Aquila 36 Sport

The Chinese/American Sino Eagle Group has the particularity of developing exclusively power catamarans under the Aquila Boats name. The two production sites located in Hangzhou, 120 km (75 mi) south-west of Shanghai, total more than 110,000 m² (over 27 acres). They offer mastery of composites, including wet lamination and resin infusion molding. The group, which is one of the world leaders in the field of composite materials, supplies a whole range of leisure products such as kayaks and surfboards as well as giant wind turbines and even aircraft. It holds several patents in pre-preg molding technologies that ensure a stronger, stiffer and lighter end product.

Great success in the United States

The Aquila brand has gained a good market share in the United States. The 32 to 48-foot range, developed in partnership with the charter company MarineMax, is making a name for itself at American charter bases. Some of the models have been renamed after the charter company. The 36, for example, has become the MarineMax 362 - we know the formula from other major charter businesses. Recently, Dream Yacht Charter have ordered several models and have taken over the distribution for France with their Dream Yacht Sales brand. The 36 has been specially developed for outboard propulsion. With its size, this formula is convincing in terms of flexibility of use and maintenance. The hulls, designed by J&J Design, reveal particularly optimized chines. A central wing connecting the two hulls below the waterline is available as an option, giving slight lift and better handling in turns. The boat we tested was not equipped with one.

Open space... yet protected space

The exterior design is guided by the desire to have as open a space as possible while providing protection should conditions deteriorate. Two versions are available: open with wind deflector and T top mounted on hoops and sport coupé with integral windshield. The hard top can then be fitted with a sliding soft top. It is also possible to close the pilot house at the rear with a removable soft bulkhead. If you’re going cruising, a sliding bay window can completely close this space. It should be noted that the manufacturers have made a compromise on the side decks - to reach the bow, you have to go through the interior, as we will see later.

Beamier for more comfort

At 4.45 m (14’7”) in beam, almost 70 cm (28”) more than a traditional single-hulled motorboat of the same length, the Aquila’s available deck space is huge for a 36-footer. This XXL deck layout is divided into three distinct parts. The bow, accessible through a central door, has bench seats capable of accommodating eight people sitting, or four once it’s transformed into a sunbathing area. The superstructure houses the helm station - with bench seating at the front for four - then the galley and a table that can seat six, and the whole is open to the aft cockpit. There is a refrigerator, a sink and a barbecue. Enough to grill the fish you’ve just pulled out of the water or the T-bone steak you’ve brought on board. Simple but effective. At the stern, there are several options available by configuring the three aft modules separately. Those on the sides can be fitted with benches, a barbecue-refrigerator unit or even large refrigerated lockers if necessary, to store fish. The middle module can be fitted with a double front/rear bench seat that can be converted into a sundeck, or an optimized fishing and diving platform with a stern gate for access, and swim ladder. The centralized circulation from the stern to the bow is particularly ergonomic: you can move around without disturbing any of the occupants of the 24 or so seats on board the Day Boat version.

Interior layout: rudimentary but cozy

The generous exterior space contrasts with the size of the two cabins; they find their place at the bottom of a companionway, on either side of the central aisle, level with the helm station house. These cabins are identical on each side and can be described as private because of their independent access. At the bottom of the companionway steps, towards the front, there’s an alcove bed, just wide enough for two adults. But the general atmosphere remains cozy. The open area is equipped with large hatches for light as well as a view. A private bathroom on the other side of the companionway is equipped with the essentials and has plenty of storage space. With good headroom, you could spend a long weekend (or a short week) in comfort, but not much longer.

Nearly 40 knots with twin 400 hp outboards

Everyone at the Cannes Yachting Festival was still in bed. We slipped out into the Baie de Cannes in the early morning onto a flat sea with zero wind, allowing us to push the machine in its limits. Sharp acceleration, abrupt changes of direction at full throttle, a quick U-turn and cutting through our wake - we spared nothing on our Aquila 36 to try to find fault. Situations that obviously have nothing to do with normal use. Straight away, I’ll admit that this powercat surprised us - in a good way! First of all, the Aquila 36 is surprisingly stable. Thanks to its narrow hulls, turns are swallowed at full speed without the feeling of oversteer. I’m wondering about trying the version equipped with the horizontal foil, which should bring even more comfort at sea. Equipped with the two 300 hp Verados, the top speed of 32 knots is reached in less than thirty seconds. A 2 x 400 hp option is available, which should allow the boat to exceed 40 knots. Comfort under way is exceptional. The rear bench seat can be used even at over 30 knots and at no time is there any difficulty when moving around on board. At 20 knots and in calm seas, you can live almost normally apart from the noise of powerful outboards. However, their throaty sound is rather pleasant to the ear and makes you forget all this, especially given how quickly you reach your destination. Once in port, you realize that the distance between the two engines is big enough to allow for easy maneuvering. Nevertheless, the option with the joystick is still interesting and brings great precision for coming alongside – with this, the maneuvers can be entrusted to an inexperienced pilot. We verified this ourselves by sneaking between the lines of boats on display when we got back to Cannes’ Vieux Port.

Conclusion

One thing we can be sure of is that Aquila Boats is a builder on the way to becoming one of the main players in the multihull world. Their 36 brings a freshness of concept, welcome innovations and above all an incredible ability to stick to all kinds of programs - and therefore so many users. Whether it’s a daytrip with 20 people on board, a dive on the reef or a fishing trip, anything is possible - and even all three if you’ve got enough space to store the interchangeable cockpit modules. A little bit different when it comes to cruising, though: really just reserved for one family rather than two. The Aquila 36’s quality of construction and finish, and excellent seaworthiness convinced us. Now you can enjoy a good barbecue with friends and head out for the most pleasant anchorage with a draft of only 60 cm (24”) …

Technical specifications:

Builder: Aquila Boats
Architect: J&J Design
Construction: Polyester in infusion
Overall length: 10.86 m (35’8”)
Beam: 4.45 m (14’7”)
Draft: 0.60 m (2’)
Light displacement: 6.7 t (14,770 lbs)
Laden displacement: 8.8 t (19,400 lbs)
Engines: Twin outboards
Maximum power: 2 x 400 hp
Fuel: 1,350 l (356 US gal)
Freshwater: 485 l (128 US gal)
Cabins: 2 Berths: 4 + 2 in saloon
CE category: B8, C18, D26
Basic price in $ ex-tax: 390,727 with 2 x 300 hp engines
Price of the version tested in $ ex-tax: 501,900
Main options in $ ex-tax: 2 x 400 hp
Verado and joystick: 44,000
Fins: 28,000 Hard top and soft top: 16,950
Flexiteek on deck: 11,357
Aft locker with refrigerator storage: 4,900
Air conditioning in cabins: 8,500