Boat Reviews

New Eastbay 44, a Success in the U.S., Is Being Introduced to Europe at Boot Dusseldorf

By Peter Janssen on January 15, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Grand Banks is introducing its iconic Downeast-styled Eastbay 44 to the European market on Jan. 21 at Boot Dusseldorf, one of the largest boat shows in the world. The Eastbay 44 has been shown in the U.S. for the past year, amid rave reviews. With its low profile, long sheer, and typical Downeast tumblehome, the new 44 – the first Grand Banks built since Mark Richards, the founder of Palm Beach Yachts, was hired to run both companies – is a thoroughly contemporary version of a traditional Grand Banks. It has all the teak, world-class fit-and-finish and classic lines of…

New Beneteau Gran Turismo 50: Euro Looks, Worldwide Comfort and Performance

By Peter Janssen on January 7, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new flagship of the French builder’s popular sport cruiser fleet, the Beneteau Gran Turismo 50, with an exterior by the highly acclaimed Italian design team of Nuvolari-Lenard, is a combination of modern Euro styling and state-of-the-art technology, inside and out. Its swept-back low-profile and its expansive display of large windows set the Gran Turismo 50 apart from the crowd, while behind the scenes it is the first Beneteau to have the company’s new Ship Control technology that operates all the boat’s onboard systems, from air conditioning to lighting. The boat will make its U.S. debut in February at the…

New Williams Sportjet 435: Fast, Fun and Big Enough To Hold 7 People

By Peter Janssen on January 7, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Williams Sportjet 435, a 14-foot, jet-powered RIB that can carry up to seven passengers and tops out at 52 mph, will be introduced at the London boat show, from January 10-14. It is the sixth model in Williams’ Sportjet series. “The 435 was created to extend our existing range of smaller Sportjet models, offering more space with seating for up to seven passengers, without compromising style or speed,” says Mathew Hornsby, the sales director for Williams Jet Tenders. The 435 is designed for wakeboarding and waterskiing as well as a tender or sportboat to carry passengers and guests.…

Padebco V32: A Pocket Cruiser with a Classic Downeast Pedigree

By Peter Janssen on December 31, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

A pocket cruiser with Downeast lines and a made-in-Maine pedigree, the new Padebco V32 cruiser comes with a variety of power and drive systems to fit the owner’s preferences. With twin 330-hp Yanmar diesels and Hamilton jet drives, it tops out at a very respectable 33 knots. Padebco has been a custom builder with a full-service yard in Round Pond, Maine, just above Boothbay, for the past 60-years. Its current models range from 17 to 32 feet. At the top of the line, the V32 has the builder’s traditional lobster boat lines, with a long waterline, a classic sheerline and…

New Huckins Atlantic 44: A Thoroughly Modern Boat with a Retro Look and a Rich Heritage

By Peter Janssen on December 18, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Over the years, ever since 1928, in fact, Huckins Yacht has been true to itself. A Huckins is a Huckins. It doesn’t look like any other boat; Huckins simply tweaks its iconic retro lines a bit as the years go by so they never get stale. A Huckins doesn’t perform like other boat, either. With its patented Quadraconic hull, it performs like a Huckins. The new Huckins Atlantic 44 represents the best of Huckins’ classic approach to boating from stem to stern. If the new Huckins’ profile harkens back to an earlier age of yachting, its performance will challenge most…

Arcadia Sherpa 60: A New Cruiser with a Unique Profile

By Peter Janssen on December 11, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Arcadia Yachts, the Italian builder, will introduce its new, and unique-looking, Arcadia Sherpa 60 to the United States at the Miami Yacht Show in February. With its unique tall forward section for the helm, staterooms and galley, the Sherpa 60 has a profile that sets it apart from most other boats in the harbor. Meanwhile, the low aft half of the boat has an unusual amount of useable sunning and socializing space in a design where form definitely follows function. The boat’s distinguishing convertible sky lounge forward is an all-weather space; the sides can be open to the fresh air,…

New Legacy 42 IPS: A Classic Mark Ellis Design with State-of-the-Art Performance

By Peter Janssen on December 5, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Legacy 42 IPS is a classic Down East cruiser with two cabins and one head and a traditional look that will never go out of style. Legacy originally introduced the 42, designed by Mark Ellis, about ten years ago; now, under new ownership by Tartan Yachts in Ohio, Legacy is reintroducing it with Volvo’s pod drives, a proven hull shape, advanced composites and a luxurious interior. The modified-V hull carries an 18-degree deadrise at the transom and has wide chines for stability. Driven by twin Volvo 400 IPS engines (310-hp), the 42 cruises at 28 knots, burning about 19…

Doug Zurn’s Fast, Very Fast, NEB 50, a Marriage of Good Looks and High Performance

By Peter Janssen on November 28, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

With Doug Zurn’s iconic low profile, long sheerline and slender, water-shedding hull, the NEB/Zurn 50 is a standout because of its looks and its performance. The looks speak for themselves, while the performance – a top speed of 56 knots – is due to the boat’s light weight, composite construction and two 1,200-hp MAN diesel power plants and Rolls Royce jet drives. A high-end, custom commuter boat or fast coastal cruiser built at New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the NEB/Zurn 50 combines the best of modern Down East design and cutting-edge engineering and construction. The hull and deck…

New San Juan 40: Down East Looks and a High-End Northwest Pedigree

By Peter Janssen on November 20, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

With its clean, sleek, Down East lines, the elegant San Juan 40 is the new iteration of the original San Juan 38, produced by new ownership of the Anacortes, Washington, high-end builder. Last May, San Juan Yachts was bought by Concorde Marine, also in Anacortes; Concorde also makes larger expedition yachts under the Northern Marine brand. The new San Juan 40, to be followed by a 50, keeps all the head-turning looks and solid performance of the popular 38. Powered by two 370-hp Volvo diesels with IPS 500 pod drives (and joystick control), the new 40 cruises in the 30-knot…

New Azimut 55 Fly, with Italian Style, Soft Curves and Sophisticated Design, To Debut in Dusseldorf

By Peter Janssen on November 15, 2017 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The all-new Azimut 55 Fly, with nary a sharp edge or straight line anywhere, will debut at the Boot Düsseldorf show in Germany from Jan. 20-28. The contemporary Italian-designed yacht, filled with light and luxury home-style interiors, has three cabins and two heads (plus a crew cabin and head), and will top out at about 31 knots. The Azimut’s sophisticated lines, inside and out, are soft and smooth; there are no sharp edges on this cruiser. The exterior is designed by Stefano Righini, for Azimut, and the interior by Achille Salvagni, an architect who’s on the A list from Elle…

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