Alex Smith gets behind the wheel of the Omikron OT60, an ultra-refined sailboat-inspired super cruiser.
Having won the European Powerboat award for the best long-range yacht of 2024, Omikron has good reason to feel pleased with itself. After all, as a fresh brand, brought to us by the same people behind Greek sailboat builders, Olympic Marine, this is the first motorboat ever produced under the new name.
But even during its world debut at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January 2024, it was clear that it had plenty of merit. The basic idea was to take a classical sailboat aesthetic with a generous beam, a long keel, a tapered bow and an open stern and then to equip it with the extra space, practicality and ease of use provided by a motorboat.
To make the package more appealing, it came with small diesel engines for refinement and efficiency, as well as resin-infused construction and lightweight carbon fibre for extra range. And it supplemented all of that with wide-open single-level decks, bright views and a lower deck designed to provide both a cathedral-like central lounge and a three- or four-cabin layout that would lend itself either to family cruising or to charter.
It certainly looked like a winner, and a few months later, as we arrive at Omikron HQ in Athens for a factory tour and a sea trial, it’s finally time to put that early promise to the test.

This design is unlike any we have seen before
Design idiosyncrasies
The OT-60’s Lorenzo Argento design is unlike any you will have seen before. A relatively short, low-slung superstructure frees up plenty of space both forward and aft for expansive external decks, joined by equally generous single-level side decks.
What’s particularly striking about the way it’s fitted out, though, is how low-profile everything feels. The cockpit’s symmetrical L-shaped dinettes, each of which can be converted into a sunbed, sit very low, with seating platforms that overhang their moulded bases, stripping away the sense of bulk and making the deck feel much more open.

Lateral and directional stability are outstanding, however slowly you cruise
The optional barbecue at the starboard quarter follows suit with a shallow, floating-style tray connected to the rails. And aft of that, things get even more interesting, thanks to a hinged swing-out arm. It extends the cockpit deck when folded flush but it can also be deployed as a dive platform, a davit or an extended passerelle.

Wide single-level decks make this boat supremely safe and easy to move around
That frees up extra space at the aft platform for use as a social zone, and the test boat has a pair of slouchy bean bags in position to illustrate exactly that. But if you prefer to use it for a tender, there’s good space back here for a 4.2m model.
By comparison, the foredeck feels pretty conventional at first sight, courtesy of a central island sunbed with slightly contoured headrests and a pair of hatches down to the bow cabin. However, there are some striking differences here too. The first of them is a vertical ladder at the port side of the screen, which takes you up onto the roof. There’s plenty of space for skylights and solar panels, as well as a set of low-profile sunbed cushions.
If that sounds a bit iffy, the modest speed, generous beam and unerring stability of this boat mean you don’t feel in the slightest bit vulnerable when you’re up here, but just in case you’re a nervy type, there are some peripheral guardrails for extra security.

A modestly size saloon takes the hit for that big aft deck and forward lounge
Back down on the foredeck, there are some more nice touches. The roof ladder, for instance, can be relocated to the port side deck for swimming duties. The bow cleats are concealed beneath the bowsprit lid on either side of the anchor, so you can keep dirty lines off your natural teak. And if the wraparound windows in the sunbed mouldings bode well for the amount of natural light in the bow cabin, the low-level superstructure windows and flush side deck hatches look equally promising.
Before we get to the cabins though, it’s worth lingering in the saloon because the port seating is highly unusual. While there’s adequate space in here for a C-shaped dinette, what you actually get is a deep, lazy sofa with weighted backrests so you can arrange it however you choose.
There’s also a reversing cushion with integrated tray and cup holders, plus a pop-out TV in the starboard storage cabinet, so you can properly commit to your pyjama day. The scale of the cockpit, the length of the bow and the inclusion of a lower lounge further forward do of course impact the scale of the saloon but when you recline at the stern settee and look aft, the interaction between inside and outside is actually quite good.

The skipper gets plenty of company
With the roof ladder at the bow, the aft end of the superstructure can be opened up to the elements with a lifting window on either side and a two-part door in the centre. That’s inhabited by a lovely wide walkway, which provides plenty of space for freestanding furniture; and there’s a transverse ledge between the internal and external settees that provides the perfect overlap zone to rest your drink and to integrate with the outdoor party.
Lovely lower deck
Enjoyable though the beamy aft deck might be, the undisputed highlight of this boat is the sunken lounge ahead of the helm. It sits at an intermediate level, between the lower deck accommodation and the main deck saloon, enabling it to enjoy a fully open, double-height space, flooded with natural light from the screen up top.
There’s a wraparound starboard galley down here, as well as a port dinette, and the relative elevation of this ‘central’ space does a good job of improving the sense of privacy in the cabins too.
Step forward and you find yourself in an ensuite owner’s cabin with masses of headroom, great light from the various windows, hatches and skylights, and a separate shower and heads compartment, split between port and starboard. Further aft, beyond the lounge, that prodigious 20ft beam is divided equally between a pair of guest cabins – a port VIP and a starboard twin.

Inside and outside flow together pretty well
The port VIP gets the same extraordinary light as the bow cabin, thanks to another multi-level rank of windows; and the double bed is orchestrated to make best use of that with a transverse design that enables you to look out to sea.
The ensuite runs fore and aft ahead of that and operates as the day heads thanks to a second door that exits toward the lounge. And the starboard twin is equally good, thanks in no small part to a private bathroom with separate shower that runs behind the head end of the beds.
If the layout is pleasing, the quality of construction feels equally good. The doors and bulkheads are built from a thick 44mm ply sandwich, with foam in the centre and a cork-rubber compound inside the ply itself. That does excellent things for sound insulation and it’s assisted by means of rubber gaskets inside each door frame to further deaden the noise.
The Ciarmoli Queda styling treads a pleasant line between restraint and opulence and while the test boat’s three-cabin arrangement is likely to win a lot of fans, it’s good to see that you can also opt for a charter-friendly four-cabin layout. In that case, the forward cabin is divided in two, with the beds coming further aft and the bow space used for the ensuite facilities.

With space, light and views, the galley is a pleasure to use
This helps generate sleeping for eight people down below, plus another four on the convertible beds in the lower lounge and saloon. Better still, if you convert the two aft dinettes and erect some canvases over the cockpit, you could in principle sleep up to 16 people, which is truly remarkable for a boat this size.
Cruising on fumes
The sunken lounge at the forward end of the saloon obviously shunts the helm a good way aft but it remains quite a sociable spot. In addition to the co-pilot seat, you get companion seating to port plus an unrestricted view of the lower dinette. There are no doors for direct access to the side decks but you do get opening side windows, plus the option of a second helm at the port side of the cockpit so it’s not a problematic boat to park.

The guest double’s forward ensuite also functions as the day heads
The OT-60’s Juan-K hull is also particularly interesting. As you would expect of a heavily tapered bow with a fine entry and steep hull sides, you do get a bit of water on the decks, even in a moderate chop. But the ride from this Category-A cruiser feels distinctly soft and there’s lots of grip in the turn, as well as excellent directional stability, however slowly you choose to pootle along.
The running attitude is flat too, with a steady pitch and lots of lateral composure; and with a draft of just 2ft 10in, it should prove very useful for shallow-water cruising too.
In terms of refinement, the OT-60 again delivers the goods. The fact that it doesn’t need to plane at 30 knots means it can get away with a pair of small engines (in this case, the uprated Yanmar 4LV250s) on V Drives. That in turn enables the engineroom’s forward bulkhead to stop 4 or 5ft short of the superstructure’s aft bulkhead.

Light and headroom are outrageously good in the bow cabin
Coupled with Omikron’s careful sound-proofing measures, this results in decibel readings that start in the high 40s and hover around the mid 50s, even as you push the boat on toward a speed of around ten knots.
Efficiency is impressive too. As boat number 1, we’re running about 2 tonnes heavier than the latest production models, so we’re not quite seeing the claimed figures. However, as a 60ft boat with a 20ft beam, readings of 1L/Nm at 5 knots rising to 2L/Nm at 9 knots are very sustainable indeed.

The starboard twin gets multiple ranks of windows and long panoramic views
That said, the fact that the OT-60 is so stable, so flat and so novice-friendly shouldn’t lull you into believing that you can operate the throttle without consequence. On the contrary, if you go from 8 to 10 knots, your range halves from 650 to 330 miles. Go from 10 to 12 knots and it halves again.
Or if you want to look at it another way, dropping your speed from the 14-knot top end to an easy 7-knot cruise gets you nearly seven times the range, alongside noise reductions from 65Db(A) to just 51. The upshot of that is very simple.
If you are interested in this boat then simply forget about the top end unless your passage specifically requires it. Sit contentedly at between 5 and 9 knots, enjoy the view, take your time and make the most of the class-leading efficiency and refinement that this boat is so clearly engineered to deliver.

The starboard dinette can be rigged as a fourth (or fifth) double berth
Omikron OT-60 specifications
LOA: 60ft 5in (18.41m)
BEAM: 19ft 11in (6.06m)
DRAFT: 2ft 10in (0.86m)
DISPLACEMENT: 20,000kg (light)
FUEL CAPACITY: 1,200 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 600 litres
ENGINES: Twin Yanmar 4LV 150hp or 250hp diesels on V-drives
RCD: A12
CONTACT: omikronyachts.com
Omikron OT-60 costs and options
From: €1,756,300 ex VAT. Test boat including the following options…
Twin 250hp engine upgrade
Cockpit barbecue, roof cushions, second helm, watermaker, solar array
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Verdict
The Omikron OT-60 is a very good boat for those with the mindset to appreciate it. If you’re happy with a 5- to 9-knot cruise; if you’re okay with a traditional sailboat-inspired aesthetic; if you’re content with the modest saloon and the absence of a flybridge on a beamy 60-footer, then the OT-60 will feel as attractive as it does different. Light, headroom and views are spectacular, the aft end is huge, the lower lounge is a delight, the layout options are cleverly conceived and the ride is astonishingly quiet. It’s by no means the obvious choice of course. But if you give it a chance, this remarkable hybrid of low-slung sailboat, bright inland cruiser and comfy long-legged passagemaker is a really rewarding boat and a very impressive blueprint for the future of the Omikron range.