gt yachts reviews

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

GT35 boat test: ‘outstanding, production cruiser’

• David Harding
• February 23, 2024

David Harding tests the GT35 and finds a yacht that offers "a blend of performance, power, stiffness, comfort, security, ease of handling, innovative thinking, clever detailing and structural integrity that few can match."

The GT35 was available with a deep fin, shallow fin or twin keels. Credit: David Harding Credit: David Harding

Product Overview

How many truly outstanding production cruising yachts have been launched in the past 40 years?

Depending on how we set our criteria, most of us would come up with a pretty short list.

Mine, for example, would include the Mystery 35, the Starlight range (35, 39 and 46) and the Sadler 290 – a boat whose potential, sadly, was never fully realised. The Finngulf 46 is right up there, too.

Given this country’s pool of talent in yacht design and our history of boatbuilding, it’s no surprise that the Mystery, Sadler and Starlights were designed and built in Britain.

The side decks on the GT35 boat run all the way aft, so there’s no need to step into the cockpit to reach the stern. A second benefit is that the cockpit is a sensible width. Credit: David Harding

While we no longer have the number of yacht builders we once had and appear unable to compete in terms of volume and economy, our remaining yards have established themselves in particular areas by offering types of boat that the purveyors of identikit plastic blobs simply can’t – albeit often at a price.

At the luxury end we have Oyster. Rustler has an enviable reputation for quality, semi-bespoke seagoing yachts. Multimarine’s Dazcats set the standard in fast offshore cruising catamarans. Everyone knows that Southerly stands for quick and stylish swing-keelers.

Want a modern gaffer? That’s what Cornish Crabbers do. Sporty meets trad in a trailer-sailer ? Beat a path to Wales and see Swallow Boats.

There are others, of course, including builders of one-off or limited-production yachts, dinghies and dayboats.

Quality and innovation is present in abundance. What we’ve been missing, however, is someone building mid-size, all-round performance cruisers.

GT35 boat: great expectations

Conrad Cockburn founded GT Yachts in 2011 with a clear objective: to build a range of yachts offering performance, comfort, stiffness, predictable and responsive handling, true offshore ability, sound engineering and built-in longevity in both construction and styling.

You might imagine that many builders of cruising yachts would share these worthy ideals, but commercial reality tends to get in the way.

Big builders have to build in big numbers. That means appealing to the widest possible range of buyers and, as often as not, to the charter market as well.

This shot clearly shows the height of the cockpit coamings. Credit: David Harding

Crucial factors in this context include maximising interior volume while minimising costs.

In today’s market, where performance – or at least a perception of sporty potential – plays more of a part than was once the case, it also means minimising performance compromises in the sort of conditions in which most people will choose to sail.

Fortunately for such builders, it’s relatively easy to create a boat that performs in this middle range of between about 9 and 17 knots of wind.

The challenges lie above and below. In light airs you need more sail and less wetted area in relation to the boat’s weight.

In stronger winds the rig mustn’t overpower the boat, so you need more ballast.

The rigging is taken right outboard, with covering mouldings in the topsides. Credit: David Harding

Less wetted area tends to mean a narrower waterline and less form stability (along with greater comfort in a seaway) so ballast plays a more important role.

Adding ballast and sail increases the structural demands, leading to more complex engineering and greater cost.

If you use iron keels, more ballast means increasing the keel’s bulk or chord (more drag and less lift) for any given draught.

So the answer is to use lead, which is more expensive, and to concentrate its weight at the bottom of a moulded stub or a lighter keel shaft, which again involves more complex structures.

So it’s easy to see that making a boat with a fat waterline, a modest rig and an iron keel suits high- volume builders: loads of room inside, good initial stability, minimal cost and performance that’s still acceptable to most on a nice summer’s day.

The GT35 boat shows off her well- balanced lines as she powers upwind at 7 knots. Credit: David Harding

High-volume production was never Conrad’s objective. Neither was competing on price with budget boats.

He reckoned there was a gap in the market for a wholesome and handsome performance yacht that steered clear not only of the traits described above but also of many others he considers undesirable in a proper cruiser, such as a plumb stem (compromises in terms of pitching and of buoyancy in the bow sections), T-bulb keels (arguably not practical for a cruising yacht) and overly full sterns to accommodate enormous aft cabins (all sorts of performance and handling implications in both light and heavy airs).

A rig without a backstay is another no-no for Conrad and, it must be said, he’s by no means alone.

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None of the ‘proper yacht’ qualities built into the GT35 will do it any harm on nice summer’s days, because boats like this should still be better behaved and more fun to sail than the compromised alternatives.

They won’t be as quick as lighter or more extreme designs – moderate displacement comes from moderately high volume and plenty of ballast – but should give a pretty good account of themselves all round.

Importantly, they should also be comfortable and easy to sail at close to their potential rather than demanding a high degree of concentration from an experienced crew.

Rewarding concentration and good sailing is not the same as demanding it.

GT35 boat: Design from the start

Much can be gleaned from the approach of the builder and by looking at the lines and statistics of a yacht you might be considering.

It can also help to know who was responsible for drawing the lines: in this case, Stephen Jones.

Time was when Stephen’s name would have needed introducing to buyers of production yachts other than those familiar with his various Hustlers and Oysters from the 1970s and ’80s.

Then came the Starlights, Seaquest’s SJ 320 and Prima 38, the Sadler 290 and designs for Rustler and Southerly including the Rustler 37 and Southerly 36.

For Conrad, there was one designer he knew he could work with to create the sort of boat he wanted.

Sail plan of the GT35 boat

Conrad himself is a naval architect and chartered engineer with a background in commercial shipping and experience of managing design projects with superyachts, so he had a better idea than many who go into boatbuilding of just what’s involved.

Making the project viable meant using his own expertise and that of others in what he describes as ‘an outsourcing model’.

The biggest part of the ‘outsourcing’ was engaging the services of Windboats in Norfolk as builders.

Windboats, together with Landamores, was contracted to build Oyster yachts until Oyster recently decided to bring its building in-house.

Stephen designed his first model for Oyster back in the early 1970s and now his latest design is being built at one of the yards that helped to make Oyster what it is today.

Accommodation layout on the GT35 boat

The design of the GT35 boat is an evolution of the Starlight hull form, which in turn was developed from earlier SJ designs conceived as safe, fast and comfortable cruisers.

Comparisons with the Starlight 39 are inevitable – the 39 rather than the 35 because the GT35 has the same waterline length as the Starlight 39.

This highlights one of the major changes in hull shape over the past few decades, bow overhangs having been substantially reduced but, in this case, not forsaken in favour of a plumb stem.

It’s from the bow that the GT35 is particularly striking.

There’s no point here; instead, a gentle radius that, explains Stephen, serves a number of purposes.

Most significantly in hydrodynamic terms it pushes the bow wave further forward, as full bow-sections do, increasing the distance between the bow wave and quarter wave.

This increases the effective length of the hull and, therefore, the maximum hull-speed.

Those interested in prismatic coefficients and Froude numbers can bring out their calculators, but we won’t go into the number-crunching here.

Although bluff bows might not look fast – and they do increase viscous resistance – they permit straighter runs along the rest of the hull sections to minimise pressure build-ups, especially when combined with the placement of maximum beam further aft. In simple terms they can make a boat go faster.

Unrealised potential

Wider sterns are another notable trend over the past 20 years or so. The GT35’s is nowhere near as broad as some, while still being wide and flat enough to contribute to the boat’s stability, internal volume and downwind performance.

Because cruising yachts typically have a lot of weight in the stern – engine , heads , fuel tank, fully-furnished aft quarters and plenty of kit in the lockers – they need a substantial volume in the hull back here.

That volume can play havoc with wetted area and the buttock runs, resulting in boats that stick to the water in light airs and won’t get up and go downwind in a breeze.

Stephen’s solution is his nacelle, or displacement skeg, which has been a feature of his cruising designs for many generations.

It works in many ways, encouraging a surprising level of downwind performance in his relatively heavy, full-bodied cruising yachts.

Laid-back sailing: Conrad Cockburn shows off the comfortable seats in the stern rail, while designer Stephen Jones takes the helm. Credit: David Harding

I was on a demonstration sail with a Starlight 39 many years ago when we hit 18 knots surfing down a wave under plain sail.

That same boat also left the rest of our class for dead in the Round the Island Race until we were rammed by an out-of-control port-tack competitor from another class. If ever there was a case of unfinished business…

These Starlight-GT-series hulls are conceived not for ultimate performance, given the weight, comfort and conservative nature of the boats they’re created for, but they are remarkably slippery.

The relatively narrow waterline (around 75% of overall beam) is one contributory factor, and it’s one that also works with the full bow, ample buoyancy in the topsides forward and unextreme stern to maintain balance when the boat is hard pressed, especially with the help of a good lump of lead on the bottom of the keel.

A secure galley with plenty to hold on to and wedge against. Credit: David Harding

‘Lump’ is perhaps not the best way to describe it, since the shape of the keel, like the hull, stems from continual refinement of one that has been shown to work.

In this case it’s similar to that on the Rustler 33 , with a flared base and the lead bolted to the bottom of a moulded stub to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible.

With the GT35, fins can be deep (1.95m/6ft 5in) or shallow (1.60m/5ft 3in). Twin keels (1.50m/4ft 11in) are offered too.

Our test boat had the deep fin, together with a folding three-bladed Brunton propeller . It also had a clean bottom and sails that had only been hoisted a couple of times.

The bad news in performance terms is that it was fitted with a bow thruster , and not of the type that retracts into the hull: this one was in a tunnel, the drag from which would do the boat no favours.

Testing on passage

I joined Stephen on board in Fox’s Marina in Ipswich. Together with Conrad and the owner, Trevor James, we were about to sail to Trevor’s mooring in West Mersea – a trip of about 30 miles.

It was a good opportunity to spend a few hours on board with the designer, builder and owner.

At this point I should mention that Trevor doesn’t just own the first GT35 – he also owns Windboats and Hardy.

On almost any other day of the year this passage would have been predominantly upwind.

On this particular day we had a brisk north-easterly, meaning the wind would be on or abaft the beam practically the whole way.

We would need to create an opportunity for windward work at some stage.

The tall, 15⁄16ths, double-spreader Seldén rig powers the GT35 boat, and has long spreaders and short-footed headsail sheeted to tracks on the coachroof. Credit: David Harding

We started by reaching down the Orwell at 7 knots or so – pursued, closely at first, by a Scanyacht 390 that dropped progressively further astern as the wind freed us – and I took advantage of the flat water to look around the deck.

The GT35 boat feels like a mighty big 35-footer. In fact she feels more like a 40-footer, yet still manages to look good because of carefully chosen proportions and a myriad of subtle styling features built into the topsides, deck, coachroof and coamings.

