The Chris-Craft Commander 42 marks the first step into the cabin cruiser market through a range of lobster-style boats thanks to a joint venture with Italian yacht builder Austin Parker. Chris-Craft designed the Commander with two cockpit areas for entertainment—one aft and a second under a hardtop that will be enclosed—a large sunbed on the bow and a galley. Sleeping accommodations below include room for five people and a head with a separate shower. From the teak floors in the cockpit to the expert upholstery, the Chris-Craft Commander 42 (42′ LOA, 12’11” beam) has every bit the look and workmanship of a Chris-Craft. Power is twin Volvo IPS 600 D6 435-hp engines. chriscraft.com
Category: Downeast
They really aren’t lobster boats anymore. It’s hard to imagine anyone pulling traps from the well-varnished cockpit of a new Downeast model. However, today’s boats have the lobster boat heritage—the low profile, the long shear, the tumblehome, and, above all, the sea-keeping ability. View our collection of Downeast boat reviews to find the right one for you.
Bertram 35
The new Bertram 35 capitalizes on the soul and beauty of the original 31 yet offers a beamier and longer hull design. Michael Peters designed the hull for a projected top speed of 40-plus knots with twin 460-hp diesels. Two engine boxes in the cockpit allow engine access and serve as mezzanine seating for anglers watching their bait. Construction features an infused vinylester, solid fiberglass, hull bottom with Kevlar centerline and strake reinforcements accompanied by a structural grid. Cruisers looking to explore waters where only center consoles can venture will appreciate the 2’6″ draft. The wide beam on the Bertram 35 (35’1″ LOA, 12’5″ beam) adds comfort while trolling at slow speeds and creates a substantial cockpit for anglers to work and cruisers to relax. bertram.com
Downeast Buyers Guide
These 16 new downeast models have a lot to offer.
They really aren’t lobster boats anymore. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine anyone pulling traps from the cockpit of a new Hinckley or a Grand Banks. For openers, you wouldn’t want to scratch the seven to nine coats of varnish on the teak. But today’s Downeast boats do all have the lobster boat heritage—the low profile, the long shear, the tumblehome, and, above all, the seakeeping ability. Today’s boats are definitely more user friendly, not only in navigation (Did a true lobsterman ever have a touchscreen chartplotter to get him home?) but in propulsion and maneuverability as well. Some are still single diesel, but many are twins and often paired to pod drives with counter-rotating props and joystick fingertip controls. Others are powered by outboards with new performance, fuel economy and low emissions. Check out our Downeast Buyers Guide– because you’ll be seeing them at the fall boat shows!
By Peter A. Janssen, Southern Boating Magazine September 2016
By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating Magazine July 2016
Hunt Surfhunter 32
With its iconic deep-V hulls dating back to C. Raymond Hunt and the original Bertram 31 Moppie in 1960, Hunt Yachts knows how to build fast, agile and seaworthy boats. Now, the new Hunt Surfhunter 32 powered by twin 250-hp Yamaha outboards, it has updated a classic to give it both more zip (top speed 44 knots) and more room in the cockpit. The hull on the new 32 is an evolution of the popular Surfhunter 29, now stretched with an Armstrong bracket to fit the four-stroke outboards. The outboards, says Hunt President Peter Van Lacker “are simple, fast and the handling is sportier. The range is greater so you can go a little further, faster.” The redesigned cockpit in the Surfhunter 32 has aft seating with plenty of entertaining (or fishing space).
The bridgedeck has an L-shaped settee to port with a custom varnished teak table on a removable stainless steel pedestal base. Visibility from the helm starboard is excellent all around. Varnished teak companionway doors lead to overnight accommodations below, including a full-sized V-berth, enclosed head and shower, and a galley with a single-burner stove, fridge, microwave, and Corian countertop. The hull, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, is solid E-glass bottom laminate with foam-cored topsides and a vinylester osmosis barrier.
True North 34
With its iconic profile—plumb bow, graceful shear line and reverse transom—the True North 34 Outboard Express is a unique take on a traditional Downeast lobster boat. But it’s a lobster boat that goes 43 mph and that can be used for cruising, fishing, diving, water sports or, if you trim up the outboards, a picnic on the beach.
