best 50ft yacht

Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. She is a new breed of luxury 50 foot yacht, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability

Introducing the award-winning Oyster 495.

A luxury, bluewater cruiser with half a century of Oyster experience and innovation running through her every inch.

Effortless handling

The new Oyster 495 is a 50 foot yacht designed for ease of use and shorthanded sailing.

LOCAL EXPERTISE

For new yacht sales and our service operation in the Americas, visit our offices in the heart of the US East coast sailing scene, Newport, Rhode Island. We would be delighted to help.

Distinctly Oyster

She embodies all the learning, insights and innovative features from Oyster’s larger models, intelligently integrated into this benchmark 50 foot sailboat.

Equipped for adventure

A true liveaboard bluewater cruiser, equipped to take you anywhere in luxury, comfort and safety.

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Displaying all the hallmarks of Oyster’s exquisite craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, the exceptional build quality of the Oyster 495 means she is built to last a lifetime.

BUILDING THE 495

Join double Olympic gold medallist, sailor and respected journalist, Shirley Robertson, as we build and sail the first Oyster 495.

Every inch an Oyster, the new Oyster 495 features instantly recognisable design cues – deck saloon, seascape windows and flush decks, combined with exceptional sailing performance.

Unmistakably Oyster

The latest collaboration between humphreys yacht design and our in-house design studio, the new 495 50 foot sailing yacht is an evolution of five decades of iconic oyster design cues..

Her clean hull lines and wide beam aft are the foundation for the outstanding space and capabilities of the Oyster 495. She incorporates many of our big yacht features in a compact 50 foot yacht. Instantly recognisable as an Oyster, the Oyster 495 features our pioneering deck saloon, protected cockpit and helm stations, wraparound and forward-opening saloon windows. Flush decks, signature triple vertical seascape windows, foredeck skyscape windows, a powerful plumb bow and extended bowsprit complete the look.

We were the first boat builder to create a truly ergonomically designed cockpit and helm positions, with sprayhood and optional bimini for additional protection. Details like the cockpit table, with optional built-in refrigerated drinks locker, that comfortably seats up to eight people, is just one of the many triumphs of Oyster design thinking.

The Oyster 495 consistently delivers powerful, responsive and rewarding performance in safety and comfort.

Nine knots is her happy place and her well-balanced, stable wide-beamed hull form gives you confidence to keep the sails up in almost any conditions. Twin rudders make her light and agile on the helm, offering fingertip control even in the most boisterous seas. Her low centre of gravity keel offers substantial displacement for enhanced stability and handling, and she moves easily in cruising trim. Carrying significant sail power, you are guaranteed consistently fast cruising speeds and the optional sprayhood and bimini provide excellent protection from the sun, whilst improving all-round comfort.

This 50 foot sailboat for sale offers the range of innovative automated sailing technology. This includes in-mast furling with push-button controls and B&G instruments, all operated from the helm positions, making her the perfect choice for couples or young families.

The Oyster 495 features lots of space to relax and share good times with friends and family.

Her wide beam offers unexpected returns in space, both above and below decks – something you will not find on any other 50 foot sailboat for sale. The beautifully styled centre cockpit is perfect for entertaining up to eight people for alfresco dining. The aft pushpit seats are a great place to see all the action under sail. The wide teak deck at the stern and flush foredeck offer generous entertaining and sunbathing spaces.

The transom houses an innovative, push-button operated, cassette boarding/bathing platform. A choice of subtle mood lighting and integrated audio speakers let you set the tone for entertaining guests under the stars.

New generation interiors feature modern styling, integrated technology and equipment for truly luxurious entertaining and living spaces.

Contemporary luxury and comfort

The oyster 495 benefits from our new generation luxury, contemporary interiors that elevates her above the best 50 foot yachts..

With four interior designed themes, 495’s interiors set a new standard in her class. The well-equipped, seaworthy, u-shaped galley, saloon and cabins are well-proportioned, comfortable and luxurious. Her wide beam aft offers unexpected space compared to any other 50 foot yacht for sale.

She is eminently practical, making her perfect for liveaboard adventures. Intelligent interior space planning, combining insights and the acclaimed craftsmanship from our larger yachts, makes use of every inch of hull volume. The tasteful choice of materials, fabrics and integrated technology throughout, along with modern styling, creates truly luxurious entertaining and living spaces. The impressive owner’s cabin, with its deep luxury mattress, has excellent headroom and signature triple seascape windows, creating an amazing feeling of space and light throughout the new Oyster 495. Our new mood lighting system creates a perfect interior environment.

Like all our yachts, the new Oyster 495 is handcrafted by master craftspeople with a meticulous attention to detail, and a deep sense of pride and passion.

The learnings of half a century of designing and building bluewater cruisers feed into every detail, and the insights of our owners, skippers and crew, sailors and our own team help fine-tune every aspect of the design and build. The result is a unique combination of design, technology, engineering and hand-crafted build quality. Beautiful hardwoods run throughout every inch of this exquisite 50 foot sailboat, in everything from hand-built furniture to intuitively placed grab rails. This focus on detail reveals itself in the beautiful, hand-crafted cabinetry and the easily accessible, carefully labelled cables and pipework that run behind the scenes to make maintenance tasks simple.

The Oyster 495 is a truly connected 50 foot yacht with all the latest technology you need to stay in touch, however remote your location.

Not only does it make her an ideal liveaboard yacht, but it also makes her a work-aboard yacht. Every system is chosen for its ruggedness and fitness for purpose. The chart table is a technology hub, featuring an optional, innovative, foldout, integrated PC; lift-top desk; plotter; VHF and SSB radios; power management; generator control; switchboard; and plenty of power sockets. Oyster’s proprietary digital switching system – Oyster Command™ – lets you monitor and control various systems over a digital network and touchscreen. Optional WIFI can be accessed through the latest satellite technology, or 4G/5G cellular antenna when close to onshore radio masts. Entertainment systems are seamlessly integrated, with a concealed saloon TV and audio running throughout the boat.

The joy of Oyster ownership

There is more than just pride on offer when it comes to owning an Oyster 495. Every new Oyster comes with a comprehensive warranty, personalised care, access to our global service network, unrivalled support, life-changing experiences and so much more.

On an Oyster the world is yours.

OYSTER OWNERSHIP

Ownership benefits rarely experienced in marine

Discover the 495 in detail.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Specifications & features

Electric in-mast furling system

The in-mast furling system takes automation and effortless shorthanded sailing to another level.

Electric winches

Push-button control with electric Lewmar winches in sleek, black anodised finish.

Bathing platform

The innovative, automated cassette bathing platform is ideal to access ocean swimming, boarding a dinghy or stern access when berthed. It features a sturdy boarding ladder and integrated freshwater shower on the transom steps.

B&G Navigation package

The standard B&G navigation system displays boat speed, wind and depth information.

Master cabin with Seascape windows

An impressive full width owner’s cabin is completed by Oyster’s signature triple Seascape windows. These create a feeling of light and space, with exceptional ocean views.

Wood options

Choose from a selection of wood themed interiors, including shades of sustainable sourced oak and walnut.

Extensive on deck stowage

A full width lazarette and separate sail locker provide ample storage for all your bluewater adventure kit, sails, rigging and mooring gear.

Flush Flexiteak decks

With a beautiful fine grain teak finish, the sustainable synthetic Flexiteak deck is 30% lighter than traditional teak, extremely hard wearing and retains it look with minimal maintenance.

Opening saloon windows

Oyster’s unique, deck saloon forward opening windows provide excellent ventilation, allowing fresh air to circulate freely through the yacht while at anchor or under sail.

DNV GL hull certification

The build plan of the Oyster 495 hull is certified by DNV GL to ensure the materials and construction reach the highest standards of extreme strength and durability.

Take advantage of shallow-draft cruising grounds and remote anchorages, with a draft of 1.83m / 6’0”.

Retractable bow and stern thrusters

Sleipner Side-Power retractable bow and stern  thrusters make it simple and safe to manoeuvre in and out of tight marina berths.

Entertainment package

Choose from an optional range of integrated electronic and AV systems to suit your personal preferences.

