Passagemaker Magazine

11/01/2024

11/01/2024

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: MJM 4

The builder of "Carolina Down East" inspired, spirited performers, MJM Yachts adds a diesel sterndrive option—a 440-hp duo from Volvo Penta—to its offerings with the MJM 4.

She's got a great layout. We like her large, seat-laden cockpit (with a Bimini top), and the boarding door for easy access to the dock. There’s also a pass-through to the swim platform. A flush deck leads to the thoughtfully designed pilothouse, which can be open to the elements with operable windows all around, including electrically actuated front glass. Or, the pilothouse can be closed off when the weather is not cooperating. There’s a settee to starboard, just abaft the helm, flanked by the portside galley.

For overnighting, a V-berth and the midship double berth can handle four guests, with all sharing the head and glass-enclosed shower.

When paired with the D6 iron from Volvo Penta, the MJM 4 is much more than a dayboat for weekending. According to the builder, her fast cruise of 28.3 knots at 3000 rpm return a 318-nautical-mile range. At a displacement speed of 7.7 knots, range jumps to more than 706 nm. She’ll top out at 39 knots to outrun storms or make the bar crossing before the tides shift.

Standard equipment includes Volvo Penta’s Joystick Control with Dynamic Positioning System, a bow thruster, a gyrostabilizer, air conditioning, a generator and twin Garmin touchscreen chartplotters.

📸 MJM Yachts

10/31/2024

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Leopard 46 Powercat.

Destined for Moorings charter fleets, the three- or four-stateroom Leopard 46 Powercat is a roomy boat for coastal cruising.

Standard power on the 46 is a pair of 250-hp Yanmar diesels, which you can (read: should) upgrade to 320-hp or 370-hp Yanmars. You don’t lose much engine-room space, and the extra horsepower will give you more oomph to outrun a squall.

The lower helm is another no-brainer option. On our boat, it allowed for either air conditioning or heat, and a place to get out of the breeze. That lower helm has outstanding visibility in all directions through vertical panes of toughened glass, and a dash that neatly handles twin Raymarine 16-inch multifunction displays.

In fact, the entire salon exudes space. Seated guests have a clear view of their surrounds. Our 46 had Sunbrella “pebble” upholstery, which is a serene silvery-gray, along with an easily maintained hardwood sole.

Our boat also had the owner’s layout, which turns the starboard hull into a suite with a nearly king-size berth aft. This is special, because you can walk on each side of the berth, so you retain a semblance of dignity while getting in and out of bed. The suite goes forward past hanging lockers, built-in bureau drawers and a vanity/desk, and then segues into a head. Twin sinks are under a backlit mirror that would be appopriate in a boutique hotel, and the shower is forward and nearly 4 feet square, allowing you to save water by showering with a friend.

The two guest staterooms to port each have queen berths, with one fore-and-aft and the other transverse. Both have en suite heads with showers (for one, sorry). An optional washer/dryer combo was tucked into the passageway.

📸 Leopard Catamarans

10/30/2024

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Outer Reef 650 Classic

In the boating world, change can be viscous, especially when you’re talking about a model that has seen great success since it was introduced 21 years ago. But after ferrying cruisers long and short haul for two decades, the Outer Reef 650 Classic’s number has come up for a refresh.

Included in the new 650 Classic are a larger galley with an open layout, mimicking the 700; a main-deck day head to starboard; a full-size refrigeration/appliance station for galley and entertainment conveniences; belowdecks accommodations with a fore-and-aft master king berth with single or twin heads, also emulating the 700 Series; and internal stairs from the salon to the crew cabin.

There’s also an improved layout of the quarters aft. When that room is used as a guest stateroom as opposed to a crew space, the 650 is considered a four-stateroom, four-and-a-half-head yacht. An FRP staircase to the flybridge replaces the previous stainless-steel ladder.

The 650’s hull shape and construction will not change, nor will the power package and engine options, which include iron from John Deere and Cat. The beefy hull is handlaid FRP with PVC-core sandwich above the waterline. As with its predecessor, the new 650 will be delivered with an extensive roster of standard mechanical and cruising equipment, including active fin stabilizers, a bow thruster, air conditioning and generators.

Depending on how she is outfitted, the 650 will have a fast cruise of 18 knots and top out at 26 knots, Outer Reef says.

