It’s never too early to think about that next yacht. And Yachting wants to help in your search for that dream boat. Our staff travels the world to find our on-the-water enthusiasts new vessels, ranging from tenders and day boats to midsize cruising craft, larger motoryachts and mega-yachts. We take them out on the salt and see how they do.
Without further ado, here are 10 yachts that we’ve taken to sea from Brisbane to Biscayne Bay, to see how they performed on the brine. Whether you’re looking for a multipurpose day boat, an express cruiser, a stylish pedigree import or even something that pushes the boatbuilding technology envelope, you’ll find it here.
Riva 56 Rivale
Rivas are yachts of a different breed and, as they say, vive la différence. The 56 Rivale does not beat her competition by being faster, offering more accommodations, or even by being better engineered — although she happens to score very highly in that last category. Instead, she wins by presenting just about every square inch of her many attributes in the most exquisite of bundles. Few brands have such caché. — Phil Draper, “The Riva 56 Rivale is Undisputed“
Okean 50 Flybridge Motor Yacht
The boat doesn’t just make an impression with her looks. Her layout, particularly on the main deck, was a hit when she debuted stateside at the 2017 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and it’s plain to see why. Those windows allow as close to fully unobstructed salon views as I can recall seeing aboard a yacht, plus two hydraulic, foldout bulwarks lower to port and starboard. This act of oceangoing origami increases the Okean’s beam from 14 feet 7 inches to 20 feet 7 inches, making her an excellent party platform. — Kevin Koenig, “Okean 50 is a Brazilian Beauty“
Adler Suprema
The near omnipresent Italian design firm Nuvolari-Lenard penned the Suprema’s plumb bow, crisp sheer line and aggressively raked superstructure, as well as her interior. This firm has drawn an array of well-known production, semicustom and custom craft. Each yacht has its own signature, but, overall, Nuvolari-Lenard creates an upscale ambience that translates into all of its designs. — Patrick Sciacca, “A New Tack: The Adler Suprema“
Princess Yachts S60
The galley is aft and to port, a design choice that is becoming standard among Princess builds. The aft galley lends itself well to more casual boating, since the galley acts as a bridge between the salon and the cockpit. Its aft counter has a top-hinged window that opens to let the space double as an alfresco bar in the cockpit, to further meld the interior and exterior. This feature complements the cockpit’s U-shaped dining settee to make it a more complete entertaining area.
And complete is the key word. There’s little that this yacht can’t do. She’s fast, cruisable and fun with loads of stowage and entertainment space, and cool design details inside and out make her stand out in a crowded field. — Kevin Koenig, “Inside the Stylish, Sporty Princess Yachts S60“
Boston Whaler 350 Realm
I loved the 13-foot and 16-foot Boston Whalers I had a half-century ago, so I was eager to run Boston Whaler’s new 350 Realm. It melds the workmanlike qualities of a center console with the luxuries expected on today’s cabin craft. For sure, the 350 Realm is more than a one-activity center console for the family. It’s also set up for entertaining, fishing, overnight cruising and diving. — Chris Caswell, “Boston Whaler 350 Realm is the SUV of the Sea“
Tiara Sport 38LS
The 38 LS fuses center console sensibilities with the amenities of an express day cruiser. Tiara’s design team created distinct social zones, with wraparound seating forward and a clever turntable dinette aft.
In between is the enclosable helm area with triple bucket seats, and a teak-trimmed console with room for dual 16-inch Garmin monitors. There are Yamaha Helm Master shifter/throttle controls as well as a joystick for easy maneuvering, and a standard bow thruster. — Chris Caswell, “Tiara Launches its Sport Line“
Sea Ray Fly 520
I’ve been reviewing Sea Rays since company founder Connie Ray was still driving the train, and I’ve often used adjectives like well-built and family-friendly to describe new models. But when I stepped aboard the Sea Ray Fly 520, a different word came to mind: elegant. — Chris Caswell, “Meet the Sea Ray Fly 520“
MJM 43z
I ran that owner’s 43z, Annabelle III, from his home port. The yacht has an elegant, long forefoot, tall pilothouse and soft tumblehome, with the white Verados on the stern. He chose a custom gray exterior with an orange stripe (he modeled it after the Porsche 911 GT3 RS) that makes for a stylish contrast to the white topsides. Simply tacking the outboards to the stern could have ruined the classic MJM profile, but [naval architect Doug] Zurn sculpted the transom so the new engines were integral to the design. The yacht also has two side doors and transom doors for access from the dock, and standard features that include helm electronics, Lectrotab electric trim tabs, a Fusion entertainment system, a VacuFlush head, an Indel Webasto freezer and a memory-foam mattress. — Michael Verdon, “MJM’s 43z Adds Outboards to Traditional Design“
Horizon PC74
The first thing to catch my gaze on the PC74 from Horizon Power Catamarans was the high freeboard forward. It sloped aft, gently, via an unbroken sheer line that was curved like a wave. It was the kind of styling that I’m used to seeing on monohull power yachts, not on twin-hull designs.
As it turns out, my response was exactly what Stuart Hegerstrom had hoped to achieve. As founder and director of The Powercat Company, a Horizon Power Catamarans distributor, he had long believed that catamaran builders needed to design their yachts to more stylish standards. — Tom Serio, “Horizon Power Catamaran’s PC74 Offers a Lot“
Riviera 525 SUV
Yachting took the Riviera 525 SUV out for a spin in the Tasman Sea in Sydney, just before the opening of the Sydney International Boat Show. We cruised by world-famous Bondi Beach and other beautiful parts of Sydney’s coast.
The 525 SUV fills the gap in a model series that includes a 445 and a 575. Our test vessel was powered by twin 725 hp Volvo Penta IPS950 diesels, providing an easy 24-knot cruise speed. — “Sea Trial: Yachting Tests the Riviera 525 SUV“
