After the model was unveiled in Miami last February, the Palm Beach GT60 is making an encore appearance in Fort Lauderdale, this time with Hull No. 2. Both fast and fuel efficient, the 64-foot yacht (17’ 2” beam) has a low-resistance hull design with a fine entry and lightweight carbon fiber construction from the deck up. With twin 1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS drives, the GT60 can make up to 42 knots wide open throttle, yet at 10 knots, she sips a measly six gallons per hour. All of this is wrapped in an elegant design featuring a large swim platform, a tender garage for a 10-foot RIB, and a full-beam cockpit flowing into the salon that features a concealed recessed sunroof. palmbeachmotoryachts.com
The beauty of the new Palm Beach flagship goes beyond her good looks.
By Kate Lardy
Packed with more than a thousand vessels snuggly docked fender width apart, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show can overwhelm even the most fanatical shopper. When boat after white boat line up in a row, they can all start to blend together. That was the scene on some docks at the November 2019 show, that is until you got to B dock. There, within a majestic display, was a 70-footer whose stately dark blue hull and enduring lines trimmed in golden teak caught the eye, a Palm Beach 70. It looked as if it had traveled through time from the Great Gatsby era, yet belonged in the present, able to achieve that timeless quality that eludes many models.
The classic lines, teak appointments, and attention to detail, along with modern amenities and hull design, give the Palm Beach 70 a clean, timeless look.
Designed for the Times
Aesthetics, though, are only the beginning of this yacht’s beauty. Behind the surface of the classic design is a very modern machine, whose combination of fastidious design and construction and outside-the-box weight savings makes it surprisingly fast and efficient.
Palm Beach Motor Yachts introduced its flagship 70 this past fall in response to requests from clients who wanted to grow their yachts within the Australian brand. Five feet longer than the previous fleet queen (the PB65), the 70 is a highly customizable flybridge model offering up to four staterooms and able to reach 38 knots.
When you consider the source, the speed makes sense. The yard was founded by Australian sailor Mark Richards, who is, as marketing director Joel Butler succinctly puts it, “a speed freak.” Line honors winner of the grueling Sydney Hobart yacht race nine times as the skipper of Wild Oats XI, Richards carries over the racing mentality to the motoryacht world in his role as CEO, intensely focused on efficiency, weight control, and attention to detail. “Mark can be a tough guy to work for sometimes because he’s a perfectionist, but the owners win out of that,” says Butler.
Designed for Efficiency
That efficiency starts with the semi-displacement warped hull. “This means it’s super fine in the bow and rolls into soft shoulders that just sort of fold all the water away so you get no hull slapping,” Butler says. “It’s incredibly flat aft and has six to eight degrees deadrise. It’s built like a racing boat.” As for construction, the hull and all components are fully vacuum-infused for consistently even distribution of the vinylester resin that makes the yacht as strong and as light as possible.
The most efficient system, hence the standard power for the Palm Beach 70, is 1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS 1350 drives. The first hull equipped with these drives recently clocked 37.6 knots in preliminary sea trials and is expected to make the target 38 knots after some finishing touches. Shafts are always an option for any Palm Beach boat, and the owner of the premier hull (the one displayed at the Fort Lauderdale show) picked the Volvo Penta D13 shafts. These give him an efficient cruise at 24 knots and top out at 32.8 knots. At cruise speed, fuel consumption is 24 gallons per hour for each engine, which means the yacht can go for 793 nautical miles at a good clip.
If you’re looking for a flashy rooster tail to accompany the fast pace, this is not the yacht for you. The hull is designed to slice through the water rather than using precious energy to climb on top of it, so the wake is barely discernible. The design has the added benefit of being quite shallow. The draft with IPS drives is just over four feet while shaft propulsion gives closer to three-and-a-half feet, so all of the Bahamas is fair game.
Everything from the deck up is fully infused carbon fiber, which keeps the overall weight down and the center of gravity nice and low. Also helping to keep the weight centered and low for improved performance is a system the yard custom engineered for the IPS drives. Instead of mounting the engine blocks aft, on top of the drive head as is typical, they place the blocks for the engines amidships and run a single piece carbon fiber drive shaft back to the pods. “That pulls a heap of weight out,” says Butler, not only by replacing heavy steel with lighter carbon fiber, but also because carbon fiber doesn’t need the extra componentry that steel does to reduce the harmonics; there’s no need for intermediate bearings, he explains. It’s innately quieter.