📸 Outer Reef Yachts

10/29/2024

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: The 3-stateroom, 2-head Absolute Navetta 48.

From our sister publication, Power & Motoryacht:

"The 48 found her way to open water and nice 3- to 6-foot rollers. Taking the helm, I brought the boat onto plane at a surprisingly modest 11 knots; this proven semi-displacement hull of the Navetta line was ready to shine. She tracked like an arrow and hit a respectable 27 knots thanks to a pair of Volvo Penta IPS600s.

Really, what sets this boat apart is how comfortable and sturdy she feels through the rpm range. Running fast is always fun, but when you’re trying to keep tabs on the other guests aboard, bringing her down to 12 knots and staying on plane was a pleasant option."

📸 Absolute Yachts

10/29/2024

Making her world debut at this week's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: the Aquila 50 Power Catamaran.

The Aquila 50 replaces the Aquila 48 in a lineup that includes 44, 54 and 70-foot models. Layouts include a standard configuration of three en suite staterooms or the optional four stateroom (with crew quarters) package.

Standard power on the 50 will be a pair of 480-hp Volvo Penta D6, which the builder estimates will return a cruise speed of 18 knots and a top end of 22 knots.

Aquila's Hydro Glide Foil System is an optional feature, which reportedly enhances the performance, fuel consumption and handling characteristics.

📸 Aquila

10/28/2024

At this week's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Nordhavn 51

With the N51, Nordhavn created a turnkey production boat for long-distance cruising.

The N51 has two en suite staterooms, a day head and a flybridge. The pilothouse is similar to those that Nordhavn builds on long-range cruising boats, and the interior mirrors the N41’s.

Standard equipment includes stabilizers, a bow thruster, a davit and twin 160-hp John Deere engines. Garmin electronics also fill the standard spec sheet—with enough features that they’ll even keep a former pilot like Mark busy for months.

📸 Nordhavn Yachts

10/28/2024

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Iliad 53F

The base Iliad 53F is equipped with a pair of 440-hp Yanmar or Volvo Penta diesels, with an upgrade to 550-hp Cummins available.

According to the company, the 440 will produce a top speed of 21 knots. The magic is in the range. Iliad says that at a low-speed cruise of 7 knots, range is expected to be 2,500 nautical miles. Larger fuel tanks are available to further extend that range by carrying more than the standard 924 gallons. Larger freshwater tanks are available as well.

The deck spaces on the 53F are standouts. As with the rest of the boat, they feel exceptionally spacious. C-shape sunbeds with reclining backrests on the foredeck offer 270-degree panoramic views. The covered cockpit has a settee and a dining table for six. Wide, gated stairs to port and starboard lead down to the boarding and swim platform. The center section of the platform can be equipped with an optional hydraulic tender lift.

The model is available with a three- or four-stateroom layout. The three stateroom version has a double-berth stateroom (with an adjacent single) and a twin-berth stateroom to port, and a master running the length of the hull to starboard. The master had a walkaround queen berth, a vanity, a small settee, bookshelves, and a generous head with twin sinks and a separate shower.

📸 Supreme Scene, Iliad

10/27/2024

At this week's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Marlow 100.

The flagship, 100-foot Marlow Yachts Voyager has a 22.4-knot top end; at 1780 rpm, she cruises at 15 knots, burning about 7 gallons per nautical mile. Backing off the throttles allows her to really stretch: Marlow says there’s a 5,254-nautical-mile range at just under 8 knots, and over 2,500 nm at 9.5 knots, both with a 5 percent reserve.

Hull No. 2 has a four-stateroom layout, with a roomy salon and galley finished in warm teak, cut and milled at Marlow's facility from one fallen tree (in a boat of this size, likely two logs) for a near-perfect grain match.

Her forward galley is replete with significant dry storage plus five (each) refrigerators and freezer drawers—she can travel for several weeks without the need to take on sundries. Quartz-Lite countertops throughout the vessel are an ideal contrast to the teak.

📸 Alan de Gonzague, Tom Serio

10/26/2024

At next week's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Kadey-Krogen 58EB

All Kadey-Krogen Yachts—including the 58EB—share a Pure Full Displacement (PFD) hull form, a trademark feature designed by naval architect James S. Krogen decades ago. And like her sister ships, the 58 is ready to go the distance: the manufacturer claims a 3,775 nautical mile range at 7 knots and 2,600nm at 8 knots.

