When it was introduced in 2022, the Saxdor 320 GTC became an overnight success for Saxdor and it’s easy to see why. With its full-beam pilothouse, comfortable bow cabin, sociable aft cockpit, excellent driving dynamics and realistic pricing, it’s a very tough boat not to like.

But when, just two years later, Saxdor unveiled the Saxdor 340 GTWA, it looked like the new boat would create direct competition for Saxdor’s own best-seller. After all, this was a pilothouse-equipped day cruiser with the same twin-stepped deep-V hull, comparable styling and just 1ft 7in of extra length. Even the price difference was a matter of degree rather than sector. But the new 340 was actually designed to straddle the space between the open GTO models and the full-beam GTC pilothouse platforms, so when you put them side by side, the differences quickly become clear.

Outdoor day spaces

One of the key differences is, of course, the deck layout. The 320’s full-beam wheelhouse means that the bow space and aft cockpit are separated by the superstructure itself. There are narrow, raised side decks to go between one and the other (and that’s easier and more secure than you might imagine), but it’s much simpler to use the sheltered walkway, directly through the internal saloon from the aft cockpit’s sliding doors to a second hinged door in the port side of the vertical windscreen. But there’s a clear contrast in the way these two zones operate, as well as the way they’re reached…

The full-beam wheelhouse expands space but restricts movement

As the 320’s primary outdoor space, the aft cockpit uses a broad transom bench with glass gates on either side. A transverse table drops down to create a sunbed and the backrests can be individually repositioned to face aft over the water. You can also expand the cockpit on both sides, thanks to a pair of 2.1m drop-down terraces as standard; and that broad open space is made to feel all the broader because the cooking facilities are located indoors on the port side of the wheelhouse, through the aft patio doors.

As for the bow space, that adopts a relatively simplistic layout, with a raised island sunbed for two, framed by practical walkaround decks for easy access to the anchor and step-through forepeak.

By way of contrast, the 340 GTWA uses a walkaround (WA) configuration with a narrower pilothouse orbited by a set of peripheral side decks – and in order to factor in the option of an aft cabin (something the 320 lacks) it pretty much reverses the roles of the forward and aft decks. In place of a bench seat, the aft cockpit uses a very attractive glass balustrade at the transom with opening gates on both sides.

Saxdor 320: The cockpit has space for freestanding chairs

That’s bookended by thickset bulwarks containing fender storage, shore power, a transom shower and a beautifully designed wet bar with sink and optional grill. Instead of seating, the 340 features a big raised sun bed with a comfy lumbar-equipped backrest built into the aft end of the superstructure to provide the basis for that optional aft cabin.

Pilothouse access

Pilothouse access provides another interesting contrast. The 340’s cockpit layout puts the aft bulkhead out of action but our test boat does come with the optional slide-down glazing panel to open things up above the backrests. Crucially, you also get big sliding doors in the sides of the pilothouse, which can be opened up either forward or aft – and that’s particularly welcome because of the nature of the 340’s drop-down terraces.

Saxdor 340: A bright, spacious aft cabin is a superb option

These terraces are slightly longer than on the 320 and located further forward, straddling the space between cockpit and pilothouse, which means they open up the internal saloon as well as the aft deck. You could of course argue that the 340’s aft cockpit lacks the sociability of the 320’s seating zone but it makes up for that with its easy-access bow lounge. Spec the 340 with the test boat’s optional C-shaped dining station and there’s space for six, plus a drop-down table so you can turn the bow deck into a large sun pad.

Wheelhouse and cabins

The 320’s full-beam pilothouse comprises three basic parts – a galley, a dining zone and a set of helm seats. Being inside, the internal portside galley is larger than the wet bar provided by the 340. It comes with a sink and either a diesel or induction hob and there’s also a fridge beneath the port co-pilot seat to help free up some handy extra storage inside the galley cabinets.

The 320’s cabin gets a little extra headroom from the bow’s island sunbed

On the opposite side is a simple two-man aft bench and a transverse table; and ahead of that are three forward seats – two helm seats to starboard and a third co-pilot seat on the port side. The two helm seats rotate to face aft so they can integrate with the starboard dinette and, in spite of its modest-looking proportions, that dinette converts into an occasional double berth to help supplement the bow cabin.

How practical it is, though, is open to question. After all, it sits across from the galley and there are obviously no side doors in the full-beam wheelhouse, so if you do have guests, then when you want to exit the bow cabin in the morning and make breakfast, you have no option but to invade the space occupied by that second bed.

As for the 340, its pilothouse is, of course, narrower but the fact that the cooking facilities are outside means all of that internal space is available for seating – and it has to be said, the seating feels significantly more sophisticated than on the 320. There’s a full-beam three-to-four-man bench seat aft, and our test boat has the optional helm bench rather than the standard individual seat pods. This means you can reverse the backrest, drop the port side bolster and expand it to seat three more people, facing aft across the expandable drop-down table, potentially increasing dining capacity to seven.

Both boats use the same twinstepped full form

Contrasting accommodation

If the 340 confounds expectations by trumping the 320’s beamier wheelhouse, the bow cabins are much more similar in terms of footprint, volume and layout. Both get a port changing seat, a forward double bed and an open-plan starboard heads that you can shut away behind hinged concertina bulkheads. But the 320 gets slightly more headroom from the raised island sunbed at the bow and the 340 gets a little extra length and a little more natural light, thanks to larger overhead skylights and a port window.

In terms of accommodation though, the really key difference is the provision of an optional aft cabin on the 340. Accessed through the port side of the pilothouse’s aft bench or through the sunbed hatch in the aft cockpit itself, it’s a really effective space. It comes with long deep windows on three sides and surprisingly good views aft through the cockpit’s glass balustrade. And remarkably, there’s even space for two people to sit up in bed with a good book.

The walkway actually means less internal seating than on the 340

But it would be even better if you were to cut down the aft end of the cabin to create an integrated aft-facing bench in the cockpit’s sunbed moulding. That would of course limit headroom but only at the foot of the bed where it’s not actually needed. You would still have a window looking out across the aft deck and, if you added a table at the stern, you would then have the best of all things – an aft cabin, a raised cockpit sunbed and a transom dining zone with lovely views.

Better still, it would also buy you a dedicated outdoor seating zone capable of offering that bit more shelter from the elements than the bow lounge. In truth, it’s already an excellent layout but with an upgrade like that, the 340’s deck arrangement would be pretty much flawless.

On-water performance

We’ve known for a long while now what a good performer the 320 GTC is. Its twin-stepped hull, with its fine entry and fairly acute 21-degree deadrise, is a genuine pleasure to drive and with the uprated 225hp V6s on the transom, the figures look good too. We’re seeing a remarkably flat transition from zero to the plane in about five seconds and zero to 40 knots in 17 seconds, before pushing on to a top end of around 43 knots. We’re also seeing a very manageable fuel flow rate of around 2.3 litres per mile at everything from 20 to 30 knots for a range in the region of 150 miles.

The heads uses hinged walls to keep the space open when not in use

But in spite of its extra length and weight, the larger 340, with its twin 300hp V8s, trumps that by a hefty margin. An equally flat plane is achieved in just three seconds; zero to 40 takes just ten seconds; and our top end is just a whisker shy of 50 knots. Interestingly, you feel the larger boat trying to plane from as little as ten knots and that eagerness for pace continues higher up the rev range.

From 22 to 32 knots, we’re seeing remarkably similar fuel flow figures of 2.4 litres per mile for a range of around 160 miles, but with a cruising band that is just that bit more forgiving (and a fast cruise that is markedly more efficient than the 320), you can pick any pace from 20 to 40 knots and enjoy genuinely good returns.

It is worth noting that you could equip the smaller boat with the same 300hp V8s that bring such impressive results on the 340, so if 50 knots or more is what you want, it will certainly achieve it. But as the performance discrepancy disappears, so too will most of the price differential, and 43 knots already feels like a good place for the 320 – all of which brings us very neatly to the driving experience…

The big side doors can open up the forward or aft part of the structure

The driving experience

These boats use the same hull form so both enjoy good softness and reasonable dryness, which is not something you would necessarily expect from that slender, steep-sided bow shape. But there is a difference in the way the two boats feel. While the 320 behaves like a proper playtime boat, full of quick-witted agility and lively helm response, the 340 brings more in the way of maturity and composure.

The extra power and increased waterline length (as well as the subtle weight increase and windage reduction) seem to result in a drive that’s just a bit more composed and refined, as well as significantly more potent. It is, in truth, a matter of increments rather than outright nature, but it’s very discernible nonetheless.

The helm bench extends to seat up to seven at the full-width dinette

These boats are both quite quiet and comfortable for relaxed passagemaking but the 340 has the edge there too, returning figures throughout the cruising band that are 1-2dB(A) lower than the V6-powered 320. Whether that’s down to the extra drag or the extra reverberation of the 320’s beamier, more voluminous pilothouse, we’re not sure but again, it is discernible – and so too is the difference in the helm station.

Given that the 320’s full-beam (side-door-free) pilothouse slightly ‘contains’ the skipper, the opening side window looks like a very worthwhile option. The fact that the driver sits on the inboard (more central) of the two starboard seats also means that the co-pilot can get a bit trapped – and the contrast there with the wide-open pilothouse of the 340 couldn’t be greater.

The 340 cabin gets a little extra length and some extra natural light

With its big versatile side doors, its reverse screen, its superior visibility and the helm bench’s capacity to fold out into the starboard side deck for comfortable joystick manoeuvres, the 340’s helm position is absolutely first-class. Our only concern relates to the digital tabs, which you have to access via the MFD.

That makes no sense at all if you want to do anything more than leave them on automatic, so we’d give those a miss in favour of a more natural and intuitive manual switch that enables you to access and operate them rapidly while keeping your eyes on the water.

While the 320 feels very lively and engaging, the 340 feels more composed and refined, with extra pace, a faster cruise and comparable efficiency

Which boat wins?

The 340 provides easier on-board movement, an extra cabin and a very satisfying extra dose of pace and power. It also dials in an extra degree of maturity and composure in the ride and handling while all but matching the 320 in terms of cruising efficiency. With its narrower wheelhouse structure, reverse screen and extra length, the 340 is also a marginally more dynamic-looking platform than the slightly shorter, tubbier 320.

With its revised terrace positioning, it also does a better job of integrating the internal saloon with the external decks. And it does all of that at a price that only exceeds the 320 by 7% in base form and 11% in test boat form.

So is there really a case for denying the 340 outright victory? Well, arguably, yes, but realistically, no. Good though the 320 is – and it really is as good as its sales success suggests – we reckon that if you can stomach the extra cost, the 340 GTWA is the better boat.

Saxdor 320 GTC specification

LOA: 33ft 9in (10.28m)
BEAM: 10ft 2in (3.1m)
DRAFT: 1ft 10in (0.57m)
DISPLACEMENT: 2,600kg (dry)
FUEL CAPACITY: 428 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 117 litres
RCD: B6 / C9
ENGINES: Twin 200-300hp outboards

Costs and options

Price: From £180,830 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Mercury 225hp V6 upgrade: £4,192
Storm Grey Hull Colour: £3,144
Toilet & fresh water package: £4,716
Shore power system: £3,563
Trim tabs: £4,087
Bow thruster: £2,830

Saxdor 340 GTWA specification

LOA: 35ft 4in (10.78m)
BEAM: 10ft 2in (3.10m)
DRAFT: 2ft 7in (0.8m)
DISPLACEMENT: 2,650kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 480L
WATER CAPACITY: 100L
RCD: B8 / C10
ENGINES: Twin 250-300hp outboards

Costs and options

Price: from £194,406 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Mercury 300hp V8 upgrade: £10,480
Joystick control: £18,865
Electric sunroof: £5,031
Shore power system: £3,563
Trim tabs: £2,830
Bow thruster: £4,087
Aft cabin package: £5,659
Aft barbecue: £2,306
Drop-down aft window: £3,039

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article The best just got better: Why we’d pick the Saxdor 340 Over the 320 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

When we tested the flybridge version of the Merry Fisher 1295, we thought it was a tremendous boat – probably the best and most broadly talented boat of its size and price in the world. So why chop off the roof and introduce a coupé version?

Well believe it or not, there are a few reasons. Reduced bulk for uprated style. Reduced weight and windage for improved performance, efficiency and handling. A reduced price – usually of between 4 and 7% – but in this case, closer to 8%. A saloon with extra brightness and a roof structure that can be used for more because it’s freed of the requirements imposed by a flybridge. And the luxury of being able to get in and go – and get back and leave – without having to mess about with cushions and covers.

True, you do tend to lose the second helm, as well as the top deck, that a flybridge model provides, and the 1295’s upper level really is a very worthwhile day space. But by the standards of a 41ft cruiser, the Coupé model certainly doesn’t struggle in that regard…

Cockpit and foredeck

The long deck saloon superstructure, positioned a good way aft, means that the open cockpit is relatively short but, as on its sister model, the space is cleverly used. The cockpit’s aft bench, for instance, pushes way back above the engine well, significantly extending the usable space. When you’re finished for the day, runners in the deck then enable you to slide it forward so you can trim the engine legs out of the water.

The absent ladder is great for the 1295’s short cockpit

The flybridge ladder is of course gone, and that helps free up a little more space back here, while also ensuring that you get immediate access to the storage lockers beneath the deck without having to shift the ladder struts from the hatch.

The asymmetrical nature of the broad L-shaped bench is also well managed. There’s a drop-down terrace on the starboard side, ahead of a walkway to join the aft swim platforms to the cockpit. But Jeanneau has helped mitigate the limitations of this single dedicated access point by means of a side gate to port as standard, plus a neat little lift-out backrest in the port corner so you can rig a little channel through to that side of the swim platform.

In the absence of inboard engines, the storage beneath the deck is also fantastic. There’s enormous volume and it’s really well arranged with a deep central cabinet and a pair of smaller compartments, one on either side. And if you look forward a touch, just beyond the single-level threshold at the aft end of the saloon, you will find another under-deck locker of a very similar size.

Arguably though, the best day space on this Coupé model is to be found at the bow. The fact that the screen brings the superstructure to an end a decent way aft creates plenty of length up here as well as breadth, and it’s beautifully used. There are three long, forward-facing sun loungers with raised backrests and integrated armrests.

The spacious and practical six-man bow lounge is a triumph

Ahead of that is a broad aft-facing bench at the squared-off forepeak, which is big enough to seat another three people – and the fact that the transverse walkway between the two sections is sunken deep creates a very natural place for your feet when you’re sitting at the bow table.

It’s a highly practical arrangement too. For instance, that same sunken section of deck creates the space for a long letter-slot window built into the leading edge of the sunbed structure for extra light down below. The generous length also means you get four skylights ahead of the screen, which funnels plenty more natural light into the bow cabin, whether the six bow seats are occupied or not.

And if your guests do happen to be embroiled in a six-person foredeck party, there’s some handy tread machined into the fibreglass of the coachhouse roof, between the hatches and the sunbed backrests, so you can make your way from one side to the other without getting in anybody’s way.

Plunging windows and a low-slung dash enable excellent views

Simple saloon

As intimated, any worthwhile coupé model needs to really make the roof work hard and the 1295 makes a very decent fist of it. There’s the option of a big roof rack for a whole collection of toys. There’s also space up here for solar panels so you can keep your domestic batteries topped up; and the sunshade extension that comes off the back end of the roof structure can be coupled with an optional cockpit closing kit to keep the entire aft end properly sheltered.

There are a couple of skylights above the helm to brighten up the saloon too but you can’t help feeling that a larger single sunroof might have been a more productive way to really leverage the potential benefits of the Coupé’s roof structure.

Even so, the overhead light does make the saloon feel subtly more pleasant and the near-identical layout also works well. Once again, the raised port side deck is kept nice and narrow (about the width of a single foot in fact) to generate excellent internal breadth and that’s used for a sociable C-shaped galley to port and a single step up to the forward part of the saloon, where a low-slung C-shaped dinette mirrors the aft set-up and enjoys big views through plunging side windows.

While it’s brighter than the fly model, more might have

The dash structure is also quite low-slung, which means you get excellent forward views from the dinette seating, even when you’re underway on a cruise.

As part of the optional Premier Pack, there’s an opening port window here for ventilation and communication but it doesn’t line up with the midships cleat so while it’s certainly worth having, its seamanship credentials are slightly limited. But even so, the skipper’s side door and broad starboard side deck help make up for that. And the fact that the refrigeration duties are taken care of in the form of low-level units beneath the worktop on the starboard side also helps preserve easy movement and all-round views.

You get 144L of refrigeration capacity across two fridges and there’s plenty of space here for an ice-maker too, should you want one. And when you step down the forward steps, between the port dashtop’s pop-up TV and the starboard helm, the three-cabin lower deck layout feels really strong for a boat of this size.

The short day heads allows for a longer port twin

Three-cabin layout

The owner’s bow cabin is every bit as bright as the foredeck arrangement suggests it ought to be, and it feels all the more so because of the big hull windows. It’s voluminous, too, thanks to the hull’s softly angled taper, which enables you to gain full access on both sides of the bed, even though it’s positioned quite low down for outstanding headroom.

In fact, there’s plenty of space to sit up in bed, even beneath that deep-set forepeak lounge. There’s plenty of storage space beneath the bed too, and the detailing, not least in features like the stylish backlit bed head, feels a cut above the original flybridge model.

Rather impressively, there are two bathrooms here. The owner gets direct access to a long starboard ensuite with separate shower, and on the port side, there’s also space for a shorter but equally practical day heads. Aft of these, the beam is sensibly divided between a pair of guest cabins.

Lots of light and headroom, even to starboard

There’s a really good sized twin to port with an infill so you can turn it into a huge double. It comes with a really lofty changing zone and plenty of volume beneath the saloon deck to sit up in bed, plus impressive storage and good light and views through deep hull windows. The starboard twin is shorter, but it too provides all the key ingredients you would want, not just to spend the night but to linger a little with a cup of tea in the morning.

Easy underway

As on the flybridge model, triple 300hp outboards are the only option here, but you can go for either the test boat’s Yamahas or the optional Mercurys. Either way, what we’re seeing is remarkably similar to the 1295 Fly. So much so that we’re not actually recording any clear and obvious speed or efficiency gains, and in spite of the fact that we’re a little more heavily loaded, with six crew and relatively full tanks, that’s a bit of a surprise.

Spacious owner’s cabin

Nonetheless, the general performance is very strong indeed. From the solid directional tracking, through the flat transition to a low-speed 16-knot plane and on to the top end of around 37 knots, it all feels extremely well sorted.

There’s good composure, grip and speed retention in the turn, as well as attractive vigour in the regaining of its natural trim when you straighten up the wheel. Running efficiency is also decent in the chief cruising band from 20 to 30 knots, where 5 to 6L per mile delivers a range of between 160 and 200 miles. It’s quite a quiet boat too – slightly more so in fact than the fly model, with sound readings of 70-75db at everything from 20 to 30 knots. And the ergonomics also feel pretty strong…

While the helm station has to be compact to free up space for the big port dinette and the access point to the lower deck, you get a really wide skipper’s side door and very narrow mullions for excellent visibility, plus space for two 12in MFDs on the main tier of the dash and excellent travel on the adjustable helm seat.

That helm seat also rotates to face across to the rest of your guests and, while we would favour relocating the tabs switch so you don’t have to reach beyond the throttle lever to access it, this is about as positive a helming experience as you could possibly want from a high-volume, outboard-powered six-berth family cruiser.

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1295 Coupé specifications

LOA: 40ft 9in (12.41m)
BEAM: 12ft 6in (3.80m)
DRAFT: 2ft 6in (0.76m)
DISPLACEMENT: 8,181kg plus engines
FUEL CAPACITY: 1,174 litres
ENGINES: Triple Yamaha F300 4.2L V6 outboards
RCD: B10-C12

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1295 Coupé costs and options

From: £482,804 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Aft cockpit sun awning: £2,692
Cockpit closing kit: £3,398
Roof rack: £897
Upgraded electronics pack: £8,579
Bow thruster: £3,600
Diesel heating: £11,181

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1295 Coupé review: Testing this brand-new flagship coupé appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

This latest Aquila Coupé is a direct response to existing customers who want fully enclosed shelter without having to mess about with flappy canvasses. But it’s actually much more than just that. For a start, there’s the fixed carbon-fibre hydrofoil system. According to Aquila, if you take this boat to about 22 knots before angling the foil by trimming out the engine legs by 20%, the hull frees up, the revs rise and you get 30-35 knots alongside a 20% reduction in the fuel flow, nearly halving your consumption per mile.

In addition to a 40-knot top end, you also get a 500nm cruising range with a pair of 440hp Volvo D6 sterndrives. Alternatively, you could ‘invest’ in a pair of 400hp V10 outboards but you should be aware that, according to Aquila’s own figures, that will halve your cruising range at a stroke.

A more palatable Aquila claim is that this boat offers the volume of a 50ft monohull and, in the absence of proper side decks, it really does feel that way.

The saloon is a massive space, with a lovely seating zone opposite the two-man helm and a huge C-shaped dinette opposite the long L-shaped starboard galley.

There’s still room for a staircase to an ensuite bedroom in each hull and a bow door to access the squared-off forward lounge, plus a three-section sliding aft patio door that enables you to open it up either to the right or left. This makes even more sense when you see the galley, which projects out, connecting the internal work surface to an external storage module by means of a fold-up extension. It then continues further aft by means of a hinge-up table on the back of that module, so the quality of integration between saloon and cockpit is first-class.

There’s plenty of space for toys and furniture inside the twin sunbeds

The only thing that might seem out of kilter here is pricing. With a base price of €916,000 ex VAT and a high-spec package price closer to €1.4M, it’s at the same level as the Aquila 42 Fly. But as a genuinely rapid 40-knot sports coupé rather than a sedate 20-knot cruiser, the extra money has quite rightly been spent on upgrading the flex-free integrity of its vinylester resin-infused structure.

Aquila 42 Coupé specifications

LOA: 42ft 10in (13.06m)
BEAM: 13ft 4in (4.05m)
TOP SPEED: 40 knots
ENGINES: D6 400-440s / 400hp V10 outboards
PRICE: From €916,000 ex VAT
CONTACT: aquilaboats.com

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Aquila 42 Coupé first look: The 40-knot powercat that defies gravity appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Highfield has long been famous for its aluminium RIBs and rightly so, because they’re very effective at what they do. But like so many other builders, it has been tempted to stray from its established niche in pursuit of a parallel product line with the potential for broader market appeal. Their answer is this – the ADV (or adventure) line – and while a larger 9m model has since been launched in Düsseldorf, this 7m craft is the first in the line and a blueprint for the rest of the ADV platforms to follow.