Bold strips and loud graphics are not needed.

Starting at the stern, the first point of note is the depth of the cockpit.

A good leg-bracing width, and with the coamings set far enough inboard for the side decks to run all the way to the transom, it has high, angled backrests and provides any number of comfortable places for the crew to sit. Unusually, the sole abaft the wheel is at a lower level.

Making the most of the GT35’s full bow sections, the forecabin features a large, offset double berth that retains a good width right to its forward end. Credit: David Harding

With split-level soles it’s more common for the helm to have an elevated perch, but lowering the sole back here was a deliberate ploy to create greater security.

If you want to gain a couple of inches when standing behind the wheel – to see more clearly over the sprayhood, for example – you can balance on the ridge running aft from the emergency tiller ’s socket. That’s quite narrow, however

Among many modern trends the GT35 avoids is the open stern. This one is fully enclosed and, should the helm wish to sit behind the wheel he or she can even lean back against a thoroughly supportive coaming.

Enclosed though the cockpit is in sailing mode, the centre section of the stern seat can be lifted out and reconfigured to form a step on to the boarding platform once the transom is hinged down.

What you don’t get, of course, is the grand entrance-from-the-quayside found on boats with super-broad sterns, twin wheels and vast expanses of open cockpit.

Stowage is in a full-depth locker beneath the starboard seat. There’s more each side in the stern and – almost uniquely for a boat of this size – a large locker in the bow, between the forecabin and anchor locker.

This is a great space for storing fenders and warps , saving the crew having to open lockers in the cockpit and obstruct the helm’s view.

The only significant omission in the cockpit is any coaming lockers.

GT35 boat: Made for sailing

Elements of tradition are found throughout the GT35, from the appealing sheerline and protected cockpit to the raised bulwarks that become higher towards the bow.

At the stem, flanges on the twin stainless steel anchor rollers bolt through the wide flat top of the bulwarks for extra rigidity.

The decks themselves are wide and the rigging is right outboard, so moving forward presents no challenges other than ducking inside the lowers.

Lines from the mast are led aft under removable panels on the coachroof, with those starting from further forward – such as the furling line for the headsail’s under-deck drum – running through recesses in the moulding.

Moving up from the deck, we turn our attention to the powerhouse: the tall, 15⁄16ths, double-spreader Seldén rig with its long spreaders and short-footed headsail sheeted to tracks on the coachroof.

Dolphin had made a nice set of sails in Dacron, though there was scope to squeeze a substantial amount of extra area in the form of mainsail roach and headsail overlap.

The aft cabin on the GT35 boat is not as roomy as some, because of the moderate stern sections and the space given to the systems and the cockpit locker, but it’s far from cramped. Credit: David Harding

That brings us conveniently back to the sailing. As soon as we got some fresher breeze in more open water, combined with the smallest of waves, the log climbed to over 8 knots.

From then on, with the waves increasing it was a matter of seeing what we could make the boat do in the true wind of around 25 knots.

The answer was frequently over 10 knots with a maximum, as we goose-winged down one wave, of 11. Oh for a spinnaker – and no drag-inducing bow-thruster…

All this was achieved with just two fingers on the wheel. Steering downwind in brisk conditions can become tiring after a few hours, but so light is the GT35’s helm that you can hold the spokes a few inches from the centre and save yourself a vast amount of effort.

Given this balance, I would choose to reduce the number of turns from lock to lock – currently 1.8 – by moving the link arm inboard a hole or two.

The GT35 boat has a roomy heads compartment, with plenty to brace against and hanging space for several sets of waterproofs. Credit: David Harding

Before we reached the Blackwater, and while we were still in a respectable chop, I insisted on spoiling the downwind party and turning upwind for a spell.

Having been standing behind the wheel I needed to see what the coamings were like to sit on at various angles of heel.

They were extremely comfortable and the perch would be even more relaxing if the diameter of the wheel (currently 48in) were pushed to the maximum.

Seeing how the boat went upwind was also part of the plan. Beating into 25 to 27 knots of wind–we had 32-33 knots across the deck – in open water under full sail is a reasonably stiff test of any boat.

The GT35 didn’t bat an eyelid, powering along at a consistent 6.7-6.8 knots, rarely landing with anything that could be described as a thud, let alone a bang, and keeping us remarkably dry.

By flattening the rig as far as possible we kept the heel to a comfortable angle.

The boat was nowhere near being overpowered and remained finger-light on the helm. For those who think in Beaufort, this was the top end of a Force 6.

There was more. Not trusting the true wind-angle reading of 30°, I noted our compass heading and tacked. It showed 30° again and, what’s more, the compass heading confirmed that we had indeed tacked through 60°.

A couple more tacks gave the same story. Stephen reminded me of when the late Geoff Pack had tested the Starlight 39 (I was with him at the time) and struggled to believe it when he consistently recorded a tacking angle of 60°.

Given her narrower sheeting angle, the GT35 should be closer-winded than the Starlight and we would probably have done better still in flatter water.

Although this is very much a cruising boat, I hope some owners will do a spot of racing. To say that the GT35 should have potential, particularly when it blows, would be an understatement.

Returning briefly to the important issue of stability, it’s worth mentioning that the maximum righting arm (over 0.9m) is at the unusually high angle of 70°.

A peak at between 50° and 60° is more common. The AVS (angle of vanishing stability) is a similarly impressive 144°, matched by the lowest inverted stability you will find on almost anything other than a lifeboat. For those interested in such things, the STIX number is 54.

Accommodation and structure

For a fast 35-footer, this boat is nothing short of vast down below.

Combine the space with the sort of finish you would expect from a yard that used to build Oysters, then add lashings of seagoing practicality, and you get the picture.

The joinery, in solid oak and oak-faced gaboon ply, is neat, unfussy and well matched.

Interior mouldings are kept to a minimum: just the heads, and a few supports beneath the coachroof for the vinyl-covered plywood headlining panels .

The substantial volume of the GT35 boat is put to efficient use. Joinery, in oak, is less ornate than some but very well finished. Credit: David Harding

Joinery is bonded to the hull, including watertight bulkheads forward and aft. Avoiding inner mouldings maximises stowage space and access to the hull and skin fittings as well as reducing dead weight.

You won’t see the inside of the hull when you lift the settee berths each side in the saloon, however, because the glassfibre fuel and water tanks are built in, Oyster-style, with inspection hatches and, for the water tank, special resins that make sure there’s no plasticky taste.

The layout is based on the tried-and-tested modern norm with a few twists.

While the heads is aft, the master cabin is in the bow, moved aft by the deck locker so its offset bunk retains a good width all the way to the forward end.

An effective yet unobtrusive overhead handhold runs the length of the saloon each side. A similar handhold will be fitted below the windows. Credit: David Harding

You could sleep head-to-the-bow if you like. All you can’t do on this boat is open the door all the way, because the berth was built fractionally over-length. That was rectified in future production.

In the saloon the settee berths are parallel, near the centreline and, therefore, as comfortable as can be for use at sea.

A bonus is plenty of stowage outboard – or the port berth can be moved in a little further to create space for a pilot berth.

Options include an L-shaped dinette to port and a couple of individual seats to starboard.

As in the cockpit, it’s not about open space. If you want to play cricket in the cockpit and hold a barn dance in the saloon, look elsewhere.

Wedging and holding

Sturdy grab rails flank the companionway and, at the forward end of the fore-and-aft companionway bulkhead to port, is a stainless steel pillar.

Additional pillars can be fitted at the galley and/or chart table.

With a return creating a partial U-shape, and the stainless pillar close at hand, the galley is a secure working area. So too is the chart table, an angle on the heads bulkhead making a good shoulder/ back brace on starboard tack. A foot brace makes doubly sure you won’t fall out.

In the modern style, the chart table on the GT35 boat has no forward bulkhead – but there’s reasonable provision for instrumentation. Credit: David Harding

On the other side of the bulkhead is the heads, incorporating space for hanging waterproofs. Opposite, to port, the double aft cabin has plenty of light and stowage.

So much down here is very good indeed.

Are there any shortcomings? I wouldn’t mind seeing more in the way of ventilation to ensure a through-flow of air.

The GT35 boat has a switch panel that hinges down to reveal a neat electrical installation. Credit: David Harding

That apart – and given that you need to spend time on a boat to pick up everything, both good and bad – there appears to be very little that’s not already in hand.

Poking around under and behind anything that could be moved provided reassurance in terms of structure.

Divinycell-cored topsides are ramped down to a single skin in way of the seacocks.

Bulkheads appear securely bonded to the hull laminate, working with the frames and stringers to lend rigidity to the whole boat.

Unidirectional carbon fibre is used in the topsides in way of the chainplates, tying in with carbon in the beams across the deck that form part of the central load-bearing structure.

Conrad maintains that the boat has been engineered to last. Questions about structure, systems, access and maintenance were answered in a way that left little to doubt.

I have written a few boat tests that cynics might paraphrase as ‘it’s white, it’s plastic, it sails after a fashion, it might hang together for a year or two and I wouldn’t buy one, but good luck if you do.’ The GT35 is at the opposite end of the spectrum. True, she won’t suit everyone. Don’t expect her to disappear over the horizon in under 10 knots of wind. She won’t offer the sort of sailing experience that only a slim-hulled boat can. If you believe that offshore cruisers should have masthead, four-square rigs and long keels, you might find that this one challenges some of your ideals. And yes, there are details I would change. But – and this is an enormous but – she’s a remarkable boat, offering a blend of performance, power, stiffness, comfort, security, ease of handling, innovative thinking, clever detailing and structural integrity that few can match. She was conceived to be equally suited to coastal cruising and offshore passage-making and it’s easy to see her in both roles. This is a 35 that dwarfs other 35s in almost every way. She exists because Conrad couldn’t find anything he wanted for himself and his family when he started looking a few years ago. He saw a gap in the market for all-round performance cruisers between 30 and 50ft (9.1 and 15.2m) and set about filling it.

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GT325: launch preview from British boatyard

# Industry News

The GT325 is the first yacht in years from the British builders GT Yachts. David Harding gets a preview ahead of the cruiser's launch

Back in 2014, GT Yachts launched the GT35 – a fast, roomy and powerful cruiser designed by Stephen Jones.

It was very well received but, for GT Yachts, the costs and complexities involved in outsourcing production meant that only one boat was built and plans for further models in the range had to go on hold.

Now, the company is back with a new investor and co-director, its own production facility at Mercury Yacht Harbour and a brand-new boat.

The GT325 is a development of Stephen Jones’s Sadler 290 and shares many of the same features on a larger scale, such as lead keels (fin or twin) on the bottom of moulded stubs to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible and allow for a powerful rig.

