- Search forums
- Yachting Monthly's Scuttlebutt
Delphia yachts
- Thread starter cmedsailor
- Start date 10 Sep 2013
- 10 Sep 2013
Well-known member
I have noticed that in general this is an "unknown" manufacturer (though I think recently they acquired Maxi yachts). Nearly never discussed over the forum (well, at least search results don't really find anything). Is it because it's a small factory in comparison to the huge mass production names (Bav/Jean/Ben etc), so less sales volumes, less owners? How do they rate in comparison to the "usual" AWB? Anyone with experience with these boats? How do they last over time? Quality? They are built in Poland so I was wondering if they sell (and sail) at northern seas. Thanks
Looked at one at the show a few years back, quite impressed. The one PBO tested got fair comments, especially value for money at the time.
If you are planning to buy in the UK, a bit of research on the issues at least one forumite has had with Wittey Marine, the UK dealer, might be useful, although this was in connection with a different manufacturer.
- 11 Sep 2013
Try Bosuns's Locker at Port Edgar. They use to be the distributor. There is a 29 next to me if I see the owner I will try to get his email address for you. Won't be for 3 weeks as I am away.
I am not interested about the UK dealer. Just asking for Delphia boats.
I know I can read. I thought an ex distributor/dealer might be able to help you with your question.
- 27 Sep 2013
Skipper434343
I have own Delphia 37 for two years before moving up to Delphia 40.3 in 2010. I strongly believe that they are better quality, stronger and more seaworthy yachts than others in similar price range. Contemplating moving up to Delphia 47 or Delphia 46cc in year or so. I did quite extensive research before choosing the Delphia 37 in 2008, this boats are modern but build with sailing big seas, with the structural grid fully glassed to the hull made of vinyl ester resin and Airex close cell rigid foam above waterline and on decks, there will be never issue with moisture and delimitation with is problems on boats built with balsa in sandwich. Last year Delphia 40.3 finished single handed around the world voyage via Cape Horn , in roaring forties , not many production boats accomplished this type sailing.
- 12 Oct 2013
tonyhandfield
I bought a Delphia 29 new about five years ago. I still have it and I love it. What else do you want to know, if anything?
- 13 Feb 2014
Luckysailor
I bought a Delphia 40.3 end 2012, my previous ship was a Bavaria 370 (1991 )(in that time Bavaria’s were made strong) I was hardly surprised how strong the Delphia’s are build. The sailing properties are higher than expected. My Delphia has a lifting keel, and can fall dry : unforgettable to fall dry on the “Waddenzee” (NL) Nevertheless her draft of 1 to 1.95m and her extra ballast she makes it hard for a Jeanneau 41 feet to take me over. I am really happy with my Delphia 40.3
- 15 Feb 2014
Active member
richardsn9 said: Iat least one forumite has had with Wittey Marine, the UK dealer Click to expand...
kent cruiser
tonyhandfield said: I bought a Delphia 29 new about five years ago. I still have it and I love it. What else do you want to know, if anything? Click to expand...
I went on a 46cc and said 'thats my next boat'. Very impressed, good layout,felt solid and sailed well.
Oh, and ex-swmbo just reminded me one of the charters we did in Greece was a Delphia 33 or 34.That was nice too.
- 11 May 2014
PierceArrow
There are no Delphia Dealers in North America; Good Luck getting after sales service... Quality is ok, but at the end of the day, these guys are in Poland and... do they care once the boat is sold. I'd be weary of a companies that grow so fast and double and triple their production so quickly. Too many yacht manufacturers have gone bankrupt over the years. I would stick with a reputable brand.
- 18 Jun 2014
I am pretty sure there's a Delphia Dealer in North America, i saw their booth at Chicago Boat Show last year 2013, on display was a Delphia 47.
- 19 Jun 2014
Madhatter said: is it just me or is there a ratty smell on this thread ( not U single ) Click to expand...
kent cruiser said: Delphia 29 lift keel servicing I have a Delphia 29- do I need to remove the lift keel to check/replace the lifting line or can it be done with the keel dropped but not removed. Any advice appreciated. Click to expand...