It’s very pleasing then that the base principles are so clear. What we have here is a RIB/sportsboat hybrid built not from aluminium but from fibreglass. While it uses an all-round inflatable collar in the fashion of a RIB, that tube is much slimmer (just 32cm in diameter) and higher than normal, taking it well above the water’s surface, more in the style of a wraparound fender than a stabilising buoyancy aid. In tandem with the hull’s elevated freeboard, the idea is to free up more room for interior space. The dimensions back this up – the internal breadth of 2.0m is a good 30cm more than you would expect of a traditional 7m RIB.

The bow lounge has another day space for four

Making the most of the beam

The next step then is to ensure that the space this frees up is profitably used and the Highfield could hardly do a better job in that regard. Ahead of the twin swim platforms, the Honda BF200 and the aluminium A-frame with towing eye, the cockpit’s U-shaped dinette is a mightily impressive piece of work.

The central section of the aft bench hinges forward in its entirety, revealing the fuel and water fillers and creating plenty of space for the engine to trim right out at the end of a day. Better still, it creates a handy spot for a couple of swimmers to sit in comfort, facing inboard, so they can dry off before making their way forward into the main part of the cockpit. At the dinette, raised backrests all round create a really welcome sense of security for up to seven people to congregate around the fold-out table. LED deck lights and EVA foam decking give the whole thing a very modern and rather premium feel.

The compact wet bar provides a sink, a fridge and some storage plus space for a small hob

As you would expect, you can convert this section into a huge aft sunbed and, given that this is the primary seating zone, it’s also good to see that the two helm seats fold forward to reveal a wet bar, with a sink, a fridge, some storage and a section of worktop that can be specced with a small hob. This whole area is sheltered by a powder-coated aluminium T-Top with a stretched canvas roof and an extended sun shade over the diners.

As you move forward to the bow, that internal beam again plays its part, freeing up plenty of space for a central (rather than offset) helm console with symmetrical walkways on both sides. The bow lounge is also big enough for four people and, like the aft section, it can be converted into another sun bed. There’s storage up here too, both beneath the deck and inside the seats. And in addition to a good size of changing space with a toilet inside the console, there’s an electric windlass on our test boat, which is by no means a common feature on a boat of this size and type.

The test boat’s 200hp Honda sees us to around 38 knots

You might think that many of the more desirable features fitted to our test boat are expensive optional add-ons but that really isn’t the case. Even as standard, you get Hypalon tubes, hydraulic steering and grippy soft-touch EVA decking. You also get the T-Top, cushioned sundecks, table, fridge, windlass, sunshade and A-frame.

In fact, aside from a modest engine upgrade from 150 to 200hp, the only optional extras on our test boat are the overall mooring cover and the electronics – in this case, a Garmin 9in MFD, VHF and transducer, plus a Fusion Apollo stereo and four speakers. You can also replace the standard portable loo with a marine toilet – an option you would do well to take. But either way, if you have any ideas with regards to optimising the fit-out, Essex dealer, Morgan Marine, is keen to hear what you have to say.

Child’s play underway

With its short waterline length, raised hull sides and narrow collar, you might argue that this boat looks a shade ungainly in the water, but there’s nothing awkward about the way it drives. The directional tracking off the plane is good and solid and, while there’s a little bit of bow lift as you move onto the plane, it’s very easy to blip the throttle and leave your hump behind. In terms of pace, you find yourself passing 30 knots very swiftly before topping out at around 38 knots and, while we only have one or two-foot waves to play with on our test day, the ride also feels commendably soft and dry.

You can spec anything from 150hp to 300hp single outboard engines

In spite of the fact that there’s no analogue compass, the helm is strong too. You get bolstered seats with handy lateral support and fore-and-aft adjustability, paired with grippy foot braces and an adjustable wheel. There are useful T-Top grab rails on either side of the screen too and the screen itself is usefully elevated with little side extensions, providing really impressive levels of shelter, whether you decide to sit or stand.

Handling is also good fun. The arresting moment in the heel you often feel as the collar of a RIB nestles against the water’s surface is conspicuous by its absence here. You find yourself leaning in at an enjoyably acute angle but it still settles well and inspires plenty of confidence. Efficiency is also pretty solid, with a cruise from 20 to 30 knots seeing 1.5 to 1.6 litres per mile for a range in the region of 135 to 150 miles.

You could of course push the envelope with a 300hp outboard or you could save £3,000 or so with a 150hp. But even if you plan on inviting large parties of people on board or you want to enjoy lots of towed watersports, the test boat’s 200hp outboard seems like a perfectly practical solution.

The impressively secure full-beam aft dinette will happily seat seven

Highfield ADV7 specifications

LOA: 22ft 11in (6.98m)
BEAM: 8ft 10in (2.68m)
DISPLACEMENT: 1,300kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 270L
WATER CAPACITY: 270L
ENGINES: Outboard from 150-300hp
PRICE: £87,995 inc VAT
CONTACT: highfieldboats.com

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Highfield ADV7 review: The RIB that thinks it’s a sportsboat appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Viknes 10 we tested in the summer of 2025 is a spectacular 35ft cruiser. So spectacular that it roared to victory in the 2026 MBY Awards as the best Family Cruiser up to 45ft. So what are we to make of a 39-footer from the closely affiliated Skilsø brand?

Owned by Viknes and built at the very same factory in Norway, the Skilsø range features just two models – the 35 and the 39, both available as either “Panorama” coupé models or as flybridge cruisers. That in itself differentiates it from the Viknes brand, which has previously lacked a flybridge option. But since we tested the Skilsø 39 in Oslo things have changed.

This boat has just been relaunched at the Düsseldorf Boat Show as the Viknes S40. It’s part of a fresh direction, enabling Viknes to bring together all of its models under the Viknes name, including the smaller Skilsø 35, which will now be known as the Viknes S35. So what might originally have seemed like an interesting cross-brand comparison is actually now quite a lot more than that.

The Skilso 39 is being relaunched as the Viknes S40, with a couple of minor upgrades

Indoor brightness

In the absence of a flybridge, it’s clear that this Panorama version of the new Viknes flagship needs to really foreground the benefits of big views and natural light from the main deck saloon and it absolutely does that. You get massive overhead sunroofs, a wide aft bulkhead opening and narrow mullions all-round, creating not just big views on the beam but uncommonly good views of the sky and brightness on a par with anything in the sector.

In fact, that all-important non-fly roof structure feels like it comprises more glass than fibreglass. The sunroofs are each split into two sections and happily, they also come as standard with insulated aluminium-lined blinds so you can shut out the sun when it’s too hot or preserve the warmth in the saloon when the temperatures drop.

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As for the layout in here, that works hard to maximise those views and to make very best use of the big internal volume generated by those narrow side decks. On the port side, a hinged co-pilot backrest enables the dinette to encompass the full length of the saloon.

A grab rail along the inboard edge of the table helps guide you fore and aft, and there’s also a pair of swing-out stools so you can make use of the walkway space for larger parties. The fact that the seats are so elevated does good things for the views underway and it also generates the volume inside the seating units for a large fridge aft, plus the option of a second equally large fridge in the forward part of the dinette.

On the other side of the saloon, the galley is no less impressive, and there are some really clever little touches that add practicality to the sheer scale of this unit. The sink lid, for instance, has a dedicated slot to tuck it away out of sight when it’s not needed.

The saloon’s roof structure comes with huge sunroofs and insulated blinds

The corner cupboards also use clever slide-out drawers to give you full access to the gear in the most remote recesses of the space. And while the long, shallow C shaped cut-out is not perfectly partnered with the space occupied by the swing-out stools, it does enable you to move that bit more freely when the dinette is being used for a large gathering.

Outdoor flexibility

The fact that the S40 adopts a similar approach to the aft cockpit as the Viknes 10 is very welcome indeed. It comes as standard with an L-shaped dinette wrapping around the aft end and port side. The test boat adds to that with the optional forward bench, turning the L-shape into a more sociable U-shaped unit. That does partially block access to the cockpit from the port side deck but it also creates the space for another optional fridge, freeing up the aft seat bases for extra storage.

As you would expect from Viknes, you also get a huge overhead sliding sunroof, double-lined for extra protection in Europe’s far north, plus reverse hinges for easy access to the storage spaces beneath the various bench seats.

The sheer scale of the dinette and galley is very impressive for a boat of this length

Interestingly, though, instead of the standard provision of a second helm, as on the Viknes 10, the S40 gets the option of a simple joystick on the starboard side. That’s not quite as good for keeping the skipper involved in the party during good weather but it’s perfectly practical for parking manoeuvres and it frees up extra space on the superstructure’s aft bulkhead for an even wider aperture to help unite the external cockpit and internal saloon across the single-level threshold. And if you want to upgrade this station, you can also add an autopilot in the moulding above the folding aft doors.

The foredeck adds a fairly commonplace island sunbed to the day boating options but what we really like is the design of the starboard side gate. Positioned directly next to the big skipper’s side door, it uses an unusual hinge-over moulding that drops outboard, simultaneously creating a gap in the bulwark and a boarding step.

Not only is that very practical in its own right but it also keeps those relatively narrow side decks completely clear, enabling the designers to maximise the saloon volume without any discernible compromise.

The galley cut-out is very handy when you have lots of people in the saloon

Sleeping for six

While most 40-footers tend to come with a pair of cabins and a bathroom or two, the S40 is much more versatile than that. On the test boat, that big 12ft 6in beam is divided between two double cabins amidships, with split facilities ahead of that (a shower room to port and a toilet to starboard) and an owner’s cabin in the bow. However, it’s also offered as a two-cabin version with the shower room shifted over to starboard between the forward heads and an aft utility zone, which provides plenty of space for your washing machine.

That also creates extra storage space in the vacated port shower cubicle and frees up additional room for a larger midships guest cabin and a little extra space in the forward cabin. But you can also use this port space as a second bathroom if you like. And while it remains true that 90% of people in Norway tend to want three cabins – for the owner, for kids and for guests – the differing appetites of the international market make this two-cabin alternative very worthwhile indeed.

There’s plenty of poke here and a nicely balanced feel to the weight distribution

More agile than you think

The helm station is, for the most part, pretty pleasing. There’s a lovely pair of helm seats with pronounced lumber and great lateral support. There’s also a foot box that slides out from beneath, enabling you to stand and helm with your head out
of the sunroof with a full view of the bow.

That said, it could do with some extra adjustability at seat and wheel to fine-tune the position and it’s also worth noting that, when you brace yourself up against the bolster in the semi-standing position, the mouldings above the screen do get in the eyeline of a six-footer. But fully seated or fully raised up on the sliding box, the position is strong – and once you get yourself comfortable, the drive is actually far more agile and dextrous than you might imagine.

Regardless of your favoured arrangement, the owner gets a large raised double with plenty of light and storage

There’s no shortage of engine choice here but around 90% of Skilso customers opt for the V-drives rather than sterndrives for reduced maintenance, and our test boat follows suit. With the V-drives placing our twin Yanmar 8LV 370 diesels a little further forward, there’s plenty of poke here and a nicely balanced feel to the weight distribution.

That’s not to say that we don’t see a bit of bow lift as we ascend our hump but you can easily dial most of that out with the Humphree tabs and enjoy a relatively flat low-speed plane. And as anticipated, the nature of the window design and raised seating keeps those views open and unobstructed.

The test boat’s three-cabin layout divides the midships beam between a double and a twin

The top end of 31 knots is nothing special but it’s only three knots shy of a Fairline Targa 40 and you can increase that if you opt for a pair of 6LY 400s or 440s or a pair of D6s instead. In fact, you could achieve around 36 or 37 knots if you went for the sterndrive option.

Even if you don’t, there’s a pleasant blend of agility and refinement in the way this boat reaches its 31-knot top end. We’re seeing sound readings of 65-72dB(A) at sensible cruising speeds, alongside a fuel flow of 4 to 4.5L per mile, which is about par for the course on a 40ft cruiser. But in spite of the fact that this boat majors on volume and versatility, it treats the skipper to a surprisingly engaging drive.

The test boat’s starboard heads compartment is also used by the day guests

The heel in the turn is extravagant but settled with good grip and excellent pace retention. It’s quick-witted too, responding to small inputs at wheel and throttle like a much smaller boat. And while there’s no real windage on a gentle day from this non-fly version, what tweaks we do make to the trim feel satisfyingly proactive.

Viknes S40 specifications

LOA: 39ft 0in (11.90m)
BEAM: 12ft 6in (3.80m)
DRAFT: 3ft 7in (1.10m)
DISPLACEMENT: 8,650kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 900L
WATER CAPACITY: 400L
ENGINES: Twin Yanmar 8LV 370 – 6LY 400s
CONTACT: www.viknes.no

Viknes S40 costs & options

Price: From €438,486 ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
V-Drives: €8,828
Proportional bow thruster: €3,026
Stern thruster: €5,316
Shore power: €4,828
Starboard side gate: €3,679
Anchor winch: €4,249

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Viknes S40 review: Evolution of an icon appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Fans of the Cockwells shipyard in Falmouth will be well aware of the Duchy line. Introduced in 2012, its semi-production approach made the builder’s celebrated quality far more accessible to regular boaters than its one-off custom projects had ever been.

As traditional shaft-driven gentleman’s launches with long keels and heavyweight construction, they were still relatively niche and costly but here, in the form of the smallest Duchy yet, the first outboard-powered Duchy ever and the only one designed for trailering, the new Duchy 25 is being touted as the most accessible model to date.

The sociable aft layout has a fold-down backrest so it’s easier to step over

Duchy 25’s user-friendly layout

As it nestles at the pontoon, looking for all the world like an open version of the established Duchy 27, the user-friendliness of the design is very clear. In tandem with the 27, with which it shares an identical front end, the bow lifts significantly, adopting a pretty fine entry with a substantial flare and a set of elevated guardrails to protect you as you make your way along the single-level side decks.

In line with the rest of the fleet, those external decks use artificial teak for ease of maintenance but as you get closer to the shelter of the interior, solid wood joinery puts in precisely the appearance you would expect.

Wraparound bench seating creates a very sociable arrangement

Before we get to that though, it’s worth checking out the stern, which features a pair of small platforms on either side of a Suzuki DF140.

Little extensions to these platforms provide handy stepping points as you make your way on and off. Given the depth of the cockpit, that makes plenty of sense and the backrest for the transom bench also assists with ease of movement by hinging forward, allowing safe and easy access directly into the cockpit without having to climb over it.

This boat is the only Duchy designed for trailering

As for the cockpit itself, it makes best use of the Duchy 25’s modest length by adopting a layout that looks like it’s been borrowed from a classical inland picnic boat. Unbroken wraparound bench seating lines the deck on three sides, facing in toward a central oak table, creating a very sociable arrangement for six or seven people.

The helm and co-pilot seats also spin around to face aft but their relative elevation does inevitably separate them from the goings on down at the cockpit table.

The raised upper dash provides space for a second MFD

That said, there’s a bit more versatility here than you might expect. The two compact swim platforms, for instance, provide access to storage cavities that continue forward beneath the lateral bench seats so storage volume is very good.

There’s also the option of slats and infill cushions so you can remove the table and create one huge sunbed. And the fact that you can extend the spray hood with all-over covers means you can shut the space off in bad weather or even use it as a second double bed so you can sleep two couples rather than one.

Headroom beneath that raised bow is far more generous than you might expect

Hard-working cabin

Moving forward, there’s some extra storage inside the base of the port helm seat and an optional fridge beneath the starboard co-pilot. And as for the joinery, well if you need evidence that Duchy’s traditional quality has made it unscathed onto this smallest, most accessible model, this is the place to find it.

Beyond the varnished oak table at the heart of the cockpit’s wraparound seating and the solid iroko grabbing points at the helm, you head down below, away from the wind, salt and water, to be greeted with lots of lovely woodwork.

This is the first outboard-powered Duchy ever

While most boats (even premium ones) tend to use a simple glue and screw approach to idiot-proof butt joints on drawers and storage lockers, alongside veneered panels to reduce cost, what we have here is far more pleasing – solid oak joinery throughout, alongside the kind of expertly executed half blind dovetail joints that you just want to show off to your friends.

As for the layout, simplicity is again key. There’s a compact wetbar-style galley next to the companionway steps so you can stand fully upright and take advantage of the extra headroom here. That’s great for light, air and sociability, and it’s also handy for keeping an eye on the horizon and warding off the nausea if you’re forced below in a swell to make a cup of tea.

There’s not much space to play with here, of course. Just a sink and a section that looks ripe for a compact gas or induction hob. But the storage is again very strong, not least in the form of a dedicated cup rack and some automatically lit hanging storage.

The fact that you can use the backrests as the infils for the convertible bed is very useful

The space ahead of this is rigged as a V-shaped lounge and, thanks to the pronounced elevation of the coachhouse roof, there’s plenty of room for a family of six-footers to sit here and chat.

You can also turn it into a double bed for overnighting duties and it’s really good to see that, when you do so, the infills double as backrests for the seats, so you don’t have to waste any storage space during the day.

You can augment the ready-rigged spray hood with full cockpit covers

As for the heads compartment, the access door is, by necessity, quite low but it provides everything you need – an opening portlight, an electric toilet on the angle to maximise the space, and an optional shower fitting and deck drain so you can use it as a wet room or as a private place to wash off the sea salt.

While the rotating helm seats are too high to feel natural, the dinette is impressive

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Soft and settled at sea

While the established 27 has proven itself to be a very sound sea boat, there are some key differences here. The 25 is a shade shorter and 750kg lighter. It’s also significantly shallower than the 27 and its engine is positioned not beneath the cockpit deck but on top of the transom. None of those things are of great benefit in a chunky sea but the early signs here are actually very good.

It’s not big but the quality of the solid oak joinery is lovely

The upward sweep of the sheerline, the elegant flare of the bow and those enormously raised guardrails combine to give you a very reassuring sense of confidence from the helm. It feels commendably soft too; and as the compact bow rides gamely over the west country swells, the dryness is equally striking.

As a semi-displacement hull, travelling at moderate speeds through reasonable chop with a robust wind, you wouldn’t necessarily expect to witness the deflected water clapping its approval 10ft off the beam, but that’s exactly what we’re seeing.

Even a 40hp unit will push this boat along at 8 knots

It’s very quiet at low revs too, without any of the rumble or reverberation of an inboard diesel, so it immediately feels like a very useful boat for low-speed work on the inland waterways. Steady straightline tracking and ‘spin-on-a-sixpence’ manoeuvrability also lend themselves to that kind of application but it does get a shade noisy when you get up beyond 16 knots.

With the pram hood erected and that Suzuki DF140 whirring away at 5,000rpm, sound readings of about 80dB(A) increase to around 85dB(A) at our 21-knot top end. But the engine is, of course, something you can change.

The access door is quite low, but the wetroom-style heads makes great use of modest space

The 25’s transom is designed to operate with anything from 40-200hp and even with the basic 40, you could expect this boat to hit 8 knots so it’s by no means a power-hungry platform.

It makes good sense then that electric propulsion is also on the cards – and there’s plenty of space beneath the cockpit deck for a battery bank to make that relatively simple.

Compact platform extensions make boarding much simpler

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Duchy 25 review: Game-changing first trailable Duchy is outboard-powered appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

According to Espen Aalrud, the boss at Norwegian builder, Marex, the plan is very straightforward. He simply wants to “build the best family sportscruisers in the world” and few would deny that his company is on the right track.

The recent Marex 440 flagship scooped top prize in its category at every major international awards scheme going, including Best of Boats, the European Powerboat of the Year and our very own MBY Awards. And while that presents the new Marex 390 with a very tough act to live up to, the early signs are almost absurdly good…

The new 390 is the smaller sister to the award-winning 440 flagship

Outdoor options

We’re told that during the ten days of the Cannes Yachting Festival, Marex sold 22 of these new 390s and it’s not hard to see why. For a start, it adopts much the same aesthetic as the 440 and, in spite of its relatively modest length, it also uses much the same main deck layout. That’s broadly divided between a big secure aft cockpit and a saloon with a dinette and galley.

The two zones are linked by a single-level deck and integrated by means of sliding doors and a vertical port panel that drops away out of view with a single tap of the button, so you don’t have to stand there babysitting it as it descends into its cavity. If you then slide the built-in canvases around the cockpit, you generate what amounts to an unbroken cylinder of sheltered accommodation all the way from the transom to the helm.

With lots of storage, lovely quality, great shelter and seating for ten, the aft cockpit is absolutely first-rate

A great start then, but it actually gets better at the back end because the aft platform makes great use of its integrated teak boxes with a removable table. In addition to excellent drained storage for your lines and fenders, that means you get a really charming aft-facing station for your morning coffee before you even step into the cockpit. It’s such a lovely feature that it can only be a matter of time before it makes its way up to the flagship 440.

As for the cockpit itself, that feels very much the equal of the larger 440. It’s huge and square and lined on all sides by enough seating to accommodate at least ten people. The teak table collaborates in that with big folding leaves and a sliding mechanism that keeps you just as involved on the starboard bench as you are at the port dinette. The security here is also superb, thanks to the raised wraparound mouldings, and the details are a pleasure too.

The fuel flow curve is virtually flat at everything from 21 to 36 knots

There’s a big manual sunroof overhead, as well as pretty ambient lighting built into the underside of the gunwale-top teak railings; and there’s a cushion mounted on the inside of the transom gate, which means that, when you open it up and lock it in place, you get five cosy corner seats in a square space.

The steamed ash deck and Alcantara trim also feel very premium and the designs of the storage boxes and engine-room strike a chord too. The various seat boxes use cutaway cushions, linear mouldings and well-judged rams for easy one-handed opening. And once you’re in, you get loads of volume, courtesy of the fact that the bottom of each compartment drops 10cm lower than the cockpit deck itself.

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But if you’re concerned about what that does to the space in the engine bay, you needn’t be. A light comes on automatically when you lift the hatch, displaying a ready-rigged ladder and a huge checkerplate platform ahead of the test boat’s sterndrive set-up. There’s plenty of space down here for a gyro and a generator and more than enough for Marex to engineer a V-drive option too. And it’s beautifully insulated, so if you do opt for a gen-set, as most UK buyers will, you’re likely to be all but oblivious to its muted rumble until you open the hatch.

Company owner Espen reckons the 390 might be the best Marex he’s ever built

As for the foredeck, that does seem a shade plain at first, with its simple (albeit beautifully executed) low-level island sun bed and its clean-cut walkaround decks. But with the anchor mounted on the stem, the slightly squared-off bow is really well used for a step-through forepeak and a bow ladder that lifts up and out for easy access to rocks and beaches.

