At the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show last month, I had the chance to visit with the Aquila team and have a look at the brand new 46 Yacht that was being introduced to the North American market. The cruising cat had made its debut at the Cannes, France, boat show in September to great acclaim.
The new 46 is replacing the 44 in the Yacht line which is no small ask since the 44 has seen 200 cats delivered. But from a first look, the new boat will be up to the task.
The whole Aquila concept is to create cruising cats that are voluminous, provided with large outdoor spaces for lounging, eating and enjoying water sports and for efficient and speedy cruising. The new design features the same “explorer” aesthetic as the 50 Yacht that is such a stunner and will appeal to those who want the long-range capability and big boat innovations of the 50 in a smaller package.
The size of the 46, with 23 feet of beam, cannot be over stated. There are four distinct social spaces on the boat and each can accommodate half a dozen people at once. The aft cockpit has a dinette that will seat eight easily. The flybridge has the primary helm and another lounge with a large table. On the foredecks you’ll find a huge sunning lounge with a fold up back rest. And, finally, in the salon there is a U-shaped dinette and galley with space for six to dine.
The feature that will probably sell more boats to private owners than any other on the 46 is the master stateroom which is forward of the salon and down three steps. It spans the whole center section of the cat and has a mid-line double berth, large closets, an en suite head and shower and huge windows.
The 46 can be configured as a four or five -cabin boat which can be set up for owners with two large cabins and two smaller guest cabins. Or, you can have two cabins in each hull and convert the forward sleeping area into crew’s quarters with upper and lower berths.
A unique feature of the 46 is the ability to change cabin configurations after the boat has been delivered or if it changes hands. In other words, a boat launched with five cabins for charter can be converted to four for personal use.
This kind of flexibility is an Aquila feature. You have options for cabin layouts, for engine configurations, for genset options, for an additional helm in the salon, for a solar and lithium battery package and much more. If you can imagine it, Aquila can deliver it, within reason.
As I was being shown the 46 by the designer, we sat for a few minutes in the inside dinette and the views through the huge windows were amazing. It was easy to imagine sipping coffee at dawn and watching the sun rise over a tropic isle. This would be a great boat to live aboard, that’s for sure.
Read more here. https://www.aquilaboats.com/models/yachts/46
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