Category: Motoryachts

The X Factor

CL Yachts shakes things up with its first X series yacht CLX96.

It’s an X boat, a crossover. It’s a Sea Activity Vessel (SAV). It’s a…there are a lot of unusual monikers attached to CL Yachts’ newest and most striking model, the CLX96 —for this is an unusual yacht. 

The 97-footer has a workboat-inspired deckhouse, an extra-long beach platform for tenders and toys, and the oomph to surpass 25 knots. It is also chic and luxurious with
a multitude of transformable features and a few surprising spaces. “Like an SUV, it’s a vehicle that does it all; that’s what we’re trying to offer,” says Hans Lo, deputy director of CL Yachts.

Design Inspiration

The design of CL Yachts’ first X series model the CLX96 comes from the creative mind of Jozeph Forakis, a Milan-based product designer responsible for everything from cell phones and furniture to lighting and watches. It was his award-winning VIP interior décor for the Leonardo AW609 Tiltrotor aircraft that caught the eye of Martin Lo, director of CL Yachts. 

“Martin and I have known each other for a long time. We reconnected in Hong Kong around 2016, and, unbeknownst to me at that time, they were reconsidering the yacht program, thinking how they could get a fresh perspective and bring new energy to it,” says Forakis. “Martin gave me permission in the first phase to go crazy with the concepts. And I ended up doing seven distinct concepts, (each one) progressively more challenging from a technical point of view.” The design ultimately chosen came from the more challenging side of the design concept range. 

“Martin got this concept right away; he was the one who really made the decision to go with it,” Forakis continues. “Then we started to develop a second phase and when we presented it to everybody internally, it caused some waves. There were people who really liked it and people who were really against it. ‘It was too different; too new; the world wasn’t ready,’ they said.”

By Design

The most conspicuous design divergence on the CLX96 is the reverse angle deckhouse, which is symmetrically angled forward and aft. The styling is more than a design exercise though. The double reverse shape helps maximize the internal living space while reducing heat and glare inside. It also offers structural advantages that allow the window mullions to be reduced to mere inches, hence opening up the views from within, which span nearly 360 degrees. 

To keep with the distinctive profile, the stairs to the fly deck from the main deck aft blend with the angle and go up in the opposite direction than the norm, from forward to aft. There’s a functionality aspect here too. 

“When you’re underway, this reverse angle of the stairs makes it easier to go up and down with the trim of the boat, which is around three degrees,” explains Forakis.

The exterior also sports an unusually large Portuguese bridge and a next-level foredeck lounge. CL Yachts has given these spaces unique monikers as well. In front of the bridge is the Terrazza Portoghese with dimensions akin to a generous terrace. “This is an additional socializing or privacy space,” says Forakis. “It’s a sizable boat, but the idea is not just more space, but diverse types of spaces throughout, so people can congregate in small or large groups or find a little bit of alone time if they want.” 

It overlooks the foredeck, dubbed the Piazza del Sole. “The idea is a cocktail lounge in the round; that’s why we call it piazza,” he says. The tables can descend and be covered by cushions to make an ample sunbathing area with adjustable backrests, and the lounge can be covered with a bimini. It’s one of several spots on board that has dual uses.

“Transformation and multifunctionality are a theme throughout the whole boat,” says Forakis. Take, for instance, the aft deck. “We decided to do something a little bit different compared to the normal table here,” he says, as he shows us how each of the three seats that make up the settee can slide open to create a lounge on which to stretch out.

The main alfresco dining table is found on the fly deck above, along with all the must-haves: a bar, grill, and chaise lounges. The outside deck flows effortlessly into the skylounge/pilothouse just forward. 

With the house’s aft and side windows lowered, the deck is one giant fresh-air space, or with the windows up, the wheelhouse becomes weathertight. 

Moving from the exterior to the interior on the fly deck and on the main deck below is aesthetically seamless with the deck’s teak planks lining up perfectly with the teak sole inside. 

As it Lays Out

The main salon, dining area, and galley are joined in an open-plan layout, but one where each zone is defined by structural moldings. From the aft sliding door, you can see all the way through the front windshield with the Champagne Lounge underneath. This cozy spot has a wraparound settee at just the right height for views out and a cocktail table with built-in cooler for a Magnum-size bottle and side drawers fitted with flute-size holders. 

The overall brightness of the deck is augmented with tri-fold glass doors that fully open next to the dining table to starboard. “It’s been engineered so the owner can have it on starboard or port or both as an option,” says Forakis. 