Saloon day bed

The multifunction saloon table can be raised and lowered to create a comfortable day bed, perfect to relax on and enjoy the integrated widescreen TV.

Hull colours

Personalise your Oyster 495 with alternative coloured hull, mast and sails. See our colour picker for inspiration.

Air conditioning

Keep the interior at the perfect temperature with air conditioning (and generator) that cools and heats. Controls in each cabin allow guests to adjust the temperature based on their personal requirements.

B&G upgrade package

Upgrade the standard B&G navigation package with the additional instrumentation, communication equipment and autopilot package.

Flush teak decks

Extensive sustainably sourced, quarter-sawn, full-depth teak ensures maximum longevity and lifespan of our hand-laid teak decks. Smooth and natural underfoot, they look stunning.

Pushpit seats

For the best seats aboard, the optional pushpit seats provide great views and the perfect spot for sundowners after a memorable day’s cruising.

Enjoy 100 litres of fresh, homemade water per hour with a reliable Dessalator Duo watermaker with automatic controls and manual override.

Add davits to the stern deck for a practical dingy stowage solution when cruising and fast, efficient access when exploring at your destination.

Winter 2026

Plans and interior layouts.

Colour inspiration

EXPERT OPINION

Independent reviews of the Oyster 495. Find out what the experts have to say.

AWARD WINNING

Oyster 495 wins European Yacht of the Year 2023

The Oyster 495

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An award-winning, luxury liveaboard sub 60 foot sailing yacht.

A liveaboard 60 foot bluewater cruiser, offering effortless shorthanded capability.

A versatile sub 70 foot ocean sailboat, designed for global adventures.

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The new 565 Series II

The pursuit of perfection continues

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Experience exhilarating sailing, luxury and style on an Oyster charter

New 565 Series II

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Experience exhilarating sailing, luxury and style on an oyster charter. personal, exclusive and uniquely oyster.

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Discover this exceptional late model 825 with a unbeatable spec and a bespoke layout.

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Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. She is a new breed of luxury 50 foot yacht, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A magnificent, award-winning sub 60 foot sailing yacht, offering luxurious living space and outstanding shorthanded sailing capability.

A beautifully proportioned 60 foot, luxury liveaboard bluewater cruiser, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A superb sub 70 foot ocean sailboat offering versatile luxury living space and impeccable sailing performance.

An inspired 75 foot yacht, offering infinite configuration options, generous luxury living space and flexible crew quarters.

Oyster 885SII

The remarkable, iconic 90 foot sailboat, perfect for relaxed luxury voyages of discovery.

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ONEWATER YACHT GROUP BLOG

50 foot yacht: guide to buying your next yacht.

• June 3, 2021

BUYING A 50 FOOT YACHT

50 foot yachts.

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Azimut Fly 53 Review (2022 Edition)

Azimut's latest offering, the 53, is an important entry-level model, potentially serving as a buyer's first experience with this Italian builder. Moreover, it stands poised to compete directly with formidable rivals in its class.

Azimut, alongside designer Alberto Mancini, has been quietly revolutionizing flybridge designs with a blend of boldness and elegance, coupled with luxurious interiors. This approach is exemplified in their latest flagship, the 37m Grande Trideck. Now, the question arises: Can they replicate this winning formula on a 50-footer?

Azimut Fly 53 Key Facts

• LOA 55.052ft
• Model Year 2022
• Max Speed 31 knots
• Status In Production
• Generations 2
• Yacht Type Flybridge
• Use Type Cruising

Test & Review Video

YachtBuyer Score

In this article:

Our Verdict

Rivals to consider.

• Specification

Our Scores Explained

Performance & Handling

Around the marina.

The 53 Fly is only available with Volvo Penta's IPS950 and that, of course, means joystick control. The boat responds well to inputs from the joystick even if you do feel the boat's height with the hard top fitted as it rolls a touch during sideways maneuvers. The handling of the boat isn't an issue it's the view from the helms that makes life a little tricky.

You can't see the aft end of the boat from the flybridge and it's hard to communicate with the crew from the lower helm so it would make sense to, at the very least, add some cameras around the boat so you can use the MFDs to check position or tick the optional cockpit docking station for a better view aft. If you moor with the stern to the dock regularly I would say this is a must-have. 

Moving around the boat is easy enough and there's a healthy amount of deck storage for fenders and lines but the lack of a side door into the saloon means crewing isn't as easy as it could be. 

The challenge with only providing one engine option is that it has to suit the boat perfectly and, thankfully, the D11 725hp motors of the IPS950 installation are a great match to the 53's refined, soft-riding hull shape. We topped out at a comfortable 31 knots (even touching 34 knots at one point with a bit of Solent tide beneath us) and cruised at 26 knots where the range is in the region of 300nm. The fuel burn curve is pretty flat once up to planing speeds, though, so even if you want to get a bit of a lick on the range doesn't drop too sharply. 

The handling is light but has a good amount of feel and the boat turns nicely for a weighty flybridge cruiser. The best handling boat I've driven in this category is the shaft-drive Princess F55 and though the Azimut may not be quite as sharp in the turns or feel quite as well balanced it's not far off. It's very quiet, too. IPS helps with this but the well-engineered engine room and its layers of sound insulation improve the sound levels even more. 

We didn't have much chop to play with during the test but on a busy day in the Solent, the wash from other craft did little to put the Azimut off its stride. The boat feels solid through the waves with no bangs, squeaks or rattles emanating from the hull or interior. It's an easy boat to drive at all speeds and, from the comfort of the upper helm especially, feels like a boat you could comfortably cover some decent ground on. 

Design & Build

Yes, style is subjective, but can anyone argue against the idea that this Azimut 53 is one of the most beautiful 50ft flys ever made? Mancini’s hand is obvious from the angular bow and clean sharp lines that run aft, metallic topsides, and black style lines stretching the yacht out further, delivering an impressive sleekness. Of course, the demands of the market mean that an unsightly hard top is never too far away and even the aesthetically conscious Azimut has had to concede. If it were my boat, I'd be opting for the canvas bimini every day of the week. 

Keeping the profile low while delivering good interior volume is incredibly hard to do at this length. And deliver it they have. A quick look at the layout suggests all the right parts are held within this sleek yacht. Three cabins, including a full-beam owner’s stateroom, are found below decks with an open, spacious saloon above, the galley aft design connecting the interior to the aft deck while also delivering a very practical galley that runs across the beam.

But then, nothing short of excellent would cut it in a market that includes several award-winning yachts from the likes of Absolute, Sunseeker, Princess, and Ferretti.   

Form and Function

Azimut is, it seems, not only aware of the competition but also how much use yachts of this size get put to by their owner-operators. The interior reflects the serious cruising requirements of a 16m flybridge with masses of stowage and easy-going nature that you just know will be a joy to use. 

This being an Azimut, the practicalities of yachting life run alongside plenty of styles. The new interiors we saw on the Grande Tri-Deck and 68 find a subtle home here, with dreamy, pastel soft furnishings, not a hard edge to be found, and a choice of clean cool finishes or warmer oak cabinetry, detailed with copper inlays.

Interior Accommodation

The 53’s interior design is wonderfully relaxing, there are marshmallows less sumptuous than the saloon’s inviting, facing sofas. To the main port seating, an electric pedestal allows the dining table to drop into an occasion berth, a useful feature on a cruising yacht. 

We are now so used to builders working in massive glass sections that they can almost be overlooked, as opposed to gratefully looked through. Here, the saloon guests will enjoy unbroken views across the water from single-piece side screens, or perhaps watch the pop-up TV to starboard. 

That said, the low window line means that taller people won't have a great view out when standing in the saloon. The window line is undeniably sleek but the views out aren't as good as board the likes of the Absolute 52 Fly and Princess F55. There's also an odd lack of ventilation. There's a small window above the galley, aft, but there is no way of getting any natural ventilation into the helm station - not even a manual sliding window - so it gets pretty uncomfortable on hot days. 

