Go with the Flow

The GT 45 rides on Beneteau’s Air Step hull, which ducts air under the hull and introduces it at the hull’s lowest point to reduce drag without impeding handling. This latest version of the system utilizes three times the volume of the air compared to the original Air Step. To ensure that there were no issues with air affecting the Volvo Penta IPS drives, Beneteau built a prototype, and Volvo Penta validated its performance before the GT 45 went into production. Powered with twin 440 hp Volvo Penta IPS diesels, the yacht made a top-end speed of 26.3 knots at 3,390 rpm. At 3,000 rpm, the GT 45 made 21.5 knots— and that was on a hull that had been in the water for two weeks without bottom paint. Beneteau’s representative said top-end speed commonly exceeds 30 knots.