- 29 Jul 2024
Alas, a little post-script to this thread. Delphia yacht production ended in 2019. The whole yard was bought by the Benetau group. Prior to this, the yard was contracted to make Beneath/Jeanneau hulls - to the tune of 3000 hulls a year. Making this one of the largest yacht builders in Europe. They additionally produced their own brand and line of sailboats until 2019. Benetau group technically owns Delphia brand and all forms and drawings, but as far as I know, has no plans to resurrect them. Some powerboats are being marketed as Delphia still. Delphia yachts are known for their robustness and quality builds. The inspiration was clearly the Swedish producers like Najad, Malø and Halberg Rassey. At a bargain price relatively speaking. I doubt the prices the Delphia yard could command was sufficient to make the production profitable enough. These must have been expensive to build. The hulls were exceedingly good in the rough seas of the north - the Baltic, Kattegat, Skagerak and the North Sea. Deck equipment and rigging oversized and solid throughout. Stability high compared to production yachts. These are not made for light wind cruising in the Med, but for rough seas and challenging conditions. Generally they are not "over rigged" like aggressive club sailor, so you might need to add some downwind sails to get full speed in light conditions. In rougher weather however, you might find that Delphia yachts are the only ones sailing. The cockpits are protected and designed to keep the crew alive and well but less suited for sunbathing. My theory is the brand failed due to poor marketing, which was admittedly quite terrible, and perhaps a somewhat inconsistent exterior look. Some of the yachts are stunningly beautiful still, while others have a bit more utilitarian look. They could not command more premium prices compared to the Swedish, Danish and some of the smaller Ditch and UK boutique builders, and hence production folded. I know the D47 best having sailed it extensively and understandably a bit biased. But at this point, I would probably only trade it in for a Halberg Rassey of similar size. There is quite some variation in style, both interior and exterior. Delphia 47 is arguably a beauty and if you can find one, it might be a bargain although prices seem to increase. The Delphia 47 was sort of semi-custom build as far as interior goes, so the solutions vary quite a bit on the inside. Rigging and deck equipment, trusters and forth also vary. Structurally, it has a galvanised steel frame holding the keel and rig - making the structure exceedingly robust. Easy to maintain due to high quality components and easy access on both interior and deck. There is only 40 something Delphia 47 built, and not many on the market. Owners hold onto to these boats as a "replacement" is very hard to find. Delphia 47 is a stroke of genius if you ask me, the hull design in particular, a relatively sleek displacement hull with narrow front and a bit wider in the aft. Quite rounded and deep hull. Keel weight 4500kg, 2.30m draft, and the weight of the steel grid also probably about 800lkg or so. Glides through choppy seas better than most hulls and certainly better than the newer flatter designs. It's a bit sad that such boutique brands are disappearing. Sailboat manufacturing is probably hard to maintain at a scale of a boutique builder and fingers crossed that the few remaining are able to survive.
Members online
- Slipstream 34
- Frank Holden
- crimzonclotta
- WindermereColvic
- Wandering Star
- rogerthebodger
- Richardab1967
- Touching Cloth
- LittleSister
- Puffin10032
- Jon magowan
- jointventureII
- John_Silver
Share this page
- BOAT OF THE YEAR
- Newsletters
- Sailboat Reviews
- Boating Safety
- Sails and Rigging
- Maintenance
- Sailing Totem
- Sailor & Galley
- Living Aboard
- Destinations
- Gear & Electronics
- Charter Resources
- Ultimate Boating Giveaway
- By Bill Springer
- Updated: November 30, 2010
The sky was overcast, the breeze was a steady 10 knots, and the gunmetal-gray seas were flat during my test sail of the Delphia 47. But unlike the countless boat tests I’ve conducted in similar conditions off Annapolis, Maryland, or Newport, Rhode Island, this one was a bit different: We were sailing on the Baltic Sea, off the Polish city of Gdansk.
Poland may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of those with sailboat-building traditions, and Delphia Yachts may not be a household name in the States, though the Delphia 33 was chosen as CW’s Import Boat of the Year in 2008. But as I learned recently during a fact-finding/boat-testing trip in Poland, Delphia has a modern, high-volume production facility, and these Polish-built boats may just give the more well-known brands here in the United States a run for their money.
I say this after spending the better part of a day aboard the Delphia 47. Even before we left the dock, I liked what I saw. Its low coach roof, nearly plumb stem, sugar-scoop stern, and full teak deck produce a pleasing modern look. The cockpit layout is both utilitarian, due to copious storage lockers, and comfortable, thanks to seats that are more than 6 feet long and seatbacks that are tall enough to provide good back support. The dual wheels, walk-through transom, and decent-sized swim step made it easy to board the boat from the stern. Other on-deck features that I liked included the solid, oversized mooring cleats and chocks, the sturdy and attractive metal toerail, the wide side decks, and the fact that the fiberglass finish, even in hidden areas like the anchor well and storage lockers, was really well done. This attention to detail proved to be indicative of the overall construction quality of the boat.
Down below, the fit of the joinery—furniture, solid wood doors, and trim—was excellent, and the finish of the varnished mahogany woodwork, the light-colored headliner, and the ample natural light from the fixed and opening ports combined to create a bright and airy living space. The only aspect of the interior layout that’s a bit of a departure from layouts on most American production boats is the “Euro-style” galley that runs opposite the saloon settee to port. It’s fitted out with Corian countertops, a four-burner gimbaled stove, and stainless-steel sinks, and it may have a bit more stowage and counter space than an “American-style” L-shaped galley at the base of the companionway stairs. But it requires a bench seat to be situated at the saloon table near the centerline of the boat. This means that there’s only one sea berth in the saloon, and it limits the brace points for cooks in the galley a bit. That said, the saloon is a warm and comfortable space in which I’d have no trouble hanging out on a rainy afternoon on the hook or while off watch on an offshore passage. I also appreciated the conventional, forward-facing nav station. It has a good-sized chart table, ample stowage space for nav tools, and a comfortable seat.
