Galeon’s 325 GTO (Grand Touring Outboard) is the latest Tony Castro design and the builder’s first outboard vessel. Castro’s UK firm is known for fast ocean-sailing vessels and glitzy superyachts, and has designed motoryachts for Galeon for more than a decade. Rumor has it that Galeon and Castro sent 90 versions of the 325 GTO’s drawings back and forth with US dealer MarineMax before agreeing on the final design.
The 325 GTO shares plenty of DNA with Galeon’s larger yachts, including such features as “beach mode,” where the port gunwale folds out to create an open cockpit. These fold-down sides are more common on dayboats, but this is a first for a 32-footer, according to the builder.
I ran the prototype 325 GTO out of MarineMax’s facility in Sarasota, Florida. The bay was blustery and shallower than usual, thanks to a recent front. Still, the 325 GTO was a pleasure to drive, partly because of the helm setup, which includes an up-and-down slide for the steering wheel (on top of tilt) and a multiposition helm seat. LED backlights on the console buttons add to the console’s futuristic look.
One feature I especially liked: The console has air-conditioning and heat ducts, but there are forced fresh-air vents overhead, so skippers can button down the hardtop and still have a fresh breeze. This 325 GTO had most of the options, including the Comfort Pack and Luxury Pack. For the helm, that meant two 16-inch Raymarine displays with a chart plotter and fish finder (there are rocket launchers on the hardtop), as well as radar, LED underwater lighting and a Sunshade awning.
The 325 GTO is curvy with a raked hardtop. The after end is open, with 5-foot-long passageways outside the outboards. That design element means guests won’t have to walk the plank when they want to go swimming or check the engines.
Other details include the 32-by-78-inch galley console—with a fridge, Kenyon grill and molded-fiberglass trash can—and the size of the cockpit lounges. The bow comfortably seats four adults.
Belowdecks, the forward section converts from a dining area to a berth for two, while the center ladder folds up for clear access to the berth aft. The interior’s fit-and-finish has beachwood-gray cabinets, a matching gray sole and silver finish on the head’s bulkheads. LED accent lights are everywhere, so the 325 GTO lights up nicely at night.
Overall, the Galeon 325 GTO has a versatile layout that should appeal equally to dayboaters and weekenders alike.
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