The International Yachting Media already talked to you about the new brand Eleva Yachts and its first creation The Fifty – last June with an editorial by Luca D’Ambrosio. At that time, however, the boat was still under construction and, despite the high-definition renderings supplied by Ceccarelli Studio and the pictures showing the product taking shape in the Fano-based production site, what we could tell you was just a series of preliminary impressions about what seemed to be a very promising boat. Seeing it at Cannes Yachting Festival not only strengthened all premises but, above all, highlighted a not a not obvious fact: The Fifty is even more beautiful and convincing than we could expect.
As sometimes happens, a well-designed boat results from the synthesis of different needs converging towards the same objective.
More specifically, the need of Samuele Poli and Michele Pierleoni, the founders of Carbon Line and Eleva Yachts, was to give vent to their own passions and personal view of the sea.
Carbon Line is one among the youngest most surprising business in the history of boat industry. Founded in 2013 in the “yachting district” of Fano, within a few years, it has become an important reference point for many boat manufacturers. Azimut, Benetti, Riva, Ferretti and Itama are just some of the numerous international shipyards that turn to Carbon Line to build their hulls ranging from 50 to 140 feet.
The “figures” of this shipyard are impressive: from just 6 employee and a turnover of 150,000 euros of the first year to 300 people involved in the production processes and an expected turnover of 19 million euros for 2017. All thanks to highly specialized construction techniques that take advantage from an extensive use of composite materials and infusion techniques.
Driven by their passion for the sea and sailing, Poli and Pierleoni chose to work together with experienced designer Giovanni Ceccarelli, who finally managed to conceive a pure fast cruiser boasting all his typical hallmarks: seaworthiness, performance and well-balanced combination of functionality and design.
The concept of The Fifty immediately fascinated the two Italian businessmen who therefore decided to found a new brand – Eleva Yachts – and inaugurate an innovative line of large sailboats, of which The Fifty is the entry-level model.
Carbon Line guaranteed very high construction standards; the rest is a history that, although recent, is intended to make its mark on these fall boat shows.
The Fifty is an unconventional boat. Although she apparently doesn’t upset the aesthetical standards of contemporary boats, she is based on completely different and unconventional concepts.
Giovanni Ceccarelli developed the idea of a performing hull with innovative solutions intended to offer greater functionality in terms of safety and sturdiness along with greater comfort and livability. The result is a brilliant example of Italian style and elegance that differs from many other projects that trend to favour volumes and living standards to the detriment of sailing performances.
At a first sight, The Fifty looks like a light responsive boat that promises great sailing performances. Thanks to its advanced infusion techniques, the shipyard indeed managed not to exceed the limit of 10,500 kg envisaged by the origina project without never compromising sturdiness.
Already unveiled by renderings, deck lines now remove any doubt about their real functional and aesthetical performance.
Side-decks create an interesting change of level in the area around the mast, between the fore deck and the short deckhouse. This change of level is characterized by a soft “wave” line. Those who are used to move free on the deck (during regattas, for example) might have some doubts about the real functionality of this layout; however, the deck is completely usable and offers very considerable advantages.
First of all, the higher free border situated forward of the master, generally present on working boats, contributes to create greater volumes, softer passages on waves and greater heights in the fore cabins.
Furthermore, the lateral redan, very pronounced in the bow, 
gently slopes and disappears in the central section of the boat, always around the mast.
This important element of the hull has two functions: first of all, it deflects water sprays laterally; then, it makes the bow more performing and consequently “softer” on rough sea.
From an aesthetical point of view, it contributes to make the free border significantly lighter. For the same purpose, Giovanni Ceccarelli decided to equip the Fifty with a standard carbon deck.
The model exhibited at the last Cannes Yachting Festival was equipped with a carbon mast but the shipyard also offers a more affordable version fitted with an aluminium mast.
The rest of the deck features aesthetically essential and elegant details, such as the long elliptic windows, the built-in (but inspectable) traveller and the elegant asymmetric columns that, in addition to rudders, house all the on-board equipment devices.
The cockpit is surprisingly large (of special note is the position of winches and sheets that completely disappear under carters) while the sail plain is simple, well-balanced and performing with a small overlap between the genoa and the mainsail and the possibility to use a fore sail and a Code-0.
Never minimal, interiors are extraordinarily elegant. The unmistakable Italian style is evident in every detail and interior arrangement is openly inspired by classic standards.
The fore cabin has a very high ceiling and an e-suite bathroom. The central section of the boat houses a chart zone on the left, a small lounge and a L-shaped galley.
On the starboard side, closer to the stern, there are some small lockers, a sofa and a large guest bathroom.
However, this is just one of the three versions proposed by the shipyard. As an alternative, in fact, the galley can be positioned on the left, the chart zone can replace the sofa and the central lounge can take on different layouts according to the personal taste of the owner.
White is the prevalent colour anywhere. In this case, too, there are three different versions available: “White”, with white flooring; “White & Wood”, with white furniture and bulkheads; “Wood”, with a greater amount of elements made of white wood.
This total-white look, combined with huge windows, contributes to flood interiors with a large amount of natural light. In the stern, two double cabins complete the interior layout.
The fully-equipped model on display in Cannes costs about € 800,000. Price drops to € 580,000 in the basic version equipped with aluminium mast.
We look forward to test this wonderful creature on the sea.
