Quite a Cat, the Aquila 46 Yacht
We first visited some of Aquila’s new 42 and 46 coupes that were announced in Miami last year. More recently I was able to get onboard the new Aquila 46 Y (Yacht), which in their parlance means it has a flybridge, at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS 2025). Browsing a show full of large motoryachts with more than one hundred over 75’, and vessels into the 200’ range, I didn’t have high expectations that the Aquila 46 would stand out. What I found was a pleasant surprise. Aquila has packed a tremendous amount of comfortable living space into this moderately sized catamaran.
Home Like Comforts
Designed to be a more manageable version of their popular Aquila 50 Y the Aquila 46 Y is 5’ overall shorter and 2’3” narrower beam but still packs a lot of punch. The show model had the standard three cabins which features a large owner’s stateroom. That full-beam master stateroom is on the main deck not in the hulls and is comparable to many home bedrooms. If staying aboard other boats makes you feel like you are camping, you will be pleasantly surprised. A king-size center island bed with a memory foam mattress is nestled below an opening hatch and multiple windows allow that bring in ambient light. Nightstands with opening drawers and reading lights provide homelike comfort. There is also a vanity/desk with a chair and drawers in front of a large window that has an opening porthole in it. I often have to work while onboard and this just seems like a fantastic place to get some things done on the laptop or to take a zoom meeting while still gazing out at the water. On the opposite side of the stateroom a few steps down lead to a substantial head with separate toilet and shower compartments, between them there is a counter with double sinks in front of their own window. Drawers and storage are on both sides of the cabin all with what I would not exactly call nautical but still elegant and well finished interior.
Multiple Cabin Configurations
In addition to the large main deck cabin there are two other private double cabins that feature queen-sized beds with their own heads and showers. These cabins, although not as grandiose as the owner’s stateroom, are well appointed and spacious too. They also have sizeable hull windows with opening portholes in both the cabin and head for great light and connection to the water.
If you need more room and are willing to give up the larger central stateroom, the Aquila 46 Y can also be configured with either four or even five cabins. The five-cabin layout has a crew cabin. These multi cabin layouts are ideal for charter and in fact MarineMaxCharters has a “Marine Max 464” which is a four-cabin, four-head model made by Aquila specifically for charter that has a lot of similarities to the new Aquila 46 Y. This means interested buyers that aren’t quite sure about this type of powercat can plan a trip on a similar boat and see if cat living and boating is for them while enjoying the tropical beauty of the British Virgin Islands.
A unique aspect of the Aquila 46 is the ability to convert between these layouts (e.g., from four cabin to three-cabin) after delivery, offering flexibility for changing needs and allowing multi cabin charter boats to be reconfigured to better suit life after charter.
Climate Controlled Interior
I have talked a lot about cabins, which is a bit unusual in a boat review but warranted because the cabins on the Aquila 46Y are pretty special as they are private, well-appointed and roomy for a 46’ boat. The rest of the living space is special too. The 23’ beam allows for gathering areas that are more spacious and homelike than most boats can provide. The open cockpit is protected under the flybridge above and connects easily to the salon galley as well as down to the wide swim step below. There is a comfortable aft lounge with a table for alfresco dining and a counter with barstools adjacent to the salon ideal for cocktailing or perhaps a light breakfast. The window and door here can be opened to connect the cockpit to the interior when weather permits or can be closed off to separate the climate-controlled interior when needed. Inside the fully appointed galley is the center of the action. Corian counters hold a deep stainless-steel sink and an Induction electrical 2 burner cooktop and still have plenty of room for meal prep and serving. There is plenty of storage and a full-sized refrigerator freezer will hold the abundant food and beverages you will want to bring on board. The galley is adjacent to the opening to the cockpit and also just across from the salon seating/dining area.
Outdoor Living
While the interior of the Aquila 46Y is nicely finished and well-appointed the exterior is where this boat really shines. The flybridge offers over 200 sq ft of living space mostly covered with a hard top supported by stainless steel posts except for an aft sunpad. There is an L-shaped lounge with a folding outdoor dining table and a wetbar with sink, fridge, and countertops. The center helm has large MFD screens and the wheel throttles and controls are within easy reach. A triple bolstered helm chair means the driver has room for company when underway and there are two adjacent forward facing lounge seats too. Standard power is twin Volvo Penta D4 320 HP diesels, D6 480s are an option as are twin 550HP Yanmars. With 476 gallons of fuel, or even more if you add an optional 211-gallon expedition tank, the Aquila 46Y is capable of substantial cruising. I was not able to drive the Aquila 46Y and the only performance data I was able to review were calculated performance numbers supplied by the manufacturer which are too speculative for me to share at this time. Catamarans are known for efficiency even at speed, so I expect good performance from this new Aquila 46Y.
