Axe-head bows and reverse-angled windscreen give the Sunreef Ultima 55 a sporty adventure boat vibe
Polish brand Sunreef made its name building big, spacious, luxury cruising catamarans often with eco-friendly solar-assisted drivetrains, but its new range of Ultima powercats could hardly be more different.
Fast, sleek and sporty with big diesel engines and masses of outdoor space but relatively compact interiors, they are ideally suited to the Med – hence the appearance of this new 55 at the Palma show.
Cooking and dining happens inside the air-conditioned saloon.
In the flesh those aggressive axe-head bows look superb, tying in nicely with that low roofline and explorer-style reverse angled windscreen. This one was powered by a pair of Volvo IPS800s for a top speed of 38 knots, although both surface drives and a hybrid diesel electric option are available too.
We didn’t have a chance to sea trial it but the captain assured us that the fixed foil between the hulls makes a huge difference. Although it doesn’t lift them clear of the water, it raises them enough to significantly reduce both resistance and pitching.
Not only does this make for a much more fuel-efficient ride (the litres per mile figure barely shifts from 18-32 knots) but also a much more comfortable one – the captain said he was able to maintain 18 knots through 2.5m waves without any discomfort.
The guest cabin isn’t quite as lavish as the owner’s suite.
Folding terraces expand the already beamy cockpit space so much that the twin sunpads look like rather lost in a sea of deck space. We can’t help feeling that some of this could have been better used for an outdoor dining area.
As it stands, the only eating option is inside at one of the two L-shaped dinettes on either side of the saloon.
Although intended primarily as a day boat, we were impressed by the size and layout of the owner’s suite at the forward end of the Ultima’s port hull. By positioning the bed on a platform spanning the deck between the two hulls, it feels much bigger than we had expected.
The guest cabin has to share the starboard hull with a rather poky crew cabin and as a result doesn’t feel quite as special.
Article continues below…
Sunreef Power 70 yacht tour: Inside a lavish new €5m powercat
Sunreef Ultima 55 first look: A chic and sporty powercat with a penthouse feel
Sunreef Ultima 55 Specifications:
LOA: 55ft 0in (16.6m)
Beam: 18ft 5in (5.6m)
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta IPS650-800
Top speed: 38 knots
Price from: €2.7m ex tax
Contact details: www.sunreef-yachts-ultima.com
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