Design team

Gilles Ollier

Born 14th February 1948 in SURESNES (Paris area), France
Married to Agnès, 2 daughters Sophie & Cécile.

Career
Discovered sailing at 15 and decided to become a naval architect.
Passed his Baccalaureate in maths, then studied architecture at the Ecole Spéciale de Paris graduating with honours on presentation of his thesis on the “Nautical Habitat”.

The 70’s
Assisted with the Finot naval architecture Group for 2 ½ years.
Designed production boats for the Kelt yard including the famous 5.50, 1000 of which were built and cruising and racing prototypes like the ½ Tonner Arok Atao or Salamandre (9th in the Route du Rhum).

On the occasion of this race, Gilles Ollier realised that history was turning a page. Mike Birch’s victory on a little multihull (13 m) against the big monohull (21 m) of Michel Malinovsky proved that a monohull could never again face up to multihulls.

First multihull in 1980. A 17 m proa called Funambule for Guy Delage, 3rd in the La Rochelle / New Orleans race, beat Charlie Barr on the Atlantic record in ???

In 1981, created the Multiplast yard in the suburbs of Nantes and successively built there :

• Catamaran, 15,24 m Jet Services I / Ollier design for Patrick Morvan (F) / 1982
• Catamaran, 18,28 m Jet Services II / Ollier design for Patrick Morvan (F) / 1983
• Catamaran Royale, 22 m / Graal design (F) for Caradec/Facques (F) / 1983
  
• Catamaran, 18,28 m 33 Export / Ollier design for Gilles Gahinet (F) / 1984
  
• Trifoiler, 28 m Charles Heidsieck IV / Vaton design for Alain Gabay (F) / 1984
  
• Catamaran Crédit Agricole II, 21 m / Ollier design for Philippe Jeantot (F) / 1984

In 1984 the Multiplast yard was moved to a water’s edge site in Vannes, south Brittany.

• Catamaran Jet Services IV, 24,32 / Ollier design for Patrick Morvan (F) / 1985
• Catamaran Formula 40, 12,16 m / Vice World Class Champion / 1985
• Catamaran Jet Services V, 22,80 m / Ollier design / 1987 / A boat born to succeed : Atlantic record, 1st Round Europe, 1st Jules Verne Trophy 93 under the name of Commodore Explorer. Pacific records under the name of Explorer in 97 & 98
• Catamaran Elf Aquitaine II, 22,80 m. Modified by Ollier for Jean Maurel (F) / 1987
• Trimaran Elf Aquitaine III / Ollier design for Jean Maurel (F) / 1988
• Monohull F1 first French America’s Cup Class (23 m)/ Briand design / 1991
• Monohull F2 Ville de Paris / America’s Cup Class / Briand design / 1991
• Monohull powerboat / Jet Ruban Bleu/ Ollier design / 1992
• Motor yacht Pegasus / Ollier design / 1993
• 60 ft trimaran / Région Haute Normandie / Nigel Irens design / 1994
• Luxury cruising catamaran 25 m Magic Cat / Ollier design / 1996
• 60 ft trimaran La Trinitaine / Nigel Irens design / 1998
• Monohull America’s Cup Class 22 m 6e Sens / Andrieu/Joubert et cie design / 1999
• Catamarans The Race 30/35 m - 3 boats / Ollier designs / 1999-2000

Since 1995, CEO of the Multiplast yard

When he is not building or designing boats, he helms a vintage 8 Metre (pretty classic yacht) in competition or restores classic cars for himself.