Multihull Central launches Aquila range at SIBS

by Jeni Bone on 5 Aug 2014 Multihull Central has been chosen to provide sales, marketing and brokerage for the Aquila Power Catamaran range of models, announcing the new acquisition to its brands at this year's Sydney Boat Show.

Aquila Power Catamarans are ocean going yachts designed and built to deliver fuel efficient cruising in exceptional comfort and spacious luxury. Models range in length from 38’ with two ensuite cabins to 48’ with a three or four ensuite cabin layout available.

Brent Vaughan, director at Multihull Central, said he had read about Aquila and got in touch with the Florida-based US operations. 'I was taken aback by their designs, which offer a lot more space and stability, as compared with regular motor cruisers. And the use of space is exceptional. They have large accommodation and bathrooms throughout the boat and great outdoor living spaces - flybridge, indoor-outdoor spaces, cockpits - ideal for the Australian lifestyle. I can see these at the Whitsundays, Sydney, Gold Coast. I can see them being a very popular charter vessel as well, as they have proven in the Caribbean.'

'Multihull Central has rapidly grown over the past several years becoming Australia’s largest multihull brokerage with an office in Sydney, newly opened office in Brisbane and agents located in Melbourne, Airlie Beach and Perth' said Brent Vaughan, Director of Multihull Central. 'Adding the Aquila brand of power catamarans to our product offering fills a previous void in our multihull market. We are pleased to be able to offer a quality cruising power catamaran range to complement our sailing range.'

Aquila Yachts represents the newest and most exciting yacht evolution on the market today offering practicality and comfort with trend setting innovation, quality and design for both the private and charter markets.

'It is a pleasure to add Multihull Central as the Australian distributor for this line of power catamarans. They will be instrumental in building our international presence and delivering a luxury power catamaran to not only private owners, but also to the remerging charter market and the day cruiser markets of the Gold Coast and Sydney Harbour.' stated Frank Xiong, CEO of Sino Eagle Group.

Lex Raas, President of Charter and Special Initiatives of MarineMax, the U.S. distributer of Aquila, stated 'It’s a pleasure for MarineMax to be able to welcome Multihull Central in the Australian market of Aquila’s power catamarans. The Aquila range of power catamaran will be an invigorating compliment to their already excellent product offering, as it has been for MarineMax in the US.'

Aquila Power Catamarans launched in 2012 through a partnership between Sino Eagle Group and MarineMax, the world’s largest power boat retailer. Then through collaboration with development, design and manufacturing firms including J&J Design Group and Seaway, the team set out to develop a new, purebred power cat unlike anything in the marketplace today.

This international team consisted of Lex Raas, a highly experienced boat developer and charter industry veteran, Ant Steward, a world record holder for sailing with a vast practical knowledge of catamaran systems and designs, and J&J Design group and their development arm, Seaway, who have worked on designs for Azimut, Bavaria, Beneteau, Dufour, Jeanneau and Monte Carlo.

This highly regarded, award-winning group began the process of designing the first true Aquila Power Catamaran, the Aquila 48.

To position itself to become a prominent boat builder, Sino Eagle Group, recognised globally in high-tech composite manufacturing, built a new factory which provided the Aquila brand with full in-house manufacturing capabilities paired with in-depth knowledge and experience in advanced yacht building practices.

With the combined knowledge and advanced experience of the most talented group in the yachting industry, Aquila is establishing a new standard of power catamaran innovation and becoming the game changer in the marketplace.

Aquila power catamarans are a fusion of European, American and Asian innovation and includes 38’, 44’ and 48’ models bringing an entirely new perspective to the private ownership and charter markets, and is quickly becoming the choice of the world’s leading Marine charter and boating lifestyle companies.

Despite not having an Aquila in the water at the recent Sydney International Boat Show, Vaughan said the response was 'tremendous!' 'There was actually a lot of interest in power catamarans. People came especially to the show to see them and there weren't a lot this year. We had lots of people wanting to know more information about them, expressing interest in coming to China to see them being built. We are working on having a demonstrator in Sydney or Brisbane by the end of the year - interest was that strong!'

Also from SIBS, besides a 'big long list of leads' to pursue this week, Vaughan said the other boats on display attracted genuine interest from people ready to buy.

'We had the Outremer 49 on show for the first time in Sydney and that gained a lot of interest, plus we hosted the world launch of the Seawind 1160 LITE. We had three orders during the show, which takes us up to nine boats sold since Sanctuary Cove!'

Multihull Central will attend the Gold Coast International Marine Expo in October.

More at www.multihullcentral.com