Belowdecks on the CLX96, there are essentially two masters. The true one is forward, over the widest part of the teardrop-shaped hull and with a full-beam his-and-hers ensuite forward. Sculpted Corian wraps around the king-size berth and forms the top of a vanity before swooping down to become the base of a settee. 

“I just love the material,” says Forakis. “It’s futuristic, it’s functional, it’s seamless.” Behind the berth is a feature wall of walnut strips over black glass, a reflective material that the designer prefers over “kitsch” mirror. 

A skylight hovers above the berth and big windows frame the room, but there is another view out too. The 65-inch television on the forward bulkhead is connected to a high-resolution camera mounted at the bow that brings the panorama of the horizon inside.

The VIP aft is nearly as gracious, and to mirror the master, there is also a skylight. But this one is virtual, hooked up to a camera at the top of the mast to project the sky to those in bed. Between these spacious staterooms are two identical ensuite twin cabins, both of which, not surprisingly, convert into doubles. 

Power Sports

Beyond all this interior sophistication is the other half of the SAV concept: the sea activity part. The more than 13-foot-long beach platform—large enough for a tender, PWC, Seabobs, and other toys—helps with that mission. It’s fitted with an 800-kg davit in a deck hatch as well as a motorized Z-lift platform that lifts up, over, and down into the water. 

The CLX96 also has the chops to get from point A to point B expeditiously, powered by reliable twin 1,900-hp Caterpillar C32 ACERTs. “Of these crossover boats, we are probably the fastest; their top speed is what we cruise at,” says Panu Virtanen, vice president of CL Yachts in Fort Lauderdale. That would be 22 knots, with 25 being CLX’s advertised top speed, though the captain on board tells us he’s had her up to 27. The hull is a brand-new, RINA-certified, CFD-analyzed design by naval architect Earl Alfaro, optimized to cruise at 65 to 80 percent of the engine load and able to transition from semi-displacement to planing mode with minimal changes in dynamic trim. 

We take her offshore Fort Lauderdale and with the east wind pushing us we easily reach
25 knots at the max 2,350 rpm. The yacht is equipped with both fins and gyrostabilizers, and our ride is smooth in the choppy seastate using only the fins. Helping achieve this swiftness is a composite structure that uses no small amount of carbon fiber to bring the stiffness necessary to support the upper deck while keeping weight to a minimum, as explained by the structural engineer, Albert Horsmon. 

Revealed to the public for the first time at the 2022 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the CLX96 stood out among the packed docks of yachts. In an industry where copycat designs are rampant, it’s refreshing to see something innovative and she got a lot of well-deserved attention. 

It seems those early naysayers were wrong—the world may indeed be ready.  CLYachts.com

-by Kate Lardy

Speed to Spare

Grand Banks 85 Sky Lounge raises the bar for long-range cruisers.

The new Grand Banks 85 continues the builder’s departure from the classic form long the hallmark of the brand for more than half a century. Following in the wake of the GB60 in 2017, which took the company in a new direction of style, construction, and performance, the Grand Banks 85 not only raised the bar, but broke new ground in producing a fuel-efficient, fast, long-range cruiser, arguably unlike anything else in this size. 

It starts with CEO Mark Richards and his design group utilizing his experiences from decades of competitive ocean racing to develop what the builder calls its V-warp running surface. Essentially, the mission to achieve speed hinges on reducing wetted surface that, in turn, requires less energy to move the boat through the water while maintaining a constant running attitude for overall efficiencies and fuel economy. 

So confident that I would recognize these attributes with my hands on the wheel, Richards left me at the helm while I ran the boat some 70 miles in the ocean from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades to the St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart. 

Hull No. 1 is powered by a pair of 1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS 1350s that deliver a top speed around 26 knots. Throttled back to a loafing 20.7 knots, the diesels burned 57 gph, which translated into a range approaching 1,000 nautical miles. Drop the speed conservatively to 10 knots, and the range practically triples. 

Running angles are modest, averaging two to four degrees, and because the single fiberglass fuel cell is sandwiched between the master stateroom and the crew quarters, the COG is constant. 

Although the ocean was relatively flat, I sought the wakes of several southbound yachts and massive sportfishing boats throwing plenty of wash that enabled the Grand Banks 85 to pour through easily without fuss or spray. The Humphree All Speed stabilization fins and the trim tab interceptors did the job. A Seakeeper SK16 also is available.

Take the Wheel of the Grand Banks 85

It is fun time at the wheel. So much so that I used the Garmin autopilot for less than 20 minutes and enjoyed the handling and response that resembled the attitude and behavior of a fine automobile. Visibility in the enclosed skybridge is as generous as a fully open bridge, another version offered by Grand Banks. But I am sold on the Enclosed Bridge because even after more than three hours at the wheel, I felt like I was in a luxury car. The front windshield consists of three large glass panels framed with thin mullions. Side and aft bulkhead windows drop down and the carbon fiber hardtop includes an opening sunroof to flood the interior with natural light and ventilation.

