Iliad Catamarans just unveiled its new 53 Flybridge in Australia, a blue-water, long-range cruiser with impressive space and performance.
The new power cat has high clearance and high freeboard for its bridge deck that helps to keep its ride soft and safe, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The flybridge makes use of the cat’s almost-25-foot beam to create a large social area that offers unobstructed views all around. It has a centered two-person helm seat with a bar on the starboard side and a large U-shaped seating area and table to port. A hardtop, with a sunroof, provides some weather protection.
The bridge deck has the lower helm with two seats on the starboard side, a dinette seating eight people to port, and the home-sized galley, fitted with the latest European appliances, aft. Wide glass doors lead to the cockpit, all on the same level.
The cockpit offers another social area, with a bar, ice-maker, fridge, barbecue and table for ten. It’s protected by the extension of the flybridge up top. The swim platform provides access to swimming, diving or sun bathing when the tender is deployed.
The Iliad 53 is a semi-custom boat, but the standard layout calls for a luxurious master stateroom occupying the entire starboard hull, with a queen-sized bed set athwartships so it faces large hull windows for ocean views. The master also has a long dressing area and then the head and shower forward. The two other cabins, both with en suite heads and showers, are in the port hull.
Power comes from twin 440-hp Volvo or Yanmar diesels, producing a top speed of 21 knots. Dialed back to 8 knots or so, the 53 Flybridge has a range of 3,135 nm.
Iliad was started in 2019; it now builds power cats from 50 to 62 feet. The company is headquartered in Queensland, Australia, on the Coral Sea. The boats are made in China.
Specs.: LOA: 53’4”; Beam: 24’9”; Draft: 4’2”; Disp.: 52,910 lbs.; Fuel: 924 gals.; Water: 211 gals; Power: 2×440-hp Volvo or Yanmar diesels. Read more:
