Solaris Yachts, which has been building fine sailing craft on the shores of Italy’s Venetian Lagoon for 50 years, launched the new Solaris 55 last fall and will introduce it to the world at the BOOT Dusseldorf next week.
Designed by Javier Soto Acebal, who has drawn most of the builder’s recent boats, the new 55 has a thoroughly modern hull with a hard chine forward that flows aft to the broad and rounded transom. The forward hull sections are quite full, again a modern tought, which add buotancy, stability and extra volume for the master suite.
The cabin top is low slung and the cockpit is huge. The main sheet runs to the floor of the cockpit so crew will have to take care to keep the main boom under control at all times.
The cockpit has twin tables with a walkway between for easy access from the swim platform aft to the companionway. The large platform aft folds down from the transom to revael the dinghy garage that has been tucked under the cockpit sole.
The 55’s rig is large and powerful and created for high performance cruising and point-to-point racing. The sheeting angles for the headsails look to be quite narrow and thus the boat will sail very close to the wind. With her massive beam, the 55 will sail quite flat but the twin rudders will give the helmsman finger-tip control even when heeling to 20 degrees of more.
The 55 is equipped with a cast-iron. T-bulb keel that is affixed to the hull with a large cast-iron flange and thru-bolted
The interior layout, created by the Adi Design team and Solaris’ engineers, has the large master suite forward and two quarter cabins, each with its own head, aft. The forward cabin can have either a centerline double berth or an owner can choose to have the berth offset to port and add lounge to starboard.
The salon is full of natural light and has the U-shaped dinette to port and either a bench settee to starboard or a pair of built-in easy chairs. The chart table is a traditional touch, since nmo one uses charts anymore, and will make a good home office and communications center.
The galley is U-shaped and will be a good working area with plenty of places to brace a hip or knee when the boat is heeling and you need to be working with two hands. The sinks are almost on the boat’s centerline so they will drain on both tacks when sailing upwind.
The 55’s interior is finished with oak veneers and solid wood drawers, doors and cabinets. The side windows let in natural light so the warm color of the oak gives the interior a homey and traditional feel.
While you will need an able crew to race the 55 competitively, an experienced couple will be able to daysail this speedster with the aid of the autopilot. And, on passage a crew of three capable souls will be able to make fast and safe offshore runs.
For cruising, you would add a canvass dodger, a Bimini overt the helms and a connector to give the crew full overhead protection from sun and rain. This is a boat that ticks a lot of boxes for modern cruisers and does it with Solaris’ inimitable Italian style