The 325 also has a high-volume hull to give an exceptionally roomy interior for a fast cruiser of this size, together with an unusually deep, fully enclosed cockpit, high coamings, a fixed windscreen and moulded bulwarks for security on deck.

As well as space, pace, stability and comfort, GT Yachts has placed great emphasis on the structure.

GT Yachts’ founder, Conrad Cockburn, is a chartered engineer and naval architect and has worked with Jones to create what should be an extremely tough boat.

For example, keel stubs are moulded as part of the hull and incorporate fibres that run as continuous laminates from one side of the hull to the other.

Substantial frames and stringers are also laminated into the hull and through the stubs, which incorporate sufficient radius where they join the hull to avoid compromises caused by sharp angles.

As you would expect, bulkheads are bonded directly to the hull and deck. An unusual refinement, however, will be the absence of the telltale capping along the top of the bulkheads to hide the laminate that joins them to the deckhead.

Instead, the 18mm ply will have a strip of the outer veneer removed. Two 3mm veneers will then be applied over the laminated sections to restore the original thickness.

In terms of layout, the 325 will have the master cabin in the bow, forward of which will be a large deck locker. The heads and shower will be aft, opposite the galley. A forward heads can be added as an option.

Choices externally will include wheel (standard) or tiller steering and a 115% headsail in place of the self-tacker.

GT Yachts plans to launch the first of the 325s, which will be fitted with twin keels and in-mast reefing, later this summer.

It’s a great shame that the GT35 never had a chance to realise its potential.

The moulds still exist, but the new model is being launched under more auspicious circumstances and looks set to attract a good deal of interest.

Price is from £210,000 ex VAT. www.gtyachts.com

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On-Board  PROJECT X

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By Nina Done | 22nd Jun 2023

Blending chic interiors with superb craftsmanship, the editorial team at YachtCharterFleet were lucky enough to step on board Golden Yacht’s 88m (288ft) flagship PROJECT X as she made her star debut at the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show.

Docked on Port Hercule’s large superyacht pontoon, Quai Rainier III, PROJECT X’s sleek appearance and cascading aft decks, coupled with her striking triple X feature amidships, was causing a furore and drawing much admiring glances from show-goers and industry professionals alike.

Already nominated for a slew of awards, with top honors being conferred on the impressive motor yacht in 2023 for her beach club in the Outstanding Lifestyle Feature category at the BOAT International Design and Innovation Awards, as well as being the overall winner of yachts in her class at the International Yacht & Aviation awards, we knew we were in for a treat.

As such, the editorial team were keen to get on board and discover just what makes this superyacht so special - and we weren’t disappointed.

Delivered in 2022, the 2,973 GT yacht’s head-turning exteriors come courtesy of Ken Freivokh Design, with naval architecture by Marco Yachts. Meanwhile, her refined and contemporary interiors are from the boards of Italian Studio Massari.

Breathtaking interior design

Personally commissioned by the owner, Alessandro Massari and his 10-strong team worked to a specific brief to create “something contemporary yet refined, welcoming and cozy”, with each deck bearing its own unique characteristics, while maintaining complete harmony with the rest of her spaces.

The result is a masterclass in interior design; showcasing a warm and welcoming palette in a wide variety of rich materials and textures; from rare woods to exquisite marbles, worked metals to myriad types of leather, where every detail has been meticulously considered.

The main deck plays host to a large, open-plan salon with a lounging area and grand piano positioned forward. Neutral tones and textured surfaces give the space a polished feel while plush fabrics, sumptuous furniture and contemporary artwork ensure a warm and inviting ambience. Meanwhile, full height windows bathe the salon in natural light.

Sliding doors afford direct access onto her side decks, creating a harmonious connection with her surroundings. By night, the salon is bathed in a warm glow from the geometric ceiling feature and discreet LED lighting.

This area adjoins an anteroom, or library, with comfortable seating served by low tables where guests can relax with a magazine or book. Her formal port side dining room is accessed from here, with wide polished doors creating a grand entrance, where you’ll find a stunning refectory dining table for 16.

The upper deck lounge has a similar color palette and refined theme, with plenty of sleek furnishings and modern accents. One of the standout design features on this level is her bar, lined on the outer curved perimeter with glass bottles filled with amber liquid, creating another textural layer to this glorious space.

Centrally positioned is a wide circular lounge area, with a smaller seating area and coffee table located opposite her bar. This upper salon is also drenched in light thanks to wide windows running the complete perimeter of the space, providing spectacular views and a complete connection to the outside world. 

This connection to her surroundings was something the owners were keen to recreate throughout the yacht, and nowhere is this best expressed than in the unique triple-height atrium. 

This area is flooded with light through her X-shaped paneling, and leads to a stunning glass elevator. Capable of carrying up to 15 people, it is the largest ever to be installed on a superyacht – where light flows in from the sundeck via a circular cutouts in the panel above. The whole effect looks rather like a movie reel.

A floating staircase with beautiful light and dark wooden treads encircles the elevator, offering guests the option on how they wish to traverse the yacht’s various levels. 

Versatile accommodation

As you would imagine from a yacht of this size and stature, there is an array of cabins for guests to choose from. Nine in fact, located across three deck levels – and all for just 12 charter guests.

Of course, her show-stopping 130-square-meter full beam master suite on the yacht's dedicated owner's deck is the pinnacle of luxury, with a huge sumptuous bed taking up prime real estate in the middle of the room, perfectly positioned to benefit from the stunning 180-degree views across the bow.

Sliding doors at the foot of the bed lead onto a vast private alfresco terrace, complete with a dining area, loungers and an elevated Jacuzzi bordered by a wide sun pad in front.  

This full beam master suite also comes equipped with two bathrooms and two dressing rooms, as well as a dedicated office and boardroom – perfect for charterers wishing to combine business with pleasure on their yacht vacation. 

A further generous VIP cabin can be found on her upper deck, which can be subdivided to provide an additional stateroom if necessary. The remaining light-infused cabins are well-appointed and can be found on her lower deck, with each one enjoying its own color scheme.

Socializing and relaxing

From her sundeck to her beach club, superyacht PROJECT X aims to impress with a huge wealth of space dedicated solely to guests’ leisure, relaxation and entertainment. 

Eschewing the usual sundeck hub, the yacht’s unique layout has foregrounded her main deck as its primary social hangout. Showcasing a nautical color scheme, this vast deck plays host to a large 7 x 3.5-meter glass-walled swimming pool with its own cascading waterfall feature. This area is surrounded by wooden deck loungers, with a shaded sit-up bar positioned up forward.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere can be ramped up for an all-out party vibe courtesy of her professional DJ set-up on the deck above, complete with Bang & Olufsen sound system and strobe lighting, perfect for day to night pool parties.

When the sun goes down, this upper deck can also be used as a dance floor allowing guests to throw various shapes from dusk till dawn.

Of course, her sundeck hasn't been forgotten. Here, you’ll find a large 10-person Jacuzzi surrounded by sunpads, with shade offered by two large parasols positioned either side. Surrounded by a series of glass panels giving protection from the wind, this Jacuzzi boasts some of the finest views on board the yacht.

The sundeck also plays host to a huge glass-enclosed gymnasium, with sliding panels that can be opened to the elements for an alfresco workout. This impressve techno gym features the latest equipment for supreme gym sessions while on board.

You can access the gym via the glass elevator, which conveniently connects all five of her decks, with additional access afforded to her principle charterers via a small circular external stairwell leading directly from the owner's deck.  

This stairwell also leads down to the upper deck’s alfresco lounge and dining table for up to 18 guests. This outdoor lounge is perfect for enjoying a pre-dinner aperitif and canapés, before being seated for the main gastronomic event.

The yacht's jewel in the crown, however, is her award-winning beach club, complete with wide sea terraces and a full beam swim platform. More than just a place to store the toys, this vast lower deck area has been reimagined as a waterside haven in its own right. 

Two wide shell doors on either side open out to create alfresco terraces with beautiful over-water views, which can be used for a variety of functions, such as a massage station or lounging area, with easy access provided onto the yacht's toys and tenders.

Playing host to an array of wellness amenities, she is equipped with a traditional Finnish sauna, Turkish-style Hammam and a beauty treatment room, as well as a juice bar and rotatable circular lounging area – described by Massari as a ‘spinning nest”.

Light also infuses the area from the glass walls of the swimming pool above adding a shimmery effect to the overall holistic and relaxing ambience.

Adrenalin-fuelled toys and tenders

As you might imagine, PROJECT X has a locker full to the brim with the very latest toys and accessories; from seabobs and flyboards to Ducati E-mountain bikes, this yacht has it all. 

To top it off, PROJECT X is equipped with not one but four tenders, including an elegant 9-metre Pedrazzini Vivale Classic tender and an eye-catching 9.7-meter custom Onda "Limo X" tender in the exact image of its mothership, providing comfortable transfers from yacht to shore in elegant surrounds. A touch n go helipad completes the picture. 

Make no mistake, this is one outstanding yacht. From her expansive deck areas primed for supreme relaxation and entertainment to her refined and luxurious interiors, all come together to create a dream yacht vacation.

To discover more about chartering M/Y PROJECT X, please get in touch with your preferred yacht charter broker . 

Charter Specification

Builder Golden Yachts

Interior Designer Massari Design

Exterior Designer Ken Freivokh

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• Digital Editions

Palm Beach GT50 Open review: A true driver’s boat that’s perfectly poised

The Palm Beach GT50 Open hit a top speed of 37.5 knots on test

The entire helm area sits on a raised platform above the engineroom

The Palm Beach GT50 Open was designed by Andy Dovell and Palm Beach Yachts

The helm seats and forward dinette are well protected by the tall windscreen

• The galley is also unusually large and well equipped for a sportscruiser

After making its European debut at Cannes 2019, the Palm Beach GT50 looks set to see its Australian creators start conquering Europe

It’s not a household name in Europe yet, but Palm Beach Yachts intends to change all that. And with its intoxicating mix of quality construction, advanced hull design and sleek styling, it might just succeed.

An Australian boatbuilder of some repute that was bought by Grand Banks in 2014, it has introduced a new GT series to follow up its line of hardtop and flybridge models.

The first, the Palm Beach GT50, is based on an existing hull with the addition of significantly more horsepower, fuel capacity and performance. At the Cannes Yachting Festival in September the Palm Beach GT50 Open made its European debut.

It made an excellent impression. The E-glass and Vinylester hull was finished to a mirror sheen, and every aspect of the interior fit-out felt solid and long-lasting.

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Being essentially a Grand Banks product, built at the company’s long-established yard in Malaysia, that might not seem too surprising, but the cool design, curvaceous mouldings and minimalist styling (no guardrails!) are hardly going to get nods of recognition from old-school trawler-yacht fans. And the deck and superstructure are constructed entirely of lightweight carbon-fibre.

