Elayna and Riley Whitelum's carbon-fibre 60-footer blends hybrid propulsion, hygge interiors and serious offshore capability.
Few boats arrive with a backstory quite like S/V La Vagabonde III. Built over three years in Vietnam and launched in 2023, this Rapido 60 trimaran is the third home of one of the best-known sailing families on the water, and every corner of it reflects choices made by owners who actually intend to live and voyage aboard. The walkthrough, filmed in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, gives an unusually candid look inside a boat that has already been tested hard across the South China Sea.
A Saloon Built for Long Passages
Step inside and the saloon is the heart of the boat, drenched in light thanks to the wide coachroof windows and Rapido’s characteristically open floorplan. The galley wears a custom Hague blue on the cupboards, paired with copper accents that the owners are happy to see naturally patinate with salt air. A three-burner induction cooktop with oven, a large fridge with two drawer compartments and a separate freezer, plus a dedicated charging cupboard, make the space genuinely liveable rather than merely nautical.
Details tell the story: leather upholstery cut from a donated American sofa and re-worked at the Vietnamese yard; carbon fibre left deliberately exposed on the dining table edge and elsewhere as a nod to the boat’s construction; whisper walls in painted panels above; and Etsy-sourced wallpaper, cushions and art. A forward-facing nav station sits to starboard so a watchkeeper’s eyes stay on the horizon, doubling as the seat when needed.
Cabins, Heads and Storage
The master cabin, tucked into the main hull, is described by the owners as their favourite retreat — cozy, well lit, and flanked by generous wardrobes on both sides plus deep under-berth storage currently holding medical kit and electronics. One large section of hull is left as bare carbon fibre, an aesthetic the yard reportedly resisted but the owners insisted upon. The en-suite master head leans into a 1970s vibe with two-tone wallpaper and a copper shower head. Forward, a guest cabin offers another queen berth, and the guest head keeps things simple with white tile and patterned wallpaper.
Throughout the interior, Rapido’s gas-strut lockers and cupboards get a specific shout-out — they pop open cleanly, encourage ventilation, and give the boat a feeling the owners liken to natural air conditioning.
Hybrid Propulsion and Systems
Mechanically, La Vagabonde III is a hybrid: a Yanmar diesel paired with an Oceanvolt electric propulsion system, drawing on six MG lithium-ion batteries at 7.2 kWh each — 43.2 kWh in total. During the walkthrough the diesel is out of the boat awaiting a warranty replacement after saltwater intrusion, but Riley speaks warmly of what the electric side has already delivered: five hours of on-and-off motoring consumed just 7% of the bank, and while sailing at 12 knots across the South China Sea, the props were regenerating 2 to 3 kW back into the batteries.
Safety touches are notable. The engine and battery compartment is sealed and airtight, with a remotely operable fire suppression system — a considered response to the reality that on a boat with three floating hulls, fire is a more likely threat than sinking. Fresh water comes from a Spectra Newport 700c watermaker, and solar is handled by 470-watt Sun Powered Yachts panels supplemented by three 170-watt flexible panels that deploy from gas-strut lockers to more than double solar input.
On Deck: Sails, Rig and Helm
Above deck, this is unmistakably a performance trimaran. The rotating carbon fibre mast carries a mainsail of 122.5 square metres — more than twice the size of the previous La Vagabonde‘s. The sail wardrobe is Doyle Stratis carbon Technora, including a solent and staysail, with a Facnor furler on a custom-engineered carbon bowsprit for the gennaker and code zero. The daggerboard extends 3.548 metres and, per Riley, essentially stays deployed at sea.
The helm has been deliberately stripped back — no bulky dodger, minimal clutter — for weight, aesthetics and a clean view aft over the water. B&G electronics run the show, and Riley singles out the autopilot for particular praise, recalling how, in 44 knots of wind with two reefs and the headsail furled, wind-vane mode at performance level 5 let the boat surf downwind so calmly he could have made a cup of tea. Reefing is handled at the mast base, which he prefers, and life-line clip points are set out along the deck for tethering in rough weather. The tender is a full-carbon OC Tender with a 15 hp outboard, sailable when its mast is refitted.
Market Context
The Rapido 60 remains a rare boat on the used market. Current activity looks like this:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Rapido 60 listings | 1 |
| Asking price | $1,950,000 |
| Median asking | $1,950,000 |
Who It’s For
This is not a production catamaran dressed up for the charter fleet. La Vagabonde III is a custom-specified, owner-built, extensively cruised carbon trimaran with a hybrid drivetrain, serious sail inventory, and a genuinely warm interior that has been proven at sea by a family of four. For a buyer who wants speed, redundancy, unsinkability and a boat that already has the miles and the stories to match, listing broker Will Miller has an unusual proposition on his hands.