A 325-hp John Deere (twin John Deere diesels are optional) is part of her standard package that includes a 20-kW Northern Lights genset, Steelhead Marine davit, 12-mm tempered glass windows, a fuel polishing system and wing stations with engine and thruster controls.

📸 Kadey-Krogen Yachts

10/24/2024

This 1988 Hans Christian 45 Independence Trawler is an incredibly rare vessel, one of just 19 ever made. Known for their heavy displacement and seaworthy construction, Serrano is no exception.

Serrano measures 45 feet overall, with a beam of 14-feet, 5-inches. The wheelhouse has ample natural light, two ceiling hatches and a cushioned bench aft. The helm has all of the electronics one could desire for a longer excursion at sea.

Her maximized space allows for a spacious cockpit with a door to the lower salon, galley and dinette space. She carries classic yacht heritage with an oil lamp over the dinette table, and a bead styled ceiling.

Another level down are Serrano’s accommodations. The owner’s stateroom features a queen berth and ensuite head. She offers 2 more cabins and another head for guests.

Serrano is powered by a Ford Lehman 130-hp engine that cruises at 8 knots and maxes out at 11 knots.

Repost from

10/24/2024

Diesel-powered outboards give the classically styled Hylas M47 sprightly performance.

Fuel efficiency was impressive. At 1000 rpm and 6.3 knots, the outboards burned 1.8 gallons per hour, returning a range of 1,662 nautical miles. Fuel burn remained an efficient 14.5 gph at 17 knots, with range dropping to 556 nm. At a fast cruise of 26.5 knots (3500 rpm), fuel burn was 30 gph with range at 419 nm. At wide-open throttle, she hit just under 30 knots. Optional, larger fuel tanks can extend her reach.

The hull design incorporates a fine entry and a well-flared bow, shaped to run smoothly in the rough-and-tumble open ocean around New Zealand. An integral skeg keel provides tracking up or down swell.

For onboard comfort, equipment can include a Seakeeper 5 gyrostabilizer and a Spectra Newport 700c watermaker. Six beefy pillars support a coachroof with a freshwater catchment system, two opening hatches forward, and nearly full-cabin-length tinted side windows that allow almost 360-degree visibility from inside.

The hardtop extends aft to create shade and rain protection in the cockpit. Stowage at deck level includes molded settee lockers and a vented LPG locker. The after bulkhead between the outdoor cockpit and indoor salon practically vanishes when the glass door and nearby window are open. There’s a slight step up to the salon, keeping water and sand outside.

📸 Billy Black

10/23/2024

Since 1973, Marex have been crafting high-quality, seaworthy craft in their native Norway. The "Kings of the Sea" (translation of its name Marex) are looking to make a splash stateside with a range of models, including the 440 Gourmet Cruiser.

Two versions are available: The Scandinavia version has a salon door and an additional seating group in the salon. The Gourmet Cruiser will have a larger galley and bar with chairs or a settee. A sliding door with a retractable window is an option on the Gourmet Cruiser.

The 440 can be ordered with 2 or 3 staterooms and a range of power options from Volvo Penta—2/440-hp stern drives, 2/480-hp IPS or 2/480-hp V-drives.

📸 Marex


🇳🇴

10/21/2024

The latest in Hunt's Ocean series, the 56, is now under construction.

This smaller model in a line that includes 63, 68 and 76-footers will inherit the venerable Hunt Deep-V: A variable-deadrise bottom with a sharp, deep entry forward that flattens to some degree toward the transom. The benefits of such a configuration—paired with Hunt’s blend of hard chines, lifting strakes and spray rails—include a soft, dry ride in a range of conditions, straight tracking, and stability at speed and at rest.

The 56 can be had in both flybridge and non-flybridge versions. Both have an option of an extended roof which covers the whole of the aft deck.

Renderings show a full-beam master stateroom with a VIP forward and lounge that flanks the galley down. A 3-stateroom configuration is an option.

Powered by twin 725-hp Volvo Penta IPS950s, the builder claims a 27-knot cruising speed and a top end over 30 knots.

📸 Hunt Yachts

10/20/2024

Repost from
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The Doggersbank Offshore models come in any color🎨

As long as it is… Yours💫

In picture; The all-new Doggersbank 90 Offshore, shown in, but not limited to, four different color concepts.