The hull design is interesting. Palm Beach’s people describe it as a displacement form, which is only half the story: certainly it runs comfortably at low speeds, but when you push the throttles home it ups and goes with no discernible ‘hump’ getting onto the plane.

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£563579

Our trim gauge moved smoothly from zero to three degrees in a linear progression that bore out our impression of smooth, unruffled acceleration.

Designed by Andy Dovell, an American naval architect based near Sydney, the hull has a fine, seamanlike entry reminiscent of a destroyer’s, easing aft to a very modest deadrise of just 8˚ at the transom.

With its low profile and slender platform the Palm Beach GT50 is quite likely to serve some owners as little more than a luxurious dayboat. It’s not exactly voluminous, but it does possess credible seagoing credentials.

There is its easily driven hull, happy to cruise at pretty much any speed between 15 knots and 35. It has a decent fuel capacity and a useful range. And its interior could be comfortable on a weekend, or longer.

The forecabin has a full-size bed, 6ft 6in long by 5ft wide (1.98m x 1.52m) and 6ft-plus (1.90m) headroom. The midships cabin is a cave, essentially, which could be an excellent selling point for small people, although at 6ft 2in by 4ft 10in (1.88m x 1.47m) the berth itself is of eminently useable dimensions.

Sitting headroom in there is a fair 39in (99cm) at the pillow end, although of course the 21in (53cm) clearance over the rest of it isn’t really headroom at all.

Stowage space, that bugbear of the cruising life, shouldn’t be too much of an issue either: I counted seven drawers and eight lockers in the forecabin, all of them big enough to be useful, while the head and galley are also well provided for. And there is an enormous locker under the cockpit sole.

Although propelled by IPS, the Palm Beach GT50’s engines are mounted amidships, linked to the drives on long, one-piece, carbon-fibre jackshafts. This is how boats used to be designed, with the weight concentrated as much as possible amidships, and it helps to explain a number of things about this one.

There is the pleasingly traditional feel of its deck layout, for a start, with its distinct step up from the cockpit to the helm deck, which is sited over the engine compartment.

This creates two discrete seating areas, each with their own integrity: the raised bench seats, sheltered and secure, when at sea, and the aft sofas in the cockpit, served by their own little bar, for relaxing in once you have arrived.

And then there is the Palm Beach GT50’s remarkable poise when under way. It really is something special. The fuel tanks lie along the forward engineroom bulkhead, so with its lightweight carbon deck and upperworks, and no hardtop, the centre of gravity is pretty much in the centre of the boat, not very far above the waterline.

So along with a level longitudinal trim under acceleration, which keeps the bow down to address the seas with that razor-sharp entry, there is its willing helm response, beautifully balanced and unflappable no matter how ham-fisted the helmsman.

In a full-lock, full-speed three-sixty the hull barely bled off 5 knots, then accelerated on straightening up to slice through our wake with the greatest of ease.

There is no shortage of horsepower, which helps, of course: our 37.5 knots might be some way off what Palm Beach claims for this boat, but it still felt surprising when coupled to such thoroughbred handling.

Price as reviewed:

£1,770,000.00 inc. VAT

The GT50 is a driver’s boat. It has the power to make virtually anyone feel like the most accomplished, confident hand on the helm. It is also comfortable, beautifully built and very pretty to look at. We’ll certainly be hearing more from Palm Beach.

LOA: 54ft 0in (16.40m) Beam: 14ft 8in (4.48m) Draught: 3ft 1in (0.93m) Displacement (light): 13 tonnes (28,660 lbs) Engines: Twin 600hp Volvo Penta IPS800 Top speed: 37.5 knots Cruising speed: 25 knots Range at 25 knots: 244 miles Fuel capacity: 1,500 litres Water capacity: 500 litres RCD category: B for 16 people Design: Andy Dovell/Palm Beach Yachts

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Elan GT6 review: This Porsche-designed yacht is something to be proud of

• Toby Hodges
• December 16, 2020

Elan’s new flagship, the GT6, is the first Porsche-designed sailing yacht. Toby Hodges takes it for a test sail in the Firth of Clyde

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

A few decades ago having a supercar was a real status symbol, a prominent way of shouting ‘look at me!’. Times and trends have changed, as has, arguably, the appetite for such ostentation. So why, I wondered, would a 70-year-old shipyard with a well-regarded product line need to turn to Porsche for the design of its new flagship?

Over the years we’ve seen various car manufacturers and designers get involved with yacht design , yet few stand out for their success. However, as I was to find out with this new Elan GT6, the relationship between Elan and Porsche runs deeper than simply exploiting a name for marketing gain.

Studio F.A. Porsche is the design arm of the automotive giant. The Austrian company’s role is not about adding flashy flared bodywork or eye-catching spoilers. It’s all about refinement, whether working with architecture or dishwashers – or Elan skis, which is how the tie-in with Elan’s GT6 came about. The objective is care in detail and it aims to add a signature of understated class.

Considering this strong emphasis on design then, it is no surprise that the Elan GT6 hit the water looking sharp. I’m referring in particular to the clean lines, black-and-white styling, the angle of the tinted windows in the hull and the contemporary decksaloon-style coachroof.

But putting the styling aside for a moment, let’s concentrate on the powerful hull shape, which is all Humphreys Yacht Design. The Lymington firm was one of the first to successfully translate what it was doing with ocean racing yachts, such as Class 40s , into production cruising yachts, including those from Elan and Azuree.

Ten years ago Rob Humphreys broke new ground with the Elan 350 and 310 by incorporating race boat features, such as broad planing aft sections with hard chines and twin rudders. I have rarely enjoyed sail trials more. For this new flagship GT6, which Humphreys drew with his son, Tom, contemporary additions included powerful forward sections, a bluff stem with fixed bowsprit and wide beam carried right aft.

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It all screams performance sailing… until you notice the hull design is balanced, tamed perhaps by a relatively conservative rig. This, together with the deckhouse and cockpit design, is the clue to this model’s purpose – easy cruising, or Grand Touring (GT) even.

So how does it measure up on the water? And is this a sailor’s yacht or a status symbol?

Slovenia to Scotland

I sought the answers near Glasgow, where Scottish dealer Great Harbour Yachts had recently taken delivery of a GT6. During the 24 hours we had aboard we spent a large portion hunting out the light snippets of breeze that funnelled into the surrounding lochs.

This design targets manageable fast cruising, using a modest sailplan that’s easy to trim and reef and a stable, easily-driven yet powerful hull. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

It created a lasting impression of an easily driven and controlled boat. The Firth of Clyde is a notoriously tricky place to race because of the huge wind shifts.

And as we chased the catspaws that ruffled the otherwise calm, deep and dark waters, the Elan proved sporty and nimble enough to ensure the sailing was enjoyable.

The GT6 is nearly 50ft of yacht overall, so it should be capable of a certain level of pace. It gets up to speed easily and stays there, tracking true. As was to be expected with large, deep, twin rudders in light conditions, there was little to no feedback and the helms remained very neutral. However, the fact that we could keep sailing for the majority of the time shows this is a design that will suit the typically light conditions found when sailing in the Mediterranean .

Speeds were fine, easy to reach and consistent, if not electric. And despite the wide aft beam, particularly noticeable from the dock, there seemed to be negligible drag. The instruments were yet to be properly calibrated, but the GPS read 0.5-1 knot below true windspeed most of the time when slightly cracked or when reaching under A-sail (4 knots in 5, 6.7 knots in 7 and for a fleeting moment, 9 knots clocked in 11 knots on a close fetch).

Our test boat had a fine-looking suit of carbon and Vectran Ullman sails, plus upgraded deck gear, running rigging and winch packages. So, barring a composite mast and rigging, it was in high-performance spec.

But to my eye the sail plan looks a little reserved, with a high and short boom (the mainsheet is attached midway along the boom). And there is not even an option for a traveller. Instead the mainsheet is kept well out of the cockpit and led aft each side.

Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

It is set up to be safe and very manageable. Indeed, when you consider the modest sail area to displacement ratio, it all points to a boat designed for easy sailing above high performance. “Performance is about more than just speed,” maintains Tom Humphreys.

“It’s also about good manners: being easy to operate for a short-handed crew, family or couple.” Which is why he also incorporated generous form stability and righting moment to minimise heeling or the need for weight on the rail.

The running rigging is tunnelled really neatly under deck and I particularly liked the series of inspection hatches Elan has included to check inside this aluminium cage. The winch layout also works well. The pair of winches each side is within reach of the helm, there is enough space between them to make them practical to work, and there are good-sized tail lockers which keep the lines from wrapping around the helmsman’s feet.

Note the styling of the curved benches, pedestals and wheel designs. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

The aft winch is set into the deck a little for optimum sheet lead. Again it’s a layout that prioritises short-handed cruising , as the cockpit benches continue almost all the way to the pedestals and leave little practical space for a trimmer to sit between the winches.

Grand touring deck

As well as the sail and deckgear upgrades, we had a secret weapon on board to ensure we got the most from the conditions. Bill Mackay, 84, arguably knows these waters better than any. Indeed, he recalls growing up aboard the only yacht for which the Royal Navy would lower its submarine nets to let sail out of the Firth of Clyde during the war, as his father was the local doctor who needed to reach the outlying islands.

When the decorated racing sailor and motorsports driver says the Elan GT6 is an ideal yacht for cruising these western isles, I’m inclined to take his word. But he does back up this statement by pointing out the deep coamings forward, the protection under the tall sprayhood and the ability to enjoy your surroundings from the interior.

Cockpit extension: cooking breakfast from the platform. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

That said, there is little point in pretending this design is not aimed primarily at warm weather Med-style cruising. That open transom and cockpit layout targets lazy afternoons in clear water anchorages. The split tables work particularly well. These can quite often be a compromise, yet on the Elan they are sturdy, provide bracing, an unhindered walkthrough and still join together to form a dining area or can lower to form giant sunbeds.

Studio Porsche certainly waved its styling wand at the cockpit design. The smooth lines all work in harmony, from the coachroof and curved aft benches to the pedestal design with its racing car-inspired wheels.

There is the option of housing a grill and fridge instead of lockers within these aft benches. Standing on the swim platform while anchored in a calm loch, frying up black puddings and ‘tattie scones’ seemed slightly surreal, but proved the benefit of this alfresco option, by keeping smells and mess out of the midships galley below.

A primary benefit of a deckhouse-style roof is that it floods the saloon with natural light. Photo: Elan Yachts

A locker beneath the aft deck provides space for an inflatable, but only in its fully deflated state. There is also a large liferaft locker below the central cockpit sole and a sail locker in the bows.