I tested the three-cabin/three-head version (a five-cabin/four-head layout is also available), and I was particularly impressed with the forward cabin. It had good headroom, copious storage lockers, excellent ventilation through a large opening hatch and multiple opening ports, and a well-proportioned en-suite head and separate shower stall. The bunk is plenty wide enough for two at the head, but it does taper to a point at the foot. The berths in the aft cabins are larger than the forward cabin’s bunk, but since each aft cabin has an attached head, there’s not too much storage room. The head on the starboard side opens up to the saloon and will be the one that gets used while under way.
I couldn’t help but smile as we motored out of the marina, which was forested with a multitude of masts. While much of the one-time Communist country is landlocked, it’s obvious that the Poles sure do love to sail.
Getting the in-mast-furling main and the roller-furling jib set couldn’t have been easier. I settled in behind the leeward wheel, and soon we were cutting a clean wake and gurgling along at more than 6.5 knots upwind. Not too shabby in 10 knots of breeze. The helm was well balanced and didn’t require lots of steering to keep the boat in the groove. Unlike some dual-helm boats that can feel stiff due to the extra friction of the second station, the steering on the 47 was butter smooth. The sight lines from either wheel and the overall functionality of the helm stations were excellent.
I also liked the way the sheets and other control lines lead back to the cockpit. Each end of the double-ended mainsheet system leads to a self-tailing winch close to the helm. Add to the equation the self-tacking jib that can also be easily trimmed by the skipper, and it doesn’t get any more singlehander-friendly than that. Off the breeze, the nonoverlapping jib provides a little less power than a bigger genoa, but boat speed still hovered around 7 knots, and I’m in no hurry to trade the utter ease of the self-tacker for the necessary winch grinding needed to fly a bigger sail.
If we’d the time, I could’ve kept sailing across the Baltic to Sweden, but eventually we had to roll the sails up, turn on the engine, and make our way back to the marina. Engine noise was at acceptable levels both in the cockpit and down below; boat speed topped out at 7.8 knots at 2,700 rpm. The boat spun on a dime and maneuvered well.
The Delphia 47 makes a good case for the fact that a boat need not be radical to be successful. The boatbuilders at Delphia seem to believe that most folks are just looking for an honest, comfortable, attractive, well-built boat that performs well. And that’s exactly what they built.
Specs LOA 47′ 6″ (14.48 m.) LWL 46′ 2″ (14.07 m.) Beam 14′ 8″ (4.48 m.) Draft 7′ 6″/6′ 4″ (2.30/1.80 m.) Sail Area (100%) 1,011 sq. ft. (94 sq. m.) Ballast 9,920 lb. (4,500 kg.) Displacement 29,321 lb. (13,300 kg.) Ballast/D .33 D/L 133 SA/D 17.01 Water 129 gal. (490 l.) Fuel 66 gal. (250 l.) Holding 50 gal. (189 l.) Mast Height 66′ 2″ ( 20.17 m.) Engine 53-hp. Volvo Penta Designer Andrzej Skrzat/Schnaase Interior Design Price (sailaway) $375,000
Delphia Yachts/North Lakes Yachting (905) 891-8207 www.northlakesyachting.com
- More: 2001 - 2010 , 41 - 50 ft , Bluewater Cruising , Coastal Cruising , delphia , europe , fiberglass , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
- More Sailboats
Pre-Owned: 1988 Hylas 47
Catalina Introduces the 6 Series
Sailboat Preview: Elan GT6 Explorer
For Sale: 1984 Camper & Nicholsons 58
Point Your Compass Due South, Bitter End Yacht Club Reopens October 23rd.
Understanding Wind in the West Indies
- Digital Edition
- Customer Service
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Use
- Email Newsletters
- Cruising World
- Sailing World
- Salt Water Sportsman
- Sport Fishing
- Wakeboarding
- Subscribe Now
- Digital Editions
Delphia 10 boat tour: great value family cruiser
- Top stories
- yacht tours
She may not be the fastest boat you see this year, but if you're happy to trade speed for serenity the Delphia 10 Sedan might be the great value family cruiser you're looking for. Hugo Andreae takes us on a tour
There is something refreshingly non-nonsense about the new Delphia 10. Just as the Volkswagen Group has the Skoda brand to offer a practical, good value alternative to its more upmarket VW and Audi vehicles so the Beneteau Group has Delphia to offer a similar value offering to its customers.