You also get buoyant bow cushions that you can chuck into the water and use as lilos. The guardrails are lovely and high and, once again, whether on the toerail cappings, the decking, the seat boxes or the furniture, the teak work feels delightfully premium.

Swing-out stools and a reversible backrest add extra flexibility to the low-slung dinette

Internal spaces

The saloon is simply arranged around a port dinette and a starboard galley. The dinette is quite low-slung but so are those plunging side windows, so visibility, as well as comfort, is very strong. At the forward end of the dinette, you have to reverse the backrest to create the two-man co-pilot position but, as on the 440, it’s a very successful spot, thanks to a lift-up teak table, a set of powerpoints and a bulkhead cushion that enables you to pop your feet up and face across to the skipper.

The port-side dash is usefully low too, opening up the forward views both from the co-pilot seats and from the dinette – and with a TV that drops down from the ceiling (rather than swallowing up worktop space at the galley), you can watch TV either from the internal dinette or angle the bracket for a great view from the external cockpit.

Raising the bed wins extra breadth for easy access on both sides

Like the larger 440, the 390 is also very much a cruising machine and it has the domestic systems to reflect that. You can have a two or four-ring hob (gas or electric) and in addition to three big fridges totalling 320L of volume, this boat also comes with a 590L water tank, which is huge by the standards of the sector.

Both of the main deck dinettes transform into large double beds for occasional guests and there are curtains, both for the aft canvases and for the main screen for extra privacy. And actually, the deck layout works really well for that kind of application because, if you pop a couple of guests in the enclosed aft cockpit, those in the main cabins can get up and make breakfast or access the pontoon via the skipper’s side door without causing any disturbance at all.

The lower deck is equally well arranged. The entry point to the transverse midships cabin features a huge chest of drawers and a sizable changing zone beneath a bright skylight built into the port dash. A 2m x 2m berth enables you to sleep in whatever direction you like; and the port settee sits next to a big hull window, beneath the saloon dinette’s raised mouldings, so it’s a perfectly pleasant place to relax with a cup of tea.

There’s lots of storage at the entry point to the guest double

Further forward in the bow cabin, the owner’s bed is substantially raised in pursuit of extra breadth and that works well too, creating plenty of space for access on both sides while still delivering the headroom at the forepeak to sit up in bed and read a book.

As for the starboard bathroom, that’s good too – big enough for a separate shower with a decent seat and a beautifully designed one-piece shower door mounted on a clever runner system that saves space without overcomplicating the issue.

The huge bed is supplemented with a comfy port settee

Faster than you think

This might be a 12.5-tonne boat but there’s a fair bit of poke here. Within 15 seconds of putting the hammers down, we’re sliding along at 30 knots and true to Espen’s word, if we keep pushing on, we manage to top out at around 41 knots.

As you would expect, given its moderate hull angles, generous beam and big volume, it’s more comfortable running with the seas than charging headlong into the chop. But the balance feels very good, the grip at the props is unrelenting, it’s commendably easy to tweak the pitch and it’s also impressively dry.

In spite of lively winds stoking up some two and three-footers, and in spite of the fact that we’re pushing the boat harder than you would tend to in these conditions, the only time we call upon our wipers is to chase away the cold Oslo rain.

Re st assured that the new Marex 390 is one of the very best 40ft sports cruisers we’ve seen

Better still, the easy-planing hull shape and finely judged weight distribution mean that our cruising band is brilliantly unfussy. At everything from 21 to 36 knots, we’re seeing the fuel flow hover at between 3.4 and 3.8 litres per mile for a range (accommodating 20% in reserve) of between 180 and 200 miles.

That means you can pick whatever speed your guests and the conditions demand, without fearing too much for your wallet. And as for the helm position, that’s nigh-on impossible to fault. The seat uses a push-button adjustment system so you don’t have to root around for a catch beneath the seat base.

The sunroof is manual too and while there’s not quite the space on this model for a port door, the skipper’s door and adjustable wheel are both present and correct. And so is the adjustable barrel that houses the wheel and throttles. You can move it fore and aft at the touch of a button, enabling you to enjoy the seat’s excellent lumbar support without having to reach for the touch points.

Angled MFDs reduce the glare and increase the sense of intimacy

With the skipper’s side door leading directly out to a cleat, a side gate, a lines locker and a rail, this is already a very sound boat in terms of seamanship practicalities. There are neat little integrated teak-lined ledges just above the waterline at the aft end too, so you can plant a foot and grab a line without feeling unsafe.

In another nod to the sheer thoughtfulness behind this design, there’s a glazing panel set into the lower half of the transom gate so you can see the edge of the aft platform from the helm when you’re berthing stern-to. But to pop the cherry on the cake, an opening port window is an option we would certainly look to take.

We would also opt for a cockpit helm – partly to make single-handed manoeuvres simpler, but more importantly, so the driver can remain at the heart of the party when the guests are straddling the threshold between the big internal dinette and the aft cockpit’s socialising zone.

While the D6-440s will see this boat to a top end of 41 knots, it’s more about comfort and refinement

Marex 390 specification

LOA: 39ft 4in (12.0m)
BEAM: 12ft 3in (3.73m)
DRAFT: 3ft 5in (1.05m)
DISPLACEMENT: 12,500kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 860L
WATER CAPACITY: 590L
ENGINES: Twin D4-320s / D6-440 diesels

Marex 390 costs and options

Price: from €600,000 ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Twin Volvo Penta D6-440 upgrade
Alcantara upholstery
Aft coffee table
Oven beneath helm seat

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This article Marex 390 review: Could this be the world's finest 40 footer? appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

You almost have to force yourself to dismiss what you know about modern market trends when you come across a boat like this. Forget volume. Forget expandable decks. Forget crowd-pleasing toys. What we have instead is something far simpler and more purposeful.

A clean, slippery, stepped hull with a fine entry and a subtle bow flare; a gently swept sheerline lined with smooth teak rails; and an elegant open transom with a beefy inboard engine tucked out of sight beneath the deck. Throw in some duck-egg blue gelcoat, some stitched leather furniture, an empty teak foredeck and some gleaming steel accents and you have a surefire recipe for a fantastic looking boat.

But of course, that’s nothing new to Cormate. For a long time, this race-derived Norwegian brand has been about the creation of purist driving machines that are simple, lightweight, fast and premium. And whether you’re looking at the 23, the 32, the 35 or this new 27, each boat continues to stick very closely to that proven formula.

Very few helm stations are better set up for comfort and control at speed

Pared back but posh

When you step on board, the subtle, understated luxury of the Cormate ethos shines through. Elements like the metallic glint of the subtly silvered gelcoat on the internal furniture and the lovely teak work leave you in no doubt about the calibre of this boat. And it’s also good to see how hard the deck arrangement works to make proper use of limited space.

The aft sunbed, for instance, sits in the centre of the deck, directly on top of the engine bay, with a clever triangular backrest that hinges forward and aft. That enables you to rig it as a large aft-facing lounger or as a pair of benches, one facing forward into the cockpit and the other facing aft over the elegantly angular swim platform.

There’s a pair of cupholders machined into the centre of the aft cushion and when you rig the table and look toward the bench that butts up against the back of the two helm seats, you find yourself at a very attractive four-person dining station.

The clarity of thought is clear to see here, not least in the provision of an optional fridge beneath this forward bench, plus a slot to stow the table on the underside of the bench’s lid, exactly where you would want it. There are also beautiful teak grab rails lining the gunwales on either side of the dining area and beneath those are what appear to be large carbon-fibre panels.

A low-speed plane of 15 or 16 knots is very easy to achieve

On many boats, these would simply be carbon coloured vinyl wraps but here they are proper carbon-fibre hull reinforcements. That makes sense as keeping the weight down (in this case to just 1,740kg) is a key priority both in the construction and the fit-out. You see further evidence of that in elements like the rimless windscreen, the carbon-fibre lid on the anchor locker and the optional carbon-fibre toilet.

When you head forward, up a step, beyond the console, the entirely flat teak-lined foredeck is also a very pretty thing. You can, of course, opt for an alternative decking material and you can add a set of cushions up here too. Those cushions come with a central fore-and-aft seam, so you can hinge one side over and continue to use the deck for berthing duties without putting them away.

But even on the relatively sparse test boat, the foredeck works harder than you think, thanks to a spray hood rail and a very slick little 60W solar panel, which wrap so neatly around the console moulding that you barely notice they’re there.

The changing seat gets the benefit of a lifting deckhead and good natural light

Is the Cormate Utility 27 really a weekender?

You don’t expect a lot from the cabin on a boat that looks as swift and svelte as this; nor from one with such a flat foredeck, such a narrow beam or such an emphasis on shaving off the weight. But such is the fuss-free cleanliness of the Cormate approach that you get much more volume than you think.

Heading down through a generous sliding door with a handy port grab rail, you see a space divided broadly in two. The forward section contains the bed, with a decent bit of storage underneath and upholstered hull sides so you can roll over without bumping shoulders on chilly fibreglass. Aft of that is a changing seat to starboard and a sink and loo module to port with a low-level partition providing a slightly fanciful nod toward privacy.

The loo and sink unit makes great use of very limited space

There are no hull windows of course, but what you do get is a pair of letter-slot windows in the leading edge of the console for some natural light down below and, in tandem with the very spare and modern fit-out, that actually makes it feel fairly bright and pleasant.

Of course, with 45L of water and 32L of blackwater capacity, the tankage is at a premium, so it’s best used for relatively brief weekends away. But the short answer is yes. If you’re a cosy couple and you don’t mind a bit of camp-style overnighting, you have all the most critical basics right here.

The optional carbon fibre toilet is about impact resistance from the waves, as well as reduced weight

Fine-tuned performance

Like the Cormate 23, 32 and 35, the new 27 comes in both inboard and outboard variants and the choice is extensive. The XS variant brings a wide range of outboards into play, from the entry-level Mercury ProXS 200 right up to the Mercury V10 400R. And the inboard model provides similar flexibility with everything from 250 to 425hp.

In fact, you could even spec a Mercury V6 TDI 270hp diesel for speeds in the region of 50 knots and that’s something that may well appeal to a lot of UK buyers. But with its Mercury 6.2L V8 350hp petrol inboard tucked away beneath the aft deck, this test boat still looks like a very sage choice.

It’s apparently the most popular rig on the Utility 27 – and given that it’s about six grand more affordable than the outboard model with the Verado 300, as well as a knot or two quicker and significantly better looking, you can see why.

From 25 to 45 knots, we’re sipping fuel at an extraordinary 1 .1 to 1 .3 litres per mile

As for the helm station, that really is a delightful place to be. It’s very deep-set with supremely secure leaning posts and outstanding lateral support. The screen is raked and rimless to help keep the weight down but there’s no shortage of grabbing points to help compensate for that. And like the thruster switch, there are some very attractive Second World War fighter plane vibes to the toggle switches on the dash.

The same goes for the simple rocker switch that you use to operate the single port tab that controls the lateral balance. It’s not just about style, the toggle switches each come with their own fuses so there’s no need for a separate breaker panel and it’s also good to see that the twin 9in plotters and that lovely Isotta steering wheel both come as standard on this relatively high-spec Supermarine model.

It feels delightfully different and, when you get underway, the Cormate’s dynamic personality reinforces that. It will plane quite happily as low as 16 or 17 knots but there’s more joy to be had – and better fuel efficiency to be enjoyed – when you treat it to a bit of pace.

You can use the backrest to create both forward- and aft facing bench seats

From 25 to 45 knots, we’re sipping fuel at an extraordinary 1.1 to 1.3 litres per mile. To put that in perspective, when we tested the comparably sized Arksen 8 with 400hp of outboard power, that drank about 2.4 litres per mile at 35 knots. And we’ve tested smaller lightweight aluminium boats with less power than this that struggle to beat 1.5L per mile at 32 knots, so the sheer efficiency on offer here is exceptional.

The Zero Effort aluminium racing throttles are also very pleasing. They enable you to use one lever to select forward, neutral or reverse and a second lever to operate the revs, which means that, aside from looking very cool and exotic, they give you a much finer degree of control over your pace, simply by virtue of the extra travel enjoyed by the lever.

In short, this boat is a pleasure to drive but it’s also a learning experience. With a stiff, lightweight vacuum-infused hull, a narrow beam and a 350hp petrol inboard operating through a single prop, it will let you know quite rapidly if you start getting out of shape. But driven with respect, it flies flat and linear onto the plane, picks up pace with outrageous urgency and heels with plenty of grip and aggression.

Twin plotters and that lovely Isotta steering wheel both come as standard

As a small, fast open platform for up to six, it probably feels more like a cool day boat for Mediterranean socialites than an offshore adventure boat for outdoorsy northern Europeans but it’s certainly none the worse for that.

Cormate Utility 27 Supermarine specification

LOA: 26ft 11in (8.20m)
BEAM: 7ft 6in (2.29m)
DRAFT: 1ft 10in (0.55m)
DISPLACEMENT: 1,740kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 260L
WATER CAPACITY: 45L
ENGINES: 200-500hp outboard/250-520hp inboards
CONTACT: cormate.com

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Cormate Utility 27 Supermarine review: Seriously rapid high-end weekender appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Very few design concepts have been at once so different and so successful as that of Spanish builder, De Antonio. Its distinct way of doing things involves a stepped hull with a plumb bow and vertical hull sides for maximum internal volume.

That’s paired with a walkaround deck layout and a set of outboard engines hidden discreetly from view beneath an extended sun pad that pushes way beyond the transom at the aft end. In creating additional space for a full-beam swim platform, what De Antonio is attempting to do with this De Antonio D60 is combine the poke, refinement and maintenance simplicity of outboard engines with the space and style of an inboard diesel boat.

The very flat De Antonio running attitude is fine for most conditions

And by freeing up plenty of room beneath the deck, as well as on top of it, De Antonio has been able to create really competitive cruise-ready day boats at everything from 29 to 50ft. But at 60ft and more than 20 metric tonnes? Preserving the integrity of the De Antonio concept calls for a set of outboards as mighty as any you’re likely to see in Europe…

The port galley can be accessed from the saloon, as well as the lower atrium

Scaling up the concept with the De Antonio D60

While the standard rig features quadruple Mercury 400hp V10s, our test boat has four 7.6-litre Mercury V12 600hp outboards tucked away beneath the sun pad. That’s no less than 2,400hp and nearly 2.5 tonnes of engines on the transom, plus a whole load of mouldings for the sunbed itself and a big hydraulic swim platform further aft.

Tender space, like storage, is very well taken care of

As you would expect then, the De Antonio D60 uses the same trick as the rest of the fleet, with a pair of hull extensions that push aft of the transom on either side, much like a power cat. The idea is to provide the extra buoyancy required to compensate for all this extra weight aft. On smaller De Antonio models, that does tend to drop the nose, resulting in a resolutely (and almost unalterably) flat and level running attitude, so it’s reasonable to expect similar here.

Before we get to the drive though, it’s worth examining the deck layout because De Antonio’s classical three-way split of day boating space remains alive and well here. At the stern, the big sheltered ten-man dining station backs onto the raised sun pad, where an ice bucket is neatly integrated into the central cushion.

While the standard rig features quadruple 400s, the 600s are a worthwhile upgrade

At the big, beamy bow, various layouts mix a range of sofas, sunbeds and tables with the option of an integrated spa pool. And inside the pilothouse, a pair of inward facing settees leads onto a central three-man helm station that backs onto a transverse wet bar housing a sink, a pair of fridges and an integrated aft-facing TV.

If the inward-facing settees seem a shade too simplistic to be practical, that’s mitigated by a lift-and-lower fold-out table on the port side. And what’s also particularly welcome in here is the degree to which everything can be opened up.

The raised, central three-man helm is set back from the vertical one-piece screen

There are sliding doors on both sides of the helm, plus a massive overhead sunroof and a pair of big one-piece side-windows that drop down out of sight behind the settees. Couple all of these with the patio-style aft doors and you can transform this zone from a sheltered wheelhouse into an open Med-style cockpit in seconds.
However, it doesn’t end there.

The big one-piece side windows slide down at the touch of a button

In a first for De Antonio, these day spaces are supplemented with some sunbeds on the forward part of the roof structure. To access them, you open up the big sunroof and use one of the two lateral bookcases as ready-made ladders to climb up and out. They’re entirely vertical and there’s not a lot of clearance behind the rails for your knuckles so the young, the elderly and the infirm might want to stay on the lower level. But for the rest of us, it’s worth the ascent.

A set of beds designed for four, but big enough for eight, come with integrated headrests and a low-slung but reassuring peripheral guardrail. That said, with the sunroof open, it only takes a momentary lapse of concentration to step backwards into the gaping hole you just emerged from, so an extra removable aft railing would be a handy addition.

Preserving the integrity of the concept calls for a set of outboards as mighty as any you’re likely to see in Europe

Either way, if it’s not for you, you can simply exchange the rooftop sunbeds for an optional second glass sunroof and bring even more light and air into the main saloon.

Article continues below…

De Antonio D29 review: 'A very cool and distinctive character'

New boats at Cannes Yachting Festival: De Antonio D60 is glazed in light

Cruising for four

In spite of the fact that this is a big voluminous 61-footer, our test boat comes with the distinctly indulgent two-cabin layout – and thanks to a combination of a beam-forward design and a crew cabin in the forepeak, the VIP bow cabin feels uncommonly broad and square, much in the fashion of a full-beam owner’s suite.

Like the big forward VIP, the owner’s midships cabin is broad, bright and open

It’s used for a large central fore-and-aft bed with a pair of settees, one on either side. If that seems like a peculiar furniture choice in a two-person cabin, you can fix it with a visit to the options list, and in all cases, the fact that the entire space is drenched in light from the big low-level hull windows is very welcome indeed.

Sliding doors make good, efficient use of the space at the VIP’s entry point, and when you head back through them, up a step, you find yourself in the double-height atrium beneath the big raised helm position.

A big sheltered dinette butts up against the raised aft sunbed

This section provides natural separation between the two cabins, as well as access to a fore-and-aft galley on the port side. You also get a direct route into the galley to port of the helm, but it can be discreetly shut off for crew use if you like. As for the day heads, that sits to starboard, with plenty of space for a separate shower compartment with a seat and shower fitting, plus a forward loo that prioritises privacy by means of its own independent door.

Four beefy engines, a joystick and twin side doors make the drive very simple

The main part of the owner’s cabin further aft is actually of a very similar order to the forward VIP. It’s broad, square and well-lit, with plenty of space on either side of the central bed for a dresser and a settee.

But this time, you also get a generous ensuite bathroom to starboard and a truly remarkable walk-in wardrobe, every bit as large as the bathroom, on the port side. This is, as intimated, a very indulgent way to use the space but you can of course opt for a three-cabin layout instead, where the bow cabin is divided in two.

And whichever option you choose, you still get a truly cavernous storage space beneath the aft cockpit, with standing headroom and sufficient volume for a whole collection of bikes, boards, skis and toys.

The scale of the locker beneath the cockpit deck has to be seen to be believed

Speed demon

Make no mistake. With the quadruple 600hp upgrade, this De Antonio D60 is a rapid boat. When you put the hammers down, the pick-up is marvellously quick for a platform of this scale and, thanks to the big outboards and the unique transom set-up, it’s also remarkably free of noise and vibration.

As on the smaller models, that flat De Antonio running attitude is very much in evidence but that means that, once the big outboards have shifted up a gear, you can cruise very comfortably at 20-22 knots with sound readings of just 67dB(A) and very little need for any real input or adjustment at the helm.

You can replace the big upper sunbeds with an optional extra sunroof instead

That said, this boat actually gets better at between 30 and 35 knots, with the V12s purring away at 5,000-5,500rpm. At around 12 litres per mile, it’s not exactly economical on fuel, but it is fast, flat and refined and, thanks to its 3,700-litre capacity spread across three tanks, it’s enough to enable a usable cruising range in the region of 250nm.

In fairness to the D60, experimentation with the leg angles does adjust the pitch a shade but, as expected, the bow does like to remain low.

The double-height atrium leads onto the starboard day heads, the port galley and the forward VIP cabin

That’s fine for 90 per cent of cruising conditions and applications but, when you pair the flat attitude with the vertical hull sides and the absence of a forward flare, there’s likely to be a bit of bow engagement and wetness in a chunky following sea – and that’s illustrated by the fact that, when we try to scoot across a lively wake, the hull’s forward section momentarily arrests the revs and washes off a little of our pace.

Even so, windage on this boat feels well controlled and the weight distribution also feels well judged. And aside from the outright pace and the level of refinement (both of which are impossible to ignore), it’s the sheer quality of the driving position that really hits home.

A sunpad with wine cooler sits above the tender and engines

The big, vertical one-piece windscreen, set back from the raised central helm, provides vast unobstructed views. Access to the side decks is also outstanding and, with four powerful engines, a set of thrusters and a joystick, it’s so simple to drive that for most people, those forward crew quarters will be used solely as a storage space or overspill cabin.

The foredeck lounge is broad, safe and very versatile

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article De Antonio D60 review: 'it’s the sheer quality of the driving position that really hits home' appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Aluminium seems to have been gaining traction in the UK of late and it’s thoroughly deserved. It’s tough, lightweight and highly effective when it comes to absorbing the mild impacts novice boating tends to involve.

It’s also corrosion-resistant, simple to fix and fully recyclable at end of life. And if you enjoy a rugged SUV aesthetic, you might even argue that its unaffected honesty puts stylistic appeal firmly in its wheelhouse too. Small wonder then that in recent years, we’ve seen established players like XO, Buster and Highfield joined by a range of new models from the likes of Arksen, Archipelago, Aquaspirit and Viggo.

With their famous appetite for effectiveness over glitz, it is of course the Nordic countries that have made most of the running in this sector – and with the arrival of the first Ockelbo on British shores, it seems they’re at it again.

Ockelbo comes from established Swedish aluminium sportsboat specialist, Anytec. In fact, it uses exactly the same combination of Swedish design and Latvian construction, but while Anytec boats tend to adopt a very slick, high-performance approach, this new 25ft flagship looks happy to trade a little bit of dynamism for some extra multi-purpose, four-season versatility.

The management of the beam is a good example of that. At 8ft 4in, it’s designed to provide the ideal balance between internal volume and easy trailering, so it’s good to see that a pair of narrow raised side decks enables the internal space to enjoy the lion’s share of that breadth.

While Ockelbo is new to UK shores, parent company, Anytec, can trace its roots right back to the 1960s

With cabin doors fore and aft, these side decks are as much for accessing the roof space as anything else – and given the fact that you can stow a load of gear up on the roof rack, that makes good sense. But the deck spaces both in the bow and the aft cockpit are really deep and secure.