Designed for Personal Preference
The interior layout above and below deck is designed on the owner’s personal preferences. In this case, the galley is to port of the helm station.
With three guest staterooms and one generous crew cabin, the first hull nicely shows off the capabilities of the flagship’s accommodations. The first owner chose to situate the galley on the main deck to port of the inside helm station. Down a few steps forward leads to a wide master stateroom to port and a queen-berth VIP cabin in the bow, each with private head. To starboard is a convenient laundry room and a cozy twin-berth cabin tucked under the helm station whose ensuite doubles as the dayhead. This layout was drawn in order to accommodate the six-foot, three-inch captain, giving him what Butler describes as “the Hilton of crew quarters” under the galley, accessed from the salon. The interior design is very much what you would expect to match the classic exterior styling with lots of warm satin-finished teak paired with pleasingly neutral fabrics. It’s simple, clean, and shows a lot of boating common sense with nary a sharp corner in sight.
The expansive master suite is midship to port with the VIP cabin in the bow.
Of the seven sold hulls, only the last two are similar, says Butler. The others have been adapted to suit very personal preferences. Take, for instance, Hull No. 2 which recently arrived in California. This owner opted for a single, cavernous stateroom below lavished in high-gloss teak.
Richards personally works with each client to design their ideal boat. “When [Richards] steps on board this boat, he doesn’t see the surface, he sees behind it,” says Butler. “He knows what the fixing is behind that and what the skin is behind that and everything it is made of because he’s been involved in the entire design process. He can fully customize on the spot with the customer, and they know that they’ve got the right guy that’s going to build their boat right.”
On deck is a cockpit set up for alfresco dining and a foredeck seating area akin to a bowrider. This recessed nook at the bow is a styling point reminiscent of the commuter yachts that the Palm Beach look mimics. Trailing the hull is an expansive swim platform, and up the ladder from the aft deck is the flybridge, another comfortable lounging spot to enjoy all-around views or take the controls. On the first hull, the radar mast here lowers with the help of an electrical actuator to clear low bridges, a custom request of the owner from North Carolina.
These Australian boats seem to have hit home in America with the seventh PB70 sold during the Fort Lauderdale boat show. Butler confirms that U.S. owners commissioned all but two hulls. The demand has already created a backlog so if you want one, act fast; there’s currently an extra six-month wait time tacked onto the 12-month build.
High performance, efficient and elegant are the words that Palm Beach had in mind when designing the new Palm Beach GT50 Open. The Open version of these makes its world debut in Miami. Low resistance is the key to the hull design, which is meant to slice through the water rather than plane.
Coupled with the lightweight construction, including a 100-percent carbon fiber deck and superstructure, the GT50 has the ability to reach 42 knots. Efficiency is achieved with the 600- hp Volvo Penta IPS propulsion, which burns 40 gallons per hour at 35 knots. All of this is wrapped up in a very elegant package as befits the Palm Beach name.
The 33rd Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show: you’ll come for the boats but stay for so much more!
The Palm Beach Boat Show is generally considered the final boat show in the seven-monthlong boat show season. This year marks its 33rd and will once again be held along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach, FL from March 22nd to March 25th.
The upscale setting with its luxury homes along the ICW and a bevy of dining options for all budgets is fitting to commemorate making it through the busiest time of year, but it’s a special show for many other reasons as well. “The Palm Beach International Boat Show holds a special place on many boating and yachting enthusiasts’ calendars,” says Mary Bender, vice president of marketing for Informa, the show’s producer. “It’s the last major international yacht show of the yearly boat show season and, therefore, is well attended by serious shoppers as well as many key industry executives.”
Yet while the Palm Beach Boat Show attracts many high-level boat buyers and yacht charter clients, all boating enthusiasts, cruisers, and anglers will find something
of interest here. In addition to boats of all sizes at the docks and on land, educational activities include fishing clinics and seminars offered by the non-profit Hook the Future as well as the IGFA School of Sportfishing. Need to brush up on your boating or docking skills? Sit in on classes for long-range cruising or on-the-water boat handling. In between classes and boat shopping, enjoy live music and refreshments at one of the show’s floating cocktail lounges.
