Original Publish Date: May 28, 2024
Updated: June 26, 2024 (Video Added)
Tiara EX54 Yacht: A True Yacht Builder’s Masterpiece
Tiara’s EX54 is its second largest offering and solidifies its place among true yacht builders.
Tiara Yachts has long been a stalwart of the American boating marketplace, though for many years, it competed somewhat down market, building boats and not the yachts its name purported to. However, times change and so do trends. When Tiara and Pursuit split up a few years ago, it became clear to most observers of the brand that Tiara was looking to level up. Those ambitions came to reality at last year’s Miami International Boat Show with the debut of the Tiara EX60, the builder’s first proper yacht.
I remember boarding that boat back then and being really impressed. I’ve spent plenty of time cruising Tiaras, often in the Bahamas, and have come to love them for their versatility, adventurous spirit, and confidence-inducing seakeeping. But the EX60 was something altogether different with a level of fit and finish and bulldog sturdiness that had heretofore not been seen from the Holland, Michigan, builder. So when I climbed aboard the 60’s little sister, the EX54, during a teeming rainstorm at the 2024 edition of the Miami show, I knew what to expect. But my lack of surprise didn’t mean I was any less pleased with what I found.
I stepped into a spacious cockpit arranged with twin settees facing one another. Between them sat a table made of resin-infused bamboo. More sustainable than teak, the bamboo had a grain to it that was really rather lovely. I was also pleased to find that when I folded the table out, it was nice and heavy. People hear “bamboo” and tend to think something will be light, even chintzy, but this table was happily quite the opposite, largely owing to the weight of the resin.
Choice of Three Layouts
The facing-settee setup on the boat in Miami is just one of three available layouts in the EX54’s cockpit, a testament to the increased layers of customizability the builder is offering aboard its most lux models. A second arrangement that Tiara calls the “Adventure” layout only has one settee, freeing up space for diving, angling, or dancing, I suppose. A third choice is named the “Glass Patio” and makes use of modular furniture to create an extremely versatile space for entertaining while underway or on the hook. Foldout terraces to port and starboard expand this yacht’s beam in remarkable fashion and rest on extra-beefy hinges that project a real sense of confidence in the build. The lower cockpit on this model is also extended by the large hydraulic swim platform which has space enough for a small RIB and which also enjoys a Kenyon grill, sink, and refrigeration built right into the transom. A stowage space for lines and small toys is also here.
Notably, the cockpit has a further mezzanine deck, which is a personal favorite design. This kind of split-level, open-air space nicely divides the area into distinct spaces for play, typically with the more active stuff going on down below—swimming, diving, and the like—and the more laid-back type of relaxing, usually done with a cold drink in hand, on the upper level.
To that end, there is a barstool to port that is plunked just aft of a small foldout bar. The stool itself was pleasingly rock-solid, though I did find it a bit odd that the barstool was not aligned with the galley, which was in the aft starboard-side section of the salon. The bar also has a flip-up window that opens completely to help meld the cockpit and mezzanine deck. There are distinct nods to the Australians here, to my eye. Riviera and Maritimo both popularized this kind of setup some years back, i.e., an aft galley with a bar at the bulwark separating outside from in. And it makes good sense that we see it here on this model, as Tiara looks to push past rivaling the Sea Rays of the world and eyes new competition. For what it’s worth, Tiara has always struck me as having Australian vibes, with the level of seaworthiness on its boats and the level of adventure its owners seem to always be seeking. I mean that as a high compliment to all involved.
High-quality Touches
The EX54’s salon is one of its strongest areas, and advances some trademark Tiara touches, just at a bit of a higher level than in the past. The first hint at quality is the door that leads from the mezzanine to the interior, which slides to starboard smoothly and heavily, and which has a nice braking mechanism to stop it from sliding around when the boat is at sea. Inside, my eye was immediately drawn to the woodwork. Grains were rich and the joinery was tight throughout, from the portside dining table to the teak accents on the dash. The dining table has remarkably comfortable U-shaped seating. One nice touch here is the handholds carved right into the table in an unobtrusive way that doesn’t detract from the aesthetics but also makes navigating the salon in a seaway much safer. In fact, the salon is replete with handholds, a great feature for families. Happily, the EX54 also has an optional Seakeeper 9 to steady her when at anchor or moving at slow speeds.
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At faster speeds, the captain will appreciate the excellent sightlines at the starboard-side helm. He’ll also appreciate the joystick controls and a door that opens completely to the starboard side deck, making this boat feasible to be run by one. The EX54 comes with twin Volvo Penta IPS2 950s and has a top speed of 34 knots with a cruise right around 27 knots. I didn’t have a chance to sea trial her as she was wedged in tight at the docks in Miami, but I look forward to getting my chance at the wheel someday soon.
Below, the EX54 has a well-lit three-stateroom layout thanks in large part to an atrium-like effect from the windshield. The staterooms include a forepeak VIP, a cabin with stacked twin bunks to starboard, and an amidships ensuite master. The master houses lots of stowage for longer trips and also has a washer and a vented dryer that the Tiara team raves about. (I didn’t spend enough time on board to dirty any laundry though.) High-end fit-and-finish touches seen in the master and throughout the accommodations level include chunky stainless steel pushes on the cabinets, LED lighting overhead, and induction smartphone chargers spaced throughout.
What you’re getting with the Tiara EX54 is a yacht—not boat—that will surprise a lot of people if they haven’t been following this build closely. Put quite simply, the EX series is not your father’s Tiara. Extra effort has been put into both design and construction and that rings loud and clear no matter where you look on this vessel. The EX54 may be one of Tiara’s biggest models, but one thing is certain—the builder made sure to get the little things right.
-by Kevin Koenig
TIARA EX54 YACHT SPECS:
LOA: 54′ 3″
Beam: 15′ 11″
Draft: 3′ 8″
Displacement (dry): 48,400 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 650/135 U.S. gals.
Power: 2x Volvo Penta IPS2 950
Max Speed: 34/27 knots
Contact: Tiara Yachts
