Aquila 45 Sport Reviewed

By day or evening, the Aquila 45 Sport is designed to be a highly versatile vessel. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans

For most of the year, Florida’s west coast delivers Chamber of Commerce weather: bright sun and warm, easy breezes. But not always. The early March morning that I got aboard the Aquila 45 Sport brought spitting rain and a chilly northeast wind. And while we pulled warm fleece jackets from the back of the hanging locker, the conditions did little to dull my anticipation of putting Aquila’s latest through its paces.

For the most part, Aquila built its reputation on catamarans that favor volume and stability over outright speed, but the 45 Sport is a clean break from that mold. It’s an outboard-powered performance platform that retains the brand’s twin-hull DNA, now sharpened into something more aggressive and better aligned with how many owners use their boats today.

The starting point is a telling one. Aquila’s 36 Sport became the builder’s bestseller, with more than 300 hulls delivered. The 45 Sport is not simply a larger follow-up; it resets the entire Sport line. Designed by Yacht Design Works in Clearwater, Florida, it trades the softer lines of earlier Aquilas for faceted surfaces and a stance that draws inspiration from high-end sports cars and SUVs, more than from traditional cruising cats. It looks fast, and it delivers on that anticipation of performance.

The cockpit opens into a flexible lounging space, with a U-shaped settee and a second sunpad at the transom. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans

Power comes from twin 600 hp Mercury Verado V12 outboards, a pairing the boat was designed around from the outset. Push the throttles forward, and the 45 Sport responds instantly. It jumps onto plane quickly with little bow rise, and runs out to a top-end speed just shy of 50 knots. Acceleration also stands out. I clocked a 0-to-30-knot time of eight seconds, aided by the Mercury’s two-speed transmissions. This power cat doesn’t build speed slowly. It snaps to attention.

At a 31-knot cruise, the outboards burn roughly 46 gallons of fuel per hour, yielding a range of 242 nautical miles with a 10 percent reserve. From Florida’s west coast, Key West is within reach, and crossings to points in the Bahamas from the Sunshine State’s east coast are equally realistic. The boat will remain on plane at 14 knots, and it can run comfortably on a single engine if needed, a nod to the efficiency of the hulls. This inspires cruising confidence when heading for distant ports of call.

Handling is straightforward, thanks in part to Mercury’s Active Trim system, which allows the operator to focus on course and conditions instead of constant trim adjustments. Close-quarters maneuvering and docking are equally simplified with Skyhook station-keeping and joystick control.

The helm has seating for four people and can be ordered with up to three multifunction displays. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans

The helm is laid out with usability in mind. Three Raymarine 16-inch multifunction displays dominated the dash on the boat that I got aboard, though the setup can be scaled back to one or two. Four seats span the helm beneath a sunroof-equipped hardtop that provides 82 inches of headroom and, notably, air conditioning, powered by a lithium-ion battery system. It can run the air conditioning at the helm and belowdecks for up to 18 hours, and is a quiet, low-maintenance solution.

Movement around the deck is easy and secure. Side decks are deep, with handholds where you need them, and the layout flows naturally from bow to stern. Forward, a broad sunpad with stowage beneath invites lounging, while the beefy windlass is neatly integrated and built to take hard use. Cleats and hardware feel solid, reinforcing the sense that this is a boat meant to be used.

The social center is aft. Just abaft the helm, Hull No. 1’s owner configured a space for entertaining, with dual refrigerators, twin Kenyon grills, a sink and a pop-up television. Stowage is well thought out, including dedicated trash receptacles at each end of the island to help keep things tidy. It’s easy to see the 45 Sport being the star attraction at the local sandbar.

With deck hatches that open to create additional space, the engines can be trimmed out of the water. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans

Step aft, and the cockpit opens into a flexible lounging space, with a U-shaped settee and a second sunpad at the transom. Fold-down terraces expand the footprint at the push of a button, creating a true beach-club feel. A reinforced tow point in the hardtop and an onboard air compressor underscore the watersports vibe. Wakeboards, tubes and inflatables can all be part of the program. An optional roof rack adds stowage for paddleboards or kayaks overhead, where they are easily accessible yet out of the way.

Thoughtful details like hatches that allow the outboards to tilt fully clear of the water speak to practical ownership. An audible alarm reminds the operator to open those hatches when trimming up, a simple but effective safeguard.

Belowdecks, the master stateroom is accessed via a sliding hatch to starboard of the helm. The hatch doubles as recessed steps when closed, leading to the foredeck and hardtop. Three steps down, there’s a surprising amount of natural light from a skylight and hullside windows. This space is more than adequate for overnights or a quick weekend away.

The master stateroom is accessed via a sliding hatch to starboard of the helm. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans

Mechanical spaces are easy to reach, and utility areas are cleanly finished, even in out-of-sight locations within the hull. CZone digital switching manages DC systems, with tactile backups in place.

Performance remains a defining trait. Where some cats lean outward in hard turns at speed, the 45 Sport stays notably flat. Handling is predictable and composed, with enough feedback at the helm to reduce oversteering. The windshield, aided by a single wiper, proved its worth in the sloppy conditions we faced, keeping the helm protected and the visibility clear.

The Aquila 45 Sport succeeds because it knows what it is. It doesn’t chase the conventions of a cruising cat or try to mimic a go-fast monohull center console. Instead, it lands squarely in a space that feels increasingly relevant: fast, efficient, social and capable when the itinerary expands. For those who want the space and stability of a catamaran without giving up performance, it makes a compelling case.  

At a 31-knot cruise, the outboards burn roughly 46 gallons of fuel per hour, yielding a range of 242 nautical miles with a 10 percent reserve. Courtesy Aquila Power Catamarans Aquila’s Ascent

Aquila Power Catamarans is a relatively young brand. Launched in 2012, the company set out to build powercats that combined cruising comfort with user-friendly systems and strong dealer support. Early Aquila models leaned heavily into volume and liveaboard capability, quickly gaining traction among charter fleets and with private owners alike.

High Speed, Low Drag

Underneath its sharper styling, the 45 Sport sticks to fundamentals that have long defined multihull construction: weight control and load distribution. The twin-hull design naturally spreads displacement and reduces drag. Aquila’s approach focuses on reinforcing high-load areas while keeping overall weight in check to maintain strong performance.

Looking Ahead

One of the more forward-looking equipment choices is what’s missing: a generator. Instead, the boat uses a lithium-ion battery bank paired with an inverter system capable of running key onboard loads—including air conditioning—for extended periods. On the 45 Sport, it’s a practical solution that fits the boat’s overall mission. Silence is golden, after all. 

Take the next step: aquilaboats.com

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