are delphia yachts any good

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• By Jeremy McGeary
• Updated: April 4, 2006

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. Prominent among them is Delphia Yachts, which has its origins in a company that was formed in 1990. Even then, that nation’s boatbuilding industry didn’t spring up out of a vacuum: As far back as 1970, when the Soviets were in charge, Dick Carter was having state-of-the-art sailboats built in Poland for his phenomenally, albeit briefly, successful Carter Offshore.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Delphia 40, introduced in North America last year, bears all the signs of having been developed in a venerable sailing culture. It’s also evident that some considerable experience with cruising sailboats has gone into its construction. Cruising World’s Boat of the Year 2006 panel concurred during its deliberations that the boat made an impressive debut.

That the Delphia line is, according to its builder, “designed with the tempestuous nature of the Baltic Sea in mind” is evident from the moment you step into the cockpit. Its coamings sweep up forward to create a deep shelter in each forward corner where you can take cozy refuge from wind and spray under the dodger. On clement days, those coamings offer a high, secure perch from which to take in the view. The helmsman, meanwhile, can move between a variety of positions within comfortable reach of the wheel and is never far from the jib-sheet winch.

The seats aren’t long enough to sleep on, but the cockpit can easily accommodate half a dozen people. Beneath the seats, four lockers hold deck gear. Exploring those located under the helm station reveals good access to the steering, a nifty stowage area for the companionway drop board, and insight into how the builder rates the importance of finish in obscure recesses. The answer is “highly”–all the glasswork is tidy, and all surfaces are gelcoated for protection and ease of maintenance.

The companionway ladder is easy to negotiate, and the treads turn up at their outboard ends so feet won’t slide off even at steep angles of heel. It’s a bit of a reach to the nearest support on the port side, but that comes in the form of a solid pillar at the nav desk.

In the saloon, furniture is pushed well outboard to put the emphasis on space, no doubt so that the three-couple complement catered to by the three-stateroom arrangement will have room to mingle without feeling crowded. In this respect, it follows the European fashion, and the quid for that quo is often a shortage of storage low down and behind and under settees. The athwartships seat along the main bulkhead takes up some of that slack, and a smaller crew planning longer cruises could create all the stowage it needs by requisitioning one of the twin aft cabins for a storage room.

A great influx of light pouring through deadlights, three forward and two each side, in the “bubble”–which is slightly elevated above the coachroof proper and which gives the boat its distinctive appearance–contributes to the feeling of spaciousness in the saloon. In latitudes lower than those of the Delphia’s native Poland, that light will be accompanied by heat, but a little canvaswork can greatly reduce its intensity. Opening hatches in the deck allow adequate airflow in fair weather. An absence of dorades or similar devices, however, suggests ventilation will be lacking on days when the air is full of rain or spray.

The galley is alongside the starboard side of the saloon and illustrates the conundrum the designer faces when choosing between satisfying the priorities of shorthanded, long-distance voyaging or those of large-party, short-range cruising. Eye-level locker doors outboard hinge along their lower edges. When open, they’re supported in the horizontal position with struts to provide handy backup to the counter area for a cook at work when the boat’s at rest. Deep fiddles inside the lockers hold crockery secure against even radical movements of the boat under way, but the cook isn’t so adequately supported when trying to perform on starboard tack in a seaway. A safety strap with a single attachment point might suffice in this in-line arrangement, which places everything close to hand. The single stainless-steel sink is right next to the range and has an integral draining board, which could also serve as a trivet for hot dishes coming out of the oven. A foot pump satisfies the paranoid conserver of fresh water.

Delphia offers three versions of the interior, which differ largely in the layout forward of the main bulkhead. In the boat we tested, that section is devoted to a master suite with a large, traditional V-berth, a couple of hanging lockers, and a loveseat. The private head is on the port side. It doesn’t have a separate stall for the shower, but a neat fold-down seat over the toilet effectively makes the whole compartment a low-maintenance shower room.

In two of the layouts, a pair of double-berth cabins flanks the cockpit. Each has a large berth, a hanging locker, and, for light and air, an overhead hatch and a port that opens to the cockpit. The nav desk occupies the port side opposite the head, its small size apparently dictated by the dining arrangement in the alternate layout, which has to seat a couple of extra bodies.

