There certainly is no shortage of new boats to see at the Newport show that starts on Sept. 14. In fact, hundreds of them are on display on the docks at, and next to, the Newport Yachting Center. There are so many new boats that it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, to get sidetracked, or simply overwhelmed and confused.
To help you make the most of your time at the show, we’ve picked ten of our favorites. Take a look:
AXOPAR 45 The new Axopar flagship, a 45 XC Cross Cabin (pictured above), is an adventure cruiser that tops out at 45 knots with three fuel efficient 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards. The latest and largest Axopar is long, low and lean, with a beam of only 13’ 6,” and it shares the same DNA as the company’s increasingly popular lineup of fast boats that starts at 22 feet. Axopar, an innovative builder from Finland, says the 45 is an alternative to larger and more expensive yachts in the 45-foot range, and “boasts a yacht’s luxuries and handling without the price tag or maintenance commitment.” Standard features include large gullwing doors that offer a seamless connection between the salon and outdoors, midship balconies that help you get on and off easily, two electric sliding sun roofs, two sliding doors, and an adjustable wet bar and table in the cabin for flexible space The forward cabin sleeps two and has an en suite head. An optional aft cabin can sleep two more. http://axopar.fi
BACK COVE 372 A couple’s cruiser, the classic Back Cove 372 with its made-in-Maine, Down East lines, seems to beckon for a weekend away, a snowbird’s voyage down the ICW, a year’s exploration of the Great Loop. The Back Cove 372 has the efficiency of a single-diesel cruiser, producing comfortable speeds of 25 knots for more than 300 nm. With a standard 600-hp Cummins, top speed is 28.9 knots, and at a displacement speed of 7.3 knots the range goes up to 1,257 nm. The 372 is an updated version of the original Back Cove 37 that was one of the company’s most popular models after it was introduced in 2009; more than 200 were sold. The aft cockpit is an inviting social area, and the galley is up in the salon, opposite the helm. The master cabin has a queen-sized bed in the bow, and there’s a second cabin, with a two-person bed, tucked under the helm. If you’re interested in more speed, the Back Cove 390 comes with three 400-hp Mercury Verado outboards; it tops out at 44 knots. http://backcoveyachts.com
GRAND BANKS 60 SKYLOUNGE Available with either an open flybridge or fully enclosed skylounge, the Grand Banks 60 is an elegant blue-water cruiser with a full complement of Grand Banks’ signature style and craftsmanship. In the Skylounge version (at the Newport show), there is no lower helm, so the galley is moved forward, creating a large living space on the main deck with separate lounging and dining areas. The boat is a three-stateroom, two-head, high-tech cruiser, the initial result of Mark Richards’ revamping of the company when he took over in 2014. It uses state-of-the-art lightweight materials for a low center of gravity, and the deck and flybridge are fully carbon infused. The bulkheads and furniture are bonded to the hull for extra strength. The warped hull starts with a fine entry and almost flat, lift-producing sections aft. Deadrise at the transom is only 8 degrees. The highly efficient hull provides a soft ride and leaves almost no wake behind. http://gbmarinegroup.com
HINCKLEY PICNIC BOAT 40 S Ever since it was first launched in 1995, the Hinckley Picnic Boat, with its drop-dead gorgeous Down East lines, has become a worldwide icon. Hinckley has made more than 1,000 of them so far; other companies have made countless more lookalikes. But Hinckley is not resting on its history. It recently introduced a new electric-diesel hybrid SilentJet technology on the Picnic Boat 40 S so the boat can run without any fumes or noise under electric power, or transition seamlessly into a traditional diesel mode. Hinckley developed SilentJet with Twin Disc to integrate the new technology with Hinckley’s trademarked JetStick control. The SilentJet system uses two 90 kW electric motors and twin 550-hp Cummins diesels, plus an 80 kWh battery that can be recharged under diesel power or in eight to ten hours on shorepower. With SilentJet you can cruise under electric power at 7 knots for an hour; drop down to 5.5 knots and the range jumps to 90 minutes. Under diesel power, the Hinckley tops out at 35 knots. http://hinckleyyachts.com
HUNT 68 The new Hunt 68 flybridge yacht is the latest in the legendary builder’s line of classic, sea-kindly Down East cruisers. The new 68 has a large extended flybridge, a custom interior, and Hunt’s iconic deep-V hull that provides a fast, safe and soft ride offshore in all kinds of conditions. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the 68 flybridge has the updated version of the deep-V hull that Ray Hunt first designed more than half a century ago. Top speed is about 32 knots with twin 1,600-hp CATs, and 37 knots with 2,000-hp CATs. The 68 has Hunt’s elegant fit and finish, and you can order it with three or four generous staterooms below, all with en suite heads and showers. And you can have the galley up or down, as well as a lower lounge where you can enjoy a morning coffee, or evening cocktail, in privacy. http://huntyachts.com
