A new Cruisers Yachts model offers insight into American boating lifestyles, since the builder seeks owner and dealer feedback to shape its launches. The Cruisers 57 Fly speaks to boaters’ desires to entertain and engage with the water—for instance, by taking transom platforms and folding hullsides to the next level.

Consider the portside deck, where the entire bulwark from the cockpit to the midcabin folds out. Cruisers wasn’t the first to introduce this feature, but the builder added a cool touch by placing a pair of stools next to a sliding window that opens to the galley. A wraparound settee with a dinette across the transom provides an entertainment hub for dining, lounging or water play, all accessible from the oversize swim platform, which submerges for swimming or launching a tender weighing up to 850 pounds. A transom lounge also folds out to create a beach club.

The concept of “water interaction” is more than just splashing around. The 57 Fly also has nearly 360 degrees of salon windows, allowing guests to relax in the interior’s air conditioning while still feeling connected to the surrounding environment. This theme carries through to the staterooms, all of which have oversize windows so guests can enjoy the water views while resting in bed.

The Cruisers 57 Fly could easily be called “party central,” with four dining areas spread across two levels, all supported by two spots to cook. On the main deck, there is a dinette aft and a formal dining area in the salon. The foredeck lounge is truly versatile, converting from sun pads facing either way to bench seating or a dinette with twin tables.

The flybridge is another highlight, with its galley and an optional Texan grill measuring 2 square feet. It has a flat plancha (perfect for veggies or omelets) and a traditional grate. The bridge also includes a wraparound dinette that seats 12, with a high-low table partially shaded by the hardtop.

The salon is built for alfresco living, with triple sliding doors and all-weather boating features, including a settee and a 55-inch pop-up TV. The galley has a convection microwave, two-burner Kenyon cooktop, and four fridge drawers for a total of 12.6 cubic feet of stowage. By eliminating a full-height fridge, the Cruisers design team gave the skipper unobstructed visibility aft.

Speaking of the skipper, the helm is a thoughtfully designed, ergonomic space with twin 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays, a Volvo Penta IPS joystick and a double-wide bolstered helm seat. Two footrests—one of which flips up for standing—and a window that opens for communication with the crew are practical, thoughtful features. My favorite thing at the helm was the sleek black dashboard that curves smoothly into a wide eyebrow, effectively shielding the monitors from glare through the windshield.

The 57 Fly has a three-stateroom, two-head layout. The owner’s stateroom spans the beam amidships with a walk-around queen berth, a four-drawer bureau, and a built-in table with two settees for playing games or enjoying morning croissants. An Isotherm wine locker and a washer-dryer combo are options. The en suite head has a full-size shower with a Lucite door and seat, a Euro-style sink and faucet, and another window with blinds for privacy.

The forepeak VIP stateroom has a queen berth and an equal-size en suite that doubles as a day head. The third stateroom, across the passage, has twin berths that convert into a double.

Although the 57 Fly is designed with owner-operators in mind, there’s air-conditioned crew quarters abaft the engine room. The cabin has a single berth, a head and space for handling lines. It could also serve as a private area for a teenager, be used for stowage or act as a work area.

Power for the Cruisers 57 Fly comes from a pair of Volvo Penta IPS950 pod drives, powered by 725 hp, six-cylinder common-rail D11 diesels with twin-entry turbos. This combination provides more than enough power to push the 57 Fly past the 30-knot mark, even in the choppy Gulf Stream conditions we experienced. At a cruising speed of 25 knots, the engines sip 63 gallons per hour, giving the 57 Fly a range of about 250 nautical miles. If you’re not in a hurry, cruising at 9 knots increases the range to approximately 700 nm.

On the water, the 57 Fly is a true pleasure. Whether running up-sea or cross-sea, the yacht handles with aplomb, thanks to the standard Seakeeper 9 gyrostabilizer and the hull design by Donald Blount and Associates. Returning to the marina after our offshore excursion, the joystick with pod drives made maneuvering into tight spaces a breeze, with no white-knuckle moments. Two fingers and a twist was all it took.

Let the phrase “water interaction” become part of your boating vocabulary by experiencing the Cruisers Yachts 57 Fly.

Chef’s Delight

The lower galley has acres of stowage and can be fitted with a dishwasher. A nice touch is the Plexiglas backsplash to keep any chef uh-ohs from spilling onto the dinette upholstery. The upper cooking area has a Texan grill, a fridge and an ice maker.

A Place for Everything

The foredeck is seamanlike, with a Quick vertical windlass and 200 feet of chain tucked out of sight, a washdown in the anchor locker, and a pair of clamshell lockers on the cabin top to absorb deck gear such as fenders and dock lines.

Pedigree Design

Award-winning Miami-based yacht designer Luiz De Basto engineered the dramatic windows on the 57 Fly, as well as masterminded the decor on the boat we got aboard. The ocean-sand oak draws on his background of more than 200 boats and superyachts over 30 years.

Take the next step: cruisersyachts.com

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BradVentures, a 2023 Cruisers Yachts 42 Cantius, accommodates four guests in a two-stateroom, two-head, layout for extended cruising and can host up to 12 guests for day tripping. Galati Yacht Sales has listed BradVentures for $819,000.

The 42 Cantius is powered by upgraded twin 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 IPS600 diesels. It also has Volvo’s Dynamic Positioning System. The vessel’s services are up to date, and includes extended warranties on the IPS diesels through December 2027, along with a five-year limited structural warranty from Cruisers Yachts. A Seakeeper 6 gyrostabilizer helps reduce roll and enhance onboard comfort.

The yacht’s cockpit has a pearl-white, L-shaped settee with a convertible table, an electric awning for shade as well as a wet bar with refrigerator and ice maker. A transom electric BBQ and a hydraulic swim platform support al fresco meals and water access. The foredeck is outfitted with sun pads that have adjustable backrests and integrated cup holders.

This 42 Cantius has an aft-galley setup, which provides convenient access to the salon and cockpit. It’s equipped with stainless-steel appliances, including a two-burner cooktop, microwave/convection oven and refrigerator/freezer. There is stowage in upper and lower cabinets and several drawers.

An L-shaped dinette is in the salon and there is a lounge opposite the helm. A sliding glass door and retractable sunroof enhance the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces here. Light-toned upholstery and mocha oak cabinetry create a bright, open vibe.

“The salon is the 42’s focal point, a prime social space with that opening hardtop. Surrounded by glass, the forward section not only makes for a good driving platform, but also offers exceptional views of the water. Headroom was 6 feet 9 inches to the top of the sunroof, making the open-plan salon feel even more spacious. The vessel’s rear glass door slides and drops into the sole, providing a 64-inch-wide opening between the aft galley and cockpit,” Yachting previously reported.

The helm has a double-wide helm seat with a bolster and footrest. The Volvo Penta Glass Cockpit has twin Garmin 8612 multifunction displays, HD radar, sonar, autopilot, VHF radio and a FLIR M332 stabilized thermal-imaging camera for improved visibility in low light and fog.

Belowdecks, there is a full-beam master stateroom amidships and has a king-size berth, cedar-lined closets and an en suite head with a walk-in shower. The forward VIP stateroom has a queen-size berth, stowage and access to a separate head. Both staterooms have portholes for natural light and ventilation.

Where is BradVentures located? The yacht is currently lying in Naples, FL.

Take the next step: call or text the listing agent, Thomas Fox, (909) 525-2064, Galati Yacht Sales 

Quick Specifications

• Length Overall: 42′
• Maximum Beam: 13’8″
• Max Draft: 3’4″
• Cruising Speed: 22 knots
• Max Speed: 31 knots 
• Hull Material: Fiberglass
• Number of Engines: 2
• Engine Make: Volvo Penta
• Engine Model: IPS 600
• Fuel Type: Diesel
• Combined Horsepower: 920 hp
• Fuel Capacity: 300 Gal.
• Freshwater Capacity: 80 Gal.

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Grace II, a 2017 Cruisers Yachts 60 Cantius, accommodates six guests comfortably on extended cruises, was built to entertain with an upgraded, concert-quality audio system and is currently on the market at a reduced price of $989,000.

