Ten years after Finnish boatbuilder Axopar Boats launched its first model, the Axopar 28, the builder recently debuted its new Axopar 29 Range.

The series has two models: the Axopar 29 Cross Cabin (XC) and the Axopar 29 Sun-Top (ST). While the designs have familiar Axopar DNA, there have been some changes, according to the builder.

In a press release, Axopar stated that these changes included “redefined hydrodynamics and improved efficiency, the hull itself is more defined, more fluid, and with a less angular stance about it.” The hull form is a twin-stepped, deep-V design with a knifelike entry and 22.5 degrees of transom deadrise.

The builder says that the “bow section is higher with a more pronounced flair that will impart a sense of protection from the elements and maintain its renowned ride quality, even in rougher conditions. The walkaround side decks are also wider, making maneuvering around the boat easier.”

These enhancements are based on the builder’s decade of experience building and running the Axopar 28 as well as customer input.

The 29 XC has an offset helm station, cleaner sightlines, wider and taller sliding doors, more and level floor space as well as increased legroom for the helmsman and passengers alike, according to Axopar.

The 29 ST is notable for its improved social spaces. The cockpit has a U-shaped settee and a foldout hi-low table, which also forms a sun pad. The settee’s backrests adjust four ways to accommodate multiple seating and relaxing scenarios. There is a foredeck lounge to accommodate even more friends and family for that sunset cruise.

Perhaps, the most significant design change is found at the bow where it has what it calls a multicabin. The area can serve as under-deck stowage and have a freshwater toilet and sink, or it can be set up as a full-length cabin for overnighting.

“The multicabin forward gives tons of extra usability for the boat and now you can have two couples, or two adults and two kids staying overnight, when selecting the main sleeping aft cabin to the boat.,” the builder stated in a press release.

Power options are a single 300 hp to 400 hp outboard or twin 200 hp outboards. The builder says that when running the Axopar 29 models between a 22-knot to 32-knot cruise-speed range, fuel efficiency is virtually unchanged. Axopar adds that the 29 models are capable of a 37-knot fast cruise speed thanks to the hull-design improvements. The builder says fuel economy has increased by up to 30 percent as well and range is 200-plus nautical miles.

Top-end speed is reportedly around 48 knots.

Take the next step: axopar.com

Quick Specifications

• Length Overall: 29′
• Maximum Beam: 9’8″
• Draft: 2’8″
• Max HP: 400

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Streaking down the Côte d’Azur off Cannes, France, at an average top-end speed of 36.3 knots, I found myself lost in the fun. The 71-foot Azimut Yachts S7 handled more like a sports car than a vessel displacing more than 100,000 pounds. 

We carved S-turns and figure eights into the relatively calm Mediterranean blue this early morning, and I pondered the combination of factors that give this sizable sport yacht its smile-inducing, confidence-inspiring performance and handling.

First is an efficient planing hull form by Azimut and P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture, penned to reduce hydrodynamic drag and aided by strakes placed for optimized lift. Transom deadrise is a stability-enhancing 13.8 degrees, with about 18 degrees of deadrise amidships. A near-plumb bow—something of an Azimut trademark these days—helps carry overall volume forward while creating a cleaver to cut through a tempestuous sea state. I used it to try to write my name in the Med.

Second is Azimut’s liberal use of carbon fiber to reduce weight on the S7. Its superstructure, flybridge, mast, transom and platform, and the after section of its deck, are made of the material. The carbon fiber reduces top weight by about 30 percent and helps lower the center of gravity, which, in turn, helps with that lively driving experience. Azimut says the use of carbon fiber also helps reduce roll momentum by up to 15 percent. See how this is all coming together?

The third and final piece of the S7’s performance puzzle is triple 800 hp Volvo Penta D13 IPS1050 diesels that are Tier III-compliant and coupled to pod drives. Azimut says the S7 is “eco-sporty,” adding that this propulsion setup reduces fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent compared with similar-size craft with straight shafts.

