The new Marlow 70E Mk 2 is the latest high-tech iteration of the 70E that Marlow started building almost 20 years ago, a fast and luxurious long-range cruiser with an Enclosed Command Bridge built for its new owner, a leader in the boating industry. Powered by twin 1,150 Cats, the 70E Mk 2 topped out at 27.55 knots in its very first sea trials in China, before it was put on a ship to be delivered to the U.S. in time for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 31.
After sea trials in the U.S. and possible adjustments to the props, David Marlow wrote me that he expects the new 70E Mk 2 to top out at 28 knots. It already is a quiet boat, registering only 68 dB(A) at the upper helm at a 20-knot cruising speed.
The new 70E Mk 2 is built using Marlow’s proprietary Full Stack Infusion process for construction of the entire hull and all components of the boat. It allows the entire structure to be infused, from the outer skin coat through coring to the inner skin, in one shot infusion, saving about 2,000 pounds while providing greater strength. “Full Stack is the only way to produce a truly monocoque part,” Marlow wrote. “Just as in welding, parts can be joined at separate intervals and operations but nothing can approach a pure forging of the alloys done at once.”
The Enclosed Command Bridge is the control center of the new Marlow, with a private captain’s cabin aft with a large head and stall shower. a large electronics array, a nav desk, plush seating and a refreshment center. On the boat deck, the Mk 2 has a 15-foot Novurania and a 1,600-pound davit.
Below, the boat has a Seakeeper 26 gyro-stabilizer to ensure a comfortable ride in a seaway or at anchor. It sits in what Marlow calls “a Lexan-enclosed throne room” on the centerline and slightly aft of the longitudinal center of gravity. A large spare parts area is above the Seakeeper.
Marlow yachts typically have large engine rooms, and Marlow wrote that the twin Cats “sit inside a virtually empty engine room of enormous size.” The engines can be encircled without impediment, he said, to inspect the sea chests. A separate machinery room contains a pair of 27 kW Onan gensets and various pumps and transformers. Aft, the lazarette is huge, with 6’ 8” of headroom; it houses the steering apparatus made with Marlow’s own custom metalworking. Marlow says the new owner is 6’ 3” and he can walk through the boat from the lazarette to the gyro room with his hat on. The boat carries 3,000 gallons of fuel, but the fuel management is fully automatic.
The underbody has Marlow’s proprietary Strut Keels for superior down-sea tracking. All water is brought on board through two interconnected sea chests; discharge, port and starboard, is through common drains to avoid what Marlow calls a “blitz of seacocks and valves.”
The Marlow 70E Mk 2 is an upscale four-stateroom yacht, with a mate’s cabin forward of the lazarette on the port side with private on-deck entry, stall shower and head. The mate can keep watch over all the machinery functions through large tempered-glass observation windows.
The exterior is built for relaxing and entertaining, with gathering spaces fore and aft with built-in tables and settees. The main salon is about 20 feet long with custom furnishings and a seamless Burmese teak high-gloss sole. A large country kitchen with a center island is built for family dining or entertaining; there’s also a U-shaped dining lounge that seats eight. The entire area offers 360-degree sightlines.
Specs.: LOA: 77’9”; Beam: 18’6”; Draft: 4’10”; Disp.: 81,000 lbs.; Fuel: 3,000 gals.; Water: 500 gals.; Power: 2×1,150-hp CAT C-18 diesels.
