With the Elan 37, the shipyard is targeting a mid-market segment where it faces tough competition from X-Yachts, Dehler, Bénéteau (First) and Bavaria (Match).
Boats of this size with a hull length of around eleven metres are popular: they offer space for up to six people, but can also be easily sailed by two people. In addition, the sporty design allows for fast travelling as well as racing.
In keeping with the spirit of the times, the Elan 37 is also trimmed for performance: A large draught of 2.30 metres (alternatively 2.05 metres), modern lines and a large sail area in relation to the weight (sail load factor: 4.96) ensure high potential.
The new construction process also stands for this: In future, all types of production (31 to 45 feet long) will be converted to a vacuum infusion process. In this process, the workers place the fibre scrims dry in the moulds and then suck easy-flowing vinyl ester resin through the laminate structure using negative pressure. The result should be a defined resin content, which stands for durable and rigid components.
The boat is very reasonably priced, at least in view of its elaborate construction. The Elan 37 costs 119348 euros ready to sail (according to the YACHT definition), which makes it cheaper than the directly comparable competition.
The new YACHT (23/03) will appear on newsstands on 5 November.
Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