The 53’s galley design spreads across the aft of the main deck, creating not only a space you can cook in but also delivering lots of practicality, from a proper cabinet refrigerator and dishwasher to designated drawers for glassware and crockery. The beauty of this galley is how everything is so neatly concealed behind the oak panels of the cabinetry, many with satisfying push catches that reveal things like the microwave and storage for the boat's crockery. It's a very clean look.  The design doesn’t allow that complete inside-outside flow into the cockpit, that large fridge winning out over an adjoining window and bar, but it does connect up the saloon and deck easily enough.

Tri-Cab Triumph

The three cabins are all excellent. The light, relaxed feel of the saloon continues with a neat twin guest cabin forward VIP that shares a toilet and shower compartment. The owner’s stateroom is full beam with the ensuite lying forward at the cabin entrance. There is also space for a washing machine across the way. 

The layout is interesting. Instead of having the central doorway into the VIP cabin with the day head to port, the day head/VIP ensuite is centrally located, leaving the entrance to the VIP cabin to port. This arrangement creates a more spacious bathroom and provides a separate passageway into the VIP through the head compartment. It also puts the day head closer to the twin cabin, which without its own ensuite will use the day head as its bathroom. Some boats at this size have bunks in the third cabin so it's nice to see side-by-side berths aboard the 53 Fly. 

The owner’s cabin is luxurious and clever in equal measure. Two smart strips of glass line the walls, with mirrors positioned to visually extend the window design and create a sense of even more space. The yacht’s sleek profile is perhaps felt a little in this cabin, with slightly less volume than say the Sunseeker Manhattan 55, but there is still full headroom around the double berth and space for a sofa, dressing area, and, most impressively, a full-height walk-in wardrobe. 

Helm Station

The low brow of the windscreen means the view is a little restricted when standing at the lower helm but the adjustable seat makes it easy to get comfortable with a decent view forward thanks to thin windscreen mullions and the position of the wheel towards the centreline. The dash itself is stylish and attractive, dominated as it is upstairs by the comically large and thick steering wheel. 

Our boat had the Gold electronics package which provides 12in Garmin MFDs over the standard 9in ones and this is an investment worth making. It's good to see a remote keypad to control the screens on the dash as well as the touchscreen functionality which can be a bit tricky to use if the boat is bouncing around.  

The lack of ventilation is one issue at the lower helm but having no window to be able to communicate with crew limits the scenarios where you would want to moor the boat from here. When some rivals have full side doors it's not really good enough to have no windows around the helm at all. 

Upstairs there are few complaints. The seated position is excellent and the layout of the dash works very well indeed. Having the major controls on a long molding to port means the skipper can sit back in their seat and reach the joystick, throttles, and the remote for the twin MFDs really easily. The dash is clearly laid out and nice to look at, though it could do with a bit more storage for loose items.

Deck Lifestyle

The flybridge is pretty clear on its focus, it’s not the biggest but it is very welcoming with a circular design that is perfect for loafing, lounging and generally enjoying the good life. A large sun pad forward is joined by a wraparound aft seat and fold-out bar-dining table that will also convert to a massive pad. In between, a useful wet bar will keep guests supplied with cold drinks. The optional electro-hydraulic bimini is the more pleasing option for the eye but many will fall for the versatility and ease of the hardtop, which has built-in lighting and a sliding canvas roof operated by a one-touch control on the upper helm. 

Down the flybridge stairs, the aft cockpit keeps things simple with an L-shaped bench and dining area, fender, and warp storage below the seats. Even though there is no through window to the galley, it’s great that Azimut has chosen to still deliver a neat bar area, sat beneath the flybridge overhang, making the aft deck feel more sociable and sophisticated. The entire area can be enclosed with canopy covers to extend the living space in poor weather, too. 

At this length, a forward lounge is far from guaranteed so it should be fully appreciated. This one has a separate seating area, the sunpad running down to the bow. The backrest mechanism is particularly smart and uses hinges and gas rams so you can quickly switch between the two positions. There is also the option for a shade sitting on carbon poles, a useful addition when in port or at anchor. 

At the stern, the hydraulic bathing platform will easily launch a tender (up to 500kg) or serve as a fun swim platform when the boat's at anchor. The transom also gives access to the crew cabin with a single bed and toilet, it could easily make up another occasional guest berth but is probably destined to be a high-end storage area. 

Value For Money

The Azimut 53 must rank as one of the smartest and most cohesive 50ft yachts on the market. In the 10m-15m market, we are seeing a move away from luxurious detail and craft, with builders employing clever if often blandly homogeneous production finishes. Here, the level of thought, design, and finish on offer gets the luxury balance right and separates this yacht from what is a crowded market. So while there might be larger yachts in this sector, and some that can match the Azimut on the finish, few mix style, speed, and space so effortlessly.

It feels like a quality product, too, not only in the obvious stuff like brightwork and interior finish but the engine room is one of the best in the sector with plenty of space to work on the engines, a very neat installation, and some useful extras like a freshwater hose and a pair of wandering lights that attach to the ceiling for easy illumination of the darker corners. 

The base price for a 53 is €UR 1.1M ex VAT (at the time of writing) but our test boat had around €UR 500,000 of extras including the hard top, Seakeeper, Gold navigation package, crew cabin fit-out, uprated generator and air-conditioning meaning the price as tested was €UR 1.72M ex VAT (at the time of writing). 

To use a boxing analogy, a 50ft flybridge might well be the best pound-for-pound cruiser out there. Big and heavy enough to be comfortable in most seas, it is still agile and rewarding to drive, offers three good cabins over a 40-footer’s two but is just as easy to self-pilot. The Azimut 53 does all of this and adds some breathtaking design that will look good forever, but, importantly, never forgets that while it is a luxury yacht it is also one that is destined to be used, and you will definitely enjoy using this boat. It's a shame about the lack of ventilation in the saloon and the view aft from the flybridge but there's still a lot to like about this fabulously stylish flybridge cruiser. 

Reasons to Buy

• Handsome design
• Handling and performance
• Well proportioned cabins
• Excellent engine room

Things to Consider

• Lack of ventilation in the saloon
• Poor view aft from upper helm

There is no lack of fast, spacious 50ft flybridge yachts, with all the big players involved, which is why any new boat coming to market needs to go hard or go home. You can demand and win 30knots, three cabins, bright glass-clad salons and spacious decks from any number of builders and with a good deal of variation on price. What you won't always enjoy is the style and beauty on offer here, but we shall leave that subjective point to the beholder. 

The award-winning Sunseeker Manhattan 55 is an obvious rival, big on space and luxury it is arguably the class leader. Azimut’s old adversity, Ferretti , has the clean and serene 550, a larger yacht with crisp Italian style and inside and a very similar layout to the 53.     

The Princess F55 is another close rival, and notably longer yacht, with the same layout on and below decks and a similarly light and welcoming style. The British boat has a big flybridge with masses of seating.

The Absolute 52 Fly and Galeon 530 Fly offer clever deck and interior spaces and more bombastic styling but they are unlikely to be as dynamically sweet as the Azimut. 

It is to the Azimut 53’s credit that all of its main three-cabin rivals are longer boats. Half a meter might not sound much but it counts for a lot on interior volume, so Azimut and its design team are to be congratulated for delivering this amount of easy-living yacht under 17m (55ft).    

Specifications & Performance

• Builder Azimut
• Model Fly 53
• Length Overall 55.052ft
• Beam 16.24ft
• Draft 4.626ft
• Yacht Type (Primary) Flybridge
• Use Type (Primary) Cruising
• Cruising Speed Max Speed
• Fuel Capacity 634 Gallons
• Fresh Water Capacity 156 Gallons
• Engine Model 2x Volvo Penta D11-IPS950

Performance Data

Azimut Fly 53 version 2022. *Data supplied by the manufacturer.

Test Engines Twin Volvo Penta D11-IPS950

• Liters Per Hour
• Liters Per Mile
•   CRUISE

Azimut Fly 53 Layout

A simple, social, circular design wraps around the flybridge with a forward sunpad and an aft lounge and dining area that will convert to another pad 

The salon has a galley aft design, with a slightly raised lounge forward. On deck, an L-shaped seating area is joined by a neat bar in the cockpit, while forward another lounge area will be a great spot in port     

The full-beam Owner's stateroom and forward VIP will get the headlines but the fact the third cabin has twin berths, rather than bunks, is a key point. An optional aft crew or occasional cabin can also be specified

Jack Haines

Jack is YachtBuyer's Reviews Director. He is a writer, editor and presenter with 15 years’ experience testing over 350 motorboats of all shapes and sizes, from 20ft RIBs to 120ft yachts (and even the Royal Navy Frigate HMS Sutherland ). 