The supersize express cruiser is powered by twin, 725 hp Volvo Penta IPS950 diesel engines, but reportedly have the same performance as 1,900 hp straight-shaft diesels due to the Volvo’s pod-drive design. Grace II will reportedly spool up to 39 knots, but dial it back 35 knots to enjoy a quick jaunt down the coastline. Volvo’s joystick controls relieves the tension in close quarters and makes maneuvering this yacht in tight spaces easy. 

Grace II’s helm is forward of the salon and to starboard. There are two Stidd leather helm chairs with footrests with all controls within arm’s reach. Large windows give the captain a clean 360-degree view as natural light flows inside and illuminates the helm, salon and galley. The electronics and navigation systems include the following:

• Volvo Penta Joystick Controls
• Raymarine electronics package with twin screens
• Raymarine radar
• Raymarine GPS navigation
• Raymarine autopilot
• Raymarine depth sounders
• VHF Radio
• AIS
• Bow thruster controls
• FLIR night-vision camera
• Bennett trim tabs
• Stereo controls

The decks on Grace II are designed for guests to enjoy fun in the sun. Take a dive off the swim platform or layout and get a tan. The garage on the swim platform provides plenty of stowage for floats, lounge chairs and other water toys. Relax in the U-shaped settee with table on the cockpit while burgers are being grilled for lunch. The cockpit is open, but it has a retractable power sunshade that gives guests the option of sun or shade. Belly up to the bar on two barstools at the aft exterior galley window for a few drinks before heading to the foredeck for a little more privacy. The foredeck has a couple of sun pads with adjustable backrests and a forward facing, lounge-style seat with removable tables for guests to enjoy a cruise to nowhere. Getting a little hot in the sun? Break out the removable foredeck sun shade system and cool off while enjoying the ocean breeze.    

Grace II’s salon and galley is accessed via a stainless-steel-framed glass door from the cockpit. The aft galley makes it easy for owners to entertain guests in the salon and cockpit areas. Open the glass door and aft galley window to create an open-air, flow-through conversation environment from the cockpit to the helm. Guests can relax on the sofa to starboard or at the L-shaped dinette with a hi-low table to port. Open the sunroof blinds and search for a ball game on the 50-inch TV on the power-lift platform. Large windows throughout the salon and galley provide guests with beautiful panoramic views while relaxing inside and air conditioned. 

Grace II’s aft galley is the perfect setup for entertaining guests in the salon or out in the cockpit. The galley’s electric window opens to the cockpit area, creating a wet bar environment with two stools for guests relaxing in the cockpit. Owner can prepare and serve just about any type of meal on extended cruises with the following galley amenities:

• Two Vitrifrigo refrigerator drawers
• Two Vitrifrigo freezer drawers – one with ice maker
• Cuisinart Convection/Microwave oven
• Electric cooktop with two burners
• Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawer
• Sidebar beverage dispenser system at aft window

After a long day on the water, owners and guests can retire to one of three staterooms. The master stateroom is full-beam with a walkaround king-sized berth and en suite head with double vanity and shower. Plenty of stowage for personal belongings in the walk-in closet with drawers or the built-in safe in the portside cabinet. Grab a bottle of wine from the Isotherm refrigerator in the portside cabinet while finishing up a few work items at the built-in table for two before heading off to bed. The forepeak VIP stateroom has a queen-sized walkaround berth with an ensuite head and walk-in closet. There is also head has access from the companionway. The third guest stateroom is located on the starboard side and has twin-sized over/under berths with closets.

An added convenience for owners and guests is a separate washer and dryer located in a cabinet in the companionway, along with a wine chiller and a central vacuum system.

Allied Marine stated, “As soon as you step onto the Cruisers Yachts 60 Cantius, you’ll notice its sleek design and superior quality, making it even more desirable now than when it was new. Grace II, is a one-owner vessel that has spent its entire life in a freshwater Texas lake until recently. Twin Volvo Penta diesel engines with joystick controls make maneuvering this yacht simplified. The owner has spared no expense in upgrading the factory finishes to designer quality throughout. The tasteful and exquisite upgrades make this yacht truly unique”. 

