When Morgan Huntley started talking with designer Doug Zurn about developing the next boat in his Vanquish fleet, he told Zurn, “We have to take a bowrider and make it classy.” The result is a 26-foot outboard-powered dual console.
With its dark-blue hull, tumblehome aft and “classy” looks, the Vanquish won’t be mistaken for a production boat, and it offers the benefits of any dual console, including ample deck space for seating and storage and a versatile layout.
This is the first outboard model in the Vanquish lineup, which includes a 24-foot center console and runabout and a 26-foot center console. The outboard setup made more sense because an inboard’s engine box would deprive the boat of deck space, says Huntley.
Huntley also wanted Zurn to retain the narrow hull design that gives the other Vanquish models their smooth ride. “The 3-to-1 length-to-beam ratio is really important for ride quality,” Huntley says. “That narrow beam also helps with fuel efficiency, as you’re carving a smaller hole through the water.”
The use of lightweight materials plays a role with fuel economy, too. Vanquish builds the boat with a carbon-fiber stringer grid and a cored bottom that’s vacuum-bagged with vinylester resin. With a 250-hp Yamaha, the Vanquish tops out at 51 mph and cruises at 35 mph, says Huntley. At 35 mph, the engine burns about 9 gph for a mileage rating of nearly 4 mpg. With the throttle pegged, she gets nearly 2 mpg, so go ahead and peg it.
Features include an L-shaped settee down the port side, an integrated wet bar to starboard, an enclosed head in the port console, and a walkthrough windshield and bow seating. The standard equipment list is extensive, with such items as isolated starting and house batteries, an Edson steering wheel, aluminum fuel tanks, and silicon bronze through-hulls below the waterline (stainless steel above).
The Vanquish 26 starts at $112,000 with a 225-hp Yamaha 4-stroke.
Huntley started the company in 2009 after purchasing tooling from the former Vanguard Powerboats. He employs 12 workers in the company’s Newport, R.I., facility.
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 26 feet, 8 inches
BEAM: 8 feet
DRAFT: 3 feet (engine down)
DISPLACEMENT: 4,200 pounds
HULL TYPE: modified-vee
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 16 degrees
SPEED: 51 mph top, 35 mph cruise
FUEL SUPPLY: 89 gallons
POWER: single Yamaha F225 (250-hp optional)
PRICE: $112,000 (with standard power)
CONTACT: Vanquish Boats, Newport, R.I.
PHONE: (401) 396-5173
WEBSITE: www.vanquishboats.com
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July 2013 issue
