A Sneak Peek at New Boats
New models from European builders such as Hallberg-Rassy, Hanse, and Bavaria, made their debut at Germany's Boot Dusseldorf 2013, the world's largest boat show.
Slovenia builder Elan Yachts had two new models on display. The 49-foot Impression 494 features the cabin top styling of a deck saloon and comes from the design office of Rob Humphreys, who designs all the company’s models in conjunction with the Elan Design Team. The cockpit is easily entered thanks to an electric-powered swim platform. It has seating for a crowd and twin helms set well aft to give the skipper elbow room to work, though duties won’t be two arduous, thanks to the self-tacking jib. Below, the galley is set forward against the main bulkhead, with the broad amidships area reserved for furniture. A number of layouts are available with anywhere from two to five cabins.
Elan 494
On the performance end of the range, the Elan 400 is a smart looking racer/cruiser. Carbon sprit and rig are options, as are three different keels, standard, deep, and an IRC version. The boat features an Airex-cored, infused hull and deck, and for the very serious racer, cored furniture below is available, as well. For the less dedicated, the traditional layout provides plenty of comforts for cruising to and from the racecourse. Amenities include a full galley, three cabins with an optional second head located in the V-berth, and teak decks.
Elan 400
