Boat Reviews

New 80 Sunreef Power: Elegant, Light-Filled Cruising Catamaran

By Peter Janssen on May 1, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sunreef has just introduced an elegant new 80-foot catamaran which it says is “the universal multihull yacht for long cruises in ultimate comfort.” The new 80 Sunreef Power is indeed a combination of luxury, space and cruising efficiency, and it’s filled with living, relaxing and entertaining areas spread throughout the boat. The 80 Sunreef Power is distinguished by its dynamic and contemporary multihull design. The basic design calls for four guest cabins, but the interior can be customized to suit an individual owner’s wishes. It features classic stainless steel portlights, teak decks and high bulwarks for safety. But the overriding…

New SoelCat 12: Cruise for 29 Hours at 6 Knots Under Solar Power Alone

By Peter Janssen on April 25, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Day or night, rain or shine, the new SoelCat 12 is a 39-foot solar-powered catamaran than can run at six knots for 29 hours. If you firewall the throttle, you can push the lightweight (13,200 pounds) cat to about 14 knots, but you’ll also run out of juice at the end of an hour. Since most people feel comfortable in the 8-knot range, you can cruise under solar, using no fossil fuel and leaving no emissions or noise behind, for about eight hours at that speed, certainly long enough to enjoy a full day with your family or friends. And…

New Nordic Tugs 34: A Semi-Displacement Couple’s Cruiser with Lots of Character

By Peter Janssen on April 23, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

A couple’s boat with lots of character, the Nordic Tugs 34 is designed for the Great Loop, the Inside Passage or a summer excursion to the rocky shores and hidden coves of Down East Maine. A semi-displacement trawler, the Nordic Tugs 34 is a salty, comfortable, single-diesel cruiser that’s easy to manage and maintain, while retaining the company’s iconic tugboat lines, including the faux smokestack. The 34 is an outgrowth of the popular Nordic Tugs 32, which the company first built in 1985. (Nordic Tugs started with a 26 that was introduced at the Seattle boat show in 1980, and…

New Nimbus 405 Flybridge: A Stylish, Sophisticated, Swedish Cruiser with Volvo Performance

By Peter Janssen on April 18, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Nimbus 405 Flybridge is the latest iteration of the popular and prize-winning Nimbus 405 Coupe, adding space, an additional helm station and lots of entertaining room to the three-stateroom, two-head, Swedish-built, all-weather cruiser. The 405 Coupe was a hit when it was introduced three years ago, winning a Best of Boats Award and a nomination for European Powerboat of the Year. Nimbus is relatively new in the U.S., and it’s represented by Essex Yacht Sales in Connecticut on the East Coast and by Seattle Yachts on the West Coast. But the brand is well-established in Europe; it started…

New Protector 33 Has Custom Fully Enclosed Cabin for All-Year Use

By Peter Janssen on April 12, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a new Protector Targa 33 customized by previous owners who wanted a completely enclosed cabin, more deck space for entertaining and additional waterline for a smooth ride. The new cabin makes the Protector a truly all-weather boat for year-round boating. Protectors are tough, sturdy and fast RIBs that are built to handle most sea conditions safely and comfortably. The basic design includes a large anchor locker, a luxury aft bench seat, shock-mitigating captains’ chairs, and a large aft deck for diving gear or water toys. The dash is built to hold large electronic displays and the steering wheel is…

New Waypoint 36 Coming This Spring from American Tugs. A Solid, Two-Stateroom, Pilothouse Cruiser with an Appealing Price

By Peter Janssen on April 10, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Tomco Marine Group, makers of American Tugs in La Conner, Washington, is launching an entirely new model called the Waypoint 36 later this spring. It is basically a new, lower-priced version of the American Tug 365, with two staterooms, one head, a 260-hp Volvo diesel and an introductory price of $350,000. The new Waypoint 36 uses the same hull and deck as the American Tug 365, but the interior will have more molded components and fewer options. The company says the idea is to build a more affordable, quality, trawler that can cruise up the Inside Passage to Alaska…

New 40 Open Sunreef Power: Luxury, Space and Performance in a Wide-Open Cat

By Peter Janssen on April 4, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a boat that’s built for fun. Take a look at the new 40 Open Sunreef Power, a fast, luxurious iteration of a boat that just keeps on giving – or folding out for more and more space. One thing’s for sure with the Sunreef 40 – you’re not going to run out of room. And although this boat, hull number one, is open, Sunreef specializes in customizing its boats, and an owner can have a cabin with a double bed in the bow and a head in one of the cat’s hulls if he wants to go cruising. Meanwhile, the…

New, Wide-Open, Light-Filled, 25-Knot Okean 50 Cruiser from Brazil

By Peter Janssen on March 28, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

It’s not often that we see a truly innovative boat, but take a look at the new Okean 50, filled with natural light and housing a space-creating pair of “balconies” or “terraces” that fold down from its sides. The Okean, a fresh build from Brazil, was introduced to the U.S. at the Fort Lauderdale show in November, and it’s being presented here by HMY Yacht Sales in Miami. A three-stateroom, two-head cruiser, the Okean 50 is remarkable in the 360-degree views available from the salon. There are tempered glass windows and doors all around, and there are no window…

New Walker Bay 325 Light Console RIB Holds 5 Passengers, Provides Dry Ride

By Peter Janssen on March 26, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a small, lightweight RIB that can hold up to five passengers and that promises a comfortable, fun and dry ride even in a chop. The new Walker Bay Supertender 325 Light Console is 10’ 8” long and weighs just 244 pounds and has a deep-V fiberglass hull for performance. Its hard chines provide traction in turns, and its wide bow is designed to block spray so you’ll have a dry ride in most conditions. The center console has room for a 7” screen; it also has a stainless-steel helm and handrail, two cupholders and padding on the port side…

New Hylas M44: Lots of Light, Classic Looks and Cruising Comfort

By Peter Janssen on March 21, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

With its low profile, long straight sheer and more than a hint of clean, classic Down East lines, the new Hylas M44 was just introduced to the United States at the Palm Beach show. Hylas collaborated with the New Zealand builder Salthouse for the new high-end, two-stateroom cruiser, designed for maximum comfort, seakeeping ability and functional use of space. Inside, the new Hylas is filled with light, with large side and front windows, two long overhead sliding hatches in the salon, and a large glass door that separates the salon from the cockpit. The galley is aft, on the port…

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