Builders are bullish about what they’re bringing to the fall shows.
For the past several years, each boat show season has strengthened with an increased number of new boats, propulsion and helm operation systems, and electronics. And it looks like this year will follow suit, with manufacturers debuting everything from center consoles to flybridge motoryachts to express cruisers to 90-plus-foot convertibles.
Unlike a few years ago, the boats are new from the keel up, like the Sea Ray 650 Fly, which is part of the builder’s new L-Class motor-yachts. “We reinvented what a Sea Ray yacht is with the L-Class,” says Ron Berman, vice president of product development and engineering for Sea Ray, Meridian and Bayliner boats (all Brunswick Corp. brands). “Sea Ray never had a boat like the 650 Fly from a sophistication, styling, detail, use of space and craftsmanship standpoint.”
Innovation has fueled the development of bigger boats, says Constantinos K. Constantinou, CEO of Greenline North America, which will be bringing a new 48-foot hybrid-powered express motoryacht to the shows. “We are seeing an uptick in interest on the larger boats,” says Constantinou. “It’s a measurable lift in demand and interest. When I say large boats I mean 35 feet or bigger. With the boat shows coming up, we are expecting to see continued interest fueled by a lot of activity from many boatbuilders with new launches and new innovations.”
Today’s new boats offer great value, says Viking director of communications Peter Frederiksen. “New models are very expensive to design and build, and that’s one of the reasons why they cost more, but the new models, I think, offer better benefits — whether it’s better use of space, more power, more fuel capacity, better accommodations, helm designs and things of that nature. These factors make value stand out in a new boat.”
Viking will showcase its new 92-footer at the shows — its largest boat ever. The Back Cove 41 debuted at this year’s Miami International Boat Show but will make its New England premiere at the Newport International Boat Show in Rhode Island Sept. 11-14. It will also be shown at the U.S. Powerboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, Oct. 16-19, and at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Oct. 30-Nov.3.
“It’s good to see the industry back to actually developing new models again,” says Bentley Collins, vice president of sales and marketing for Sabre and Back Cove. “There will be a lot to see at the fall shows, and it’s very exciting. There are loads of companies who are in the development process who are sending out press releases on future launches in hopes of keeping clients from making decisions [to buy existing inventory] this fall before their new models are launched. Case in point is our own introduction of the Sabre 66, which will launch in August 2015.”
In addition to the Back Cove, the Greenline and the Viking, the new boats we shine the spotlight on here include Down East-style express boats from MJM, True North and Hinckley, plus center consoles from the likes of Southport, Boston Whaler, Contender, Sea Vee and EdgeWater. We remembered the contemporary-styled boats, too, such as the 44 Coupe from Tiara and the Monte Carlo MC4.
Southport 33 FE
Southport boats now are built with advanced vacuum-infusion close-molded hulls with higher-density core material, rather than the traditional open-mold hulls of their predecessors (which will follow the 33’s manufacturing process), says managing director Skip Robinson. Vinylester resins are used on major structural components for strength and blister resistance.
“The dry weight is only 7,300 pounds, but it feels like it weighs way more than it does — like one of the battlewagons you see way offshore,” Robinson says.
Other upgrades can be found in the wiring, plumbing, hardware, through-hull fittings and T-top. Options include Yamaha’s Helm Master engine control and joystick steering system and a hull-side door.
Riding a C. Raymond Hunt Associates deep-vee, the boat tops out at 52 mph with twin 300-hp Yamaha 4-strokes and cruises comfortably at 36 mph at 4,000 rpm. At 30 mph (3,750 rpm), mileage is 1.5 mpg.
Check out the 33 FE at the fall shows in Newport, Norwalk, Annapolis and Fort Lauderdale.
LOA: 32 feet, 6 inches • BEAM: 10 feet, 8 inches • HULL DRAFT: 1 foot, 9.5 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 7,300 pounds • FUEL: 300 gallons • POWER: twin Yamaha F300s (optional 350s) • PRICE: $264,000, fully equipped with hardtop • SPEED: 52 mph top, 33 mph cruise • CONTACT: Southport Boats, Augusta, Maine (207) 620 7998. www.southportboats.com
True North 34 Outboard Express
True North Yachts delivers its first outboard-powered boat this fall with the TN34 Outboard Express. Twin Yamaha 4-strokes will power the boat, which will retain its distinctive reverse transom. “With its 2-foot, 6.5-inch draft, it’s a great shallow-water boat, perfect for Southern waters, the shallow waterways of the Chesapeake and Long Island’s skinny backwaters,” says Sarah A. Fawle, vice president of marketing and communications.
True North has built the 34 as an inboard boat for years, but the outboard design opens up more cockpit space. The new boat will also showcase a revamped interior styling featuring bold fabrics and reconfigured layouts aimed at increased seating and easier flow from cockpit to saloon to stateroom. The fresh interior will be found across True North’s line of 34- to 50-foot boats. The builder also is offering optional hull colors, other than traditional navy blue.
The TN34 Outboard Express promises more storage space and fuel efficiency. A cockpit side door for easier boarding and a bow thruster and joystick are options. The boat will be shown in Newport, as well as Annapolis and Fort Lauderdale.
LOA: 34 feet • BEAM: 12 feet, 2 inches • DRAFT: 2 feet, 9 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 11,250 pounds • FUEL: 300 gallons • POWER: twin Yamaha F250s • SPEED: 39 mph top, 21 mph cruising • PRICE: $335,000 • CONTACT: True North Yachts, Warren, Rhode Island, (401) 247-3000. www.tnyachts.com
EdgeWater 360CC
The 360CC will be launched formally at the Fort Lauderdale show. It bridges the gap between the builder’s 31- and 38-foot center consoles. “The 38 is a beautiful boat, but our customers wanted a boat of the same size with more seating and features and accommodations,” says EdgeWater president Peter Truslow. The 360CC has a large console that holds a berth, a lounge, head, shower, microwave and sink. Seating fills both the bow and cockpit, with an-aft-facing mezzanine-style seat behind the three-person helm chair. The twin-stepped hull can run with either twin 350- or triple 300-hp 4-strokes. One of the boat’s standout attributes is the integrated hardtop, windshield and helm seat design. The structure has a 75-pound aerodynamic carbon fiber hardtop with composite support legs and a single-piece wraparound windshield that provides excellent sight lines.
LOA: 36 feet. 8 inches • BEAM: 11 feet, 4 inches • DRAFT: 2 feet with triple 300s • DISPLACEMENT: 7,900 pounds (no engines) • FUEL: 410 gallons • POWER: twin 350s or triple 300s • SPEED: 54-plus mph with 350s, 60-plus with 300s • CONTACT: EdgeWater Power Boats, Edgewater, Florida, (386) 426-5457. www.ewboats.com
Sea Vee 370Z
Sea Vee Boats has introduced its fourth stepped-hull center console — the 370Z, which will premiere in Fort Lauderdale. “The patent-pending Sea Vee Z twin-stepped hull features a unique air induction system and a specially designed array of running strakes that produce higher speeds and better fuel economy, as well as a stable and safe ride,” says vice president of marketing John Caballero, adding that the National Marine Manufacturers Association gave it the 2014 Innovation Award. “The boat simply accelerates as power is applied, with no dangerous bow rise or undesirable bow dipping.”
The cored hull, which uses structural foam, reduces weight but delivers strength and durability, says Caballero. Topside, the boat can carry out a number of functions, such as day cruising, fishing, diving and beach-hopping. Comfort and convenience features include retractable forward bench seats or twin loungers with electrically actuated backrests, an aft-facing cockpit seat, a freshwater shower and head. For anglers, Sea Vee provides insulated fishboxes and twin longitudinal stern live wells. Additional fishboxes and live wells are available as options.
LOA: 37 feet • BEAM: 10 feet, 6 inches • DRAFT: 1 foot, 10 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 9,300 pounds (no engines) • FUEL: 480 gallons • POWER: triple 300-hp Mercury Verados • PRICE: $255,300 • CONTACT: Sea Vee Boats, Miami, (305) 759-6419.