It’s not quite as simple as that though because Delphia also has a remit to build craft for the inland waterways and to pioneer the use of electric propulsion systems. The new 10 is a good example of this. Available as either a closed wheelhouse Sedan, semi-covered Lounge-Top or the fully open Lounge version shown here, it is ideally suited to pottering along the rivers, lakes and canals of Europe.
With no need for speed, the hull is a pure displacement design with plenty of beam and a squared off bow to maximise volume. Power comes from either a single 40-110hp Volvo diesel shaftdrive engine or a 55kW Torqeedo electric motor and one or two 40kWh batteries. Opt for the latter and you should be able to cruise all day at 4-5 knots with no fumes and minimal noise, then top up the batteries overnight.
Most of the cockpit is given over to seating on the Lounge version with just a basic wet bar to keep your guests fed. Although wide side decks run along both sides of it, the port one is raised so doesn’t enjoy quite the same feeling of safety as the deeply bulwarked starboard one.
That squared off bow creates space for a good-sized owner’s cabin forward with plenty of headroom and natural light. The same applies to the shared bathroom next door which also enjoys the luxury of a separate shower stall. The guest cabin feels rather tight by comparison and was fitted out as a study on the boat we saw but can be specced with a narrow double bed.
Some of the details such as the rather thin mattresses and seat bases looked a bit too basic for our liking and we were surprised there wasn’t more accommodation under the cockpit but there’s no doubting the value it offers and the Sedan version with its enclosed saloon and convertible dinette looks like a particularly enticing package.
Delphia 10 specifications
LOA: 32ft 1in (9.78m) BEAM: 11ft 5in (3.49m) ENGINE: Single 40-110hp Volvo diesel or Torqeedo 55kW electric TOP SPEED: 9 knots PRICE FROM: €163,744 inc VAT WEBSITE: www.delphiayachts.com
The 19 best motor yachts at the Southampton Boat Show 2024
Princess s65 sea trial and tour: £2m sportsfly ticks all the boxes, new boats at southampton boat show: greenline 45 fly, latest videos, watch: beneteau swift trawler 54 sea trial – £1.4m cruiser is the ultimate home, watch: parker sorrento sea trial: 50-knot cruiser with a killer aft cabin, watch: virtue v10 sea trial: €272k weekender.
- Competitions
- British Yachting Awards
- Southampton Boat Show
- Print Subscription
- Digital Subscription
- Single Issues
- Advertise with us
Your special offer
Subscribe to Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting today!
Save 32% on the shop price when to subscribe for a year at just £39.95
Subscribe to Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting!
Save 32% on the shop price when you subscribe for a year at just £39.95
Delphia 46 DS – tested and reviewed
Delphia yachts’ new 46 ds, a polish-built cruiser that’s taking on the bluewater market.
The premise behind the yacht is simple enough: to produce a big, comfortable boat tailor-made for a couple to go bluewater sailing. That puts her right at the top of the Delphia range and kitted out with all the bells and whistles you would expect to come with a flagship – generators, watermakers, washing machines, sauna… all right not the sauna but I’m sure you could get that as an extra if you paid enough.
Inspecting the yacht from the quayside, her lines are easy on the eye. The hull was designed by Andrzej Skrzat back in 2008 so the hull is actually somewhat retro. Funnily enough though, what goes around comes around and design thinking in many ways has moved back towards the 2008 school. She has a modest, easily-driven hull with no chines and somehow that seems rather contemporary. The only thing that betrays her vintage is the lack of a plumb bow and her sugar scoop transom.
Step aboard and the centre cockpit is a nice place to be; it’s very secure and sociable. The fact that you are able to put the mainsheet aft of the cockpit where it is both within reach of the helmsman and out of harm’s way is a massive bonus on a serious cruising yacht. There is also a lot of storage on deck, with good-sized lazarette lockers and further storage up forward just abaft the anchor locker.
There were also plenty of indications that this is a yacht intended for serious bluewater sailing, with the huge arch over the transom that carried both the tender and a radar and gave the yacht an air of purpose. Meanwhile the hydraulic bathing platform with its clever drop-down step was a clever, luxurious touch.
Room with a view
Stepping down below doesn’t involve much stepping down at all thanks to the deck saloon, and the dominant feature is the masses of light that streams in through the huge wraparound window. To starboard is a big dining area with two bench seats running athwartships and also a nifty little flip-out seat at the end. The table can also drop down to create a third double berth, although this might be rather a noisy spot to sleep. There is good access and ample room for a generator beneath this seating area.
It makes for a very sociable area, as everyone is at the same height and the cockpit also feels highly accessible, so the helmsman does not feel isolated if everyone else is below.
I tested the Delphia from the boatbuilder’s base in Gdansk on the Baltic. The day was crisp and clear with a very modest 10kt breeze. The beautiful scenery promised to demonstrate the capabilities of her deck saloon to perfection, but I was rather concerned that the light breeze might defeat this heavyweight cruiser with her rather modest sail plan. Happily I was wrong and she behaved very well.