During my time on board, the S7’s engines consumed 86.1 gallons per hour at 2,000 rpm and a 28.9-knot average cruise speed, almost 2 knots above Azimut’s 27-knot published cruise speed. At cruise, the S7 has about a 304-nautical-mile range with  a 10 percent fuel reserve on the yacht’s 1,004-gallon tank. At the yacht’s 36.3-knot top hop, fuel burn jumps to 123.1 gph and range drops to 266 nm. Slide the throttles back to 1,800 rpm and a 24.8-knot cruise speed, and consumption drops to  64.7 gph while range climbs to around 347 nm.

This sport fly is speedy, and it looks the part too. Designer Alberto Mancini drew the S7’s lines. At first blush you might think this vessel is an express cruiser, but on closer inspection the sleekly integrated flybridge comes into view. Sweeping is a descriptor that comes to mind when looking at the S7 in profile. From the squarish stem moving aft, there is a flow to the yacht that’s almost sharklike in form: narrower forward, rounded and wider in the midsection and then just enough taper aft to accentuate the lines. Hullside windows stretch from amidships forward, elongating the profile, while glass in the superstructure aids in visually lowering it. The superstructure’s raked design helps as well. Extensive hullside glass ensures water views from all four staterooms.

Yes, this yacht has four staterooms, in a size range where many other yachts have only three. The full-beam master is amidships with an athwartships berth. There’s also a true walk-in closet, a vanity and a pop-up TV. The en suite head has a rain shower, and all the drawers are of the soft-close variety. I spent time here during my time on board, and the stateroom was whisper quiet, aside from water running across the hull. The view out the hullside windows here is tough to beat.

Up three steps and off the companionway are the guest accommodations, with one stateroom each to port and starboard. The one to port has side-by-side berths and an en suite head, which is also the day head. Across from here is a stateroom with bunks; let’s call it the kids room. The VIP stateroom is forward with an en suite head. There is also a crew cabin, although I expect most US owners to be owner-operators.

There’s a subtle elegance to the S7’s interior design, which comes from a company called Yachtique. This is a new collaboration with Azimut Yachts, but not with the builder as a whole. Yachtique is known for its work on superyachts, including with Azimut’s sister company, Benetti. Expanding the relationship enables Azimut to bring large-yacht interior sensibilities to relatively smaller builds. Interior woods include a dove-tone tay wood and Canaletto walnut on the furniture. Leather and neutral-tone  fabrics work in concert, creating a relaxed and sophisticated feel that the builder calls  “residential chic.”

This ambience is particularly evident in the salon. Surrounded by glass—and with natural light coming in at all points—the salon’s sense of space is palpable, helped by the fact that the low-back, cream-tone, U-shaped settee to port doesn’t obstruct the glass. In fact, because the  bulwark is open here, there are clear water views. There are also two fold-out high-low tables. Just forward is a U-shaped, Miele-equipped galley, which is a slight departure from the current trend of aft galleys on a lot of yachts. The layout works because there is also a Kenyon grill in the cockpit, and because the cockpit has an L-shaped settee to port, directly abaft the salon’s sofa. When the sliding door is open, the cockpit and salon are an integrated entertaining space.

That kind of continuity is also evident from the aft-deck sun pad to the foredeck lounge to the ground-tackle setup. The yacht is a lesson in feng shui: Everything has its place for optimal flow.

Sometimes a yacht’s mission can be nebulous, but the Azimut Yachts S7 has a clear purpose: This is a luxury performance yacht with superyacht-level interior design and a smart, functional layout that keeps everyone connected with the environment, while simultaneously limiting the yacht’s environmental impact. As far as I’m concerned, this yacht is a win-win.    

The Full Range

The Azimut Yachts S7 is the latest in the Italian builder’s S-class series. The lineup also includes an S6, S8 and S10. This line is intended to appeal to yachtsmen who like the style of a sport-fly yacht, but who are also looking for a length overall closer to 60 to about 95 feet.

Alfresco Fun

The Azimut S7 has three alfresco zones for guests to spread out and chill: A four-person sun pad over the tender garage is accessed via the hydraulic swim platform, the flybridge has U-shaped seating aft and a lounge next to the helm, and the foredeck has a lounge and a sun pad.

