Now that the huge Miami boat shows have ended, it’s time to look at some trends that will determine the nature of cruising powerboats in the years ahead. After all, when you get 1,800 boats together (the combined total from the boat show and the yacht show), some dynamics have to emerge.
The basic trends involve a growing number of power catamarans, the continued growth of outboards on cruising boats, the move to high technology on almost every aspect of boat building and performance (which includes solar/electric power), the inclusion of more social areas on boats (from “beach clubs” under the aft decks to foldout bulwarks), and a strong desire to make boating easier, even for people with little, or no, previous experience. These trends are not mutually exclusive; indeed, many can be found on the same boat.
The power cat market is starting to take off, following the success of sailing cats, particularly in Europe and in charter fleets around the world. The Leopard 53 PC made its debut in Miami (with boats in both shows); that new cat will enter The Moorings charter fleet as a Moorings 534. Nautitech had the premiere of its 47 PC; Serenity showed a 64 solar cat, Fountaine-Pajot had its popular 40. The charter market is strong again, particularly as the BVI builds up after the hurricanes.
I continue to be surprised by the number of boats that have found more and more uses for their swim platforms, or for bulwarks that fold out from the aft deck. The sleek and luxurious Wallytender 48, which made its debut at the yacht show, increased the social area of its aft deck by folding out the aft bulwarks on both sides. Other boats have swim platforms with extensions, adding more room for enjoying water sports. Some, in a trend that Maritimo made popular, have even created beach clubs under the aft deck, including lounges, wet bars and more amenities.
Other trends are cosmetic. There’s a huge growth in the size and number of hull-side windows on the accommodations deck of many cruising boats. Some are regular and predictable, and serve their purpose of providing a lot of natural light to the cabins inside. Others are laid into the hull in deliberate odd shapes, reminding me of parts of a Picasso portrait.
For high-tech solutions, Boston Whaler has partnered with Raymarine to create an electronic assisted-docking system; a fully autonomous boat is not too far behind. And Sea Ray has some cutting-edge technology on its SLX-R 400e, where it uses Mastervolt lithium-ion batteries and power conversion modules to provide all the boat’s power for a day; you don’t need a generator. The batteries can be recharged in 4.5 hours.
At Miami, everywhere you looked, on the docks and on the water, you’d find new cruising boats with three, four, five or more outboards. These ranged from the classic MJM 53Z, with four 300-hp Mercury outboards, to such head-turning luxury walkarounds as the HCB Estrella 65, with up to six 450-hp Mercurys. Hinckley was displaying its popular (16 sold) 40 sport boat at the show; it’s powered by three 300-hp Mercury outboards.
As the show started, the National Marine Manufacturers Association released a report showing that outboard sales increased for the eighth straight year in 2019, led by engines in the 200-hp and larger range. Volvo announced it will start producing its massive Seven Marine outboards in Tennessee; they come in 527-, 577- and 627-hp models. And Mercury officials said they were working on a larger version of the 450R; “look for a big announcement at the next Miami show,” one said.