Back Cove 41
This Down East express should be on the radar of anyone who has long-range cruising in their future, says Collins, the vice president of sales and marketing for Sabre and Back Cove. “This boat is ideally suited for the cruising lifestyle with two full cabins and heads, plenty of storage and simple, easy-to-understand systems,” he says.
The efficiency of the single diesel is the big attraction for 41 and all of the boats in the Back Cove fleet, says Collins. “Not only does the single-engine system save money on fuel, the cost of operating and maintaining one engine is lower,” says Collins. “Plus, moving around the engine for DIY operators is better with just one engine in the engine room.”
The boat comes with a 9-kW genset, a Fusion stereo system, heating and air conditioning, and a bow thruster with joystick from Side-Power. Collins says the Lenco Auto Glide Boat Leveling System with automatic trim tabs has been well received. “It gives you the ability to keep the boat at optimal running angles for efficient speed and increased visibility,” he says.
LOA: 41 feet, 8 inches • BEAM: 13 feet, 10 inches • DRAFT: 3 feet, 11 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 27,000 pounds • FUEL: 400 gallons • PRICE: $546,000 (base with 600-hp Cummins QSC8.3) • SPEED: 26.6 knots top, 22 knots cruise • CONTACT: Back Cove Yachts, Rockland, Maine, (207) 594-8821. www.backcoveyachts.com
Boston Whaler 420 Outrage
The largest Whaler ever built and the first with four outboards, the 420 Outrage will make its public debut at the Fort Lauderdale show. The boat is unsinkable with its foam-filled Unibond construction, says Jeff Vaughn, the vice president of sales, marketing and customer service worldwide for the company.
Powered with quad 300-hp Mercury Verados, the 420 Outrage has three helm seats combined with a separate leaning post directly aft allow six to either stand or sit under cover. A windshield extends to the hardtop, and side windows wrap around the command station on three sides. The bow should be a good place to hang out, with U-shaped seating with pop-up, forward-facing seat backs; a powered pedestal table; and a lounge integrated with the console’s forward end. The owner decides which features — sink, live well, grill, tackle drawers, storage, etc. — will be built into the aft leaning post.
The boat has a cabin with long hull-side windows. A V-berth, shower and head, settee that converts to a second berth, and a galley round out the amenities.
The 420 will be the first Whaler with “Dynamic Running Surface ” technology — automatically adjusting trim tabs integrated into the hull with larger planes for increased control, performance and efficiency, says Vaughn.
LOA: 42 feet, 6 inches • BEAM: 13 feet • DRAFT: 41 inches (engines down) • DISPLACEMENT: 20,000 pounds (dry, no engines) • FUEL: 600 gallons • POWER: quad 300-hp Mercury Verados • SPEED (estimated): 52-54 mph top, 35 mph cruise • CONTACT: Boston Whaler, Edgewater, Florida, (877) 294-5645. www.bostonwhaler.com
Hinckley Talaria 43
Hinckley brings a wide-open feeling to the T43, with its combined cockpit, saloon and raised-bridge-deck areas. The pilothouse aft glass enclosure has a door and windows that retract with the touch of a button, linking the cockpit to the rest of the boat and creating an open express-style saloon.
Michael Peters Yacht Design in Sarasota, Florida, designed the T43, along with the T34, redesigned Picnic Boat and T48. They’re Hinckley’s “next generation” of express yachts.
The cockpit holds two L-shaped settees with integral storage. You’ll find a pullout shower near the starboard transom door. A sink and refrigerator forward of the starboard settee round out the cockpit components.
The saloon includes identical inboard-facing bench seats and a varnished teak table. A port-side galley sits across from the starboard-side helm, which has two Stidd seats.
Below, accommodations include a master stateroom forward with a queen berth, a second stateroom with twin berths and a head with a separate shower stall.
Twin 550-hp Cummins diesels and Hamilton jetdrives are standard power. Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 diesel pods (435 hp) also are available. Both have their own joystick helm control. Standard equipment includes an Onan 13.5-kW generator, cabin and pilothouse A/C, a windlass and trim tabs.