Sam’s verdict
This is a yacht that fits very snugly into the category of bluewater cruiser and Delphia has clearly worked hard to ensure she ticked all the boxes.
She was very comfortable, supremely easy to handle, thoughtfully laid out and finished to a high quality. She sailed surprisingly well in light conditions and the hull looks sea-kindly enough to handle the rough stuff.
She may lack the cachet of, say, a Swedish bluewater cruiser, but she is good value for money by comparison and Delphia is a proven performer these days. Her trump card is that swing keel option which will mean that, for some, she is the only option.
The Spec LOA: 47ft 6in (14.5m) Beam: 14ft 7in (4.5m) Draught: 2.3m (7ft 5in) ‘deep’; 1.9m (6ft) ‘shoal’; 1.3/2.2m (4ft 3in/7ft) ‘swing’ Displacement: 14,300kg (31,526lb)
PERFORMANCE LWL/displacement: 204.3 Sail area/displacement: 18.01
Price: Base: £199,000 As tested: £349,000
Contact: Regatta Yachts +44 (0)2380 456 900
RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR
INEOS Britannia Win: Ben Ainslie’s Team in Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Sailing La Vagabonde: Digital Nomads at Sea & New Boating App
New Yachts on the Market: Latest Racing & Cruising Designs
Offering a wealth of practical advice and a dynamic mix of in-depth boat, gear and equipment news, Sailing Today is written cover to cover by sailors, for sailors. Since its launch in 1997, the magazine has sealed its reputation for essential sailing information and advice.
- Telegraph.co.uk
ADVERTISING
© 2024 Chelsea Magazine Company , part of the Telegraph Media Group . | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
2016 Delphia 29
- America’s Cup Updates
- Southampton Boat Show
- British Yachting Awards
- Print Subscription
- Digital Subscription
- Single Issues
Your special offer
Delphia 24 Review
Andi Robertson took the Delphia 24 for a spin.
The Sportsboat market has had its peaks and troughs. The SB3 is very much the boat of the moment and fleets continue to grow both nationally and internationally. The 1720 and Hunter 707 markets have bottomed out, but new fleets are growing organically as well-priced boats are snapped up in different areas around the country.
The Delphia 24 Sport was launched in Poland to meet a perceived demand for an inclusive package one-design Sportsboat and since then it has sold comparatively well with fleets growing in Germany and Poland. Since it was launched last year the 24 has sold 33 boats outside of Poland and more recently there have been three boats delivered to Sydney, Australia and a further three to Sweden.
Things have not been so brisk in the UK, where the market is doubtless tighter and more complex. On the Forth at Port Edgar, Delphia’s dealer in the north — Jock Blair of The Bosun’s Locker — has been campaigning his Delphia Racer most of the season, while the one boat on the south coast competed in the Round the Island race finishing 15th in a class of 70.
Both boats competed in the Sportsboat class at the Scottish Series in May and took fourth and fifth. They were both beaten by three 1720s, but in turn came out on top of the remaining Melges 24, Beneteau 25 and J/80 collection. But the lack of sales success so far is in part down to lack of exposure. The boat needs to be actively raced in the main series along the south and east coast of England to achieve any kind of sales.
Design and build
Delphia Yachts are no pocket outfit in Poland. They have more than 20 years experience building yachts and powerboats in Olecko. Indeed, with an output of close to 3,500 units each year they are increasingly becoming a significant player. In the late 1990s they were contracted to build for Jeanneau and Feeling, and more recently they have also built runs of J/92s and J/80s, giving them experience of building series production performance boats.
It was some two years ago that they saw a market opening for a fast, open monohull which would be good for slightly more advanced sail training and handicap and one-design racing. The 24’s first racing season in Poland was a success as a strict one-design fleet, boosted significantly by the creation of the Delphia 24 Cup, which was sponsored by Toyota and drew an initial entry of 20 boats. There is a very active class association in Poland.
The Delphia 24 was drawn by renowned Polish designer Andrzej Skrzat. He is the architect chosen for the full seven-boat Delphia range from the 24 up to a 40-footer. He has also done the Majestic 24-footer, which is a similar concept but with a little open plan interior.
Conceptually the Delphia 24 does create its own niche. Unlike the 1720 it is a ‘sit out and hike’ boat, which — having sailed the 1720 more than enough — I rather like. Unlike the Melges or Beneteau/Platu 25 it is a face-in rather than out boat. It has more freeboard than the Hunter 707 and is easily trailerable on its lifting keel.
The hull shape and form attracts inquisitive glances. It has very distinctive chines and concave, hollowed topsides aft, giving the appearance of a stretched slightly retro National 12. Forward the entry is both powerful, and relatively shallow and slender, but there is certainly ample buoyancy forward. The lines are very dinghy-like with flat topsides forward, working aft to this hallmark concave sheer.
