Eclipse 505 and 605: South African Stunners
The Eclipse 505 and Eclipse 605 are both Michael Peters designs that use the company’s Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel (SVVT) hull. The Michael Peters team also contributed to naval architecture on both models, alongside Du Toit Yacht Design in South Africa. That’s where these boats are built, by Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town. It’s a yard that was founded in 1989 and that has specialized in custom and semi-custom catamarans from 27 to 150 feet length overall. The Eclipse 505 has two staterooms and two heads, while the Eclipse 605 has three of each. The hull drafts are minimal (2 feet, 11 inches on the Eclipse 505, and 3 feet, 3 inches on the Eclipse 605) so the boats can be used in cruising grounds like the Bahamas.
Eastbay 60: The Largest Eastbay So Far
The Eastbay brand has been on the water with many models since 1993 but has been revitalized since 2014, when GB Marine Group—the parent company of Grand Banks and Eastbay—got a new boss. He charged the team with creating the Eastbay 44, which incorporated GB Marine’s V-Warp technology. Customer demand then led to the creation of the new Eastbay 60, which has the same technology, along with an extensive use of carbon fiber, and updated accommodations with an eye toward luxury. Preliminary sea trials, according to the builder, show a 27-knot cruising speed and a 33-knot top speed with optional 900 hp Volvo Penta IPS1200s. Optional 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS1350s take those numbers up to 30 and 38 knots, respectively.
Apreamare Gozzo 45: Walkaround Design
Apreamare, which has been building boats in Italy since 1849, has a new Gozzo-line flagship model: the Gozzo 45. Designer Marco Casali of Too Design, working with Cataldo Aprea and the Apreamare technical department, is primarily responsible for creating the Gozzo 45. They describe the boat as a “classy cruiser” that stands apart from other, “increasingly redundant” models of the same size in the marketplace. The cockpit table is intended for entertaining with eight to 10 guests, while the two-stateroom, two-head accommodations plan belowdecks is set up for weekends on the hook. (An optional three-stateroom, two-head layout is also available.) Engine packages can be traditional shaft-line or Volvo Penta IPS installations.
Aquila 42: A Sleek Catamaran Ready to Entertain
Aquila Yachts has announced plans for a 42-foot power catamaran that is on track to make its debut in February 2023. The model will join the company’s existing lineup of power cats that go as big as 70 feet length overall. So far, Aquila has revealed that the 42 will have two staterooms available in multiple configurations, along with a utility cabin and twin 230 hp or 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels. This will be a great option for someone looking for a small, yet mighty cruising boat. Guest relaxation areas will be concentrated on the flybridge, in the cockpit and on the foredeck. The new boat will be built to the standard known as CE Certification Category A, which means it will be suitable for seas up to 13 feet as well as winds above 40 knots—in other words, get ready for some serious, longer-distance cruising itineraries.
Prestige M48: First Model in a New Line
The M48 is the first model in the new M-Line of catamarans from Prestige Yachts in France, which also makes three additional lines of motoryachts from 42 to 70 feet length overall. The M48’s open cockpit has seating for as many as eight people, and a nearby aft platform lowers electrically so it becomes flush with the twin transom platforms, creating a nearly 20-foot-wide space that can be used as a beach club or a tender launch. The flybridge has guest seating and dining. The master stateroom is positioned forward with a king-size berth, while owners can choose the layouts and berth sizes for guest staterooms. Prestige reports a cruising speed of 15 knots and a top-end speed of 20 knots with standard Volvo Penta engines.
Azimut Grande 26M: A Low-Emission Yacht
The Azimut Grande 26M, which was presented at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, has the Italian builder’s Large POD propulsion system. It is designed to reduce fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 percent—a big selling point, according to Azimut, which reported 22 hulls sold as of early December. This is a five-stateroom yacht that includes a full-beam owners’ stateroom on the main deck. Exterior designer Alberto Mancini says one of the prime spaces on board is the oversize cockpit: “We wanted to extend to give the yacht a fully fledged dining area overlooking the water.” In terms of performance, Azimut says the 26M cruises at 24 knots with a top hop of 28 knots.
Arcadia A96: Coming This Fall
Arcadia Yachts in Italy is planning for the premiere of the Arcadia A96 at this autumn’s Cannes Yachting Festival. The power package is unusual, with four (count ’em) Volvo Penta IPS1200s, or optional IPS1350s. The setup allowed Arcadia to devote more space to guest areas forward of the powerplants, and to give skippers features at the helm such as joystick maneuvering and dynamic positioning. There is also an optional silent-mode system that uses solar panels for eight to nine hours of operations overnight without the hum of a generator. The builder says the boat has a “quiet-running” system for air conditioning too, further helping to keep the ambience for guests on board, ahem, perfectly chill.
