Design and Construction
The Concordia 47 measures 46 feet 9 inches overall, with a 40-foot-8-inch waterline, a 13-foot-7-inch beam, and a 9-foot-6-inch draft. Its design premise called for an exceptionally light boat built with advanced materials, and the construction follows through.
The hull is vacuum-bagged E-glass and Kevlar around Baltec’s Superlite coring. It was post-cured in an oven, allowing the builder to use a temperature-sensitive catalyst with pre-impregnated materials and tight laminating control. Superlite coring is also used in the deck and bulkheads. The deck is a vinylester composite, while the bulkheads are epoxy laminates finished with natural wood veneers.
A structurally integrated aluminum grid takes the keel bolts and supports the rigging loads. The rudder, rudder stock, and rudder quadrant are all carbon fiber.
The boat displaces 16,750 pounds, about 1,500 pounds more than the Corel 45, and has a 47 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio. It is plenty stiff, with a slower, less jerky righting motion than its predecessor—an attribute better suited to a cruising boat.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The fractional rig combines a Hall Spars carbon mast with an aluminum boom and rod rigging. A Hall Quick Vang and carbon spinnaker pole are standard. In keeping with the boat’s cruising purpose, a hydraulic backstay replaces runners.
The 106-percent jib is set up for easy tacking and roller furling. A powerful, high-roach mainsail has two reef points on the boom. All sail controls lead aft beneath a raised section of the coachroof, and the Navtec hydraulic panel is positioned beside the main trimmer.
Test sailors found the boat extremely fast, with the carbon spar at the heart of the rig. The steering was highly responsive, requiring only fingertip control, while the fractional rig and small headsails allowed the crew to tack without managing runners. The sensation was of skipping over the water like a lightweight flyer while still slicing through waves.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The open cockpit has twin wheels mounted well aft. This arrangement provides access to a broad transom step platform equipped with a telescoping ladder and a hot-and-cold shower. Nearby are a decent-size cockpit locker and a dedicated liferaft compartment.
The primary winches sit at the forward end of the coaming, beyond the helmsperson’s reach. The mainsheet traveler crosses the cockpit sole just ahead of the wheels.
Aggressive nonskid and stainless-steel coachroof handrails help the crew move around the deck. However, each stanchion has a support leg extending well inboard, which can catch a foot until the crew becomes familiar with it. All deck blocks are Harken, with Black Magic units used where applicable.
Accommodations
The companionway leads below to a U-shaped galley on the port side. It includes a three-burner propane stove, double stainless-steel sinks, and a large icebox. Aft of the galley is a cabin with a genuine double berth and a large hanging locker.
To starboard are the head and shower. Farther forward, the navigation station has a cutout for a laptop and room for radios beneath the panel.
In the saloon, a U-shaped settee to port wraps around the table. A second settee runs along the starboard side, with a bookshelf above it. The forward V-berth cabin includes another hanging locker and a second head.
Lewmar hatches and opening portlights provide excellent ventilation. Two integral hull water tanks hold a total of 100 gallons, while the aluminum fuel tank carries 60 gallons.
Auxiliary Power and Known Quirks
A 47-horsepower Yanmar saildrive diesel provides auxiliary power, and its box is well insulated.
The inboard stanchion support leg is the one footing hazard. Otherwise, the deck and structure present as designed, and the review notes no other defects.
Verdict
The Concordia 47 combines a light, advanced composite hull with a manageable fractional rig and a thoughtful cruising interior. It is quick, stiff, and responsive, yet tempered for comfortable short-handed sailing.
Pros
- Extremely fast hull, carbon spar, and an easily managed short-handed sailplan
- Light, oven-post-cured E-glass, Kevlar, and Superlite composite construction
- Plenty of stiffness, with a slower righting motion suited to cruising
- Well-arranged interior with two heads and a genuine aft double berth
Cons
- Primary winches are beyond reach of the helm
- Inboard stanchion support legs can catch a foot
- 9-foot-6-inch draft limits access to shallow water