Designer Skrzat explains his thinking, ‘The ideas of the hard chine aft and the concave sides are several, but mainly when the boat is heeling the longitudinal hull side shape helps reduce leeway and complements the work of the centerboard (ballast) blade on which the side force is reduced, allowing it to use more of its ballast as righting moment. The concave hull sides also increase the hull sides’ strength and stiffness, prevent splashing with water and when the yacht is fully planing it doesn’t make stern waves but only diagonal bow waves what reduces drag.’
Rig and layout
The coachroof blister is pronounced and almost disproportionately high, but it does a job allowing ample headroom in the little working area ‘downstairs’. There is loads of working space in the cockpit and the big, open transom keeps the boat dry.
The deck layout is pretty conventional. The gennaker is launched from a shallow lateral kite bag set at the forward end of the cockpit floor. The alloy sprit is centre mounted through an aperture in the stem. There are stainless foot rails/grab bars on the bow which we never used in anger, instead sailing all the time with the genoa up.
The mainsheet is set on an alloy hoop with a central swivel jammer. The backstay is led forward to give control to the helm, while all the remaining controls are mounted on the aft edge of the coachroof, or — like the tackline and the pole outhaul which run through the ‘cabin’ — are conveniently mounted to hand on the starboard side, while to port is the jib cunningham and forestay tensioning tackle. The kicker is a conventional cascade system, which has a long tail allowing it to be tensioned or released from anywhere in the boat, and I rather liked the neat detailing on the clever washboard which drops in tidily and securely.
The alloy rig offers plenty of tuning options. Spreader angles are secured by what look like slightly heavyweight bottlescrews, but along with the jib cunningham, forestay tension and shroud tensioning there is plenty to get right — and wrong — to make the boat go quick. The main has a distinctive rounded roach area, while the genoa has a slight overlap and is sheeted to short tracks on a conventional 2:1 system. Sheet loads on both sails are on the light side, making it ideal for lightweight crews. The keel is a cast iron straight vertical daggerplate weighing 275kgs, which gives a draught of 1.62m keel down, or 23cms with the daggerplate and lifting rudder raised.
On the water
We enjoyed a mixed fleet handicap race at Port Edgar. Under Sportsboat rating the Delphia 24 races off 0.908, which makes it slightly quicker than the J/80 and slower than the Melges 24. Some quick maths says the Melges will give the D24 three minutes in the hour, and it will in turn give a J/80 about 1.5 minutes. Sailing four up — three crew 85-90kg oldies aged 40-plus and one 54kg female former 420 and 470 sailor — we had a great evening race.
In many respects this, at the design’s formative stages in the UK, is its preferred domain, delivering heaps of simple fun on a handicap racecourse. It was quick enough to stay with the 35ft cruiserracers upwind in 14-19 knots of breeze with us enjoying the burn of a little hiking and leaving the J/80 behind. I daresay that a well-sailed J/80 up against an average crew in a D24 would be more of a match but we were going well upwind.
The boat handles like a dinghy upwind, but with the added security of a lump of ballast to stiffen it slightly. Certainly in terms of weight on the helm and responsiveness it was like a dinghy, but pleasingly positive and direct. If anything I felt a little more rudder depth/area might help in the stronger stuff when the boat was well heeled, but we rarely had a problem. Upwind in the gusts the boat remained pleasingly balanced while feathering with plenty of lift staying attached to foils.
It is not an especially stiff boat, and will certainly relish crew weight on the rail. Four-up is fine, but five lighter weight individuals will not cramp the cockpit nor leave anyone excessively redundant.All the while upwind there was no particular feeling of being overpowered in terms of the sheet loads. Again, with dinghy-style rachets on the jib leads and the mainsheet purchase there was no problem in de-powering the main or the jib slightly and re-sheeting them, even for the lighter crews.
My biggest disappointment with the boat is the standard sails package. They are acceptable as a ‘get going and get racing’ inventory but Delphia UK are offering a package with Sobstad which will add a further £2.5k to the all up price. That would be money well spent. The gennaker shape is simply odd, with a very high clew and rounded luff profile, and lacks drive and area on the leech. One direct consequence was that for the wind strength and sail area we were setting, the boat sometimes lacked power in marginal conditions.
When it hit the plane, it reached flat and true and handled well. On a tight spinnaker reach was where we felt the kite was not making the most of the boat’s potential and there appeared too much sideways and upwards drive rather than useable twist and a nice tight luff.
Downwind the D24 proved quick and easily handled. We especially liked the cockpit space, which makes manoeuvres easy to accomplish, affording time and space to see what is happening. We pulled a couple of basic broaches coming out of the gybe too hot and too quick, but this is a boat which should find favour with tuition establishments looking for a simple, well performing boat to teach asymmetric techniques as well as the basics of performance keelboat sailing.
