It has only been 15 years since Absolute emerged on the scene in a very crowed segment of the cruising market. Yet, by dint of extraordinary designs and inimitable style, the brand has now developed 10 models from 48 to 70 feet. The new Navetta 62, which was introduced at last fall’s Cannes Festival of Yachting, bears all of her sisterships’ DNA. The plumb bow and hull sides bearing large sculptural glazing match very well with the low slung flybridge and the neat lines of the sheer and bulwarks. There is nothing shy about the new 62 The hydraulic stern…

It was just a year ago that  Outer Reef Yachts announced the introduction of the new 540 Adventure. The new boat follows in the wake of the 780 Adventure that was introduced 18 months ago. Like the bigger model, the new 54-footer will be built in The Netherlands. The new 540 was designed by the Dutch firm Bern Weel Design and carries the same purposeful, expedition styling as the 780. It is being built in fiberglass, with Divinicell coring above the waterline and in the deck and super structure. Powered by twin Volvo D8-600 engines with conventional straight shafts, the…

Tiara Yachts of Holland, Michigan, announced this week that the highly respected American builder will be introducing their all new Tiara 46 Luxury Sport at the Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 25. The new design is a performance cruiser powered by three 600-horsepower Mercury Verado engines that drives a deep-V hull with a dead rise at the stern of 21 degrees. This combination of power and hull form will give the 46 an eye watering top end speed and as soft a ride through the waves as can be created. “The 46 LS is a meaningful step forward…

Northman is a brand from a Polish builder that has been making boats for the European market for a couple of decades but has not had a real presence in North America. They now have a dealer in Miami Beach, Florida, Performance Yachts, that will elevate the brand’s visibility. That’s a good thing since Northman builds high quality boats, both power and sail, that combine thoughtful designs with fine yacht construction. The new Northman 1300 is their latest trawler-style family cruise and has a lot going for it. At 42 feet overall the new design packs a ton of social…

Here’s an interesting new design from a builder we have not reviewed before. FDC Yachts, based in Bodrum, Turkey has been building custom yachts, both power and sail, for 25 years and has more than 100 skilled craftsmen on staff.  The brand is not well known in North America but has a stellar reputation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The builder recently circulated images of their latest build known as Project Umai. The boat, at 86 feet, is not really a super yacht –over 100 feet, say—but appears to pack all of the DNA, sophisticated systems and luxury accommodations that we…

At last week’s Miami International Boat Show, the Italian designed and built Azimut Seadeck 7 won multiple NMMA Innovation Awards in the motoryacht, cabin cruiser and trawler categories. Said judge Ben Stein, “The Azimut Seadeck 7 is a tour-de-force of innovative new features and refined design in a 70-footer, with an emphasis on sustainability in propulsion and materials. The open main deck floor plan makes this already sizeable yacht feel huge, and Volvo Penta’s hybrid-electric IPS propulsion system enables fully electric navigation for short distances and zero-emission hotel mode at anchor.” In the last few years, Azimut has embraced an…

Here’s an Scandinavian-built express family cruiser that is well worth considering for North America because it has a well established dealer in Connecticut. Nord Star, a family-owned builder of express cruisers and offshore yachts from 28 to 49 feet, has been building boats in Finland since the 1920s. To date they have launched over 4,000 fiberglass hulls and have a well-earned reputation for offering a wide range of options and customizations. The Nord Star 49 is the company’s flagship and demonstrates the builder’s commitment to an elegant combination of comfort, pilot house styling and performance. It is a modern example…