In a similar fashion to market leaders Lagoon, the area of mass appeal lies in the mid-40ft sector for Fountaine Pajot – now captured by the Fountaine Pajot Saona 47.

The Fountaine Pajot Helia 44, now replaced by the Elba 45, was long the go-to model and size. Indeed the Helia built on the runaway success of the Belize 43, over 200 of which were built in the early 2000s.

However, as appetites for larger cats have increased in recent years, the focus for bluewater multihull cruisers has shifted to this larger model. Seven Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 cats crossed the Atlantic with the ARC between 2017 and 2020 alone.

The 47 has a modern shape, with straight bows and a reverse sheer line. It incorporates significant volume in the hulls below the bridgedeck to create room for the optional athwartships cabins.

Cabin space is a prime selling point, particularly the owner’s suite to port, where there is also abundant natural light and headroom.

The mast is comparatively far forward for a sailplan that has both a powerful main and an overlapping genoa for modest performance under white sails.

The Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 has now been redesigned into the Tanna 47, which boasts additional flybridge and sundeck lounge space.

The interior has also been reworked in the Tanna 47. There is significantly larger and reconfigured galley, which is now in a seaworthy U-shape formation and offers an impressive 300lt of storage space. Layout options include three, four and five cabin formats.

Fountaine Pajot Saona 47s price:

Used price: €500,000

Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 price:

ex VAT €580,000

Read our full list of the best bluewater multihulls of all time.

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