South African builder Vision Yachts has unveiled the Vision 484, a new 48ft bluewater catamaran from its yard in Knysna. Hull one is due to launch in March 2027, and Vision says the first build slots are already sold.
Vision 484: not a stretched 444
Vision is clear that the 484 isn’t a longer version of its award-winning Vision 444. The hull form, deck layout and interior are all new. The headline change for offshore sailors is bridgedeck clearance, up from 700 mm on the 444 to 1,000 mm, which Vision says is there to cut slamming in a seaway. Headroom is 2.1 m in the hulls, rising to 2.2 m in key areas, and the boat comes in three- or four-cabin layouts.
Vision 484 specifications
| Vision 484 | |
|---|---|
| LOA | 14.75 m |
| Beam | 8.00 m |
| Draft | 1.25 m (mini keels) |
| Air draft | 21.7 m |
| Displacement | 12.7 t lightship / 17.0 t max load |
| Sail area | 87.1 m² main + 42.9 m² self-tacking jib |
| Engines | 2 × Nanni 50 hp |
| Certification | CE Category A |
How the Vision 484 is built
Hull, deck and bulkheads are epoxy infused over a closed-cell foam core. Vision’s argument is that epoxy doesn’t need a barrier coat added afterwards to keep water out. Each hull has 18 watertight compartments under the floorboards, and each bow has a two-stage crumple zone to absorb a collision. There’s also a dedicated workshop on board and direct access to the engines and key systems without taking the interior apart.
Price and availability
According to Vision’s press release, the base price is USD 1,500,000, ready to sail. A US debut is planned at Vision Days in the first half of 2027, with Europe to follow.
Our take
For couples planning real passages, the 1 m bridgedeck clearance and a usable payload (about 4.3 t between lightship and max load) matter more than any saloon render. We’d like to see one sail before saying more, but on paper it ticks the right boxes… for a cat, that is. 🙂
Sources: Vision Yachts: Vision 484 · Vision 484 press release (Pressmare)