And in contrast to the hybrid aluminium/GRP construction of some rivals, this entire boat (hull, deck and superstructure) is built solely from aluminium – 4mm in the topsides, 5mm in the hull and 6mm in the keel.

Chuck in a purposeful reverse screen and welds that are left uncovered by vinyl wraps and you’re left in no doubt what this boat is about.

When rigged, the bed measures an impressive 7ft by 4ft 9in

A trio of day spaces

The aft cockpit uses a pair of seat boxes and a swing-up table ahead of a 300hp outboard flanked by handy swim platforms. The 300hp unit should be enough to push this boat toward the mid-40s, but with a transom rating of 425hp, speeds in the mid-50s are also apparently on the cards.

Up at the bow, the test boat provides another three facing seat pods with plenty of safe embarkation points and a fat gunwale-top D-ring so you can chain it to the pontoon at a bow-to berth. But you can upgrade the sociability of this space with a full convertible U-shaped dining station big enough for six.

Fabric linings both inside and outside the storage spaces help keep the noise at bay

Either way, the fact that you get a set of scuppers big enough to discharge a bath tub in two seconds flat is very reassuring. And the roof space is engineered to accommodate a roof rack or even a Thule Roof Tent for sleeping up top if you enjoy a spot of adventure.

As for the pilothouse itself, that’s also much more enjoyable than you might expect. Headroom is great, the bonded windows deliver outstanding views all-round and you get a pair of sunroofs as standard. The furniture is cleverly arranged too.

The deep safe bow is ripe for some extra seating, infills and tables

Tapering side benches, a pair of optional lift-up seats aft and rotating helm seats enable you to seat up to eight people in here. You can also convert this furniture into a really generous bed measuring 7ft by 4ft 9in.

For many people, a loo is also critical on a multi-purpose family boat and that’s well catered for too. You can either spec a basic loo beneath the access step to the pilothouse for £3,400; or for an extra £3,000, you can opt for a full heads compartment with sink and black water tank at the starboard quarter, with access from the cockpit. That would be our favoured option but if a wet bar is also vital, you’ll have to supplement the optional cool box with a portable BBQ that attaches to your rails.

In the absence of a wet bar, the fridge option is well worth considering

Fun but refined

Impressive though it is that you can bolt a 425hp outboard to this boat for speeds in the mid 50s, it doesn’t make sense to us. It adds weight to the transom, money to the asking price and fuel costs to the ownership experience. And this is a lightfooted 1,800kg aluminium sportsboat with a relatively shallow hull, so even with the 300 you see here, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

It leaps onto the plane with all the vigour you could want, enabling you to dismiss the hump with nothing more than a brisk little blip on the throttle. You can then push through to 44 knots with very little fuss and, as long as you’re happy to give the boat a bit of input from the helm, the handling dexterity is excellent too.

You can drop the test boat’s sociable dinette layout and opt for individual bucket seats instead

Working the leg angle brings big dividends in terms of pace, ride and efficiency. And it enables you to really dig the hull in through some chop on the bow or through a hard-carved turn, which is really good fun. Ultimately, it can’t boast quite the grip or grunt of a boat like the XO DFNDR 8, nor quite the maturity or sophistication of the DFNDR 9.

But in its eagerness to leap to attention and please the keen skipper, the fact that it offers the same general order of driving experience is very welcome indeed.

It’s a really quiet boat, too, particularly by the standards of aluminium. The bulkheads, like the storage spaces, are lined with noise-damping fabrics and, when the various doors and hatches are shut, that pegs the decibel readings back to the high 70s, even at the very top end. The big views, the bright natural light, the voluminous cabin and the impact-mitigation seats all collaborate in that to deliver a drive far more refined than you might anticipate from its tough looks.

Headroom is great – the bonded windows deliver outstanding views all-round

That said, one thing that does limit the joy of the drive is the design of the test boat’s doors. The aft door is hinged (rather than sliding) with a magnetic catch, so you can’t leave it open underway. The glazed two-part bow door is also imperfect.

The upper part includes a roof section, which is great for head clearance as you make your way in and out, but the upper part needs to be shut at anything over nine knots, and the lower section can’t be open when the upper part is closed.

As a result, you can’t leave either section open at planing speeds, restricting ventilation to the saloon, and you can’t really use the bow space unless you’re at anchor. It’s good to hear then that a revised design is apparently in process to help remedy the issue.

Tough, spacious, robust and good-looking, this is one of those boats that just makes sense

Ockelbo B25 Cabin specifications:

LOA: 25ft 11in (7.90m)
BEAM: 8ft 4in (2.55m)
DRAFT: 1ft 4in (0.40m)
DISPLACEMENT: 1,805kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 300L
WATER CAPACITY: NA
ENGINES: 250-425hp outboard
CONTACT: ockelboboats.se

Ockelbo B25 Cabin costs & options

Price: from £106,200 ex VAT.
Test boat includes the following options…
Mercury Verado 300 V8 upgrade: £3,000
Twin suspension seats: £3,100
Uprated equipment package: £11,900

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Ockelbo B25 Cabin review: More Practical Than a RIB! appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Ever since its inception, British adventure company, Arksen, has felt different. Yes, there are now all kinds of trawler yachts, pilothouse boats and RIBs that adopt “adventure” as a key part of their marketing profiles but here was a company that backed up its hardware with a proven infrastructure of adventurers from all kinds of disciplines that enabled you to use your boat in a more ambitious and rewarding way than you might ever have thought possible.

But even if you disregard that critical element of the package, the boats themselves have been impressive. At the top of the Arksen tree is the Explorer series of serious long-distance expedition platforms – not least the all-aluminium flagship 85 with its extraordinary 7,000-mile range; in the middle are the Adventure sportsboats, which are derived from XO’s tough four-season aluminium pilothouse craft; and in terms of open boats, there’s also now a RIB line known as the Discovery series. We’d already seen this boat a year ago at its Southampton Boat Show debut but here, on a brisk and lumpy sea off Chichester, we finally got the chance to put it through its paces.

Expect huge acceleration, a 52-knot top end and an easygoing 2L/mile cruise

Big, bright and beamy

Before we get to the drive though, it’s worth a look at the design because it makes really interesting use of the space. In the cockpit, for instance, the aft bench conceals a vast (and beautifully lined) 450L drained storage locker. That’s flanked by cushioned armrests with wireless phone chargers recessed into the lateral mouldings. And ahead of that, a pair of fold-down seats built into the back edge of the transverse wet bar can be strapped up to free up the deck space or dropped down for extra sociability at the dining station.

The wet bar itself is also cleverly conceived. There’s a fridge as standard, plus space for an electric Kenyon grill and a sunken wine cooler. There’s also room for a pair of optional Igloo cool boxes beneath the unit, which makes plenty of sense if you want to take your food, drink and seating ashore for a beach picnic. However you choose to spec it though, the fact that you get a wet bar and some central seats rather than just one or the other is a major plus on a boat of this size.

Where this boat really scores over the show boat we saw a year back, however, is in the detailing. There are sturdy gas rams on the lids and hatches and a long low-profile ladder that extends out from the starboard swim platform.

Strong build, high-grade fit-out and SUV styling give it a distinctly premium feel

The tables are also cleverly devised. Built light and manageable with right- angled struts and flexible fastenings, you can lift and drop, rotate and pivot, so you can keep your dinner front and centre or shift your drinks and nibbles out of the way above the inflatable collar to open up the space. There are fore and aft infills for the two dining zones too, and these are similarly lightweight and easy to handle.

Further forward, the console is offset to port, opening up a very secure walkway to starboard, but thanks to some well designed grab rails, it’s perfectly easy to climb up and over the tube on the portside too. There’s also excellent access to the heads compartment, thanks to a door that encompasses the entire starboard corner of the console moulding.

There’s plenty of space in there for changing your clothes, as well as for using the loo and washing at the compact sink, and the natural light in this space is also uncommonly strong.

Nestle in at the bow seat and the tube comes right up under your armpit

Surprising security

When you reach the bow, the impact of that substantially raised sheerline adds tremendous depth for a far greater degree of security than you would tend to expect of a RIB.

There’s space for a convertible four-man bow lounge up here and the fact that there’s a compressor in the console’s forward locker, with a hose long enough to reach all five chambers of that wide-diameter Hypalon collar, and sufficient power to inflate your high-pressure SUP boards, is particularly good news.

The forepeak, however, is a bit of an anomaly. On the one hand, the anchor is mounted on the stem to enable easy disembarkation. On the other, there’s an aluminium box section to add rigidity in the forepeak that is currently unused for any other practical purpose and remains open, creating a trip hazard directly behind the step-through bow.

You can also opt for a single rig if you’re happy with 40 knots

Clearly, a lid would be a positive step, and so would a bow ladder, but either way, in addition to providing space for up to 12 people, the Arksen 8 combines its tough SUV styling and heavyweight build with quite a premium finish.

There are slick orange accents to ramp up the aesthetic impact, plus neat detailing in the stitched upholstery. The Esthec decking features some cool custom Arksen branding and while the catches for the fold-down seats are unlike any we’ve seen before, they’re also stylish, low-profile and brilliantly simple to operate one-handed.

Tough, dry and rapid

In line with its role as a proper sea boat, the Arksen uses a deep-vee non-stepped hull with a raised bow, a fine entry and a rugged 520mm Hypalon collar that retains a 490mm diameter even at the slightly squared-off forepeak. That provides plenty of splash deflection in a lumpy sea and we need that today because the winds are stoking up the swells into chunky four-footers.

Fold-down seats at the wet bar make loads of sense

The raised bow isn’t just dry though. It’s also confidence-inspiring from the helm, not least because, even when you sit down behind that elevated console, the step-through rails on the forepeak act like crosshairs in your eye line. And when you combine all of these traits with strong stability and excellent sensitivity to leg angle adjustments, the Arksen 8 delivers a really superb performance in a big following sea.

In fact, we find ourselves surfing a 4ft following sea at 20 knots with such composure that we feel perfectly comfortable throttling on to 42 knots and outrunning the ramps as they roll in. It’s a tremendous amount of fun and the ergonomics of the helm station certainly help with that. You get twin suspension seats and a pair of 12in MFDs as standard and the shelter provided by the console’s height is again very reassuring.

If the tables are a shade fiddly, they’re also extremely versatile

Oddly enough, the wheel isn’t adjustable on the test boat but the seats are – and while we’re getting plenty of protection from the helm, we’re also getting some good shade from the optional T-top, which keeps things simple and lightweight by using stretched canvas over a skeletal black frame.

And as for the engine choice, that’s also quite interesting. While you can spec it with a single 300 or 350, you can also have a twin rig totalling up to 500hp – and happily, we have the maximum twin 250hp 4.2L V6 outboards right here on the test boat. That means the single 495L fuel tank is replaced with a pair of 250L tanks for extra redundancy and that makes good sense. But it’s the sheer squirt on tap that really hits home.

The easy-access loo is big and bright but there’s no shower

There is simply no point in the range where the surge isn’t utterly immediate so you have to be quite circumspect with your throttles, particularly in lively seas like this. But just as you can control the pitch of the boat in a very positive and responsive fashion, so you can leap from 20 to 40 knots in the blink of an eye. That’s fun of course but it’s also a very handy trait when you want to pick a safe and progressive path through challenging waters.

As luck would have it, though, there was also an Arksen 8 with a single 350 in attendance, so we jumped at the chance to have a play with that too. And equipped with the new 4.3L V6 model (rather than the big block V8 of old), it did a great job.

Even in these seas, we pushed on to 42 knots and while the outright grunt wasn’t the same, the fact that it reduces the price, while still delivering a top end of around 48 knots suggests it’s a rig that will get plenty of takers. Just don’t expect massive fuel savings. At 30 knots, the 500hp test boat was running at just 2L per mile, and while the single rig might nip a fraction off that, the differences are almost too minor to be significant.

The Arksen marries heavyweight build quality with some mighty poke

Arksen Discovery 8 specifications

LOA: 26ft 3in (8.00m)
BEAM: 9ft 6in (2.90m)
DRAFT: 1ft 8in (0.50m)
DISPLACEMENT: 2,500kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 500L
WATER CAPACITY: 60L
ENGINE: 1 x 300-350hp / 2 x 200-250hp outboards

Arksen Discovery 8 costs & options

Price: from £199,995 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Twin Yamaha V6 F250 outboards: £28,575
Stretched canvas T-top: £18,810
Helm Master joystick control: £5,028
Cushion infills forward and aft: £2,850
Scanstrut compressor: £922
SBS trailer: £7,560

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The original 31, created by Nuremberg-based boatbuilder Sterk, was a fast, pretty, and beautifully built powerboat, and the smaller Sterk 26 looks set to emulate that. As the company’s first trailerable model, it has natural advantages in terms of ease of ownership, but it still comes with all the very grown-up Sterk assets—not least an aggressive twin-stepped hull with a range of single and twin outboard options for speeds in the region of 45 knots.

What makes this hull particularly special is its focus on efficiency; the double-step design is engineered to reduce water resistance so effectively that fuel consumption is significantly lower than traditional shapes.

This technical precision, born from hundreds of hours of CFD testing, ensures that even as a smaller “entry-level” model, the 26 remains a serious piece of performance engineering that doesn’t shy away from choppy coastal conditions. It is a boat designed for the driver who enjoys the mechanical feel of a well-balanced helm, regardless of the hull’s size.

In terms of layout, it comes with a very decent transverse wet bar aft of the two-man helm, plus seating areas at the bow and stern that can be converted into sundecks without obstructing ease of movement along the port side.

There’s also a very acceptable size of cabin, which is a rare luxury for a boat under 8 metres, featuring a separate wetroom-style heads compartment. And if you want to extend your boating season, you can turn the cockpit into a weatherproof saloon with the optional T-top or bimini.

It’s not quite as fast or as different as the original Sterk 31, but it’s a great-looking boat that successfully shrinks the flagship experience into a more manageable footprint. If outright petrol performance isn’t critical for you, the electric drivetrain option, in partnership with Vision Marine Technologies, might also appeal.

This “e” version utilises a high-voltage system that promises a silent, emission-free alternative without sacrificing the striking aesthetics that have quickly made Sterk a brand to watch across the European market.

Sterk 26 statistics

LOA: 26ft 7in (8.14m)
BEAM: 8ft 4in (2.53m)
ENGINES: single 250hp to twin 250hp outboards
TOP SPEED: 45 knots
PRICE: Pending
CONTACT: sterkyachts.com

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Mercan Yachting is a very successful Turkish builder. It exports to 46 countries around the world and, over the last 38 years, has become well known for the creation of active commercial craft that specialise as tour boats, dive boats and sports fishers. It’s easy to see then where the new Petra SF-39 comes in.

Designed to redefine the recreational sports fisher with extra space, comfort and light, it uses a walkaround layout with a beamy aft cockpit, providing all the uncluttered deck space you need for an easy day’s fishing.

The modular design also means you can add pursuit-specific extras like a second helm station and a tuna door.

But the Petra SF-39 is designed as a compact cruiser too, so you also get a galley and dining area tucked away in the shelter of the pilothouse, plus a couple of dedicated cabins and a bathroom down below.

The SF-39 is built on a soft-riding Category B hull for covering long distances at speed in relative comfort through exposed seas. And while the show boat will be equipped with twin Mercury 425hp Verado V10 5.7L outboards, you can flex that too, by opting for twin 400s or 450s instead.

Mercan Yachting Petra SF-39 specifications

LOA: 38ft 3in (11.65m)
BEAM: 12ft 6in (3.82m)
ENGINES: Twin 400-450hp outboards
TOP SPEED: Pending
PRICE: €375,000 ex VAT
CONTACT: mercanyachting.com.tr

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Hot on the heels of Highfield’s first RIB-style 7m ADV model, Boot Dusseldorf will host the world launch of the new ADV9 – and while details remain scarce, the basics look similar to those of the smaller boat.

A narrow slide-on inflatable collar, which sits a good distance above the waterline, steals minimal space from the internal beam leaving more room for guests to enjoy.

And once again, that looks beautifully used with a full U-shaped dinette in the aft cockpit and a drop-down backrest that enables the sunbed to project out over the engine well, while also providing direct access to the swim platforms.

Ahead of that is a transverse galley with an extra drop-down bench seat to add even more dining capacity at the aft end.

Further forward, three helm seats face a tall console which extends into the bow space, creating volume beneath it for the cabin that the smaller boat lacks.

Factor in a claimed 300-mile range, a Category B rating and an optional camper hood with infills and Highfield is touting this boat as an extremely versatile four-berth adventure companion.

Highfield ADV9 specifications

LOA: 29ft 11in (9.12m)
BEAM: 10ft 2in (3.10m)
ENGINES: single/twin outboards up to 600hp
TOP SPEED: 50 knots
PRICE: Pending
CONTACT: highfieldboats.com

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Indulgent weekenders are what Italian builder, Santa Severa, is all about, and that’s perfectly illustrated by the new 42. Available in three configurations (an Open, a Hard Top or the Sport model with the side windows you see here) this 42-footer only provides one cabin for two people but the day spaces are suitably generous.

Based around a walkaround layout with an open transom, it does a great job of enabling the central island sunbed of the external cockpit to integrate with the two aft-facing loungers beneath the shelter of the hard top.

Ahead of that, a port dinette looks across to a single helm seat and starboard galley, and the bow space provides another subtly integrated sunbed in a very substantially raised foredeck. But that big aft deck is the real hub of the action on this boat, so the uprated shelter of the Sport model’s superstructure looks likely to be a very popular option.

Article continues below…

As for the engines, you can spec outboards or IPS drives, each with multiple horsepower configurations for speeds of up to 30 knots, or you can opt for the sterndrive configuration of the Düsseldorf show boat.

Santa Severa 42 Sport specifications

LOA: 42ft 0in (12.80m)
BEAM: 13ft 0in (3.96m)
ENGINES: twin Volvo Penta D4-320
TOP SPEED: 30 knots
PRICE: Pending
CONTACT: santaseverayacht.it

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The overlap between the Marco Polo MP12 and Marco Polo MP10 could hardly be more evident.

As on the smaller boat, you get symmetrical walkaround decks, a pilothouse that opens up on three sides and the option of an open variant instead, should you prefer to go boating in the Med, rather than northern Europe. But the three main upgrades do make a difference.

Firstly, the extra length is particularly well used in the bow, where some facing seats in the forepeak and a backrest at the sunbed create a viable alternative to the dining zones of the internal pilothouse and aft cockpit.

Down below, the MP12 replaces the MP10’s convertible bow lounge with a second dedicated sleeping space and a twin cabin further aft.

And on the transom, you get triple V10 450hp Outboard engines instead of twins, sensibly backed up by a radically increased size of watertank.

On the basis of the early renders, these boats look a bit like the progeny of a Saxdor and a Sargo. But only time will tell whether they are sufficiently different, or sufficiently capable, to make a serious dent in a market already populated by so many capable players.

Article continues below…

New Boats at Dusseldorf: Marco Polo MP10

boot 2026: Much more than just a boat show

Marco Polo MP12 specifications

LOA: 41ft 8in (12.70m)
BEAM: 13ft 4in (4.05m)
ENGINES: Triple 450hp outboards
TOP SPEED: 35 knots
PRICE: Pending
CONTACT: marcopoloadventureyachts.com

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One of Boot Düsseldorf’s best attended launches will be that of the Axopar 38 XC – the first of the new 38 series models and what Axopar is calling its “most ambitious” product line yet.

Designed as a year-round, all-weather companion, it will apparently introduce a fresh walkaround concept, “reimagined cabins” and a greater degree of modularity. The idea behind that is to enable you to adapt it to your day out – whether that involves family cruising, overnight stays, fishing, watersports or long passages.

You do of course get the trademark gullwing doors, fold-down bulwarks and aft cabin option, plus a pilothouse that opens up on both sides and a bow and cockpit that come with a whole range of layout alternatives.

You also get an upgraded bow cabin with increased headroom, a redesigned heads and a practical kitchenette option. And while the new boat uses the same twin-stepped hull form we’ve seen before, that too has apparently been fine-tuned.

This 38 XC will be followed by the Sun Top, Cross Top and CCX models later in 2026 and 2027. But for now, rest assured, the much-loved and multi-award-winning Axopar 37 will continue to be available for the next year or two.

Axopar 38 XC

LOA: 38ft 10in (11.84m)
BEAM: 11ft 8in (3.56m)
ENGINES: Twin 300-350hp outboards
TOP SPEED: 45+ knots
PRICE: Pending
CONTACT: axopar.com

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With an overall length just shy of 43ft and a package price that starts at €635,000 plus tax, we’re told that the new Prestige F-Line cruiser is a boat aimed at a younger, more dynamic clientele. But having seen both the F4.9 and F5.7, that seems like a slight betrayal of Prestige’s larger flybridge cruisers.

Both the F4.9 and F5.7 bring decent looks, bright internal spaces, fresh galley arrangements, large flybridge party spaces, and lower decks that sidestep the norm with raised bow cabins. This is for owners who want that little bit more in the way of privacy and separation.

The sheer individuality of that F-Line design DNA feels youthful in its own right, so implying that they are otherwise is to miss the point. It’s certainly very pleasing to see that this smallest F-Line model yet adopts the same principles that have made Prestige’s “next-generation” cruisers so much fun. For proof of that, just take a look at that raised bow. Instead of crowbarring a cabin into the tapering V of the hull, they have elevated the forward space to shift it up beyond the most restrictive point of compromise and maximise the volume.

In tandem with the big upper deck, that forward elevation does of course limit the dynamism of the styling. However, Prestige has pulled out a fair few design tricks to help mitigate that. There are long dark hull windows to cut through the fibreglass. There’s lots of mirrored superstructure glazing above that, plus grey mouldings at the leading edge of the flybridge to reduce the scale of the profile.

Prestige’s trademark “fashion panels” at the aft end are raked to add a pleasing sense of movement. Even then, it’s by no means the sector’s most beautiful boat. But when you step inside, the impact of that design approach feels remarkably positive.

Space and light are very strong but the windows do narrow a bit at the raised bow

A tale of two cabins

On the larger models, the owner gets the benefit of that raised bow with a forward cabin, very cleanly separated from the guest spaces further aft. Here, though, that mid-level deck, half-way down the steps from the forward saloon, is used as the VIP zone. It features a large bed with good space on both sides and very decent headroom, plus a pair of lateral cabinets. There’s also direct access to the optional second bathroom on the starboard side.