One thing I noticed missing was mechanical noise because all I could hear was the soft sound of the water as we motored along. The helm is to starboard with carbon fiber trim surrounding the electronic console neatly outfitted with a bank of navigation equipment, a nine-inch Volvo engine instrumentation display, an engine room camera, and vessel management gear. The compact and adjustable teak steering wheel is a shipwright’s work of art and easily reached standing or seated in the wide helm lounge. A second helm seat is to port. Long runs on this boat would be easy to do. Abaft the helm area is an L-shaped lounge and coffee table, while the port side features a Silestone countertop console with stowage, Isotherm refrigeration, a stainless steel sink, a Miele dishwasher, and a Jura coffee machine.

A sliding teak door opens to the aft deck, which features a grippy fiberglass sole finished with Moondust Awlgrip and a 29-inch stainless steel railing atop a two-and-a-half-inch toe kick. An L-shaped lounge at the bulkhead and a varnished teak table offers alfresco dining possibilities complemented with the port-side console containing a Kenyon electric grill, an Isotherm refrigerator, and a Vitrifrigo icemaker. 

Clever Features

Wide teak steps lead from the skybridge down to a foyer on the main deck. A door immediately to port provides access to the side deck. Opposite is the galley that is bathed with natural light through the three-pane windshield with another door to access the starboard-side deck. This is a nice touch because it is convenient for loading provisions for the galley without having to carry them aboard from the stern.

Another clever feature is a recessed compartment at the door that reveals a set of engine controls and the SidePower DC bow thruster, which makes for easy handling and grabbing a spring line when approaching a dock. The galley is well-equipped with a full-height Liebherr refrigerator, an undercounter freezer, a Miele oven, an induction four-burner cooktop, a Panasonic microwave, an Asko dishwasher, a stainless steel sink, ample cabinetry with dedicated drawers for stowage, and a huge pull-out pantry from the varnished teak sole to the ceiling. A built-in screen, one of several located throughout the yacht, monitors the engine room.

The aft wall of the galley doubles as the forward wall in the formal dining area with a teak table that seats six. A credenza to port features a Silestone countertop, stowage drawers, and a wine chiller. A half wall separates the dining area from the massive salon with a U-shape lounge, a pair of coffee tables and chairs, and an entertainment system with a Smart TV. Natural lighting enters through the large salon windows and the teak joinery throughout richly gleams. The woodwork is flawless including aptly placed overhead grab rails, banisters, doors, and cabinets.

A door opens to the teak aft deck with another teak dining table, a wet bar, an electric barbecue, a refrigerator, and an icemaker. Two steps lead to the integral teak platform that is seven feet long with room for an inflatable tender and private access to the crew quarters, and dual machinery compartments.

Custom Touches 

Belowdecks, the Grand Banks 85 accommodations include three or four staterooms, all with ensuite heads. A full-beam master suite also is available, and crew quarters with two private sleeping areas are among the best I have seen in this size yacht. According to Richards, Grand Banks devoted some 140,000 man-hours to build the first hull with an endless array of custom treatments, including a full-size piano keyboard in the owner’s stateroom, as well as electric service to handle shore power needs as the boat travels from the U.S. to Australia and the Med. 

Mechanical and plumbing systems including chilled water Dometic air conditioning are neatly installed in a well-lit area beneath the companionway sole. Two engine rooms each with a Fischer Panda genset are insulated to reduce noise and provide excellent accessibility for daily checks, maintenance, and service. A utility room supplies space for accessories such as a Miele washer and dryer, swim and dive gear, as well as kayaks and other bulky gear. A Victron inverter/charger 8,000-watt/100-amp 24 vdc is integrated into the AC system for use of selected AC equipment without the need to run the generator. 

Construction is top notch. The vacuum-infused hull with E-glass and carbon fiber is cored with foam composites and stitched multi-axial fabrics and vinylester resins. Above the waterline, the deck and superstructure are fully infused with carbon fiber to reduce weight. Bulkheads and fixed cabin furniture throughout the interior are structurally bonded to the hull and deck for strength which also results in the obvious quietness while running in the ocean. Grand Banks has definitely produced a grand slam with the Grand Banks 85. 

-by Peter Frederiksen

Sense of Style

The Riva 76 Bahamas is a dayboat on steroids that impresses with its attention to detail and a movable hardtop unlike most any other.