10/19/2024

In a first for the Turkey-based shipyard, Numarine has splashed a diesel-electric hybrid with its 30XP.

Like many of its builds, the 98-foot explorer yacht starts with a steel hull and fiberglass superstructure and adds a semicustom interior to match its clients’ tastes. The 30XP, which we boarded at the Cannes Yachting Festival, is the epitome of Scandinavian chic—with soles that echo poured concrete, sisal rugs, pale oak panelling, loose furniture and more. An asymmetrical layout and floor-to-ceiling glass gives the salon, main deck master (with its own private terrace) and other spaces an open, airy vibe. There are four additional en suite staterooms below decks and crew quarters.

Outdoor spaces abound and include a 700-square-foot flybridge, a 500-square-foot beach club, covered cockpit and ample foredeck lounge.

On Hull No. 1, twin electric engines are powered by a quartet of 108-kW diesel generators, which the builder claims are highly efficient and live up to the explorer yacht moniker: the 30XP has an estimated range of 3,000 nautical miles at 8 knots. Top speed hovers around 13 knots.

In addition, 6 kW of solar on the flybridge hardtop allow the 30XP to run all hotel loads, including air conditioning for 6 to 7 hours.

📸 Kerem Sanliman

10/18/2024

"The list of powerboats under 70 feet that are good fits for high-latitude adventure cruising is small, and it’s even smaller when you also want the boat to serve as a weekender in her home waters of Maine," writes Nakomis Nelson.

"In November 2022, we settled on an Elling E6. It’s a 65-foot, semi-displacement, self-righting yacht with a transom garage for a jet tender; a spare engine with its own shaft and prop; the ability to cruise at 16-plus knots if needed; and a Kevlar-reinforced hull. Plus, the yard was willing to work with us on a laundry list of modifications for our summer 2023 departure to the Arctic."

Nelson and the boat owners picked up the E6 in Holland and together, piloted her up the Rhine River and into the North Sea. From there, they visited the U.K., the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Canada before returning home to Maine.

All told, their 4,200-nautical-mile North Atlantic odyssey included becoming the first Elling E6 to cross the Atlantic on her own bottom.

📸 Nakomis Nelson, Liam Selendy

10/17/2024

Sue Plotnick and Peter Belden wanted an oceangoing vessel that would also serve as their home. The couple were living on a 48-foot Rawson trawler in the early 2000s in Sausalito, Calif. Belden was a ferry captain on San Francisco Bay, a job that allowed him to build an extensive list of potential next boats in his head.

After extensive research, the couple modified George Buehler's plans for a steel Diesel Swan 55 to create something slightly different.

It took almost a decade for this couple to complete K**a Hele, but they wouldn’t change a thing. The project was completed in 2018.

The boat’s name is Hawaiian for “traveler,” and that’s what she has proved to be. In September 2018, they headed south on a three-week shakedown cruise to Catalina and the Channel Islands. In 2019, they embarked for Alaska, where there was lots of rain but also countless waterfalls, pristine waters, icebergs and virgin rainforests to explore, as well as fresh grilled salmon for dinner. Homeward bound, off Point Arena, Calif., the couple gasped when a 75-foot blue whale pulled alongside.

📸 Peter Belden

10/16/2024

After a year and a half of searching, Josh and Sophia Johnson (with assistance from broker Jeff Merrill) found a 2006 Diesel Duck 462 in Honolulu. Within 24 hours of they were on the next flight out of Phoenix with a sight-unseen offer on the table.

She would need a major refit and some cosmetic work before the big trip: they'd cross the Pacific and bring her to Meyers Chuck, Alaska, their future home. Once the sale had closed, got to work on the many projects that lay ahead, a process that took about a year.

Regarding the 2,500 nautical mile journey: "Our first five days were clear skies and flat seas. The most amazing, brilliant-blue days led to the most stunning, colorful sunsets each evening. The first few nights were dark and moonless, presenting a sky that glistened with magnificent stars and the Milky Way. Below La Costa, the bioluminescence vibrated as rolling waves disturbed the surface. The days were so calm that we would drop fishing lines in the water and often catch mahi-mahi," says Sophia.

It all changed on day 8 and for almost a week, the crew encountered seas of 26 to more than 50 feet, with winds clocking steadily at 30 to 40 knots. Eighteen days after leaving the tropical shores of Oahu, they saw the mountains of Tongass National Forest and the lights of Ketchikan.