LOA: 43 feet, 9 inches • BEAM: 14 feet, 6 inches • HULL DRAFT: 2 feet, 4 inches • SPEED (estimated): 35 knots top, 30 knots cruise • DISPLACEMENT: 28,000 pounds • FUEL: 500 gallons • POWER: twin Cummins QSB 6.7-liter 550-hp diesels, Hamilton 322 jetdrives • PRICE: $1.587 million • CONTACT: The Hinckley Co., Southwest Harbor, Maine, (207) 244-5531. www.hinckleyyachts.com
Tiara 44 Coupe
This express coupe becomes the second in Tiara’s next generation of yachts. The 44 and the 50 Coupe (introduced last year), with their modern lines and interior layouts, represent a major change from the more conservative-looking Tiaras of the past. The move was necessary to keep the brand vital, says Tom Slikkers, president of S2 Yachts, parent company of Tiara and Pursuit. “We’ve had retail customers already say … here’s the deposit, and that’s just from looking at the renderings of the 44,” says Slikkers. “They’ve looked at a 50 and they like it, but the size of 44 is better for their family.”
The 44 rides a modified-vee hull with 18 degrees of deadrise at the transom. The boat promises excellent visibility in all directions from the cockpit to the helm. Below, the master stateroom is forward with a private head and separate shower, with a guest stateroom with twin bunks abaft the companionway stairs. A second head with shower is also in the layout.
LOA: 45 feet, 6 inches • BEAM: 15 feet • DRAFT: 3 feet, 8-3/4 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 30,000 pounds • FUEL: 350 gallons • POWER: twin Volvo Penta IPS600s (435 hp) • PRICE: $903,704 • CONTACT: Tiara Yachts, Holland, Michigan, (616) 392-7163. www.tiarayachts.com
Monte Carlo MC4
The MC4 makes its debut this fall. Following on the heels of the MC5 introduced last year, the new boat combines the elements of an express coupe and a flybridge motoryacht. And talk about a flybridge. It stretches from amidships to the transom, anchored by a wraparound settee and a huge sunpad on the port side.
The yacht pulls the outdoors inside. The glass doors of the deckhouse’s aft end open to merge the cockpit and saloon. Large port and starboard windows and a one-piece forward windshield also usher in natural light.
The skipper navigates from a raised starboard-side helm with a double seat. The builder has placed the in-line galley just forward of the cockpit on the port side, with a dinette and settee opposite. Two staterooms and two heads fill the cabin, with the amidships master stateroom spanning the boat’s beam. Both the master and forward guest stateroom are built with twin hanging lockers, and inboard-facing settees flank the master’s berth. Two panoramic hull-side windows bring in natural light to the master stateroom.
Twin Volvo Penta IPS500s (370 hp) power the MC4, which is scheduled to debut at the Lido Boat Show in Newport Beach, California, Sept 18-21. It will also be shown at the at the shows in Annapolis and Fort Lauderdale.
LOA: 45 feet, 3 inches • BEAM: 13 feet, 4 inches • DRAFT: 3 feet, 9 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 26,499 pounds • FUEL: 290 gallons • POWER: twin Volvo Penta IPS500s • CONTACT: Beneteau America, Annapolis, Maryland, (843) 629-5320. www.beneteauusa.com
Greenline 48
The Greenline 48 is the latest model in this fleet of hybrid diesel-electric powered cruisers. The boat will run with either twin 110- or 220-hp D3 Volvo Penta diesels. The electric motors pump out 14kW each, acting as a generators to charge the batteries, which get an additional boost from the roof-mounted solar panels. The 48’s optimal electric-only cruising speed is about 7 knots, and under diesel power (the 220s) the boat cruises at about 14 knots and hits a top end of 20 knots.
Greenline is quick to point out that the hybrid technology is only one of the boat’s strong points. It rides a patented “Superdisplacement hull” that minimizes drag for better efficiency. The accommodations include three staterooms and three heads, with a full saloon and galley that open to the cockpit through two large glass doors. Like the saloon, the flybridge is packed with seating. There’s even a two-person sunpad in the aft section of the flybridge, which completely covers the cockpit. The foredeck features a wide forward-facing seat. It also holds a sunpad with its own Bimini top that just about covers the trunk cabin.