Where is Grace II located? The yacht is currently lying in Pompano Beach, FL.

Take the next step: call or text the listing agent, Cookie White, (704) 574-6019, Allied Marine

Quick Specifications

• Length Overall: 60′
• Maximum Beam: 16′
• Max Draft: 4′
• Cruising Speed: 35 knots
• Max Speed: 39 knots
• Hull Material: Fiberglass
• Engine Make: Volvo
• Engine Model: D-11 IPS 950
• Fuel Type: Diesel
• Combined Horsepower: 1,450 hp
• Range: 300 nm
• Fuel Capacity: 647 Gal.
• Freshwater Capacity: 149 Gal.

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Cruisers Yachts in Wisconsin has launched a Flybridge series as an evolution of its Cantius series.

The Flybridge series is expected to include three yachts, starting with the 55 Fly. The builder worked with designer Luiz Debasto on the designs, which Cruisers Yachts says are intended to blend organic shapes in earth and ocean tones, complemented with natural fibers.

“We set out to create a super fly, a yacht that exceeds all expectations of Cruisers flybridges of the past,” Josh Delforge, vice president of operations and engineering, stated in a press release. “Our design team focused on delivering the best-in-class water interaction, a superior flybridge entertaining space and a fresh interior design direction, all wrapped in a futuristic evolution of the Cantius DNA.”

When will the 55 Fly debut as the first model in the Cruisers Flybridge series? It’s expected to premiere in spring 2024, with another model in the Flybridge series on track to make its debut in 2025.

Take the next step: Click over to cruisersyachts.com

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The brokerage team at Lyman-Morse in Maine says a passionate owner has breathed new life into Papagayo, a Wilbur 38 that launched in 1983.

A five-year refit at Wilbur Yachts, also in Maine, has left the Downeast classic in a condition that Lyman-Morse brokers say “many would consider to be better than new.”

All the systems were replaced with modern equipment, including wiring, electronics, the 725 hp Volvo Penta diesel engine and the Northern Lights generator.

There’s also new fuel tanks, a new barrier coat on the bottom of the fiberglass hull, new paint throughout the vessel and new detailing, such as the teak butterfly hatch on the cabin top.

What’s the asking price for Papagayo? It’s $819,000.

Take the next step: Contact a sales broker at lymanmorse.com

The post This Downeast Classic Is for Sale appeared first on Yachting.

Lomac’s GranTurismo 12.5 Cruiser builds on the hull of the company’s previous cruiser of similar length but adds interior volume. The Milan, Italy-based builder converted that volume into an upgraded accommodations plan. The RIB’s hull is built using isophthalic vinylester resin and a vacuum-infusion process, while its tubes are built using a strong and lightweight multiaxial fabric. 

Owners can spec their rides with two or three outboards (up to 900 max horsepower), which hang just abaft an aft-deck seating area. A center console with a windshield provide protection when the boat is underway, and the bow area is a great location for relaxing when the anchor is set.  

Whom It’s For: Anyone seeking the performance of a coupe and the sensibilities of a sport wagon.  

Picture This: It’s windy on San Francisco Bay, but your friends want an on-the-water tour of Angel Island and Richardson Bay. So, you load up your Lomac GranTurismo 12.5 Cruiser and showcase its ability to tackle sea-breeze-against-ebbing-tide chop. Better still, you’re back for dinner at Perry’s on Union Street.

Take the next step: lomac.it

The post Lomac’s Nautical Sport Wagon appeared first on Yachting.

During a production run from 2002 to 2009, Nordhavn built 59 hulls of its N47.

Powered with a single Lugger diesel, the 47 has a 3,000-nautical-mile range at 8 to 9 knots.

The owner’s stateroom is amidships with a guest stateroom forward, both with en suite heads. The 47′s interior has teak-and-spruce soles, teak cabinetry, Sub-Zero and GE appliances, and granite countertops in the galley and heads.

At press time, there were two Nordhavn 47s on the market, ranging from $635,000 for a 2003 model to $845,000 for a 2007 version.