KROGEN 52 The Krogen 52 represents the essence of every Krogen built since 1977. It’s a full-displacement, ocean-crossing trawler yacht with liveaboard accommodations for a couple or a family. The flow from the covered aft deck into the salon and galley area makes use of a lot of usable space. The galley is almost home-like, and it even has a side for ventilation and easy provisioning. The pilothouse settee and table could easily serve as a second salon. Below, the accommodations include an open office area that also could be converted into a third stateroom. Up top, the flybridge provides more social space, as well as horizon-searching vistas from the upper helm. The Krogen 52 is powered by a single 231-hp John Deere diesel, and the yacht carries 1,400 gallons of fuel. As a result, it has a range of 3,300 nm at 7 knots. http://kadeykrogen.com
MJM 4 For fast acceleration, take a ride on the 46-foot MJM 4, powered by twin 600-hp V12 Mercury Verado outboards. It’s fun, really fun. The new MJM tops out at about 60 knots, and it provides a smooth and solid ride throughout the speed range. The MJM 4 is a luxury family day boat, made in North Carolina in what the company now calls a modern Carolina Down East style. It has seating for at least four adults in the open bow, and it’s also a capable weekend (or longer) cruiser, with a V-berth below for two and another cabin a bit aft for two more; there’s also a head with a large enclosed shower. The 4 has MJM’s first galley-up layout, running along the port side. The helm station on the starboard side has two luxurious seats (MJM calls them “business class” with good reason) facing an elegant, exceptionally clean and user-friendly helm. All told, the MJM has a lot going for it; indeed, it was named Best New Powerboat at last year’s Newport show. http://mjmyachts.com
NORDHAVN 475 Nordhavn actually will be displaying a brokerage Nordhavn 43 at the show; its hull served as the for the new 475. The 475 (pictured) was designed to replace the popular 43 in the company’s lineup. It’s a two-stateroom, two-head, pilothouse cruiser, powered by a single 180-hp John Deere diesel, and it remains true to Nordhavn’s blue-water, world-circling roots. On the 475, the keel is extended aft from the keel on the 43, the salon is larger, and the boat deck and the flybridge are entirely new. There are Dutch doors on both sides of the pilothouse, as well as leading into the salon, and three boarding doors provide easy entry to the cockpit. The pilothouse has a varnished teak table and a drawer for charts under the settee, which can function as a pilot berth on long cruises. http://nordhavn.com
OUTER REEF 610 MOTORYACHT Designed as a right-sized yacht for owner-operators, the popular 610 Outer Reef Motoryacht comes with easy maneuverability, fuel efficiency, and lots of storage capacity and interior volume. Accommodations include a full-beam master stateroom with a centerline king berth, an L-shaped, walk-in closet and extra cabinetry and storage. The queen VIP cabin is forward, and a port-side guest cabin has side-by-side twin berths. The open main-deck layout provides almost unlimited sightlines from the pilothouse, adjoining galley and salon. The aft deck is covered for al fresco dining. The added length of the hull under the extended swim platform increases the hull speed and increases efficiency. The large platform serves as a launching point for water sports. Depending on power, top speed ranges from 13 to 23 knots; cruising speed from 9 to 18 knots. http://outerreefyachts.com
SABRE 45 SALON EXPRESS When it was first introduced five years ago, the Sabre 45 SE was an instant hit. It won the People’s Choice Award at the Newport show that year, and then was named a Top Product by Boating Industry magazine. This Maine-built cruiser with clean and classic Down East lines has only been getting better ever since. It’s now powered by twin 480-hp Volvo IPS650 pod drives, producing a top speed of 33 knots. But as testimony to Sabre’s quality, the 45 SE is a quiet boat, registering only 63 dB(A) at a fast cruising speed of 28 knots, where its range is 314 nm. The 45 SE is a two-cabin, two-head boat with a salon that flows down two steps to a bright half-up (or half-down) galley. And it has a unique utility space between the engine room and the guest stateroom that can used for everything from washer/dryers, freezers, wine chillers, whatever. This working space means that all other storage areas in the boat have been preserved, so the overall accommodations feel like those in a larger vessel. http://sabreyachts.com