Power comes from the boat’s twin 250-hp Evinrude E-TEC outboards, using advanced two-stroke technology and displaying the same color as the True North’s signature red hull. Using outboards—as opposed to an inboard diesel—opens up useable space under the cockpit for a sports locker for toys, fish boxes and even a small deflated tender. Up top, the flat cabin top holds optional purpose-built racks for more toys, a kayak or paddleboard.
A hardtop covers the bridge deck with a small galley to starboard. An L-shaped settee to port can be converted to a berth. The captain has an adjustable Stidd chair; the mate’s seat is large enough for two. Down two steps, the cabin has a V-berth, head with shower and hanging locker. True North yachts are made by USWatercraft, which specializes in Scrimp resin-infusion technology for stronger, lighter hulls. The 34 is a user-friendly boat that’s fast, fun and easy.
Sabre 66
The flagship of the Sabre fleet, the new Sabre 66 luxury express is the largest, most powerful, most sophisticated, and the most yacht-like Sabre yet. It more than lives up to its name, Dirigo, which means “I lead” in Latin; Dirigo also is the motto for the state of Maine, where all Sabres are built. I was fortunate enough to test hull number one on its maiden delivery. As we cruised off the northern coast of Florida, the twin Volvo D-13 diesels and IPS 3 pod drives burned 60 gph at an easy 27 knots. Living onboard is easy.
A U-shaped settee in the cockpit faces an adjustable hi-low table that can be extended to become a sunpad. The Sabre 66 has a large salon is filled with light from side windows and a super-sized skylight; a long settee is on the port side facing an entertainment center. The helm deck features an L-shaped settee to port and two matching Stidd helm chairs. The galley down is at the foot of the stairs, with everything you need for a long cruise. The midships master stateroom is huge, with 6′ 4″ headroom. The VIP is forward of the galley and a third stateroom is in the bow. All have ensuite heads and showers.
A high-tech electronic switching system controls most of the systems on the boat.
Reliant 40
A traditional-looking Downeast boat from stem to stern, the new Reliant 40 Commuter is the first model from a new company based in Newport, Rhode Island, formed by two of the most respected names in the business: David MacFarlane, the former president and CEO of Alden (and Cal, Ranger and Rampage), and Jim Ewing, the former president of Trumpy and executive VP of Alden.
And although many things have changed in yacht building over the years, they know that important things remain the same. “What hasn’t changed is the boating public’s passion for a beautiful boat,” says MacFarlane. The Reliant 40 Commuter built by Su Marine in Turkey has meticulous craftsmanship, fit and finish, with varnish and satin-finished mahogany throughout. The Downeast ethic shows in the tumblehome, wide teak decks and teak swim platform.
The cockpit is large for entertaining, with an aft settee and inlaid teak table. Under the hardtop, the helm deck has seating for four, plus the captain and mate. The galley is below and to port, with two-burner stove, fridge, microwave, and lots of cabinets. The head is to starboard, with mahogany finish and large separate shower; the queen master is forward. Power is twin Yanmar 320-hp diesels with straight shafts. Cruise speed is 24 knots; top speed is 30 knots.
Shannon 36
It’s not often that someone comes up with a truly new idea in boating, but Walt Schulz, the founder and president of Shannon Yachts, has one and it’s called the Shannon 36.
To keep boating comfortable for aging baby boomers who might not be as agile as they once were, Shannon started a line called Silver Concept, which has special features for owners with mobility or age issues. The problem, he says, is that “most boats are designed for 40 year olds, which is fine as long as you stay 40.” The goal of Silver Concept is that no one has to stop boating because of age. Shannon makes low-profile, classic Downeast boats from 28 to 58 feet.
The new Shannon 36 Silver Concept models include split island double berths for easy access; power sliding doors; wide passageways; a proprietary swim platform that raises and lowers to adjust to any level and a ramp swings out for side-to boarding; a proprietary lift that converts conventional steps into a mechanical lift system for going from the salon to the accommodation deck below; a “knee-under” power helm seat modeled after the driver’s seat in a luxury car; bow and stern thrusters, and one-level decks from transom to the helm.
Each boat can be customized. After all, says Schulz, “90 is the new 60.”
