Are Solaris yachts good?
Posted by noreturn000@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 15 comments
Hi. We are buying a new yacht but my husband wants to buy a Solaris. Its an Italian yacht. It is not as famous as Benneteau, Oyster, Hansen and Neuro Swan. Are they any good?
Impossible-Bend-2441@reddit
Solaris yachts haven't been around as long as Nautor Swan. Although a protoge of German Frers designed them, so they should be very Swan-like, if I was shopping in that price range I'd lean towards Swan. There's also Euphoria Yachts (German Frers designed) which are built in Turkey. I've seen one up close and they are utterly stunning. All that said, there's something to be said about the shipyard that's been doing it the longest, and thats Swan. If you're inexperienced, all of these boats can be a handful, with huge sail area and highly loaded rigging when under sail. If you know what you're doing they're on absolute cutting edge of monohull design and will smoke 99 percent of cruising catamarans on the water. Prepare to have a blast. I envy you, my friend.
TriXandApple@reddit
Beautiful yachts. I will say that they look a lot faster than they are.
chisailor@reddit
Construction is better than Beneteau. There is a reason we call them Bendytoys. (And I had one) not saying Beneteau is BAD construction, but it’s certainly not on par with other brands you mentioned.
olddoglearnsnewtrick@reddit
Wow most of the replies here are very very interesting. A side question: are there 'better years' for say a Swan 36? Given that if I ever manage to buy a boat I could never afford a new Swan/Solaris/Oyster, what is the sweet spot between being affordable and still being a reliable boat for comfortable and safe sailing throughout the Med ?
Meowface_the_cat@reddit
Might be jumping to conclusions but I'm your original post it sounds like you're saying you think beneteau, hanse, oyster and nautor swan are all the same quality. Just wanted to check you understood beneteau and hanse are much "lower quality" than oyster or nautor swan. The former two are still TOTALLY viable yachts, plenty of them go around the world every year, but they are not in the same league as oyster or nautor swan at all, which are high-end semi-custom jobs. If you're looking for top build quality you should also consider: halberg rassey, amel, boreal, x yachts, or if you're open to aluminum - boreal, Garcia, allures, alubat. In terms of Solaris itself they're a small high quality yard often said to be more or less on par with nautor or oyster. They don't have as long a history / heritage so someone will probably argue with me about that one but they're very strong so far.
FairSeafarer@reddit
This 👆
slaughts_hk@reddit
Interiors on Solaris are LOVELY, and have a really sleek hull design. With the ones I’ve been on, deck layout is great for socializing, but they’ve not really been optimized for racing. The ones I’ve seen are all new arrivals (understandably) and I wonder how well they will stand the test of time, especially when sailed hard offshore or pressed when racing. I whole-heartedly echo the enthusiasm for Hallberg Rasseys and Swans, fine boats all round, almost regardless of age. An older Oyster (built in then early 2000s) I sailed on had all kinds of issues with build quality, I understand they are better these days. I’ve always been impressed with X Yachts, and know a lot of people who swear by them. I have done lots of inshore and offshore miles on Beneteaus, which are solid if unexciting. Really depends on the size of your cheque book! (And what you are planning on doing…!)
alex1033@reddit
On average, the build quality of Italian yachts is better than French, while, e.g., yachts from Northern Europe can be better than Italian. German yachts can be good or bad; it's quite interesting.
Reducing the production costs has negatively affected the quality during last 2.5-3 decades.
MarioBregaIsAlive@reddit
Italian sailor here. Solaris is a “boutique yard”, very high quality and sailing oriented. You can think about it as an X-yacht with an Italian twist. The price tag is well above Beneteau, Hansen and all the mass production boats but so is the quality. If you can afford it you won’t regret it.
vanalden@reddit
Most would be comfortable with Beneteau and Hanse being in one sentence, with Oyster and Swan in a separate sentence, which could include Solaris.
Have you and your husband looked at Hallberg-Rassy yachts? Or X-Yachts. Or Arcona?
The most important factors in choosing a boat are, who are you going to sail with, where are you going to sail to and when are you going to sail there? :-)
bathrugbysufferer@reddit
That’s the key question. Are you using the boat for gin and tonic sailing, fair weather short sails and maybe one or two nights aboard? Or longer passage making with a stint further offshore.
Hallberg are high quality but prioritise better protection in the cockpit for passengers, heavier displacement for a more comfortable sail as the boat pushes through heavier seas. So they are going to be a bit slower than a Solaris to balance out the more seaworthy nature.
X yachts and Arcona are fast yachts but offer some protection and sea kindliness. The Solaris look like they are sporty which is great fun in the sun, but fatiguing on long journeys if that’s what you want to do.
Also look at where the main sheet track goes. I prefer it out of the way of the cockpit for my crew. Some of the Solaris it is in the middle of the cockpit in a recessed track. Personally I wouldn’t be keen on that - but I wouldn’t want a fixed main sheet either, because then you’re buying a performance orientated boat, yet limiting the performance.
Otherwise_Rub_4557@reddit
They look nice. I would be very happy to have that 74 flushdeck.
noreturn000@reddit (OP)
thanks
axiomoixa@reddit
Construction is very good. The stringer/stiffer of the hull are all laminated as opposed to using counter moulds like Beneteau and Hanse. The resin they use is vinyester, which is better than the polyester of Oyster‘s. From construction, I would rate them on par with Nautor Swan. However, from naval architect perspective, the recent Soto Acebal designs have huge bow that is prone to slamming. The weight distribution such as water tanks are also located forward at the bow, which may be prone to hobby horsing. The Germán Frers designs for Nautor Swan have concentrated weight distribution, a sharper and deeper bow, which may offer better sailing comfort.
noreturn000@reddit (OP)
thanks