Aquila 46 Coupe Reviewed

The Aquila 46 Coupe and its smaller sister, the 42 Coupe, show off their distinctive lines while underway. Courtesy Aquila Boats

While I’ve always had an affinity for go-fast monohulls, I’m also a catamaran convert. Cats offer a combination of roominess, stability and comfort that’s difficult for similarly sized monohulls to match. The latest foray from Aquila Power Catamarans—whose designs range from a 28-foot Molokai fishing boat to a 70-foot Luxury yacht—is a sleek 46-foot Coupe that pairs semi-foiling capability with a speedy, double-stepped hull form.

Foiling technology isn’t new. Italian inventor Enrico Forlanini designed and built the first powerboat utilizing a foil system in 1906, when he hit 36.9 knots with a 60 hp airscrew. But can a foil really make a big difference in the way a boat rides? In the case of the Aquila 46 Coupe, the answer is a resounding yes.

Aquila calls its technology the Hydro Glide Foil System. An underwater carbon-fiber wing is attached horizontally between the catamaran’s hull sponsons and extends a bit below them. A second, smaller foil is between the hulls at the stern. These combine to produce lift that reduces drag and improves fuel economy. They also help to cushion the ride.

The foils are designed to shear away without compromising hull integrity in a collision or grounding, in a similar manner as the lower unit of an outboard engine. Courtesy Aquila Boats

In addition, the steps aerate the hulls, further increasing speed. The foils are attached with titanium bolts for strength, but are designed to break away without compromising hull integrity if there’s a collision with a submerged object.

Running the 46 Coupe from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following the boat’s worldwide introduction at the Miami International Boat Show, we faced overcast conditions and a solid 15 knots of northeast breeze stacking a steep wind chop against the rolling swells of the north-flowing Gulf Stream. But it was ideal for the 46 Coupe to strut its stuff with a bit less than 500 gallons of fuel and a crew of six.

Powered by a pair of 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12s, the boat had virtually no change in the hull attitude from idling at rest to being at speed on plane. At around 17 knots, the 46 Coupe began to ride on the foil as the two-speed Verado transmissions shifted to high gear. Handling felt a bit tight at that point, but with the engines trimmed out to 20 percent, the boat loosened up and the speed increased to more than 22 knots without any additional throttle.

The aft entertainment area has access doors on both sides for easy boarding. An electric davit is optional. Courtesy Aquila Boats

It felt akin to Aladdin’s magic carpet ride as we bounded across the tops of the frothy seas at 25 to 35 knots. When we had to cross larger ship wakes or maneuver sharply, a quick trim to tuck the engines back in tightened up the ride without the need for trim tabs or interceptors.

There were also no creaks or rattles, even as we hit a top speed just over 42 knots. At a cruising speed of 33 knots, the engines burned 54 gallons of fuel per hour, giving us a range of 338 nautical miles with a 10 percent fuel reserve. Aquila touts the foil system as providing an increased fuel efficiency of up to 40 percent at cruising speed.

Several things stood out at the wheel. A pair of 24-inch Raymarine multifunction displays were mounted in the 60-inch-wide helm, which was free of glare and appeared to be free-floating in its design. The comfortable, three-wide seating provided exceptional visibility through the oversize coupe windows and sharply raked forward windshield. The electrically actuated sunroof opened to nearly 55 square feet overhead, giving us the option to enjoy the sun and breeze, or crank up the air conditioning powered by a 10-kilowatt Fischer Panda generator. CZone digital switching controlled all the boat’s DC-powered components from the helm.

The air-conditioned helm has seating for three as well as room for big-screen electronics within easy reach. Courtesy Aquila Boats

But the coolest feature had to be Aquila’s new multifunction wheel. Its digital display remains centered no matter which way the skipper turns the wheel, with paddle-style buttons on each side to control any onboard function related to the National Marine Electronics Association. Hull No. 1 was set up with the music control settings on the left and the ship’s horn on the right, saving the helmsman from having to fumble for switches on the dash.

Open-air entertaining options range from the bow’s lounge seating to the stern’s loungers and trio of bar stools near a Kenyon grill. With the hinged aft window flipped up and the salon door open, the interior blends with the exterior.

The 46 Coupe is primarily a dayboat, but it’s comfortable for an evening or long weekend aboard too. The VIP stateroom is to port with an aft-facing queen berth and dry stowage. The master stateroom is to starboard with a queen-plus situated athwartship. Both staterooms are en suite with separate showers and 82 inches of headroom throughout. The decor includes light- and dark-gray tones, and accents of stainless steel and carbon fiber.

The galley is to port on the main deck, with additional seating abaft the helm to starboard. A recessed table normally lives within the deck, but can raise electrically for dining or cocktail hour. The 46 Coupe also has several big-boat touches, such as access doors on both sides of the cockpit for boarding, and an option for a compact electric davit that can lift some PWC models onto the aft deck.

With its blend of performance, stability and foiling technology, and a solid balance of interior and exterior entertainment spaces, the Aquila 46 Coupe is well-positioned to be a boat at the head of its class.

CE-Certified

All recreational boats being sold or entering the European Union are required to have CE certification, with four primary categories: A (ocean), B (offshore), C (inshore) and D (sheltered waters). The Aquila 46 Coupe is CE-certified for 12 passengers offshore, 22 inshore and 32 in sheltered waters.

Inboard Option

A pair of 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 DPI sterndrive diesel engines are available as an option for the 46 Coupe. Aquila says performance is roughly equivalent to the standard V-12 Mercury Verado outboards, although the Volvos do offer extended cruising range. Great Loop, anyone?

Solid and Strong

Aquila uses resin-infused vinylester throughout the hull and deck as well as in bulkheads and reinforcing structures. There is no wood in any structural components or below the waterline. Watertight bulkheads are fore and aft. The foils are designed to shear away without compromising hull integrity in a collision or grounding, in a similar manner as the lower unit of an outboard engine.

Take the next step: aquilaboats.com

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