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Fly 53 competitor reviews.

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Boat Test: 2023 Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS

• By Chris Caldwell
• August 22, 2023

After a day on the water testing the new Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS, I realized why it seemed so familiar. It reminded me of the Porsche 356 coupe I owned decades ago. It was fast, it was fun, it was comfortable, and everyone looked when I blew past. I loved that car dearly and still regret selling it. 

GLS stands for Grand Luxury Sport and, as the flagship of the “adventuring” GLS series of Cruisers Yachts boats, the 50 is all that and more. This yacht is about fun and entertaining on the water. Once you get past using the words “Cruisers” and “ outboards ” in the same sentence, this is a quite spectacular yacht. 

Cruisers calls the 50 GLS “the ultimate dayboat,” which is accurate in one sense, but limiting in another. The 50 is great for entertaining a boatload of friends, but also doubles as a surprisingly luxe overnighter, with two staterooms and a spacious head with a separate stall shower.

For starters, the cockpit is spacious, and even more so when the sides butterfly down to a 21-foot beam, leaving the aft seating in an island of comfort with its own table. The transom grill (or optional two grills) is convenient to the cockpit and allows the chef to ­surreptitiously dispose of charred burgers overboard.

Set well behind the chef is a whacking-great trio of 600 hp ­Mercs that push this 19 tons of comfortableness to just shy of 50 knots (56 mph) with more than enough punch to yank skiers and tow toys right out of the water when you put the hammer down.

Interior and Accessories

Three separate seating areas dot the cockpit, with more than enough room to move about without banging knees, and then there is the bow seating. Press a button and the windshield slides open (no lifting ­required), ­offering a deep walkway (safe for all ages) to reach the trio of adjustable sun lounges (with armrests) on the cabin top. You won’t want to walk 15 feet to the twin Isotherm fridges in the aft cockpit, so a cooler is tucked under a seat with a chiller plate (no ice).   

Cruisers Yachts, now owned by MarineMax, created a good-looking yacht, from the black slash on the topsides that conceals the windows to the sleek hardtop that presents you with choices. Want sun and breeze? Open the sunroof and walkway door, plus lower the electric side windows. Hiding from the sun? A 9-foot MakeFast awning grows from the top to shade the aft cockpit. 

The helm features a trio of 19-inch Simrad monitors (including CZone digital switching), a joystick linked to the Side-Power bow thruster, and a fully adjustable helm seat next to a double companion seat.

Step below and the bright cabin is surprising, with 6 feet, 8 inches of headroom and a queen-size berth forward behind French doors. A mini galley holds a microwave for morning coffee and croissants, and an Isotherm fridge augments the two in the cockpit galley. The enclosed head is most civilized, with a Lucite-doored stall shower more than 4 feet wide. 

A second cabin is tucked under the ­cockpit, with a pair of berths that convert to a queen berth—perfect for kid naps or guests, although it won’t encourage them to linger. Each cabin has 32-inch TVs, and a 55-inch TV pops up behind the cockpit galley.

Before the 50 GLS was dropped into the water, I had a chance to examine the Donald L. Blount-designed hull with two full-length strakes and wide chine flats that threw the spray far to the side underway. It’s clear that Blount’s performance-boat background provided us with a soft ride through 2- to 3-foot seas, but more importantly, the 50 GLS begs you to exercise your secret Mr. Toad. Crank the wheel, and the twin-propped Merc ­V-12s bite like a Rottweiler. The 50 just grins, banks comfortably, and asks for more dog treats, please. Even Aunt Edna is going to love this ride.   

And while you’d think that 36 cylinders hanging on the transom should make muscle-car noises, well, they don’t. At idle, we registered just 58 dB(A) on the decibel meter, and with the throttles down flat, we were at 85 dB(A), which OSHA says equates to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. There’s no “I didn’t hear you” excuse on the 50 GLS.

Hanging those outboards on the stern also opened immense undercockpit space, which had a Kohler 15 kW genset on our test boat (for keeping those blenders mixing margaritas and the AC going at the sandbar), plus a Seakeeper 6 gyrostabilizer. There was also ample storage for boat gear, from fenders to inflatable toys. 

The speed chart tells part of the story (56.6 mph), but not the real-life part. Think in terms of Lauderdale to Bimini in 60 minutes, Long Beach to Catalina in a half-hour, and the same from Cape Cod to Nantucket. Even ­better, this isn’t a pounding ride, but a comfortably luxurious adventure.

Shopping? Another $1 million gets you a ­ Formula 500 SSC with four Merc 600s ($3,537,110), plus another 10 mph at wide-open throttle. Do compare and run both boats.

The Cruisers 50 GLS checks all the boxes. It is a bowrider on steroids, an express cruiser with entertaining ambitions, an overnighter in comfort, and a performance boat. 

Like my long-gone Porsche, the 50 GLS is a classic for our own times, and one that should bring you as much fun as my little silver four-banger.

Read Next: 2022 Cruisers Yachts 34GLS

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12
• Drive/Props: Outboard/Verado 18″ x 27.5″ 4-blade (front); 3-blade (rear)
• Gear Ratio: 2.50:1 Fuel Load: 100 gal. Water on Board: 10 gal. Crew Weight: 450 lb.

High Points

• Folding cockpit “terraces” add flexibility and space at rest (but rails would be nice).
• High coamings and grab rails everywhere are safe for kids.
• Cockpit phone-charging station handles six phones, plus one by the skipper.
• Galley “splash rail” won’t keep any spilled gazpacho from hitting the upholstery.
• A handrail into the cabin would be appreciated.
• White dashboard creates huge reflections in windshield. Buy black felt!

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Cruisers Yachts – Oconto, Wisconsin; cruisersyachts.com

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Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options

• Toby Hodges
• March 10, 2023

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance yachts 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year . As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance yachts category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports  catamarans  for the thrill seekers.

Three Italian pure performance yachts and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance Yachts category.

Best performance yachts

Winner best performance yachts 2023 – beneteau first 36.

Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy, perormance yachts the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, there’s growing enthusiasm for lightweight planing yachts – and the First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Grand Soleil 40

The Grand Soleil 40 is an archetypal Med cruiser-racer, and an absolute delight to sail – a feature I’ve learned that Matteo Polli designs tend to share (he also drew the Ecoracer). We sailed the race set up with ORC keel (an IRC version is available too) and six winches, an extended bowsprit and a taller mast. It was one of my most memorable trials of the season in 10-12 knots, with the deep and forward positioned rudder giving plenty of control and lovely direct steering.

The three cabin interior can have one or two heads and different galley options, the cabins are a good size with modest stowage, and it’s all tastefully styled by masters Nauta.

Italia yachts 12.98

At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly different looking white interior. We sailed the ‘Bellissima’ cruising version, which 80% of customers have opted for.

Italia’s yard is now in Fano and its one-shot infused vinylester build looks impressive. However, the deck lacks some refinement and practical stowage, while the three cabin interior isn’t voluminous by today’s standards.

This is a slippery yacht that has a lovely, light feel on the single rudder – the interior styling will be the deal breaker for most.

Solaris Yachts on the other hand has perfected its recipe, tripling its yard size to cater to demand for its sexy Acebal-designed performance yachts.

The Solaris 50 we tested in 2015 and which won this award was arguably the turning point that propelled the brand’s popularity. The owner of the new 50 we tested previously had the original 50 and a 58 and confirms this replacement has nearly the same space as the 58, yet is faster, more powerful and stable than its predecessor (we easily matched 7-8 knot winds under gennaker).

It heels onto its chine and accelerates well, while twin rudders provide ample control. The design prioritises helming experience but the yard needs to come up with a better helm seat option. The interior is well executed, especially the spacious forward owner’s cabin.

