Boat Reviews

Silent Yachts Expands with New Battery Power. See Video

By Peter Janssen on November 17, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Silent Yachts, the innovative Austrian builder, is on a roll. Silent sold its first solar-powered catamaran just two years ago. Now it just ordered 500 lithium-ion battery packs to power the 15 catamarans it has orders for next year, and it’s opened new plants in Thailand and Fano, Italy. The state-of-the-art battery packs add up to 2.5 megawatts; their energy storage is equal to that of 25 new Teslas, or enough to run three U.S. homes for a month. The lithium-ion chemistry comes from MG Energy, a Dutch company started by two winners of the Monaco Solar & Energy Boat…

Brabus Shadow 500: Head-Turning Looks and Fun

By Peter Janssen on November 16, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

If you want to add a little juice to your life in these trying times, try the Brabus Shadow 500, built in conjunction with Axopar Boats. It’s a tricked out, semi-custom version of the Axopar 28, and it hits 50 knots with twin 250-hp Mercury outboards. You can order it with an open deck or optional aft cabin. Fun, as in a major adrenaline rush, is standard equipment. The fun comes from Axopar’s twin-stepped hull with a sharp entry and 22-degree deadrise at the transom, all driven by two Mercury V8 Pro XS outboards. The lightweight Mercs produce head-snapping torque;…

Sunreef Building New 60 with Solar Power

By Peter Janssen on November 16, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sunreef Yachts just announced that it’s building a new 60 Sunreef Power Eco luxury power cat that seems to be covered with Sunreef’s proprietary state-of-the art solar panels for art totally green cruising. Indeed, the solar panels cover up to 738 square feet of the yacht’s surface; they’re fully integrated into the hull sides, the superstructure and even curved areas all over the yacht. They are designed to generate 13kWp of solar power. The 60 Sunreef Power Eco uses cutting-edge electric motors powered by a dedicated ultralight battery bank for silent and emissions-free cruising. The big cat’s other green features…

Alva Building New Electric Eco Cruiser 50 Monohull

By Peter Janssen on November 11, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Alva Yachts just announced that they are building an Eco Cruiser 50, the first monohull electric-powered yacht. The new Eco Cruiser will be powered by two electric motors producing a total of 272 hp with solar panels and the option of hydrogen fuel cells for totally self-sufficient, green, emissions-free cruising. Designed by Henndesign, the new 50, the smallest yacht in the Alva fleet, was designed specifically for electric propulsion. The two electric motors deliver 100 kW each. Power comes from a 50 kVA generator and from solar glass tiles on the rooftop, producing 4.9 kWp and stored in a 140…

New 43-Knot Back Cove 39O Down-East Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on November 10, 2020 Boat Reviews, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Back Cove just launched its new 39O, and it’s the fastest and quietest Back Cove yet. Indeed, powered by three 400-hp Mercury Verado outboards, the new Maine-built cruiser tops out at 43 knots, and it’s so efficient it has a range of 300 nm at 30 knots, a remarkable performance. It also registers a sound level of just 73 dB(a) at the helm, which means you can talk and listen to your playlist and generally enjoy yourself on a long day’s cruise. (See the boat’s performance numbers at the end of this story.) The 39O is Back Cove’s second outboard…

New Sessa Key Largo 40: Versatile and Fast

By Peter Janssen on November 3, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Lots of boats have terraces or doors that open from the side bulwarks to increase the amount of space in the cockpit and to provide access to water sports. But the new Sessa Key Largo 40 takes that concept to an entirely new level. Take a look: Both sides of the cockpit drop down, creating an exceptionally large open space for a 40-foot boat. The seating is modular and can be reconfigured to fit your mood on the water: Running, sunning, or just enjoying an al fresco lunch or cocktails. Below, the Key Largo 40 sleeps four in a super-modern…

Riviera Launches New Belize 54 Daybridge with IPS

By Peter Janssen on November 1, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Riviera, the legendary Australian builder, just introduced its new Belize 54 Daybridge to the United States at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Riviera says the new Belize, with its distinctive flowing lines and relatively low profile, is a “striking keen-eyed balance between European panache and Australian practicality.” The new Belize has three cabins and two heads below, and a lot going on in the main deck, which is filled with light from sweeping tinted glass windows all around. A curved bulkhead aft includes a glass door and large awning window that open up to unite the salon and cockpit…

Jeanneau Launches New Leader 10.5 Series 2

By Peter Janssen on October 28, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Jeanneau is now displaying its all-new Leader 10.5 Series 2 family-friendly, very versatile cruiser at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The 36-foot boat is a new version of the Leader 10.5 that Jeanneau introduced five years ago. But the Series 2 has a hull designed by Michael Peters, the Sarasota designer who specializes in drawing slippery and efficient craft, and the entire hull is now vacuum-bagged and resin-infused to give it more strength and rigidity. Jeanneau launched its Leader series in North America in 2016, and the French boats became popular for their looks, their simplicity and their efficiency.…

Vicem Ready for Sea Trials on New 50 Classic

By Peter Janssen on October 27, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Vicem is getting ready for sea trials on its new 50 Classic, and it will launch two more by the end of the year and a fourth early next year. The 50 Classic, a larger version of the Turkish builder’s 46, has a fiberglass hull and superstructure and a high-quality wood interior. Over the years, Vicem has earned a reputation for building high-quality, Downeast-style, cold-molded wooden cruising yachts. But it turned to fiberglass for the 50 because of its faster construction time and easier maintenance. With its low profile, long sheer and hint of tumblehome aft, the 50 fits in…

Aquila Launches Redesigned 32 Sports Cat

By Peter Janssen on October 26, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Aquila just launched a redesign of its popular, outboard-powered 32 catamaran, with a new hardtop, upgraded seating and more space for living and cruising on board. The 32 has a cabin below in the port hull where two people can sleep comfortably; two more could sleep in the salon; a head is in the starboard hull. With a 12’ 8” beam, the Aquila 32 has room for a family or group of friends to enjoy a day on the water; indeed, it can hold 14 people. The foredeck is particularly inviting, with two comfortable lounges, with arm rests, affording privacy…

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