Delphia 24 Review: Verdict
Overall we came to rather like the Delphia 24 Sport. It is a thoroughly entertaining mix which does offer some very different performance characteristics than the current crop of the UK and Ireland’s popular Sportsboats. It is less physically demanding and easier to sail well than the Melges but more fun, with a lighter, more dinghy-like feel than the plodding 1720. It is drier and feels more of a big boat than the Hunter 707, yet retains the tune-ability and demands of a performance dinghy.
But in the end you have to come back to weighing up the USPs versus the cost. It is a well built, nicely finished boat which, if it had Laser or J-Boats or RS branding, rather than the slightly dated and insipid East European styling on it, would likely be selling in slightly greater numbers. The bottom line is: does it offer enough of a different sailing experience to warrant a new allup price of £20k? Or are you better to compromise and buy a good used Hunter 707 or a 1720 and know you simply can’t lose on the deal?
The answer is that the boat is good enough to warrant the price and as a new boat it is good value. The D24 will appeal to those who want something a little different, but it may be some time before we see fleets building in the UK.
Images courtesy of www.delphiayachts.com.au
RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR
RS21: Rupert Homes tests RS’ latest keelboat
Elan E6 on test: fast short-handed cruiser/racer
Video: Nacra 15 FCS boat test with Chris Rashley and Chloe Collenette
Yachts & Yachting is the leading performance sailing magazine, covering every aspect of the racing scene, from dinghies to keelboats. Our insightful features and stunning photography bring you the inside track on the world’s most exciting regattas together with advice and inspiration from the very best sailors, coaches and industry experts.
- News & Events
- Sailing Techniques
- Event Spotlight
ADVERTISING
© 2024 Chelsea Magazine Company, part of the Telegraph Media Group | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Visit our Popular Forums
- Monohull Sailboats
- Multihull Sailboats
- Powered Boats
- General Sailing
- Antares Yachts
- Fountaine Pajot
- Lagoon Catamarans
Cruising Business
- Boat Classifieds
- General Classifieds
- Crew Positions
- Commercial Posts
- Vendor Spotlight
Life Aboard a Boat
- Provisioning: Food & Drink
- Families, Kids, & Pets Afloat
- Recreation, Entertainment, & Fun
- Boat Ownership & Making a Living
- Liveaboard's Forum
Seamanship, Navigation & Boat Handling
- Seamanship & Boat Handling
- Training, Licensing, & Certification
- Health, Safety, & Related Gear
- Rules of the Road, Regulations, & Red Tape
Engineering & Systems
- Const. / Maint. / Refit
- Product / Service Reviews
- Electronics: Comms / AV
- Electrical: Batts / Gen / Solar
- Lithium Power Systems
- Engines & Propulsion
- Propellers & Drive Systems
- Plumbing / Fixtures
- Deck Hdw: Rigging / Sails
- Aux. Equipment & Dinghy
- Anchoring & Mooring
Photo Categories
- Member Galleries
- Life Onboard
- Sailing in the Wind
- Power Boats
- Cruising Destinations
- Maint. & Boat Building
- Marine Life
- Scuba Diving & Divers
- General Photos
Recent Photos
Listing Categories
- African Cats
- view more »
- Crew Wanted
- Crew Available
- Enhance Your Account
- Meet the Mods
- Meet the Advisors
- Signup for The Daily Cruiser Email
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Delphia 47 is a stroke of genius if you ask me, the hull design in particular, a relatively sleek displacement hull with narrow front and a bit wider in the aft. Quite rounded and deep hull. Keel weight 4500kg, 2.30m draft, and the weight of the steel grid also probably about 800lkg or so.
The continued boom in trawler yachts and sedate but spacious cruising cats suggests that the public sees more value in simply being afloat with friends in sustainable comfort than in charging to the next anchorage at 40 knots. And that's exactly where a boat like the new Delphia 10 Sedan is likely to find its fan base.
Delphia Yachts. Through a slew of events, from maxicat racing to the America's Cup, Polish sailors have been in the headlines lately, and a quick tour of the Internet will uncover a large number of Polish builders of pleasure boats. ... Exploring those located under the helm station reveals good access to the steering, a nifty stowage area ...
The Delphia 47 makes a good case for the fact that a boat need not be radical to be successful. The boatbuilders at Delphia seem to believe that most folks are just looking for an honest, comfortable, attractive, well-built boat that performs well. And that's exactly what they built. Specs. LOA 47′ 6″ (14.48 m.)
285L / 62 gal.UK. CE - category. C10, D10. Download the brochure. Get ready to make some unforgettable sailing memories on board the Delphia 10 Sedan! This innovative boat stands out with its stunning design and finishes, offering an exceptional quality of life on board. Ideal for family cruises lasting several days, this boat has been designed ...
Delphia 10 specifications. LOA: 32ft 1in (9.78m) BEAM: 11ft 5in (3.49m) ENGINE: Single 40-110hp Volvo diesel or Torqeedo 55kW electric. TOP SPEED: 9 knots. PRICE FROM: €163,744 inc VAT. WEBSITE: www.delphiayachts.com. She may not be the fastest boat, but if you're happy to trade speed for serenity the Delphia 10 might be the great value ...
