SOLARIS POWER 44 OPEN
LOA 44ft 2in (13.5m) BEAM 14ft 3in (4.35m) ENGINES Twin Volvo Penta IPS500/650 TOP SPEED 39 knots PRICE FROM €547,000 ex VAT CONTACT www.solarispower.com
Well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes? Computer-generated renderings can often leave the finished boat with a little too much to live up to but this is a truly stunning piece of design. The sculptured topsides are works of art in their own right, as is the subtle way the bow sections flare out to deflect spray away from the sumptuous deck spaces. We even like the pistachio shade of green the first boat has been finished in.
The main deck mimics that of the larger 48 Open, with a well-balanced blend of seating space and a couple of slabs of sun pad where guests can lap up the rays. Cleverly, the backrests on the forward-most dinette bench flip the other way to create forwardfacing seating space for when the boat is on passage.
The integration of the centrally mounted T-top into the wet bar unit is neatly done and the top provides permanent shade over the three-person helm, with an extension from its aft end that provides shade over the dinette when needed.
As an option, Solaris plans to incorporate folding terraces on either side of the cockpit to boost cockpit space and offer additional access to the water. Below, the attractively finished interior can be configured with either a double amidships and convertible dinette forward or twins amidships and a double forward; both layouts include a separate heads compartment.
Two Volvo Penta six-cylinder diesel engine options provide pod-driven power, the larger of the two good for a whisker under 40 knots.