The yacht offshoot of the Slovenian sporting goods manufacturer Elan is launching a fresh range of cruisers with the Impression 434. While the previous programme consisted of sporty, agile yachts, the new ships are aimed purely at cruising sailors and charter companies. These are currently primarily served by Bavaria, Bénéteau and Jeanneau.
The Impression is more voluminous in line with the target group, has less sail area and a simpler deck layout and is available with various interior fittings. YACHT had the opportunity to test the ship in 5 to 6 Beaufort. In these conditions, the new Elan was at its sailing best, but some areas (rudder, sail plan and interior details) still need to be improved.
In contrast, the structure of the ship, which was manufactured using the vacuum injection method, is above average. This is also reflected in the price.
More about the Elan Impression 434 in YACHT 17 (from 11.8.04 on newsstands).
Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
