Trade fair innovations Cannes , No. 3: Eleva 50: New brand, extravagant design, high potential

A simple number would not have done for the 50-foot-long performance cruiser. After all, the Eleva doesn't want to be just any fast boat, but one of many. Hence the omission of numbers and the use of the slightly inflated model designation "The Fifty", which we do not want to slavishly follow here. After all, "Eleva 50" is clearer and more to the point.

It doesn't need such garlands anyway. She makes it clear from afar that she stands for herself with her very own, very reduced lines. The most striking feature is the jump in the deck. At about the height of the mast, the running deck sweeps upwards as if towards a plateau - the foredeck, which runs flat from the narrow superstructure edge to the bow, is significantly higher as a result. This is otherwise only seen, in an even more pronounced form, on classic motorboats.

Apart from being an identifying feature of the Eleva 50, it even has a practical advantage. It creates sufficient headroom in the forward owner's cabin. This is the only reason why the cabin roof can remain so tantalisingly flat at the front.

This is not the only special feature of the boat. The superstructure and cabin windows in their forward-facing parallelogram shape also make the Eleva (pronounced Elé:wa, with the emphasis on the second syllable) stand out from the crowd. The reduced, very uncluttered deck and the visual lightness of the entire construction are just as striking. Among the many boats exhibited in Cannes, the Italian designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli undoubtedly stood out positively.

The extravagance continues below deck. The shipyard has created a cool, but also very cool interior - as minimalist as the deck, but not spartan. Considering that this is the brand's first model, the stylistic confidence is surprising. However, the first model still had a lack of detail in the interior that didn't quite match the high standards - which is why the boat, which is now on its way to Genoa for the next boat show, will be reworked again shortly.

Behind the project is a young but renowned boatbuilding company: Carbon Line, based in Fano, a town on the Adriatic coast not far from Pesaro in the Marche region. The high-tech company with almost 200 permanent employees has state-of-the-art composite expertise. It manufactures large motor yachts to order for Riva, Azimut, Ferretti and others.

With Eleva, Carbon Line is now launching its own brand for the first time. The founders, Samuele Poli and Michele Pierleoni, are pooling their skills in this brand. The boat benefits from an elaborate design:

The hull, including the stiffening GRP floor assembly, is produced by vacuum infusion using epoxy resin. Highly stressed parts such as the shroud mounts are reinforced with carbon fibre. The deck can even be made entirely of carbon sandwich on request to keep the centre of gravity low and ensure a favourable ORC rating. This results in a very low unladen weight of just 10.5 tonnes for a boat in this class - and a very high sail carrying capacity of 5.7.

The price also appears attractive. The basic version of the Eleva The Fifty with aluminium mast is expected to cost 690,200 euros including VAT; the trade fair boat with carbon fibre rig and deck is priced at 952,000 euros. If the finish is right, it should be possible to establish the brand quickly - even in the very crowded market of sophisticated performance cruisers, in which Nautor with the ClubSwan 50, Grand Soleil, Ice, Mylius, Solaris, X-Yachts and a few others are also represented.

Here you will find the technical data of the Eleva The Fifty

And here is an overview of the other premieres that we will be presenting in detail this week:

• Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 - What sets the top model apart from the 440
• Dufour 520 Grand Large - What the extensive model upgrade has brought
• Grand Soleil 52 LC - The versatility of the new cruising yacht from Cantiere del Pardo