aquila 36 sport catamaran

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Reviewed: Aquila 36

• By Chris Caswell
• Updated: August 15, 2018

When MarineMax approached the Sino Eagle Group, a Chinese boatbuilder, to create the Aquila series of power cats, the yacht sales firm had two goals: The first was to flesh out its MarineMax Vacations bareboat charter fleet in the British Virgin Islands, and the second was to create yachts suitable for private ownership.

Those are, in several ways, seemingly contradictory needs. Charter yachts need to be bulletproof: easy to maintain, easy to repair, easy to use. Private yachts, on the other hand, must be whatever their owners want them to be, even if using them takes a little extra maintenance now and then.

To satisfy both types of boaters, the Aquila line was created, first with a 48-footer and then with a 44-footer. The Aquila 36 is a departure from her sisterships in that she is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran, but she also adheres to MarineMax’s philosophies.

With a single main living level from bow to stern and a beam of 14 feet 7 inches, the Aquila 36 is like a bowrider on steroids. She has seating that can handle 20 adults for outings and barbecues, and there are two staterooms below, one in each hull, for family weekending. The staterooms have nearly queen-size berths, en suite heads, stowage and 6-foot-6-inch headroom.

Up on the main deck, under the optional fiberglass hardtop, are a dinette, cooktop, fridge, sink and smokeless grill. Forward, the seating transforms from benches to sun pads, and the anchor gear is hidden under a hatch with a wired remote control.

Aft, the choices include settees across the transom or a fishing/diving option with a bait tank and tackle station. Twin boarding gates allow for docking, diving or tender access.

The Siblings

Power choices are twin 250, 300 or 350 hp Mercury Verados, with the 350s pushing the Aquila 36 to nearly 35 knots.

A solid dayboat for the family or for fishing, the Aquila 36 is equally adept at weekending with friends.

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Aquila 36 Boat Test

• By Chris Caswell
• Updated: January 10, 2019

If the idea of a magic carpet appealed to you as a kid, then the Aquila 36 will be your adult fantasy. We were speeding along aboard the 36 when I was so overcome with the sensation of being aboard a magic carpet that I wanted to fold my arms across my chest as though I were a sheik of Araby.

Part of it stems from the rectangular catamaran shape of the Aquila, of course, but mostly it was the softly undulating ride. I half expected to see the fringed edges fluttering in the breeze.

MarineMax, the world’s largest powerboat dealership, created MarineMax Vacations, a bareboat charter operation based in the British Virgin Islands, and wanted power cats in its fleet. It cut a deal with the Sino Eagle Group, a high-tech Chinese builder, to produce the Aquila line that would not only fill the company’s charter fleet but also be available to private owners as well through MarineMax dealerships. Success was immediate with the Aquila 48, followed by the 44 and now the 36.

But the Aquila 36 breaks with her sisterships by being an outboard-powered express cruiser perfect for a family or two couples. The single-level main deck stretches unbroken from transom to bow, adding to the magic-carpet effect. Our test boat had the optional hardtop (a no-brainer) with a glass windshield and side windows, which can be ­soft-enclosed for all-weather use with air conditioning or heat.

The main living area is under that hardtop, with a dinette to port opposite the double-wide helm seat with flip-up bolsters for standing. The simple dash handles a pair of Raymarine HybridTouch screens plus a VesselView 4 systems monitor, with the throttle/shifters on an outboard elbow ledge.

Just behind the helm seat is a summer galley with a big sink, ­Isotherm fridge and one-burner Kenyon cooktop, supplemented by a large Kenyon smokeless grill in a console. Our test 36 had the fishing option, with a livewell and tackle station aft, while the standard arrangement places a wide settee to port and another seat to starboard.

The walk-through windshield is three pieces, so you can tailor the amount of breeze in the cockpit with various combinations. More choices are forward, with folding seat backs to create fore and aft bench settees or large sun pads. The anchor gear is hidden under a hatch, with a wired-remote windlass and easy access to the all-chain rode under a separate hatch.

The result is a stable platform that can ­carry 20 adults for afternoon outings and barbecues with seating for all. We don’t want to offend anyone, but the 36 has the user-friendly appeal of a big pontoon boat.

Yet the Aquila 36 is also a great weekender, since each hull houses a surprisingly spacious stateroom, complete with an en-suite head and shower. Each berth is just an inch under queen size and — surprise — the headroom is a healthy 6 feet 6 inches. Stowage is good with drawers plus a full-width hanging locker. The appeal of cabins in each hull is the level of privacy: no shared bulkheads or listening to anyone (except your partner) snore. Or whatever.

Power choices are twin Mercury Verado outboards of 250, 300 and 350 hp. I can’t imagine opting for anything but the 350s that powered our test boat. Who wants an underpowered sports car? Our test boat also had a Fischer Panda 5 kW genset to power the air conditioner (and margarita blender). This is a diesel unit in a sound box in the aft starboard hull, drawing from a separate 16-gallon diesel tank.

If you’re shopping for a similar-size express cruiser cat with outboards, good luck. You can sea-trial a Fountaine ­Pajot MY 37 (about $420,000 with twin 150 hp Volvo ­Penta diesel inboards) or check out the ­ Carver 34 Coupe ($472,000) with inboards and a single cabin. Neither is ­outboard-powered.

We were impressed by the Aquila construction, with its resin-infused hull, PVC coring and impeccable mold work. No wood is used below the waterline or in structural components, and you could eat out of the bilges. The 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC electrical distribution panel is at eye level in the starboard cabin for easy access, and all wiring is neatly loomed and labeled. Clearly built for the charter market where low maintenance and easy repairs are crucial, the seamanlike Aquila will please private owners as well.

Underway, this magic carpet is not only quick (40-plus mph) but also fuel-efficient, eating up the miles at about 1 mpg at almost 21 mph. Since this isn’t a planing hull, the Aquila has a flat performance curve with no hump to get on plane, so if you need to get somewhere, doubling your speed to 40-plus mph still gets you better than a half-mile per gallon (0.6 mpg).

We were enchanted with the Aquila 36. It’s a great dayboat for the family, it’s equally comfortable for weekending with all the amenities, it can be fitted for fishing or diving, and it’s beautifully built. If you’ve never quite forgotten the magic carpet in One Thousand and One Nights , the Aquila 36 is for you.

High Points

• Boarding doors in the cockpit on each side are ideal for docks as well as diving and tenders.
• Deep gutters for water runoff surround all deck hatches.
• Great use of space for stowage.
• Fuel deck fillers don’t prevent spills from flowing into the cockpit.
• Wiper on the port windshield would be useful in spray or rain.
• Wet showers are just that: wet.

Price: $470,000

Available Power: Outboard

How We Tested Engine: Twin Mercury Verado 350 hp outboards Drive/Prop: Mercury 14.25″ x 17″ Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 300 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

More Information Aquila Boats – St. Petersburg, Florida; 813-579-1720; aquilaboats.com

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Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Boating may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site.

Copyright © 2024 Boating. A Bonnier LLC Company . All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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