What is CE Certification and why is It important to you? 

CE Certification means more than safety. 

Since 1998, CE Certification is required for all recreational boats entering or being sold in the European Union. Manufacturers must test and document to ensure conformity.  

Aquila Power Catamarans doesn’t just build boats that offer comfort, innovation, and performance. We also build to these very demanding CE Certification standards. View a sample Aquila 54 Yacht CE Certificate.. 

The following four design categories help quantify a boat’s degree of seaworthiness, based on the wave height and wind speed the boat is designed to encounter and handle. The further offshore the vessel is expected to venture, the higher the expectations for construction strength, stability, freeboard, reserve buoyancy, resistance to down flooding, deck drainage, and other seaworthiness criteria.

All boats built by Aquila Power Catamarans are rated in one of these four categories. 

• Category A – Ocean: covers largely self-sufficient boats designed for extended voyages with winds of over Beaufort Force 8 (over 40 knots), and significant wave heights above 13 feet, but excluding abnormal conditions such as hurricanes.
• Category B – Offshore:  includes boats operating offshore with winds to 40 knots and significant seas to 13 feet.
• Category C – Inshore: is for boats operating in coastal waters and large bays and lakes with winds to Force 6, up to 27 knots, and significant seas 7 feet high.
• Category D – Inland or sheltered coastal waters: is for boats in small lakes and rivers with winds to Force 4, up to 16 knots, and significant wave heights to 18 inches.

While CE Certification is mandatory for new and used boats sold in Europe, it is not a requirement for the United States. CE standards clearly identify what each Aquila model design category is met, based on sea and wind conditions. However, with ABYC standards there aren’t any design categories that differentiate between boats of different capabilities based on sea and wind conditions.   While you may never experience rough weather conditions, your mind can be at ease knowing that, if you do, you will be on one of the safest power catamarans in the world.