Design and Construction
The design premise was to keep the boat incredibly light through advanced materials, and the build delivers. The hull is vacuum-bagged E-glass and Kevlar around Baltec's Superlite coring, post-cured in an oven so a temperature-sensitive catalyst could be used with pre-impregnated materials and tight laminating control. Superlite coring also appears in the deck and bulkheads; the deck is a vinylester composite and the bulkheads are epoxy laminates with natural wood veneers. A structurally integrated aluminum grid accepts the keel bolts and supports rigging loads, while the rudder, rudder stock, and rudder quadrant are all carbon fiber. With a displacement of 16,750 pounds—about 1,500 more than the Corel 45—and a 47 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio, the boat stands plenty stiff, and the righting motion is slower and less jerky than its predecessor, a quality more desirable in a cruising boat.
Rig and Handling
A fractional rig with a Hall Spars carbon mast, aluminum boom, and rod rigging drives the hull, which test sailors found extremely fast with the carbon spar at its core. A Hall Quick Vang and carbon spinnaker pole are standard, and a hydraulic backstay replaces runners in keeping with the cruising philosophy. The 106-percent jib is built for easy tacking and roller furling, while a powerful high-roach mainsail works through two reef points on the boom. All sail controls lead aft under a raised coachroof section, and the Navtec hydraulic panel sits by the main trimmer. On the water, the steering proved incredibly responsive with fingertip control, and the fractional rig with small headsails let the boat tack without runners to manage. The sensation was of skipping atop the water like a lightweight flyer while still slicing through waves.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The open-style cockpit uses twin wheels set well aft, opening access to a wide transom step platform with a telescoping ladder and hot-and-cold shower. A decent-size cockpit locker and a dedicated liferaft compartment sit nearby. The primary winches are mounted on the forward end of the coaming, out of reach from the helm, and the mainsheet traveler runs across the sole just forward of the wheels. The aggressive nonskid and stainless coachroof handrails aid movement, though the stanchions carry a support leg extending well inboard that can catch a foot until familiar. All deck blocks are Harken, with Black Magic units where applicable.
Accommodations
Below, the companionway opens to a U-shaped galley to port with a three-burner propane stove, double stainless sinks, and a large icebox; behind it sits an aft cabin with a genuine double berth and large hanging locker. To starboard are the head and shower, with the nav station forward featuring a laptop cutout and space for radios beneath the panel. The saloon has a port U-settee around a table and a starboard settee with a bookshelf above. Forward, the V-berth cabin adds a second head and another hanging locker. Ventilation is excellent via Lewmar hatches and opening portlights. Two integral hull water tanks total 100 gallons, and an aluminum fuel tank holds 60 gallons.
Power and Known Quirks
A Yanmar 47-horsepower saildrive diesel powers the boat, its box well insulated. The stanchion support leg noted above is the one footing hazard; otherwise the deck and structure present as designed. No other defects appear in the review.
The Verdict
The Concordia 47 blends a light, advanced composite hull with a manageable fractional rig and a thoughtful cruising interior. It is quick, stiff, and responsive, yet tempered for short-handed comfort.
Pros
- Extremely fast hull with carbon spar and easy short-handed sailplan
- Light, oven-post-cured E-glass/Kevlar/Superlite composite construction
- Stiff with slow, desirable cruising righting motion
- Well-arranged interior with two heads and genuine aft double
Cons
- Primary winches out of helm reach
- Inboard stanchion legs can catch a foot
- 9-foot-6-inch draft limits shallow access
