Portoroz Launches new Elan 340

by Media Services on 28 Jun 2006 The new Elan 340 - another outstanding Performance Cruiser design by Rob Humphreys and Elan, replaces the very popular and successful Elan 333.

The premiere release of the Elan 340 happened at the Internautica Boat Show in the port of Portoroz, Slovenia. Portoroz is an idyllic Mediterranean port, not far from Trieste, and much favoured by elite holiday and sailing fraternities. It proved and ideal launching place for this new offer from Elan.


Gael Moldán with Rod Parry of Navsail had an opportunity to sail the boat, and here is her report:

‘The Elan 340 feels and looks bigger then its 10 metres.

‘The boat proved to be very stable, responsive, has a big boat feel, tracks beautifully, is very well balanced, easy to handle finger tip controlled wheel and quickly picks up speed after tacking. She is slippery and leaves little wake as she moves through the water. We had just eight knots of wind in this Sea Trial.

‘The boat is very fast especially to windward which is partly attributed to her long waterline and will be very hard to beat for club eventing. She had a very good hull speed under motor recording SOG of eight knots.

‘The Elan 340 is very modern but still holds the traditional look. Internally her lines are clean, crisp and modern, she feels and looks very comfortable and is visually much larger than the Elan 333 she replaces. Externally she has many new features that the existing Elan range does not have.

‘We feel sure the new 340 will be an excellent boat for all reasons in our Australian conditions with good air circulation, smart and spacious interior and large, workable cockpit.

‘For the competitive sailor, this boat will be magic with the ability to put the heat on her bigger sister the Elan 37 – and the 340 does not require the high crew numbers. There is a special Performance package and a Bow Sprit as an option for those who want to race this boat.

The New Elan 340, designed by Rob Humphreys has many new features.

She has a performance lead keel with new design fixing plates. The hull is of modern design with plum bow, long waterline, and vacuum infused multi axial laminate. She has a stepped mast.

Cockpit: Removable aft seat. Washboards are permanently fixed and slide down into designated storage area.

Hinged excess rope storage which also forms additional cockpit seat. Watertight cockpit hatches – 4 in all - 2 in floor port and starboard of Helmsman

Deck: Recessed deck hatches. New design anchor bow roller. Halyards run under deck cover.






Steering System: Jefa steering equipment with 1400mm diam. twin spoke wheel
Quick access to steering quadrant via cockpit hatch cover. Needle bearings to s/s rudder stock.

Interior: Crisp clean modern lines. Honey toned Angre woodwork, beige anti glare interior GRP. Oceanair roller curtains. Tempered glass main portlights.
New modern strip style electrical panel

'Whether you are looking for a boat to take cruising or club eventing – this is where the Rob Humphreys’ designed Elan Range of Performance Cruisers excels as true Performance Cruisers – you can be out there in front racing one day, and cruising in style and comfort with the family the next.


'Contact us early for further details - we have plenty of photos from the launch. Be quick to place your order for this exciting new model to ensure delivery for the next summer sailing season.'

A little background on Elan. Current production is around 400 boats a year.

All Elan yachts are built under the technical supervision of Germanischer Lloyd. This certification has now been upgraded to Germanischer Lloyd GL Plus providing owners with an even higher standard of build and safety.

As GL themselves say in their brochure: 'Discerning owners can be sure of buying a safe yacht with a high resale value.'

Major markets have been across Europe including Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the UK and Scandinavia, but in recent years Elan has been making a strong impact across the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Currently the cruising range goes from 10.3 to 13.4m and the performance cruisers run from 9.4 to 12.2m. The boats range in price from around $200,000 up to about $550,000. However growing demand sees the Elan range continuing to expand with another new model towards the end of year; the Impression Cruising range gets even bigger with a prestigious Impression flagship of 51-foot, the Impression Maxi 514, which has ignited enthusiastic interest in the cruising community.

Gael Moldán recounts; ‘Australian buyers are recognising the strength of the design and the experience and reputation Elan has across Europe. One of the attractive things from a yachting ownership viewpoint is that Elan’s emphasis is on excellent design and technology, not just on cosmetics.'

Elan’s most recent addition to their successful ‘Impression’ cruising range, the Impression 344, was elected the European Yacht of the Year 2006 at the Düsseldorf International Boat Show, in the category of up to 10m.

Gael Moldán continues. ‘Elan Yachts has the design, the build, the strength and the stability rating; the whole quality package is there. Initially people here saw a name they did not know. But it never really worried us because back in history, in the local market, there were the first Beneteau’s and the first Bavarias.'

Where will people next be able to see Elan? At the Sydney International Boat Show, Darling Harbour from the 3rd to 8th August 2006.

ELAN YACHTS - NAVSAIL

Gibson Marina
1710 Pittwater Road
Bayview NSW 2104
Australia

Contact:
Rod Parry or Gael Moldán

Tel: 1800 35 35 21
Mob: 0421 35 35 35
Email: elan@navsail.com.au

Melbourne

ELAN YACHTS

Royal Brighton Yacht Club,
253 The Esplanade
Brighton 3880 Victoria

Contact:
Jim Sismanes

Tel: (03) 9592-4022
Mob: 0411 277 824
Email: elanyachts@webstermarine.com.au