LOA: 49 feet, 2 inches • BEAM: 15 feet, 9 inches • DRAFT: 3 feet, 3 inches (loaded) • DISPLACEMENT: 30,423 pounds (light) • FUEL: 396 gallons • POWER: twin 110-hp (or optional 220-hp) D3 Volvo Penta diesels • PRICE: $832,000 (twin 110-hp, non-hybrid); $965,000 (twin 220-hp, hybrid) • SPEED: 20 knots top, 14 cruise • CONTACT: Greenline North America, Knoxville, Tennessee, (877) 500-1686. www.greenlinehybrid.com
MJM 50z
The 50z, which debuts at the Newport boat show, becomes the flagship of a fleet that includes the Doug Zurn-designed 40z, 36z, 34z and 29z. The new boat comes standard with a Seakeeper gyro-stabilizer system. She can be powered with triple Volvo Penta IPS600 pods or triple 370-hp Yanmar diesel sterndrives.
The boat can be operated by two people because of its 360-degree visibility, single-level deck and joystick helm control, says Bob Johnstone, founder and CEO of MJM Yachts.
The yacht has two “24/7 daytime livable staterooms for liveaboard cruising,” he says. For instance, the master cabin comes with a desk/dressing table, easy chair, en-suite head/shower and large portlights. The 50z sleeps as many as seven by including a double and single on the bridge deck when enclosed by privacy curtains, says Johnstone.
“The design of the yacht’s main deck, in terms of visibility and fresh air flow, retains the preferred upper flush-deck all-weather flybridge of a 65-foot motor-yacht,” he says.
Boston BoatWorks builds the MJM boats at the Charlestown Maritime Center using prepreg epoxy, Kevlar, E-glass and Core-Cell.
LOA: 54 feet 10 inches • BEAM: 15 feet • DRAFT: 3 feet (IPS twins); 3 feet, 10 inches (IPS or sterndrive triples) • SPEED: 31.5 knots top, 28 knots cruise with twin IPS600s • DISPLACEMENT: 32,850 pounds (half load) • FUEL: 500 gallons • POWER: twin or triple IPS600s (435 hp) or triple Yanmar 8LV (370 hp) sterndrives • BASE PRICE: $1.67 million (twin 435-hp IPS600s); $1.85 million (triple IPS600s) • CONTACT: MJM Yachts, Newport, Rhode Island, (401) 862-4367. www.mjmyachts.com
Sea Ray L650 Fly
The L650 Fly follows on the heels of the 510 Fly, which Sea Ray debuted last year. Sea Ray will be releasing the L650 (express version) and the L580 Fly in Fort Lauderdale. Like the 510 Fly, the L650’s flybridge stands out as one of the primary selling points, with its wraparound seating aft with dinette table, another settee opposite the port-side helm station and a sunpad with forward-facing lounges.
“The L650 and L650 Fly are the flagships of Sea Ray’s L-Class that bring customer service to the highest levels,” says Ron Berman, vice president of product development and engineering for Sea Ray. “We actually have a dedicated concierge that provides extra benefits to L-Class owners. We have a full-time captain on staff that will meet with the customer upon delivery for an in-depth orientation. Not only is the L-Class a step up in materials and finishes but also [in] the overall experience of boat ownership.”
The accommodations include a full saloon and galley along with a starboard-side helm station with two seats. The hull-side windows light up the amidships master stateroom. The other three staterooms are equally bright.
The boat comes standard with two Seakeeper gyro-stabilizers, and a swim platform with hydraulic lift. Optional equipment includes a flybridge hardtop with electric retractable awning.
LOA: 65 feet, 1 inch • BEAM: 17 feet, 2 inches • DRAFT: 61 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 80,500 pounds • FUEL: 1,030 gallons • POWER: twin Caterpillar C18A (1,136 hp) • SPEED: 31.4 knots top, 26-29 knots cruise • CONTACT: Sea Ray, Knoxville, Tennessee, (865) 525-5977. www.searay.com
See related articles:
– Boat Show Special – Browse or buy at one of these
October 2014 issue
