There is movement in the class of cruising catamarans around 45 feet in length. YACHT online has just announced the new Lagoon 46 which was presented last week at the Yachting Festival de Cannes. Almost simultaneously, the main competitor Fountaine Pajot is now also announcing a new boat for the same important size segment. And once again, the catamaran builders in Aigrefeuille near La Rochelle are initially only announcing a working title in line with the usual presentation scheme: New 45.
The new boat is set to replace the previous bestseller Helia 44 (test in YACHT 3/2013) and will now follow the smaller Astréa 42, which the French presented at the trade fair in Düsseldorf in January 2018 (test in YACHT 12/2018) and the larger Saona 47 (YACHT 10/2017) in terms of appearance and concept.
Compared to its roughly one metre shorter brother, the new New 45 essentially has a significantly larger flybridge, on which a proper seating area and additional sunbathing areas have been created. The steering position remains attached to the side at half height. Fountaine Pajot has completely rethought and redesigned the work area. The layout is intended to offer even better functionalities with simpler and clearer handling. The helm station can be accessed directly from the cockpit and from the running deck on the starboard side.
The guest cockpit is completely covered by a huge bimini, which can also be closed at the sides if desired. At least six people can sit comfortably and well protected around the huge cockpit table, and there are additional lounging areas for relaxing as well as an outdoor barbecue station on request. An electrically lowerable bathing platform, as already offered as an option on the Saona 47 and the Astréa 42, is also only available on the new New 45 for an extra charge.
The first renderings that have now been published (see photo gallery below) also show the new design for the interior fittings at Fountaine Pajot. The many white surfaces for covers, doors and panelling as well as the light-coloured oak for the furniture are striking. At first glance, this looks fresh and inviting - but also unusual. Fountaine Pajot will certainly offer corresponding colour and material options for the new ship. In line with the usual class standard, the new Fountaine Pajot New 45 will also be available in two versions. The Maestro version is intended for owners with two cabins, each with its own bathroom in the starboard hull and a large master cabin with a large bathroom in the starboard hull forward. The Quatuor version with a total of four double cabins, each with its own toilet area, is particularly suitable for use in the charter business.
The first New 45 from Fountaine Pajot is expected to be completed in summer 2019. The official type designation will also be announced then. In the meantime, the shipyard has also announced a price for the first time: the basic version of the New 45 (Maestro version) will cost 4,98,600 euros, including 19% VAT.
Test of the new 14 metre catalytic converter from Fountaine Pajot
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Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