From the Archive

“Entering the space and looking aft, the 173 hp Lugger is on centerline. A stainless-steel grab rail skirts the engine’s perimeter, an asset for performing tasks underway. Abaft the main to port is the 40 hp Yanmar auxiliary engine. I see that little gray Yanmar as peace of mind. It is a V-drive configuration with a separate shaft, a folding propeller and a mechanical transmission. It can power the 47 at 5 knots.”

—Yachting, October 2007

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If you have yet to hear of England’s Pearl Yachts, allow us to introduce you to a stylish, well-thought-out brand that’s making a push into the American market. I recently tested the Pearl 80 on a blazing hot day in South Florida and was impressed with what I found. Pearl was founded in 1997 and has a strong foothold in Europe, with its largest dealership in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The company builds its hulls and superstructures in southern China and then ships the vessels to its other yard in Southampton, England, for what the builder refers to as the “fluff and buff.” The 80 I tested was Hull No. 1 of the new model, which is designed by Bill Dixon and fits in the builder’s lineup between a 65 and a 95. The 80 is intelligently spec’d for the way American yachtsmen typically like to cruise. The dining room tables that usually morph into giant key trays are gone, because most Americans prefer to eat outside. There’s a Bluetooth system, upgraded air conditioning for South Florida summers and a 100-amp shore-power cord. A Seakeeper 16 handles stabilization duties, while a hot tub on the flybridge with a waterfall and LED backlighting is a mega-yacht touch. The interior design in the salon and on the accommodations level also has a distinctly American ambience. Pearl aimed to make the salon to feel like an open and airy Manhattan loft (a sensation the missing table helps to create). The soft beiges and taupes on the accommodations level couple with windows to evoke the feeling of a cottage on Nantucket in New England. The interior designer for Pearl Yachts is Kelly Hoppen — stepmother to actress Sienna Miller and longtime designer for British powerhouse couple Victoria and David Beckham, known for their stylish taste. It’s a point of pride at Pearl to have such a high-profile name on hand.

The yacht’s galley is another interesting space. Forward and to port on the main deck, it has an electrically operated aft partition so that an owner or guest can be part of the conversation while cooking, also giving a professional chef privacy during onboard events. The boat’s steeply raked windshield washes the galley — as well as the breakfast nook forward of it — in light. Vitrifrigo appliances are standard, and the oven looks big enough to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. (Perhaps another Americanization?)

Down below, the yacht has a four-stateroom layout. The amidships master has a walk-in closet and a shower with nearly 16 square feet of space. A boudoir to port and a settee to starboard give the stateroom an at-home feeling of spaciousness. Moving forward is a design element that I can’t recall ever seeing on any yacht: nearly identical guest staterooms to both sides of the yacht with windows facing into the companionway (with Venetian blinds for privacy). The windows open the accommodations level immensely and help to create a highly memorable interior aesthetic. The final stateroom moving forward is the forepeak VIP with an athwartships berth, a walk-in closet, and nearly sole-to-ceiling mirrors at the foot of the bed, giving the illusion of even more space.

Space is also considerable up on the flybridge. To my eye, being there felt like being aboard a yacht a good 10 feet longer. And the flybridge is fully wired for entertaining. There’s that aforementioned hot tub, plus a wet bar to port with an L-shaped counter with a hidden grill. Two settees with accompanying tables are also here, with forward sun pads for the bronzing set. More sun pads are on the foredeck, where there is also a U-shaped settee. This is the place to be when the yacht is moored stern-to and owners desire some privacy from prying eyes on the docks. The Fusion stereo system can play music here that is independent from whatever tunes are filling the rest of the yacht.

While our test day didn’t offer a whole lot in terms of interesting sea conditions, the Pearl still made a mark. She tracked straight and true, and her deep-V hull form (also Dixon designed) proved grippy as she breezed through S-turns. She got on plane right around 13.5 knots and topped out at 32.6 knots, a bit slower than the manufacturer’s listed top-end of 35.2, but that could owe to a number of easily correctable factors including load and prop adjustments. I cruised her mainly at 2,050 rpm doing 26 knots, a speed at which her engines purred.

