One of my first stops at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat show last week was the Palm Beach in-the-water display to see the new and much anticipated Palm Beach 70.
The Australian builder of fine Downeast-style cruising boats had made a splash earlier in the year when the company became an official sponsor of the Newport-to-Bermuda Race, all sailboats, and was first to arrive in Bermuda. The 70 needed only 36 hours to cover the 636-mile course.
CEO and Chief Designer Mark Richards noted before the race: “I’m very proud to have Palm Beach Motor Yachts sponsoring this prestigious race. Ocean racing is a huge passion of mine and I’m looking forward to navigating the complete course from Newport to Bermuda at the helm of our beautiful Palm Beach 70, demonstrating our ocean-going capabilities and amazing fuel efficiency.”
Making an offshore run like that in a 70-foot motor yacht is no small feat since the passage involves crossing the Gulf Stream. But to make the trip while averaging almost 18 knots is a major achievement and does underscore the seakeeping ability and fuel efficiency of the 70 and all of the Palm Beach line from 42 to70 feet.
The key design elements that produce boats that are fast, comfortable at sea and efficient are the V-Warp hull form and the weight reduction that flows from exotic construction techniques and materials.
The V-Warp hull form has a very fine entry, moderate beam and a minimum amount of dead rise in the after sections which contributes to the boat’s stability and ability to rise onto a plane easily.
The hull is constructed using precise resin-to-E glass laminations while the deck, bulkheads and super structure are built in ultra-light carbon fiber laminates. Reducing weight creates a more efficient hull and thus better than average fuel consumption.
The 70 I climbed aboard at the show has the handsome Downeast look the brand is famous for, complete with a bit of tumblehome at the stern, a lovely sheer line and low-slung sedan cabin with the signature Palm Beach half-moon salon windows.
Every Palm Beach is built on a semi-custom basis and offered with styles that include the sedan, flybridge, extended flybridge and Skylounge versions. The Skylounge has an enclosed flying bridge that will be all-weather space for running the boat and relaxing at anchor.
With 19-feet of beam, the 70 offers expansive living spaces in the aft cockpit, the salon and down below. The flybridge and extended flybridge models provide huge spaces up top for al fresco dining and sun bathing.
The 70’s standard power package is twin Volvo IPS 1200S engines that deliver a top speed of 33 knots and a cruising speed of 28 knots. But, as Palm Beach demonstrated on the run to Bermuda, the 70 can easily make long passages efficiently at 18 knots. That says a lot.
The fit and finish of the new 70 is stunning and a very pleasing combination of classic yacht style, ie varnished teak cabinets and bulkheads, with light-colored, fabric-covered ceilings and hull liners. The effect is one that will never go out of style.
The flagship of the Palm Breach fleet will take you comfortably and efficiently offshore and will make a truly stylish family cruiser that will turn heads wherever she goes. Read more here.
Watch a video below.
