Axopar understands the deep appeal that a well-built, fast and, shall we say, economically accessible boat will have in the American market. And thus, the Finnish builder recently introduced its 37 stateside. The boat comes in four iterations: T-Top, Sun-Top, Cabin and Aft Cabin, all of which run on identical twin-step hulls but have configuration differences above the waterline.
I’ve tested the T-Top and the 37 Cabin, and I thoroughly enjoyed running both of them in mildly sporty conditions off Fort Lauderdale. Though for my money, the T-Top is where it’s at. I really liked nearly everything about this boat. She is pure fun — simple and unadulterated. She has seven (count ’em) forward-facing seats that are great for longer passages, plus two sun pads, fore and aft. That’s enough space to keep everybody comfortable on your run to the sandbar, your favorite waterside restaurant — even the Bahamas if you live in South Florida and are feeling ambitious.
Also, the 37 can get up and go. With the hammer down in a calmer stretch just outside the inlet, she hit a rollicking 45 knots thanks to twin 350 hp Mercury Verado engines. And out on the blustery 3- and 4-footers just a bit farther out, I cruised the boat along at a solid 30 knots.
No matter what the Atlantic threw at her on test day, she came off the top with confidence, and she landed with admirable ease, even when the props released off a devilishly inclined swell.
What’s more, this high-performing center console tracked true despite the confused seas, and her steering was smoother than a collaboration between Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana.
Her fast, fun performance is a thrill, but perhaps the best part about the Axopar 37 T-Top is that this distinctly lined screamer is priced to add to any fleet. With a base price of less than $200,000, she is six figures less than some other boats in her class. The price is a function of Axopar building its boats in Poland, where labor (and cost of living) is much lower than in other parts of Europe. So, essentially, the company found highly skilled workers at a significant discount, a discount that Axopar happily passes on to the customer. Most of whom should be quite content with that.
