Review of sailing catamaran Elba 45 from Fountaine Pajot

Helia 44 built by Fountaine Pajot in September 2012 has reached 260 units successfully sold! The time has come for a stunning new yacht of the most versatile size in the range of sailing catamarans, the updated Elba 45, designed by renowned naval architect Olivier Racupo.

Specifications:	Helia 44	New 45
Maximum length, m	13.30	13.45
Maximum width, m	7.40	7.55
Draft, m	1.15	1.2
Displacement, kg	10800	13600
Sail area, m2:	115	119
Genoa	45	45
Mainsail	70	74
Engine, h.p.	2 x 40	2 x 40; 2 x 50
Fresh water	700	700
Fuel	470	470
Architect	Berret racoupeau	Berret racoupeau

Among the many features of the Elba 45 are:

Reverse stem tilt for the best performance;
new design of the helm station and an optimized area for all maneuvers provides even easier handling. Three winches are installed at an ideal distance for comfortable work with them, and in the clamps of the mainsail-halyard, corrugation 1-2-3, boom guy;

the largest lounge deck among catamarans in its category with a place for installing solar panels, small lockers, and coasters for drinks and of course a wide sofa and a sundeck;
the most spacious cockpit on a catamaran of this size, smoothly into the saloon, with a large table for 8 guests (12 with additional options), as well as a sofa on the transom next to the outer galley, where the Plancha grill is installed + additional seating on the starboard side;

installed panoramic windows / door between saloon and cockpitthat provides a good overview, a beautiful view from the passenger compartment and a lot of natural light;
optimized interior space, there was even more comfort and functionality, a feeling of a cozy home atmosphere. The salon is equipped with a large U-shaped couch, a wide navigational seat, which also serves as a day couch;

largest galley on a catamaran in its class, storage space is larger and deeper, which provides more autonomy for provisions on a long cruise. Refrigerator for 190 liters as standard + additional refrigerator or freezer as an option;
internal navigation post moved closer to the helm and outer helm station. Space for a chart plotter up to 22 inches, underneath a pull-out storage drawer;

navigator's place equipped with lighting, iPad docking station and 220V / 12V sockets in the armrest of the sofa.
opening window in the salon size 140 x 65 cm provides additional ventilation and access to the bow cockpit for easy communication on a large boat with automatic control (optional);
bow cockpit an area of 8.5 sq.m., equipped with pillows and a net;

new position of the hatch in the aft cabin left float for better ventilation;
wide electric platform on the transom - this is a must-have option both for recreation and for the convenience of loading and operations with dinghy;

As for the performance under sail, Fountaine Pajot took care of a good ratio of sail area and boat weight:

Displacement is 13.6 tons
The total sail area is 119 m2 (mainsail - 74 m2, genoa - 45 m2)

Ratio: 8.75 m2 / t

New building Elba 45 Provides 10% less resistance than the case Helia 44, which means higher top speed and more comfort on the engine.

Helia 44 VS Elba 45

There are two versions of the Elba 45 catamaran available:

Maestro version: owner's cabin + 1 bathroom / 2 double cabins + 2 bathrooms

Again, in version MaestroThe owner's stateroom is designed as a suite, not a cabin, so it is larger than any other catamaran of this size. The bathroom is huge but typical of all catamarans Fountaine pajot... The shower room is very spacious and comfortable, the bathroom is located closer to the bow. Between the cabin and the bathroom, there is a large space - a study, a dressing room.

2 double cabins have their own bathrooms. All three cabins are equipped with 160 x 200 cm Queensize island beds. 2 front peaks are allocated for deep lockers.

Charter version: 4 double cabins + 4 bathrooms

Two aft cabins are equipped with 160 x 200 cm island beds. Two forward cabins are equipped with 145 x 200 cm island beds. In the front dive on the starboard side is the skipper's cabin, on the port side there may be another crew cabin or a bathroom with shower.

Elba 45 an excellent self-contained catamaran for long journeys, for crossing the oceans and for passing the circumnavigation. Installed a fresh water tank with a volume of 700 liters, and a fuel tank for 470 liters. The living space on board is simply superbly designed and carefully optimized. You can safely store a sufficient amount of provisions and personal belongings for all seasons. The cat is fairly light and fast, with new cases that aren't bloated to add living space, all in perfect balance. Amenities for the skipper are at an altitude.

Basic Price catamaran in the Maestro version is 435 760 EUR

The cost of a completed yachtready for sailing will be from 520,000 EUR - 570,000 EUR

The yacht is available for order, the first orders are launched in La Rochelle in September 2019.

And we remind you that we are waiting for you in La Rochelle - in the largest center of sailing yachting, where 70% sailboats are being built within a radius of 150 km, where new yachts are on the pontoons Fountaine pajot which you can not only see, but also test at sea.