration :

Crew Accommodation:

LAYOUT

Exterior:

Interior:

MAIN INTERIOR EQUIPMENT

25 Amp deck socket

7 kW ONAN generator (1200 h in April 2026)

600W WATT & SEA hydro generator removable

Service Batteries: 6 x 110 Ah = 660 Ah in 12V

Starting Batteries: 2 x 110 Ah = 220 Ah in 12V

Generator Battery: 1 x 110 Ah in 12V

100 Amp MASTERVOLT battery charger

3000W VICTRON inverter 12V/220V

300W CRISTEC inverter 12V/220V

2 x EBERSPACHER heaters with water circuit

100 l/h AQUASET watermaker

150 l hot water boiler

3 x LAVAC manual toilets

1 x LAVAC electric toilet

NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

VOLVO electronic engine displays

VOLVO electronic engine controls

2 x DANFORTH magnetic compasses

B&G Hydra 2000 navigation pack (Loch / Speedometer / Wind vane / Anemometer / Depth sounder / Etc.)

NKE navigation pack

NKE autopilot

2 x FURUNO GPS / Plotter / Radar (24 NM)

MAC computer

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

2 x ICOM VHF radios

Portable VHF

ICOM Pactor 4 SSB radio

IRIDIUM Open Port satellite phone

ENTERTAINMENT EQUIPMENT

24” SAMSUNG TV in the saloon

MAIN DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Fully equipped galley

GN Espace 4-burner gas stove

GN Espace gas oven

SAMSUNG microwave

3 x Fridges (250 l + 150 l + 120 l)

1 x Freezer (350 l)

SEAGULL IV water purifier

SAMSUNG washing & drying machine in laundry

MAIN EXTERIOR EQUIPMENT

2000W LOFRANS windlass

55 kg SPADE anchor with 90 m chain

35 kg CQR anchor with 100 m rope

2 x NAVTEC hydraulic pumps

LEWMAR mainsheet and tracks

2 x HARKEN STE110 electric winches

2 x LEWMAR ST70 manual winches

3 x LEWMAR ST65 manual winches

2 x LEWMAR ST48 manual winches

2 x ANDERSEN STE72 electric winches

2 x ANDERSEN STE65 electric winches

Helm with large wheel and instrument’s console

Teak bathing platform

Folding swimming ladder

Folding spray hood

Folding bimini

Sun awning

Cockpit cushions

Sunbathing

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

CO² sea fire-fighting system in engine room

5 x Portable extinguishers

Automatic bilge pump and manual bilge pump

8 x Life jackets

8 x Safety harnesses

BOMBARD 8-man life raft

OCEAN SIGNAL EPIRB satellite beacon (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)

TENDER

3.40 m (11’ 2”) HIGHFIELD Hypalon tender with aluminium hull, YAMAHA 15 Hp engine (2023)

2009, 2014 & 2019 REFIT DETAILS

On request.

Upon request.

Prior appointment, please. 4 days notice greatly appreciated.

Berth place management possible on French or Italian Riviera as well as Spain (Mainland and Balearic Islands), Greece and Turkey.

These particulars are given in good faith as supplied to us but cannot be guaranteed and cannot be used for contracts.