At just under 49 feet overall, with a beam of 25 feet 3 inches, the Salina 48 is a big ocean-cruising boat. Its displacement is 23,149 pounds, and its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 27.55 places it among performance-oriented cruising multihulls rather than heavy-displacement passage-makers.
Design and Construction
Berret-Racoupeau developed the Salina 48’s exterior and general arrangement. The resulting deck plan is innovative and fluid, with everything big and wide. Its hull and deck assembly also reflect the decor and production advances introduced with the Orana 44.
Fountaine Pajot described a two-year refinement period before the Salina 48 entered production. For one year, it shared the builder’s catalogue with the outgoing Bahia.
The hulls are solid fiberglass, with no core in the laminate. Below the waterline, the boat has twin keels, spade rudders, and a draft of 3 feet 6 inches. Its fractional sloop rig rises to a mast 68.9 feet above the waterline.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop carries roughly 1,400 square feet of sail. According to the sailors who put the Salina 48 through its paces, it showed good potential in testing.
The helm is elevated to flying-bridge height, giving the helmsman an unobstructed view of the deck and sails. The arrangement remains practical: the helm has easy access to both the cockpit and the side deck, without requiring a climb.
Twin 40-horsepower diesels provide auxiliary power. The boat’s wide beam places the propellers far apart, giving strong pivoting authority in tight quarters.
Accommodations and Deck Layout
The Salina 48 is arranged with liveaboard volume in mind. Its hull accommodations come in three- or four-cabin configurations, making the boat suitable for both private and charter use. In the bridgedeck saloon, the layout is turned through 90 degrees to make use of the boat’s considerable width.
The open, fluid deck plan includes a large lounge and table in the cockpit. A rigid roof covers the rest of the cockpit, while a platform spans the dinghy davits between the hulls aft, adding to the usable outdoor living space.
Movement between the aft deck, cockpit, and saloon is all on one level. This removes steps that might otherwise interrupt movement while underway.
Verdict
The Salina 48 is a mature expression of Fountaine Pajot’s cruising-catamaran approach: a beamy, solid-hulled ocean platform with a high-visibility helm, genuinely open movement around the deck, and a saloon arranged across the beam for livability.
Its Berret-Racoupeau hulls and Orana 44–derived construction give it a coherent place in the builder’s range. The choice of three- or four-cabin layouts suits both private and charter use.
Pros
- Elevated helm with flying-bridge sightlines and easy access to the cockpit and side deck
- One-level walkabout from the aft deck through the cockpit to the saloon
- Choice of three- or four-cabin hull layouts, with the saloon arranged across the beam
- Solid-fiberglass hulls with twin keels and spade rudders
