Aquila 42 a prescription to relax.

by AlanWendt

Chest pains postponed my scheduled sea trial with Aquila’s new 42-foot yacht. Turns out, however, that during the three week delay, Aquila finalized a more ergonomic design change in the galley from hull No. 1 and announced that future models will be available with an optional underwater foil.

Aquila launched 11 years ago in the British Virgin Islands as a partnership with MarineMax Vacations. Designed for chartering, the catamaran-style hull was built for relaxation, which coincidentally is what the doctor suggested I do more often.

The Aquila 42 has ample room for a coffee maker, a cocktail blender and an electric grill. Must drink plenty of liquids sayeth the doctor! Two bar stools belly up to the aft cockpit bar where a hinging window and door opens to the galley. Rounding out the aft cockpit is seating the length of the transom wall with a table that folds and integrates stainless steel cup holders. Instead of a long buffet countertop in the galley, the redesign adds a traditional 90-degree L-shape return closer to midships that is far more pleasing to the eye and likely more functional for the chef. Normally one would expect plenty of up and down exercise to tend to lines, set and retrieve anchors, and fetch food and drink for the crew. But Aquila expects you to stay put. I easily accessed the bridge via a molded-in staircase where a summer kitchen with a refrigerator/icemaker positioned behind the upper helm station is most convenient. As for tending to forward lines or the anchor, a walkthrough bridge with safety handrail makes the forward bow easily accessible. And since relaxation is part of the new regimen, your guests won’t mind the two padded sun loungers in the bow. Vitamin D anyone?

The flybridge sports an expansive FRP hardtop with well-polished stainless steel supports and a combination of natural overhead lighting and LED fixtures. Along the flybridge guard rails, acrylic wind protection inserts are an option to enclose the area when bad weather approaches. Three couples can easily sit around the flybridge table, with room for many more guests seated in a large L-shape lounger. A Corian work surface for the wetbar, sink and large storage area below round out the creature comforts up top.

Aquila offers the 42 with a single helm station here. However, newer versions have a layout for a lower station as well. If there is one thing that could be improved, it’s here at the console. We are so used to seeing boats with massive flat-screen monitors. The 42 had but one Raymarine MFD with three separate 6-inch screens for autopilot and engine/system monitoring.

Since this is vacation time, one thing is for sure, you won’t be stressed at docking, as the Aquila 42 has an electric bow thruster and twin diesels that any good captain can use in concert to parallel park with ease.

Performance-wise the catamaran hull offers a gentle, secure ride. Our test day was a bit choppy with a solid 20-knot wind. Equipped with twin 300-hp Volvo engines, it took about nine seconds to plane and achieve a cruising speed of 17