A tried and tested design in this fabulous blue-water catamaran.
Wide transoms lead to a massive cockpit and prodigious saloon, making for a superb single level living area at anchor.
Interior accommodation offer space and comfort that would put some hotels to shame.
Powerful, easy to handle sails, coupled with finer entry bows and sacrificial fixed keels give better performance on all points of sailing.
Four, five or six en-suite double cabins make the Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 the most commodious in her class, with lashings of French-understated savoir-faire.
With so much deck space on the Saba 50 has three distinct and relatively separate social areas.
Firstly are the two lounges with folding back-rest seats and a central cocktail table at the bow. Eight people can easily gather here for sundowners and enjoy the shade of the coach roof at anchor. There is room for lounging in the trampoline but the two lounges add a very super-yacht feel.
The expansive aft cockpit is just two steps up from wide swim platforms on either hull. The cockpit dining table seats six when folded, but also extends and accommodates up to 10 or even 12. A fixed central seat, a huge seat across the transom and an additional lounge area to starboard completes this amazing living space and there is plenty of storage as well. To starboard there’s a fridge built in under the helm seat and neat steps up to the helm station. This whole area is ideal for entertaining and relaxing.
Step up to the ‘sky lounge’ and there is a fabulous U shaped settee and three huge sun-pads for total comfort. The separate helm-station is two steps down to starboard and has a double seat along with the electronic displays, engine controls and wheel.
The transom features wide sugar scoops and davits for the dinghy, there is a hydraulic option and the top of the davits are cleverly designed for storing kayaks etc.
Through large sliding doors and a sliding window you find a practical and innovative saloon. It comprises an L-shaped galley to port, with double sink, freezer, plenty of countertop and storage. There is a lovely large island amidships, providing a central area for food preparation and socialising. It also houses a huge two draw fridge. There is a corner-mounted convection oven and countertop 4 burner stove also along the port side.
The settee is L shaped and is spacious with deep comfortable cushions, a fantastic area for putting your feet up and relaxing. It wraps around a low coffee table with integrated wine rack.
Natural light from large vertical windows and over head skylights bathes this most agreeable saloon with exceptional light. Visibility from inside out is excellent when sitting or standing.
The helm station, which can be entered from the cockpit and side deck, is slightly raised giving 360 degree visibility but still being connected to the aft cockpit and saloon. There is a three-person bench seat at the helm with the wheel and engine controls mounted just forward on a pedestal.
All running rigging is led to a ‘sail control station’, just forward of the helm, so the Saba 50 can be sailed single handed if needed, easily achieved using the electric winches and a gang of clutched sheets and halyards, but without the lines actually cluttering the helm itself.
Wide side decks and good hand holds make moving forward easy and safe.
She is a real sailor as well; with 20knts of breeze you can expect 10-14knts off-wind and around 8-9 knots upwind in smooth water.
The Saba 50 comes standard with 55hp Volvo engines with sail-drives, and an upgrade to 75HP is available. She is responsive and easy to handle under power; she is agile and will turn in her own length, and despite her size feels light to the touch.
The Maestro layout features 4 cabins instead of the usual 3, allowed by the masses of volume this boat provides below decks. It features an impressive owner’s suite with a huge double island berth aft, and work station and cabinetry amidships. The forward head is really a bathroom, like you’d find in a hotel, with a sink set between the toilet and shower compartments. Although this cabin takes up about three-quarters of the port hull there is also a full double island berth cabin and en-suite head forward. The starboard hull has two large island berth cabins and en-suite heads.
The Quintet (five-cabin) version has three double cabins in the port hull and two to starboard.
There is also the six cabin six head version with an extra mid-ships cabin to starboard with its own head, this is often used as a crew cabin but could still serve guests well.
There is a wide choice of upholstery and colours below, and whatever you choose you’ll find a combination of functionality and contemporary style.