Both of Aquila’s current sailing catamarans are nominated
The Aquila 45 Sail and Aquila 50 Sail have both been named among SAIL magazine’s 2027 Top 10 Best Boats nominees. According to Aquila, the review process runs through the autumn boat-show season and assesses each yacht against its own design brief rather than treating every nominee as a direct head-to-head comparison.
That distinction is useful because the two boats share family design ideas but serve different needs. Both sit comfortably within LYG’s 12-to-24-metre remit, yet the 45 Sail is aimed at owners wanting a more compact platform while the 50 Sail expands accommodation and social space for longer cruising or larger groups.
The 45 Sail combines 14.38 metres with a wide catamaran platform
The 45 Sail measures 14.38 metres overall with a 7.77-metre beam and is offered in three- or four-cabin configurations. Aquila highlights a fixed forward cockpit, direct bridge-to-bow access and an aft cockpit linked to the saloon and galley, giving the yacht several separate outdoor and indoor social areas.
The arrangement is intended to make movement straightforward without forcing guests through the interior to reach the foredeck. For owners comparing cruising catamarans, the practical questions will include how those multiple zones affect shade, privacy, sail handling, storage and communication between the helm and people using different parts of the yacht.
The 50 Sail increases living space and layout choice
Aquila describes the 50 Sail as offering approximately 1,844 square feet of living space with a beam of 25 feet 9 inches. Buyers can choose four-, five- or six-cabin arrangements, while private companionways and ensuite heads are used to separate accommodation from the central saloon and circulation routes.
That flexibility gives the larger model a wider potential role, from private family cruising to mixed owner-and-guest use. The additional cabins do not automatically make one layout preferable, however, because owners planning long passages may value larger storage, technical access or private space more than maximising the number of berths.
Annapolis will put both boats together in October
The two nominees are scheduled to appear together at the Annapolis Sailboat Show from 15 to 18 October 2026. It will be the first joint Americas display for the pair, with the 45 Sail making its regional debut after its September world premiere and the 50 Sail returning after earlier appearances in Miami, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
For prospective buyers, seeing both yachts together should make the differences in scale, layout and deck circulation easier to judge than specification sheets alone. SAIL’s eventual selections are expected in its January/February 2027 issue, but the nomination itself already gives the two models another point of industry scrutiny during their first full season on the market.
Official sources: www.aquilaboats.com.