And I do mean purred. The boat was exceptionally quiet in terms of engine noise, creaks and groans, a testament to her solid build. Power plants on board the test boat were twin 1,800 hp MANs housed in a gleaming engine room with just shy of 6 feet of headroom and good access to both the engines and the twin 20 kW Kohler gensets.

The yacht showed some peppy speed numbers for a vessel in this class, and she drove with a sporty feel that the low-profile lines and sharply raked side windows enhanced. As I sliced her though the ocean, I could see in my mind’s eye how graceful she must have looked from a distance, whether here or splashing across the Atlantic from Southampton to her new home waters.

Intelligent Design

Bill Dixon designed both the Pearl 80’s exterior and her hull. His company, Dixon Yacht Design, is based on the Hamble River in Southampton, England, near Pearl’s headquarters. Dixon designs sailing and motoryachts, and is perhaps best known for his mega-yachts, including the 148-foot Holland Jachtbouw Heureka, the 160-foot Royal Huisman Antares and the Johnson 105. Dixon also turns out smaller custom and production builds for companies such as Sealine, Azimut and Hylas. He has an eye for clean design and a knack for drawing reliable, seaworthy hulls.

Kitchen Confidential

The Pearl 80’s galley, located abaft the helm to port, has an electric partition that opens into the salon, natural light, L-shaped counter space and a three-stool breakfast bar. It also has an interesting pedigree, being put together in Germany and then shipped to China to be installed in the yacht, which then goes back past Europe for finishing in England. And after all of that, the Pearl 80 that we were aboard then crossed the pond to get to America. Pearl Yachts says the labor costs work out favorably, and the builder gets the quality it wants. It’s a tricky equation, but it works out for all.

Born and Raised

Southampton, England, where Pearl Yachts is based, has a long and storied nautical history. Every September, the Mayflower Marina hosts the Southampton Boat Show, one of the largest in Europe. Founded in 1997, the show attracts about 110,000 boating enthusiasts every year and is a major event for European builders. Notably, in 2005, show organizers brought in tons of sand to create a makeshift beach.

Coming Soon: Pearl 95

Pearl had plans to announce a new flagship — a 95 — at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. Like the 80, that yacht will have a Kelly Hoppen interior and Bill Dixon exterior. However, it will have the master stateroom on the main deck, and a beach club in the transom to rival the setups aboard mega-yachts.

The post Pearl’s 80 is a Gem appeared first on Yachting.

Dutch designer Cor D.  Rover is  known for his work with globally known brands such as Azimut, Zeelander and Sirena, as well as for his superyacht design on larger hulls including Benetti’s 220-foot Seasense. For each builder, he creates a different sense of style. On the Horizon FD85 Open Bridge, that style is both bold and practical. Angles carry from the squared-off transom to the hullside windows and gunwale cutaways, creating an eye-catching look in the harbor. Inside, those cutaways and sole-to-ceiling windows allow ambient light into the salon, creating great views and giving a full-beam feel to a yacht with walkaround side decks. The combination of style and practicality continues throughout the yacht. On the aft deck is a dining table with room for seating on all four sides. The flybridge overhang keeps the table dry, and the space is fitted with a 32-inch SkyVue TV, teak decking, and a bar with a sink, fridge and ice maker.

Through a stone-sole foyer is the salon with leather seating, anigre cabinetry and a walnut sole. There’s an eight-seat wooden dining table, a glassware cabinet, and a 55-inch Samsung TV for family movie night. The 7-foot headroom enhances the open feeling, and a day-head is in an after corner, accessible from the cockpit or salon.

Forward of the salon and to port is a U-shaped galley with home-size appliances. A door separates the galley from the dining area, as does one to the main-deck master stateroom, which has a king-size berth. Hullside windows (with electric blinds) add to the open feeling and allow views from the bed. A cedar-lined walk-in closet is next to the forward head, which has dual sinks flanked by a toilet compartment and a shower stall. The head can be concealed behind pocket doors. Because the exterior side decks go up and over the master, the interior living space is wide.

Three of the four belowdecks staterooms have queen-size berths, 40-inch TVs and en suite heads. A fourth guest stateroom has twin berths, a 32-inch TV and an en suite head. Crew quarters are aft with a mess and access from the transom and stairwell.

