Introduced in spring 2017 at the international multihull show in La Grande-Motte, the Saona 47 takes its name from Isla Saona off the Dominican Republic. Built in Aigrefeuille, France, it measures just under 50 feet, with two hulls and a beam exceeding 25 feet. Its reverse sheer, flared hulls, and modern finish are all distinctive Fountaine Pajot traits.
Design and Construction
The Saona 47’s hull-and-deck engineering centers on a balsa-cored structure built with vinylester resin infusion, an approach typical of the builder. Fountaine Pajot also infuses foam-cored hulls and decks to control weight and add strength. The bulkheads are glued and glassed to the hulls, while the bimini is an infused-and-cored composite sandwich.
Berret-Racoupeau extended the waterline to incorporate the stern platforms. The design combines multi-decking, minimum wetted surface, and pronounced chine flare to maximize living space without sacrificing speed. The boat effectively has four decks—or five, if you count the large stern engine rooms.
Traffic flows well through the aft deck, and the deck itself is easy to negotiate. Better grab points forward would be welcome, however.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The rig follows established Fountaine Pajot practice, with a huge square-topped mainsail and an overlapping jib. The gooseneck sits just 37 inches above the cabin top, putting the boom within reach of an average-height person, though mast steps are essential for attaching the main halyard.
That mainsail is a beast to raise. Long battens in the head and an extreme leech roach add weight, and even with a 2:1 halyard purchase, the electric winch labored as the sail approached the peak. On the test sail, an Incidence main and slightly overlapping genoa on a Facnor roller furler produced 5.4 knots closehauled in 7 to 8 knots of wind. On a reach, speed climbed to 7.6 knots as the breeze reached 11 knots. A sprit provides for a downwind sail.
In a shifty 6- to 10-knot Annapolis breeze, the Saona 47 tacked, reached, and ran easily at 5 to 6 knots, though the test boat’s unresolved rigging made proper mainsail tension difficult to achieve. Its motion felt more active than the reviewer expected.
Power, Helm, and Close-Quarters Handling
Under power, the Saona 47 delivers the usual catamaran agility in tight quarters, along with good open-water speed. With its twin diesels turning in opposite directions, it twisted in its own length in a neat pirouette. At idle, its turning circle was about two boatlengths.
In calm water, 2,400 rpm produced a cruising speed of 8.5 knots. At the wide-open setting of 2,800 rpm, the boat reached 9.2 knots.
Three steps lead from the cockpit to the elevated starboard helm, which has a three-person bench, pedestal-mounted wheel, and engine controls. It’s spacious and comfortable, but the tester was surprised by the large blind spots. Under power, the upper deck hides the port stern. Under sail, the entire port hull and the masthead wind vane disappear from view.
A lounging area on top of the bimini lies to port, another three steps above the helm level.
Interior and Accommodations
The interior is functional and attractive, with an urban-contemporary style. The expansive, bright saloon has wraparound windows, long overhead skylights, and sliding glass panels that open to the cockpit. Overhead clearance will please sailors taller than six feet.
The large windows provide good visibility for tall people who are standing, but not for shorter or seated crew. The open, apartment-like aft area, connected by a wide sliding door, forms the social center of the boat. Sunbathing lounges extend across the main and upper decks.
In the owner’s Maestro version, the entire port hull becomes a master suite. It includes a double berth aft, a desk and cabinetry amidships, and a forward head separated by a glass wall. SAIL’s reviewer called it bigger than any catamaran under 55 feet he had seen.
The starboard hull contains two cabins, each with a large double berth and en-suite head. The charter layout adds a fifth cabin and crew quarters for three couples.
The L-shaped galley includes dual fridges, a corner convection oven, and an island counter. A protected navigation station forward suits standing watch, but visibility disappears when the sails are raised.
Comfort and Practical Limitations
Several observations temper the boat’s otherwise generous accommodations. The interior consists mainly of hard, sound-reflective surfaces, and a fair amount of wave noise was audible underway. Some insulation would help.
The large saloon also lacks grab points. Its overhead is too high for grabrails, a notable drawback given the boat’s lively motion. The helm’s blind spots and the navigation station’s loss of visibility under sail are further limitations.
Loading sets the ceiling on performance. As weight increases, the broader sections of the hulls submerge.
The Verdict
The Saona 47 is a thoughtfully layered catamaran with remarkable interior volume, a notable Maestro owner’s suite, protected helm visibility trade-offs, and genuine short-handed agility under power. Its construction is consistent with Fountaine Pajot’s infused-building practice.
Those strengths come with trade-offs. The mainsail takes real effort to raise, hard interior surfaces contribute to wave noise, and visibility from both the helm and navigation station has important limitations.
Pros
- Port-hull owner’s suite larger than any sub-55-foot catamaran the reviewer had seen
- Infused, cored hull and deck, with glued-and-glassed bulkheads
- Twists within its own length under power using opposite-turning twin diesels
- Bright, open saloon with sliding panels leading to a vast aft social area
Cons
- Hard, reflective interior surfaces and noticeable wave noise
- Large helm blind spots and no piloting visibility from inside when the sails are raised
- Heavy mainsail; the electric winch strained even with a 2:1 halyard purchase
- Performance falls as added loading submerges the broader hull sections
