Boat Reviews

Lazzara Building Wide-Open 85-Foot Cat

By Peter Janssen on February 12, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Lazzara LPC500 gives a whole new meaning to the idea of an open layout. On the lower deck of the 85-foot luxury power cat, both sides drop down from the owner’s massive, full-beam midships stateroom, so you can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner sitting out over the ocean, while enjoying the breeze from the other side. On the main deck, the port, starboard and aft glass walls slide open to provide a massive open area so you can enjoy the view, or the weather, in three directions. The cat’s 35-foot beam ensures a lot of fresh air moving…

First WiLder 60 Launches in Italy

By Peter Janssen on February 12, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

WiLder, the new brand from Wider Yachts, just launched its first hull, a 60, in Italy. Wider says the new WiLder, a semi-custom cruiser, is designed “to appeal to the wilder side in us all.” Wider usually builds superyachts. The idea behind WiLder is to bring superyacht-quality fit and finish and construction to a wider market with a 60-foot yacht. In the new 60, the hull is all aluminum, and all the amenities are indeed what you’d usually find in much larger vessels. The new boat “represents a leap forward in what a 60-footer can offer and how it can…

Swan Unveils New 76-foot Arrow Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on February 7, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Finland’s Nautor Swan, one of the most iconic names in luxury sailboats, just unveiled a new 76-foot Swan Arrow, their largest powerboat yet. Last fall, the 43-foot Swan Shadow made its U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale boat show. A dayboat powered by three 350-Mercury Verado outboards, it had a top speed of 55 knots. The new Arrow is a very large leap up, in size and function. With two or three cabins below and a salon that can be open or enclosed, it’s a highly styled cruiser powered by two or three 1,000-hp Volvo IPS1350 pod drives. With two,…

Sunreef Unveils New 77 Ultima Cat

By Peter Janssen on February 6, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sunreef just unveiled its new 77 Ultima luxurious power catamaran with a sleek hull, sporty lines, a Jacuzzi on the flybridge, a spectacular master cabin that stretches between the two hulls, and an aft deck that folds out with a Jet Ski garage that doubles as a giant sun pad. And it’s eco-friendly, with a solar skin to provide clean energy, custom batteries that Sunreef says are 30 percent lighter than others on the market, and hybrid electric/diesel power. The slim, aerodynamic hull is designed to reduce drag, and the new Sunreef can be fitted with computer-controlled hydrofoils to fly…

New Azimut Fly 72 To Debut in Miami

By Peter Janssen on February 5, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Azimut Fly 72, another Italian beauty, will make its U.S. debut at the Herald Plaza location of the Miami show, starting on Feb. 14. The new Azimut has four staterooms (plus one for crew under the cockpit), all with their own heads, plus a larger than usual social foredeck, a large flybridge, and a light-filled salon with lots of entertaining space and an extra dinette. Power comes from twin 1,400-hp MAN V12 diesels, paired to straight shafts and delivering a cruising speed of 26 knots and a top speed of 31 knots. The foredeck is made for lounging…

Wicked New Brabus Shadow Black Ops 45

By Peter Janssen on February 1, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a boat with an attitude. The Brabus Shadow 1200 XC Black Ops Signature Edition was just unveiled at the big Düsseldorf show. The new, 45-foot 1200 XC is the biggest Brabus Shadow ever built, and it’s unique inside and out, with a mix of performance, comfort and luxurious ambiance. The company says the new boat “has absolutely everything, bringing next-level usability and versatility to the luxury boat segment.” The Shadow is the made by Brabus Marine, a partnership of Axopar, the innovative builder in Finland, and Brabus, a German company that specializes in transforming luxury cars (think Mercedes-AMG) into…

New Pershing GTX 80: Big and Bold

By Peter Janssen on February 1, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Pershing yachts are not for the modest. Indeed, the Ferretti Group, which owns Pershing, says the new Pershing GTX 80, with its striking looks, is “synonymous with fun, total control, and unchallenged supremacy.” It’s hard to live up to all that, but the Pershing GTX 80 certainly comes close. Its new design features Pershing’s signature lines, starting with an almost-vertical bow and including a slightly convex sheerline. The eye-catching bulwarks in the bow have been opened by a longitudinal slot; those in the stern incorporate winches for dock lines and also can swing down to provide space for sun lounging…

American Tug 435: A Sturdy Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on January 31, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Some things last because they stay true to their roots, they’re authentic, you know what you’re going to get. One case in point is the new American Tug 435, a sturdy, no-frills cruiser that’s on display at the Seattle boat show, running from February 2 through 10 at the Bell Harbor Marina downtown, just north of the Pike Place Market. This is hull number 15 of the 435 that American Tugs has been making in its factory in La Conner, about an hour’s drive north of Seattle, for several years now. The 435 is a complete cruiser, ready to head…

New Galeon 435 GTO To Debut in Miami

By Peter Janssen on January 31, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Galeon 435 GTO will make its U.S. debut at the big Miami show that starts on February 14. With its open aft deck and large drop-down terraces, the Polish-built Galeon wants to set new standards for comfortable outdoor living and relaxing on board. The 435 GTO is no slouch underway, either. Powered by three 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards with contra-rotating props, it tops out at more than 55 mph. Standard trim tabs help to keep everything on the straight and level. For spending time on board, the new Galeon has two cabins (sleeping four adults) and one head…

Beneteau Gran Turismo 41: A Social Express Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on January 30, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Beneteau, the large French builder, will be displaying its new Gran Turismo 41 at the big Miami show, starting Feb. 14. The two-cabin, one-head express cruiser with sporty lines is made for entertaining and enjoying time on board, whether on a week-long cruise or an evening in the harbor. Standard power comes from two 380-hp Volvo diesels, producing a top speed of about 38 knots. The Gran Turismo 41 has Beneteau’s Air Step hull for faster acceleration, performance and efficiency. The hull has V-shaped steps and rear pads for an air-cushion effect. Beneteau’s Gran Turismo line has three other models,…

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