Quadrants are mounted on each stock, which are linked by a rod. This is designed to double as emergency steering – if you lose steering on one side, you can disconnect it and use the other independently. Access to the quadrants and autopilot is from the aft cabins.

My concern with this set-up would be if you lost a rudder, as, there is no watertight bulkhead to separate the steering gear from the accommodation. Heeling the boat immediately on to the opposite tack might help prevent it flooding the interior.

The raised lockers and generous natural light allocation continues in the forward master cabin. Photo: Elan Yachts

Otherwise, Elan tells me that as bulkheads are all laminated to hull and deck anyway, it could make this one watertight “with minor adjustments” – although that would leave the issue of how to then access the steering gear.

A primary design goal was to position the mast forward of the coachroof to prevent it spoiling the aesthetics of the superstructure. The design team’s challenge was to leave a completely flush foredeck without compromising space in the forecabin. The rising sheer and forward freeboard of the Elan is sufficient to create up to 6ft headroom in this master cabin .

Growing appeal

Where the exterior styling is somewhat stark in its black and white theme, the interior is highly inviting, modern yet warm and full of natural light.

The boom is kept high and clear of the spacious walkthrough cockpit. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

The styling and the perception of quality this brings are noteworthy. The light oak trim with its horizontal matching grain, smooth inner mouldings and creatively positioned spotlights and indirect lighting produce elegant first impressions.

Studio Porsche’s managing director, Roland Heiler, stresses his firm didn’t want to create lots of design details, but a flowing line all the way through. The raised bank of lockers, which runs through the saloon, galley and forecabin, helps create this feeling of continuity.

It would be illogical to invest such resource into design if the product wasn’t manufactured to a certain level, so it was pleasing to find a consistently high standard of finish on the Elan GT6. It has a hand-finished feel with plenty of solid wood trim used, and the quality of fixtures and fittings is a step-up from standard production yachts.

Poke in the nooks of lockers and bilges and you’ll find painted laminate – no bare fibre or exposed chopstrand mat. Elan was one of the first production yards to employ vacuum infusion and its experience shows.

A two-cabin layout is offered as standard. The Slovenian yard will accommodate some bespoke requests, so in the port aft cabin of the test boat, for instance, it agreed to fit a convertible (and arguably more practical) twin rather than the standard double.

The owner of the test boat opted for a second aft cabin and a twin set up to allow friends to share. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

Becoming acquainted

Spending a night aboard can often unearth a few niggles that get to you in the quieter hours. But other than an unnecessarily loud water pump in the galley, this was not the case with the Elan. In fact the following day I found the interior just as appealing and the layout fit for purpose.

Despite the near-freezing temperature outside, there was also very little condensation in the morning thanks to good insulation and an efficient heating system. This and the installation of heating outlets throughout, including in the heads, makes a real difference to extending your season.

I liked the galley layout in particular. Positioned athwartships and amidships in the area of least pitching, it forms the heart of the boat. The cooking and refrigeration is arranged in the U-shaped section to port, with extra stowage surrounding the double sink to starboard. Cabinets for drinks and glasses add a classy touch and there is the option for a microwave or coffee machine to pop smartly out of the worksurface.

There is good engine access from three sides. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

The abundance of practical stowage is another plus point – in particular the continuous head-height bank of lockers, which open top-down, and the tall lockers near the companionway, which can house director’s chairs or would make an ideal place for hanging wet weather gear.

Admittedly, I found the height of the semi-raised saloon a little perplexing. Surely a benefit of having a deckhouse structure with its wraparound glazing, is to be able to enjoy the views from down below? I consider myself to be of average height at 5ft 10in, but I could not see horizontally out of the coachroof windows. Equally, the hull portlights are too low for a horizon view. The benefit these tinted windows bring, however, is natural light with a degree of privacy.

Elan has decided against a dedicated navstation, which will certainly be a big compromise for some. Yet its convertible solution, albeit compact and aft-facing, is more practical than many dual-purpose seating/chart table arrangements. By simply pulling the backrest, the whole seat hinges over to reveal the chart table, without any cushions needing to be rearranged.

No fixed navstation, but this convertible design works well. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

Above the navstation is a SiMarine touchscreen display, which sits within a brushed aluminium switchboard and provides intuitive monitoring of all the yacht’s main systems. The look and finish smacks of quality.

There is enough beam in the forward ends to mount the headrests forward in the spacious en suite master cabin. However, the aft cabins feel more compact, with narrow doorways – although the test boat did have the optional third cabin. These aft cabins have spacious and beamy double berths with pleasant seated headroom outboard beside the hull windows.

The heads are smartly done. Both have separate showers and good stowage, although again the aft heads is narrow and the freestanding egg shaped sinks annoyingly small.

A clever niche?

The Elan GT6 comes with a base price of €370,000 ex VAT (although the owner of the test boat had spend nearly half of this again on options). For €50,000–70,000 less you could get a 50ft+ French or German production yacht.

Or it would cost more than this difference again for a higher performance X-Yacht/Solaris/Grand Soleil. Yet this is a larger step up in quality from the former than it is down from the latter.

The Elan has a vacuum-infused build and comes with a degree of flexibility to tailor it to your needs. In Tom Humphreys’ words it’s an ‘out-and-out cruiser’, which sits between Elan’s Impression and Performance ranges.

The Elan borrows the ‘GT/Grand Tourer’ name because its primary purpose is fun, short-handed cruising with a high level of comfort and style. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

Most production yacht builders are now targeting this select area of the market – 45ft-55ft cruising yachts which offer a blend of luxury and speed, and that are comfortable, easy to handle and primarily suit warm weather sailing.

Yet Elan sits in its own pricing niche. And that is considerably less than you might expect for a product carrying the Porsche name.

This is a contemporary, sporty cruiser with all the styling bells and whistles needed to make it stand out in any waters. It is enjoyable to sail at a respectable pace and practical to cruise short-handed. It offers the space and comfort for spending holidays aboard, which it suits more than long-distance/ocean voyaging. And it is designed to maximise the enjoyment of your chosen cruising grounds, whether on deck, below, or on the helm. The GT6 has a level of refinement that comes with expert industrial design. The stark, contemporary styling, broad sections and high freeboard, which certainly made it conspicuous in Greenoch marina, will not appeal to all. But the attention to detail and design throughout keeps growing on you and sets this model apart. The employment of a household name is not about saying to the marina valet ‘mine’s the Porsche’. It’s more about giving the owner an extra level of reassurance in the product. It should imbue owners year after year with that elusive quality which, I can only assume, Porsche drivers have: pride.

The GT35 is an offshore cruising yacht that will look after you at sea and reward you with superb sailing qualities.

Modern in style, the interior is exquisitely finished so the result is truly a home from home on the sea..

Ever thought of actually sailing somewhere? Well if you have, you’ll no doubt be joining a growing number of discerning sailors who are looking for a well engineered and well designed modern yacht to take them to sea safely and comfortably. The GT35 is an offshore cruising yacht that will look after you at sea and reward you with superb sailing qualities. Stephen Jones has a knack of never failing to draw a well balanced and well mannered sailing yacht, appreciated by those who would rather not let the weather deter them from pushing off. Modern in style, the interior is exquisitely finished so the result is truly a home from home on the sea.

As David Harding writes in PBO, “Beating into 32-33 knots of wind across the deck in open water under full sail is a reasonably stiff test of any boat. The GT didn’t bat an eyelid… For those who think in Beaufort, this was the top end of Force 6”.

Available in two versions, the Grand Tour  and the  Club  versions, the GT35 is a big 35 footer. The capabilities of a yacht like this will allow you to go further more often and enjoy the trip more at the same time. This is a yacht that will keep on rewarding you, whether you’re at sea or in harbour, the GT35 is a safe and comfortable home from home.

Freeboard that is generous without becoming unwieldy provides an excellent range of stability (AVS 144°, STIX 54), high righting-lever as well as interior volume while the sweet sheer line marks a yacht of capable seaworthiness. The low centre of gravity lead keel allows the GT35 to stand up to the weather and with deep cockpit coamings that keep you dry, optional windscreen, secure transom and running rigging led safely aft, this yacht defines the GT marque perfectly.

For those joining the growing number of cruising sailors with eyes on the northern horizon, we have developed a  Baltic  specification. See the link opposite.

An inspired Forecabin

The forecabin is designed as the master, with an exceptionally large berth rarely seen even on a 40ft yacht with comfortable arrangements for a couple as well as an ensuite heads option. With overhead hatches as well as hull ports, the natural light is plentiful.

The Saloon area to envy

The saloon area with panoramic windows has a dining area that can comfortably seat six and offers a further two full-length berths with stowage and shelving. There is an option for a fold-down chart table.

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Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina Review

• By Tom Serio
• Updated: August 2, 2021

The Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina has some design changes from its GT siblings. The flybridge is pushed back a little, in a design nod to earlier Hatteras sport-fish yachts. There are newly designed side windows, and the engine-room side vents are longer. But the GT65 retains the series’ trademarks, such as generous bow flare, seakeeping ability and fish-raising muscle.

The owner of our test boat, Rascal , is a seasoned yachtsman, angler and family man who considered all of these attributes in his purchase. He worked as a mate on fishing boats when he was younger and has always been around boats with his family. Having owned several Hatteras sport-fish yachts, he decided the GT65 Carolina was the next logical move.

Rascal’s captain, Nick Millsap, has worked with the owner for five years and says the GT65 Carolina exceeded expectations. On the initial cruise to meet the owner, Millsap says, the GT65 had “a great dry ride, even into the head seas. It was rough, but the ride was awesome.”

The GT65 has a 194-square-foot cockpit, and there is room to swivel the combination fighting chair/rocket launcher in any direction on a frenetic marlin. Mezzanine seating to port has air conditioning to keep guests and line watchers cool. A stainless-steel freezer box is under the seat. Beneath the footrests are chilled boxes for refreshments.

To starboard is a tackle center with a prep station and eight drawers. The drawers have stainless-steel bottoms with holes for drainage and ventilation. An electric grill can be installed on top of the unit.

An in-deck ice maker produces not cubes but cylindrical ice, so it lasts longer and can touch more surfaces, keeping the catch fresher. The in-transom livewell can be fitted out with tuna tubes. Teak coaming boards add panache, while the lack of teak in the cockpit eases cleanup and maintenance.

For all its angling focus in the cockpit, the GT65 has yacht-level elegance inside. High-gloss teak is used for the cabinets and furnishings. Complementing the wood are light fabric headliners with teak accents, as well as a vinyl-plank sole for durability. An L-shaped sofa to port is plush and has stowage below each section.