Helm It Your Way

The Azimut S7 has two helm stations: one on the main deck forward and to starboard, and one on the flybridge. Each station has Volvo Penta controls, a joystick and Garmin multifunction displays. The S7 heels moderately inboard on hard-over turns, but views at both stations are clear.

Take the next step: azimutyachts.com

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The Icon is BMW and Tyde GmbH’s first foray into the world of electric hydrofoil yachts. The Icon flies above the brine on three hydrofoils. These lift-generating appendages work in concert with the vessel’s twin rudders to balance gravity and centrifugal force while executing turns to yield what Tyde terms “coordinated curve control.”

Christoph Ballin, Tyde’s co-founder and managing director, says the toughest challenge his company faced when creating The Icon involved assembling the right team. While BMW initiated the project’s development and build, and is responsible for the yacht’s luxe interior and exterior design, Tyde’s crux involved bringing cutting-edge marine expertise—including forward-leaning companies and individuals with deep experience with hydrofoils and flight-control systems—to the design table. The magnet? “The concept was convincing,” Ballin says.

Flight control is handled by a centralized foil-control system that Tyde developed with Oceanflight Technologies. The system’s algorithm crunches incoming data from the vessel’s sensors 100 times per second, and it leverages custom-built actuators to articulate the vessel’s hydrofoils.

Power Play

The Icon is powered by dual Torqeedo Deep Blue electric motors that each spin a dedicated contra-rotating propeller. Hull and hydrofoil design was tackled by America’s Cup-winning naval architect Guillaume Verdier; as such, The Icon’s hull contributes to smooth takeoffs and landings. The Icon achieves a (ballpark) 50-nautical-mile range at its 24-knot cruising speed. Top speed is 30 knots. 

Take the next step: tyde.one

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Sea Ray has launched two new models in its SDX series of surf, sterndrive and outboard boats. The SDX 270 and SDX 270 Surf come in sterndrive and surf configurations, with features and amenities intended to support all-day entertaining and watersports for the whole family.

“The SDX 270 and SDX 270 Surf are the latest boats in our lineup to receive a keel-up redesign, and the first SDX models crafted with our next-generation design language,” Keith Yunger, Sea Ray’s president, stated in a press release. “Also, the SDX 270 Surf is the first surf addition to our SDX Series.”

Designers updated the seating on the SDX 270, which has flexible configurations. In the cockpit, there’s an L-shaped bench, an integrated cooler compartment for drinks and snacks, and USB outlets. Options in this part of the boat include a table and inductive charging stations. For fans of board sports, there’s a board-sized stowage compartment under the bench seat. Above the cockpit is an electric folding watersports tower (standard on the surf variation and optional on the sterndrive model) to provide protection from the elements. It has elevated tow points for wakesurfing or wakeboarding, and it can be lowered or raised for storage. It also can be ordered with optional tower speakers and board racks.

Up at the bow, there’s lounge-style seating, a bow ladder and another integrated cooler compartment for drinks and snacks. Owners who go with Sea Ray’s Comfort Bundle will also have a table and a filler cushion that converts into a sun pad. The bow can further be upgraded with a manual sunshade. A windlass is available with Sea Ray’s Anchor Bundle.

Another convertible sun pad is at the transom. Its backrest folds down to extend the area, with optional Fusion stereo controls close by. The swim platform has a concealable ladder and manual submersible step that’s optional on the sterndrive variation and standard on the surf boat. The transom also has a ski tow eye attachment to connect watersports riders, and an in-sole compartment with drainage for stowing wet gear and lines.

The SDX 270 models also have a starboard compartment to stow life jackets, towels and the like. Sea Ray’s optional Water System Bundle adds a head with a sink and countertop. There is also an option to transform the compartment with cushions, making it a hangout area for kids. A portside cubby provides more stowage.

At the helm are Simrad’s NSX touchscreen display (two of them on the surf variation) and Mercury Marine SmartCraft Connect engine monitoring.

Let’s talk power packages: Standard engines on the SDX 270 are 300-horsepower Mercury MerCruiser 6.2Ls. The SDX 270 Surf has standard 350-horspoewer MerCruiser 6.2Ls.