"We did it: We had just crossed the Pacific Ocean. It was time to celebrate at a local bar, The Potlatch, and toast to our epic, 2,500-nautical-mile journey. In a few days, we’d head to our new home port, where Josh was born and raised, and start a new chapter in our lives," says Sophia.

📸 Sophia and Josh Johnson

10/15/2024

Built in 2008 at Conrad Shipyard in Poland, the 58-foot Gentelman is a steel tugboat with traditional lines, plenty of teak exterior accents and a warm, mahogany interior.

She's powered by twin 125-hp Yanmars that return a cruise speed of 8.5 knots and a top hop just over 10 knots. According to her builder, Gentleman has a range of 2,260 nautical miles at 8.5 knots.

📸 Conrad Shipyard

10/14/2024

The brief of the Steeler NG40 is simple. Take a beautifully proportioned hull and add a straightforward superstructure comprising just a pilothouse and a raised coachroof on the foredeck. Stick to the tried and tested portholes in the hull sides—not the vast and vulnerable windows of many modern designs.

On the interior, the owners of First Star wanted the galley up in the pilothouse instead of below, where it’s located in the standard layout. With the sink and the four-ring gas hob along the starboard side, there’s ample room for the dining table and comfortably sized settee on the port side. Stowage space is found in every available corner.

The woodwork, which is used mainly as trim in the pilothouse, is beautifully crafted walnut with a matte finish. The walnut is also used for much of the paneling and furniture in the cabins below, giving a warm and intimate feel.

The salon and the aft cockpit integrate well when the wide double doors are open. With both decks on the same level, it’s an easy transition from the interior carpet to the teak decks outside. The cockpit deck hatches allow access to the engine compartment and the aft lazarette, which has enough room for a bike or a folded tender as well as additional chairs.

📸 Steeler Yachts

10/13/2024

Last fall, Passagemaker EIC Jeff Moser sat comfortably in a Grammer suspension seat and looked over the USS Intrepid from the helm of the Sargo 45.

After looking over his shoulder to be sure there was a clear shot in the Hudson River traffic, he blasted the 45 hard over at 30 knots. She dug in and turned 180 degrees in less than three boat lengths, with a slight drop in speed. The boat is ideally matched to the Volvo Penta Aquamatic Sterndrives (mated to 440-hp D6s), perfectly placed within her hull and paired with the Humphree trim and stabilization system.

The 3-stateroom vessel topped out at just under 34 knots and was confident and quiet (60 decibels) at 15.2 knots, with a range of 321 nm at this speed. The sun’s glare was no match for the solar screens on the forward and side-facing windows.

📸 Sargo, Inside Passage Yacht Sales

10/11/2024

A 2016 build is born anew after a son enlists Zimmerman Marine to improve his late father’s launch. Head to the link in our bio for the full feature and more photographs.

📷 Max Parker

10/10/2024

We’re excited to announce a winner has been selected for the ICOM IC-M94D sweepstakes!

Thank you to ICOM for their valued partnership and to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more Passagemaker sweepstakes later this year!

Enter for a chance to win an Icom IC-M94D Handheld VHF Radio with DSC & AIS!

10/09/2024

A Classic, Reimagined: This exercise in redesigning the Grand Banks 32 is to stay true to what makes a Grand Banks distinct and recognizable in any harbor, while finding a way to create a significantly updated model to fill a niche for today’s boaters.

As a small trawler, the Grand Banks 32 has commodious accommodations cleverly packaged within clean exterior proportions. She’s a proven coastal cruiser in any season and is primed for couples who may want to head out a little longer.

Inspired by off-grid travel, the flybridge helm station would be removed for a deck to stow all one needs for self-reliance.

The propulsion package can remain. The Ford Lehman is a reliable and economical power plant. Or, an owner could update it for a modern, higher-horsepower diesel (the hot-rodder in me wants more horsepower) or perhaps even a hybrid or electric package. For the latter, I’d consider moving her updated lithium-ion batteries farther aft to balance out the weight.

🎨 Handmade Visuals




Dyksman Design Studio is not sponsored, associated, approved, endorsed nor affiliated with Grand Banks Yachts. The Grand Banks name is a trademark of Grand Banks Yachts Ltd. Any mention of trademarked names or other marks is for purpose of reference only.