Boat Reviews

New, Open, Bavaria SR41: Built for Fun

By Peter Janssen on March 4, 2020 Boat Reviews

The Bavaria SR41, just introduced at the Düsseldorf show in January, is another example of the low-profile, fairly-open weekend cruisers designed for maximum enjoyment on the water. The SR41, with two large cabins and two heads below, also has some creative touches. The cockpit, for example, does triple duty in the sociability department. In one configuration, it has as an aft-facing dinette, with a U-shaped settee just above the teak swim platform. You can rearrange this area to serve as a comfortable sun lounge, large enough for several adults. And you can rearrange it again by flipping a backrest and…

New Johnson 80: An “Entry-Level Superyacht”

By Peter Janssen on February 26, 2020 Boat Reviews

Johnson Yachts has just launched a four-stateroom, 27-knot, 80-foot cruising boat that it says is an entry-level superyacht. That’s because no two Johnson 80s will be the same. Each owner can enjoy a high level of customization in the interior, just as he or she would be able to choose on a much larger vessel. The new Johnson 80 is designed by Bill Dixon, of Dixon Yacht Design in Southampton, England, one of the world’s leading yacht designers. The interior is by Karen Lynn Interior Design of Fort Lauderdale. “The Johnson 80 combines our proven engineering with fashionable comforts of…

Canadian Electric Boat Company Launches New 29 Phoenix

By Peter Janssen on February 25, 2020 Boat Reviews

The rapidly growing world of electric-powered boats got a boost when the Canadian Electric Boat Company introduced its new 290 Phoenix at the recent Miami boat show. Built in Boisbriand, just north of Montreal, the 29 is the largest of the company’s fleet of all-electric boats. At open boat, the Phoenix can seat ten passengers, and it’s powered by twin Torqeedo Deep Blue 50R outboards. Each motor, Torqueedo’s most powerful, has the power equivalent of an 80-hp gas outboard. Electricity is supplied by 40kWh BMW i3 lithium batteries. Each battery has a nine-year warranty. Even after 3,000 charging cycles, it…

Fontaine Designs New Surfari 50 Rigid Hull Hybrid RIB

By Peter Janssen on February 19, 2020 Boat Reviews

Here’s a creative new boat that’s bound to turn some heads when it’s launched: The Surfari 50 Rigid Hull Hybrid Inflatable from the Friendship Yacht Company in Middletown, Rhode Island, an all-around coastal cruiser with an attitude. Ted Fontaine, president of the Fontaine Design Group and Friendship, designed the boat for a client who had a Protector 41 but wanted a larger boat that would carry him to his favorite beaches and surfing spots on Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, and the eastern end of Long Island. He wanted a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing, multi-purpose exploration boat that he also could use…

Palm Beach Launches Fast and Beautiful New GT60 in Miami

By Peter Janssen on February 18, 2020 Boat Reviews

The gorgeous Palm Beach GT60, which just made its worldwide debut at the Miami show, is simply a treat. With its flowing low profile, long sheer line and elegant tumblehome, the new GT60 is certainly a treat to look it; it definitely qualifies as marine eye candy. And then it’s also a treat underway, with its high-tech, lightweight, warped hull, powered by twin 1,000-hp Volvo IPS1350 pod drives, producing a top speed of 43 knots and a comfortable cruising speed of 37 knots. As I walked through the boat at the show, Mark Richards, the Palm Beach founder and CEO,…

Leopard 53 PC Makes Well-Received Debut in Miami

By Peter Janssen on February 18, 2020 Boat Reviews

Walking through the salon of the Leopard 53, which just made its debut at the Miami show, I was not surprised by the amount of space inside the new power cat. I had expected that; after all, the boat has a beam of more than 25 feet. But I was surprised by the amount of light that beamed in. There are panoramic windows all around, and the interior décor is all light in color and modern in design, so that it’s both inviting and soothing at the same time. It would be easy to feel at home on this new…

New Walker Bay Venture 16 RIB; Luxury Sport Tender

By Peter Janssen on February 10, 2020 Boat Reviews

Walker Bay is launching its new Venture 16, and the company calls it the world’s first 16-foot luxury sport tender RIB. The new V16 is much more than a sport tender, however. You can use it for exploring, fishing, diving or just about anything else you can do on an all-around 16-foot runabout. The V16 offers three driving positions. Its flip-up bolster seats create room for standing or elevated seating, in addition to the regular seated position. Its hydraulic, tilt steering wheel and a top-mounted throttle make all three positions comfortable for the driver, while the wide rear seat with…

SILENT-YACHTS Building New Solar-Electric 60 with Unlimited Range

By Peter Janssen on February 10, 2020 Boat Reviews

SILENT-YACHTS, the innovative Austrian builder, is working on a new 60 solar-electric catamaran, a step up from it best-selling 55. They already have six orders for the new 60; the first will be launched this summer. The new SILENT 60 is designed to be self-sufficient and provide unlimited range under solar and electric power. The drive and house systems are all solar-electric, and they are free of fumes, vibration and reliance on fossil fuel. They also are, as the name of the company states, silent. The 60 has a total of 42 solar panels, two 250kW electric motors, and a…

Elada EX 87: A New Generation of UHV Luxury Cruisers

By Peter Janssen on February 9, 2020 Boat Reviews

The Elada EX 87, the first model in a new brand from the Lazzara Yacht Group, is indeed something new and different. It’s part of a new generation of UHV (ultra-high-volume) cruisers, with what the company calls disruptive design features promising more space, comfort, and stability on long voyages, with the possibility of a high degree of customization for future owners. Now under construction, the Elada 87 is scheduled to be launched this summer. An Elada EX 118 will follow. Powered by standard twin 720-hp Volvo diesels, the 87 has a cruising speed of 12 knots and a top speed…

Burger Building New Cruiser 50 with IPS Pod Drives

By Peter Janssen on February 8, 2020 Boat Reviews

Burger is working on a new 50 Cruiser, with an aluminum hull by Vripack and an interior by De Basto Designs, in its yard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Founded in 1863, Burger is one of the most historic names in American boating; it usually makes larger yachts, up to 260 feet. The company uses all that experience to create a semi-custom build for its 50 Cruiser line. The new boat will be powered by twin 600-hp Volvo IPS800 pod drives, delivering a cruising speed of 26 knots, a top speed of 31 knots, and a range of 300 nm. It has…

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