On this two-cabin boat, this second bathroom is likely to be a more popular option than the alternative utility room. It comes with a separate shower, but the loo is also tucked in there to make the limited space work more effectively. You also see that pragmatic approach to spatial management in the provision of a two-part door to access the cabin itself.

Continuing down the steps aft, you find yourself in the full-beam owner’s ensuite cabin. That’s an impressive feature in its own right on a boat of this size, and the use of V-drives is of course fundamental to that. The finish is pleasing too. Like its larger siblings, it uses every trick in the book to make the space feel as big, bright and generous as possible.

The aft wet bar is a brilliant option on a boat of this scale

Inset LEDs, mirrored panels, sliding doors, clever deck level fluctuations, and pale woods and fabrics do a great job of mitigating any sense of spatial tightness. And as in the bow cabin, there’s also a sense of muted luxury down here, thanks to the kind of premium-feeling fittings and attractive bulkhead fabrics that you don’t necessarily expect. In the absence of a settee, there’s nowhere to sit, the headroom is quite limited except on the port side, and you do have to perch on the bed to use the dressing table. This dressing table is cleverly integrated into the port cabinet.

A proper full-beam cabin is a rare treat on a boat like this. As the owner’s space, the port ensuite provides sufficient room for a toilet in the main body of the bathroom, as well as a separate shower.

In the absence of cooking facilities, the flybridge is all about sociable seating

Pick your party zone

The aft end of the F4.3 is beautifully arranged. There’s a hydraulic high-low platform with direct access to a spacious low-level locker for your toys. A well-positioned wet bar sits beneath a lift-up lid with an electric barbecue and sink. Further forward, the cockpit again does everything it can to maximise the value of the space with an asymmetrical layout.

A port walkway frees up the rest of the deck for a shallow U-shaped settee and a fold-out table. An electrically operated awning extends out at an angle from the overhead moulding. This provides shelter, as well as some useful extra privacy from pontoon sightseers on Mediterranean berths. The dining area faces forward toward an aft “Ocean View” galley that also adapts the F-Line approach to get better value out of the available space.

While the larger models use conventional aft doors to connect the internal galley and the aft cockpit, the more restricted beam of the F4.3 uses a pair of side doors instead. That enables Prestige to factor in an enormous one-piece window that hinges up against the underside of the flybridge. This provides exactly the same degree of connection between the two spaces as the larger boats.

The high-low platform is a key option on a boat with such an appealing aft end

You get outstanding light, views and fresh air from the galley, and it’s extremely sociable too. You can face directly out from the galley toward the cockpit seating. That arrangement feels even better when you use the newly designed bar and arrange the cockpit’s forward deck with a couple of bar stools. There’s not a lot of space in the engine-room though.

In fact, it’s so limited that there’s no room for a telescopic passerelle. If you want one, it has to stay visible, projecting out from the starboard side of the transom above the aft platform, even when not in use. But it’s by no means a problem. It’s good to see that the flybridge steps on the cockpit’s port side occupy much the same space as the full-height unit that contains the fridge freezer, which helps limit any obstruction to that all-important galley view.

You don’t tend to expect a full-beam owner’s cabin on a 43-footer

While the flybridge steps themselves are a shade steep, the scale of the upper deck is also impressive. There’s no wet bar up top, but there’s plenty of seating for up to seven people at the starboard dining station. A proper fridge is built into the chunky table leg. There’s also room for some extra companion seating that extends in sunbed form, beyond the dining area to starboard of the helm.

All of this is supplemented with a perfectly serviceable bow space. There’s no clever furniture here; no sunken footwell, moving backrests or facing seats. But the bow is easy to access via deep, wide side decks and its slightly squared-off shape enables the inclusion of three positions on the central sun pad, each with a lift-up backrest for extra comfort.

Mirrors, LED lights, pale fabrics and two-part doors make the very most of the space in the raised bow cabin

Simplicity at sea

The F4.3 uses the same hull as the 420 flybridge, partly because there was nothing wrong with the old one. This also enabled them to get a new boat to market much more quickly than starting from scratch. As you would expect, they’ve also taken the standard Prestige no-options approach to the engines, so it will come as no surprise to learn that the F4.3 feels very well sorted on the water.

With twin Volvo D6-440s on V drives, we’re seeing a top end of 31 knots and a remarkably rapid cruising sweet spot of 28 knots. At 28 knots, 5L/Nm provides a range from that 1,170L tank of nearly 190 miles. You can feel a bit of mild judder from the upper helm as you push onto the plane or when you run through some lumps, but it’s otherwise a very comfortable place to be.

In spite of a dipping deckhead, the owner’s cabin retains full standing headroom on the port side

The flybridge features a fully specced helm, an excellent seat, and good protection from the optional hardtop and the wraparound wind deflector. As a relatively compact cruiser with a big flybridge and substantial elevation, we do find that it takes about 60% tab to counteract a beam wind. You could of course forget about that by popping the tabs on automatic.

Keeping things on manual enables you to get a much better feel for what the boat’s doing and to avoid the often over-active input of the auto settings. And that’s worth doing because, while everything happens quite gradually here, there is nonetheless a decent bit of heel in the turn and a commendable sharpness to the steering. We find a fast 180-degree arc takes only three boat lengths or so to execute, and that’s very handy for picking your way through a seascape.

Once you get beyond displacement speeds, the best range is to be had at 28 knots

As for that main deck helm, it’s not quite on the same level. The roof is low and the view forward from the port dinette is obscured by the raised forward mouldings that are so fundamental to the way the Prestige’s lower deck operates. Similarly, standing at the lower helm isn’t really that practical so you need to take a seat instead.

When you do take a seat, the single bench-style seat is a shade basic. That said, it is adjustable, as is the wheel, and there’s also an angled foot brace plus some very welcome air vents down by your feet. There’s also direct access to the side decks on both sides of the galley plus optional windows on both sides, so you can get an excellent flow of air through the boat underway. When you couple these features with the optional joystick, parking this boat, even for a novice crew or a single-handed skipper, becomes a very straightforward operation.

There’s a very welcome toys locker beneath the optional transom wet bar

Prestige F4.3 specifications

LOA: 42ft 10in (13.07m)
BEAM: 13ft 5in (4.10m)
DRAFT: 3ft 11in (1.19m)
DISPLACEMENT: 10,800kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 1,170L
WATER CAPACITY: 300L
ENGINE: Twin Volvo Penta D6-440s on V-Drives

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Prestige F4.3 review: Impressively priced dynamic family flybridge appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

There’s plenty to be said for the independent approach Aquaspirit takes to its RIBs. Built in Ukraine and distributed in the UK out of Queen Anne’s Battery in Plymouth, the points of difference with the new flagship 700 certainly come thick and fast. For instance, in contrast to most aluminium boats, which tend to use fibreglass mouldings in the topside furniture, the Aquaspirit extends its aluminium construction from the hull to the deck, the T-top, the seat bases and the console. Even the cleats and rails are aluminium, which means that the recycling plan at end of life incorporates pretty much everything except the collar, the screen and the cushions.

The aluminium construction also means that, in principle at least, custom requests can be accommodated for those who are content to extend the lead time a little. And with a bare weight of just 1,160kg and an overall beam of 2.88m, it’s good to know that this flagship 11-man RIB is also child’s play to tow.

As for the Aquaspirit’s design and layout, the chief differences all come down to the pairing of an uncommonly wide beam with a set of 30cm hypalon D-tubes. These basically comprise a 63cm collar chopped in half, which is a great way to retain the buoyancy, protection and aesthetic of a traditional RIB, without stealing any of the internal space. And because that beam is perhaps 30cm wider than the average 7m leisure RIB, the space on board this boat actually feels more akin to a well sorted 8m or 9m platform.

The £100k day boat that’s aiming to change your expectations

But before we get to the internal arrangement, it’s worth noting that the Aquaspirit’s d tubes have other benefits too. The inherent sense of security that comes with rigid gunwales is certainly one of them, but another of at least equal value is the fact that you get alloy rails, midships cleats and user-friendly tread plates, all robustly mounted on a tough aluminium structure rather than bouncing around on flexible tube tops. It feels highly practical in terms of everyday usability and it promises much better things for long-term longevity too.

Twin lounges

The modest weight of this boat means a single outboard engine is perfectly sufficient so, when you factor in the beam and the collar design, there’s plenty of room for proper swim platforms at the aft end on either side of the engine well. There’s a ladder and a transom shower back here plus a wakeboard-towing arch above the cowling, and when you step over the low-slung backrest into the cockpit itself, it’s clear that Aquaspirit has worked hard to leverage every inch of its sector-leading internal space.

A full-beam c-shaped aft settee looks forward to a central seat pod, creating a sociable dining zone for up to six people. You can spec that seat pod as a wet bar with sink and gas hob if you prefer, but in all cases, the fact that the aft backrest folds down above the engine well means you can create a huge all-over sunpad in here. There’s also a slide-out fridge beneath the helm seats and some quality storage space beneath the aft bench, with neatly protected access to the fuse boards. And while the prodigiously solid t-top is pretty featureless on the test boat, you can embellish that too with lights and speakers, plus a roofrack so you can load up your SUP boards, bikes or kayaks.

The helm seats come with armrests, bolsters and a pair of central cupholders

Head past the console and you discover that the beam-forward bow attempts (and achieves) many of the same feats as the cockpit. A secure, deep-set lounge has space for four people, as well as a table and another convertible sunbed. It would be even more practical with a sunshade, a fridge and a set of speakers but again, these things can be requested as options.

The test boat’s console, meanwhile, houses the infill cushions for both the forward and aft lounges. Each is strapped firmly into place against the aft bulkhead and in another nod to user-friendly, the cushions use integrated aluminium backer plates so there’s no need to mess around with additional brackets and struts.

Whether you opt for a wet bar or not, the drawer fridge is well worth having

There’s also space in the console for a camping-style toilet beneath a raised canvas, which would certainly be a handy option if you’re planning on long days out. If you spec it like that, you do need to use up a lot of storage space elsewhere to rehome your vagrant cushions but happily, there’s plenty to be had.

And actually, while we’re discussing the boat’s storage spaces, it’s worth noting how impressive they are, particularly by compact RIB standards. They’re well shaped for bulky gear, with rubber-lined edges to keep the lids quiet and watertight. Several of them also use soft-touch linings – and better still, the seat bases are not individual pods screwed or glued to the deck but aluminium units welded directly into the deck structure itself.

The rubber-lined aluminium footbrace is peculiarly beautiful

Slick, quick and simple

The Aquaspirit’s broad beam and lightweight aluminium construction are combined with a pretty acute point of entry and a 22-degree transom deadrise for a very useful combination of lateral stability, running efficiency and commendable softness in moderate chop. In tandem with the quality build, the storage linings, the seadeck decking and the structurally integrated deck furniture, that makes this boat remarkably quiet to drive compared to most small aluminium boats.

A clever console design keeps the walkaround decks open

The nuanced pitch control is also very rewarding. It enables you to enjoy a genuine 16-knot plane with plenty of comfort and control – and as you increase the pace, the efficiency of this hull with the Suzuki DF250 is equally striking. We’re seeing just 1L per mile at 20 knots, lifting to around 1.4L/mile at 35 knots for a range of between 170 and 240 miles.

And when you pile on some extra revs, it’s clear that this boat remains very easy to drive. You can treat it to a fistful of trim and watch the hull lift, the waterline disappear aft and the revs and the speed free themselves up; or you can pin the nose and plough the bow through the chop with the full length of the hull reassuringly planted in the water.

The fore and aft lounges are bigger and better than you would expect of a 7m RIB

The helm station is equally user-friendly. You get space for a pair of 16-inch plotters on either side of the engine display. You can opt for an adjustable wheel instead of the test boat’s fixed model, but the rubber-lined aluminium footbrace and the excellent seats, with their armrests, bolsters and central cupholders, come as standard.

There are equally wide side decks on both sides of the central console and the console itself uses a flared design with a relatively large dash and a tapered lower section to free up extra space for your feet when making your way around the boat.

But perhaps this RIB’s greatest talent consists in its sheer breadth of application. After all, it’s a fun boat to drive with good range for cruising and sufficient running efficiency to keep things affordable. It has plenty of grunt for watersport toys and a couple of lounges for relaxing at anchoring.

Fore and aft loungers can also be converted into sunpads with fill-in cushions that stow away inside the centre console

The boarding points are excellent both at the stern and amidships, which is by no means something you can say about most traditional RIBs. And while the broad beam and reverse chines do good things for stability underway, this is also a boat that provides very strong stability when you wander around at rest.

If you enjoy exploring tidal estuaries, the shallow draft is also ideal for that; and the aluminium construction and tread-lined bow platform are perfect for running it up a beach and jumping off for a party without having to worry about retro-fit keel types or scratches in your fibreglass. In short, if you’re looking for something tough, multi-purpose, low-maintenance and user-friendly, this boat puts in an extraordinarily convincing performance.

It’s easy to use, easy to drive and affordable to own and run

Aquaspirit 700 specifications

LOA: 22ft 10in (6.96m)
BEAM: 9ft 6in (2.88m)
DRAFT: 1ft 8in (0.50m)
DISPLACEMENT: 1,160kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 300 litres
ENGINE: 200-300hp Suzuki outboard
CONTACT: aquaspiritribs.co.uk

Aquaspirit 700 cost and options

Price: from £71,587 ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Suzuki DF250 upgrade: £3,334
Hypalon collar upgrade: £3,744
Aluminium T Top: £972
SEADEK decking: £2,167
Bow sundeck: £1,080
Cockpit sundeck: £1,080

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article The Aquaspirit 700 review: Tough, light, and unbeatably spacious appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The ubiquitous Merry Fisher has been so successful over the years that it has become almost an independent brand in its own right – and a key reason for that is the populist simplicity of the underlying concept.

At its best, a Merry Fisher is a flexible, multi-purpose family platform that is affordable to buy and easy to use.

That was certainly the case with the original MF1095 Fly and, as we arrive at Lavagna near Genoa on Italy’s Ligurian coast, it becomes clear that the Series 2 version of that boat is committed to achieving much the same thing.

Now that wouldn’t generally tend to excite us very much but not only is this the smallest Merry Fisher platform with a flybridge.

It’s also a boat that Jeanneau tells us is so substantially different from the S1 model that owners of that original boat will be well able to justify trading in and making the upgrade.

It’s a bold claim but does it really hold water?

There’s plenty of company to be had, thanks to a forward sunbed and a convertible port dinette

Cockpit creativity

At first glance, things do seem relatively similar.

You get twin outboards and an offset pilothouse with a narrower raised port side deck and a deeper, wider side deck to starboard.

You get a beam-forward boat hull, a comparable style and, on the face of it, a similar deck layout.

But this new boat actually uses a hull that’s around 4cm beamier than the old model and, if that seems like a relatively minor tweak, the differences become much easier to see when you step on board.

As on the S1, the chief point of access from the swim platform to the cockpit is on the starboard side.

That enables the rest of the transom to be used for an l-shaped bench that only stops on the port side where the superstructure kicks in.

In fact, it’s a sign of how hard this boat works the space that the bench seat even encompasses the region directly next to the port side gate.

The uprated six-man foredeck lounge can be converted into a full-length sunpad

The flybridge steps collaborate in that drive for spatial efficiency by hinging flat against the superstructure when not in use and the aft bench also expands the deck space by sliding aft above the Outboard engine well – and the rest of the detailing here is equally strong.

The port backrest, for instance, pulls out to grant you access to the port swim platform when the bench is slid back.

There are also two table brackets for extra flexibility, with a pair of tables that can be used just as easily on the flybridge as in the cockpit.

The storage inside the benches is big and well lined and, as an outboard-powered boat, there’s a huge cavity beneath the deck too, nestling between the twin 370l fuel tanks, with lots of room for your rails, lines, fenders and canvases.

However, the most obvious cockpit difference is the fact that, in place of the old model’s starboard side gate, you get a full drop-down terrace as standard.

And while that does a good job of expanding the deck out over the water, it also means you can rig the ladder and reboard from the water on the starboard side, well away from the engines.

The idea behind the new S2 model is to show enough improvement that even S1 owners will see the merit in upgrading

Foredeck and flybridge

There are no roof rails to grab hold of as you make your way forward but such is the height of the peripheral guardrails that you really don’t need one.

The bow is easily reached up a couple of steps from the skipper’s side door and this is where the new design really pays dividends.

Forget the traditional set of central cushions.

What we have here is a lofty island sunbed with raised backrests and fibreglass mouldings on both sides for excellent security.

There’s also a nice big window built into the forward edge of this unit for great light down below, plus a lateral trough just ahead, enabling you to perch at the forepeak and use this space as a facing lounge for up to six people, very much in the vein of the excellent Merry Fisher 1295.

The saloon dinette increases potential sleeping capacity to eight

The flybridge is also a conspicuous step up, thanks to a starboard dinette with reversible backrests and a sunbed infill that enables you either to sit alongside the skipper or to create a full wraparound companion zone.

As for the low-slung port helm, that comes fully specced with a 9in plotter, bow thruster controls, tabs switches and optional joystick, plus a fully adjustable wheel.

And just as the helm seat can slide fore and aft, it can also rotate to face across to the dinette, creating a dining space (albeit a slightly staggered one) for up to five people.

There’s no wet bar up here and no option for a fridge but if it were down to us, we’d still be keen to make the most of this upgraded flybridge by installing a fridge in a seat base.

A fold-up worktop extension takes the galley out into the cockpit

Saloon and cabins

Back down in the saloon, it’s good to see that the starboard galley extends out into the cockpit by means of some sliding doors and a small, but very worthwhile, flip-up bar at work surface height.

The galley also features a microwave amongst the cabinetry, plus a good section of work surface, a decent sink and an induction hob sunk 5cm beneath the level of the work surface, presumably in a bid to make your pans that bit more secure.

It’s quite awkward to use, though, so future models will see the hob lifted back up to worktop level in a more conventional fashion.

Over on the port side, the new boat also uses deeper, larger glass panels in the superstructure to bring extra light and better views to those perched at the four-man dinette.

There’s a large opening window on this side too, for ventilation as well as easier communication during manoeuvres.

A big forward beam, lofty foredeck and extra windows mean good things for the owner’s cabin

And if you opt for the rigid infill, you can convert this section into a double bed, taking sleeping capacity to eight people.

As you would expect, the dinette is raised to help maximise views and to provide additional volume down below.

And while that limits its value for storage, that’s very well taken care of by means of a couple of hatches beneath the deck.

The aft one on the test boat contains an ac unit to service the two guest cabins.

But in addition to a handy storage trough, the forward one provides direct access to the third cabin so you can dump your gear down there without actually having to go below.

And that’s telling because, while you get three cabins and a convertible saloon, the 1095 is really designed as a proper cruising boat for a couple of couples or a family of four with an overspill cabin for bulky kit.

That’s certainly the way the test boat has been used.

The heads is modest but fine

The third cabin is the dumping spot for all kinds of tables, brackets, infills, cushions and canvases that might otherwise make the boat feel a shade untidy.

There’s a second fridge in here too, which makes plenty of sense, given that it’s the least likely space to be occupied overnight.

And on a similar note, the electrics panel in the port twin cabin is also due to be shifted into a cupboard in this third cabin to minimise any overnight intrusion created by its red and blue led lights.

The owner’s cabin has also been subtly uprated.

You now get a dedicated internal door to provide direct access to the shared heads compartment.

With the big hull windows and the bow sunbed glazing, light is also a big strength in here and the heads compartment itself apparently features a larger shower lip to help keep the floor a little dryer.

That’s all positive stuff but as regards the fit and finish, this prototype boat is not yet perfect.

During our two-day trial, the helm seat bolster broke away from its bracket, a handle came off a cabin door and the flybridge hatch fell off its ram.

The 160l watertank also seems a shade mean for a six-berth cruiser so we’d definitely look to take advantage of the optional extra 100 litres.

But as model upgrades go, you would have to say that the 1095 S2 already feels like a very well judged piece of yacht design.

The guest twin gets plenty of light and storage, plus the option of an infill for use as a double

Sea manners

We’re told that the new 1095 uses a revised construction process for a stronger hull and certainly, any creaks or rattles at sea seem to be limited to the fixtures and fittings.

But in terms of engine noise, this is nonetheless quite a loud boat.

If you were planning on an extended passage, you’d certainly want to keep the aft doors shut to subdue the racket of those yamaha v6s.

When you do so, there are vents above the screen, which direct a breeze over your face from the leading edge of the roof structure; and the starboard door and the port window also help compensate for the reduced airflow when the aft doors are shut.

Integrated backrests and secure side mouldings are a welcome touch

But even so, you might want to invest in ac and you might also want to investigate whether the optional mercury v8s would deliver a more refined experience, as well as an extra couple of knots and a reduced purchase price.

Even as things stand though, the drive here is pretty strong.

It’s by no means a quick boat but it handles well, provides a decent bit of splash deflection and responds very effectively to tab and leg angle adjustments.

In fact, it provides plenty of evidence that jeanneau’s recent policy of factory fitting all its twin rigs is very much the right call; and the helm position is good too.

There’s lots of glare from the glossy black plastic of the dash but that will hopefully be remedied on future production models.

Reversible backrests and sun bed infills are great – but the flybridge could use a fridge

There’s also excellent visibility, particularly by the standards of a compact flybridge cruiser, plus good space for a pair of 12in chartplotters.

And in addition to all the usual helm station touch points, you get a very handy storage pouch, a sturdy foot brace and a rotating helm seat with fore and aft movement, very much like the one up on the flybridge.

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 Fly Series 2 specifications

LOA: 35ft 3in (10.75m)
BEAM: 11ft 4in (3.45m)
DRAFT: 2ft 2in (0.66m)
DISPLACEMENT: 5,037kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 740L
WATER CAPACITY: 160L
ENGINE: Twin 300-350hp outboards

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 Fly Series 2 costs & options

Price: from €280,080 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options…
Forward sunshade: €1,530
Bow lounge furniture: €2,510
Convertible saloon bed: €600
Comfort pack: €2,200
Zipwake auto tabs: €3,080
Yamaha V6 300 outboards: €17,280
Joystick control: €9,000

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 Fly Series 2 review: The flybridge upgrade that changes everything appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

With the promise of extra volume stability and running efficiency it’s easy to see why power catamarans have become so popular in recent years.

Established players like Sunreef, Leopard and Lagoon have been joined by new builders like Vandal, Archipelago and Moon Yachts.

Big brands like Prestige have also made them move into twin hulled motorboats in recent years, and the likes of Bluegame and Wider Yachts look set to follow suit.