The Elan E6 is a big 47-footer, high and beamy and one that leans more towards spirited cruising with generous accommodation over racing. That said, extensive options allow you to tailor it either way, including foam cored furniture and a taller carbon mast for those looking for extra oomph.

It’s a fine collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design, Gurit, Pininfarina and Elan, while an impressive standard spec includes a carbon sprit and six winches.

The E6 is fun to sail at various angles and gives a nice, sporty feel on the helm – it likes to heel but has plenty of grip and tracks well.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with good optional protection and there’s ample deck stowage. A really smart three (or four) cabin interior shows a high standard of construction, finish and styling. It is bulky and you pay for the size in weight, but it looks good and Elan knows how to build a great boat for the price.

Best performance yachts 2022

Winner best performance yachts 2022 – jpk 39fc.

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

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• Cruising Yachts 45' to 50'

Popular Cruising Yachts from 45 to 50 Feet Long Overall Their Physical Properties & Key Performance Indicators

Welcome to this ever-growing gallery of some of the most popular cruising yachts between 45 and 50 feet (13.7m to 15.2m) long overall.

Cruising Yachts featured on this page...

Offshore cruising boats of this length are probably the maximum size that most cruising couples can comfortably handle without taking on additional crew. 

Even so, it's likely that powered sail handling devices - sheet and halyard winches, electric or hydraulic furling gears etc - will be necessary, all of which adds to the cost and complexity of the boat.

Gulfstar Hirsch 45

Atlantic 49

Allures 45.9

Jeanneau International 50

Kelly Peterson 46

Moody 45 Classic

Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 48-2

Vagabond 47

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45

Hallberg-Rassy 49

Hallberg-Rassy 48

Grande Soleil 46

Dufour Classic 45

Dufour 460 Grand Large

Beneteau Oceanis 48

Beneteau 46

Bavaria 50 Cruiser

Bavaria 46 Cruiser

The bowsprit and dinghy davits of the attractive Oceanic 46 are likely to be included in the chargeable length overall in marinas and boatyards.

Beneteau Oceanis 50

Hull Type:  Fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall:  49'6" (15.1m)

Waterline Length:  43'8" (13.3m)

Beam:  14'9" (4.5m)

Draft:  6'7" (1.7m)

Rig Type:  Fractional Sloop

Displacement:  27,454lb (12,453kg)

Designer:  Berret Racoupeau

Builder:  Beneteau (France)

Year First Built:  2010

The plumb bow and stern on this sleek Dufour 520 maximise her waterline length and hence her theoretical hull speed, but do nothing to help her Comfort Ratio .

Bowman 46 Corsair

Nicholson 476

Stephens Custom 47

Hallberg-Rassy 46

Amel Santorin 46

Jeanneau Sun Kiss 47

Outbound 46

The Outbound 46 differs from the Outbound 44 in that it has an extended boarding platform.

Wauquiez 48

The twin headsail rig on this Wauquiez 48 is known as a 'Solent Rig'. Clearly it differs form a cutter rig, but which is the better choice for cruising ?

The J/46 is a light displacement performance cruising yacht, but would the speed/comfort compromise be acceptable to you?

Aerodyne 47

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49

Westerly Ocean 49

Jeanneau 'Sun Odyssey' 47

Our Gallery of Popular Cruising Sailboats...

Nicholson 48

Cabo Rico 45

Beneteau Oceanis 473

Gulfstar Sailmaster 47

Hinckley 48.

Bill Trip designed great looking cruising yachts - and this Hinckley 48 is no exception...

Next:  Cruising yachts from 50-55ft LOA

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Best 50ft flybridge boats: Our pick of the secondhand market

• Top stories

Our resident used boat expert Nick Burnham picks out four of the best 50ft flybridge boats for sale right now, from the likes of Princess, Fairline, Sealine and Beneteau.

50ft flybridges are fascinating for many reasons. Firstly, 50ft is a size that is relatively easy to manage from a boat handling point of view.

Two reasonably experienced people should be able to cope with berthing and running such a boat. Secondly, 50ft is a very handy size from an accessibility point of view. Most marinas, harbours and coves should be able to find space for a 50ft flybridge cruiser .

However, 50ft is also the size at which you start to get three good sized cabins and at least a couple of bathrooms. Some yards manage to squeeze the proverbial quart into a pint pot by shoehorning three cabins into a 45-footer but at 50ft no squeezing is required.

Here are four particularly good examples…

4 of the best 50ft flybridges on the market

Princess 55

Built: 1987 Price: £169,950

We’re cheating slightly with a 55ft boat but we couldn’t resist this one. It’s hard to believe that when the 55 launched in 1986, it was the pinnacle, not only of Princess Yachts ’ range, but also of British boat building.

Birchwood (remember them?) eclipsed it soon after with its 57, but the Princess 55 proved a very worthy flagship. Eight boats a year were planned but by the end of the first year of production, 12 had been built and orders stretched two years into the future.

While not as clever as modern boats (for example, there was little layering of the accommodation, where the lower deck extends back under the main deck), the sheer size of this one makes for masses of onboard space.

One of the most obvious upgrades over the Princess 45 (the previous flagship of the range) was the separate dinette area on the main deck. This boat has the three-cabin, two-heads layout, with the owner’s cabin forward, a bunk cabin to port and a larger double guest cabin to starboard (twin berths were standard).

A rare option was to lose the bunk cabin in favour of an extended owner’s cabin. But the crew cabin on this boat has been swapped for a useful utility room.

This boat has the three-cabin layout, with a larger double guest cabin than the usual twin

The 1980s square-edged origami-styling looks classic rather than dated now. The bolt-on bathing platform, the lack of a transom door and the ladder to the flybridge are all very much of the era.

Performance

We tested the Princess 55 when new with a pair of 358hp Volvo Penta TAMD 71A engines and achieved 23 knots. This particular boat was re-engined in 2014 with a pair of FPT N67 450hp diesel engines which lifted the maximum speed to 26 knots.

The separate dinette area is an obvious upgrade from the 45 – the previous flagship

We conducted our sea trial in a Force 6-7, reporting that “when we reduced speed to 15 knots, we made progress upwind in remarkable comfort”.

Specifications

LOA: 55ft 5in (16.9m) Beam: 15ft 8in (4.8m) Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m) Displacement: 16 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,910 litres Engines: Twin FPT N67 450hp diesels Location: Norfolk Contact: Norfolk Yacht Agency

Article continues below…

Best 40ft flybridges: Our pick of the secondhand market

Secondhand boat buyers’ guide: 4 of the best 45ft flybridge yachts for sale

Sealine t50.

Built: 2007 Price: £299,950

Sealine has been responsible for many of the innovations we take for granted on modern boats. It came up with the idea of stairs to the flybridge rather than a ladder, for example.

Its Sealine T50 was one of the first boats to develop the now universally accepted premise that, if you want to create more internal volume within a set length, one of the most effective ways to achieve this is to build upwards.

The result is a very tall boat for its era (although not by current standards) which creates a surprising amount of space.

The lower deck sports similar accommodation to the larger Princess 55, with two double cabins plus a bunked third cabin and two heads, but Sealine used the extra height to move the owner’s cabin back beneath the forward end of the split-level main deck, layering the accommodation to create more volume and a larger cabin.

The stand-out feature is in the saloon, where Sealine was one of the first to have the now ubiquitous galley-aft layout.

The owner’s cabin has been moved back beneath the forward end of the split-level main deck

The flybridge (accessed, of course, by a stairway) of the Sealine T50 is huge. When we tested the boat we referred to it as “like a 30ft sportscruiser sitting on top of a 50ft motor yacht”.

Sealine’s SECS extending cockpit system was another innovation, allowing the transom to slide back to create more space at anchor. The only real compromise on this boat is storage. There is no conventional lazarette. Owners had to choose instead between a small crew cabin and a large storage space.

Engine choices when new were twin shaft-drive installations of either Cummins QSC 8.3 540hps or Volvo Penta’s D9s in either 500hp or 575hp flavours. This boat has the largest option, as did our test boat, hence a 33 knot max.

