Elan nominated for 2008 Yacht of the Year award

by Media Services on 6 Aug 2007 Elan’s flagship cruiser, the 514 Impression, has been nominated for the European Yacht of the Year 2008 award in the over 14m class. Any company would be thrilled to receive just one nomination for this prestigious award, but Elan has received a second accolade. The newly launched Elan 410 has been nominated for the 2008 award in the under 14 metre category.

If Elan wins the 2008, this will be the third year in a row, with category wins in 2006 and 2007 for the Impression 344 and the new model Elan 340 respectively.

The 2008 European Yacht of the Year Awards will be presented in January in Düsseldorf. It’s not an award that is just based on aesthetics and design features: the 11 jury members will have test sailed the boats in September in Holland or in the Barcelonan waters in November.

The 410 will be hard to beat: she is well designed, light and spacious with fresh modern details and materials harmoniously blended with the traditional layout. She’s slick and sleek, and delivers high performance that will move you quickly around the race course or up the coast.

With the ability to really sail, the 410 is a performance cruiser for sailors with a competitive edge - a true hybrid that will have you up the front of the fleet.

This is a serious boat for the Club racer who wants to be ultra competitive in the 40 to 45 foot range in IRC- and a great boat for premier events such as the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.


The 514 Impression premiered at the Genoa Boat Show in October 2006 with production to commence in 2007. Streamlined and luxurious, the new Impression 514 bluewater cruiser sets a new benchmark for yachts in its class.

The 514 is a commanding fast cruising yacht with a keel-stepped mast which can be rigged as a sloop or cutter with the choice of in-mast furling there at your finger tips. There are also the options of electric or hydraulic powered winches, a garage for a tender or even an office.

Luxuriously appointed, the semi deck saloon opens out into voluminous space, with overhead and side panoramic windows providing welcoming natural light and an excellent view. The selection of various interior layouts include up to 5 beautifully appointed cabins and large en-suite bathrooms which offer the owner the possibility to custom design.


Elan Yachts have a proud history of winning some of the best industry awards available. Their boats consistently stand out for their beauty, performance, quality construction and thoughtful design. They are recognised as great sailing boats: well balanced, stable yet responsive and with a good turn of speed.

It’s a winning combination that has proved appealing to everyone from families looking for a well appointed cruiser, to competitive club racers.

Earlier this year the popular Elan 37 Performance Cruiser was a finalist in the AMIF Australian Marine Awards 2007 (Australian Marine Industries Federation) perhaps partly in recognition of her impressive performance on the European race circuit.

As previously mentioned, the Elan won consecutive European Yacht of the Year awards in 2006 and 2007 for the Impression 344 and the new model Elan 340 respectively.

It was probably the handling and the feel of the Elan 340 that won the judges over.
The boat is very stable, responsive, has a big boat feel and tracks beautifully. She is well balanced, easy to handle with finger tip controlled wheel and quickly picks up speed after tacking; her plumb bow cuts through the water like a knife.

And her looks wouldn’t have done her any harm either. As well as looking bigger than her 10m, her lines are clean and modern but still retain a traditional, timeless look. There is a large and workable cockpit, 140mm wheel with new Jefa steering system, concealed halyards and many other well considered details.

Below deck, the design is modern with a fresh new blend of materials making her light, spacious and wonderfully comfortable with good air circulation. The bathroom is a generous size with two basins and practical wet locker. Most importantly there is superior structural construction with vacuum infused multi axial laminate hull.

This advanced construction technique is certified to Germanischer Lloyd’s new GL Plus level which ensures a higher quality of build, safety and resale value. This level of certification is something that comes with every single other Elan Yacht.

The Impression 344 is a perfect cruiser with the option of 2 or 3 cabin layout with the 2 cab version offering the much desired luxury of a separate shower. Other features are a big anchor locker, big boat bilge and built-in rear fender.
She offers the cruising family so much to enjoy, as well as the peace of mind that they are sailing on a yacht that is designed with exceptional seaworthiness, high stability ratings and superior keel fixing that is second to none.

With all these superb features it’s only a matter of time before Elan adds more awards to their already impressive collection.