It’s rather difficult for a yacht to set itself apart at the Cannes Yachting Festival, where the glitziest new offerings from Europe’s top builders convene on a picturesque and cinematic setting to strut their stuff and find new owners. However, the Riva 76 Bahamas was able to do exactly that this year, which is a feat that many serious boaters should take notice of when she comes to the domestic market next year.

It should come as no surprise that this boat is super-stylish even from afar. The impression one gets when first laying eyes on her is that of a machine that was born to move. Her sharp hullside glazing runs nearly the entire length of the boat, flicking forward like a switchblade. Layered upon that is a ruler-straight shearline with knee-high guardrails that require deckhands to have sure footing. A sharply raked and elegantly rounded superstructure has major elements done in carbon fiber—something that somehow makes itself apparent before any investigation into the materials is done. The cumulative effect of all these design elements is a boat that looks like an arrow freshly loose.

Fascinating Features 

Stepping aboard, one is met by all the necessary accoutrements for a dayboat in this size and class but with a few extra details that make this model sing. The teak-soled, hydraulic swim platform is not overly large but is big enough for swimmers to comfortably congregate there. A Williams TurboJet 325 tender was housed in a garage that had a massive sunpad above it. After all, what would an Italian dayboat be without a sunpad that dominated the aft portion of its main deck?

For the fairer-skinned among us (including yours truly), there were stowable carbon fiber poles that can prop up a sunshade, though a part of me suspects this feature was added as an afterthought for the American market to keep our dermatologists from needing to see our cardiologists too frequently.

Among my favorite features on this boat, and, truth be told, at the entire Cannes show, were the stainless steel vents atop the aft of the gunwales to port and starboard. They provided a visual growl and hearkened to the Italian sports car world with which Riva and its parent company Ferretti are so closely aligned. (Ferretti’s CEO Alberto Galassi is married to a Ferrari; a woman, not a car.)

The rest of the cockpit featured lounge seating, a large, aft-facing bench seat to starboard and a smaller, more geometrically cut one to port. One small step up on the teak sole led to a C-shaped dining settee to starboard with room for eight guests. A full-service console to port with a refrigerator, sink, and barbecue, plus extra stowage serviced the area. The fit and finish in this space, and throughout the boat, is exemplary. The leather is soft and supple with expertly measured and delicate stitching. Teak accents throughout the deck lend the air of a classic to this new boat.

What is far from classic about the 76 is a fascinating feature just above the forward portion of the main deck. The carbon fiber hardtop is hydraulic and lifts completely off the superstructure to move forward and fit snugly over the bow. This effectively transforms the boat from an express to an open, and in my 14 years covering this industry, I can’t recall having seen anything quite like it. I’m not a massive fan of too many moving pieces on a seafaring vessel, but from what I could tell, all the machinery and joints here looked and sounded dependable and sturdy.

Quick Getaway

I don’t suspect owners of the 76 Bahamas will spend too many nights aboard. This boat strikes me as best used as a very posh way to get from Miami to Baker’s Bay and then spend the night on land. However, the accommodations level is actually quite lovely. An amidships master benefited from those hullside windows, and natural light flowed over the island king and glinted off the testosterone-charged stainless steel accents and rich, dark leather upholstery. The head even had about seven feet of headroom, which I certainly was not expecting on a yacht this sleek. A forepeak VIP had similar stainless and leather styling, and good, natural light, but wasn’t blessed with quite nearly as large a head compartment. Sacrifices must always be made.

Where that statement is most true on this boat is in the crew’s quarters. It is rather tight. I had to squeeze down the ladder in the cockpit to access it, and once there, I managed a few deep breaths before making my way topside. I’m not typically claustrophobic, but that space got to me.

The engine room was, thankfully, less cramped, with six feet of headroom and dual access through the crew’s quarters and through a hatch in the cockpit. The garage eats up some space here, but access to the gensets was workable, and the twin 1,550-hp MAN V12 engines and Racor fuel filters were easily serviceable.

With that propulsion unit, the 76 Bahamas tops out at 32 knots and should cruise around 28. A burlier engine option, twin 1,800-hp MAN V12s, offers a top end of 37 knots with a cruise of 32. 

Regardless of engine choice, this yacht is an excellent platform as an upper-end dayboat with an option for overnights. Her exterior and interior styling stand out, and the two play with each other well to create a real personality for this boat. Her onboard features are impressive as shown with the moving hardtop but certainly not ending there. And her performance is right in line with what one would want for a fun time on the water. You can do it all on board this Riva, and you can do it all day too.  Riva Website

-by Kevin Koenig

Looking to entertain on board? Check out this recipe from Southern Boating