Nautitech 48

The next model to launch from the famous French manufacturer of sporty cruising cats is the Nautitech 48 Open. This follows the successful launch of the 44 and an upgrade of the 40. This forty-eight footer will be the new flagship of the range, a competitor to the like of the Vaan R5 and the Sewind 1600.

This is a modern cruising catamaran that was designed by Marc Lombard and his team (MLYDG) with performance, comfort, and style in mind, a great choice for families embarking on a long distance cruise.

With her inverted bows, the 48 Open looks distinguished: a fine evolution of the design of the smaller boats in the range. The designers have worked hard to balance the yacht’s elements: the height of the bridge-deck, the hull profile, the sail area, and careful control of weight which all result in a well-balanced boat.

Interiors have been designed by Christophe Chedal-Anglay, and builds on themes developed for her smaller sister: the bar placed in the heart of the saloon and Smartroom® option.

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Pros

• A fast and responsive cruising catamaran that will soak up the weather and the miles
• Stable with that low profile and accessible boom
• A large cockpit that joins with a larger saloon
• Modular design including the Smartroom® makes this a flexible option for many programs.
• A good compromise between comfort and performance
• Less technical to sail than some performance cruisers – more simple, less to go wrong.
• Decent nav station
• In decent weather, the open concept comes into its own with plenty of flexible living space up top (eg the foldable saloon table).
• We love those wrap around helm seats – so comfortable.

Cons

• It is less expensive than a comparable performance cruiser but the price is getting up there.
• It will be interesting to see how the depreciation compares in a softer market.
• The bar concept in the saloon takes up a lot of space, although good to hang onto in a seaway.
• In colder, wetter conditions, the seating area inside is modest compared to the competition
• The flatter nav screens aft are harder to read in the sun

Performance

The Nautitech 48 Open promises to be a fast and responsive cruising boat. She’s easy to sail in a variety of conditions and is a match for competitors such as the Neel 52 and others.

Sail Plan
This Nautitech flagship has a 85m² large mainsail with a track on the aft beam and 42,5m² self-tacking solent (track on the coach roof) as standard. Options include a gennaker and a Code 0. This compares well to some of the higher performance cats on the market. Read our HH44 review for example.

Other light wind sails can be flown off the bow of the boat of course, with parasailors being a popular option for sailors in the trades. I believe there will be an option to configure the 48 with an overlapping genoa instead of the self tacking solent: less convenience tacking, but a punchier sail area to displacement ratio.

Nautitech continue to keep it simple, and design their yachts with fixed keels rather than boards. Having said that, those slender hulls allow you to pinch up nicely into the wind with 55 to 60 degrees to true being the sweet spot. That gives you a decent VMG upwind, particularly with the Code 0 flying in lighter winds.

She’s been well designed for short handed sailing too. All lines come back to the helm through the coach-roof and the aft track is on the aft beam.

Exterior Design

The Nautitech 48 Open has a sleek, modern look and follows the Open concept faithfully, with twin aft helms opening up the living space in the aft cockpit and saloon, all arranged on one level.

The helmsman or helmswoman is connected to the cockpit and the crew for safer sailing. Deck hatches are flush and there are plenty of handrails to grab as you move forward. The boat has a clean, uncluttered look with a low, accessible boom and two steps to nip up to the bimini top from the forward deck

Interiors

The Nautitech 48 Open is spacious and comfortable. The Open concept inside is focused around the bar placed in the heart of the saloon and at the centre of gravity of the boat. There is an ample lounge area to port that sits behind a large chart table and there is a ‘J’ shaped galley to tuck into on the starboard side.

There are five different layouts available in standard light walnut or optional oak, including the Utility option or SmartRoom® in the starboard hull forward.

Choose between 2 cabins/2 heads with SmartRoom®, 3 cabins/3 heads Owner’s, 3 cabins/3 heads with SmartRoom®, 4 cabins/4 heads charter version, or 3 cabins, 3 heads with SmartRoom®. The finish has taken another step up from previous models with light rooms, panoramic views and quality materials.

The hulls are more slender on a Nautitech than many other cruising catamarans- that’s what makes her such a pleasure to sail, but that does mean that the living spaces down below are smaller than the competition. There are no walk around beds, for example, but they have done a great job of maximising the living and storage space with the modular design. There is an option for fold away bunk beds in the starboard hull forward, for example.

Power

There is plenty for solar on the roof and above the davits and the Nautitech 48 Open is powered by two D2-60 Volvo diesel engines (or you can upgrade to 75s) giving a top theoretical speed of 8-9 knots in calm conditions. You’ll probably want to back the revs off to cruise at 7 knots (2200 RPM) or 6 knots with one engine. Fuel consumption is likely to be around 5L/hr on one engine and 8.5/9L/hr on 2.

There are two 300 L fuel tanks (2 x 79 us gal) and two 300 L water tanks (2 x 79 us gal)

FAQs

What is the price of a Nautitech 48 Open? How much do they cost?
The base price starts at around €1m excluding taxes but expect to  add between €150k to €200k on options

Specs