FP new 45

[yeloya]

As you know, FP had already announced that they would discontinue Helia. They just announced now the substitution for Helia.
From fewe pics that were released, she looks like the combination of old Helia evolution and Nautitech 46 open.



https://www.catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com/en/sailing-catamarans/catamaran-new-45/


Cheers

Yeloya

[Factor]

Over 14 Tonne with half tanks and sqwuat else on board. My goodness!! They say

The New 45 boasts energetic lines and inverted bows,

I don't know what inverted bows are but if they mean reversed ( not a criticism or a smart remark - just not sure what they and I mean) then for what purpose, inverted bows are only useful on a high performance boat. Its heavy and boxy, I predict it will sell like hotcakes.

[yeloya]

Hımmm.. 14 tons seems to be a bit too much..Helia was in the order of 11,5-12 tons. Obviously we need to see sail area and hull beam to length ratio but I'd doubted that she will be slimmer than Helia.


Yeloya

[ssmoot]

So it's a Helia but with:

• Transom seating
• Forward lounging
• The new Saona/Astrea owner's shower design
• Swap the nav-station for more galley
• Large pass-through hatch in the salon

The large hatch is one of the nicer upgrades IMO, but not as well executed as Bali or Lagoon's I think. I can imagine it soaking up a lot of heat having a black frame sitting parallel to the sun all day. Probably pretty sturdy though.

Overall it looks like a real nice evolution (no pun intended) of the design to me.

Maybe not the most popular opinion, but I appreciate getting rid of the nav-station in favor of more living space. The split galley is an odd choice for what to put there though. And the location of the trash bin in the renders (at the port hull stairs) is downright goofy. Maybe that'll be something that changes in the actual production boats.

On the other hand, while the galley might be a bit awkwardly shaped, it's very large. Seems like even the most demanding cook would be satisfied with the available space and storage.

The salon-top is still a bit of a mess IMO. It's a shame they didn't accommodate wanting to put more than a few solar panels in the design brief.

[Snore]

Nice that they did away with all the sharp corners in the cabinetry!

Unfortunately, still light in handholds in the cabin. If you are at the cooktop, there is nothing to keep you from falling backwards in rough seas.

And they @#$%went back to forward vents that open outwards! So when you tack you need to remember to close them, or the job sheet can get fouled on them.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Snore

Nice that they did away with all the sharp corners in the cabinetry!

Unfortunately, still light in handholds in the cabin. If you are at the cooktop, there is nothing to keep you from falling backwards in rough seas.

And they @#$%went back to forward vents that open outwards! So when you tack you need to remember to close them, or the job sheet can get fouled on them.

Great observations. I wonder if complaints of leaks prompted the change in the forward vents. I can't count the times I've had to go fwd to clear the sheets!

[Mariano]

Originally Posted by Snore

And they @#$%went back to forward vents that open outwards! So when you tack you need to remember to close them, or the job sheet can get fouled on them.

Maybe it's because they don't want to have the same problems that some Leopard owners had with inward opening vents when a large wave hits. Think I'd seen it here in CF

Fair winds

Mariano

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Mariano

Maybe it's because they don't want to have the same problems that some Leopard owners had with inward opening vents when a large wave hits. Think I'd seen it here in CF

Fair winds

Mariano

Nah, I covered that thread which was initiated by one owner. Have also seen FPs and Lagoons and recently a Catana with similar issues. Just easier to keep hatches/vents from leaking with outward opening, but even then I've had to re-bed mine!

[Heath68]

Originally Posted by yeloya

Hımmm.. 14 tons seems to be a bit too much..Helia was in the order of 11,5-12 tons. Obviously we need to see sail area and hull beam to length ratio but I'd doubted that she will be slimmer than Helia.


Yeloya

Well a tad under by all accounts... Length over all13.45 m / 44.2 ft
Beam over all7.55 m / 24.77 ft
Displacement unloaded13.6 T
Draft1.2 m / 4.3 ft
Sail area74 m² / 796 sqft

Genoa area45 m² / 484 sqft

I can't see anything about a trash bin tho.....

[Thalas]

Overall, a beautiful replacement to the Helia.

