And in this case, it is not only about looks, the Aelos P45 is a full carbon racer, or racer/cruiser, with specifications that will make it an incredibly fast boat. The P45 follows the smaller, also full carbon, P30 that is already in the water, with 5 other boats in production.
The P30 comes as a response to the huge increase in solo and duo sail racing, and particularly to a new type of offshore racing that has become popular in the North of Europe based not on a handicap, but on the size of the sailboat. The P30 was designed as a one-class racer but also to beat the Dehler 30 on those races, and also to finish ahead of any 30 ft sailboat in any offshore race.
The popularity of these small very fast racers is so big that there is another one being developed, the Farr X2, that even if not a carbon boat, should be a very fast one. It is not yet on the water due to Covid, but it should not take long.
The P45 is a much more ambitious attempt and is designed as the ultimate racing/cruiser machine, like the Swan 50 and its two competitors from the North of Europe, the Shogun 50 and the Aspect 45. Sure it can also be ordered as a full racing machine, but in what regards that the competition is big, with some featuring canting keels. It is more about sailing, in relative comfort, a yacht with the performances of a top racing machine, not only while racing, but also while cruising, or just having fun.
https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/03/shogun-50-and-shogun-426.html
https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2019/03/shogun-50.html
https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2021/05/aspect-45-another-narrow-very-fast.html
The P45 is a relatively narrow sailboat with a 13.6m HL and a 3.9 beam with, a huge 49.4 B/D, a big 2.9m draft, a high-performance torpedo lead keel in a carbon foil, and 200kg water ballast. There is an option for a lifting keel with a 2.9m draft, that can be raised to 1,6 m and that will allow the Aelos to enter any port or marina, and will give it a much bigger polyvalence as a racer-cruiser.
It can be offered with a tiller set up or with two wheels and, independently, with one or two-rudder setup, depending on the type of use you give the boat. The single rudder has a better performance with light winds, being maximized for 12kts, the twin rudder is maximized for 20kts wind.
The Aeolos is built like a top racing boat, all in carbon sandwich/epoxy, including the bulkheads and boat structure. Using prepreg post cured technology, it is fully laminated, forming a very solid integral box, where the interior furniture (all in carbon) is integrated. This allows it to displace just a bit over 4 tons.
The sail area is huge, if we take into account the SA/D, but relatively small for a 45fter and easily manageable if we take into account the global sail area, with a main with 78 m2 and a 63 m2 jib. The water tankage can be very good because the 2 x 200 L ballast tanks can be used for freshwater.
As for motorization, it a small electric motor is used with the support of a Honda generator. A bit curious about the type of generator and how it will work safely, but this system can surely be upgraded to a better one if cruising is also intended.
It offers a good cruising interior, with a big longitudinal galley, a huge forward cabin, two small one's aft and two heads, both near the forward cabin. It seems to me that an exclusively 2 cabin version would be more interesting, allowing for two big cabins, each one with a dedicated head, more storage space.
The layout has to do with having the place for a racing crew, but with a two-cabin layout, it would still have the space for 6 crew (with much more comfort), being easy to have two removable suspended berths, if they are necessary for a bigger crew.
This solution would also have the advantage to create more space for water tankage that with 350kg would be much more effective and would allow for better performance with a smaller crew ( even for 3 or 4), and today the racing sail tendency is for smaller crews.
Of course on a boat like this, the interior has not only to be functional but also beautiful and it may be a weak point on this boat because I don't know if they can get the expertise for doing that not in what regards being all built-in carbon, but in what regards the quality of the design, that is many times undervalued.
The interior of the Swan 50 is beautiful, by all accounts, luxurious, but not as practical as it could be, the one of the Shogun 50 is chic, but with lower design quality and a doubtful taste, the one from the Aspect 45 remains to be seen, as well as this one.
The Aeolos are made in Dubai, and have become part of a bigger technological group with expertise in composites and that allows them to be built with the highest standards and technology, at a better price, than would be possible in the North of Europe. Allows also for a bigger capacity in what regards production and financing.
There is not an inexpensive full-carbon yacht, but the Aeolos P45 aims to offer exclusive performance at a lesser price and at 440000 euros, this full carbon 45fter will put many dreaming about it and hopefully will find some clients that can make that dream come true and will give us the pleasure of seeing it sailing.
They say that the two first boats will be sold at 399999 euros and that seems quite incredible. I just hope they can provide it and not become in trouble to achieve that because this is about half the cost of what normally a full carbon top racer-cruiser this size would cost.
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