Design and Construction
The Tanna 47 was drawn by naval architects Jean Berret and Olivier Racoupeau, a team with a long connection to Fountaine Pajot dating back to the Marquises 53 in 1991. Their brief on the Tanna produced plumb bows that maximize the waterline, a pair of windows in each hull, a wraparound coachroof window, and a raised helm to starboard with its own bimini. The aesthetic is clean and crisp without straining for novelty.
Construction employs resin-infused fiberglass with a balsa core for a structure that is relatively light but solid throughout. The deck and bimini are entirely new relative to the Saona, and the flybridge grew by 40 percent, now exceeding 75 square feet with seating for ten — a signature Fountaine Pajot feature that defines the boat's social personality at anchor. A sun pad on the main deck just abaft the trampolines adds another lounging zone. The opening between salon and cockpit is 20 percent larger than the Saona's, improving both air circulation and traffic flow between the living spaces.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Tanna's primary drive comes from a traditional, generous, roachy full-battened mainsail augmented by a high-cut, slightly overlapping jib. The sail plan is rigged as a fractional sloop. During a test sail on the Chesapeake in 10 to 15 knots of breeze, the boat achieved 6.5 knots upwind and a solid 7 knots on a reach. A separate test in the same conditions recorded 6.7 knots at 60 degrees apparent wind angle, rising to 7.5 knots on a beam reach, with 6.2 knots maintained at 120 degrees apparent. These numbers suggest a hull that performs across a broad range of points of sail without requiring a light-air disclaimer.
The sail-handling setup draws particular praise. A dedicated pod forward of the helm consolidates all the controls, including Lewmar electric winches, so a shorthanded crew can engage the autopilot, step into the pod, and trim without leaving the cockpit area. The genoa tracks are longer than the Saona's, and a standard Lewmar traveler gives the main more range. Visibility of both the seaway and the sail plan is described as terrific. The helm ergonomics were specifically redesigned for better access to line-handling.
Accommodations and Layout
Two accommodation plans are offered. The Maestro is optimized for private ownership, with a large owner's stateroom in the port hull incorporating a vanity, desk, and en suite head, while two double-berth guest staterooms with private heads occupy the starboard quarters. The Quintet fits five double staterooms and five heads, making it the logical choice for charter or a growing family. The owner's suite in the Maestro layout may elicit a "whoa" from first-time visitors — a reaction that speaks to the proportions Berret-Racoupeau extracted from a 45-foot-8-inch hull.
The central saloon is identical across both versions. Its focal point is a commercial-grade U-shaped galley to port adjacent to the cockpit's sliding doors. The navigation station was relocated next to the interior entrance for faster access between the chart table and the helm. The cockpit, covered by the flybridge, functions as an all-weather space for dining and entertaining, while the lounge area in the main cabin is described as sumptuous and welcoming.
Storage increased throughout relative to the Saona, and tankage is substantial: 248 gallons of diesel and approximately 185 to 192 gallons of fresh water depending on configuration.
Power and Energy Autonomy
The standard engine package is twin 50-hp Volvo Penta diesels with saildrives; the optional upgrade to twin 60-hp units is the choice most buyers select for bluewater work. Under power at 2,700 rpm, the upgraded engines pushed the boat to a solid 9 knots, second-fastest in the entire Boat of the Year fleet. The Chesapeake test with 75-hp Volvo Pentas recorded 8.3 knots at 2,400 rpm and a maximum of 9.1 knots at 2,900 rpm. Maneuvering requires some adaptation: hydraulic steering gives less feedback than mechanical systems, and the rudders are positioned forward of the props, which alters response time and the vessel's pivot point in close quarters.
Energy self-sufficiency is a clear design priority. Up to 1,700 watts of flexible Solibian solar panels — essentially bonded to the cabin top — can run primary systems including electronics, refrigeration, and air conditioning continuously. An 11.5 kW Northern Lights generator is available when solar falls short, and Fountaine Pajot has announced its ODSea Lab initiative targeting net-carbon-neutral boatbuilding with all-electric auxiliary options across the range.
Known Considerations
The Tanna 47 is a large, wide platform, and a few handling characteristics deserve attention before departure. Hydraulic steering offers less tactile feedback, and the inability to lock the wheel on centerline when maneuvering under engines alone is a real adjustment for sailors accustomed to mechanical systems. The rudders-forward-of-props arrangement changes water flow and pivot behavior in ways that reward practice in a clear anchorage before entering a crowded marina. Forward and starboard visibility from the helm is good, but ducking under the bimini is required to see the port transom — a modest but recurring ergonomic compromise on a boat where bimini coverage is otherwise considered a feature.
The capsize screening formula of 3.17 sits well above the 2.0 threshold that designates a boat as suited for open-ocean passages — a function of the Tanna's generous 25-foot-4-inch beam, which is the price of the expansive living spaces the design prioritizes. Buyers considering extended offshore passages should weight this alongside the boat's other bluewater attributes.
The Verdict
The Tanna 47 is a mature, thoroughly considered cruising catamaran from a builder that has been refining the type for more than four decades. The Berret-Racoupeau hull is proven — it carried the Saona 47 through a long production run — and the deck-up redesign resolved the most common criticisms of its predecessor. For buyers choosing between the private-ownership Maestro and the charter-capable Quintet, the option to trial the boat for a week in the charter fleet before purchasing makes the decision easier. The Tanna 47 earns its name.
Pros
- Proven Berret-Racoupeau hull shared with the successful Saona 47
- Best Cruising Multihull recognition from multiple independent judging panels
- Two well-differentiated layouts serving both private owners and charter operators
- Up to 1,700 W of integrated flexible solar for genuine energy autonomy
- Impressive powered performance, reaching 9 knots with the upgraded engines
- Dedicated sail-handling pod forward of helm simplifies shorthanded sailing
- Expanded flybridge and enlarged salon-to-cockpit opening improve liveability
Cons
- Hydraulic steering reduces tactile feedback, particularly in close-quarters maneuvering
- Rudders-forward-of-props layout requires relearning pivot and response habits
- Port transom obscured by bimini from the helm station
- Capsize screening formula above the ocean-passage threshold, reflecting wide beam
- Sail area-to-displacement ratio of approximately 13 indicates a relatively modest press of canvas for a boat this size