Rockport Marine 44 Express
If you think that Downeast boats descended from lobster boats, you don’t need to look much further than the new Rockport Marine 44 Express Motor Yacht for confirmation. This custom cold-molded hull with its plumb bow, large cockpit, protected helm deck, low profile, long shear, and Herreshoff-style interior all trace back to its lobster boat roots.
Rockport Marine in the northwest corner of Rockport Harbor, Maine, is the real Downeast. It is now making the new 44 with wood composite construction, including four layers of wood and epoxy glue with an outer sheathing of fiberglass cloth for a total thickness of 1 ½ inches. Each layer uses West System vacuum bagging epoxy resin so the hull is a consistent solid laminate for reduced weight, stiffness, durability, and sound deadening. The cockpit has bench seating aft—there’s more seating in the functional wheelhouse—and the forward stateroom has an island berth, a head with separate shower, a galley, and a settee that converts to a queen-size berth. The power is totally up to date. Two 470-hp Cummins diesels are paired with Hamilton waterjets, giving the 44 a draft of only 2′ 4″. Maneuvering is a breeze with Hamilton’s Blue Arrow fingertip-control joystick. The Rockport Marine 44 is projected to cruise at 26 knots and top out at 30 knots. rockportmarine.com
Palm Beach 42
The first new model since Palm Beach Yachts was acquired by Grand Banks two years ago, the Palm Beach 42 is an elegant example of a modern Downeast boat with an aggressive low profile, long shear line and teak just about everywhere.
Built in Australia, the Palm Beach 42 also has luxuries—electric windows, Ultraleather upholstery, Silestone countertops—that never even entered the mind of a Maine lobsterman. “This is the most gorgeous and feature-rich yacht of its size out there,” says Mark Richards, the founder of Palm Beach and now CEO of parent company Grand Banks.
With large integrated teak swim platform on the Palm Beach 42; the teak continues to the cockpit sole. The cockpit itself has a wet bar with Silestone countertop, and the salon offers two large facing settees. Owners have a choice of a single stateroom below and large galley down, or two staterooms below and galley up. The master offers a tapered island berth and a large head with shower. Richards, a world champion sailor, specializes in high-tech hulls.
A total epoxy vinylester core hull comes built-in on the Palm Beach 42. Foam core monocoque construction ties bulkheads and interior furniture into the deck for a strong, quiet ride. Volvo IPS 600 pod drives produce a top speed of 36 knots. pbmotoryachts.com
Padebco V25R
It doesn’t get much more Downeast than Round Pound, Maine, a beautiful, protected harbor that serves as the gateway to Penobscot Bay and that also has been the home of Padebco boats for more than 50 years. The new Padebco V25R is proof of that.
Padebco’s newest model, the V25R, is a sporty day boat with classic lines, teak accents, easy handling, and 40-plus knots speeds. The V25R has an almost plumb bow and a sharp entry, like a lobster boat, with hard chines, two lifting strakes on each side, and a 17-degree deadrise at the transom. The beam is only 9 feet, and the draft, with twin 150 Yamahas, is just 18 inches.
The boat comes on plane easily, accelerates quickly and is nimble maneuvering around Maine’s myriad of lobster pots. Padebco is a full-service yard and makes each boat to order. This V25R has seating for eight, with a three-person bench seat aft, another three-person seat on the forward side of an amidships wet bar, and two pedestal-mounted helm seats. The wet bar comes with a sink, storage and removable table for lunch. The helm is finished in faux carbon fiber to reduce glare.
You step down to the salty, teak-trimmed cuddy cabin with a V-berth, head and hanging locker. The Padebco V25R has a solid fiberglass bottom, fiberglass stringers and foam coring in the hull sides and deck.
Marlow Pilot 31: Downeast Dream
Marlow’s entry-level cruiser, the new Marlow Pilot 31, is designed for comfortable cruising for a couple or a small family. The newly designed pilothouse, which now includes the galley and dinette, is protected from the weather by a hardtop overhead and large windows on both sides; Eisenglass can be rolled down aft for a full enclosure. The cabin below offers 6′ 3″ standing headroom, sleeps two in a queen berth and two more in a settee that can be converted into upper and lower berths.