The galley-aft saloon layout was groundbreaking but has now become ubiquitous in 50-footers

Ocke Mannerfelt designed the hull and succeeded in creating a responsive and fun drive.

LOA: 50ft 4in (15.3m) Beam: 15ft 7in (4.8m) Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m) Displacement: 18 tonnes Fuel capacity: 2,000 litres Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D9 575hp diesels Location: Falmouth Contact: Red Ensign

Fairline Phantom 50

Built: 2006 Price: £294,950

While Fairline Targa boats are sportscruisers and the Squadron moniker is reserved for large flybridge vessels, what’s interesting is that Fairline also used to have a third line of smaller flybridge boats that were dubbed Phantom.

The idea of buying a 50ft half-a-million-pound flybridge cruiser and having it badged as the ‘lesser’ model seems a little absurd now. But intriguingly, the Phantom badge has now been reintroduced for Fairline’s new sportfly boats .

High-gloss cherry surfaces, leather and other fine finishes reassure you that you’re in a high-quality environment. Early boats had a slightly odd bar area directly behind the lower helm, later dropped for Mk2 versions like this one.

Here, we have more seating as a result and a slightly different galley layout that opens aft rather than to the side. Both versions had the galley up on the main deck alongside the helm, freeing up space on the lower deck for a three-cabin and two-head layout with the owner’s cabin forward.

All three cabins feature double berths on this boat, although the standard layout had a pair of single beds in one of the guest cabins. A small crew cabin was also an option beneath the cockpit seating aft.

Each of the three cabins on this Phantom 50 features double beds

The Fairline Phantom 50 is a very simple, elegant-looking vessel with no sense that it’s trying too hard. There’s nothing that stands out as especially clever. It’s just a tried-and-tested set-up that works well.

The tender lives on the bathing platform, hoisted into place by a passerelle. The central flybridge helm is flanked by a pair of seats and there’s also a large seating zone around the table further aft.

Early Phantom 50s got a pair of D12 675 motors, later boats the upgraded D12 725. Caterpillar 3196 669hp engines were a rare alternative, and Cummins was on the options list but none of the 126 examples went out with these. Either option should return more than 30 knots.

Cream leather and glossy cherry wood cabinetry creates an expensive feel

A shaft-drive Fairline with an Olesinski hull means you know it’s going to be OK. And so it proved.

LOA: 51ft 10in (15.8m) Beam: 14ft 9in (4.5m) Draught: 4ft 1in (1.2m) Displacement: 20 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,980 litres Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D9 715 715hp diesels Location: Essex Contact: boats.co.uk

Monte Carlo 5

Built: 2014 Price: £534,950

Beneteau is a very successful mass producer of boats from 19ft upwards – and that’s all splendid. But that does cause a slight issue when it tries to turn its hand to high-end production boats, because it simply doesn’t have the image to compete with the likes of Princess or Sunseeker .

However, among its armament of boat brands, Beneteau owns an Italian company called Monte Carlo Yachts , which builds boats from about 70ft to beyond 100ft.

It decided to call its high-end 50ft+ production boats Monte Carlo, or MC for short, even though they’re built by Beneteau in France. What we have here then is the 50-footer, hence Monte Carlo 5 – or MC5.

A galley-aft layout sees the main deck split across three levels, with a shallow step between each one as it rises gently going forward.  It will come as no surprise to you, if you’ve read this article from the start, to hear that the lower deck sports a three-cabin two-heads layout.

But being such a recent boat, this is pretty much the current state-of-the-art model, with a huge full-beam owner’s cabin in the centre, plus a VIP guest cabin forward and a third cabin with bunk beds.

The full-beam master is even larger than this VIP cabin

When Beneteau launched the MC5, it wowed the world with its vibrant turquoise topsides and large, stainless steel-edged circular hull windows. In fact, the latter was very reminiscent of Monte Carlo Yachts (the other Monte Carlo…).

Other hull colours came on stream, including the rather more discreet colour you see here. And high decks are now standard issue across most flybridge boats of this size in order to accommodate that big owner’s cabin.

All that bulk gives great space but takes its toll a little on performance. Twin IPS500 and IPS600 engines were offered on launch. The best is the IPS600 option that this boat has. Top speed is about 28 knots with a mid-20 knot cruise.

Equipped with IPS600s, the MC5 will hit speeds in the region of 28 knots

“The ride is excellent; soft and planted but with just enough tenacity from the pods to make things interesting – and amazingly dry,” said our man in Cannes when he tested the MC5.

LOA: 49ft 10in (15.2m) Beam: 14ft 1in (4.3m) Draught: 3ft 1in (1.0m) Displacement: 15 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,300 litres Engines: Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 435hp diesels Location: Southampton Contact: Solent Motor Yachts

First published in the December 2022 issue of MBY.

4 more 50ft flybridge boats from the May 2022 issue

Sunseeker Manhattan 48

Built: 1996 Price: £155,000

The smallest of the Manhattan range of flybridge cruisers when introduced, this model was launched as the 45 before quickly becoming the 46.

An extended bathing platform resulted in a further badge change to the Manhattan 48 you see here.

Never ones to follow the herd, Sunseeker used vee drives instead of the shaft drives far more commonly seen on 50ft flybridges of this era.

It put the engines back beneath the cockpit rather than under the saloon floor, and that created an equally unusual layout.

With an ensuite owner’s cabin up in the bow and a decent twin-bedded guest cabin opposite the galley linked to the day heads, it feels like you’re all done on the lower deck.

But aft of the galley is another door granting access to a third cabin with a double berth running transversely beneath the main deck saloon in the space you’d usually find the engines.

The use of vee drives allows for a novel three-cabin layout including one under the saloon

Sunseeker went for a real motoryacht style with this one, so you get aircraft-style wrap-around windscreens and slatted saloon side windows.

Back aft, that extended platform allows you to sit a tender on the deck rather than hanging from davits as per the earlier 46 and 45, and there is a passerelle that can be utilised as a dinghy crane.

Although new enough to get the long platform, it just predates the flybridge stairs, so you have to climb a ladder to a pretty decent flybridge, complete with period winged radar arch.

Sunseeker fitted twin engines from 430hp aside up to 600hp each, which were reckoned to give a mid 30 knot top end.

We tested the boat (actually the earlier Sunseeker Manhattan 46) with similar Caterpillar 3208TA engines fitted to this example and achieved a still spritely 29 knots, making 20 knots an easy and relaxed cruising speed.

A sumptuous helm bench and lashings of walnut at the imposing lower helm

Four chunky lever controls at each helm (two for FNR gear shifting, two for throttles) give the brain more of a work out but repay with greater precision than traditional twin levers, and a bow thruster helps at close quarters.

In an earlier test we described the boat as having “smooth riding qualities” and impressive directional stability.

LOA: 47ft 11in (14.6m) Beam: 14ft 5in (4.4m) Draught: 3ft 7in (1.1m) Displacement: 14 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,400 litres Engines: Twin Caterpillar 3208TA 435hp diesels Location: Portland Contact: Network Yacht Brokers

Princess 50

Built: 2005 Price: £300,000

The Princess 480 had enjoyed a damn good run by the time it was finally pensioned off in 1999. A very gentle evolution of the 470 (extended bathing platform), that model had initially been launched as the 455 back in 1991, a boat with big shoes to fill as it replaced the seminal Princess 45 .

In fact the 455 mirrored the 45, with an almost identical layout, so the concept actually stretched back to 1982. Hence a complete “keel-up” refresh was needed, and the Princess 50, launched in 2000, was it.

Pre-dating full beam owner’s cabins (although, the later MK3 version did introduce one at a later date), the first Princess 50 had two similar sized cabins at either end of the lower deck, plus a smaller twin bunked cabin in between.

The forward cabin was designated the master with its centreline double berth. Cabin two, meanwhile, could be optioned with twins or a double.

Unlike its predecessor, there was no lower deck dinette option because the galley had been raised almost to main deck height, increasing space in cabin three and making the galley more sociable.

The galley is on a slightly lower level but still connects well with the main saloon

A whole new model ushered in an entirely new look – the 50 was a far more modern looking boat than the earlier 480.