One of the first things I noticed, and duly noted, as we motored toward Chesapeake Bay was that the noise level under power was pleasantly low, both on deck and below. BOTY judge Ed Sherman’s decibel readings placed the Delphia 40 in the middle of the range for the 2006 fleet (see “Crunching the Numbers,” January 2006), but his mechanical ear doesn’t distinguish between the higher frequencies that irritate–what I call vacuum-cleaner noise–and the less offensive, even if equally loud numerically, rumbling of a diesel engine working in the low-2,000s rpm range. Nobody wants to motor all day long on a sailboat, but if you had to aboard the Delphia 40, thanks to its combination of Volvo’s new slower-turning engine (the test boat had the optional 55-horsepower model), saildrive propulsion, and well-chosen soundproofing materials, any discomfort felt will be aesthetic, not aural.

I boarded the Dephia 40 in almost the same weather conditions that, the day before, had seen a couple of boats prove unsteerable until their sail plans had been deeply reefed. Because the Delphia is of essentially similar configuration–sloop rig, spade rudder, and shoal-draft, bulb-tipped, fin keel–I half expected it to behave equally badly. It didn’t. With too much sail up, it did want to round up into the wind, but the helm didn’t load up, the rudder didn’t stall, and I was always able to steer the boat out of the luff. If anything, the helm was so light as to be disconcerting, but once I became used to not having to fight it, I found it positive and responsive.

From the drawings, it appears that this boat-even the shoal-draft version we were sailing–has a little more lateral area to its keel in proportion to that of the canoe body than others in its class. This would certainly help in balancing the keel forces against the sail forces and reduce the load on the rudder. As for the spade rudder itself, perhaps a slight adjustment of its balance ratio would give the helmsman a little more positive, and more reassuring, feel.

Once reefed and trimmed to the wind of the day, the Delphia 40 was a pleasure to sail and revealed its origins in a day-racing community in boisterous waters. The shrouds supporting the keel-stepped mast are attached well inboard. This, in concert with long deck tracks close to the coachroof, permits tight sheeting angles and a generous range of adjustment for the lead, which is important if you want to get the most out of the roller-reefing jib. By running the sheet to a snatch block attached to the perforated toerail, you can give the sail more breathing room on a reach. Another detail that will appeal to the cruiser who’s also a Wednesday-night racer is the anchor windlass fitted inside the foredeck locker, where it won’t foul sheets and guys or put the bowman’s ankles and shins in jeopardy.

The cruiser who’s more into spending nights at anchor might view the stainless-steel fabrication that supports the anchor roller as light-duty, but when offshore, he or she will appreciate the pushpit that bucks the current trend on boats with transom platforms for boarding: It wraps round the stern from well forward and is broken only by a short, wire-gated span on the centerline, providing real security at the back of the cockpit.

If it’s the expectation that the stern platform will be used when boarding the boat from a dinghy, it needs to be better provided with handholds for that purpose. Even that, in my view, wouldn’t justify the absence of lifeline gates, which would facilitate boarding from a low pontoon.

As presented, the Delphia 40 meets many of the criteria sought after by today’s cruising sailor. With the shoal-draft keel, which measures 5 feet 6 inches, it showed its potential for Chesapeake Bay and other draft-restricted cruising areas. Where draft isn’t an issue, the deep keel, at 7 feet 2 inches, should offer even sharper performance.

To get a feeling for the work of designer Andrzej Skrzat, I took a look at his firm’s website. He has a considerable portfolio of built designs, both power and sail, and his sailboats are largely racing boats and smaller cruisers. The Delphia 40 is the largest of these, and I suspect he was guarded in his use of space–the small nav desk and the slightly quirky dining arrangement–simply because he’s not been used to having that much to work with. Judging from the boat’s looks and performance, he has a good eye and a firm grasp of the naval-architectural aspects of his work. His partner is an industrial designer, which helps assure a sound transition from concept to realization. I expect that as his experience with bigger boats grows, the relationship between builder and designer matures, and both become better acquainted with the nuances of the American cruising ideal, the Delphia “D” and the boats’ distinctive profiles will become a familiar sight in American waters–and beyond.

Jeremy McGeary is a CW contributing editor.