Rascal’s layout has a galley island with two bar stools, a setup that creates multiple ways to move in and around the galley, and that makes more space for several folks to enjoy meals. The standard galley layout is a peninsula form, creating a U-shaped countertop with room for one more bar stool. Either way, the galley has fridge and freezer drawers; a microwave; a four-burner electric cooktop; stowage for pots, pans and dishes; and pantries and cabinets with matching grain. An elevated U-shaped dinette to port has underseat stowage and a teak table.

Belowdecks is a four-stateroom, three-head layout. All spaces have 6-foot-8-inch to 7-foot-1-inch headroom. The amidships en suite stateroom has a queen walk-around berth, nightstands, a full-size closet and drawers. The forward VIP can have a queen-size centerline berth or a 60/40 split berth. The two remaining staterooms have upper and lower berths.

Owners can convert one of the staterooms to a Hatteras Integrated Tackle Storage room, with gear cabinets and rig-prepping counter space. For the competing crew, the washer and dryer in the companionway should come in handy during tournament season.

To minimize maintenance, most all of the high-gloss teak finishes on the exterior can be painted in a faux-teak finish. It looks as close to real as you’ll get, without the need for varnishing.

Sporting a style that blends a little bit of yesterday with a lot of today, the Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina is built for running to blue water—and is designed to look good doing it.

Take the next step: hatterasyachts.com

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Hatteras Yachts GT 59 Boat Review

Power & motor yacht boat review, hatteras’ newest convertible is built from the generations of hard-fished sportfishermen that came before it, by simon murray, a boat show isn’t the best place to land a marlin. but it is a good place to land a prospective owner for your newly built sportfisherman, so waiting for me at pier sixty-six marina was hatteras yachts’ director of sportfishing capt. jeff donahue, his mate tyler davis and hull no. 1 of the gt59, her sleek, dark blue paint shining in the florida sun. a little over a winding mile north along this stretch of icw, a legion of sunglass-wearing construction workers was breaking down the 59th ft. lauderdale international boat show. donahue and company had been one of the first cut loose, and they were reveling in their new-found freedom. after being in attendance for every day of the five-day show, i couldn’t help but feel the same way as i stepped aboard. “it kind of feels like you’ve been let out of the cage,” opined donahue, splayed out in the expansive salon as davis stared distractedly at his phone. their body language said it all: the boat show, while successful, had clearly taken its toll. now the real work could begin..

If you can even call it work. While Donahue wears many hats for the New Bern, North Carolina builder, the foremost is overseeing the Hatterascal—a designation bestowed on the GT59 for 2019. It also might be one of the best jobs in the industry, one that requires captain and crew to attend a distinguished list of tournaments: from the Production vs. Custom Shootout to the White Marlin Open. In the past, the program has commandeered almost every model in the GT line—including the 54, 63 and 70—as demo boats. Donahue’s predecessor, Capt. Terry Stansel, even went so far as to live on the old 54 with his wife, traveling to the big-fish tourneys and boat shows up and down the East Coast.

If that sounds extreme—and it is—it also speaks to the importance of the program. On its face, the Hatterascal is unabashedly a market- ing promotion, allowing anglers to see the newest high-performance convertible in action, while also giving prospective buyers the opportunity to step aboard. But just as important, by dint of fishing it hard, Donahue and his crew are able to familiarize themselves with every inch of the vessel and offer tweaks and improvements to the design team in real time. “The best part about the program is you’re learning firsthand about your own product,” said Donahue. “One person’s opinion is one person’s opinion. But when you hear some- thing six or seven times, you better pay attention.”

It was time to put that plan into action. as donahue fired up the optional twin 1,900-hp caterpillar c32s, davis untied her lines and pushed out toward the stranahan river’s busy, post-show traffic. in no time, we had jockeyed around a cabin cruiser and a couple center consoles, taking the lead through port everglades inlet and running to daylight., over a decade ago, hatteras yachts debuted the gt60, the initial offer- ing in the gran turismo lineup. as the models progressed down the line, aesthetic and mechanical improvements were implemented. replacing the gt60, the gt59 is the current culmination of those subtle and not-so-subtle changes. for instance, the mezzanine features not only the requisite storage boxes underneath, but a bait freezer, a garmin touchscreen to port and integrated seatback air conditioning right around the mid-torso level. (the latter assuredly inspired by the maxim: happy crew, happy you.) and then there’s the patented deep hull tunnels that have been around for decades, which reduce shaft angles and provide maximum usable engine torque and thrust when underway or backing down. such innovations speak to the ideas born from hard fishing on the circuit..

Hatteras has offered one to three fuel tanks on its convertibles over the years, owing, typically, to the boat’s center of gravity and size. On the GT59, two come standard: a 1,500-gallon integral tank forward and a 250-gallon tank aft—with the option for an additional 250-gallon auxiliary tank where a Seakeeper 16 would go. As I would soon find out, with the 1,900-hp Cats, the 59 makes a cruise speed of 33 knots at 2000 rpm and a fuel burn of 165 gph. Considering her standard fuel capacity, the 59’s range is 357 miles at cruise: more than enough, in my opinion, to effectively curb any argument for trading the Seakeeper’s proven stability in rough seas for a little more juice. I think many would-be owners will agree.

As i was inspecting the rigging and storage—including two insulated fishboxes with a macerator, and a large transom fishbox that can easily accommodate a day’s worth of baitfish—donahue motioned for me to come join him on the flybridge. the helm featured three, flush-mounted garmin displays in a blacked-out array (to reduce the glare) that were currently showing our fishfinder and chartplotter. for a second i imagined the 59 was fully rigged, and we were on our way to the nearest canyon. if we were, there was plenty of seating for friends and guests on the flybridge alone, including two lounges that flank either side of the helm console. unobstructed 360-degree views from the captain’s chair looked onto a massive sunpad forward that opened to reveal a giant freezer—no more monkeying down the ladder just to snag a drink., grabbing the wheel, the exhilaration of her rpm range snapped me back into focus. a 3- to 4-foot chop was no match for the 59’s prominent knife-like entry and variable deadrise hull that flares out in true carolina fashion, effectively curtailing any spray. hitting a 40-knot top end, the biggest takeaway was the smoothness of her ride. no pound- ing or vibration, zero spray. the way the 59 was eating up the choppy whitewater, a crew could get some undisturbed winks heading out to the fishing grounds, no problem. “it rides on a pillow of air,” said donahue, proudly. upon returning to the docks, i inspected the wind- shield closer. it looked as if it had received nary a drop., in 1965, willis slane, jr., president and founder of hatteras yachts, sent a neatly typed letter to the company’s network of dealers. though enjoying moderate success, hatteras had chosen to discon- tinue their 34 sports cruiser in favor of prioritizing molds to build a 34 convertible. they were also making a big change from gas to diesel power—specifically, gm 453 turbo-charged engines. “the hatterascal, our demonstrator, has the same engines and has been operating since the first of the year,” wrote slane. “we and general motors are very pleased and feel it is a perfectly matched hull, weight and horsepower for diesels.”, that first hatterascal, the 34 delux sport fisherman, not only helped build the company, but quite literally changed the makeup of the sportfishing industry. for decades, slane’s competitors in north carolina had been building fishing boats exclusively in wood. slane, an avid offshore angler, was frustrated with the rough sea conditions off cape hatteras that routinely kept the local wooden sportfishing fleet at the dock. after visiting the cristaliner corporation in miami, and sea-trialing a 27-foot race boat made of fiberglass, slane had the wild notion (for the time) to use this nascent material to construct a sportfisherman out of fiberglass. people thought he was crazy. undeterred, slane hired young naval architect jack hargrave, who would go on to become a pioneering yacht designer credited with designing the 41-foot knit wits, the first boat over 30 feet to be built of fiberglass., that’s the story we all know. but what may not be as well documented was the eye-opening effect the hatterascal had on customers and wooden boatbuilders alike. after attending the various tournaments and boat shows, the durability and strength of fiberglass— coupled with the fit and finish and comfort found aboard the 34—far outpaced anything on the market. in fact, there were more than a few manufacturers that could not make the switch and eventually folded. by allowing anglers and captains to experience the hatterascal, the industry was largely transformed from wooden boats to fiberglass. in no small way, the 34 provided a key evolutionary step between the wooden boats that sailed the seas for millennia to the new fiberglass hulls of today., owing to that original success, and its subsequent innovations, the hatterascal program was going strong for decades. but when the re- cession hit, and purse strings got tight industry-wide, it was shelved. jeff donahue had recently come on board at hatteras, and had seen the effectiveness of the program firsthand. post-recession, there was a big push at new bern to revive it. “because it’s such a vital market- ing tool for us,” said donahue. (its resurgence has coincided nicely with the popular gt series.) since that time, though his position has changed—from sales manager to director of sales to director of sportfishing—he’s remained hatterascal’s ex officio skipper., when i last spoke with the crew, they were in key largo preparing for the reef cup, the first tournament of the season. the week before, they had taken out a prospective owner and his mother-in-law: for other crews, a potential kiss-of-death. but not the hatterascal team. “she was 81 years old and caught her first fish. so she was excited and hollerin’,” said donahue. “you’ve got to be able to do that and roll with it and have fun and make them enjoy the experience.”, since i had last come aboard, donahue and davis had identified some tweaks to the 59 that could be implemented immediately, such as relocating the electric steering pumps and the salt-water wash- down to a different location. they also had made an important observation: since the sailfish bite had been strongest in the immediate prop wash, they were adjusting the lines, hoping it would lead them to the winner’s circle. donahue can still remember where the bites would come on the 63—“left short”—or the 70—“left short and right short”—as if it were yesterday. “every boat has its little honey spot,” said donahue. “some boats you’ve got to fish everything back further, some boats you can fish things in close. it takes time to dial in.”, this is all in preparation for “the really hoppin’ period between may through september” where the crew will be covering a lot of ground, going from the production vs. custom shootout in the bahamas to the mid-atlantic tournament in cape may, new jersey— viking’s home turf. though the hatterascal crew goes up against viking’s in-house team throughout the season, donahue assured me the two sportfishing giants engage in friendly competition. this is a program focused on fun, after all, and letting others see for them- selves what the newest addition to the hatteras family is made of. pride centers on the design, even if the fish aren’t biting., the 59’s predecessor, the 63, was the latest model to usher in a new generation of sportfishing boats. donahue tells a story of being at a dock with a custom north carolina builder aboard the 63 after it had recently debuted. a guy came up and greeted him warmly, congratulating him on his new boat. according to donahue, “the builder said ‘i wish i could take credit for it, but it’s a hatteras.’” excited, donahue went back to his design team and told them they had hit it out of the park: “people think it’s a custom boat.” that’s the goal they’ve been go- ing for ever since—staying within their current style, but making it look more custom when possible by softening edges and keeping windows flush instead of scalloped, among other touches., when the gt65 is launched later this year, to replace the 63, it will feature all of those incremental changes throughout the years, with a focus on upgrading the helm array and an all-new engine room lay- out. in addition, the hull and stringer system will be infused as a single part—an industry first, according to the builder—to reduce weight and increase strength. it will also most likely be the next hatterascal., contact california and mexico hatteras yachts dealer kusler yachts today for more information., kusler yachts has been in business since 2010 and is one of the most successful yacht brokerage’s in southern california.  kusler yacht s is the west coast premier yacht brokerage specializing in yachts for sale, fishing boats for sale, regulator center console boats, hatteras yachts , albemarle fishing boats and used boat sales. kusler yachts san diego yacht brokers have over 50 years of on-the-water experience.  contact us today ., join kusler yachts at the 2019 fort lauderdale boat show – #flibs, join kusler yachts at the miami yacht show feb 13-17, 2020.