I was going to defend her weight compared to Leopard and Lagoon, but unfortunately, her reduced sail area has me a little worried about performance:

Leopard 45 (45x24) Main:817sf, Genoa:501sf, Weight: 14.5T
Lagoon 450S (45x25) Main: 872sf, Genoa: 538sf, Weight: 14.9T
FP 45 (44x25) Main: 796sf, Genoa: 484sf, Weight 13.6T

Why won't FP position themselves as the "performance" option of the Big 3?

Curious that they show her with davits in the render when they are pushing the swim platform so hard in all their marketing on the rest of the line. Obviously, they engineered attachment points, but still...

Round-edge furniture - good.

Transverse nav station - ehh... I mean, I know this is where we're headed, but I'd miss having a dedicated forward facing desk. This is an absolute downgrade to the bare minimum.

Galley - excellent at anchor. Really opens up the salon and MUCH more room for food prep, but a little concerning when underway.

Salon - Much more room to socialize and gather on a rainy day. They stole heavily from Leopard here. TV placement on the new nav cabinet means larger TVs will be an awkward upgrade.

Forward cockpit- is so much more functional. Finally a comfortable place to sit... the difference between the functionality of the Saba and the Helia here was embarrassing. Glad they stole this from the Astrea. The passthrough window is also a great addition. Yeah, this window design isn't the best for sunlight, but damn if it doesn't create sexy lines and I'm a superficial bastard. Plus, mesh screens help ameliorate a lot of that radiation.

Any ideas on where they are in production? I know they're flush with cash from all those insurance checks. Would love to see a video soon.

[Thalas]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

The salon-top is still a bit of a mess IMO. It's a shame they didn't accommodate wanting to put more than a few solar panels in the design brief.

It's funny cause that's one of my favorite features. Another full area for entertaining/socializing with the captain while under sail/getting away while still having great access to the boom.

Different strokes.

[NARWHAL]

Not seeing any indication of a Bimini or anywhere to secure one-Is that common for FPs?

[ssmoot]

Originally Posted by Thalas

It's funny cause that's one of my favorite features. Another full area for entertaining/socializing with the captain while under sail/getting away while still having great access to the boom.

Different strokes.

I can totally see that. I'm more disappointed in the design flair of lines that turn useful area into unusable area.

e.g. The salon skylights are really nice. But why are they flanked by chines when they could've been flat, providing lots of space for walkable solar? Why does it appear the rear solar sits on a tilted mold, hampering the area behind the helmsman? Why does the molded grab rail need so much area dedicated to it?

It's just my opinion, but it feels like they could have easily doubled the area available to solar installations without compromising on the lounging features at all. Just maybe a bit less design flair in other areas.

[Thalas]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

I can totally see that. I'm more disappointed in the design flair of lines that turn useful area into unusable area.

e.g. The salon skylights are really nice. But why are they flanked by chines when they could've been flat, providing lots of space for walkable solar? Why does it appear the rear solar sits on a tilted mold, hampering the area behind the helmsman? Why does the molded grab rail need so much area dedicated to it?

It's just my opinion, but it feels like they could have easily doubled the area available to solar installations without compromising on the lounging features at all. Just maybe a bit less design flair in other areas.

Great observations. Those chines are probably unobservable from an aesthetic standpoint, but do interfere with usable solar space unless a thin, rounded fiberglass skin was added. What's the point?

I hadn't noticed how much the upper deck seating now extends to starboard almost behind the helm. Will be curious to see how biminis and clears work around this area.

I've always felt that the Helia (and now 45) should have more space aft behind the traveller for solar. They design these boats as social platforms and that's the best place to put solar without looking like an eyesore cause 400w ain't gonna cut it these days. My personal solution should I ever buy one would be a custom fiberglass extension of the aft moulding of about 2 feet to a) allow for the solar to be rotated 90 degrees fitting more panels on the increased sq footage and b) to better protect the transom from weather when the clears aren't up. I also feel a custom bimini that is 80% solar panels is a great way to add at least 250w without detracting from the aesthetics.

Here's a mockup on the Saona to show what I mean about an aft extension for more solar.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by Mariano

Maybe it's because they don't want to have the same problems that some Leopard owners had with inward opening vents when a large wave hits. Think I'd seen it here in CF

Fair winds

Mariano

I have run these boats in Tampa Bay charters- windows stay shut so I don’t wrap a sheet around them (I got lucky the first time). When we do multi-day charters in the GOM, or on deliveries, if the waves are over 2 feet or so, they stay closed. Usually, if it is that bumpy there is enough air flow to cool the cabin.