Browsing: Boat Reviews

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Nimbus 40: Much More Than a Fast Commuter

More than 20 years ago, I often commuted to work in midtown New York from Norwalk Cove Marina in Connecticut on a variety of boats, depending on which one my magazine was testing for the summer. I remember a Sea Ray, a Formula, a Fountain, a Donzi, a Phoenix and a Pursuit at different times. (There was no way I could commute back and forth in the same day on my own Grand Banks with its 8-knot top speed.) But those commutes, morning and evening, going down Long Island Sound, the East River past the U.N., around the tip of…

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Beneteau Building New GT 45 Express Cruiser

Beneteau just announced that it’s building a new GT 45, the newest in its popular line of express cruisers. With larger windows and more sophisticated systems, the new 45 replaces the 46 in Beneteau’s GT model line. The new 45, to be launched in September, has sporty lines, a swept-back windshield and cabin top, and windows all around for visibility and natural light. It has two cabins, with an optional third, and two heads on the lower accommodation deck, which also has much-larger-than-usual windows in the hull sides. Standard power comes from twin 380-hp Volvo diesels, while twin 440-hp IPS600…

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Fjord 40: A Less-Is-More Success Story

About half a dozen years ago, I cruised on a then-new Fjord 40 from Key West to Miami. There were four of us on board, and we stopped along the way at the over-the-top Little Palm Island Resort, where the dockmaster was more than happy to have us stay for a while because the boat was so stunning. The Fjord, with its post-modern, straight-line, minimalist Bauhaus-on-the-water design, was just about the polar opposite from my own much-beloved Grand Banks 36. But I guess opposites attract, because I also loved the Fjord. It performed, it had style, it was unique. With…

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New Palm Beach GT60: Sleek and Fast Cruiser

The latest Palm Beach GT60 just made its debut at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show below Brisbane in Australia. The sleek, sexy, low-slung sedan with a classic tumblehome and long sheerline drew the crowds and admirers the brand is known for. The standard GT60 comes with two large staterooms with double beds and generous en suite heads and showers. It also has a modern gourmet galley and both indoor and outdoor dining and social areas. Beyond its head-turning looks, the GT60 performs. The boat has a low center of gravity, and its warped-V hull slices through the waves (instead…

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Arksen Building 3 New Explorer Yachts

Arksen, the innovative British builder, just announced that it’s planning three new explorer-type yachts, the Arksen 45, 65, and 85. The 45, pictured above, will be launched later this  year. The 85 is scheduled for next spring, and the 65 will be launched sometime after that. The 45 is designed as a go-anywhere, off-the-grid cruiser that can function as an explorer, a chase boat, a dive boat, whatever. It is being built in the UK, with a composite hull with foam-filled D-tube fendering all around in partnership with Ring Powercraft, which specializes in RIBs and fast sport boats. The Arksen…

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Brooklin Boat Yard Building Fast 32 Express Cruiser

Way Down East, the Brooklin Boat Yard, in Brooklin, Maine, is building a new BBY 32 Express Cruiser that’s going to be one of the fastest boats up there. Indeed, the yard says the new BBY 32 will hit a top speed of 50 knots, driven by two electronically controlled 250-hp Mercury outboards. The new BBY 32 was designed by the yard’s in-house design team for a client. The yard is owned by its employees. The new 32 has a V-berth below, plus a full head (with a hot shower) and air conditioning. A settee is to port, opposite the…

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Lazzara Launches First UHV 87 with Lots of Room

Lazzara just launched its new UHV 87, the first in its Ultra-High-Volume series. It doesn’t look like most other cruising yachts, but that’s the point. Lazzara says the UHV 87 has the largest gross tonnage in its class, and it’s designed to have more interior volume than other yachts. And all that room is built to superyacht standards, according to the company. The UHV 87 has four staterooms below, plus two for crew, and they have enough room to rival a much larger yacht. But what’s really unusual comes up top. The Sky Lounge is built for luxurious living and…

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Lindell 38: Sturdy and Fast with Very Long Legs

The new Lindell 38 is a sturdy, fast, long-legged cruiser that has a range of 700 nm at about 30 knots. That means it can go from La Conner, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska, without refueling, or from New York to Miami with one stop, or just about anywhere on the Great Loop without having to worry about fuel or, because of its low profile, having to wait for a lot of bridge openings. Lindell is well known on the West Coast, and is just starting to spread to the East Coast (a new owner plans to cruise the Northeast). The…

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Zeelander Building New, Quiet, High-End 48

Zeelander, the Dutch builder of high-end yachts, just announced that it’s building a new 48-foot Zeelander 5, replacing the award-winning Z44. The Zeelander fleet also includes a 55 and a 72. A rendering of the new Z5 is shown above. The new Z5 will be the second in a new generation of yachts for Zeelander, following the 72 (pictured below) that was launched in 2019. The company announced that it is changing its naming convention, so the Z72 will be rebranded as the Zeelander 7. Zeelander owner Sietse Koopmans says the new yacht will be made for people who want…

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Ocean Alexander Launches 27E Tri-Deck Cruiser

Ocean Alexander has launched its new 27E, an 88-foot tri-deck motoryacht, the first in its Explorer series. Powered by twin V12, 1,650-hp MANs, the new 27E (it’s 27 meters long) registers a top speed of about 23 knots. Dial back to 8.5 knots, and it has a range of 1,260 nm. The new Ocean Alexander also has a relatively shallow (4’1”) draft, which means it can get into a lot of places that other large boats might have to bypass. The company says the new yacht, developed with British designer Evan K. Marshall, is meant for long-range cruising performance, comfort…

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