Boat Reviews

New Hylas M49 Cruiser Coming to U.S.

By Peter Janssen on May 23, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Hylas M49, a two-cabin, two-head upscale cruising boat, will make its U.S. debut this summer. The M49 basically is a larger version of the popular M44 that was introduced a few years ago. Both boats are designed by Dean Salthouse, whose family has been designing boats in New Zealand for 65 years. The M49 is powered by twin 370-hp Yanmar diesels, providing a top speed of 31 knots. Hylas Yachts are built at the Queen Long yard in Taiwan, and they have a reputation for their seakeeping ability, offshore performance and versatility. One fan of the brand is…

Foiling Candela C-8 To Make Venice Debut

By Peter Janssen on May 22, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The revolutionary all-electric Candela C-8 hydrofoil boat has already been tested in its home waters in Sweden, but it will make its public debut May 27 at the Venice boat show. It also will enter the show’s grand finale E Regatta, an endurance test for the electric boats there. Gustav Hasselskog, Candela’s founder and CEO, says he’s looking forward to the Venice outing. “The floating city, which is dependent on motorboats but also suffers from their impact, is the perfect place to show off how Candela’s craft can contribute to a better world, while offering new levels of performance,” he…

New 59-Knot, 7,800-hp AB Superfast 100

By Peter Janssen on May 18, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

It’s probably a bit overpowered for the Great Loop, but if you want to cruise from, say, Greenwich to Newport for lunch, or Miami to Bimini in an hour or so, riding in style and comfort, then the luxurious new AB Superfast 100 may be a good bet. The just-launched hull number one of the AB Superfast is powered by three 2,600-hp MTUs (for a total of 7,800-hp), delivering a top speed of 59 knots and a cruising speed of 50 knots. Standard power is three 1,900-hp MANs, (only 5,700 hp) but the first owner wanted some extra juice. The…

Doggersbank Explorer Cruisers Make a Comeback

By Peter Janssen on May 16, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Doggersbank, the Dutch builder of rugged, offshore yachts, is making a comeback of sorts, taking advantage of the trend toward experiential cruising. Dick Boon, the founder of Vripack, the Dutch design firm, started work on the first Doggersbank in 1968. Over the years, more than 750 Doggersbanks were built, and they were soon headed all around the world – to the Arctic, the Antarctic, and most points in between. There were several circumnavigations. But times changed, and no new Doggersbanks were built for a while. The company built a new 66 last summer, and is finishing a slightly stretched version, an…

Cape Island Launches 38 Blue-Water Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on May 16, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Cape Island Cruisers, a new builder in Nova Scotia, has launched hull number one of its Cape Sable 38 line, a no-frills, fuel-efficient, ocean-going vessel based on the area’s commercial workboat heritage. The company says the Cape Sable 38 is “an ocean-friendly motorboat for cruising couples.” It certainly seems to live up to that billing, but it also could serve well as a liveaboard or a platform to take on the Great Loop or almost any other voyage. The first boat, named Stanley, is powered by a fuel-efficient 110-hp, four-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled Yanmar common rail diesel. The company says…

Wally Launching Revamped 58 Power

By Peter Janssen on May 15, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Wally is introducing its revamped power lineup with the new cutting-edge Wallypower 58. The long, low, slender Wallypower 58 will have its world debut at the Venice show, starting May 28. Wally was founded in Monaco in 1994 by Luca Bassani, who launched an iconic line of sail and power boats that won worldwide acclaim for their looks and performance. Indeed, Wally is the only yacht builder to win the ADI Compasso d’Oro Award (twice) for quality and design. The worldwide Ferretti Group bought Wally in 2019. The new Wallypower 58 is the first yacht in a reimagined lineup for…

Arksen Building Long-Range 65 Explorer

By Peter Janssen on May 11, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Arksen, the innovative British builder, just announced that it’s working on a new 65 world cruiser with a 3,000 nm range. The Arksen 65 is the third in the company’s explorer line, with an outboard-powered 45 built last year, followed by an 85. The new 65 is designed for an owner-operator to go anywhere in the world. “This vessel is designed to stand out from the crowd, as well as being built for worldwide exploration,” said Dominic Bryne, Arksen’s director of sales and marketing. “We want owners to really make the most of their adventure, wherever they choose to have…

Saxdor Unveils New 400 GTC Flagship

By Peter Janssen on May 11, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Saxdor just unveiled its new flagship, a 400 GTC, with a full-beam wheelhouse, “terraces” that fold down from the sides, and outboard power for sporty performance. Essentially, the new 400 is a stretched version of the popular Saxdor 320, with a twin-stepped, vacuum-infused hull for strength and light weight. With twin 300-hp Mercury outboards, the new 400 is expected to top out at 40 knots; with optional 450-hp Mercury Racing outboards, 50 knots. With its low profile, plumb bow and aggressive styling, the new Saxdor, made in Finland, is reminiscent of the fast-selling Axopar line. (Axopar also has its headquarters…

Sherpa Launches New 80 XL Light-Filled Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on May 8, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Arcadia Yachts, the creative Italian builder, is going to display its latest Sherpa 80 XL at the Venice boat show, starting on May 28. The company calls the new Sherpa “a pocket mega-yacht,” and it’s certainly a uniquely designed cruiser with light-filled spaces on all three decks. Powered by twin 880-hp Volvo IPS1050 pod drives, the Sherpa 80 XL has a cruising speed of 18 knots and a top speed of 20 knots. It also has a range of more than 1,000 nm at 12 knots. The yacht is marked by its open outdoor spaces, extensive glazed surfaces, and a…

Bering Launches 145 Long-Range Explorer

By Peter Janssen on May 3, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Bering Yachts just launched its new 145-foot expedition yacht, the first in a new series, with an incredible range of 5,000 nm at 12 knots. The new Bering, named Heeus, also has an ice-class hull so it can explore Arctic and Antarctic waters safely. The new 145 was launched at the Bering yard in Antalya, Turkey, with a displacement steel hull, aluminum superstructure and a reinforced “ice belt” amidships. It was built by in-house engineers and naval architects. Hybrid power starts with twin 1,200-hp CAT C32 Acert diesels producing a top speed of 15 knots and the cruising speed of…

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