Take the next step: click over to searay.com

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Wally recently debuted its wallypower50, expanding upon the builder’s series-launching wallypower58 and wallypower58x models. According to yacht builder, the wallypower50 blends the open design elements of its wallytender line as well as the extra space found on the wallytender58 yachts.

High-performing vessels are a Wally trademark, and to that end the wallypower50 is powered with twin 480 hp Volvo Penta IPS650 diesels. Wally reports this propulsion setup gives the yacht a 36-knot top-end speed and a 30-knot cruise speed. Like the outboard-powered wallypower58x, there is a wallypower50x model and it’s offered with either quad 400 hp Mercury outboards or quad 500 hp outboards. With the 400s, the builder says top hop is around 48 knots and it’s 50-plus knots with the 500s. The wallypower50’s deep-V hull form and plumb-bow should effectively dice and slice the chop.

Wallys are also known for maximizing onboard livability. With the wallypower50, there are two cockpit sun pads flanking a walkway on centerline. Foldout terraces expand the cockpit’s real estate by about 65 square feet. The cockpit is teak, making it comfortable for bare feet on warm days. Additionally, there is a retractable stairway in the swim platform for seamless water access. More sunning space is at the foredeck with an additional sun pad that has adjustable headrests.

Under the wallypower50’s hardtop, an L-shaped seating arrangement and dining table is to port creating the scene for alfresco meals. There is a bench seat to starboard. Total seating accommodations are for about eight guests. A helm station is forward and to port, and is equipped with two helm seats.

Belowdecks, there is a double berth in the forepeak as well as a full head with a shower for cruisers looking to spend a weekend, or longer, on the water. There is a galley for simple meal prep and a settee for lounging.

“At Wally, design has always been at the forefront of what we do, and what we do has always been at the forefront of the yachting industry,” Luca Bassani, Founder and Chief Designer of Wally, said in a press release. “The wallypower50 is another perfect example of form and function coming together, where stylish lines do not come at the expense of dynamic performance but complement it. And the further you drill down into the details, the more of Wally you find, from our distinctive angular windshield design up top to the option of our Magic Portholes below.”

Yes, he said magic portholes. Stay tuned for more.

Take the next step: wally.com

Quick Specifications

• Length Overall: 47’11”
• Maximum Beam: 14’1″
• Draft: 4’3″

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Yachts are flashy by nature. Their luxurious comforts, by design, shout flair and opulence. The Fairline Yachts Phantom 65, however, shows off in a subtler way. From stern to bow, this sport-bridge model has hidden features that can transform spaces in big and small ways.

Take, for example, the quietude of the cantilevered teak table in the cockpit. It connects the transom seating with the starboard-side, L-shaped settee to create an alfresco dining area big enough for all guests to enjoy. The two settees can also become one with a sliding hideaway connector from the transom settee, and diners can add the two stools from the indoor dining space, should guests drop by for dessert.

Also inside is a U-shaped settee to starboard with a high-gloss table that can raise for meals or lower to become a coffee table—all on the same level as the cockpit and galley, which is aft in the portside corner. The galley’s location, combined with an electrically powered fold-up window to starboard and a sliding-glass door that hides behind the portside stairs, creates one interconnected socializing space for entertaining and serving.

Forward and a step up, the salon has two settees: one that’s U-shaped and to port, and a two-seater to starboard. The portside seating can be accompanied by a coffee table or a replica of the dining area’s versatile table. To starboard, a TV rises from the console.

Lighting is another design priority aboard Fairline’s Phantom 65. Hullside windows on either side of the salon measure 93 by 36 inches, providing unobstructed views. Both are tinted and covered with UV-reduction film, as are all windows on this yacht, including the single-piece windshield. The sunroof above the salon allows for more natural light. For evenings on board, the Phantom 65 has intimate white mood lighting throughout most spaces.

More subtle touches are on the foredeck, which can serve as a private gathering space at marinas where the yacht will dock stern-to. Fairline maintains a clean look here by hiding the windlass and anchor chain in the deck. Abaft that working area are two sun pads that can be elevated with backrests, and a U-shaped settee with a teak table that can be lowered out of sight.