The Marlow Pilot 31 replaces the 30 Pilot and is the third new model since David Marlow bought Mainship four years ago. It reflects quality and design changes, with more features at an affordable price. The new “summer galley” in the pilothouse includes a fridge/freezer, electric cooktop, microwave, and stainless sink. It is just behind the helm seat on the starboard side and faces an L-shaped settee with a dining table to port. A jump seat is just behind the galley. Below, a single seat is built in next to the queen berth. There’s also a good-sized hanging locker and a large head with separate shower. A single Yanmar 220-hp diesel engine produces a cruising speed of 18 to 20 knots and a top speed of 23 knots. A bow thruster is standard. marlow-pilot.com
Legacy 36
Tartan Marine relaunched the Legacy brand 18 months ago with the original Legacy 32 and Legacy 38. Now Tartan has just finished the new Legacy 36, the first Legacy built in Tartan’s Ohio factory. The new 36 was designed by Mark Ellis, who designed the original Legacy, Tim Jackett, Tartan’s COO and designer and the Tartan design team. The Legacy 36 uses Ellis’ modified deep-V hull with wide chine flats running aft so the boat comes up on plane at low speeds. The V entry helps produce a dry and stable ride. A running keel and skeg protect the prop and the skeg-hung rudder. The Downeast appeal shows in the Legacy’s traditional shear line, raked transom, bow flare, and graceful tumblehome.
The Legacy 36 has a large, self-bailing cockpit with an aft settee and two other seats flanking the entrance to the helmdeck, which is enclosed aft with curved plexiglass and a Sapelle-framed sliding door. The captain and mate have pedestal-mounted swivel chairs; the settees convert to a berth.
Owners can choose a galley down and one cabin arrangement or galley up with a second cabin below. The private master stateroom is forward with a large queen-sized island berth. The head is to starboard with a stall shower. Standard power is a Cummins 480-hp diesel.
Grand Banks 44 Eastbay SX
When Grand Banks acquired Palm Beach, the luxury Australian builder, two years ago, it named Mark Richards, the Palm Beach president, and world-class sailor, to run the two companies. Richards, in turn, promised to build high-quality, high-tech cruising boats under the proud Grand Banks brand. The gorgeous new 44 Eastbay SX with IPS 600 pod drives is the direct result of that effort. The 44 Eastbay, with its low profile, long sweeping shear and gentle tumblehome, has softer lines and more curves than the traditional Grand Banks. It somehow manages to keep its Downeast heritage yet looks like one of the most modern boats on the planet.
Entering the boat from the large teak swim platform, the cockpit has an L-shaped settee and aft-facing bench. In the salon, the aft and side windows open for a fresh-air environment. The galley to starboard boasts beautiful quartz countertops. A large U-shaped settee with hi-low table is to port. The helm, with two 16-inch Volvo displays, is wrapped in leather. The master stateroom is forward, then there’s a guest stateroom with twin berths and one with a single berth; you can also opt for two staterooms plus a utility room. They’re all finished in teak; fit and finish is excellent. The Grand Banks 44 Eastbay SX has two heads with showers.
Back Cove 32: an Eastern Classic
It’s been ten years since Back Cove launched its first boat, a 29-foot single-engine diesel designed to make cruising easy. Since then, Back Cove, a sister company to Sabre Yachts, has built 700 boats ranging from 26 to 41 feet long, but all still single-diesel, fuel-efficient, low-maintenance, Maine-built cruising boats.The latest, the Back Cove 32, is scheduled to launch this summer and remains true to the company’s core values.
The Back Cove 32 combines traditional Downeast looks with comfort, functionality and smart use of space. A centerline transom door leads from the swim platform to the cockpit, and it’s all one level from there to the companionway. Matching L-shaped settees are in the corners of the cockpit, and a generous-sized optional hardtop protects the helm deck.
A galley with an electric, two-burner cooktop, fridge/freezer, stainless sink, and microwave is to starboard. To port, a U-shaped settee can be used as a dinette with a table or converted to a sleeping area. The cabin has an elegant cherry interior with satin varnish, and a large island berth is located in the bow. A head with toilet is to port; a separate shower stall is to starboard. Standard power is either a 370-hp Volvo or 370-hp Yanmar diesel. Base price $320,000.