The full keel hull design helps the Delphia Escape 1080 S to stay level and stable through the waves.

Escape to places you always dreamed of.

By Andy Adams and John Armstrong
Photos courtesy Delphia Yachts

To say that Canadian Yachting readers enjoy a store wide variety of boating experiences and conditions would be quite an understatement!

The coastal conditions of Atlantic Canada are very different from those in British Columbia's Pacific Northwest and very different again from cruising Ontario's Trent Severn Canal or Rideau, or for that matter, the Thousand Islands or the St. Lawrence through Québec.

In the Delphia Escape 1080 S we have one yacht that can be served up in a variety of different configurations with either a two, or a three cabin layout and with four engine options from 75 hp to 370.

Given the price and accommodations, a 75 hp version might be the perfect Trent Severn boat allowing you to cruise for hours at 7 kn burning a mere 5 litres per hour. That's exactly the life our test boat lives, but other owners might be dreaming of crossing Lake Ontario to make their way south to Florida, so a bit more power might be in order. Then again, to really buck the headwinds or high seas you might experience in Atlantic Canada, the 370 hp version would make sense.

The Delphia Escape 1080 S is designed for offshore sailing and has CE Certification B meaning that it is suitable for cruises with wave heights up to 4 metres and wind strength up to number 8 on the Beaufort scale. This where you'll need the power!

A day like that is not my idea of fun, but to really have a capable cruising boat, you have to be prepared for extreme conditions.

Specifically, it is constructed to B Class Lloyds Registered construction standards. The running surface is like a traditional full keel displacement boat with planning sections added to increase top speed.

Many of our readers will be familiar with Delphia for their well-known line of sailboats but in fact, this company, headquartered in Olecko, Poland, builds 2200powerboats per year and that number is growing.

With production volume like that, it's possible for Delphia to offer a wide variety of buyer choices for example, the Escape 1080 could have beach, mahogany, cherry, walnut, or teak interior trims and one of 7 different countertop choices.

All of the interior layouts however, follow the thinking behind Delphia's sailboat interiors in terms of layout and space utilization.

Exterior
Delphia recognizes that it's important to be able to get around the topsides easily, especially for boats that will be going through canals and locks. Diamond patterned nonskid is on the forward decks everywhere. The decks themselves are wide and flat with cabin-side handholds to make it easier going forward. The deck area is surprisingly large and includes two big lounge seats forward.

Again adapting to living aboard and cruising, there is a 160 foot anchor chain with foot counter and a Quick windlass.

At the opposite end, the swim platform is approximately three feet wide, which is enough to use comfortably but not too expansive for mooring or dock charges.

Another good feature for cruising is the 400 amp AGM battery bank and on the test boat, the owners had added a large solar panel which fits on the cabin roof.

Accommodations
The cockpit area seats six or seven people in comfort with a huge amount of storage under the seats and below in the lazarette, you have sufficient space to store folding bicycles and other really bulky items. It's such a pleasure to be mobile when you get into a marina.

The bright and spacious cabin is clearly inspired by the functionality and design ethic of Delphia’s sailboat line.

Our test boat also had a full enclosure over the cockpit for sunshade and in this configuration the cabin and helm are fully open, making air-conditioning somewhat impractical. Instead, the owners had placed a number of fans to encourage air movement and keep people comfortable. The boat does have an overhead glass sunroof, but in this situation, the previously mentioned solar panel covers that over.

The helm is located on the starboard side behind the huge windshield and coupled with the very thin roof pillars,you enjoy an almost completely unimpeded view 360°. The side glass also slides open for additional ventilation.

Here the forward cabin is done up as a double berth with a large hanging locker and generous storage drawers.

At the helm, there is a RaymarineHybrid Touch MFD screen and the test boat was fitted with VHF radio and autopilot which for this type of boat, is a very important feature. Another very useful featureis the thrustersystem with bow and stern units to aid in docking.

midship cabins are bright and functional.

There is a double-wide companion seat and this has a nice flat area on the bulkhead where you can spread out your charts.

A sailboat style hatch leads into the cabin where we found a large starboard side dinette suitable for seating up to six when you make use of the movable hassocks. This boat was finished with the beechwood interior and it was light and bright and quite pleasant. There are two opening portholes and hull side glazing to bring in the daylight making the big dinette even more pleasant.

The galley is located to port with a propane oven and two-burner stove top. This also has generous storage with a two doorlocker forward, space for pots and pans under the oven. The stove cover stows away making the best use of the counter space plus there is a cutlery drawer, two more bins plus three lockers. The test boat was also equipped with a big Isotherm refrigerator with a separate freezer compartment.

Aft are port and starboard single berths with hanging lockers, opening portholes and some storage space. These are plain but functional family cabins.

Looking forward to the vee berth, you can convert from a single berth running up the port side and with another single to starboard, or using a filler cushion, the entire area can be filled in making quite a huge sleeping area. There are hanging lockers for your things.

Canadian Yachting’s John Armstrong ran the Delphia Escape 1080 S on Lake Ontario.Here is what he said, “We headed out in light to moderate chop and we found that the full keel design did a great job of helping the boat to track accurately and easily through the waves. We ran through the waves at 90 and 45° as well as heading into the weather and running downwind. The boat was comfortable and stable at all times. Even in the following sea, it was tracking effortlessly.”

“In addition to the full keel, the Escape 1080 has a low center of gravity to minimize rolling which will contribute to passenger comfort.”

“With theVolvo Penta D2-75engine, top speed was modest,but we didn't need to be in a rush. With most information displayed on theRaymarine Hybrid Touch multifunction display, the helm is straightforward and easily understood. The Escape 1080 enjoys great sightlines in all directions with the stern curtaincanvas down.”

“Engine noise was subdued at all times, so making a long passage with this boat would not be tedious, especially using the autopilot. Another thing we liked was that the breaker panel and all wiring was very clearly labeled so if you encountered difficulty in a remote area, it should be easy to track down the problem. It's the sort of thing a long-distance cruiser needs to care about,” Armstrong concluded.

With so much onboard storage, the bright and clean interior appointments and spacious galley, the DelphiaEscape 1080 S will be a stable and easy-going partner for your cruising adventures.

It's a very functional boat full of possibilities for seeing the world from the water.

For easy maintenance, the head is gel coat finished and there is an opening port hole and storage space for cruising supplies. 

SPECIFICATIONS
Engines:Volvo Penta D2-75, in-line 4-cylinder, 2.2-liter, charge air cooled diesel engine using a cam-driven, in-line injection pump, and freshwater cooling. Other options are Volvo Penta: 115 hp , 180 hp, 370hp. Nani Diesel engines also available.

ENGINE RPM MPH
Idle
1,000
1,250
1,500
1,750
2,000
2,250
2,500
2,750
3,000
3,250
3,500
3,750
4,000
4,250
4,500
4,750

Length overall: 35.43’ / 10.8 m
Beam: 11.32’ / 3.45 m
Displacement: 12,125 lbs / 5,500 kg
Fuel capacity: 66 Imp gal / 300 L
Fresh water capacity: 66 Imp gal / 300 L
Waste holding: 17.6 Imp gal / 80 L
Maximum power: 370 hp
Price: $317,696.

Test boat, performance data and pricing supplied by: www.NaviProYachts.com