Design and Hull Form
The 64 RS introduces a hull shape that balances offshore ability with interior volume in ways rarely managed at this length. A subtle dreadnought bow carries the waterline forward while a wide stern with twin rudders provides the lateral control and downwind stability that modern fin-and-bulb hulls demand at speed. The "T"-shaped keel is offered in three configurations: two fixed-draft options at 3.30 m and 2.90 m, plus a lifting keel spanning 2.45 to 3.75 m that, crucially, does not intrude into the interior — a genuine engineering achievement on a boat of this displacement. Sandwich fibreglass construction keeps displacement to 27,600 kg light, and ballast of 8,550 kg yields a ballast-to-displacement ratio that underpins the boat's noted stiffness under canvas.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The sail plan is deliberately powerful. A 120 m² mainsail combined with a 102 m² genoa drives the boat with authority even in moderate air, and on a measured coastal race in 10 knots of breeze the 64 RS achieved 8.5 knots at 30 degrees from the apparent wind. Banks Sails' iRevolution membrane sails in a dyneema-and-carbon mix were fitted on the reviewed hull, an appropriate match for the boat's offshore ambitions. The foredeck is configured for short-handed efficiency: flush-deck hatches facilitate movement forward while the gennaker rolls away without a bowsprit, reducing the foredeck complexity that often catches shorthanded crews out. The cockpit anchors sail handling around five electric winches, including a central one for the mainsheet, with a two-position hydraulic adjuster managing backstay tension and the boom vang. Both steering stations give the helmsman access to sail furling, keel position, bow and stern thrusters operable by a single joystick, and the tender garage hatch — a degree of integration that keeps the crew lean. Computed ratios place the SA/D at 24.7, the capsize screening figure at 1.79, and the comfort ratio at 36.1, numbers that characterise a boat designed to move efficiently offshore rather than simply dock impressively.
Raised Saloon and Interior Layout
The decision to raise the saloon above the waterline transforms the onboard experience. Deckhouse windows provide a view of the sails and the sea from the main living space, dissolving the claustrophobia common to deep-bilge cruiser interiors. The saloon itself manages warmth without sacrificing light: extensive woodwork combines tradition with contemporaneity while a chart table, a large U-shaped settee for eight, and the galley — positioned close to the mast and running across the full beam — furnish the space for extended passages. The companionway is offset to starboard, a deliberate move that creates one big passageway to the guest cabins without bisecting the cockpit table area or forcing guests to push past the navigator. Forward, the owner's cabin is available with either an island or outboard double berth; a navigation data repeater is located right next to the bed for night passages. Two guest cabins aft of the companionway each offer twin berths that can join to a double, and every cabin is finished with full-height separate shower compartments. A bow space planned as a large sail locker can alternatively be specified as an optional ensuite crew cabin, giving charter or delivery configurations genuine flexibility.
Cockpit and Deck Ergonomics
Above decks, Solaris has separated the working and living zones without sacrificing either. A fixed table to port and a deck sofa to starboard sit either side of a passageway between them, so cockpit guests never conflict with sail trimmers. Titanium stanchions and pulpit contribute to a pronounced feeling of security at sea, while teak slats throughout the deck provide both grip and aesthetics. The 3-metre tender garage opens longitudinally aft and is sized to carry a useful inflatable without touching the aft cabin volumes — a packaging solution that production yards twice the size of Solaris often fail to achieve. The telescopic cockpit table folds for racing without creating an obstacle at the helm.
Known Considerations
No published authority source documents class defects or systemic maintenance issues specific to the 64 RS. The companionway is described as quite vertical, which is a common consequence of raised-saloon architecture and worth noting for crews unaccustomed to it; handrails on both sides are fitted as standard. The boat's higher freeboard than the Solaris 68 is cited as a deliberate accommodation of the larger tender garage and the additional interior volume — buyers who prioritise low windage offshore should weigh this against the practical benefits it brings. The sailing performance database rates the hull in the Below Average performance band with an SBP score of 80, which contextualises the boat accurately: it is a capable offshore cruiser-racer, not a racing yacht, and the polar estimates suggest a hull speed of 9.8 knots that it approaches readily in a breeze.
The Verdict
The Solaris 64 RS is the product of a yard that has spent decades building custom offshore yachts before turning that knowledge toward a refined production range. Soto Acebal's hull gives it genuine upwind pace in moderate air, the lifting keel opens shallow-draft anchorages without penalising the interior, and the raised saloon solves the light-versus-volume trade-off better than most competitors at this length. It is an honest, well-engineered passage-maker with enough speed to be satisfying to sail hard and enough comfort to be genuinely pleasant to live aboard for months at a time.
Pros
- Lifting keel with three draft options does not intrude into the interior
- Powerful sail plan and twin-rudder hull delivers strong upwind numbers in moderate air
- Raised saloon with panoramic windows retains volume and natural light
- Full-beam galley and full-height shower compartments in every cabin
- Integrated electric and hydraulic systems centralised at both helms
- Titanium stanchions, flush-deck hatches, and five electric winches suit shorthanded offshore work
Cons
- Steep companionway ladder is an inherent trade-off of the raised-saloon architecture
- Higher freeboard increases windage compared to flush-deck contemporaries
- Performance database rates the hull in the below-average speed band relative to its waterline length
