Following the takeover of the French shipyard by Bavaria Yachtbau, the Nautitech Open 46 is the first catamaran to be developed entirely in Giebelstadt (test in YACHT 14/2016). The Open concept provides for a rare combination of guest cockpit outside and saloon inside, primarily intended for warmer climes. Two helm stations are installed on the rear hulls. The arrangement has already been presented with the Nautitech Open 40 (test in YACHT 8/2014). And the Open 46 has already received advance praise with its nomination as European Yacht of the Year 2017.
The Bavaria yacht builders are also offering a flybridge version of the younger and larger of the two new catamarans from Nautitech. The boat has now been presented at the trade fair in Cannes as the Nautitech 46 Fly (without the "Open" suffix). In this case, the two steering positions are installed at the rear by a large helm cockpit with only one wheel on the superstructure roof. The sheets and trim lines are also redirected there and thus within direct reach of the helmsman. In addition, the helm station is extended with a generously proportioned sunbed. A side staircase provides access to this area on the second floor.
As Bavaria Marketing Manager Thorben Will confirmed on enquiry, the requests for a flybridge version are coming in particular from the charter market. However, owners are also interested in the version with the high steering position. The disadvantage of the concept is that the boom has to be attached extremely high due to the flybridge and cockpit bimini and can no longer be reached without a breakneck climb up the mast. Bavaria therefore intends to offer a furling mast for the flybridge version in future, but only as an option.
The interior remains unchanged in both the Open and Fly versions. As is usual with cats of this size, there is a choice of two versions with three cabins and three bathrooms (owner's version) or four cabins and four bathrooms (charter version). The Nautitech 46 Fly comes onto the market with the basic equipment for 478,260 euros. In comparison: the Open 46 version currently costs 455,960 euros, a good 22,000 euros less.