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2024 Ford Mustang GT Review: The Horse Still Has Legs

It’s Déjà vu, Ground Hog Day, a glitch in the Matrix. Call it what you’d like, but the Chevrolet Camaro is heading out of production, the Dodge Challenger is being discontinued, and the Ford Mustang is once again the sole survivor in the pony car wars. 

Ford has been here before on more than one occasion. With no competitors left in the segment, the brand could just sit back and enjoy an exclusive market. But the manufacturer doesn’t want the Mustang to merely survive; Ford wants it to strive. So, in 2024, a  new Mustang is introduced , now in its seventh generation. 

The Ford Mustang is once again the only pony car left standing. All the car’s competitors are on their way out the door. But rather than rest on its laurels, the brand has introduced an all-new Mustang for the 2024 model year.

With an evolutionary new look, upgraded tech inside, and better safety, the Mustang remains wholly familiar. But Ford has done a great job at tweaking many of the car’s mechanical bits to produce a vehicle that connects with the driver better than before.

What’s New for 2024:

As mentioned above, the car enters a new generation for the 2024 model year. Although Ford is classifying it as all new, many parts carry over from the previous generation, just with tweaks and updates. There remains a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or a 5.0-liter V8 as the engine options, but only the V8 can now come with a six-speed manual transmission. The rest of the cars get a 10-speed automatic like before.  

2024 Mustang GT: All The Details

Exterior Style:

At 189.4-inches (4,811 mm) long, the new Mustang is a smidge longer than the car it replaces. The front end is the most dramatic difference, featuring headlights that depart from the past two generations of Mustang and align more with the Mustang Mach-E. 

There are LED lights all over the exterior, with the taillights retaining the classic three bar look and sequential turn signals. The rear of the car does feature a pronounce indented crease that runs from taillight to taillight through the trunk. Photos don’t really show just how aggressively angled it really is. 

Our car came painted in one of my personal favorite colors, Grabber Blue. To match the car, the optional Brembo calipers are painted Grabber Blue as is the high wing spoiler.  

Powertrain and Fuel Economy:

Under the hood remains Ford’s 5.0-liter V8, now making a bit more power. The regular 2024 Mustang GT pumps out 480 horsepower, while ones equipped with the optional Active Valve Exhaust, like my tester, bump output up to 486 hp. It’s the same story with torque as the standard 415-pound feet increases to 418 lb-ft. 

My tester arrived the way all V8 Mustangs should, with the six-speed manual transmission. It incorporates rev-matching downshifts which work quite well in this car. Also included on my tester is the optional Performance Package that I say is a must for the Mustang GT. It upgrades, the rear differential to a shorter 3.73 ratio, adds the rear spoiler mentioned above, and adds more parts I’ll get to later in this review. 

With nearly 500 hp, the 2024 Ford Mustang GT is quick. Even in a world full of electric vehicles making absurd amounts of power, there’s something about the acceleration in a V8 Mustang that no EV can match. A lot of that has to do with the sound. The active valve exhaust unleashes a torrent of sound out the back of the car. There is quiet mode to help keep relations with your neighbors on the good side, as well as Normal, Sport, and Track. 

Normal mode is louder than most cars on the road today and Sport is just crazy loud. How it passes laws to go into production I don’t know, but I’m here for it. The final mode, Track is meant for the track only, but I don’t really notice a huge volume increase over Sport. 

Power from the 5.0-liter engine is a bit reversed compared to a lot of V8s. At lower rpms it makes good power, but it’s the higher revs where the engine really comes alive. The first three gears assault one’s senses as the Mustang gallops toward the horizon (okay, no more horse puns). 

Handling and Drivability:

Further included with the Performance Package are Magnaride dampers and a Brembo brake system, with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers in the rear. Wearing 255/40R19 front tires, 275/40R19 rear tires, the Mustang has moves I haven’t experienced in Ford’s Pony car before. Well, at least not in a regular GT. 

Even with a curb weight of 3,827 pounds (1,736 kg), the car is nimble. It responds instantly to a driver’s inputs and never feels sloppy or twitchy. The steering does lack a bit of feel but it is precise. I liken the new Mustang GT to driving a larger, heavier, more powerful Subaru BRZ. It’s the sort of vehicle that craves to be driven hard. 

To help support the driver’s current mood, there are six driver-selectable drive modes. These include normal, sport, slippery, track, drag strip, and custom.

Ride Quality and Comfort:

Interior comfort has never been a top priority for the Ford Mustang and the new generation is no exception. That stated, the front seat passengers do benefit from 37.6-inches (955 mm) of headroom and 44.5-inches (1,130 mm) of legroom. Our tester included the optional dual-zone climate control, power driver seat, as well as heated driver and passenger seats. 

In term of actual seat comfort, the Mustang GT seats up front are decent and offer good support. Less decent are the two rear seats, which remain the domain of children, with 34.8-inches (884 mm) of headroom and 29.0-inches (737 mm) of legroom. Still, at least the Mustang includes rear seats, something that can’t be said for the Toyota GR Supra or the Nissan Z. The ‘Stang also has a useful trunk that can swallow 13.3 cubic feet (382 L) of gear.

As for ride comfort, the GT is quite compliant over bums for a sports car. Even with the Performance Package, the car doesn’t punish passengers like some other sporty cars do. 

Interior Style and Quality:

With every new generation, the interior gets a bit more conventional while trying to keep that Mustang flair. The center stack of the new car is angled toward the driver, who sits behind a flat bottom steering wheel. There’s a digital gauge cluster that can be customized in many ways, including one layout that mimics the original 1964 Mustang gauges and one that mimics the Fox Body Mustang’s gauges. 

Below the center vents is a row of buttons including traction control as well as the ignition. All other controls are housed inside the touch screen, including those for climate control. We wish there was at least a physical hot/cold button or switch. 

Tech and Safety:

That main touchscreen of the car runs Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment software. Beside the HVAC controls, the system also houses things like the Track Apps, vehicle set up, and more. It’s also capable of running Apple CarPlay Wirelessly. Rain sensing wipers are standard while my tester came with the optional 9-speaker audio system and customizable ambient colors. 

Safety is a top concern, even for a performance vehicle. The 2024 Ford Mustang GT Coupe includes Ford Co-Pilot360 technology, with features like a Blind Spot Information System, 

Lane-Keeping System, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, and more. 

Value Dollars and Sense:

In the United States, the 2024 Ford Mustang GT Coupe starts at a price of $44,455 (all prices including destination). Although the car remains one of the most affordable ways to get a V8 engine, long gone are the days of the GT starting below $40,000. 

As tested, the car featured in this article comes in at $53,965. For comparison, that pricing puts it slightly above the Nissan Z and below the Toyota GR Supra.

In Canada, the starting price for the Mustang GT Coupe is $50,595 while the as tested price came in at $62,390.

Final Thoughts:

Ford’s updates to the seventh-generation Mustang connects the driver to the car in ways previous generations hadn’t. The interior technology is also brought up to date while the exterior is modernized, yet still very Mustang in appearance. There are a few quibbles we have here and there, but overall, the Mustang’s short-term future looks bright.

There may only be one traditional muscle car left on the market now, but at least it’s a really good one.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter  here .

Q: How much will the 2024 Mustang GT cost?

A: The 2024 Ford Mustang GT Coupe starts at a price of $44,455 including destination charges. 

Q: How much horsepower does the 2024 Mustang GT have?

A: The 2024 Mustang GT comes with 480 horsepower, which can be bumped up to 486 with the active valve exhaust. 

Q: Is the new 2024 Mustang supercharged?

A: No, there is no factory supercharged Ford Mustang for 2024.

A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.

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Dufour 390: ‘Responsive, fun & forgiving to sail’

• David Harding
• August 6, 2021

The Dufour 390 is an impressively roomy cruiser that also offers more performance than you might expect, says David Harding

Designed by Umberto Felci, the Dufour 390 starts from £151,963 including VAT. Credit: David Harding

Product Overview

• Surprisingly good sailing performance
• Good attention to details
• Excellent cockpit table with stowage
• Headsail tracks too short with overlapping genoa
• Loses way quickly
• Non-slip finish is less grippy than some

Manufacturers:

Price as reviewed:.

Creating boats that stand out from the competition can be a challenge for builders of modern family cruising yachts.

That means buyers have to scratch beneath the surface to home in on the one that best suits their needs.

Do a little scratching, however, and the differences soon appear.

Take the Dufour 390, for example.

Here is a high-volume cruiser with, at a glance perhaps, much in common with other boats of similar length: lots of freeboard, a broad stern, twin wheels and a modest rig.

You will need to go below and take a look around on deck to see some of what sets the Dufour 390 apart because she’s nicely finished and full of practical features and neat touches.

Wide side decks run all the way to the stern. The cockpit table incorporates handholds, a light and useful stowage. Credit: David Harding

Going for a sail will also help.

Despite her volume, and statistics that don’t point to a particularly sporty nature, she sails surprisingly well in both light airs and a breeze .

The designer, Umberto Felci, has squeezed more performance out of her than appearances might suggest.

She’s pretty well-mannered, too.

This new addition to Dufour’s range is generously proportioned by almost any standards.

Her substantial beam is carried well forward, giving the Dufour 390 notably broader shoulders than seen in her predecessors.

Standard instruments and repeaters will fit in the helm consoles, the plotter living centrally on the aft end of the cockpit table. Credit: David Harding

Combined with the high topsides, this creates a vast amount of space inside a hull that’s not quite 37ft (11.2m) long.

You have to include the moulded bowsprit -cum-anchor roller to reach the total length of just over 39ft (11.94m).

This boat is built for comfort in harbour and fun, forgiving sailing rather than high-end performance.

As such she doesn’t look exactly over-canvassed.

In fact her sail area/displacement ratio is a modest 16.3, based on the 100% foretriangle; a little less in practical terms if you choose the standard self- tacker and slightly higher with the optional 108% headsail on its FlatDeck furler.

