With the New 51 - as is the tradition at Fountaine-Pajot, we are still waiting for its definitive name - the catamaran builder from La Rochelle presents the replacement for the Saba 50. Indeed, this model, launched in 2014 and produced in 200 units, was beginning to age.
The New 51, still designed by Berret-Racoupeau, wants to be in the "Family boat" category, i.e. a unit that is simple to operate and maintain and can be used without a skipper.
This design features a helm station at deck level (not on the fly) allowing the helmsman to stay in contact with the crew and also offering great safety with direct access from the cockpit. For this helm station, the shipyard has worked on the ergonomics of both the manoeuvres (engine joystick, joystick) and the electronics.
This new version of the 51 has become a little overweight since it was announced at 18.1 T whereas the Saba weighed only 15.7 T. This overweight is probably due to a more comfortable equipment, but it is offset by an increase in sail area. Let's hope that this is enough to make it lively in light airs..
For lazing around, this catamaran is equipped with a forward saloon (7.6 m2) and above all a huge flybridge (16.2 m2) accessible on starboard. This solution avoids having a huge bimini which raises the boom very high on the water. As a result of this layout, the New 51 has a fairly slim silhouette helped by modern inverted bows. On the other hand, there is no direct passage from the saloon to the forward cockpit, the yard did not retain the opening of a door, only a large front porthole that opens fully.
Note - as an option - the possibility of covering the deckhouse with solar panels, thus offering up to 2000 W to recharge a lithium battery pack. With such a deployment, comfort on board and the power supply of the equipment are ensured.
On the layout side, this catamaran offers the possibility to compose with 4 layouts. While the hull reserved for the owner's cabin is now a classic for this type of yacht, Fountaine Pajot offers a version with 2 Maestro cabins (unique in this category). There is also a version with 6 cabins for charter.
The door that separates the cockpit from the saloon disappears completely, creating a much appreciated in/outdoor as soon as the weather is nice.
In addition, circulation in the saloon is ensured with a central island that offers a work surface and double access to the galley. The absence of a chart table, or rather the presence of what the shipyard refers to as the "vertical chart table", is noteworthy. This concept means that all the information on the boat is on a shelf that is accessible from anywhere on board.
The launch of this New 51 is scheduled for February 2022 at the announced base price of 750,000 euros excluding VAT.
