The new Aquila 50 Yacht was designed to replace the brand’s 48 Yacht, but this recently debuted model is not a simple rehash of an existing vessel. The voluminous motor cat has a new running surface, an enhanced master suite, a more elaborate tender launching system, and dozens of small details that differentiate it not only from its predecessor but also its competitors.

The new 50 fits well between Aquila’s 44 Yacht and 54 Yacht flybridge models. Because of their wide beams, all the Aquilas designed by J&J Design in Slovenia offer interior volume similar to monohulls with much longer lengths.

While boarding the boat at Lauderdale Marina, a few days after the official premiere at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2024 (October 30-November 3), the first difference was obvious: it has a tall, explorer-style profile that looks way cooler than other big, boxy power cats in its class.

“It’s the first boat of its size with this kind of look,” said Nick Harvey, Aquila’s Chief Revenue Officer, who hosted the sea trial. “You [usually] see that look only on 100ft-plus power cats.”

The 50 Yacht is also about 0.60m (2ft) taller than the 48, largely because the designers gave the master suite a flat floor rather than a sunken one, hence needing to build a taller hull so as not to compromise on the suite’s headroom. “It also lets us create these amazing side windows,” Harvey added.

This extra height is not enough to impact the boat’s performance in winds, but it does add to visibility from the helm station, which was the only steering area on this first hull.

A second helm station in the main saloon is an option, but if I were a buyer, I’d go for the single on the flybridge. It’s protected enough, with great visibility, and adding another to the saloon would devastate the feng shui that Aquila designed into this 25.6sqm (276sqft) social area.

Wraparound windows extending along both sides and across the front deliver excellent natural light. The decor here is the Light option, incorporating a light-coloured wood composite and white accents, with neutral greys delivering subtlety. The Dark version is what it sounds like, with darker woods and trims.

The aft full-featured galley is equipped with a full-size American-style fridge, microwave, convection oven and a large ‘country’ stainless steel sink – with a covering to transform into a countertop – and is joins the rear cockpit through a large door and fold-down windows.

These openings turn the interior and outer section into one large social space extending back to the stern. Outside, two bar seats adjoin a counter that connects to the galley.

Back inside, the large U-shaped lounge with table serves as the master dining area, but the table also drops down electrically to form a large berth to create an extra sleeping area. Stairways to port and starboard to the other staterooms, in different areas of the saloon, give an asymmetrical appeal to the layout.

The control panels are located on the starboard rear side, with AC and DC controls and a CZone control and monitoring system for onboard functions. “It’s all digital switching, so you can manage the lighting, pumps and multiple systems just from this screen,” Harvey said.

As well as a second steering station, options include captain’s quarters, although Aquila’s many global owners are also operators. Encouragingly, the engine room has good space around the 480hp Volvo Penta D6 engines, which can be upgraded to 550hp Yanmars.

Our sea trial into the Atlantic happened on a calm, sunny day, with seas running under a metre. Being a big cat, the 50 feels different underway than a similar-sized monohull, but it handles nicely as we head south along the Florida coast.

The new Aquila comes with a bulbous hull design, which helps navigation in big seas and limits wave impact. The 50 Yacht also has an optional foil system that increases fuel efficiency and performance. On our sea trial, the cat topped out at just over 20 knots, turned decently on its twin hulls, with minimal rock and roll.

Visibility of the water and the Raymarine electronics on the console were both good. There was no chance to see how it would handle serious waves, but it ran well in near-ideal conditions.

The hardtop, with solar panels on its rooftop, has isinglass (gelatin) that wraps around the large, 361sqft (33.4sqm) upper deck during inclement weather. That would likely be a fire-drill to set up in a

squall, but a full, glassed-in hardtop would make this cat a different animal, a feat of engineering that would change weight distribution and add significant costs.

For social events, this upper-deck area is the place to be. Aquila designed lots of space into it, including a large lounge and table, and 2.6m (8ft 7in-wide) sunbeds on the rear of the cat. This boat also had a full outdoor galley, including an electric Kenyon Signature Grill with an induction stove, wet bar, and stainless-steel ice maker.

Another nice touch is the two-step side passage down to the foredeck. Rather than being a centre passage like other big cats, this more discreet feature allows quick access for dock-handling or other needed access.

On the forward space, double sunbeds on either side offer social gathering points, along with flip-up seats at the base. There are also two seats on the outer forward edges for a couple of people to look back and converse with others. The high guardrails are good safety features, as is the rail height along the wide gunwales.

Aquila left the lower, forward part of the bow open across the full beam – this is a really nice touch that allows full visibility from the master suite. The full-beam main suite measures 25sqm (270sqft), with good headroom and the flush floor that is a differentiator in its class.

To starboard is an L-shaped lounge, with a vanity and seat beside, and on the other side of the king-size bed are two sinks and drawers. The full head, with a separate toilet and shower with teak-grate flooring, is divided from the bedroom by a frosted-glass door that is stylish and functional.

The sense of space is good, thanks to the wide-open layout and large windows, which Harvey said are “twice the size of others in this class, thanks to the extra height of the boat”.

The suite also has excellent storage space, thanks to the cat’s pontoons, which let owners stow not only personal items but also gear and even a mattress for the saloon table, stored below the floor. The closet space is also decent.

The second stateroom is a VIP, with a large, private head and shower, and a sense of privacy, given the way Aquila has designed the long entryway. Across is the third stateroom, a double for the kids. The boat comes in a four-stateroom layout but would compromise the size of the VIP.

On the stern is one of the 50’s most noteworthy features. Its 14ft tender catamaran, which Aquila also manufactures at its production facility in China, is on an electric crane system that lifts the boat outwards for launch and retrieval – a distinctive feature among competitors.

When the tender has been launched, the deck drops down so it’s flush with the aft decks, creating a large platform for easy access to the water. “The way the winch retracts in and out of the flybridge is unique,” said Harvey. “It’s really part of the 50’s DNA.”

The designers left enough space in the engine compartments to create a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system when that becomes available. The current options list allows owners to upgrade standard house batteries to four lithium batteries with an inverter and charger, allowing for longer times to run at anchor on charged battery power.

“We’ve designed it so that owners can order the hybrid system when it becomes available,” said Harvey. “Our goal was to futureproof for sustainability as much as possible.”

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This story was first seen on Yachtstyle.Co.

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