BUILT FOR SAILORS
There was excitement in the air when Aussie/NZ dealer Windcraft Yachts sold its first Solaris 50 this year – understandable given its experiences with the smaller 42 and latterly the 47. Having sailed them and been on the newest (the 44) in France, I had high expectations for the 50. And they were exceeded when I took her to sea off Sydney.
A well-proven model, the Solaris 50 has sold strongly since its 2014 inception and our review hull was number 39 – a high number for a hand-crafted performance cruiser like this. The Adriatic-based yard produces about 40-50 of these premium yachts annually from a range that currently comprises nine production models between 37 and 72 feet.
The 50 continues the range’s familiar snub bow, low-profile coach roof and wide beam tucked in by chines; striking lines drafted by Argentinian naval architect Javier Soto Acebal. The shape echoes a Swan, which is unsurprising given Acebal’s worked for Nautor Swan designer German Frers for a decade.
Like Swan, quality is at the heart of the privately-owned Solaris yard’s philosophy and one reason why it has
