AQUILA 54 YACHT
LOA 54ft 2in (16.5m) BEAM 25ft 2in (7.68m) ENGINES Twin Volvo Penta D6-380s or D8-480s TOP SPEED 22-25 knots PRICE From £1.98 million ex tax CONTACT www.aquilaboats.com
You may not have heard of Aquila power cats yet but they have been hugely successful in the US and are now on their way here courtesy of UK importer Approved Boats.
Built in China with design input from the US, the Aquila line-up includes three outboardpowered models – the 28, 32 and 36 – and three shaft-drive models – the 44, 54 and 70. We caught up with the Aquila 54 Yacht at the Palm Beach Show in March, fighting with weekend crowds to see why it has proved so successful – 75 orders since it was launched last year. Size matters in this market and the 54 is huge, even by powercat standards. Much of that is due to the tri-deck design, which allows the helm and skylounge to be located in the enclosed part of the upper deck while still leaving space behind it for an open aft deck with a wet bar and free-standing furniture.
The main-deck accommodation is equally impressive. The aft galley and saloon are predictably large and drenched in natural light from the picture windows along both sides.
Two sets of stairs descend from here to a pair of ensuite guest doubles, the starboard side one is slightly bigger than the port. Less predictable is the full-beam owners’ suite in front of the saloon, complete with aft-facing bed, 270-degree views and steps down to an ensuite shower-room to starboard and a dressing room to port. There’s also a twin-bunk cabin with its own entrance from the cockpit, bringing the total capacity to eight people in four ensuite cabins.
Various engine options are available from twin 360hp Volvo D6s up to 550hp Cummins QSB6.7S. The mid-spec 480hp Volvo D8s give a claimed top speed of 22 knots and a useful 400nm-plus range at 17-knots or as much as 2,000nm at 6 knots. Small bowbulbs help reduce pitching and improve economy but there’s also an option of a foil to add more lift and further improve the vessel’s speed and economy.
The Aquila 54 is due to make its European debut at the Cannes boat show in September.