So with the trend showing no signs of slowing here’s our round-up of some of the most exciting new power catamarans you can buy right now.

Article continues below…

Prestige M48 sea trial review: The smartest multihull on the planet?

Moon Power 60 review: Is this £3.7m adventure cat the next big thing?

6 of the best power catamarans available right now

Prestige M7 powercat

The Prestige M7 powercat is a very real and convincing alternative to the traditional 70-75ft motoryacht, thanks to its high volume and cruising capabilities.

This big, beamy, deep-chested boat is impressive in a lot of ways. True, the compromised day heads and limited main deck visibility are imperfect; and we would also replace the lower white hull window with the original black version to reinstate the lovely pickle fork aesthetic that does so much to mitigate the inherent bulk of these M-Line boats.

But the M7 is a major step up over the M6 in pretty much every way, and while it lacks some of the space, facilities and infectious internal design flourish of the flagship M8, its combination of quality, day space, cruising cabins and customisation potential makes it precisely what Prestige intended – a very real and convincing alternative to the traditional 70-75ft motoryacht in a market that is increasingly ready to embrace that.

See our full sea trial review of the Prestige M7 powercat

T-2000 Voyager

Bored of tubby, overweight power cats? Safehaven Marine’s Safehaven T-2000 Voyager is the ocean-munching superboat antidote you need. Alex Smith gets behind the wheel.

The T-2000 Voyager is not the obvious choice of cruising boat. Volume is nowhere near as great as that of a more conventional 70ft flybridge cruiser – and given the critical importance of its offshore performance, that was only to be expected.

But it remains quite an eye-opening leisure boat. After all, this is a 70ft flybridge-equipped long-distance cruiser that can bomb along at up to 60 knots and remain composed and comfortable in some alarming seas. It will treat you to a thousand-mile range and it will return twice the efficiency of a conventional 70ft flybridge cruiser at 30 to 40 knots.

It also offers a delightful contrast to the great many modern powercats that prioritise volume over all things. Rather than forcing you to chug along at 9 knots with a look of fatalistic resignation on your face, the Voyager reacts to your fine tuning of the controls, delivering many of the same handling characteristics (and helming thrills) as a high-performance monohull.

No, it won’t accommodate 20 people for a genteel soiree and it does need to ramp up the cleverness and convertibility of its furniture to make best use of the space it has. But if you only need to entertain 12 people and sleep eight, this first true leisure boat from Safehaven marine is an outrageously exciting piece of work.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Safehaven T-2000 Voyager

Moon Power 60

As a modified sailing cat, the Moon Power 60’s beam stands at a massive 53% of its overall length and that has a very clear impact on the inside.

In spite of huge side decks with dual access to the flybridge, the internal saloon occupies an enormous footprint. It’s used for a pair of peripheral seating areas plus a forward door to access a lovely sunken bow lounge.

Visibility from the lower helm is restricted by the big stuts that sit sailboat-style toward the centre of the screen, but performance is pretty impressive: a pair of 3,500L tanks give you a 2,000nm range at 8 knots with a fuel flow of just 3lpm, and if you really want to boost the range there’s plenty of space for extra fuel capacity too.

Up on the flybridge there’s a big symmetrical lounge and a hot tub flanked by sunbeds, and down below the two hulls borrow a bit of inboard space for four ensuite cabins.

The simplistic saloon arrangement, the absence of a day heads, and the sheer masculinity of that styling might prove a bit problematic for some, but if you’re okay with a modified sailing cat, and you’re happy to work with the yard to refine that deck layout, this big imposing long-distance boat is unlike anything else out there.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Moon Power 60

Invincible 33

Invincible is a well-respected American Builder with a strong offshore sports fishing heritage and close links with the US Navy, but it also builds high-performance power catamarans, and this impressive 33-footer is the entry point to that fleet.

It uses quite a narrow beam with asymmetrical chines and spray rails, which enable it to heel into a turn in much the same fashion as a monohull and to ride the chop without spitting clouds of spray over that bow.

Capable of 56 knots with twin 400hp Verado outboards, it can also reportedly achieve cruising economy of just 2.5lpm for a range of around 500nm.

The internal arrangements are also really practical – with high capacity deck drains and an automatic fresh water flushing system for the outboards you can simply hose this boat down after a trip and get on with your day.

The fuss-free fit out includes multiple bait wells as well as lots of drained, insulated lockers that do a great job as ice chests and storage spaces, and the squared off bow provides lots of seating to supplement the big open deck of that half cockpit.

It might be built with fishing in mind, but as a rapid offshore performance machine, this might just be the perfect power catamaran for monohull lovers.

Watch our yacht tour video of the Invincible 33

Archipelago 47

The Archipelago 47 is a seriously good looking boat. Built from aluminum on the Isle of Wight with design input from commercial specialist Chartwell Marine, its low roofline, reverse screen, wide beams, slender forward hulls, and raised bridge deck give it a seriously potent profile, and that’s precisely what this boat is all about.

The idea is to deliver proper long distance offshore performance alongside a handy turn of pace in a homely fit out, and the Archipelago delivers that.

Built from 8mm hull plating with 6mm topsides, this Category A boat is rated to carry 12 people and sleep up to eight people in four cabins.

Reserving one entire hull for the owner’s suite is a really attractive option, but in all cases headroom is great and huge vertical picture windows provide amazing views from bed level.

The saloon features a large galley and lounge, as well as a raised helm with a shut-off partition for night nav. There are still some design tweaks required, particularly at the helm and the aft end, to maximise this boat’s potential, and if you want a flybridge you’ll need to look toward the Archipelago 52 instead, because on this particular boat that’s not an option.

But with space up top for all kinds of expedition friendly tenders, toys, cranes and solar panels, this tough go anywhere power catamaran has plenty going for it.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Archipelago 47

Prestige M48

Prestige’s first ever power catamaran is designed to provide the volume of a 60 footer alongside the running efficiency of a 40 footer, but the way it manages all that onboard space is also quite attractive.

A three-part aft swim platform features a raising central section to help extend the cockpit party out over the water. The foredeck mimics that with freestanding furniture right at the forepeak and between them the saloon includes a big-aft galley, a large port lounge and a compact helm with a handy starboard side door.

From here private stairwells to the forward owner’s cabin and each of the two guest cabins provide plenty of privacy, and the split design of the port ensuite means it works really well as a day head.

In terms of styling the freestanding bow furniture looks a bit odd, and in terms of dynamics the stooping bridge deck does tend to touch down when the swells get beyond a couple of feet.

But if you want an accessible, novice-friendly boat that provides a party platform way out of proportion to its length, the first model in Prestige’s M line has a lot going for it. And if you have the budget, the more recent Prestige M8 is an even more convincing piece of work.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Prestige M48

Vandal Explorer

As a foil-assisted, outboard-powered, flybridge equipped, aluminium power catamaran, the Vandal Explorer is certainly not the mainstream choice, but of course it was never designed to be.

Created by Ben Mennem, who wants to enjoy the sun-drenched waters of the Med, in collaboration with Norwegian designer Espen Oeino, who loves outdoor adventures in the Nordic States, it seems to straddle both camps.

It uses a wide open main deck with skeletal bars rather than rigid bulkheads to keep you properly in touch with the sea. There’s also a big aft platform between the Verado XTO outboards, which operates as a passerelle, and thanks to a ladder and rain shower does a great job for watersports too.

Ahead of the cockpit lounge there’s a big transverse galley tucked inside the shelter of the pilothouse structure, and there’s also a raised full-beam bow cabin with a separate incinerator toilet.

It’s a bit noisy on that main deck when you’re underway and the limited two-berth arrangement of the base boat is likely to compel some people to question its overall practicality.

But as a tough and lightweight 40-knot boat with space for 14 people, a cool off-grid aesthetic and all the custom friendly flexibility you could want, its simplicity is actually a really key part of its appeal.

Watch our full sea trial review of the Vandal Explorer

The Aquila 44 is a proper wide-beam cruising cat

Aquila 44

Built at Sino Eagle’s 1million sqft facility in China and developed in collaboration with the renowned J&J Design Group, Aquila is a specialist power catamaran builder and that absolutely shows.

Capable of up to 20 knots with the top rated Volvo Penta D4 420s, the Aquila 44 uses bow bulbs for extra waterline length, a softer ride and improved stability at displacement speeds.

But is the way it uses its 21ft beam that really impresses. In the aft cockpit a convivial c-shape dinette sits opposite a fold-out bar at the aft galley.

At the bow a set of steps connects the foredeck lounge directly to the flybridge, which is great for practicality as well as for large partie, and up top a central walkaround helm pod keeps things more sociable and inclusive than on any other boat in this class.

There’s a proper main deck helm too if you want it, plus sleeping for six in three private ensuite cabins, including a brilliant owner’s cabin that occupies the full beam beneath that foredeck.

If you need extra performance and style you could of course look toward the brand’s smaller, narrow-beamed, outboard-powered sport line, but for proper power catamaran lovers this big, cleverly arranged entertainment platform feels exactly right.

Watch our yacht tour video of the Aquila 44

This article Best power catamarans: 8 of the best models fully tested appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The principle behind Prestige’s M Line is simple. Build a boat that delivers the deck space and volume of something much larger, alongside the running efficiency of something much smaller.

A wide-beamed powercat is of course the perfect solution to that kind of brief and Prestige has done its best to make the customer benefits behind their approach very explicit. The flagship M8, for instance, is a 65-footer that claims to offer the space of an 85-footer; the entry-level M48 (soon to be renamed the M6) is a 48-footer that brings 60ft volume to the table; and in spite of its 58ft LOA, this new model is named the M7 to reflect what Prestige deems to be its natural place among 75ft monohulls.

The starting point is a beam of nearly 25ft – around 43% of its overall length and about 9ft more than you would tend to expect of a comparable monohull. As you might anticipate, that feels pretty good on the external decks. The slightly sunken aft cockpit stretches across the full beam, with steps down to aft platforms on both sides and a big hydraulic central platform that can be raised to deck level to extend the cockpit out over the water.

You can spec this space with a large central C-shaped dinette that faces aft through a central gate toward that deck extension or you can trade that for the test boat’s asymmetrical arrangement instead. That uses a corner lounger on the port side, a large L-shaped seating unit to starboard and a single central set of steps (rather than a pair of lateral ones) to ascend to the raised saloon level. Either way, ease of movement here is outstanding, thanks to a transverse run of open deck behind the superstructure – and that’s a feature that’s broadly mirrored up at the bow.

The big sunken cockpit is bookended by a hydraulic deck extension aft and a lateral walkway forward

Accessed by means of symmetrical side decks, each with some handy protection from the flared flybridge, the foredeck provides a lateral walkway ahead of the screen, so you can cross from side to side regardless of how many people there are on the sun loungers. The loungers themselves are also usefully split, providing good access forward, before they morph into a sunken forepeak bluewater multihull bow lounge for four people.

It’s great to see that feature here because it’s not generally possible on smaller Catamarans with full-beam bow cabins. And while there’s no quick route into the saloon from the bow via the screen or the starboard side deck, there is a doorway to port, alongside a well-placed side gate and a secure internal staircase to the flybridge.

Split sunbeds morph into a lovely sunken bow lounge

When you use that staircase to head up top, you find a big L-shaped wet bar at the back end with fridge, ice maker, sink and Kenyon grill, plus a slightly raised bar with space for a couple of stools. There’s additional space for freestanding furniture to port, as well as an eight-man dining table with a pair of benches and a set of directors’ chairs further forward. And a pair of fixed sun loungers ahead of the twin helm helps make up for the absence of companion seating possibilities at the dining station.

As is so often the case, the compass could do with relocating so it lines up with the skipper and the underutilised zone to port of the console could also benefit from a little extra design imagination. But the widespread use of raw teak feels very classy, and while the test boat’s hard top is equipped with a large canvas sunroof, there’s also a really attractive option to cordon this section off as an enclosed sky lounge for extra comfort and refinement, leaving just the aft deck exposed to the outside world.

The securely contained stairwell takes you to a big flybridge with lots of furniture

Superior finish

The M7 is built at the same Monfalcone factory as the M8, where Monte Carlo Yachts used to be built. That means a slightly higher level of finish than established Prestige customers might be used to, as well as a healthy extra dose of customisation potential. In the internal saloon, that means far more openness and fewer fixed features than you might expect.

The freestanding starboard lounge is a case in point. As a rangy low-slung scattering of seats, pouffes and tables, it’s actually too low to see the horizon forward; and the fridge, cabinets and staircase obscure the views to port too. But the idea is that you can take advantage of all this deck space to spec your choice of furniture, so there’s no need to feel limited by the test boat fit-out.

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Ahead of this, in a small starboard zone, between the starboard and forward staircases, sits a slightly isolated square of deck that’s been used here for a set of cabinets and an extremely discreet main-deck mini-helm. You lift up the lid to reveal a 12in plotter, an engine display, a pair of throttles and a joystick, plus a VHF and some basic switchgear.

Again, the view ahead is slightly limited because of the deep-set position, the full-beam bow cabin and the raised backrests for the foredeck sunbeds. But this is a boat you would tend to helm either from up top or from the third station on the port side of the cockpit, and if you opt for the enclosed sky lounge, then the main deck helm isn’t necessary at all so its limitations are by no means critical.

Part of the M7’s customisation potential involves lots of open deck space with your choice of freestanding

Across from this, on the broader port side, sits the galley – and a very impressive one it is too. It uses a deep wraparound C-shaped design, so you can stand behind the work surface and look either out to sea or inboard toward the rest of the saloon guests. It’s really well specced too. In addition to plenty of storage cabinets, you get a wine cooler, a dishwasher, a large two-part Miele stove with integrated extractor, a two-part sink, an ice maker and a cutlery and crockery cupboard with bespoke slide-out bamboo trays.

There’s also a full-height fridge freezer with a neat brass locking catch for security at sea, as well as a tall thin cabinet for your bottles and condiments. You can do away with the sauces cupboard and spec a larger American-style fridge freezer instead but either way, this very much ties into the modern trend toward the kitchen being used less as a simple service centre and more as a social and gastronomic hub.

A side door and mirrored bulkhead help mitigate the limited views on the port side

Space for 8 + 4

Prestige always puts the owner’s cabin squarely at the heart of the M-Line experience, so it’s no surprise to see it excel here too. It takes full advantage of the plunging bridge deck to deliver a large, dramatic space with light flooding in from the hull windows on either side. It shares the same staircase as the port VIP but that’s by no means a problem.

And while the checklist of provisions – a central bed, a desk, a settee and a bright his-and-hers bathroom – might sound fairly commonplace, the way each is designed and executed makes this feel like a very special part of the boat. The angled corner desk is particularly well conceived for those who need to do a bit of work away from home, and the bathroom, with its split facilities and the muted sparkle of its glass-lined backlit cabinets, feels delightfully different.

The full beam owner’s cabin uses subtly lit cabinets to divide off the bathroom

True, the sliding door to cordon off that space ought to be made from glass rather than wood to keep that light flowing, in the same way as it does on the larger M8. But it’s a very successful space nonetheless.

The VIP cabin, though less playful, is also neatly done. It uses a massive hull window and makes best use of that with a bed that faces outboard. It also mitigates modest space with a mirrored bulkhead at the entry point and undercut furniture in the form of the beds, desks and bedside tables to impart an attractive sense of openness.

There’s another comparable double on the starboard side, as well as a twin with cleverly staggered beds. And while the twin and Lifejacket crew cabins use a wetroom-style arrangement, the main guest doubles both feature bathrooms with separate showers and neat little recessed alcoves for your shower gear and extraction vents.

The port and starboard double cabins use undercut furniture, outward-facing beds and mirrored bulkheads to help elevate the ambience

The only potential issue here is the absence of a proper day heads – and that’s fair enough you might say. After all, a day heads is not always a standard feature on a 58ft boat. But as we’ve pointed out, this is a high-volume cruising boat with day spaces for up to 20 people. It’s a boat that is aiming squarely at the 75ft segment, so the expectations are different. The M7’s provision of a two-berth crew cabin as standard certainly helps, but accessing the crew ensuite involves climbing down a ladder and then folding that ladder flush against the aft bulkhead to free up the arc of travel required to open the heads door.

In short, if you want a relatively natural day heads, then make sure you spec the optional second crew cabin, beneath a hatch on the port side of the aft cockpit – and even then, be aware that the young, the old and the infirm will still need to traipse through the guest bunk room to access the bathroom in the forward part of the starboard hull.

It’s tough to pick a winner from the three outdoor decks

Easy does it

What you don’t tend to expect of a beamy, volume-intensive, deep-chested powercat is driving thrills – and in all honesty, you don’t get them. But the M7 does feel very well judged.

In the absence of any real swells, we try our hardest to find some decent wakes from passing ferries, before leaping through them from every angle at 20 tides, like juvenile PW pilots intent on getting some air. Interestingly, though, at no point do we feel the shudder of the bridge deck bottoming out or see a plume of seawater puffing out over our foredeck. And if that’s pleasing to see, so is the breadth of the cruising band…

Staggered bunks make very good use of the starboard hull shape

With the standard twin Volvo Penta D8-550s on V-drives, a moderate cruise of nine knots burns just 3 litres per nautical mile for a range of around 800nm. That does increase to around 10lpm at 12 knots for a range in the low to mid 200s but what’s particularly useful here is the fact that it remains at that level right up to 19 knots, only dipping to 212nm at the very top end. And you can also increase that range by upgrading the standard 2,900-litre tanks to 3,600 litres instead.

The upper helm is good too. It almost encourages you to stand and the various touch points are well arranged to enable that. In doing so, you trade protection for big views of the boat hull but that in itself is quite a pleasant thing. When you close up the various doors, the refinement from the main deck saloon is also very decent. But again, if cruising refinement really matters to you, then opt for the sky lounge and, like the market’s best tri-deck motoryachts, you can expect the decibel levels to plummet from the mid 60s to the mid 50s for whisper-quiet serenity on long passages.

As on most wide-beam powercats, there is plenty of room for a powerful solar array

Prestige M7 specifications

LOA: 58ft 6in (17.84m)
BEAM: 24ft 10in (7.56m)
DRAFT: 5ft 1in (1.55m)
DISPLACEMENT: 39,499kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,900 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 760 litres
ENGINES: 2 x Volvo Penta D8-550s on V Drives
RCD: A12-D20

Prestige M7 costs and options

Price: from €3.8M ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options:
Flybridge hardtop: €102,000
Extra crew cabin: €71,700
Tropical-spec AC: €44,200
Main deck control station: €54,400
Hydraulic passerelle: €53,800

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Prestige M7 review: The powercat that offers 75ft of monohull space appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

When you first lay eyes on this thing, you would bet your house on it being an entirely new model.

With its raised foredeck and virtually plumb bow, its rectangular in-line hull windows, one-piece screen, uncluttered wraparound glass structure, panoramic sunroof and restrained, almost minimalist, style, it feels every bit the ‘next-generation’ sportscruiser. But actually, the first Delta 33 was introduced as an Open model in 2013, followed by the Coupé in 2017.

Astonishingly, it took until 2025 for that second model to make its debut here on UK shores but we’re particularly pleased to make its acquaintance because it’s a subtly different boat in all kinds of ways.

External Decks

As you approach the Delta 33 from the back end, a big uncluttered swim platform leads forward, via narrow walkways on either side of a central seating unit.

This functions simultaneously as a forward-facing bench and an aft-facing lounger but you can swing the backrest forward and down to create a simple island sunbed instead. There’s a pair of storage compartments inside this unit too, one accessed beneath a forward lid and the other from an aft lid.

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But both are particularly weighty to lift because there are no rams and the single all-over cushion lacks a seam or hinge so it resists your attempts to lift either hatch, precisely as an unmodified mattress might in a forward cabin. It’s good to see some soft fabric on the fibreglass edges to damp down any noise as you drop those lids, but there’s some unusual thinking on either side of this central unit too.

The main deck’s chief pinch points happen where the narrow walkways link the aft swim platform with the cockpit. And yet this is exactly the point where Delta has elected to locate the shorepower (to port) and the transom shower (to starboard).

It makes no sense, particularly given the space available on unencumbered bulwarks and in the base of the seating unit itself, so if it were down to us, we would request that these items be shifted to more practical spots. But it’s a mark of this boat’s calibre that this is where the negatives come to an end…

The deep, secure cockpit, for instance, features an additional two-man seat at the aft end of the superstructure, which faces back toward the stern bench and can also be specced as an ice chest to supplement the internal galley fridge.

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On the test boat, this unit includes a gas locker to supply the hob. You can, of course, have an electric hob instead, in which case you will need to spec some extra batteries, but that’s no problem because, like the diesel heating and AC units, the batteries are housed in their own watertight compartment, behind a hatch in the engine bay’s forward bulkhead.

That’s particularly handy on this test boat because the optional twin rig pretty much fills the space beneath the cockpit deck, but it’s all beautifully executed and the quantity and calibre of the sound insulation is also very conspicuous.

If there’s a bigger sunroof in this sector, we’ve yet to see it

Back up in the cockpit, there’s a basic second helm to starboard with joystick and engine display, in the perfect spot as you make your way up a couple of steps onto the side deck.

There’s a handy grab rail to assist you with that, plus a long rail inset into the roof structure. There are no peripheral guardrails on the test boat and that again does good things for the svelte Nordic styling – but an optional forward guardrail, which begins pretty much where the rooftop grab rail ends, is an item from the options list we would certainly look to tick.

Bright and Open

As the profile suggests, the foredeck itself comprises little more than a flat and featureless Flexiteek-lined deck orbited by a toe rail – but it certainly feels very high-class.

A reversible helm seat helps expand the starboard dinette

As elsewhere, it’s fitted with stainless steel (rather than plastic) locker catches and vents. There are also stylish X-shaped cleats at the bow; and the forepeak features a single hatch to access the chain for the stem-mounted anchor, plus a raised grabbing point for disembarking from the bow in the Nordic style.

The Delta’s rigorously uncluttered style continues on the inside, where the large side windows, one-piece screen and biggest-in-class sunroof drench the entire saloon in natural light.

Views are superb all-round, thanks to super slim mullions, and the internal design collaborates with those clean, open vibes. The deck is lined with a seagrass-style matting, the table is teak, the cabinetry is white and the fabrics are pale.

Only the netting curtains disrupt the cleanliness and modernity but the guys at UK dealer SE Yachts are conscious of that and are working on a more contemporary solution.

As for the layout, that places a tapered galley to port and a subtly raised dinette to starboard. The dinette uses the swing-over backrest of the two-man helm bench to accommodate as many as five people at a time and, again, it’s beautifully built.