Belowdecks, Fairline offers four layouts: three with three staterooms (one with a day head, one with an extended VIP and one with a utility room) and a four-stateroom setup. Hull No. 7, which we got aboard, had the portside utility room with an additional full-height fridge/freezer, an ironing board and stowage. In the extended-VIP version, the forepeak stateroom’s head replaces the utility room and serves as a day head. In the day-head layout, the utility room becomes a fourth head. The four-stateroom option places a stateroom with bunks in the same space.

In every layout, there is a twin-berth guest stateroom to starboard that can convert to a double. The master spans the full beam amidships with a sofa to port and a vanity to starboard. Additional drawers can replace the portside sofa.

The Phantom 65 has a pair of two-seat helm stations: one to port on the sport bridge and the other to starboard on the main deck. Both stations are equipped with Garmin electronics and are sized for three 16-inch multifunction displays. The Phantom 65 also has the builder’s F-drive software, which monitors all of the yacht’s systems.

Powered by twin 1,622 hp C32 Caterpillar engines, the Phantom 65 topped out at 36.2 knots and 2,300 rpm, with a fuel burn of 178 gallons per hour. Considering the yacht’s 1,103-gallon fuel capacity and a 10 percent reserve, range is 202 nautical miles at top hop. Dial back to a cruising speed of 26 knots at 2,100 rpm, and fuel burn drops to 99.8 gph. Range pops up to 258 nm. The Phantom 65’s engine room is accessed from a cockpit hatch. Everyday checks are accessible from the entry point.

Fairline’s Phantom 65 is a yacht with no need to shout about its high quality and style. The shipyard’s thoughtful design and construction, combined with the yacht’s performance metrics and versatile features, speak quite beautifully for themselves.

Made to Fit

The Fairline Phantom 65 has an aft garage that’s sized to accommodate an 11-foot-3-inch Williams Sportjet 345 without having to deflate the tender or remove its steering wheel. This garage also has a hydraulic winch and a roller system for easier launching and retrieval of the tender.

Quiet Design

Fairline designed the master stateroom with no water pipes running beneath it, helping to reduce noise. Water from the master’s head travels aft, while water from the forward heads moves forward. Noise is also mitigated by the master’s 6 1⁄2-inch-thick after bulkhead, which is built with sound-deadening materials.

Take the next step: fairline.com

The post Fairline Phantom 65 Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.

Custom Line, an Italian shipyard that’s part of the Ferretti Group, squeezed in three more launches as 2023 drew to a close, bringing the yard’s total number of yacht launches for last year to 21.

The first of the three yachts to hit the water before the calendar turned to the new year is Nimir, which is Hull No. 11 of the Custom Line Navetta 42. Length overall is 137 feet, 2 inches, with a beam of 26 feet, 7 inches.

Ferretti Group’s Engineering Department developed the project, with interior design by Custom Line Atelier. The yacht’s color palette includes what Custom Line calls subtle milk white and sand, along with elegant shades of gray. Various types of marble used in the décor include bianca gioia, travertino titanio and Carrara, with an aim of creating a regal, yet refined style.

Also launched toward the end of the year, on December 5, is Hull No. 20 of the Custom Line 106. This is a planing yacht with a length overall of 107 feet, 8 inches, and a beam of 24 feet, 3 inches.

On this yacht, the Ferretti Group Engineering Department worked with Francesco Paszkowski Design on interior and exterior styling. Custom Line Atelier handled interior design. Custom Line says the interiors on this yacht include woodwork that’s silky gray, paired with a combination of neutral whites and pearls, and vivid bronze and anthracite. Nubuck leather is among the décor’s materials, which also include statuario extra marble and polished arabescato orobico marble.

Last but not least, the third launch to squeeze in before the new year is Hull No. 30 of the Custom Line Navetta 33, christened Pufferfish.

This yacht is a collaboration among the Ferretti Group’s Strategic Product Committee for exterior styling and Engineering Department on interiors, in consultation with Custom Line Atelier. At 108 feet, 3 inches long and 24 feet, 8 inches wide, Pufferfish has interiors that combine silky grays with pinks, blues and oranges in the décor and furnishings—which were custom made. Marble includes calacatta oro.

