There is a common perception that Linssen yachts are only suitable for navigating inland waterways. That certainly is not the case with the Grand Sturdy 500 AC Variotop (catchy name, huh?) lying before me on a hammerhead pontoon in East Cowes Marina. The boat made the journey over to the…
Motor boat reviews
Agapi 950 test: Aquatic SUV promises fun for all the family
Have you noticed how every new concept claims to have been originally drawn up on a table napkin? Well, on one of Agapi’s promotional videos there’s a photograph of the very napkin upon which the concept of Agapi was born. It was drawn in 2006 by Peder Asplund, CEO of…
Aquador 35 AQ: Revamped flagship shows the way forward for Finnish yard
As I perch on our support boat among the pristine waterways of Finland’s Nauvo region, watching Aquador’s new 35 AQ at play, it’s tough not to be struck by the experience. With its long, deep-cut hull contours carving at the water, its steel trim catching the light and its tinted…
Azimut Grande 27M: Game-changing ideas abound on luxurious cruiser
Azimut’s new, raised-pilothouse Grande range kicked off in spectacular style last year with the 35 Metri, a true game-changer among motor yachts with its efficient, wave-piercing hull design, which was widely admired on its launch and showered with awards, not least from MBY, who considered it the best yacht in…
Brabus Shadow 800: Car-tuning supremos turbo-charge the Axopar 37
The winding road that leads through the region of Sant Agustí, Mallorca is alive with the sound of thunder. The skies are clear; this is thunder of a different order. A deep, angry thunder that sounds like Zeus himself is gargling a bag of hammers. This thunder is pouring from…
VIDEO: Brig Eagle 10 review
The nose of the Brig Eagle 10 encapsulates its ethos very neatly. Rather than the bow reaching a sharp point, it is squared off, almost as if it ran into a wall at some point. What this gives, of course, is useable internal beam right to the tip of the…
VIDEO: Greenline NEO review
Having not been in the cockpit of a fighter jet during a full lock turn I can’t say for sure what it feels like but it can’t be that dissimilar from doing the same aboard the Greenline NEO. Under instruction from our snapper Richard to “crank it hard over”, the…
Dominator Ilumen: Space and light illuminate semi-custom stunner
Alberto Mancini is a man in high demand at the moment, and be it revitalising the Fairline range or penning the latest Mangusta rocket ship, it seems the Italian designer can do no wrong. The Ilumen concept from Dominator proved a challenge, however. The brief was to create a boat…
Beneteau Barracuda 9 review: Versatile cruiser offers something for everyone
Back in 2003, when the original Beneteau Barracuda 7 was launched, it felt very much like a blueprint for modern high-value boating. It certainly wasn’t the cheapest boat in its field and neither was it the most dynamic to drive, but by refusing to commit to any single strain of…
Glastron GS 259 OB review: Flagship sportscruiser adds outboard appeal
Once upon a time, it was clearly understood that a recreational cruiser was at its best when fitted with an inboard diesel engine. Given a steady supply of good fuel, clean air and regular services, such engines would reward you with endless reliability, cruising economy, lots of torque and optimised…
Beneteau Swift Trawler 47 boat test – 24 hours on board
A suspected mechanical malady meant that a recent passage home on my boat that would normally take 45 mins at 25 knots instead took almost three hours at 6 knots, and as we finally reached port we firmly agreed on one thing. Cruising at displacement speed for a change had…
Absolute Navetta 48 review – the inland yard’s outstanding offshore cruiser
Having topped the range with the Navetta 73, Absolute is now looking to tail it with the 48 – its smallest Navetta yet
Sunseeker Predator 50 review – no interior compromise on board this space ship
The latest addition to the Predator range boasts a voluminous interior and versatile main deck but is it still worthy of the Predator moniker?
Azimut 55 review – curvy interior gives this Italian flybridge a cutting edge
The Azimut 55 has an interior to die for but is that enough to topple such a talented crop of competing boats?
VIDEO: Silent Yachts 55 review
The Silent Yachts 55, with its battery bank and solar panels, is a glimpse into the future of motorboats, but is it a viable option for serious cruising?
VIDEO: Parker 850 Voyager review
The Parker 850 Voyager offers impressive outboard engine performance and a clever cockpit with a keen eye on value for money
VIDEO: Galeon 640 Fly review
The Galeon 640 Fly has one of the most innovative main decks on the market but does this futuristic flybridge’s talent extend further than that?
VIDEO: Sealegs 9.0m Hydrasol review
The Sealegs 9.0m Hydrasol allows you to explore the parts that other craft can’t reach, as we discover on a very unusual tour of Poole Harbour
VIDEO: Sealine F430 review
A big flybridge and the option of two or three-cabin layouts makes the Sealine F430 a very tempting family buy
VIDEO: MGB 81 review
When German E-Boats began to run amok in English waters early in the Second World War, the Navy responded with a typically British solution