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LOA 39′ 2″ (11.95 m.) LWL 36′ 3″ (11.05 m.) Beam 12′ 11″ (3.94 m.) Draft (deep/shoal) 7′ 2″/5′ 6″ (2.18/1.68 m.) Sail Area (100%) 707.4 sq. ft. (65.7 sq. m.) Ballast 6,072 lb. (2,760 kg.) Displacement 18,150 lb. (8,250 kg.) Ballast/D .33 D/L 170 SA/D (100%) 16.4 Water 92 gal. (350 l.) Fuel 55 gal. (210 l.) Mast Height 55′ 9″ (17.00 m.) Engine Volvo 40-hp. diesel with saildrive (55-hp. optional) Designer Andrzej Skrzat Base Price $179,900

Delphia Responds

by F. Scott Farquharson, Delphia Yachts USA

Jeremy McGeary’s comment about the storage on the three-stateroom Delphia 40 is valid, but he may not have considered the intended use of this configuration. This layout is aimed primarily for use by families or by chartering sailors. These boats will be used for long weekends or weeks at a time, seldom for long-range cruising. Therefore, the current storage is adequate for that purpose. The two-stateroom version is geared more toward long-range cruising. The Delphia 40 boasts a cavernous port-side locker aft of the galley that’s accessible from both the cockpit and galley. This locker can be configured in many ways to ensure a flexible and utilitarian storage area.

The same can be said for the galley. The three-cabin version will probably not be used for more than island or marina hopping. Most galley duty will be performed in the upright and locked position, whereas the two-cabin 40 will more likely be utilized for passagemaking. The two-cabin boat has an L-shaped galley to port with plenty of handholds and a secure place to anchor the cook when preparing meals in challenging conditions. The described “greenhouse effect” can be lessened by checking the blinds-and-screens box on the order form. The Delphia 40 can also be ordered with small, outwardly opening hatches in the doghouse “windscreen,” augmenting airflow and ventilation.

Delphia Yachts appreciates all comments as we continue rigorous development of the current line. We’ll be announcing two new models this fall expressly for the U.S. market.

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Coastal Cruising , delphia , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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Delphia : A brand designed for peaceful and quiet cruising

The Beneteau group has made Delphia the emblem of its opening to electric boats by responding to a growing need among sailors: inland water cruising. Delphia boats, ideal for river and coastal cruising, find the perfect playground in Europe. A brand designed for conscious cruising!

Boats designed for river and short sea shipping.

The Delphia brand was born in Poland, 30 years ago, in the Mazuri lakes region, bodies of water well known to river and inland waterway enthusiasts. When it joined the Bénéteau Group in 2018, it was a natural choice to develop this market. While the Vendée-based group's portfolio of brands meets a multitude of boaters' needs, it was then missing an offer dedicated to inland waterways. Martin Schemkes, the brand's director, explains: "We had identified a demand for boats dedicated to river cruising, slow coastal cruising. With specialized architects, like Vripack, we designed boats that provide both more comfort and more glide at slow displacement boat speeds. Boats are measured in meters instead of feet and speed in both km/h and knots."

Aiming for 100% electric

Delphia is also the first brand in the Bénéteau Group to achieve a fully electric offering. The range, which includes three sizes, the Delphia 10, 11 and 12, offers electric engines. As part of the Group's CSR policy and international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, the Delphia range will be 100% electric by 2025. The yachts are equipped with Torqeedo engines, the leader in e-mobility in the maritime industry, with the aim of offering turnkey electric cruising yachts , which are unusual on the market. They are equipped with Deep Blue inboard motors optimized for displacement boats, but also with the complete solution with their associated batteries.

In order to facilitate access to electric power, Delphia, in collaboration with several brands of electric charging stations, including Aqua Superpower, is working to set up a network of charging stations accessible on the canals of Europe. The boats are also equipped with electrical outlets for charging bicycles on the rear deck of the boat .

In addition to durability, electric also offers the comfort of silent, odorless navigation, allowing you to hear the surrounding nature and be in a relaxed, peaceful state of mind. Environment and passengers all win. For Martin Schemkes: "Sustainability is not only about the environment, but also about the well-being of people. It is a way of thinking and acting, and a principle that should guide us."

Change the way you navigate

It is more globally the way of sailing that Delphia also wants to change, as shown by its slogan Mindful Cruising. Martin Schemkes emphasizes: "Delphia and its boats offer the opportunity to enjoy a moment of mindful pleasure and meet the overall goal of slowing down. Delphia wants to provide the best sustainable boat on the market. We believe that deceleration is the key to enjoyable and relaxing cruising on inland waterways and sheltered coastal areas. That's why we offer owners and passengers the opportunity to enjoy moments of pleasure on boats designed for comfort, convenience and ease; where sustainable solutions allow you to harmonize with nature and your loved ones."