Custom Line takes great pride in describing all these yachts as representative of Made In Italy quality and style.

What other yacht brands are part of the Ferretti Group? The group includes Ferretti Yachts, Wally, Pershing, Itama, Riva, CRNand Custom Line. Some brands focus on building composite yachts, while others specialize in custom builds and superyachts.

Learn more about what’s happening at Custom Line: go to customline-yacht.com

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Princess Yachts announce the latest edition to their S Class Sportbridge range, the all-new Princess S65. Since its inception 10 years ago, the Princess S Class range has delivered a sublime combination of sports yacht styling and breathtaking performance with the sumptuous space and comfort of a flybridge yacht. The Princess S65 follows the distinct S class personality defined by its S hull graphic, strong graphical canopy features and powerful bulwark haunches.

Designed by the in-house Princess Design Studio in collaboration with naval architects Olesinski and Italian design house, Pininfarina, the S65 features a sleek, low-profile exterior that gives it a powerful, sporting stance. So much so that it almost completely hides the large sports-bridge above. Her clever design means there is still enough room to accommodate a large sunroof which, when opened, fills the saloon and lower helm with light and air for those open boating, ‘wind in the hair’ moments.

The ‘life outdoors’ theme continues into the generous and flexible cockpit which inspires relaxation and equipped with twin MAN V8 1200 or V12 1400 engines, giving a maximum speed of 36 knots she also delivers the exhilaration expected from the sporty S Class models.

The S class has opened Princess up to a thrill-seeking audience who are searching for speed, fun, and excitement but who refuse to compromise on space and flexibility. These yachts are about feeling connected to the water, bringing loved ones together and cruising in ultimate comfort and style. They exemplify all the ability, quality and design expected from a Princess and inject a unique level of performance, style and on-water attitude.

Design 

“Defined by Princess’ sweeping design language and sculpted exterior surfaces, the S65 illustrates a prominent yet sophisticated presence”, says Andy Lawrence, Director of Design at Princess Yachts. “Maintaining that low-profile, powerful stance while accommodating a spacious flybridge is a crucial element of the S Class design and I am delighted that we have created something that still looks sporty but provides more space on board than we have ever had in this size range.”

On approach to the S65, you are met with her teak laid Electro-hydraulic bathing platform and a garage to store a tender of up to 3.3m, with electro-hydraulic door and tender launch system with electric winch. The cockpit features U-shaped seating and dining area with folding teak table, and aft sunpad. The cockpit countertop to port connects to the galley countertop separated by an upswinging door which, when open, seamlessly connects the inside with the outside. There is an optional top-loading cool box, storage cupboard and to starboard there also is the option for either a servery unit, including 100l drawer fridge and bilge locker; or an L-shaped aft facing seat including bilge locker.

Leading to the flybridge is a stairway with teak step treads, opening the way for her spacious sportbridge deck on which owners can experience the S65’s immaculate handling and comfortable ride with unbroken views of the horizon. Featuring an optional table with infill cushions that can be transformed to create a large sun bed means guests can relax in comfort whilst enjoying the smooth ride that the S65 has to offer. The Sportbridge helm station features twin helm seats and dual station instrumentation and controls. On the right is a large U-shaped upholstered seating area with storage below and teak-double-fold dining table with built in drinks holders for added practicality.

S80 Main Deck

Moving inside, the sociable deck saloon offers a versatile environment to kick back and relax, featuring a U-shaped sofa with crockery drawers, coffee table, and sideboard unit with bottle and glass storage, providing sufficient places to store kitchen and home ware. Opposite the saloon seating area is a 55” UHD LED TV on rise and fall linked to Marine audio system paired with speakers to provide a state-of-the-art entertainment system. Looking forwards, the Dinette features an L-shaped sofa with folding dining table and cup holders, plus a stainless-steel framed sliding door to the cockpit with integrated hinging window aft of the galley. The well-equipped open plan galley seamlessly connects to the saloon, featuring a full height fridge/freezer and twin sinks.

