Design and Construction
The Salina 48’s hulls and deck assembly reflect the decor and production advances rolled out in the Orana 44. Berret-Racoupeau shaped the exterior and general arrangement, and the result is an innovative, fluid deck plan where everything is big and wide. The builder described a two-year refinement period before the boat reached production, and the Salina briefly shared the catalogue with the outgoing Bahia for a single year. Solid fiberglass forms the hulls, with no core in the laminate, and the catamaran carries twin keels with spade rudders and a fractional sloop rig rising to a mast 68.9 feet above the waterline.
Rig and Handling
A fractional sloop carrying roughly 1,400 square feet of sail, the Salina 48 shows good potential in testing, according to the sailors who put her through her paces. The helm is elevated to flying-bridge height, giving the helmsman an unobstructed view over the deck and sails, yet it remains practical: access runs easily to both the cockpit and the side deck without climbing. Twin 40-horsepower diesels drive the boat through its 3-foot-6-inch draft, and the wide beam sets the propellers far apart for strong pivoting authority in tight quarters.
Accommodations
Below and on deck, the Salina 48 is arranged for liveaboard volume. Accommodations in the hulls are offered in three- or four-cabin configurations, and the saloon is turned through 90 degrees to exploit the great width of the bridgedeck. The deck plan is open and fluid, with a large lounge and table set into the cockpit. A rigid roof covers the remainder of the cockpit, and a platform spans the dinghy davits between the hulls aft, extending the usable outdoor living space. One-level walkabout is the rule between aft deck, cockpit, and saloon, removing steps that would otherwise break up movement underway.
The Verdict
The Salina 48 reads as a mature expression of Fountaine Pajot’s cruising-cat philosophy: a beamy, solid-hulled ocean platform with a high-visibility helm, a genuinely open deck flow, and a saloon laid across the beam for livability. The Berret-Racoupeau hulls and the Orana 44–derived construction give it a coherent place in the builder’s lineup, and the three- or four-cabin choice suits both private and charter use.
Pros
- Elevated helm with flying-bridge sightlines and easy cockpit/side-deck access
- One-level walkabout from aft deck through cockpit to saloon
- Three- or four-cabin hull layouts with beam-wise saloon
- Solid fiberglass hulls; twin-keel, spade-rudder configuration