Powering the FD85 is a pair of 1,600 hp Caterpillar C32 diesels. The engine room’s layout allows access not just to the maintenance items (including Racor fuel filters and strainers, a Reverso fuel-polishing system and a Sea Recovery watermaker), but also to the dual 29 kW Onan generators and 100-amp shore-power system.

Command central is the raised pilothouse. A reverse-raked windshield makes the FD85 look ready to tackle any sea state, and three 17-inch Garmin GPSMap displays and an Octoplex display fill the dash. Bow- and stern-thruster joysticks, Caterpillar engine displays, speed/depth/temperature logs, an ABT-Trac stabilizer controller and throttles are in the console.

The flybridge deck has a centerline helm with a two-person bench. To port is an L-shaped bar with four stools, a sink, a fridge, an ice maker, stowage and a Corian countertop, making the bar an ideal place to relax with sundowners in the Bahamas. Across from the bar is an L-shaped dinette with a Corian-topped table. Abaft that is a centerline sun pad.

Want a hot tub? The yacht is pre-plumbed to add it. There’s also space for a propane barbecue, freezer, 32-inch TV and water toys far aft.

Horizon took a bold step with the FD85 Open Bridge’s styling. The result is added interior volume, improved visibility, multiple socializing areas and a solid ride in any weather.

The Proof is in the Numbers

During our sea trial en route to Miami, my test vessel sliced through the 3- to 5-foot slop at a pretty steady 14.5 knots. I looked over the captain’s shoulder every few minutes, noting that he didn’t have to jockey the throttles. The FD85 took each quartering and beam wave gently, digging in a little and rising under control. There was no slam from the occasional 6-footers we encountered, and the yacht’s performance numbers were close to the factory data. Based on its 3,480-gallon fuel capacity, the FD85 Open Bridge has a range of 2,758 nautical miles at a leisurely 8.4 knots, a 960 nm range at 12.2 knots, and a 407 nm range at 20.2 knots. That’s a good cut of speed for a 206,570-pound yacht with a 5-foot-11-inch draft running in less-than-ideal sea conditions.

Piercing the Waves

Horizon’s in-house team, with designer Cor D. Rover, created the High Performance Piercing Bow (HPPB). It has a sharp entry for easier transit through underwater currents, reducing the angle of the bow wave and creating a smoother ride in head seas. The HPPB’s shape, which is like a V-hull form on the bottom with an inverted hull on top, eases jarring when the yacht enters or exits large waves.

Origin Story

The big sister to the FD85 is the FD87 Skyline. She’s the blue-hulled yacht on page 75. But the yacht wasn’t always called the Skyline. Hull No. 1’s owner painted his FD87 with a blue hull and a white superstructure to create the same look and feel as, well, a skyline. And he christened his yacht as such. Horizon liked the name so much, it got his permission to rename the model the FD87 Skyline.

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The bow of the Coastal Craft 56 IPS had barely rediscovered its waterlines after a blistering 40-knot run across Vancouver’s Howe Sound when Jeff Rhodes, the builder’s CEO, asked the magic question: “Want to drive?” I gleefully took over the controls at the lower helm, and the 56 was off like a shot. But rather than having the hefty feel I’d expect from a boat of this size and complexity, the yacht was light on her feet. A rooster tail plumed astern as she banked and rolled through tight turns, including a few improvised moves to dodge logs and deadheads — common byproducts of the Pacific Northwest’s logging industry, and an impetus for why Rhodes builds all Coastal Craft hulls from aluminum. When Rhodes founded Coastal Craft in 1996 in Gibsons, British Columbia, his business plan focused on hand-built aluminum workboats for the logging, fishing and whale-watching trades. In 2001, two customers asked if he could finish the belowdecks space aboard one of his workboats to create an SUV-style yacht. Rhodes accepted the challenge and later brought one of the sport-utility cruisers to the 2001 Vancouver International Boat Show. “I knew we had been building successful workboats for the first five or six years, but I was always looking to do something different,” Rhodes says. By 2005, Coastal Craft had some 40 employees building high-performance aluminum cruising yachts for the Pacific Northwest’s challenging conditions, which include big tidal swings, deadheads, mighty currents, cold temperatures, deep soundings, rocky shores, errant whirlpools and, most months, drumbeat-steady rains. Thanks to the Gibsons location, Coastal Craft staff can sea-trial designs while establishing deep roots in the maritime community.

