Grand Banks 46 Eastbay SX
- Mon, 3 May 2010
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| For: | Build quality, layout options, engine & machinery access, saloon view, attention to detial |
|---|---|
| Against: | No lazarette (deck stowage), no Zeus efficiency gains |
You know what to expect with a Grand Banks, in this case the new 46 Eastbay SX, right? A boat which is strong, reliable, beautifully constructed, and graceful in a traditional, time-honoured way. And largely unchanged with the passing of time.
Well, the first part of that sentiment may be true, but certainly not the latter. Hidden beneath its conservative attire lies the biggest change Grand Banks have made to an Eastbay since their introduction in 1993. Out go those old-fashioned shaft drives, in go those newfangled pod drives, in this case the Zeus drives from CMD (Cummins MerCruiser Diesel).
So now Eastbay owners can experience the wonders of joystick manoeuvring, and in theory the lower levels of noise and vibration that pod drives promise. However, it's the knock-on effect of moving the engines to the stern that creates the most immediately visible and dramatic changes. Here is a 46ft-long boat which, thanks to the extra space in the middle of the boat (vacated by what would have been the shaftdrive engines), can potentially provide up to four cabins and three en-suite heads. A miracle indeed!
However, miracles only occur in works of fiction, and there is a price to pay for this glut of room inside. Plus, CMD's Zeus pod drives dished up an unexpected surprise of their own. To find out what, check out the full test in May 2010's MBY. You're in for a surprise.
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