In 2005 Princess Yachts introduced the MK2 version of the 50 you see here, but the upgrades are predominantly cosmetic changes, such as a new-style radar arch and less stainless steel trim on the saloon window surrounds rather than the wholesale reinvention that came in when the MK3 was introduced.

The year 2005 also ushered in Volvo Penta’s brand new D series engines to replace the venerable TAMD units.

In the case of the Princess 50, that meant twin D9 motors of 500 or 575hp each or D12 675hp rather than the TAMD 74 480hp units we tested the boat with at launch. We achieved 29 knots, so the 32 knots claimed for the far more powerful D9-575 units of this boat seems entirely reasonable.

The spacious cockpit has plenty of room for a free-standing table and chairs

The conventional shaft drive and an Olesinski hull means you can’t go wrong. The boat flattened a moderate sea with “consummate ease” and well-managed spray.

LOA: 50ft 3in (15.3m) Beam: 14ft 8in (4.5m) Draught: 3ft 8in (1.1m) Displacement: 19 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,818 litres Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D9 575 575hp diesel engines Location: Lymington Contact: Sunseeker Brokerage

Fairline Squadron 53

Built: 2018 Price: £999,950

The Fairline Squadron 53 marked a return to a high-end finish for a marque once fabled for its interior detailing.

From the mirror finish of the high gloss cabinetry and stainless steel detailing to the soft-touch finishes inside the helm, this looks and feels like an expensive boat.

It’s not just the finishes that set the Squadron 53 apart, it’s also the breadth of customisation available when these boats were ordered new. The galley, for example, could be specified aft on the main deck, as is currently fashionable, or further forward.

Or it could be moved to the lower deck instead of a fourth cabin, where you could choose between a full-sized galley or a smaller galley plus a third heads.

The space it vacated on the main deck was then filled with an extra settee or sideboard. This boat is the four-cabin version with the galley aft and the optional crew cabin fit out (taking total sleeping to nine, all in permanent berths spread across five cabins in total!)

The contemporary amidships master is a key selling point of the Squadron 53

All that talk of cabins might lead you to think that there can’t be much deck space but in fact the cockpit is huge – as long, possibly longer in fact, than it is wide.

There’s also a further cockpit area on the bow with a fold-out table and sunpads, plus the flybridge which has open tread steps with lighting neatly built into them.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to engines, too, all of which are twin installations. Caterpillar C12.9 give 850hp each, or alternatively there are Volvo Penta D11s with 675hp or 725hp each side.

We tried it with the same twin Volvo Penta D11-725 EVC motors fitted to this boat. Running conventional shaft drives, we achieved a top speed of 33 knots, slightly up on the manufacturer’s claimed 32 knots, and that was with a Williams 325 tender on the bathing platform plus gyro stabiliser, full water tanks and 75% fuel. Pretty impressive stuff.

Fairline’s ergonomically sound helm stations are some of the best in the business

“Smooth and quick-witted” is how we described the handling during our test of the Fairline Squadron 53, with “a confident and sure-footed hull that soaks up bumps extremely well.”

LOA: 55ft 6in (15.9m) Beam: 14ft 10in (4.5m) Draught: 3ft 11in (1.2m) Displacement: 21 tonnes Fuel capacity: 2,412 litres Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D11-725 EVC diesel engines Location: Southampton Contact: Bates Wharf

Tarquin Trader 50

Built: 1992 Price: £169,950

If the number one priority for your choice of 50ft flybridge cruiser is space then you have come to the right place because this boat is vast in every dimension. It’s 15ft across, sits 5ft deep in the water and towers above you in a marina.

As if the sheer physical dimensions weren’t enough, Tarquin gained yet more volume by taking the accommodation the full length of the boat. So there’s a palatial master cabin in the stern nuzzled right up to the inside of the transom and stretching the full beam of the boat.

Interestingly, Tarquin used the area of lower deck ahead of it to give a large ensuite (complete with small bath) on the port side, but a galley to starboard, which would be very handy for midnight snacks!

It means that the large saloon on the main deck, which plays host to a huge C-shaped dinette as well as the lower helm, splits off the forward lower deck area creating great privacy for the owner.

At the pointy end there is a generous VIP guest cabin forward with vee berths plus a twin-bunked cabin, although both of these cabins share the same day heads.

Acres of timber and home from home comfort in the pair of double cabins

Running the accommodation the full length of the hull might pay dividends inside, but it can sometimes compromise the exterior as an aft cockpit is off the menu, replaced by a raised deck above the aft cabin.

In this case Tarquin has been quite cunning. As well as surrounding this space with a sturdy GRP dodger, the designers have also sheltered it with a huge hardtop, which in turn allows canopies to encircle this area.

Despite having very similar engines to the Sunseeker (the same units in fact, just detuned slightly), this boat wouldn’t see where the Sunseeker went. But that’s okay, because it just isn’t that sort of boat – a point underscored by the fact that the base engines were a pair of 210hp Ford diesels.

A pair of 450hp Volvo Pentas were at the other extreme, this boat sits in the middle with a pair of 375hp Caterpillars capable of achieving mid-teen speeds.

If you plan to live on board for long periods of time the Trader is a great option

Handling is regal rather than sporty, although these boats can tend to roll a bit.

LOA: 49ft 6in (15.1m) Beam: 15ft 0in (4.6m) Draught: 5ft 1in (1.5m) Displacement: 20 tonnes Fuel capacity: 2,270 litres Engines: Twin Caterpillar 3208TA 375hp diesels Location: Eastbourne Contact: Bates Wharf

3 more 50ft flybridge boats from the May 2018 issue

PRESTIGE 500

2015 £584,050

When the 500 launched in 2011, it was a bit of a game changer. From the hull windows instead of portholes to the mirrored saloon glazing and taut clean lines, it was very much a product of the Teenies. But the real game changing took place inside.

The galley-aft layout, putting the kitchen directly inside the saloon doors, whilst modern, was nothing new, although the one-piece glazing either side of the saloon is pretty swish.

What was unique on an aft- cockpit flybridge cruiser just under 50ft was separate access to the master. The forward companionway leading to cabins two and three is in its usual place forward of the saloon, but to reach the owner’s quarters you need to hook a sharp right as you pass through the saloon doors to your own private stairway.

A useful corollary of this layout is a narrower forward passageway as it no longer has to allow access aft, resulting in twin beds rather than bunks in cabin three.

Unusually, the saloon doors slide in both directions. Slid one way, they make an easy route from saloon to cockpit, slid the other, they give direct access to the galley.

On the flybridge, creating more headroom inside results in a large sunpad next to the double helm. But that still leaves space for a generous L-shaped dinette further aft.

PERFORMANCE

Twin Volvo Penta IPS600s gave 435hp aside for a top end of 28.5 knots when we tested it, for 20-25 knots of cruise speed.

A main benefit of IPS is siting the engines further aft than traditional shaftdrive, which is what creates space for the big mid cabins.

Unusually though, Prestige chose to sacrifice a little of that by positioning the engines slightly further forward and linking to the pods with jack shafts. Doing so moves the centre of gravity forward to keep the bow planted.

Length 49ft 10in (15.2m) Beam 14ft 9in (4.5m) Draught 3ft 5in (1.1m) Displacement 13.5 tonnes Fuel capacity 286 gallons (1,300 litres) Engines Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 435hp diesel

FAIRLINE SQUADRON 52

2000 £249,950

The Squadron 52 is a great example of the confidence Fairline portrayed at the turn of the century.

Rather than another three-cabin cruiser, Fairline set out to produce a mini superyacht aimed at luxury and comfort rather than maximising sleeping space. The result was an intriguing, offbeat alternative to the mainstream.

The best thing is two huge cabins rather than three, almost unheard of for a boat in this sector. There’s no obvious master cabin but both are equally spacious and luxurious.

Ensuites include separate shower stalls and even bidets – rare on anything under 80ft! On the main deck, the helmsman is surrounded by a console that wouldn’t look out of place on the Starship Enterprise, and the saloon and dinette are a feast of gentle curves, highly lacquered cherry and cream vinyl and carpet.

