The brand new Aquila 50 Yacht was designed to interchange the model’s 48 Yacht, however this not too long ago debuted mannequin will not be a easy rehash of an current vessel. The voluminous motor cat has a brand new working floor, an enhanced master bedroom, a extra elaborate tender launching system, and dozens of small particulars that differentiate it not solely from its predecessor but in addition its rivals.
The brand new 50 matches effectively between Aquila’s 44 Yacht and 54 Yacht flybridge fashions. Due to their vast beams, all of the Aquilas designed by J&J Design in Slovenia provide inside quantity just like monohulls with for much longer lengths.
Whereas boarding the boat at Lauderdale Marina, a number of days after the official premiere at Fort Lauderdale Worldwide Boat Present 2024 (October 30-November 3), the primary distinction was apparent: it has a tall, explorer-style profile that appears approach cooler than different large, boxy energy cats in its class.
“It’s the primary boat of its measurement with this type of look,” mentioned Nick Harvey, Aquila’s Chief Income Officer, who hosted the ocean trial. “You [usually] see that look solely on 100ft-plus energy cats.”
The 50 Yacht can be about 0.60m (2ft) taller than the 48, largely as a result of the designers gave the main bedroom a flat ground slightly than a sunken one, therefore needing to construct a taller hull in order to not compromise on the suite’s headroom. “It additionally lets us create these wonderful facet home windows,” Harvey added.
This additional peak will not be sufficient to impression the boat’s efficiency in winds, however it does add to visibility from the helm station, which was the one steering space on this primary hull.
A second helm station in the primary saloon is an possibility, but when I had been a purchaser, I’d go for the only on the flybridge. It’s protected sufficient, with nice visibility, and including one other to the saloon would devastate the feng shui that Aquila designed into this 25.6sqm (276sqft) social space.
Wraparound home windows extending alongside either side and throughout the entrance ship wonderful pure gentle. The decor right here is the Mild possibility, incorporating a light-coloured wooden composite and white accents, with impartial greys delivering subtlety. The Darkish model is what it appears like, with darker woods and trims.
The aft full-featured galley is supplied with a full-size American-style fridge, microwave, convection oven and a big ‘nation’ chrome steel sink – with a masking to remodel right into a countertop – and is joins the rear cockpit by way of a big door and fold-down home windows.
These openings flip the inside and outer part into one massive social house extending again to the strict. Outdoors, two bar seats adjoin a counter that connects to the galley.
Again inside, the big U-shaped lounge with desk serves because the grasp eating space, however the desk additionally drops down electrically to kind a big berth to create an additional sleeping space. Stairways to port and starboard to the opposite staterooms, in numerous areas of the saloon, give an asymmetrical enchantment to the format.
The management panels are positioned on the starboard rear facet, with AC and DC controls and a CZone management and monitoring system for onboard features. “It’s all digital switching, so you possibly can handle the lighting, pumps and a number of programs simply from this display,” Harvey mentioned.
In addition to a second steering station, choices embody captain’s quarters, though Aquila’s many world homeowners are additionally operators. Encouragingly, the engine room has good house across the 480hp Volvo Penta D6 engines, which may be upgraded to 550hp Yanmars.
Our sea trial into the Atlantic occurred on a relaxed, sunny day, with seas working below a metre. Being an enormous cat, the 50 feels completely different underway than a similar-sized monohull, however it handles properly as we head south alongside the Florida coast.
The brand new Aquila comes with a bulbous hull design, which helps navigation in large seas and limits wave impression. The 50 Yacht additionally has an optionally available foil system that will increase gas effectivity and efficiency. On our sea trial, the cat topped out at simply over 20 knots, turned decently on its twin hulls, with minimal rock and roll.
Visibility of the water and the Raymarine electronics on the console had been each good. There was no likelihood to see how it could deal with severe waves, however it ran effectively in near-ideal circumstances.
The hardtop, with photo voltaic panels on its rooftop, has isinglass (gelatin) that wraps across the massive, 361sqft (33.4sqm) higher deck throughout inclement climate. That will probably be a fire-drill to arrange in a
squall, however a full, glassed-in hardtop would make this cat a special animal, a feat of engineering that may change weight distribution and add vital prices.
For social occasions, this upper-deck space is the place to be. Aquila designed a lot of house into it, together with a big lounge and desk, and a couple of.6m (8ft 7in-wide) sunbeds on the rear of the cat. This boat additionally had a full outside galley, together with an electrical Kenyon Signature Grill with an induction range, moist bar, and stainless-steel ice maker.
One other good contact is the two-step facet passage right down to the foredeck. Relatively than being a centre passage like different large cats, this extra discreet characteristic permits fast entry for dock-handling or different wanted entry.
On the ahead house, double sunbeds on both facet provide social gathering factors, together with flip-up seats on the base. There are additionally two seats on the outer ahead edges for a few individuals to look again and converse with others. The excessive guardrails are good security options, as is the rail peak alongside the vast gunwales.
Aquila left the decrease, ahead a part of the bow open throughout the total beam – this can be a very nice contact that enables full visibility from the main bedroom. The complete-beam primary suite measures 25sqm (270sqft), with good headroom and the flush ground that may be a differentiator in its class.
To starboard is an L-shaped lounge, with an arrogance and seat beside, and on the opposite facet of the king-size mattress are two sinks and drawers. The complete head, with a separate bathroom and bathe with teak-grate flooring, is split from the bed room by a frosted-glass door that’s fashionable and purposeful.
The sense of house is sweet, due to the wide-open format and huge home windows, which Harvey mentioned are “twice the dimensions of others on this class, due to the additional peak of the boat”.
The suite additionally has wonderful space for storing, due to the cat’s pontoons, which let homeowners stow not solely private objects but in addition gear and even a mattress for the saloon desk, saved under the ground. The closet house can be respectable.
The second stateroom is a VIP, with a big, non-public head and bathe, and a way of privateness, given the best way Aquila has designed the lengthy entryway. Throughout is the third stateroom, a double for the youngsters. The boat is available in a four-stateroom format however would compromise the dimensions of the VIP.
On the strict is among the 50’s most noteworthy options. Its 14ft tender catamaran, which Aquila additionally manufactures at its manufacturing facility in China, is on an electrical crane system that lifts the boat outwards for launch and retrieval – a particular characteristic amongst rivals.
When the tender has been launched, the deck drops down so it’s flush with the aft decks, creating a big platform for straightforward entry to the water. “The best way the winch retracts out and in of the flybridge is exclusive,” mentioned Harvey. “It’s actually a part of the 50’s DNA.”
The designers left sufficient house within the engine compartments to create a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system when that turns into obtainable. The present choices listing permits homeowners to improve customary home batteries to 4 lithium batteries with an inverter and charger, permitting for longer instances to run at anchor on charged battery energy.
“We’ve designed it in order that homeowners can order the hybrid system when it turns into obtainable,” mentioned Harvey. “Our purpose was to futureproof for sustainability as a lot as attainable.”
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This story was first seen on Yachtstyle.Co.
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