“It’s a nice lifestyle,” Rhodes says. “My employees can afford more luxuries, and it’s only an hour from Vancouver.”

That hour is typically commuted via ferry or barge, which is how all materials arrive at Coastal Craft’s shipyard. The setup occasionally adds latency to UPS deliveries, but the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience when it comes to building handcrafted vessels.

“Our waters aren’t typical, and our boats are regionally specific,” Rhodes says. “They don’t suit everyone’s budget, but if customers value high-quality craftsmanship and components, they’ll see we don’t compromise.”

Rhodes, 51, grew up boating in British Columbia and spent his childhood summers studying nautical lines, forms and functions from his local dock. His love and appreciation for vessels continue to inspire Coastal Craft’s exterior designs.

“I draw all the boat concepts myself,” Rhodes says, adding that he regularly consults with naval architects and designers. “Most often I give them the profiles, inside profiles, deck plans and cross-sectional plans, but I rely on their engineering and hydrodynamics. We work really closely together within the scope of my concepts.”

Aluminum has always been Rhodes’ chosen building material, even before his workboat days.

“I liked metal boats, especially the German and Dutch aluminum yachts. I thought they were really cool,” says Rhodes, who describes aluminum as lightweight, strong and less brittle than carbon fiber. “We build planing hulls, so weight is a factor, and there’s a lot of debris in the water in the Pacific Northwest.”

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing and quiet, aluminum’s strength is a reassuring comfort when running fast in logging country, as I learned on Howe Sound.

“Strength of vessel is real peace of mind,” Rhodes says.

Today, Coastal Craft builds a 40, 45, 56 and 65, as well as the new Profish 30 and 33 models. About half are production yachts and half are semicustom.

“There’s a wide spectrum on the larger boats — there’s a lot of opportunity” for customization, he says.

Coastal Craft has a tradition of welcoming new clients into its circle of friends and family, leading to long-term, multivessel relationships. According to Rhodes, one of the biggest lessons he’s learned during Coastal Craft’s 22-year journey is to listen to his customers.

“They shape the company,” he says. “They’re the catalyst.”

Rhodes expects Coastal Craft to launch 16 new builds this year, and he forecasts 18 more launches in 2019. He remains committed to the Pacific Northwest, and speaks excitedly about the ­company’s recent eastward expansion. Still, he says, roughly 80 percent of all Coastal Craft builds are enjoyed within a few hundred nautical miles of Gibsons and enable open-water adventures such as crossing the Gulf of Alaska at 30-plus knots.

As for his own bucket-list adventure aboard a Coastal Craft, Rhodes’ internal compass swings north.

“The Northwest Passage is my dream trip, but I’d probably take the 45, not the big one,” he says. “I think it’s the right boat for the trip.”

Technology Leader

In 2007, Coastal Craft became the first shipyard to design and build an aluminum yacht around Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System. E-Plex’s Multiplex monitoring digital-switching system became available as an option in 2007, with Genasun’s lithium-ion batteries added to the program in 2010. This combination of IPS drives, batteries and digital switching made Coastal Craft a leader in innovative thinking.

Eastward Ho!

About 80 percent of Coastal Craft’s builds stay within a few hundred miles of the plant in British Columbia, but the qualities that make the boats ideal for the Pacific Northwest also help them excel in other waters. They cruise the West Coast from Seattle to California. In 2015, Coastal Craft partnered with DiMillo’s Yacht Sales in Portland, Maine. Today, 20 percent of new Coastal Craft hulls migrate east.

Northwest Cruising

The Pacific Northwest offers a world-class boating experience with a specific combination of challenges for yachtsmen. The water is cold year-round and is often populated with the errant logs and deadheads that are the byproduct of the area’s logging industry. Factor in huge tidal swings, strong currents, rocky shores and rapidly changing weather, and the need for a strong, dependable yacht becomes obvious.

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