Saba 50

A replacement for the Salina

The Salina 48, first launched in 2009 and with over 100 models built over the last five years, is bowing out. Acknowledged as being an excellent boat, as much for charter as for extended family cruising, it is being replaced by a larger model: 68cm longer and 29cm wider as well, but certainly with much greater volume. In effect, the hulls of the Saba 50 are wider and taller, and also the same is true of the nacelle. In short, when viewed from the dock, this brand new catamaran looks much larger than the 48… It’s true that today’s owners are always looking for greater comfort and more equipment, on board boats which really are designed for living on board. But the yard isn’t going to change everything however. It was established by two offshore racing and Olympic sailing champions of the highest level, Jean-François Fountaine, now Mayor of La Rochelle, France, and Yves Pajot, who has just come ashore… from a trip round the world on a Salina 48. With this in mind, it is easy to understand why performance is one of the main factors for the designers. So the challenge is to seduce the sailors who are looking more for comfort, while maintaining seaworthi...