Design and Construction
The hull has tight lines, with maximum beam carried aft. A chine hull and T-keel provide stability and righting moment. The keel combines a steel structure with a bulb containing 40% lead. The outer chine runs at a pronounced 27° angle, a figure confirmed by the architect; testers examining that geometry expected excellent control of heel.
Construction is described as being to a very high standard, using top-of-the-range materials and sophisticated techniques intended to provide a large safety margin. Structural bulkheads, chainplates, and reinforcements for deck fittings are laminated directly to the hull. The cabinetwork is robust, light, and refined. Engine-room insulation is cited as an example of work comparable to that found aboard the finest motoryachts.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Solaris 55 carries a very slender rig. Its sail-handling controls are concentrated around the helm stations, keeping them within reach of a reduced crew.
The boat was tested in the Bay of Saint-Tropez, where it delivered great sailing sensations even in very light breezes.
Displacement is 38,801 lb, including 14,330 lb of lead-and-iron ballast in a 9-foot-10-inch bulb keel. The ballast-displacement ratio is 36.93, while the displacement-length ratio of 124.84 describes an easily driven hull on a 51-foot-9-inch waterline. A capsize screen of 1.88 and comfort ratio of 28.58 place the Solaris 55 firmly in the performance-cruiser band.
Accommodations
Below deck, the Solaris 55 has a spacious three-cabin interior. A seaman’s cabin can also be arranged within the sail locker, and the yacht provides XXL storage capacity for navigational gear.
The specification calls for custom finishes of a very high standard throughout. The yard describes the yacht as highly aesthetic and functional from every point of view.
The Verdict
The Solaris 55 is a high-performance yacht with very high-level custom finishes, combining a rigorous structural approach with strong light-air performance. It was built to satisfy owners with exacting expectations for speed, appearance, build quality, and practical use, whether sailing with a race crew or cruising as a couple.
The chined hull and T-keel provide poise and righting moment, while the slender rig and helm-centred controls make the boat manageable short-handed. Its laminated structure and motoryacht-grade engine-room insulation underpin a refined, quiet interior.
Pros
- Optimised stability and heel control from the chine hull and T-keel with a 40% lead bulb
- Slender rig, with sail-handling controls concentrated at the helm stations for reduced crews
- Structural bulkheads, chainplates, and reinforcements laminated directly to the hull for rigidity
- Engine-room insulation comparable to that aboard the finest motoryachts
- Spacious three-cabin layout, with a seaman’s cabin in the sail locker and exceptional storage
Cons
- Not documented
