The only problem with boat shows is that there are so many new boats. So many boats, so little time. It’s easy to feel confused and overwhelmed; it’s hard to keep focused on the boats you really want to see.
The Annapolis power show that starts on Oct. 5 is no exception; it will have more than 300 new boats on display on and around City Dock downtown. To help you make the most of your time, we’ve picked some of our cruising favorites that will be displayed there. Take a look:
AMERICAN TUG 365: Made in LaConner, Washington, the American Tug 365 is a no-frills, easy-to-use, comfortable cruising boat for a couple or small family that can take on everything from the Great Loop to the Inside Passage to a long trip on the ICW and over to the Bahamas. Power comes from a single 380-hp Cummins diesel that produces a top speed of 17 knots and a range of 1,600 nm at knots. The 365 has one cabin in the bow with a centered island queen bed with four drawers underneath, plus a cedar-lined hanging locker. The head has a large stall shower. Two more people can sleep on the convertible sofa in the salon. Sightlines from the pilothouse are excellent and doors open to the side decks. The L-shaped galley on the starboard side of the salon has solid-surface countertops, two sinks, a three-burner stove and an upright fridge/freezer. A Northern Lights genset, bow and stern thrusters, stern davit and choice of diesel heat or air conditioning with reverse cycle are all standard. American Tugs became part of the Kadey-Krogen Group in June. http://americantugs.com
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 Annapolis 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
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 door 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 60: The pilothouse of the Nordhavn 60 is located amidships for minimal motion at sea, and it has 360-degree visibility. Nordhavn knows something about what’s important on long-range cruisers. It built its first one 34 years ago, a Nordhavn 46, and it’s built more than 600 of them since then, from 35 to 120 feet. A Nordhavn 40 cruised around the world in 2001 and 2002, and Nordhavns have completed nine other circumnavigations since then. The interior of the 60 is similar to the interior of the popular 55, but the 60 has an additional five feet in the cockpit and lazarette to make more room for fishing, diving, watersports and general socializing. It also means that the boat deck overhead is extended more to handle a larger tender and have more room for kayaks and jet skis and other toys, and the boat gains a bit more speed from the longer waterline. The pilothouse has an elevated L-shaped settee and table behind the helm chair and next to a private stateroom with a double-sized berth and head for off-watch crew. The large owner’s stateroom is amidships and includes a head with shower and bathtub. A guest stateroom is forward with a double-sized berth, office area and head with stall shower. Standard power comes from a single 325-hp John Deere diesel, with a 10-knot top speed and a range of 3,000 nm at 8 knots. http://nordhavn.com
OUTER REEF 610 MOTORYACHT: The Outer Reef 610 Motoryacht hits the target as just the right size for owner-operators who are looking for ease of maneuverability, fuel efficiency, storage capacity and lots of interior volume. The accommodation space is enlarged, allowing for a full-beam master stateroom with a centerline king berth, large L-shaped, walk-in closet, and extra cabinets and storage. The VIP cabin forward with a queen bed and the guest cabin with side-by-side twin berths on the port side are also spacious. The main deck layout provides almost unlimited sightlines from the pilothouse. An adjoining galley has full-size appliances, the salon is home-like and comfortable and leads to a covered aft deck for alfresco dining. The added length of the hull under the extended swim platform increases speed (up to 23 knots) and efficiency. 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
