I have to be honest: I’m not overly familiar with Slovenia. The small, former Eastern Bloc nation is sandwiched between the yachting mainstays of Italy and Croatia, and, I’d guess, is a bit of an afterthought for most Americans — if they even think of it at all. I’m also not overly familiar with Slovenian-built boats. To my recollection, I’d never been on one before I stepped aboard the Greenline 39 on Fort Lauderdale’s New River. Though after my sea trial, I’ve decided to familiarize myself more thoroughly going forward.
The Speed of Light
The 39 comes in two models: Hybrid and Solar. Both are impressive for their unorthodox design attributes. Greenline, if you couldn’t tell from the name, builds powerboats with small ecological footprints. As such, each boat has four solar panels atop the salon that can power all systems on board for three hours in the case of the Solar, or power the Hybrid’s 220 hp Volvo Penta D3 with a Mahle electric drive system. My 39 Solar test boat had the all-diesel 370 hp Yanmar V-8 diesel option, which is de rigueur for boaters with more traditional outlooks on power. Regardless of the engines, Greenline’s vessels have become popular among former sailors. That’s in large part owed to the boat’s ecologically conscious focus, but I would wager the elegant simplicity of the 39’s layout plays a role as well.
Flat-Out Cool
The boat has a nice sense of open space in her interior, making it the best eco-friendly pocket cruiser. From the scissor berths in the forepeak master, one can see all the way out to the cockpit. The stateroom has lots of natural light granted by windows that wrap around the space (the windows also help to make the boat’s profile more visually sleek). A flip-up window just abaft the galley allows service to the cockpit while fusing that area with the salon. Further, the stitching on the soft goods throughout is exemplary.
Feel the Flow
One thing that shows the level of forethought put into the boat is her side-deck layout. The decks are asymmetrical. To make the salon as large as the builder wanted, neither side deck would be wide enough to use comfortably. So Greenline essentially sacrificed the port side deck and made it very narrow, giving the remaining space to the starboard side deck, which is more than one and a half times wider in certain places. That way, there is a navigable passageway from the boat’s after section up to its bow deck.
Compromise isn’t always easy, but one is better than none. And attention to detail like that seen on the Greenline 39 is greatly appreciated, no matter where in the world you are from.
