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Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 Balam review
Catamaran · 48 ft (15 m) · La Paz
expert score
Key specs
- Builder
- Fountaine Pajot
- Model
- Saba 50
- Length
- 48 ft (15 m)
- Guests
- 12
- Cabins
- 6
Verdict
The Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 is a spacious cruising catamaran with a strong charter-friendly layout, good tankage, and easy shallow-water access. It is more focused on comfort and liveability than spirited sailing, but remains a capable passage maker for owners who value stability and volume over performance.
Pros
- +Large beam and wide platform create excellent interior and deck space
- +Up to 6 cabins/12 berths suits charter or large crews well
- +Shallow 1.25 m draft helps access anchorages and marinas
- +Twin-diesel setup improves docking and redundancy
Cons
- −Performance is modest compared with lighter, more performance-oriented cats
- −Wide beam can make marina berths and docking less convenient
- −Single-minded cruising layout is less engaging for active sailors
- −Higher running costs than smaller or simpler sailboats
The Saba 50 is a purpose-built cruising catamaran with a very wide 7.99 m beam, a low-draft hull form, and a layout aimed at volume and stability rather than racing performance. Public specifications show a 14.98 m LOA, twin-hull GRP construction, and multiple cabin configurations, including 6-cabin charter versions such as this 2017 example.
On the water, the Saba 50 is best described as steady and forgiving. The sail plan and twin engines support practical cruising, but the model is not known for especially light or sporty handling; like many mid-40s/50-foot cruising cats, it favors comfortable passages, predictable helm response, and easy maneuvering over high pointing ability or speed.
Livability is one of its strongest points. The class’s broad saloon, good visibility, and multiple heads/cabins make it well suited to family cruising or charter use, while the shallow draft expands where it can anchor. Value is solid if the priority is space per foot and charter appeal, though buyers focused on lively sailing may find better performance in more performance-oriented multihulls.
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