It was a beautiful day for a boat ride. On Wednesday this week, the rain that had covered the Northeast on Tuesday moved out to sea, leaving us a warm and sunny afternoon to take the new Marex 310 Sun Cruiser out for a spin on Long Island Sound.
I met Hal Slater and Dan Trusty of Brewer Yacht Sales at their offices at Safe Harbor Marina in Westbrook Connecticut, the yard known for years as Pilot’s Point. Hal is the president and owner of Brewer Yacht Sales and has decades of experience in marine brokerage and new boat sales.
Dan is a yacht sales specialist and is the point person in the company for the new Marex brand. Marex USA is run by Chris Hughes and he brought Brewer on as a primary dealer eight months ago.
Marex, a Norwegian-based, family-owned builder of fine family-style cruisers from 31 to 44 feet, made its USA debut at the Palm Beach International boat show this spring and Brewer is planning to have four boats at the Newport International Boat Show in September. The Marex invasion of North America has begun, but in inimitable Marex style, the process is well planned and deliberate.
We jumped aboard the 310 Sun Cruiser in the nearby marina and I had a quick look around as Dan fired up the 380-horsepower Volvo D6 with a DPI stern drive. I first got to see the Marex line of boats at the Cannes boat show in France last fall and met the company’s owner and president Espen Aalrud.
So, I had a pretty good idea what the Marex concept is all about. But, I had not been on a 310 Sun Cruiser so my first impression was of just how spacious this 31-footer truly is. A two-cabin, one-head express cruiser, the boat feels like a 36-footer or larger.
The second thing that jumps out at you is the attention to both quality and to advanced ergonomics. The cockpit has a U-shaped dinette on the starboard side and a bench settee across from it. The dinette table folds out to accommodate six for meals and is solid teak, not veneer.
The cushions and back rests are sculpted to provide positive lumbar support and the corners are rounded so, whether facing sideways or forward, you always have a comfortable backrest. This is true of the helm and co-pilot seats as well which are both snug and well proportioned. It should be noted that Marex uses mega-yacht quality fabrics, and the stitching is a work of art in itself.
As we inched out of the marina slip, Dan used the main engine and the bow thruster to pivot around a piling and nudge the 310 into the marina channel. He pointed out as he did this just how well laid out the helm is. The seat is high enough for great visibility through the fixed windscreen and side windows. The throttle is mounted so your right hand lies on it in a natural position. The bow thruster control is right next to the wheel so you can maneuver the boat using just the thruster and the throttle. The Garmin MFD is mounted right behind the wheel and is angled so it is visible whether you are sitting or standing with the sunroof open.
One of Marex’s signature design features is the double retractable sunroofs over the cockpit and helm. The forward sunroof slides aft manually, while the aft one slides forward. With these open, the whole area is exposed to the sky, like a convertible with the top down.
The second design feature that compliments these sunroofs is the cockpit enclosure. The side panels stow neatly in hidden lockers at the aft end of the cabin sides and can be deployed in seconds. With the sunroofs closed and the enclosure made fast and with the aft zipper opening closed, the whole area becomes a weather-tight living room.
We eased our way out the channel into the sound and once clear Dan put the throttle down. The torque of the DPI’s propellers snapped our heads back a little and, keeping an eye on my watch, I noted that we were up onto a plane in eight seconds. Not bad for a family cruiser.
The sound was unusually flat so we skimmed over the surface effortlessly. The Volvo engine sits under the cockpit sole and the compartment is so well insulated that even at high revs we were able to talk without raising our voices too much.
The hull form has a fine entry and then flattens out as it runs aft into a shape that planes easily and is stable when sitting at anchor. We made a few circles and ran over our own wakes to see how it did in chop and the pounding was minimal.
At red-line revs of 3500, the 310 maxed out at 35 knots and the feel on the helm was positive and without vibration. Dan has run the boat up and down the sound and has found that 23 knots is an optimal cruising speed. At this rate, according to the Garmin’s computer, the Volvo burns eight gallon an hour and delivers 1.6 miles to the gallon. Burning a gallon a mile is often a benchmark for express cruisers, so the 310 Sun Cruiser offers exceptional efficiency.
As we headed back to the marina, we performed a slow speed crash stop and the effect was impressive. The double props on the DPI stopped us in half a boat length.
While motoring up the channel, I took a minute to check out the accommodations. The master cabin has a full-size double berth that is angled across the forepeak. It has large storage spaced beneath it. The guest cabin is under the cockpit and has sitting headroom and a large double berth. The head is compact but has everything you need.
The galley is across from the head and has a four-burner induction electric stove so you have to switch on the 5 kW generator to prepare meals. You also will run the genset to operate the air conditioning. A propane stove is an option and there is a locker on the swim platform for a propane tank.
There is a lot to admire in this spacious, beautifully built 31-footer. The care that has gone into the build, the fit out and the finish work are impressive. As more and more North Americans get to know this Norwegian brand –which has been building and selling boats in Scandinavia and Europe for 52 years—they will see just how deep the quality runs.
Specifications
LOA 31’
Beam 11’
Draft 3’2”
Displ. 4.5 Tonnes
Water 73 Gal.
Holding 39 Gal.
Fuel 116 Gal.
Engine Volvo D6 380 hp.
Read more here.
