Aquila: Everything You Need To Know

Aquila has been building power catamarans since 2012, with production at a purpose-built factory in Hangzhou City, China. The first model was the Aquila 38, built for charter service in the British Virgin Islands, and the range now spans 28 to 70 feet across the Molokai offshore, Sport, Coupe, Yacht and Luxury lines, plus a sailing series.

That charter origin is the part worth knowing. A hull in charter service takes more hours in one season than most privately owned boats see in five, and the problems that surface get engineered out across the range rather than patched one boat at a time. It shows in the details you notice a year in: symmetrical cabin layouts, hardware sized to be handled by people who are not being careful with it, and machinery spaces a competent owner can actually reach into. Volvo Penta and Mercury power and mainstream US-sourced systems keep parts and service straightforward wherever you cruise.

Aquila resale has held up well in the 40-to-60-foot range, particularly in Florida and Caribbean markets where shallow draft and stability are worth real money to the next buyer. These are production boats with mainstream Volvo Penta diesels or Mercury Verado outboards, so nobody is inheriting exotic systems that scare off a survey.

Expect a normal production-yacht curve: the steepest depreciation lands in the first two to three years, then it flattens. Our view is that a well-maintained Aquila 50 Yacht should hold roughly 70 to 75 percent of purchase price at the three-year mark. Plan on owning for five years or more for the economics to work in your favor.

Start with the 42 Coupe or the 42 Yacht. Both are the entry point to their series and both are genuinely owner-operable. The 42 Coupe runs twin Mercury Verado V10 400 HP outboards to roughly 40 knots on a 2'10" draft, while the 42 Yacht trades speed for a 21-foot beam, two-to-four cabin flexibility and Category A ocean certification.

Move up only when the mission demands it. The 46 Yacht and 50 Yacht add liveaboard volume and range, the 54 Yacht adds a fourth stateroom and an optional sky lounge, and the 70 Luxury is a five-cabin flagship on twin Volvo Penta D13s that you can still run yourself.

A power catamaran gives you more usable space and a flatter ride than a monohull of the same length. Aquila carries its beam nearly full-length, so the 46 Yacht's 23-foot beam produces interior volume closer to a mid-50s monohull, and the twin hulls cut roll both underway and at anchor.

Draft is the other advantage. The 50 Yacht draws 4'2" and the 42 Coupe just 2'10" with the motors up, which opens anchorages deeper monohulls simply cannot reach. The trade-off is speed and slip width: most of the Yacht range cruises at 16 to 20 knots, and a 21- to 27-foot beam means a wider — and often pricier — slip.

Budget roughly 10 percent of purchase price per year, plus a dockage premium for the beam. On the 42 Yacht that works out to about $15,000 to $20,000 annually for routine service, insurance and a South Florida slip; on the 50 Yacht and 54 Yacht the same math pushes the number into six figures.

The largest saving is crew. Every Aquila we review is designed to be owner-operated, which removes the single biggest ongoing expense in yachting. Power is mainstream — Volvo Penta D4, D6 and D13 diesels, or Mercury Verado V10 and V12 outboards — so service intervals and parts pricing are predictable rather than exotic. The wildcard is the slip: a 23- to 27-foot beam means a wide berth, and some marinas charge a catamaran premium on top.