Optional Foiling Technology
Aquila also offers an optional foiling system on the 46Y that is supposed to improve performance by creating additional lift. While all new technology has a learning curve, they have been developing and installing foils on boats for over 7 year, and have many successful installations.
According to Alain Raas the Global Brand Director for Aquila, “Our first foil was installed on the Aquila 36 Sport in 2017 and since introduction, roughly 30% of Aquila 36 Sport clients order the boat with the foil. We are by far the industry leader in foil assist technology for recreational boating and have boats all over the world with foils installed.
Aquila has invested a lot in R&D in this technology. They work with world acclaimed designers such as Morelli & Melvin and also VPLP Design out of France – both major players in the design of foils of sail boats. To achieve improved performance while maintaining safe operation is not a small task and Aquila has been at the forefront when it comes to this type of foiling technology on recreational catamarans.
Raas explains, “At MIBS 2025 we launched our Coupe line (42C & 46C) which have carbon fiber foils – an industry first for power catamarans. Our cross section and design of the foil is far ahead of the curve in both design and construction methods. Our foils are not made by a few guys in our shipyard, this is a full-on production with autoclave and extreme precision and integrated strength.
Aquila is very enthusiastic about their foiling technology. Raas says that the new Aquila 46 Yacht is a great match for their Aquila HydroGlide technology and should improve speed/efficiency/range by roughly 15%-20% over like-for-like engine packages without foils. He did however caution that there are a lot of factors that can influence performance including loading, sea state conditions and more.
While I can’t vouch for Aquila’s foiling technology, I am eager to drive one of their boats that has this foil system and to experience it for myself. We will try to cover in more detail Aquila’s recreational vessel foiling as part of our ongoing Foiling Revolution Series in a future article.
Flybridge and Foredeck
The flybridge is accessed by stairs from the cockpit aft and also forward to the foredeck below the helm. On the foredeck there is a large bow lounge with fold up backrests that faces forward and a unique bow seat that faces aft toward it. This area, which is both connected to the flybridge by steps to starboard and by side decks on both sides that lead to the cockpit, is an ideal spot to enjoy the sunshine or to read and relax. The exterior spaces of the cockpit, flybridge, and foredeck really showcase the abundance of outdoor living space. These separate gathering areas will be great when entertaining or for providing room for all your guests that have been hosted in those sizeable cabins below to spread out, relax and enjoy the sea breeze.
Aquilas are sold by MarineMax, a publicly traded company, listed on the New York Stock, and one of the world’s largest boat sales organizations, so buyers have plenty of dealer and service locations. During my time onboard the new Aquila 46 I was impressed by the size and volume of useable spaces throughout the boat. From the cabins to the massive flybridge and in between the boat felt like a much larger vessel. The expansive living arrangements and known stability that catamarans like the Aquila 46Y afford makes this boat an option for both experienced boaters wanting to escape cramped interiors and also those new to boating that simply want more home-like accommodations. My time aboard had me thinking that this is quite a cat.
https://www.aquilaboats.com/models/yachts/46
Base MSRP (ex-factory): $1,098,000
Aquila 46 Yacht Specifications
LENGTH OVERALL 47′ 2″ (14.36 m)
BEAM OVERALL 23′ 3″ (7.1 m)
HEIGHT ABOVE WATERLINE WITH HARDTOP 19′ 5″ (5.95 m)
DRAFT 4′ 1″ (1.24 m)
FOILS Optional
SLEEPS UP TO 10 (6 as configured)
MAXIMUM PASSENGERS 24
CABINS 3 (as configured) / 4 / 5
HEADS W/SHOWERS 3 (as configured) / 4 / 5
FUEL TANK 476 gal (1,800 l)
ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK (OPTIONAL) 211 gal (800 l)
WATER TANK 211 gal (800 l)
HOLDING TANK 63 gal (240 l)
ENGINES (STANDARD) 2X D4 320 HP VOLVO PENTA
ENGINES (Optional) 2X D6 480 HP VOLVO PENTA
ENGINES (Optional) 2X 550 HP Yanmar
CE CERTIFICATIONS A: 8, B: 12, C:16, D: 24
