The Say 42 is one of the shipyard’s first models and will soon be joined by the Sport version. We tried it out during the last Cannes Yachting Festival to test its features: innovative, fast and lightweight
by Niccolò Volpati
Knowing how to work with carbon fibre is essential. Experience is essential. It’s even better if you have experience in the automotive industry. This is precisely Karl Wagner’s background, the Chief Technology Officer at Say Carbon Yachts. Karl founded Carbo Tech Composites, a company that supplied Aston Martin and McLaren. In the mid-1990s, Carbo Tech Composites was the first company to introduce the monocoque chassis in Formula 1. He then moved from the automotive industry to the nautical sector, taking over a shipyard on Lake Constance that built small carbon sailing boats. He decided to build a 29-footer first and, shortly afterwards, a 42-footer. The Say 42 has a sporty, modern design. The standard propulsion package consists of two 6.2-litre Volvo Penta V8 engines with a total output of 860 horsepower. Combined with the lightweight construction and naval architecture, this guarantees a top speed of almost 50 knots. Alternatively, you can opt for two 3.7-litre Volvo Penta D4 diesel engines, each with 320 hp. The goal is always to ensure exceptional performance while keeping the hull glued to the water.
When sailing, it is simply exhilarating, both in terms of performance and the manoeuvres that the hull allows. Seats, sunbathing areas and a real motorboat deckhouse, accessible when the boat is moored or at anchor.
The hull design is the result of collaboration between the German shipyard and Petestep Hull Design, a Swedish company specialising in fast hulls. Petestep has created a system of deflectors that direct water towards the stern, and the steps have been designed to operate at 20, 30, and 40 knots. This is, of course, a patented design. When we cast off the moorings in Cannes, there is a one-metre wave and a wind speed of about twelve knots. After taking the necessary readings, I ask the driver if I can take the helm. He tells me to be careful, as the sea conditions are not ideal. As soon as I take control, I realise that the Say 42 is fast and very manoeuvrable. It tilts and turns very sharply, even at high speed. It is an exhilarating feeling. The driver watches me closely, but quickly realises that he can trust me.
Carbon processing cannot be improvised. Thanks to its founder,
the shipyard has been doing it for many years.
Despite the one-metre waves, I manage to push the boat to 46.2 knots, and the hull remains stable and glued to the surface. I must confess that I have rarely found myself in similar conditions. Usually, high-performance boats do not forgive driving errors. You need to be very careful to avoid getting hurt. This is not the case with Say 42. The only risk you run, if the driver is not very experienced in handling waves, is to take a few knocks jumping from one wave to another. Otherwise, the feeling is one of total safety combined with the maximum excitement I feel as I accelerate in the trough of the waves or turn sharply on the crest. Fun is guaranteed. Even the most insensitive helmsman would be unable to remain indifferent.
Karl Wagner
Before Say Carbon, Karl Wagner founded Carbo Tech Composites, a company specialising in carbon processing for the automotive industry.
The engine room houses two Volvo Penta V8 petrol engines, each with 430 horsepower. The thrust is considerable. The Say 42 takes three seconds to plane, as if you were aboard a maxi rib with outboard motors on the transom. The minimum planning speed is less than 15 knots, so the range of possible cruising speeds is over 30 knots. Cruising isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you’re on board this boat; instead, it’s the ideal speed for having fun. Even in this case, the wide range guarantees more choice. Fuel consumption remains low, a testament to the hull’s excellent performance across speed, acceleration, and fuel economy. After all, the displacement is 4.5 tonnes because the construction is made of carbon fibre.
Everything on board is made of carbon fibre, but not all of it is the same material. As Carlos Vassallo, Global Head of Sales at the shipyard, explains to me, Say Carbon Yachts’ experience allows them to use one type of carbon for structural parts, one for visible parts, one for reinforcements and one to create five or six layers with variable geometries, to achieve flexibility where needed. In any case, the feeling is that of being aboard a robust boat capable of navigating rough seas at high speeds. Even the hardtop, which covers the central part of the boat (i.e. the console area), rests on two uprights that prevent any vibration when the boat jumps from one wave to another. The cushioned, adjustable seats enhance the feel at the helm. The trim is always correct, and visibility from the helm is always optimal. All carbon fibre is processed in-house; this German shipyard boasts a high level of craftsmanship and experience. Ultimately, the Say 42 is an excellent day boat that can also be used as a chaise boat towed behind a maxiyacht or as a tender, given that, with a davit, it is not difficult to lift a total weight of 4.5 tonnes.
Engine room
Two Volvo Penta V8 engines, each with 430 hp, provide just the right amount of power to enhance the characteristics of this boat. Plenty of power, excellent performance, but also low fuel consumption thanks to a lightweight carbon-based displacement.
SAY CARBON YACHTS
Felix – Wankel – Str 1
D-88239 Wangen im Allgau
T. +49 7520 969900
www.saycarbonyachts.com
PROJECT
Shipyard technical department
HULL
LOA 12.96m • Maximum beam 3.99m • Draft 0.87m • Displacement 4,500 kg • Fuel tank volume 800 l
EC CERTIFICATION
CAT B
PRICE*
1,212,600.00 € Base Boat – Powered with 2x Volvo Penta D4 Diesel DPI 3.7 L 320 hp + Aquamatic duo-prop drive (640 hp combined) and 4 kW low-noise diesel generator (for diesel engine only)
Propulsion options
2x Volvo Penta D4 Diesel DPI 3.7 L 320 hp with Aquamatic duo-prop drive (640 hp combined) + 44,990.00 €
*The price refers to December 2025
(Say 42 – Innovative, fast and lightweight – Barchemagazine.com – Excerpted from Barche, December 2025)
