Reporting from the 2022 Southampton Boat Show, Motor Boat & Yachting editor Hugo Andreae takes us on a full tour of the Aquila 44 Powercat which was making its UK debut...
Power catamarans like this one are really gaining traction. With its three double ensuite cabins, stable ride, fuel-efficient cruising and generous outdoor spaces, the Aquila 44 is a really comfortable cruising boat.
The forward owner’s suite is particularly special as it spans both hulls with a desk/dressing area in the starboard hull and a bathroom in the port one. The two guest cabins are also wider than you’d expect thanks to inner hull sides that flare out above the waterline.
Broad walkaround side decks mean the saloon isn’t as vast as it could be given that 21ft 6in beam (the Aquila 44 is nearly 50% as wide as it is long).
That said, it’s still a good space – packing in an optional indoor helm station, a generous dinette and a well equipped galley, complete with a retractable partition and fold-out bar that makes excellent use of the threshold between the saloon and the cockpit.
It’s a similar story on the flybridge, which is shorter than you might expect but features a very sociable layout.
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The central helm is surrounded by seating, a large aft dinette with wraparound seating, and a wonderful forward walkway that leads down to the vast foredeck – a major asset for docking.
While the twin-hulled Aquila 44 is the smallest of the three Yacht Line craft, its credentials as a comfortable long-distance cruiser are impressive.
Enjoy the tour…
Aquila 44 specifications
LOA: 44ft 11in (13.44m)
Beam: 21ft 6in (6.56m)
Engines: Twin 230-320hp Volvo D4
Top speed: 20 knots
Starting price: £1,400,000 (inc. VAT)