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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

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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

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2016 Delphia 29

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• Sailboat Guide

Delphia 29 is a 28 ′ 1 ″ / 8.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Andrzej Skrzat and built by Delphia Yachts starting in 2004.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Fixed keel version draft: 6.75’/2.05m. (High performance verson) Up later upgraded version is the DELPHIA 9.2.

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• Boat Reviews

Delphia 40.3

Built in Poland, the Delphia 40.3 is a classic cruising sloop that can be configured in many ways to suit each buyer’s needs  (published January 2016)

We motored down Back Creek and out into Annapolis Harbor and the Bay. Once clear of the channel we put the throttle down and were happy to see that the 40.3 will make close to eight knots at maximum revs and will cruise at a comfortable 6.5 knots at cruising revs of 2200 rpms.  At cruising speed and in flat water, the engine will burn approximately half a gallon per hour, which translates into a safe cruising range, with 55 gallons of fuel in the tanks, of over 600 miles. That’s comforting to know.

The wind was hovering around five to seven knots, not really enough to give the boat a serious sea trial. But, in the light breeze, we were able to get her going and get a sense of her balance and speed potential.

The boat we sailed had the twin-wheel option and the shoal  draft keel option.  Hard on the wind you could sit to leeward in the cockpit to get a good view of the telltales on the genoa and trailing edge of the main. Hard on the wind, the 40.3 will sail at about 28 degrees to the apparent wind and has an easy groove when the main is trimmed right. With the smaller genoa, the boat tacks easily and held her speed well through the tacks despite the wind being fairly light.

The 40.3 was designed by Andrzej Skrzat and has a pleasing and traditional look. With a long waterline, easy sections below the water and efficient foils, the boat feels fast and nimble. The design’s non-dimensional ratios tell a lot about her design profile. Her length to beam ratio is a modest 2.8, so she is relatively narrow and therefore more easily driven than boats with more massive beams.

After an hour of sailing we motored back to the marina and slipped her into her docks without any fuss or bother. Both undersail and power, the 40.3 handles very well and is fun, fast and surefooted.

The simplest layout and one that will appeal to couples who often cruise alone and occasionally invite friends and family aboard will be the two cabin layout with two heads and the galley aft. This provides for a good seagoing galley and plenty of storage in the large port cockpit locker.

But you can opt for a layout with two cabins aft and two heads. This three cabin layout will work for families with children or couples who like to sail with multiple friends aboard.  The three cabin layout has the galley running fore and aft on the starboard side.

BWS THOUGHTS The Delphia 40.3 has been in production for several years and has proven to be a boat that fits the needs of many different sailors with different sailing styles. Circumnavigators have chosen the 40.3 for their adventures because the boat is solidly built and is such a capable long distance passagemaker. And coastal sailors who only sail a few miles each weekend have found the boat fits their needs very well, too.

LOA        40’6” LWL        36’3” Beam        12’11” Draft (deep)    7’5” Draft (shoal)    5’11” Draft (swing)    3’4”/6’5” Displ. (std.)    18,960 lbs. Ballast     (std.)    6,085 lbs. Sail area    685 sq. ft. (100%) SA/D        15.41 D/L        178 L/B        2.8 Water        80 gals. Fuel        55 gals. Waste        25 gals.

NaviPro Yachts Mississauga, Ont. Canada www.naviproyachts.com

Anchor Yachts & Ships Barrington, RI www.anchoryachts.com

Manitowoc Marina Manitowoc, WI www.manitowoc-marina.com

S & J Yachts Annapolis, MD www.sjyachts.com

Author: George Day

Yacht building in Poland stretches way back beyond its accession to the European Union in 2004. While the shipyards were building big ships, small firms were starting to produce fibreglass yachts.

Around 300 GRP Carter 30 cruiser racers, for example, were built in Poland from 1972. Then in 1992 Jeanneau started sub-contract building in Poland.

In the late 1990s the Bénéteau Group bought into a Polish boatbuilder and shifted production of many of its smaller Bénéteau and Jeanneau motorboat and yacht ranges to Poland.

The favourable Polish economic climate – benefiting from low overheads, low property prices and low wages – not only produced a cost effective manufacturing base in Poland, it made for tasty margins when the boats were marketed and then sold through dealers in Western Europe.