Delphia Yachts' new 46 DS, a Polish-built cruiser that's taking on the bluewater market. T he development of the Delphia 46 DS is as confusing as any in the world of yachting. Her hull has its origins in the Delphia 47, first launched in 2008, while her deck layout is inherited from the Delphia 46cc from 2011. ... There is good access and ...
A stunning 12-meter motorboat, the Delphia 12 is the crown jewel of the Delphia range, embodying harmony and high performance, inviting you to truly connect with the sea and discover an exceptional experience, all from the comfort of its bright and welcoming spaces. Give in to the charms of the modern design and sleek lines of the Delphia 12 Diesel, which effortlessly and harmoniously blends ...
Specifications. Get an offer. Sleek lines, a modern design, functionality, an electric engine…. The Delphia 11 Sedan offers a peaceful, harmonious and eco-friendly sailing experience. Extending an irresistible invitation to live in the moment and reconnect with nature, the Delphia 11 Sedan welcomes you with a warming and comforting ambiance.
Delphia have excelled with this yacht, and it is a credit to both the designer and the builder. Sailing performance is good, nimble, stable and responsive to the helm, it is a joy to sail, and easily handled. A white hull is standard with blue boot topping stripes, and other hull colours are an option. Photographs are of the centreboard version.
Conceptually the Delphia 24 does create its own niche. Unlike the 1720 it is a 'sit out and hike' boat, which — having sailed the 1720 more than enough — I rather like. Unlike the Melges or Beneteau/Platu 25 it is a face-in rather than out boat. It has more freeboard than the Hunter 707 and is easily trailerable on its lifting keel.
Conclusion. The Delphia 37 is not going to turn heads like a classic yacht or a high-tech raceboat, but the combination of pleasing modern lines with a bit of exterior teak makes it nice to look at. It performed well under sail and power, appears to be well built, and has a comfortable and functional interior plan.
Boat: Delphia 40.3. Posts: 3. Images: 11. Re: Delphia 40. I did extensive research in all the areas you mention. While many boats claim fully glassed in bulk heads, they are typically glassed in to hull only, and deck side is tabbed. Delphia's bulkead is fully glassed all around. The top sides are sandwich structure (closed cell foam).
As of September 1, 2019, Delphia Shipyard abandoned production of Delphia sailboats. The Delphia Yachts shipyard was founded in 1990 by brothers, Piotr and Wojciech Kot. Delphia Yachts S.A. began life as Sportlake which began making small sailing boats in 1990. The company officially changed its name to Delphia Yachts in 2003. In 2012 Delphia Yachts purchased prestigious Swedish brand Maxi ...
Don't miss any Delphia events. News Our news. Find out all the latest Delphia news. Dealer network Getting in touch with your Delphia dealer. is the best way to find the boat most suited to your adventures ... Our Boats. Delphia 10 Lounge. Your getaways with comfort and style : set sail for a relaxing experience. Find out more. Our Boats.
The 40.3 can be configured with the standard deep fin keel with a bulb that draws seven feet, five inches and the high aspect spade rudder.This version will offer the best sailing qualities and is vprobably a good choice for offshore sailing. Or, it can have a shoal cruising fin keel with a bulb that draws five feet, 11 inches.
Delphia 40 is a 39′ 2″ / 12 m monohull sailboat designed by Andrzej Skrzat and built by Delphia Yachts starting in 2003. Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts. ... 16-20: good performance >20: high performance. Ballast ...
Delphia Yachts: Designer: Andrzej Skrzat: Auxiliary Power/Tanks (orig. equip.) ... 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance; above 20 suggests relatively high performance. ... A boat's actual draft is usually somewhat more than the original designed or advertised draft. For boats with adjustable keels (centerboards, daggerboards ...
Delphia Yachts S.A. began life as Sportlake which began making small sailing boats in 1990. The company officially changed its name to Delphia Yachts in 2003. Head Office: DELPHIA YACHTS KOT sp. j. Ul. Poznañska 12/102 00-680 Warszawa Poland Phone/fax: +48 22 622 13 86 Shipyard: DELPHIA YACHTS KO...
Don't miss any Delphia events. News Our news. Find out all the latest Delphia news. Dealer network Getting in touch with your Delphia dealer. is the best way to find the boat most suited to your adventures ... Our Boats. Delphia 10 Lounge. Your getaways with comfort and style : set sail for a relaxing experience. Find out more. Our Boats.
The Origins. Backed by knowledge and skill acquired over more than 30 years of experience and reinforced with the expertise and ambition provided by Groupe Bénéteau since 2018, a clear ambition arose in Delphia's birthplace, amidst the Masurian lakes in Poland: to become the spearhead in electric sailing in inland waters and coastal areas ...