Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 Buyer's Guide
The Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 entered production in 2021 as the successor to the Saba 50 and the new-generation flagship of the marque's sailing catamarans, designed by Berret-Racoupeau and built in France. On the brokerage market it presents as a large, modular cruiser aimed at real cruising rather than vacation sailing, with a variety of layouts and a strong factory option list that shapes what a buyer will find aboard.
Layouts on the Used Market
Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The boat can be configured from a four-cabin maestro version devoting an entire hull to the owner up to six en-suite cabins, and the Double Maestro version places two owners' suites aft with guest staterooms forward, each hull's aft cabin reached via companionway or gullwing doors to the cockpit. The cockpit-saloon deck plan is a continuous living space with sliding doors that open fully, the main dining table in the cockpit, and a straight-line galley to port with an island workspace. A "sky lounge" sits atop the Bimini hardtop. Buyers should note that the tested models had no dedicated navigation station, a layout choice rather than a defect.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used Aura 51s commonly carry solar panels, watermaker, autopilot, electric winches, chartplotter, inverter, AIS, life raft, bimini, air conditioning, cockpit shower, freezer, washing machine, swim platform and radar, with many also fitted with a hardtop. Lithium batteries, hot water, hardtop and Starlink are often seen. Less common but possible as owner upgrades are asymmetric spinnaker, dinghy davits, teak decks, gennaker and heating. The factory offered up to 2,000 W of integrated solar and the Smart Electric or ODSea+ propulsion with hydrogeneration, folding props and lithium banks; a hydraulic platform aft carries the tender and launches swimmers.
What to Inspect
Documented observations from sea trials note two little ledges where the bridgedeck connects to either hull that catch the waves as you sail, a characteristic worth checking for cosmetic or structural wear at the hull-deck junction ledges where the bridgedeck connects. The same testers reported blind spots to port, particularly when coming along a portside berth, so verify the helm sightlines and any added camera or mirror solutions blind spots to port. Confirm whether the boat has the standard twin 60-hp Volvo Penta D2s or the 75-hp option and inspect the saildrive seals on the latter.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Aura 51 include the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Montenegro and Monaco. For the shopper, the checklist is short: confirm the layout matches intended use (maestro versus six-cabin), verify the energy package (solar, lithium, hydrogeneration), inspect the bridgedeck ledges and port-side sightlines, and confirm engine rating and saildrive condition. The Aura 51 is a well-supported modern cat with factory continuity, making a used example a sensible entry to large blue water cruising.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Fountaine Pajot Aura 51. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 15 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 1 | $ 1,485,000 | — |
| May 25 | 2 | $ 1,505,377 | +1.4% |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $ 1,430,643 | -5.0% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $ 1,606,325 | +12.3% |
| Aug 25 | 11 | $ 1,673,000 | +4.2% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $ 1,318,096 | -21.2% |
| Oct 25 | 3 | $ 1,545,094 | +17.2% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 1,430,643 | -7.4% |
| Jan 26 | 7 | $ 1,289,530 | -9.9% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $ 1,487,869 | +15.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 1,028,918 | -30.8% |
| Apr 26 | 20 | $ 1,448,000 | +40.7% |
| May 26 | 9 | $ 1,429,375 | -1.3% |
| Jun 26 | 4 | $ 1,388,783 | -2.8% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $ 1,199,310 | -13.6% |
Where they're listed
Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 listings appear across 11 countries. United States has the most listings with 20 (31.7%), followed by Spain and France.
Country view
63 listings · 11 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 1,497,450 | 20 | 6 | 31.7% |
| Spain | $ 1,289,530 | 7 | 0 | 11.1% |
| France | $ 1,294,163 | 7 | 3 | 11.1% |
| Italy | $ 1,442,947 | 6 | 4 | 9.5% |
| Monaco | $ 1,430,643 | 6 | 4 | 9.5% |
| Croatia | $ 1,028,918 | 4 | 0 | 6.3% |
| Montenegro | $ 1,259,813 | 4 | 2 | 6.3% |
| British Virgin Islands | $ 1,477,000 | 4 | 1 | 6.3% |
| Greece | $ 1,430,643 | 3 | 0 | 4.8% |
| Guadeloupe | $ 1,495,000 | 1 | 0 | 1.6% |
| US Virgin Islands | $ 1,673,000 | 1 | 0 | 1.6% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP Saba 50 | 49.15' | $ 795,000 | 121 | 32 |
| Lagoon 51 | 50.36' | $ 1,312,244 | 77 | 20 |
| Fountaine Pajot Aura 51You are here | — | $ 1,430,371 | 64 | 20 |
| Outremer 51 | 51.35' | $ 1,150,000 | 64 | 29 |
| Bavaria Yachts 51 | 51.18' | $ 216,272 | 59 | 7 |
| NEEL 51 | 51.18' | $ 772,199 | 28 | 6 |
| Hinckley Yachts Sou'wester 51 | 51.16' | $ 509,212 | 26 | 8 |
| Beneteau Sense 51 | 51.05' | $ 399,360 | 19 | 11 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 51 | 50.83' | $ 137,316 | 11 | 2 |
| Mao Ta 51 Ketch | 50.78' | $ 99,900 | 10 | 7 |
| Dufour Catamaran 48 | 46.59' | $ 675,000 | 9 | 1 |