At around the same time another small family-owned Polish boatbuilder called Sportlake (founded in 1990) was also beginning to cash in on the demand for competitively priced small GRP craft. As well as making trailer-sailer yachts, Sportlake was also contracted to build huge numbers of Quicksilver speed and sport boats for the mighty Marine Power outfit (now Brunswick Corp). These continue to sell in large quantities worldwide.

‘In house’ cruisers

Sportlake invested the profits it made as a sub-contractor into building new factories; which in turn led to increased manufacturing capacity. So in 2003 the family shareholders decided to use this increased capacity to start up their own range of sailing cruisers to be sold under the name of ‘Delphia’. And they gave the Company a new name – Delphia Yachts.

This story is from the April 2022 edition of Practical Boat Owner.

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dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-target="trigger">English

Delphia 10 Sedan

THE ELECTRIC BOAT FOR ALL YOUR FAMILY CRUISES

Delphia 10 Lounge

GETAWAYS WITH COMFORT AND STYLE

Delphia 10 LoungeTop

DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT

Delphia 11 Sedan

WHEN SIMPLICITY MEETS SOPHISTICATION

Delphia 11 Flylounge

NAVIGATE WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE IN SERENITY

Delphia 12 Sedan

THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE DELPHIA RANGE

Delphia 12 Flylounge

CRUISE IN TOTAL INTIMACY

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Getting back to nature.

Getting back to life's simple pleasures : a tranquil stroll, a picnic on the beach, a bike ride, catching up with friends and family over a cup of coffee (or glass of wine). 

Breathing. Taking your time. Sharing with loved ones. 

Here at Delphia, we’re all about slow, quiet sailing.

Reducing our carbon footprint to focus on the nature around us and protecting flora and fauna. Producing sustainable boats for sharing exceptional moments and quality time together. 

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 , with 100% electric ranges by 2025 . To achieve this, we innovate tirelessly in order to offer you modern, stylish boats that combine luxury with maneuverability.

Get in touch with your local Delphia dealer and join our community of mindful cruisers.

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Delphia stops making sailboats

It seems like the Polish Shipyard Delphia will no longer be producing sailboats and concentrate fully on multi-hull and single hull motorboats.

The very modern factory in Poland has announced on Sept. 1 2019 that production of Delphia Sailing Yachts have ended.

And since Delphia also owned the famous originally Swedish sailboat brand “Maxi Yacht” – I guess the Maxi 1200 will not be produced any longer either. Even the Maxi Yacht website is down as this is written. The Swedish Maxi Yachts has always been one of my favorites, due to the generally very high build quality and good all round performance.

I think it is sad – especially as right now we have the young generation coming out of the woodwork buying sailing boats in Scandinavia. Many new generation boaters was spotted in 28-35′ sailboats in Scandinavian harbors this summer. And I think that is the beginning of a trend reversal.

The young generation – of course – want to be more “Eco focused” and how can you enjoy a day on the water if it is not powered by the wind!

If nothing else we will have to thank Greta Thunberg for all the sailboat advertising over the past month. One can agree or disagree with motives and execution, but sailboats have not had as much advertising in years. So thank you Greta!

Here is the Delphia managements statement

As of September 1, 2019, Delphia Shipyard abandons production of Delphia sailboats. This decision is dictated by the decision to follow market trends, which currently represent more than 80% of motorboats and multihulls, as well as a more intense development plan for the Escape (formerly Nautika), BluEscape and Nano Line offer. The process of building a boat is complex and requires specialized technical knowledge. Delphia has the know-how, the experience and the advanced technology needed to make yachts of the highest quality and comfort. Using the most modern technologies and the best specialists, we build our boats in accordance with the highest standards of safety and perfection down to the last detail. We would like to thank all the customers and owners of Delphia sailboats for the trust and common creation of the history of these yachts in the waters of the whole world. At the same time, we inform that until the end of the warranty period already purchased sailboats, appropriate storage reserves will be retained to provide a complete and professional after-sales service. We would also like to thank all those who participated in the creation of our yachts, and in particular the remarkable yacht designer Andrzej Skrzat, without his excellent projects there would not be so many great Delphia sailing yachts models. We invite you to follow our offer and the activities of Shipyard Delphia. May the winds be favorable to you! Management of Delphia Shipyard.

Delphia Link

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