The shipyard advertises its two new products as world premieres. And they are, but only partially. In fact, the Delphia 29 and Delphia 34 are based on familiar hulls. What is new are the deck, keel/rudder configurations and the fittings.
The boats have a clear and straightforward appearance. The very cleanly executed GRP and stainless steel work is among the best that comes out of mass production. The Polish shipyard, which is by far the leading sports boat builder and one of the top five in Europe in terms of unit sales, also makes a visible effort below deck.
The Delphia 29 is as practical as it is attractive for a boat of its size. Where headroom is required - directly at the companionway - it does without floorboards. A GRP inner shell provides the crew with the necessary centimetres of headroom here; it is also easy to keep clean and, thanks to a small coaming, catches any excess water well.
Two sliding doors to the foredeck make the saloon appear larger. There are two or one cabin aft. The yacht on show at boot Düsseldorf in Hall 16 with its three-cabin layout should at best be considered for the charter sector because it lacks storage space and the berths are quite narrow. Another advantage of the owner's version is a noticeably larger wet room. The Delphia 29 costs around 67,000 euros ex shipyard and is also available as a centreboard version on request.
The workmanship in detail still seemed a little rustic in some places; this may be due to the fact that both boats were only completed as prototypes just before the trade fair. Otherwise, Delphia aims to surprise positively in this respect. The new slogan "True Yachts" aims to emphasise the virtues of a boat builder that may not be overly chic, but is solid.
With the Delphia 34, the shipyard is also trying to be modern. However, the exhibited version with light grey plastic surfaces below deck looks very cool compared to the standard mahogany interior. On drizzly, cloudy days at sea on the North and Baltic Seas, it's hard to imagine. The wood veneers offer a more pleasant ambience - and they are also 4,100 euros cheaper. As with the 29er, the aft compartments and storage space in the cockpit were too small in the three-cabin version shown. If you want to sail in comfort, you should choose the owner's version with a large cockpit. Base price: 84,400 euros.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
