Solaris just announced that it will introduce its new 48 Open, a modern Italian version of a traditional Maine lobster boat, at the Cannes Yachting Festival starting Sept. 10. It will be available later in hardtop and flybridge versions.
Norberto Ferretti, the former head of the Ferretti Group, helped design the Solaris 48 Open. He said he missed being involved in boat building, and he drew the new Solaris because “I was especially smitten by the lobster boat: a perfect combination of seaworthiness, functionality, technology and safety.”
Power for the 48 Open comes from two Volvo IPS packages: Twin 435-hp IPS600s or twin 480-hp IPS650s. The boat is expected to cruise at about 20 knots, with a range of 300 nm with the IPS600s. Top speed with the larger engines will be 35 knots.
The Open has a walkaround deck, while twin “terraces” can be opened out of the cockpit bulwarks, expanding the cockpit size by 20 percent. The cockpit has two settees facing each other with a table in the center. The company calls the swim platform a beach area. A transom garage holds a dinghy or water toys.
Just forward of the cockpit is a large sun pad and a bar and galley area under the carbon fiber T-top. The helm has the Volvo joystick for fingertip maneuvering while docking, as well as two touchscreens for navigation and engine data. The foredeck has a large sunbathing area with a shaded headrest.
Below, owners have two choices for the accommodation deck, but both have a full-beam master stateroom. In one version, there is also a second cabin with twin beds. In the second version, that area becomes a comfortable salon. There are two heads.
Specs.: LOA: 47’1”; Beam: 15’9”; Draft: 2’4”; Disp.: 33,600 lbs.; Fuel: 396 gals.; Water: 113 gals.; Power: 2xVolvo 435-hp IPS600 pod drives or 2×480-hp Volvo IPS650 pod drives.