You’ll find a galley tucked away low down on the port side and even a small utility room off it complete with washing machine.

The curved and fluted aft-side sections of the superstructure look fantastic and ease access to the side decks. The flybridge gets a vertical mast- style radar support rather than the ubiquitous arch, and the stanchions supporting the deck rails are similarly superyacht vertical rather than canted forward.

Add the imperiously aircraft-styled sweep of curved glass around the helm and you end up with a boat that exudes class and style and stands the test of time.

Caterpillar 3196TAs were an option but most got twin Volvo Pentas, earlier boats the TAMD122s at 610hp a side, later ones the electronically controlled D12s at 675hp each. All these options should be achieving circa-30 knots, the D12 with a little more economy.

Classic Olesinski hull design combines with classic shaftdrive layout to create reassuring heavy-weather handling with steady directional stability.

PRINCESS 500

1992 £125,750

Launched in 1991 and a mild (mostly cosmetic) evolution of the Princess 48 that launched a year earlier, the 500 was the first of a new ’90s styling wave for Princess, introducing sexy curved windscreens in place of the squared-off designs of earlier boats and toning down the distinctive but dated double-knuckle hull moulding halfway up the topsides of ’80s boats.

In production during the introduction of Princess’s high-gloss burr maple ‘superyacht’ finishes, the busy-looking woodwork looks rather dated now.

This boat just predates the era, being fitted out in tasteful grained light oak, the alternative to standard teak. But the big news (literally) is just how huge the interior is on this boat.

The saloon is massive – there’s a generous galley that hovers neatly twixt main and lower decks. On the lower deck, the master is forward, with matching twin-berthed cabins either side.  A twin-berthed crew cabin beneath the cockpit seating was a popular option.

Twin slats on the aft saloon side windows are the key differentiator between the 500 and the short-lived 48, though the boat is actually slightly longer.

It’s of the era that gets the transom door but not the moulded steps to the flybridge, so it’s a raked ladder to the top deck, but masses of space once you get there.

Engineering is reassuringly classic – simple shafts linked to large-capacity diesel engines. Princess fitted Volvo Penta or Caterpillar, the latter being the big V8 3208TA 435hp motors, the green (at least in colour) option fitted to this boat being the straight six TAMD 72 430hp motors.

Both options should give a mid-20-knot maximum with a 20-knot cruise.

Shaftdrive and Olesinski hull means steady predictable handling and seakeeping, combining a soft ride with excellent directional stability.

Length 52ft 5in (16.0m) Beam 14ft 7in (4.5m) Draught 4ft 0in (1.1m) Displacement 17 tonnes Fuel capacity 385 gallons (1,750 litres) Engines Volvo Penta TAMD 72 430hp diesel

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Life-size dinosaurs, a candy store tour and more to do this weekend

Take a road tip to Wiscasset for art, food, car racing and a gargantuan amount of candy.

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One of many dinosaurs that will be at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Photo courtesy of Jurassic Quest

Make no bones about it, it’s going to be a great weekend, starting with  Jurassic Quest at Cross Insurance Arena . Animatronic dinosaurs will delight the kids, who will also get a kick out of digging for fossils and riding on a baby dino. Another option in our weekly roundup is “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick.

‘Beautiful’ at Maine State Music Theatre, Pet Rock in the Park and Jurassic Quest

Some of the candy available at the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

For an even sweeter experience, we’re sending you candy shopping. We’ve shined a light on five shops  with something extra to offer and created a nifty guide of 18 to look you can find  all around southern Maine and the Midcoast. From giant shops like Sweetz & More in Wiscasset to charming places like the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond, there’s a candy shop out there calling your name.

These 5 unique Maine candy stores are a real treat

The Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros compete Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Should your sweets-seeking adventure bring you to Wiscasset, we clue you into  several other things to do  in town, including car races at the Wiscasset Speedway.

A trip to pretty Wiscasset can also include art, history, speed

Bagel sandwich with eggs, cheese and pork roll from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels in Brunswick. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

Want to hit breakfast right out of the park? Make your way to Brunswick for an egg and cheese sandwich from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels . We’re particularly partial to the one with pork roll and bodega sauce. Your taste buds can thank us later.

Pork roll and bodega sauce on a breakfast sandwich? We’re not in Brunswick anymore

Ling-Wen Tsai, “Rising/Sinking Study Chair,” wood and milk paint, 12 x 12 x 5 inches. Photo courtesy of Corey Daniels Gallery

Farther south in Wells, check out “Life Forms,” a women’s sculpture collective at the Corey Daniels Gallery. You’ll see works by about a dozen artists as you make your way through the exhibit.

Women’s sculpture collective debuts work in Wells

U.S. Navy Band Country Current performing in Tennessee. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class April Enos

For some Sunday afternoon live tunes, head to Memorial Park in Freeport at 3 p.m. for a free performance by Country Current . The band is the only U.S. Navy country/bluegrass ensemble, and the show should be a foot-stomping good time.

See U.S. Navy band Country Current for free in Freeport

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Best Full Size Cruiser Under 50 Feet

• By Story by Herb McCormick, Photos by Billy Black
• Updated: December 9, 2015

The X Factor: Fast, Fun Cruising

Perhaps no category in the 2016 BOTY field was as beguiling as this four-boat class of yachts ranging in size from 45 to 49 feet, and in price from $525,000 to over a million dollars. Two entries, the Hallberg-Rassy MKIII and Oyster 475 , were from long-established builders with deeply loyal followers. Another, the Azuree 46 , was from a fresh BOTY player entering a highly contemporary yacht. The fourth, the Xc 45 , came from a company long revered for its racing boats, now establishing an impressive presence among cruising sailors.

Of this quartet, the Azuree 46 was the least expensive, but it also boasts a fine pedigree: Renowned English naval architect Rob Humphreys is the designer, and one of the company’s principals was for many years a key member of another fine British institution, the Camper & Nicholsons yard. The Azuree is manufactured in Turkey, a nation with a long-standing boatbuilding tradition. “Azuree has made some big investments in CNC machines and is able to do a lot of high-tech production,” said Tim Murphy.

“The Azuree 46 is very sleek, with twin rudders and other go-fast features,” noted Alvah Simon.

Still, it was a far different boat, from Sweden, that impressed the judges with its notable sailing ability, particularly in light air. “The Hallberg-Rassy Mk III exhibits a high build quality in many ways,” said ­Murphy. “It employs vinylester resin in the laminate, ensuring true osmosis protection. They’re also using Divinycell closed-cell foam in the core, which helps explain how this ample cruising boat did perform so well. They’ve succeeded in keeping excess weight out of it.”

Coincidentally, Rob Humphreys was responsible for a second fine yacht in this category, the Oyster 475 .

“What I’ve loved about Oysters from the beginning is that they seem to be true seamen’s boats,” said Simon, seconding that notion on the 475. “Every time I look for a safety feature, there’s a padeye here, a jackline there, a handhold where I need one, a little higher lifeline. They have a lot of standard equipment that comes with the boat, which I appreciate.”

Yes, the judges felt an affinity for certain features in each boat in this division. But the panel also felt that everything really came together in the nominee from Denmark, which is why they unanimously recognized the Xc 45 as 2016’s Best Full-Size Cruiser Under 50 Feet .

“This was interesting because in the past, we thought of X-Yachts as very racing- or performance-oriented,” said Murphy. “But the lowercase ‘c’ refers to ‘cruising’ and is really meaningful, as they’re doing something very different from what they usually do. Their goal was to create a long-range cruising boat, so they built in the volume in the hull for the tankage and storage you need for the long haul. But they’ve also preserved one of their landmark techniques, which is a steel grid in the heart of the boat with everything like chainplate loads attached to it. So you’ve got a very strong, stiff boat that also sails well. It’s sort of the best of both worlds.” “This one was a surprise to me,” noted Sherman.

“At least in my experience with X-Yachts, this is their first serious attempt at creating a nice, dedicated cruising boat,” he said. “And I think they did a great job with it.”

For more information on the Xc 45, visit the X Yachts website.

Check out the full specifications of all the nominees and winners here., click here to find out the winner of the best midsize cruiser.

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