Built in the Netherlands on a semi-custom basis, the Globemaster 50 LRX is a long-range-exploration vessel for an adventurous couple. The design brief, created by designer and builder Erik Leander, was to build a CE Class A all-ocean boat in aluminum that would be self-sufficient while cruising and could be recycled when its cruising days are done.
The hull and deck are unfinished 7mm aluminum plate that give the craft a workboat or military appearance in much the same way the Steve Dashew’s cruising powerboats do. This all-business style outside is offset by a warm, wood-finished interior that evokes old-time yacht style.
With three water-tight bulkheads, and a massive, redundant bulge pump system, the 50 LRZ should be nearly unsinkable. (But you would never want to say that out loud while aboard.)
To make the 50 as sustainable as possible, the boat is rigged with massive solar panels and two windmills that feed the huge lithium house battery bank. The main engine is a 340-horsepower Volvo Penta D6 that provides a top speed of 12 knots, a cruising speed of 9 knots and a long-haul speed of six knots. With 800-gallons of fuel, the 50 has a range of 2,000 miles at nine knots; at 6 knots, its range will be over 4,000 miles, or enough for a transatlantic run.
The 50 LRX is certainly an interesting voyaging boat that will appeal to intrepid souls. Read more here.