The foredeck offers a truly unique cruising experience featuring a U-shaped seating area and walk through, as well as a sunbathing area with twin sun beds including cushions and storage lockers. This area welcomes a perfect environment to relax alfresco with family and friends. 

Below deck, the S65 accommodates eight guests across four cabins, with the option of an additional crew cabin towards the aft, with separate WC and shower. The full beam master stateroom makes full use of the generous beam, featuring a large double bed with drawers below, twin bedside tables, and walk-through wardrobe area for ultimate storage options.

Craftsmanship

Every element of the S65 is designed with meticulous attention to detail by the Princess Design Studio. Both Exterior and Interior elements are crafted with flowing yet functional forms to deliver the ultimate standard of luxury when at sea. The company is renowned for designing and manufacturing luxury yachts from its Plymouth headquarters for almost 60 years. The very essence of the S Class is powerful, exhilarating and precise, with stylish, contemporary, and seamlessly executed finishes. The S Class blends iconic design, exceptional engineering and unrivalled craftsmanship to create an unforgettable, emotional experience.

Discover Princess’ dynamic S Class range here: princessyachtsamerica.com

The post The Princess S65: Latest Addition to the S Class appeared first on Yachting.

Windy Boats has launched a sports cruiser that combines getaway speed with creature comforts above and belowdecks. The 40 Camira RS is the latest model in the Sweden-based builder’s Classic Sports Cruiser Series. At 40 feet length overall, this yacht is the largest model in the series, which includes seven other boats starting at 27 feet long. Hans Jørgen Johnsen penned the vessel’s hull form, and interior design and styling are by Design Unlimited.

The cockpit of the 40 Camira RS has a flexible setup that’s suitable for easy water access, lounging and alfresco meals. Here, owners can choose either white or black for furniture colors. Beneath the aft-facing sun pad for at least two people, there is stowage to hold underwater scooters, paddleboards and Fliteboards. Windy says integrated charging and a compressed air pump are here too.

Take two steps up on the port side, and there is forward-facing bench seating separated from the aft sun pad by a backrest. It’s opposite an L-shaped settee to starboard. A dining table connects the whole space. The table can be lowered with a filler cushion to expand the 40 Camira RS’ relaxation possibilities. Additionally, there is an aft-facing sun bed to port. Windy says a cockpit wet bar is optional. This entire space is protected by a full-beam T-top with a sunroof.

The two-seat helm station is to starboard; to port, there is a single companion seat. Four centerline steps adjacent to the helm station lead to the bow, where there is another sun pad with backrests that can be elevated.

Belowdecks, the 40 Camira RS has U-shaped seating in the forepeak that converts to a double berth. Owners have the option to make this sofa a permanent berth. To starboard near amidships, there is a TV, and abaft it there is a head with a separate shower. The galley is to port. In the after portside corner, owners can opt for more stowage and appliances, or for a cabin with double berths.

The 40 Camira RS comes with twin inboard power, and 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 DPI diesels are the largest option. The builder reports a top hop of 44 knots. Twin 400 hp Volvos and twin 370 hp Yanmars are also available. Another version of the Camira, the SX, comes with outboard options, including triple 300 hp Yamahas or twin 450 hp Yamahas.  

Take the next step: windyboats.com

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Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle.

“There,” he said, pointing ahead. “A series of solid 4-footers.” The Gulf Stream was roiled from several days of 20-plus-knot northern winds running against the northbound current.

And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Stability was among many characteristics that left me impressed with the Two Oceans 555, the company’s first offering in the United States. The builder was founded in 1989 and constructs its boats in Cape Town, South Africa, with power and sail models from 23 to 160 feet length overall. Two Oceans also builds offshore rescue craft, which explains some of the other characteristics I saw after taking a turn at the helm of the Two Oceans 555.

For instance, I was startled to learn that this power cat gets about 1 nautical mile per gallon at 10 knots. With 750 gallons of fuel, that’s a lot farther than most yachtsmen will ever want to run in a single hop.