A little extra boost from a raised deck step, would be a great upgrade for short skippers

There are lots of drawers and storage boxes built into the base, there’s a set of square cup holders machined into the table, and there are teak ledges built into the base to help take the weight when you convert it into a third double bed.

The galley also augments practicality with a little extra quality by means of a cabinet with dedicated slots for your cups, glasses and crockery.

And with regards to the cabinetry, it’s interesting to note that each Delta powerboat is worked on by just one joiner. The idea is to safeguard quality by promoting individual accountability and on the evidence we see here, it’s a policy that very much works.

Standards are equally high at the forward end of the saloon. The entire dashtop, lined with pale low-glare alcantara, features a lid that lifts to reveal the largest helm storage tray we’ve ever seen on a boat of this size.

Charts, MFD covers, phones, keys, books, sandwiches, caps, jumpers – you name it. You can tuck it all away in here.

The owner’s cabin has plenty of headroom plus a pair of big lockers at the foot of the bed

Family Cruising

The owner’s bow cabin is every bit as lofty as the external form suggests. In spite of a substantially raised double bed, there’s still lots of headroom so you can sit up at the head end and read a book.

There are lots of storage compartments beneath the bed too, and they’re made that bit easier to access by means of a split two-part mattress. There’s also hanging storage to starboard plus a large two-tier storage cabinet to port and, given that this boat is designed for family holidays as well as day cruising, that makes good sense.

The transverse guest double, which runs beneath the forward part of the saloon deck, occupies pretty much a king-size footprint.

The bathroom is perfectly proportioned for keen cruisers

It also has storage along the aft bulkhead, plus an angled cushion at the head end, where the deckhead lifts beneath the port galley. Access to this space is open to the steps and the little midships bench but in light of the fact that there are no windows in the guest cabin, that actually helps it feel more airy.

And if you do fancy a little privacy curtain, that’s certainly not a tough thing to arrange. The starboard bathroom, meanwhile, is split between an aft toilet section and a separate forward shower compartment.

The shower gets a handy seat and plenty of headroom for a six-footer and the loo section features a neat little hatch, which lifts up to reveal your toilet roll holder, so it’s not occupying unnecessary space or jabbing you in the thigh. There’s excellent access to the wiring on the back of the dash here too, and the fact that it’s tucked behind a door and a secondary panel means it’s entirely resistant to the ingress of moist air.

It’s a quality set-up for a boat of this size and, once again, the fact that the design and fit-out feels so restrained and uncomplicated does a good job of clearing away any hint of fuss or clutter.

The bench is best viewed as a changing seat for day guests

Thoroughbred Performance

Designed by Ted Mannerfelt of the Swedish Mannerfelt Design team, it comes as no surprise that this boat drives extremely well.

As you might expect of a firm with such a glittering race boat heritage, the hull is a ventilated, triple-stepped, deep-vee affair and happily, while the base rig involves a single D6-440, our test boat is lavished with the twin D4-320s.

Straight away, there’s plenty of grunt and great natural trim that, in an easy Force 3, sees very little call for the intervention of the tabs. Delta was aiming at highly efficient hydrodynamics for best-in-class efficiency and with around 2 litres per nautical mile at 26 knots and only 2.5 lpm at 40, it’s very much on the right track.

Interestingly though, the handling is also a proper treat. There’s loads of heel here, plenty of grip and, for the keen driver, lots of fun to be had. But there’s unerring composure too.

In the absence of guest-cabin hull windows, the open access point is quite useful

In fact, it’s the kind of boat where you can pretty much set the legs and tabs and then take almost a hands-off approach. And actually, while we’re enjoying the drive, the fact that the single 440 drops just a couple of knots, while saving around €55,000 and making space in the engine bay for a Seakeeper, might get you thinking too.

Whatever you choose, the helm’s fusion of restrained luxury and straightforward simplicity enables you to enjoy the drive to the utmost.

You get a pair of 16in plotters on the main tier of the dash, plus all your critical switchgear – wipers, anchor, horn and nav lights – to your right-hand side. The stitched leather steering wheel is a thing of delight and visibility is also superb.

This is one for those who value elegance above gadgetry

As for any reservations, the fact the skipper is on the left means the co-pilot gets a bit trapped. A little fold-down platform would also be good to elevate your head by six inches when you’re peering out of that sunroof.

And the compass could do with shifting right to bring it into line with the skipper. But this is a four-berth coupé cruiser that handles with the vigour and dexterity of a proper sportsboat, while delivering outstanding fuel-flow figures and oceans of cruising composure, so it seems churlish to complain.

Delta 33 Coupé specifications

LOA: 36ft 0in (10.95m)
BEAM: 10ft 2in (3.10m)
DRAFT: 3ft 1in (0.95m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,500kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 550 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 200 litres
ENGINES: Single Volvo Penta D6-440 or twin D4-320s
RCD: B12
Contact: www.seyachts.com

Delta 33 Coupé costs and options

Price: €390,000 ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options:
Twin engine (D4-320) upgrade: €55,000
Volvo Penta joystick and autopilot: €27,830
Sleipner stern thruster with remote: €13,200
Fischer Panda 8kW 10000i generator: €25,150

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Delta 33 Coupé review: The efficient coupé cruiser that looks 10 years ahead of its time appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Jeanneau Merry Fisher is an established icon in the family cruising sector, known for its multi-purpose versatility and affordability on an outboard platform. Ahead of its world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the Merry Fisher 1095 Series 2 arrived, bringing with it a raft of significant upgrades designed to tempt even current 1095 owners to trade up.

From the outside, the classic asymmetrical design remains—a trademark offset pilothouse provides a wider, safer starboard side deck—but the changes are immediately apparent in the stern.

Fold-Down Terrace and Upgraded Decks

The most significant improvement is the inclusion of a standard fold-down terrace to starboard, replacing the simple side gate of the Series 1. This feature dramatically expands the cockpit deck, creating a huge waterside platform perfect for swimming and entertaining. The cockpit itself features a simple L-shaped arrangement that optimises space, and for convenience, a portable ladder can be mounted directly into the new terrace, allowing safe water access away from the twin 300hp Yamaha outboards.

The upgrades continue forward. The bow has been substantially redesigned with a recessed trough around the sunpad, a feature absent on the original model. This modification not only enhances security for guests but also creates a more sociable area, allowing those in the trough to face back towards the cockpit. Furthermore, the flybridge sees notable changes, offering more companion seating and convertibility, allowing the helm seat to rotate and face the dinette for communal dining.

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Interior Volume

The internal saloon benefits from a slight increase in beam, creating a surprisingly generous and flexible living space. The interior arrangement includes a practical galley—complete with an induction hob—and a spacious dinette that can convert to an occasional double berth. All this means the Series 2 boasts a sleeping capacity of up to eight people across its three cabins and saloon.

The owner’s privacy has been a key focus below deck. The owner’s cabin in the bow, which is bathed in light thanks to the new “letter slot” window, now features direct private access to the heads compartment. This eliminates the need for the owner to use the communal corridor, a small but important upgrade over the Series 1 layout.

Cruising practicality is enhanced by substantial storage throughout the boat, including dedicated underfloor lockers for bulky gear, and a generous 740-litre fuel capacity.

Performance

On the water, the twin 300hp Yamahas provide a strong, efficient performance envelope. The boat cruises comfortably around 25 knots while returning an economical consumption figure of around 4 litres per nautical mile, giving it a usable range of approximately 150 miles. Even pushing to the maximum, the top speed is a very respectable 34 to 35 knots—more than enough for a family cruiser of this volume.

While the pricing is yet to be announced, the Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 Series 2 is demonstrably upgraded from its predecessor. With the new standard fold-down terrace, enhanced social spaces, and better internal flow, it delivers a superior platform that genuinely redefines the family cruising experience.

Enjoy the tour…

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article WATCH: Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 Series 2 sea trial – Bigger, bolder, better appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Pardo is one of those brands that seems to specialise in the creation of ‘wow moments’. Take the trademark Italian styling, which marries long, swept sheerlines with angular hull windows, reverse bows and inverted screens.

Take the magnificent kitchen island galley that dominates the lower deck on the two-cabin variant of its flagship Pardo GT75. Or take the way it can make something as practical and workmanlike as a helm station feel like an art installation.

Of course, for those who enjoy long-distance boating in northern Europe, Pardo’s naked Med-style extravagance does run the risk of making the brand feel like it flexes more toward the exotic and image-driven than to the practical everyday demands of the committed cruiser.

But if you want a boat that takes all of Pardo’s A-list loveliness and combines it with serious credibility as a purpose-built cruising machine, the arrival of the new Pardo Endurance 72 at the top end of the Endurance line could be a very exciting development.

No boat of this length can match the Pardo for the scale of its terraces

An enlarged saloon

First introduced as a concept in the summer of 2024, this new 72-footer certainly shares plenty of stylistic design cues with what’s gone before but the way the decks are arranged is critically different. For a start, as a cruise-focussed platform, the sheltered internal saloon encompasses a far greater proportion of the main deck than it does on the GT75, providing much more in the way of sheltered day space when the weather turns or when you’re settling in for a long passage.

While that inevitably limits the outdoor space available at the bow and the stern, the designers have beautifully mitigated that element of compromise by factoring in not just a proper flybridge but also some of the largest drop-down bulwarks you will ever see on a boat of this length.

They must encompass more than 40% of the length and because the bulwarks are significantly raised to help add security to those walkaround decks, the width of the terraces when deployed is also very striking. In fact, according to Pardo, it expands the usable party space to a remarkable 430ft2.

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Better still, the galley and dining zone at the aft end of the internal saloon open up by means of sliding doors, both at the aft end and at the starboard side. That creates a degree of connection with the elements (and with the starboard terrace) that entirely eradicates any sense of inadequacy in terms of external space. But it would be good to see a dedicated bar at the galley’s big drop-down window to make better use of the expandable
deck on the port side of the boat too.

Back in the aft cockpit, there’s good space for freestanding furniture ahead of the aft bench and table, as well as for a raised sunbed that projects out over the swim platform, concealing a stern garage big enough for a 4m tender.

Further forward, the three-part foredeck lounge adds plenty more outdoor lounging space, thanks to a large central sunbed with portable weighted backrests and a stupendous amount of internal storage. This unit divides the big forward-facing settee from the smaller aft-facing bow seat, creating useful flexibility. And up top, the full-size flybridge delivers another 300ft2 of day space, including a port helm with starboard companion seating, a freestanding dining zone with optional wet bar in the centre and some freestanding loungers on the open aft deck.

:In spite of the outdoor options, the E72 is optimised as a cruising machine

On the test boat, this space is usefully shielded from the worst of the sun by some overhead canvases but if you want something more sophisticated and versatile, you can also opt for a louvred T-top with electrically retractable biminis.

Back down on the main deck, ahead of that dramatic aft dining arrangement, the saloon’s forward section provides another seating area to starboard, opposite a port helm with a beautiful steering position and a very handy skipper’s side door.

Those starboard companion seats are quite low slung though, which means that, as a six-footer, you can’t quite see the horizon when you sit down, either ahead or on the beam. That’s less than ideal on a boat engineered for long passages but it doesn’t take long to work out that the lower deck is very keenly aligned with the needs of the cruiser.

The way the dining space opens up to the aft cockpit and starboard terrace is truly wonderful

Cruising accommodation

While the GT75 uses just the one staircase, the Pardo Endurance 72 has a couple. A central set of steps on the port side leads down to the full-beam owner’s cabin, the port VIP and an independent, standalone day heads. Further forward, to starboard of the redesigned helm, another stairwell takes you down to a pair of ensuite twin cabins at the bow. These are entirely symmetrical, with excellent headroom, big windows, good hanging storage and bathrooms at the aft end with separate showers.

Aside from the muddy flesh-tone finish of the sinks, the fit-out is very attractive too and the use of wide high-level AC vents means relatively little noise and more controllable ambient temperatures without isolated hot and cold spots. In fact, our only issue in here consists of the baffling way Pardo has obscured the forward ends of the windows with fixed side panels at the head end of the bed.

Though bright and elegant, the upper saloon seating is too low for sea views

When you prop yourself up against your pillows, it limits your light and blocks your eyeline, restricting your view of the water – and they appear to serve no practical purpose aside (at a stretch) from limiting light ingress in the morning, so we would certainly waste no time in removing these.

Clever layout

The deck layout for the posher cabins further aft is more complex. The port steps take you down around a 180-degree turn to face to starboard. Ahead of you are two doors – one to the full-beam owner’s cabin on your right and another to the VIP guest cabin on your left. Behind you, nestling to port and extending beneath the stairs you’ve just used, is the day heads.

: The port terrace and drop-down window would benefit from an external bar

In principle, sticking the day heads next to the owner’s cabin doesn’t sound like a great idea but it really does work. It shares no bulkheads with the owner’s cabin and it puts it within easiest possible reach of the people at the bow, the saloon, the aft cockpit and the flybridge.

As for the cabins themselves, the VIP sees the bed positioned beneath the starboard hull window, looking inboard toward an inset TV on the bathroom bulkhead and a cupboard-lined corridor that takes you across to the port heads and shower. If it comes across as pleasant rather than memorable, the larger, more indulgent owner’s cabin certainly helps up the ante.

The VIP cabin

You access it by means of a small (and very worthwhile) detour, past some cupboards and around the dressing table, before the room opens up with a starboard settee, a central bed against the aft bulkhead and a port bathroom with his and hers sinks, a split loo and shower and a sliding glass door to keep the light flowing from one side to the other.

As in the rest of the cabins, ambient low-level deck lights add some restrained playfulness, and headroom is also excellent. But what’s particularly useful for cruisers, of course, is the relative privacy of the twin staircases, the handy location of the day heads and the fact that, should you want crew or a fifth overspill cabin, again, you’re pretty well catered for.

One of two symmetrical forward guest cabins

Accessed by means of a deck hatch toward the forepeak, the crew cabin comes with a pair of bunks, decent storage, a set of laundry facilities and an ensuite bathroom. While the steep ladder could do with an additional grabrail to make access a bit easier, there’s a fair bit of natural light, thanks to a pair of high-level windows in the island sunbed and there’s decent space too, particularly given the extravagance of the bow taper.

At the boutique helm

The Pardo Endurance 72’s ‘warped hull’ design has been engineered specifically for IPS drives, so the engine choice is of course quite limited. It comes with a pair of 800hp D13 IPS-1050s as standard but most people will choose to upgrade those to the test boat’s twin 1,000hp IPS-1350s. On paper at least, that promises speeds in the region of 27 knots but on our test day, with ten people on board and a slightly bearded hull, we stop a little way short of that at 25.7 knots. Even then though, as a boat designed for comfy long-distance cruising, the range here looks very strong.

The forepeak crew cabin with laundry and ensuite facilities

With 6,000 litres of fuel to play with (and a generous 1,200 litres of water), six knots will return a range in excess of 2,000 nautical miles and 9 knots in excess of 1,000nm. Up the pace to 12 knots and a fuel flow of 100 litres per hour is 20 more than the quoted figures but that still delivers a range approaching 600nm. And even at the very top end, with nearly 26 knots on the clock and 20% fuel in reserve, we’re still seeing a range approaching 350nm. It is then a very long-legged boat and it’s a flat one too.

Even without using the tabs, we see a very comfy angle of attack that allows you to cruise with as much comfort at 8 knots as 20. That also keeps visibility wide open, aft as well as forward, and the Pardo is pretty quiet too, registering between 50 and 63dB(A) at sensible cruising speeds.

The owners cabin is the clear highlight

The helm also deserves a mention. In spite of a wide seat, the wheel sits bang in the centre, so while you might imagine it’s designed for two, it feels much more like a generous one-man position. The dash also feels distinctly luxurious, with its curved edges, its delightful boutique-style trim and a pair of 24in MFDs to help keep switchgear to a minimum. And the handling feels equally refined.

There’s no great deal of snap or agility here of course. The heel is moderate and the pick-up is decent but you don’t expect fireworks, given that the nearest equivalent from the GT line gets three engines rather than two. What it is, however, is comfortable, practical and obedient – just the thing, you might say, for long stress-free passages at sea.

The flybridge adds an extra 300sqft of configurable day space

Pardo Endurance 72 specifications

LOA: 72ft 2in (22.0m)
BEAM: 18ft 7in (5.66m)
DRAFT: 5ft 0in (1.52m)
DISPLACEMENT: 50,000kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 6,000 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 1,200 litres
ENGINES: 2 x D13 IPS-1050s or IPS-1350s
RCD: B16

Pardo Endurance 72 costs and options

Price: €3.70M ex VAT.
Test boat includes the following options: Volvo Penta IPS-1350s, drop-down bulwarks, electric bimini, hydraulic passerelle, hydraulic hi-lo swim platform, air conditioning, gyroscopic stabiliser, electric opening galley window, natural teak decking, full appliance package

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Pardo Endurance 72 review: A £5M Masterpiece appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Very few boats make quite such an impression within the first few months of their launch as the Viknes 10. Here was a boat that, for an all-in package price of £267,000 ex VAT, brought to the table three cabins, a massive cockpit, walkaround side decks, a lovely flow of day space and a high-spec standard features list that included side gates, vast sunroofs, a second helm, convertible seats and a whole load of cleverly conceived storage compartments.

Objective though we try to be, it was one of those boats that immediately set you thinking how it might feel to take one home; how it might work for you and your family; how it might look, nestling at a berth in your local marina.

But while the Viknes 10 was making its debut in Düsseldorf, drawing in the punters and convincing the likes of Fine Design Marine in Poole to take the plunge and import it into the UK, those who do their boating in the far north of Europe were already clued up.

Founded in 1988 and still designed and built in Norway, just a stone’s throw from Bergen, Viknes boats have long been valued across Scandinavia for their space, their value, their hardworking designs and their no-nonsense hulls.

We spoke to several past owners at the show, including a Swedish couple who run a Prestige 520, and all of them, without exception, spoke with unvarnished nostalgia about the Viknes boats they had owned and loved.

The video review we compiled received enormously positive feedback by virtue of the subject matter alone and five months on, having featured this same boat in our fortnightly MBY podcast, we finally got the chance to head to Norway and test it out in its home waters.

There’s endless storage beneath steps, decks and seat bases – and all of it is tidily trimmed and easily accessible

Drink in the details

We find ourselves just as impressed by the detailing in the aft cockpit as we were at the boat show. It uses a brilliant drop-down curtain system on three sliding runners tucked neatly into the aft end of the roof extension. It comes with idiot-proof tensioners, so you can deploy the canvases in seconds and then roll them back up into place without obscuring your view by creasing the window sections – and quite apart from the ease of deployment, that in itself makes it the best system we’ve seen.

The big port dinette is also cleverly conceived, not least because of its reverse seat hinges, which enable easy one-handed access to the storage compartments without removing any cushions. It’s secure too. There are raised bulwarks and guardrails all around the external seating area to make it feel deep and safe.

These same mouldings are topped with grippy tread so you can use them to ease your way down into the boat from precisely the kind of elevated quayside we experienced in Sandvika when we first jumped on board. There’s also a locker inside the starboard bulwark with vents for the diesel heating, so you can hang your lines or lifejackets in there to dry out. And in addition to a big deep drained locker beneath the aft platform, there are lots of smaller lockers beneath steps and decks, which are perfect for more lines and fenders.

As a semi-displacement boat with a generous keel, tracking feels secure and reliable at every speed

We’re not finished though because, in addition to the option of an automated tender retrieval system, you get a pair of massive sunroofs – a rigid one above the forward saloon and a soft one above the cockpit, double-lined with a thick waterproof outer and a luxurious alcantara-style finish on the inside, so you can drench pretty much every last inch of day space in sunshine.

As on every Viknes, there’s also a fully featured second helm back here, with a proper wheel and throttle, plus thruster switches, autopilot control and joystick. True, the proportional thrusters and the joystick are optional but the rest comes as standard. And that, not to mention the sheer scale of the steering position, illustrates the value Viknes puts on being able to helm in the open air without being forced inside, away from the rest of the outdoor party.

Before we step inside then, the bow is also worth a mention. Accessed with almost as much ease via the raised port side deck as the deeper, wider starboard route, its raised central moulding is used not for a cushion-lined sunbed but for a pair of integrated weatherproof directors’ chairs that swing up as one from a hidden cavity.

The sunroof is double lined for Nordic conditions and the starboard bulwark locker has heating vents to help dry out your lines

They sit side by side with a lovely view of the water, divided only by a neat little tray for your nibbles. In truth that tray could do with a couple of drained cupholders, and you might also suggest (with some justification) that this charming feature makes less than optimum use of the foredeck’s available space. But it’s a lovely way to arrange things for an intimate couple’s retreat – and if you want to spoil the fun and go with a more conventional foredeck sunbed, you’ll be equally pleased to know that cushions remain an option.

Talking of options, it has to be said that the level of standard fit-out on this Viknes 10 is also quite extraordinary. It’s one of those increasingly rare boats where you can simply buy the basic package and go boating – and the fact that our test boat comes in at just 15% above the base price is ample illustration of that.

Reversible bench at the front end of the dinette makes good use of the space

Saloon and cabins

When you head from the aft cockpit into the sheltered saloon, the single-level deck, three-part sliding doors and drop-down starboard window integrate the two zones to excellent effect. The shape of the two seating zones doesn’t quite collaborate in that but even so, it doesn’t take long before the details again bring a smile to your face.

The raised port dinette has great all-round views, a swing-over forward backrest for a pair of co-pilots and a central support for its oak table that takes the form of a very neat cabinet with storage for all your cups and glasses. You can’t convert it into an occasional double with this arrangement but again, you can opt for the more conventional telescopic leg if you want to use it as an occasional double berth.

Across on the starboard side, an L-shaped galley features a clever little stove with gas beneath glass, as well as a twin sink that sees you facing aft into the cockpit. There’s a decent bit of work surface here too plus a lifting TV behind the hinged helm seat so you can view it from that port dinette.

The owner’s cabin has hanging lockers on both sides and a raised bed with lots of drawers

It’s all perfectly effective but oddly enough, it’s the storage here that feels particularly impressive. In addition to the various drawers and cupboards, there’s a big transverse storage cavity beneath the saloon’s aft deck, all beautifully divided into boxes, drawers and cubby holes. And better still, if you pop back out into the cockpit and lift the engine hatch, you discover that the engine itself is cordoned off with a false bulkhead, enabling you to use the spare volume for storage in a way you would never really consider on any other boat.

