When I first saw the Aquila 45 Sport at its U.S. debut in the spring, I smiled. When I stepped aboard for a sea trial a few weeks later, I thought, Now this is a boat. That was a direct response to the robust layout on a massive deck.
The 45 Sport is a power catamaran that flexes a 15-foot beam. When I stood on her expansive deck, she felt solid (not hollow or bouncy) and safe, in part thanks to tall gunwales. Alain Raas, Aquila’s global brand director and son of company founder Lex Raas, navigated the boat out of Florida’s Jupiter Inlet to demonstrate her seakeeping abilities.
The 45 was built to represent the future of the Sport line. Aquila worked with Florida-based Yacht Design Works to create the new flagship of the series, which owes its strength to a vinylester resin infusion process that produces superior durability and resistance to moisture and chemicals. The process also ensures less water retention under the waterline and less “milking” above it as the boat ages. That creates a cat with a longer life.
A unique technique in the build process is the construction of a single mold that’s used for the twin-hull configuration. The two hulls are cast as one unit, including the bridge that connects them. The process is also used for the bulkheads, which are produced with vinylester and PVC foam core. No wood is used in the laminate. The result is a strong, rigid boat, which is an important quality when you have twin 600-hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards on the transom. They provide enough muscle for the boat to reach sporty speeds.
“This is a completely new hull design,” Raas said. “There’s only so much you can do with engines, so it boils down to hull design, where you can gain the most in fuel efficiency.” The double-stepped hulls reduce surface friction and drag. In addition, the wide stance of a catamaran provides more stability than a monohull. Raas gave the wheel a few twists and turns to prove that.
Upon acceleration to 26 knots, which took just eight seconds, the boat displayed very little bow rise. She then quickly reached 46 knots with throttles wide open. Prior tests by the builder have shown that top speed can reach 48 knots, but you don’t want to hang at that pace for too long since the outboards burn 93.9 gallons per hour at 6,100 rpm, reducing range. However, the 45 Sport cruises comfortably at 31 knots and will get you 310 statute miles, which is more than enough for a run over to the Bahamas from Florida, or for an island-hopping adventure through the Casco Bay Islands off Portland, Maine.
“We really wanted to get back to having a fun day boat, but with the ability for overnighting on longer trips,” said Raas, who emphasized that one mission of the 45 Sport is to go anywhere and do anything. “This boat is the foundation of an entertainment-friendly, forward-focused boat with good speed. It’s a true sport boat that’s also capable of carrying several passengers on board.” In fact, the Aquila 45 is rated for up to 29 passengers, in protected waters, of course. But even in offshore conditions, there is comfortable seating for about 17 people.
“The layout is designed to enhance a connection between people, between spaces, and between you and the seat,” said Alain’s brother Jean Raas, chief product officer and CEO of Aquila USA, when the boat was launched at the 2026 Palm Beach Boat Show. “Everything’s open. There’s a seamless flow from the bow all the way to the stern.”
The beam is expansive and makes the 45 feel much larger than its 46-foot, 6-inch LOA. During my sea trial, there were seven people on board, yet there was more than enough room to move about. The single-level deck makes it easy to get from the bow to the stern, and when the optional cockpit side terraces are open, an additional 40 square feet of space is created for entertaining. Those terraces—which expand the boat’s beam to 19 feet, 4 inches—also provide a place to launch water toys. Alain pointed out the optional air pump in the port gunwale, a convenient place to inflate paddleboards and the like.
He also noted that the swim platform between the Mercury outboards is almost 5-feet wide; it’s purpose-built for a small tender. An integrated stainless steel swim ladder is tucked under a hatch on the platform.
The summer galley is close to amidships, and it can be configured with two fridges, an induction grill and a pop-up TV. Two U-shaped settees (one facing aft and one forward) share a backrest that adjusts to create a huge sunpad. The hi-low teak tables adjust to accommodate the configuration. Forward in the bow is a full-beam lounge built low for snug, safe and secure seating while underway.
There are two ways to reach the bow from amidships: the port side deck with good freeboard, and a walkway on the starboard side with steps that lead to a platform that also provides access to the fiberglass hardtop. Those steps are a cool design element. They slide open to reveal a cabin below that has a wet head and king berth. The cabin is climate-controlled with air conditioning and heat, which makes the 45 a good platform for use in the North and the South. The air conditioning runs through shore power or an optional lithium-ion battery package—helpful when cruising off the grid.
“If you’re only cooling the cabin and you keep it around 72 degrees, you’ll draw 75 amps,” Raas said. “Theoretically, you should be able to stay with your air conditioning and run other things for 18 hours.” The batteries are recharged through the engines, and no generator is necessary with the inverter setup. That makes for a quiet boat in an anchorage.
Driving the 45 was a joy. The helm is on centerline, and the dash is large enough for three 16-inch displays. There are four large helm seats with flip-down bolsters and armrests. Other features include Mercury’s DTS control and Joystick Piloting, C-Zone digital switching, phone charging stations, drink holders, a glove box with USB-A/C charging outlets, and a Fusion stereo system. “We kept the dash low on purpose,” Raas said. “It’s not just Dad who can drive this boat. Mom and the kids can, too.”
Aquila plans to expand the Sport series with 35- and 40-foot models, which will also be designed to go wherever it is you enjoy being on the water. “The boat is about making the most of every weekend, regardless of changing sea conditions and temperatures,” said Raas. “The 45 Sport delivers a confident ride and the performance to comfortably cover longer distances between destinations. It can help you maximize a weekend or a full week on the water.”
- LOA: 46’6”
- Beam: 15’
- Draft (outboards down): 3’5”
- Displ.: 21,969 lbs.
- Fuel: 400 gal.
- Water: 50 gal.
- Power: (2) 600-hp Mercury Verado V-12s
- Aquila Website
This article was originally published in the August 2026 issue.