Moulded bulwarks form part of the hull-to-deck joint. Through-deck scuppers help water to drain. Credit: David Harding

When you look at the hull and deck more closely, you notice long chines that start well forward. The topsides are almost vertical down to the chines to maximise internal volume, then they tuck in to give a narrower waterline.

Further indications of performance aspirations include the respectably deep draught of 6ft 5in (1.95m) with the standard bulbed fin keel , or you can plump for the 5ft 9in (1.75m) alternative if you’re prepared to sacrifice a little sprightliness.

The owner of our test boat, Kevin, had chosen the deeper keel.

He also upgraded to the overlapping headsail, gaining the 75sq ft (7sq m) of canvas together with greater sail control and more drive off the wind among other benefits.

Differences in detail

The extra drive from the overlapper would certainly have helped offset the drag from the standard-issue, two-bladed fixed prop .

On our first outing in light airs and flat water the boat readily clocked 3.5 knots on the wind when the shifty breeze occasionally gusted to 6 knots or so.

Don’t expect this if you stick with the self-tacker, however, especially if you plump for in-mast reefing as well.

That will cost you a further 70sq ft (6.5sq m) and, of course, the compromises go way beyond the reduction in area.

Lights set into the bulwarks add a little style at night. Credit: David Harding

It’s the usual choice between maximising efficiency and making sailing simple. Whatever the effects of the easy- handling sail options, they will be more pronounced in light airs and a seaway.

That’s when boats with modest rigs and high-volume hulls tend to suffer,as more performance-orientated designs disappear over the horizon.

In practice, since most cruising yachtsmen will switch on the engine in such conditions, it might not be too much of an issue.

Given the conditions during our first outing, we needed to head out a second time to do the boat- testing equivalent of leaving some rubber on the tarmac.

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When a suitable day appeared, we sallied forth to be greeted by winds that, according to BrambleMet, were gusting to 30 knots around the time we were heading down Southampton Water and remained in the mid 20s for the first hour.

Under full headsail and with one slab in the main, we reached towards Calshot with up to 8 knots showing on the log. It was a promising start, the boat feeling comfortable on a point of sail that tends to show up any wayward tendencies.

Once in clear water, we hardened up and punched into the breeze. Wind and tide together created only a modest chop in the Solent, but the Dufour 390 seemed unfazed by the occasional succession of steeper waves.

The hinge-down stern platform incorporates a bathing ladder and opens up the liferaft stowage. Credit: David Harding

We seldom felt anything other than the gentlest of thuds or found more than the odd drop of spray making its way back to the cockpit.

Our sail plan seemed about right.

Even keeping the traveller amidships while maintaining plenty of leech tension elicited no serious protests as long as we feathered into the gusts, steered around the waves and took care to avoid stalling, though the boat understandably made it clear that she didn’t enjoy being sailed this way.

Travellers are often not included on family cruisers, making it harder to get them going comfortably and efficiently upwind in a breeze, as well as to maintain pointing in lighter conditions.

It’s good to see that Dufour fits one as standard.

Sailing in a breeze

Life inevitably became easier when we eased it down the track.

Our speed picked up from around 6 knots to 6.4 and any apparent loss of pointing would have been more than compensated for by the extra lift from the foils .

The boat sailed faster and flatter (typically at 15 to 20° of heel) and was more responsive.

In smoother water closer to the shore we picked up to 6.7 knots at times, still tacking through around 75°.

As usual, the polars indicate more pace and pointing than the test boat achieved, in this case showing over 7 knots at 35° in 25 knots of wind.

The deck is clear and easy to move around, and the low gooseneck simplifies mainsail handling. Credit: David Harding

Many of the usual factors would have contributed to the disparity, including the fixed prop, rigging (1×19 all round) that needed tweaking up, tanks that were fairly full, the chop and the standard-issue Dacron sails.

Not helping either were jib tracks that didn’t extend far enough aft.

As I had noticed on the first sail in lighter airs, sheeting in the headsail closed the leech while leaving the foot slack and, of course, the effect was more pronounced in heavier conditions.

Something else that would increase the headsail’s efficiency is the ability to tension the backstay.

By default the 390 comes with twin backstays. A single, bifurcated stay with a tensioner is on the options list.

When you’re testing in a decent breeze it’s always good to see how a boat copes when provoked, so I started by bearing away from a close-hauled course with the sheets pinned in.

The view from aloft shows that the beam is carried further forward than on many modern designs. Credit: David Harding

The rudder gripped to around 30° of heel, whereupon we spun through the wind –albeit more gently than on some boats – and ended up hove to on the other tack.

Heaving to is worth checking out anyway, so we let the Dufour settle down and found that she fore-reached at about 3 knots with the wind on the beam.

Although the log was reading 3 knots, most of our speed was sideways.

In any event, it led to enough water-flow over the rudder for the boat to be turned dead downwind – still with the sheets pinned in – gybed, and brought back on to a close-hauled course.

Plenty of windows and hatches make for a light and airy interior, here finished in light oak. Moabi is standard and teak the third option. Credit: David Harding

My next act of provocation was to pinch her the point where the sails were still filling but the foils no longer generating lift.

This happened at around 2 knots.

Suitably stalled, she crabbed fairly briskly but once again responded to the rudder when asked, allowing us to re-engage forward gear by putting the nose down a few degrees and giving her a moment.

Keeping the Dufour 390 on track

All told, for a boat that most owners are unlikely to push particularly hard, she performed well and showed a high degree of tolerance, proving responsive, obedient and generally fun to sail.

All we had to be mindful of was her propensity to lose way rapidly, and that’s something you can’t ignore if you want to make life easy for whoever’s wielding the winch handles.

While the overlapping headsail is well worth having on any number of counts (including the ability to heave to without hassle), it does call for a little winching during tacks.

Hull chines extend well forward to maximising volume. Credit: David Harding

The lazy man’s approach is to let the boat build up speed on the new tack with the sail loosely sheeted in, then head into the wind for a few seconds to take the pressure out of the sail for easy winching.

With a relatively light, high-volume, flat-sectioned design, a few seconds is all you get before she loses way.

To sheet in the headsail, you’re given a pair of Lewmar 40 self-tailers just forward of the wheels that also handle a German-style split mainsheet.

Both sets of sheets run through clutches or jamming foot-blocks.

On the subject of characteristics common to modern cruisers, there’s something else you need to accept with beamy hulls that have a hard turn to the bilge and present a very different immersed shape when heeled.

That’s the need to apply constant corrections to the helm as the boat heels, comes upright and heels again in gusty conditions, and it’s the same downwind in a seaway.

Facnor’s FlatDeck furling system keeps the headsail’s tack reasonably low, but the tracks don’t extend far enough aft. Credit: David Harding

Slimmer hulls and slacker sections make for easier handling and more relaxing sailing in many respects.

Form stability and internal volume are what sell these days, however.

And given the space inside the Dufour 390, she handles pretty well.

She’s also respectably handy under power, even if it does take a while before she steers to port in astern.

A sink with a difference in the aft heads. The mirror can be tilted – a nice touch. Credit: David Harding

Ahead in a straight line, 2,500 rpm from the 30hp Volvo Saildrive (40hp as an upgrade) pushes her along quietly at 6.2 knots.

As for the ergonomics on deck and in the cockpit, everything works pretty well.

Half-depth cockpit lockers each side swallow a fair amount of kit and the sturdy central table incorporates useful (but rarely-found) stowage for smaller items that need to be readily accessible.

Accommodation on the Dufour 390

For a boat of this size, the Dufour 390 offers a good range of interior layouts.

On our test boat, Kevin had chosen the three-cabin, two-heads version: twin double cabins aft, the communal heads to port opposite the L-shaped galley and an en-suite heads in the forecabin.

One alternative is to have a massive athwartships double cabin in the stern.

Another is a three-cabin, three-heads arrangement with a linear galley to port, and a new option has been introduced with a single heads.

Full bow sections create an enormous forecabin, which features fiddled shelving and hullside ports. Credit: David Harding

Joinery is Moabi as standard; otherwise teak or, as on Kevin’s boat, light oak.

It’s substantial, nicely finished and all made in-house by Dufour.

Down below under sail, nothing was obviously amiss except that the magnetic catches holding the doors open in harbour didn’t all do quite such a good job at 20° of heel.

There was no creaking or groaning, the boat appeared to stay the same shape on both tacks and handholds were generally in the right places.

The modest but adequate chart table can be lowered to extend the port settee berth in the saloon. Credit: David Harding

Welcome details include split mattresses in the cabins to allow lee cloths to be rigged up, and large drawers giving access to the stowage beneath the port settee berth.

Abaft the berth – which is 6ft/1.83m long – the smallish chart table can be lowered in Dufour’s normal style and an infill cushion dropped in to form a berth extension.

Another Dufour special – on the options list this time – is the wine rack under the sole by the companionway.

Dufour 390 test verdict

Seen from a distance, the Dufour 390 is attractive in the modern style but does little to draw attention to herself.

Once you have spent time on board and sailed a few miles, however, you come to appreciate some of the features and detailing that are not found on every boat.

You tend to get more if you pay more, and of course there are many more expensive 39-footers (and 37-footers, with or without a moulded bowsprit) that you can buy.

A German-style split mainsheet leads the tails aft to each helm console. Credit: David Harding

Nonetheless, the Dufour’s designers and builders have done enough to make her different. You would expect some nice styling touches in a Franco-Italian boat and you get them. Even the door handles are nicely shaped for the hand.

Structurally there’s little that’s high-tech about the Dufour 390: a conventional, hand-laid solid laminate in the hull incorporating NPG resin.

Lifting the cabin sole reveals a stiffening matrix and stainless steel backing plates for the keel bolts.

It’s the parts you can’t see that often make the difference, but Dufour doesn’t have a reputation for cutting corners.

Would the Dufour 390 suit you and your crew?

It was interesting to see the Dufour 390 next to a Bowman 40 in the marina before our first sail: two boats of broadly similar ‘box’ length but the latter epitomising the more traditional style – deeper, narrower and heavier.

David Harding has been testing boats for over 25 years. He is also a marine photographer and runs his agency, Sailing Scenes

The Dufour represents all that’s modern, complete with hinge- down bathing platform, provision for an outside galley in the stern, a large fixed window in the coachroof abaft the mast that floods the interior with light, and so on.

In heavy weather or for true blue-water sailing, who wouldn’t choose something like the Bowman?

Yet for what the vast majority of today’s owners want from their boats, the Dufour  390 will be much closer to the mark.

She offers all the lifestyle features we have come to expect, and more besides.

The fact that she also performs well when pushed in conditions that not everyone would choose to go out in is undoubtedly a bonus.

Enjoyed reading Dufour 390: ‘Responsive, fun & forgiving to sail’?

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