This cat also has speed—topping out at more than 27 knots—with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7L diesels. The vessel’s performance and seaworthiness are a tribute to the twin slippery hulls designed by Du Toit Yacht Design of South Africa. Using tunnels tightly fitted to the props for maximum power, and with low-drag sacrificial keels, the 555 has just a 3-foot-6-inch draft.

Construction is solid with a vinylester barrier coat underwater and PVC foam core, all vacuum-bagged for strength and reinforced with carbon fiber in high-load areas.

Effort has clearly been spent on soundproofing; my decibel meter barely nudged 82 dB(A) at 26.5 knots in the salon. Thanks to the boat’s underwater side-mounted exhausts, the bridge sound was even quieter: 79 decibels at 23 knots.

The thing I liked most about the Two Oceans 555 is that it is essentially a blank canvas. This particular boat had a layout I liked: an on-deck master stateroom separated from the salon by sliding doors. The master has 180 degrees of 27-inch-high windows for a panoramic view from the walk-around island berth. The en suite head is in the port hull with twin sinks, a 3-by-4-foot shower stall and a tilt-up vanity.

Guest staterooms included an athwartships space forward in the starboard hull with a larger-than-queen berth, and another stateroom aft with a queen berth. The opposite hull had a third guest stateroom with twin berths.

This yacht’s salon had a dinette to port opposite a galley large enough to accommodate several chefs. All the usual amenities—from US manufacturers for easy service—included a stand-up two-door fridge with a drawer, a microwave, a five-burner cooktop, an ice maker, a trash compactor and a dishwasher. What was more interesting was the size of the L-shaped Corian countertop: The L was a few inches shy of 8 feet, while the fore-and-aft counter was more than 11 feet long.

The salon opens up to the cockpit, which, on this 555, had a settee with a dining table. The back is double-sided so people could sit facing aft, either to watch the launching or retrieval of a tender with the hydraulic platform or just to enjoy a sunset. There’s also a U-shaped recessed dinette with wraparound seating on the foredeck.

That leaves the flybridge, whose open aft deck was 9 feet by 28 feet for sun lounges, chaises or personal watercraft to be launched via the optional crane. A wraparound dinette to port faced a grill, a fridge, an ice maker and a sink.

The helm is forward, abaft a full-height windscreen. There’s a double-wide Stidd seat, and either two or three Garmin multifunction displays. Future boats are likely to have the engine monitors and switches in an overhead, aircraft-style panel on the hardtop, but there was room for the skipper to make good use of the standard Side-Power bow thruster (a stern thruster is optional).

This power cat had the optional Off-Grid package, using twin 9 kW Integrel Solutions generators coupled to the prop shafts with flex power takeoffs. Combined with the solar panels forward of the flybridge helm, this arrangement feeds a bank of Victron Energy lithium-phosphate batteries totaling 26,000 watts, providing more than 19 hours of silent running time for all air-conditioning, ship and galley needs.

The Two Oceans 555 power catamaran has the interior and exterior real estate of a monohull nearly double its size. It offers a smooth ride in rough water, has accommodations for the largest of cruising families, and uses solar power to cruise anywhere a yachtsman desires. All of this, combined with the ability to heavily personalize the yacht, makes the Two Oceans 555 a strong offering in the power-cat marketplace.  

Wealth of Experience

Du Toit Yacht Design may not yet be a household name in the United States, but it is the leading catamaran design firm in South Africa, with several sizes of Two Oceans power cats and Balance sailing catamarans, and more than 120 production and custom yacht designs.

Power Play

Victron Energy is a Dutch producer of electrical equipment for marine and industrial needs, energy storage and solar energy access. Each Victron lithium-phosphate battery has its own battery-management system.

The Battery Basics

The builder says that when it comes to recharging, the yacht’s lithium-phosphate batteries can ramp back up to 85 percent power in just 60 minutes when the main engines are running. 

Efficient Engines

The Cummins QSB6.7L is an in-line six-cylinder, 408-cubic-inch, turbocharged, after-cooled diesel noted for its 80 percent noise reduction compared with similar engines, because of its common-rail fuel system. The single-loop, low-temperature after-cooling eliminates the need for keel coolers, and it reduces emissions.

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