Arguably though, the most surprising element of this boat is the accommodation – because in spite of the fact that the V10 falls a few inches short of the 35ft mark, you get three cabins to play with. There’s a fore-and-aft single beneath the dinette, a transverse double beneath the saloon deck and a forward owner’s double – all with 2m beds, ample headroom and proper storage solutions. There’s only one heads compartment of course, but it comes with a good footprint, an attractive fit-out and a shower stall that can be screened off from the rest of the compartment.

The transverse guest double gets sitting headroom at the head end of the bed

It’s a mightily impressive way to use the space, particularly as that third cabin can be used as an overspill zone for bulky gear on a long cruise. In fact, the only real objection concerns the hull windows – or more specifically the fact that there are none.

You do get windows in the mouldings above the rubbing strake forward, which enables you to get standing views in the double cabins and the heads – but when you get down to bed level, they’re too high for a view of anything but the sky. Head aft to the single cabin and all you get is an optional opening window in the saloon dinette mouldings to alleviate the sense of containment.

But all is not lost. This boat is actually built in the same factory and on the same production line as the Skilsø 35, a boat which uses windows in this very same hull, so we spoke to Viknes CEO, Kristian Sivertsen, about what can be done and he confirmed what we suspected. If you want to add some hull windows to a Viknes 10, you simply need to request it.

There’s also a single cabin beneath the saloon’s port dinette

Easy cruising

The Viknes 10 helm station is substantially raised. That’s a great help in terms of headroom at the entry point to the transverse guest cabin but it’s also a big help for the skipper. It enables you to stand up with your head through the sunroof to such a degree that it’s no problem looking down at the bow of your own boat. The Viknes helm also comes with a port window, a skipper’s side door, a well-placed joystick and lots of coolness and glare protection from the overhanging roof structure of that reverse screen, so it’s a very natural and confidence-inspiring position – and the performance fully supports that.

It uses a semi-displacement hull with a good size of keel so the directional stability at low speeds is very strong. As you move up the rev range, the performance figures do suggest that there’s a minor hump to ascend between 10 and 16 knots.

Fuel flow and range remain largely unchanged from 10 to 26 knots

You see the dynamic between the fuel flow and the pace create a small range reduction to just under 180 miles before easing back up towards 200 and not dipping below the 180 mark again until the top end of 27 or 28 knots. But that said, it really is a remarkably flat fuel flow curve and that’s entirely reflected in the pitch of the boat, which requires only modest tweaks with the tabs to retain a good, flat angle of attack.

Clearly then, with its comfy helm, easy all-round visibility, flat attitude and broad cruising band, this is a very compliant, comfortable and well-behaved boat. It shifts a bit too with decent grunt from the top-rated 440hp Yanmar diesel and a reasonable degree of handling vigour when you fancy a play. And as hoped, it’s an easy drive from the aft end too.

As a robust and highly practical four-season family cruiser, this is a pleasing rather than beautiful boat to look at

There’s a good view forward, through the saloon, particularly as the starboard glass panel at the back end of the superstructure slides down inside the helm moulding. The big side windows do their bit, too, and you also get a big view up the broad starboard side deck plus direct access to the pontoon through the starboard side gate. If you’re a solo skipper or a boater with a novice crew, the Viknes 10 is in fact about as easy and as manageable as a compact high-volume cruiser gets.

Viknes 10 specifications

LOA: 34ft 9in (10.60m)
BEAM: 11ft 7in (3.52m)
DRAFT: 3ft 9in (1.15m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,300kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 700 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 280 litres
ENGINES: Single Yanmar 8LV 370 / 6LY 440
RCD: B6 / C10
CONTACT: www.viknes.no

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Viknes 10 review: World's best value family boat? appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Cannes Yachting Festival is one of the biggest boat shows in Europe, with more than 500 new models on the water, including several world premieres.

And with a history that dates back to 1977, it is also one of the longest-running boat shows in the world.

This prestigious event is run every September and attracts upwards of 50,000 visitors to the French Riviera. Alex Smith gives us his guide to the best new boats at Cannes 2025.

Best new boats at Cannes 2025

Absolute Navetta 62

Bridging classic trawler practicality with cutting-edge design, Absolute’s new Navetta 62 delivers a voluminous, light-filled yacht that’s as distinctive as it is functional

Volume, cruising practicality and aesthetic loveliness rarely go hand-in-hand but if that’s what you’re after, the Absolute stand in Cannes Boat Show is a great place to look.

Delta Powerboats 72

The new 72-foot flagship from Delta Powerboats, the Delta Powerboats 72 combines the blistering speed of a 52-knot offshore racer with the spacious layout

One of Cannes’ most exciting world debuts will be from Swedish builder, Delta Powerboats. Initially commissioned by a loyal Delta client, the new 72ft Delta Powerboats 72 looks well placed to provide a natural upgrade route from the smaller coupé and open models without forcing owners to change the game entirely by having to default to the explorer-style flybridge-equipped 88 Carbon.

Princess V65

Making its world debut at Cannes Yachting Festival will be the largest non-fly motor yacht in the Princess fleet, the Princess V65

Making its world debut in Cannes will be the largest non-fly motor yacht in the Princess fleet. As the new flagship of the V Class range of sportscruisers, the V65 uses an Olesinski deep-vee hull specifically designed to provide greater lift, reduced drag, an easy low-speed plane and improved running efficiency.

Outer Reef 780 Adventure

Those in pursuit of off-grid adventure would do well to stop by the Outer Reef stand at this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival and see the new Outer Reef 780 Adventure

Over the last 30 years, this award-winning boatbuilder has become well known for the kind of long-range blue-water motor yachts that enable you to go pretty much anywhere, but the Outer Reef 780 Adventure is largest and most capable Adventure-line motor yacht yet looks like a particularly capable explorer.

Prestige M7

The Prestige M7 will make its world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival as a multihull with superyacht styling.

While Prestige has built its name on flybridge cruisers from 40-75ft, its first powercat in 2022 marked a significant shift of focus.

The M48 claimed to offer the volume of a 60-footer on a 48ft platform; the superyacht-style M8 then targeted the 85ft market with a 65ft platform; and here, making its world debut as the third in the Prestige multihull line, is the Prestige M7 that slots neatly between the two.

Itama 54

New Itamas don’t come along very often, so the launch of a brand new Itama 54 at this year’s Cannes show to plug the gap between the current 45 and 62 is big news.

Passers-by wouldn’t necessarily notice that the Itama 54 is new because the whole point of owning an Itama is that they have a timeless look which stays true to the design principles laid down by its founder, Mario Amati (Itama when spelt backwards), in 1969.

That means plenty of power, traditional shaft drive propulsion, a heavily built deep vee hull and a pure open design with a big cockpit, a long foredeck and a very clean 1970s aesthetic devoid of guardrails.

Beneteau GT35 + GT40

The new Beneteau GT35 and GT40 will appear at the Cannes Yachting Festival as a range aiming to offer ‘villa living on the water’

The Beneteau team must have had a busy few months because as well as launching a brand new Swift Trawler 37 at Cannes (see p12-13), they are also premiering an entirely new range of Gran Turismo sportscruisers and a revised Grand Trawler 63.

The interesting thing about the new GT line is that they’ve started again from scratch rather than simply adding to, or remodelling, the existing range. For the moment, Beneteau will only be offering two new GT models – a 35 and a 40 – but a 50 is in the pipeline for January 2026 as well.

Aquila 46 Yacht

Making its debut in Cannes is the Aquila 46 Yacht: a new model designed to deliver big boat innovation on a more manageable platform

The Aquila 46 Yacht is conceived as a long-distance boat – but while Aquila’s talk of an “explorer aesthetic” feels a bit of a stretch, the new 46 makes a far more convincing claim to off-grid capability by simple virtue of its design.

It comes with a Category-A RCD rating and an 1,800L fuel tank as standard, plus the option of a second 800L tank for extra autonomy. You can also opt for an Aquila Hydro Glide Foil System for additional range, plus an uprated lithium-ion battery bank to reduce your reliance on a diesel generator for electrical power.

De Antonio D60

At Cannes Yachting Festival, the new De Antonio D60 will showcase its plentiful glazing to give the interior an inside-outside feel

Notwithstanding the electric 23ft powercat at the entry point to the De Antonio fleet, there’s a very distinct formula to the brand’s boats that has been really successful at everything from 29 to 50ft. But can it translate effectively onto a new De Antonio D60 flagship? Well De Antonio certainly appears to think so.

Sirena 60

The Cannes Yachting Festival will feature a world debut, the Sirena 60, which is an update to the extremely popular 58

Sirena Marine has chosen Cannes as the venue for the world debut of its new Sirena 60. Designed as an update to the popular Sirena 58 flybridge cruiser, it’s immediately clear that this new extended version features plenty more superstructure glazing for improved light and views in the saloon, but the developments go much deeper than that.

Steeler Bronson 65

Dutch builder Steeler Yachts will unveil its new Steeler Bronson 65 in Cannes as the flagship of the brand’s performance range

Built entirely from aluminium and powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D11 IPS-950s or 1350s, the Steeler Bronson 65 certainly looks the part, thanks to a fine entry, a reverse bow and a single continuous hull window that runs all the way from the forepeak to the engineroom. But it’s well set up for practical day boating too.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article 11 of the most exciting boats at Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Volume, cruising practicality and aesthetic loveliness rarely go hand-in-hand but if that’s what you’re after, the Absolute stand in Cannes Boat Show is a great place to look.

The celebrated Piacenza-based builder is set to launch its new Absolute Navetta 62 – a three-cabin, three-bathroom trawler-style design that puts big internal space, easy on board movement and plentiful storage at the heart of things. But it couples that with established Absolute design cues, like masses of superstructure glazing, huge diamond-shaped hull windows, cut-out bulwarks, a reverse transom and glass balustrades to bring the classical trawler style bang up to date.

It’s a great looking (and extremely distinctive) boat, and with its upright superstructure, a beamy flybridge that extends out over the side decks and modular outdoor furniture that can be arranged however you choose, there’s all kinds of space to play with and all kinds of ways to tailor that to your needs.

Huge windows, cutaway bulwarks and slatted ‘bulkheads’ work a treat

The single-level teak-lined flybridge provides a casual aft lounge, a central dining station and wet bar and a forward end that treats the redesigned helm to plenty of low-level companion seating. The hardtop comes with either an opening sunroof or a set of photovoltaic panels, and if you head down to the bow, the forward lounging space gets an extra dose of style thanks to a striking cantilevered sunbed that extends beyond its base and is augmented with subtle ambient underlighting.

The cockpit backs all of that up with a pair of facing modular benches, an electrically operated awning and a wet bar with third helm. The saloon also looks engagingly different. It features an aft galley and dining area and a slightly angled forward dinette. The helm might be a shade lonely but with those floor-to-ceiling windows and cutaway bulwarks, light and views should be some of the strongest in the sector.

Article continues below…

Princess Yachts to celebrate 60th anniversary in Cannes with exciting new product announcements

The Absolute way of doing things is in full view down below too. The owner’s cabin, for instance, is positioned forward with the ensuite facilities in the forepeak. That frees up the broader part of the bow for a forward-facing king-size bed and the option of additional cabinets or an intimate seating area beneath the big port window.

The full-beam VIP cabin amidships is designed to feel like a second master suite, thanks to its king-size bed, walk-in wardrobe and elegant bathroom. And there’s also a twin cabin with 190cm of headroom, as well as the option of an ensuite crew cabin aft with one or two additional berths.

Absolute Navetta 62 specifications

LOA: 61ft 3in (18.68m)
BEAM: 17ft 7in (5.36m)
ENGINES: 2 x Volvo IPS-1200s or 1350s
TOP SPEED: 29 knots
PRICE: from £1.98M ex VAT
CONTACT: www.absoluteyachts.com

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article New boats at Cannes Yachting Festival: Absolute Navetta 62 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

One of Cannes’ most exciting world debuts will be from Swedish builder, Delta Powerboats. Initially commissioned by a loyal Delta client, the new 72ft Delta Powerboats 72 looks well placed to provide a natural upgrade route from the smaller coupé and open models without forcing owners to change the game entirely by having to default to the explorer-style flybridge-equipped 88 Carbon.

And if the restrained lines and staggered geometric hull windows suggest there’s something quite premium about this boat, the underpinnings very much back that up.

While the hull is sprinkled with magic fairy dust from Sweden’s iconic offshore performance studio, Mannerfelt Design, the construction process makes extensive use of vacuum-infused carbon fibre composite to create an extremely stiff but lightweight structure.

The restful saloon is supplemented with outdoor seating for 20 people

With an all-in weight of just 27 tonnes, Delta is aiming to combine ‘spectacular’ seagoing performance with sector-leading efficiency. You can either maximise that efficiency with a pair of Volvo Penta D13-1000s on IPS drives for a cruising range of around 550nm or you can push the envelope with quadruple Mercury Verado V12 600s.

If you do opt for the big outboards, you can expect a remarkable top end of around 52 knots, plus an uprated 6,000-litre fuel tank to keep your cruising range up at around 400 miles.

Clearly, Delta has expended a lot of effort fulfilling its promise of thoroughbred performance but it seems to have lavished an equal degree of care on the deck arrangements. Designed specifically for large day parties, it comes with multiple exterior lounge options, including a sociable cockpit with symmetrical L-shaped units, which face aft toward a central island sunbed with a forward-facing bench.

Article continues below…

Princess Yachts to celebrate 60th anniversary in Cannes with exciting new product announcements

New boats at Cannes Yachting Festival: Outer Reef 780 Adventure

From here, a fully open transom leads down to a hydraulic platform, which is well able to handle any overspill of guests from the cockpit party. The transverse bow lounge and sunbed add to the outdoor options and there’s also a private sunlounger set into the aft end of the roof structure. Small wonder then that Delta claims the new 72 provides outdoor seating for as many as 20 people at a time.

Perhaps more remarkably, though, the 72 also comes with space for four cabins. There’s a full-beam owner’s cabin amidships, plus a VIP bow cabin, a starboard guest double and a port twin. All of them are ensuite and yet there’s still room for a couple of crew in a transverse bunk cabin with a heads and separate shower, accessed beneath a service unit on the port side of the cockpit.

Delta Powerboats 72 specifications

LOA: 71ft 4in (21.75m)
BEAM: 18ft 4in (5.60m)
ENGINES: 2 x Volvo IPS-1350s or 4 x Verado V12 600s
TOP SPEED: 42-52 knots
PRICE: €4.6M ex VAT
CONTACT: deltapowerboats.se

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article New boats at Cannes Yachting Festival: Delta Powerboats 72 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Keeping your boat life fresh and exciting often involves change. Change of boat, change of guest, change of equipment, change of cruising ground. And heading across the Channel to explore the Continent by means of Europe’s inland waterways is a really superb way to achieve that.

Realistically, of course, a great many inland waterways boats would struggle to cross the Channel and a great many seagoing boats would be utterly impractical (not to mention absurd looking) on canals and rivers. But that’s exactly where Cockwells’ new Hardy 45 European comes in.

Based squarely on customer feedback, this is a boat that enables you to go both inland and offshore with the utmost ease and comfort. Based on the exhaustively proven Hardy 42 offshore hull, it’s basically an ocean-going pilotboat with the air draft and deck arrangement of an inland waterways cruiser – and that, of course, makes it look a shade sedate.

There’s that apparent anathema to modernity, the aft cabin, which seems to have fallen from grace on account of its propensity to elevate the topsides at the back end with blunt vertical mouldings.

Slow, stable and efficient is no problem for the multi-purpose Hardy

There’s the raised open steering position above and ahead of that, like a compact half-height flybridge that can’t quite escape the stern. And the foredeck also looks rather workmanlike with its confident rejection of sunpads, seats, fridges and tables in favour of a practical open deck littered with robust seamanship hardware.

Right from the start then, you know this is not likely to be a mass-market boat. On the contrary, as a custom-built multi-theatre aft cabin cruiser that combines an inland aesthetic with an offshore pedigree, it’s very much a niche craft. But given how little else you will find along these lines, it feels all the more relevant because of that.

External decks

The raised aft deck comes with a pair of hinged canvases that stretch taut above your head on either side of the folding radar arch. It’s a neatly conceived system and it has to be because on this test boat, there’s no lower helm for you to retreat to if the weather turns.

The helm sits a good way aft, on top of the big owner’s cabin

It’s also a sociable helm, as well as a sheltered one, thanks to a neat little companion seat to port and a pair of helm seats at the starboard station that rotate to face the C-shaped dinette that lines the periphery of the space aft.

Step out of here on either side to the symmetrical raised side decks and you get the easiest possible access to the cleats and rails, plus equally easy access to the pontoon thanks to a pair of low-level gates, where the side decks drop down ahead of that aft cabin.

There’s also a neat little tread plate just above the rubbing strake to make the descent that bit easier. It does take a bit more in the way of climbing to reach the swim platform via a pair of steep stairwells on either side of the raised aft deck but that does tend to be the case with aft cabin cruisers and the issue is usefully mitigated with some very substantial rails.

Those rails are even more pronounced at the bow, which is handy because, in the unusual absence of any bow lockers, save for a simple hatch to access the anchor windlass, there’s plenty of space to strap lines and fenders to your rails without them getting in the way.

The angular three-part screen is as distinctive as everything else

The bow is a pretty featureless spot in other ways too. Forget seats and cushions and sunbeds and cupholders. This is a place of robust steelwork and practical seamanship devices. But interestingly, only the exterior moulds and the saloon deck are fixed and unchangeable, so you get outstanding customisation potential on this boat.

A set of squishy cushions then, should you want to circumvent the Hardy’s natural role as an old-school adventure boat and turn it into something softer and more mainstream, is very much on the cards.

Saloon and cabins

As you step down into the saloon by means of a stairwell to port of the helm, there’s a delightful wooden rail to guide you down – the type of rail you might be inclined to stop and fondle for a spell. But quality of joinery aside, the first thing that strikes you down here is the sense of space.

In the absence of a lower helm, there’s a large raised dinette to port and a lower, more casual lounge section, further aft and to starboard. That frees up a little space forward for a good sturdy door opening out onto the starboard side deck. It’s a handy feature for getting out onto a pontoon without having to head upstairs and it’s equally handy, should the skipper demand some assistance when you’re down below with a cup of tea.

The low-slung starboard lounge is the more casual of the saloon’s two seating zones

Ahead of this main saloon space, a couple of steps take you down to the starboard galley. It’s a relatively compact space but it’s not quite as hemmed in as you might imagine.

The fact that it remains open to the saloon admits extra light and air so it doesn’t feel at all claustrophobic and the fact that both the fridge and the uncommonly large freezer are tucked across on the port side helps free up the galley itself for extra storage and a double sink.

Across from this section is access to the day heads, which is shared as an ensuite for the guests in the forward VIP cabin. Again, it has quite a modest footprint but headroom is good and the circular shower tray and curved door make great use of the space that is available.

The forward cabin adopts the form of a V berth with a roaming infill. Again, it’s not huge. The beds measure around 6ft in length but there are windows in the raised foredeck moulding for extra light, as well as decent hanging storage and rows of high-level lockers nestling against the hull sides with carpet lining for reduced noise and condensation. As with almost every element of the fit out, the layout and furniture of this cabin can be customised to suit your needs.

You can spec a lower helm if you like but it’s much better without it

Even so, the aft cabin does feel like a bit of a treat. Accessed by means of a corridor on the port side, with a practical wet locker at its entry point so you can hang up your soggy foulies before you head in, both the scale of the space and its fit-out feel very strong.

The bed sits in the centre, facing forward. It’s flanked on both sides by ranks of handmade cabinetry, at once so large and so thoroughly lovely that it feels almost like a gratuitous calling card from a highly skilled joinery department, keen to show off what it can do.

The dressing table on the starboard side is equally attractive and, while the ensuite heads is similar to the day heads, with its curved oak-faced bulkhead, its larger footprint makes it feel just that little bit more indulgent.

The windows are small but in terms of space and quality, the aft cabin is tough to fault

Solid sea manners

As a rugged oceangoing pilot boat with a semi-displacement hull similar to those used by the RNLI on some of their training craft, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect good things from the Hardy 45 Euro and that’s exactly what you get. In terms of the balance between that fine entry and that prodigious bow flare, it becomes plain when we get underway that softness gets more emphasis here than splash deflection – and in terms of both on board comfort and running efficiency, that’s precisely as you would want it.

That low air draft also does good things for the windage, and the weight distribution feels very strong too. The engines are bang in the centre of the boat and with our 1,650L of fuel distributed between a pair of wing tanks and a nice deep keel tank, it’s a very comfy and dependable boat to helm at sea.

There’s space for an even larger bed in the private aft cabin

Interestingly, though, our test boat has no tabs because the owner of this particular model never saw any merit in them on his previous craft – and in fairness to the Hardy, it does a remarkably good job without them, showing excellent natural trim underway and only moderate lifting of the bow.

Even so, this is a boat that is likely to be used for long passages at relatively moderate speeds so tabs would help refine the angle of attack, maintaining optimum views from the saloon dinette and eking out the best possible efficiency from that excellent hull.

The forward guest cabin uses a V berth with a roaming infill

Even as things stand, though, with a pair of Yanmar 6LY 440hp diesels on straight shafts, we’re seeing a perfectly serviceable fuel flow of 4.4L per mile at 10 knots, increasing to 5.4L at 12 knots and 5.7L at 20 knots for a cruising range of between 230 and 250 miles.

If you know that you’re likely to be spending the bulk of your time inland, you could save money, maintenance and space on a single 440 instead,. In that case you would be reducing your top end from 27 knots to around 16. But either way, there’s nothing at all to worry about here, either in terms of the new Hardy’s build integrity or its seagoing dynamics.

Both bathrooms use cylindrical shower stalls to ease the impact on the other side of the bulkhead

In fact, assuming you equip it with a set of tabs, our only real reservation concerns the skipper’s position. When you’re sitting down at the helm, the screen rim sits bang in line with the horizon, which is a bit aggravating, and your feet dangle in mid air, which is a shade uncomfortable. But if you insist on a decent foot brace and a lift-and-lower mechanism for the helm seat, you’ll be in a very good place indeed.

Range is largely unchanged at everything between 12 and 20 knots

Hardy 45 European specifications

LOA: 46ft 7in (14.20m)
Beam: 14ft 5in (4.40m)
Fuel capacity: 1,650 litres
Water capacity: 550 litres
Draft: 3ft 11in (1.20m)
Air draft: 11ft 1in (3.38m)
Displacement: 14 tonnes (light)
Builder: Cockwells
Price from: £1.5M inc VAT
Price as tested: £1.5M inc VAT
Contact: cockwells.co.uk

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This article Hardy 45 European review: Ready for inland waterways or oceans appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.