If receiving more personal attention is your style, in keeping with the high profile location and venue, a new option for 2018 is the VIP Experience, a private club that provides guests with fine food and refreshments in a climate controlled space with comfy seating. Concierge services for yacht tours, dining reservations, private transportation, and other personal services are arranged by Delmay and Partners, a dedicated concierge service. Parking is plentiful and options are listed on the show’s website pbboatshow.com.
But if you’re local to the area, come by boat and tie up for free at the docks located south of the in-water boat displays at the Palm Beach Boat Show.
Palm Beach Motor Yachts’ flagship yacht, the PB 65 (70′ LOA, 19′ 2″ beam), was launched in 2009 to critical acclaim by owners.
Today, the model continues to be refined and adapted to each owner’s style, and the latest new build showcases an optional bowrider. The PB 65 benefits from 100 percent vinylester resins and a cross-linked, closed-cell foam core for durability, strength and weight reduction. Precisely crafted with a fine point of entry and a warped-V hull shape, the PB 65 carves through the waves with smoothness and ease. The narrow entry shifts the center of gravity closer to the center of the yacht, right where it should be for the perfect trim. While most yachts have a round bilge, Palm Beach yachts have only six degrees of deadrise for rock-solid stability.
A shallow draft (only 12 inches from the waterline to the bottom of the hull at rest) means effortless planing and cruising with less horsepower. Powered by twin Volvo Penta IPS 950s, the boat runs to a top speed of 36 knots and cruises at 30 knots. A light-filled interior with salon, staterooms and aft cockpit can comfortably host gatherings.
Detailed styling and luxury amenities enrich the cruising experience and bring comfort to a new level. You’ll find a tender garage, laundry and all the extras expected on a yacht of this scale, without losing an ounce of your space and freedom.
Don’t miss the 32nd Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show!
The show starts Thursday, March 23rd and runs through March 26th. The Palm Beach International Boat Show is located along the charming downtown area of Flagler Drive. The Intracoastal Waterway and Palm Beach Island will provide spectacular views while you stroll the docks and tents.
This year will feature the largest superyacht lineup in its 32-year history and will feature more than $1.2 billion worth of yachts and accessories.
From mega-yachts to tenders, magazine subscriptions to outboards, the Palm Beach International Boat Show is sure to have all the products for your boating and cruising needs.
This year’s show will also include a variety of educational activities, including free youth fishing clinics, IGFA School of Sportfishing seminars, long-range cruising clinics and on-the-water boat handling classes—making the Palm Beach International Boat Show a fun and educational event for the whole family.
Show entrances are located at Evernia St./Flagler Dr. and North Clematis St./Flagler Dr. This year, a new VIP entrance and VIP Lounge will be located at Palm Harbor Marina.
This year’s show will feature roughly 400 exhibitors, more than 700 boats in-water, and a few hundred boats on land. It’s sure to be an exciting weekend!
2017 SHOW SCHEDULE:
12 p.m. – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 23
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday, March 24
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday, March 25
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, March 26
TIP: Want to take advantage of Palm Beach’s beautiful water and weather? Come to the show by boat! Cruisers are welcome to aie-up to the convenient Come-by-Boat docks– located south of the in-water displays near Fern Street.
Don’t forget to stop by Southern Boating! Booth 612, right on the corner!
For more information, visit the Palm Beach Boat Show site or if you want to do some window-shopping, take a look at YATCO’s PROBOOK – the official MLS of Yachting.
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.
Since opening in March 2010, the marina has put a lot of effort into offering luxury, beauty and lots of attractions in the area. Located in the Palm Beaches, Palm Harbor Marina has been designated a Florida Clean Marina. There’s 24-hour security; they have secure parking and gates with key card access.
Palm Harbor Marina has 200 slips for yachts up to 250 feet, a state-of-the-art Marinetek® concrete floating dock system, high-speed diesel and gasoline pumps, plenty of single and three-phase power with surge protection. There are computers, cable TV, phones, and free WiFi for the boating enthusiast to enjoy. Visitors can spend time in Palm Beach Harbor’s lavish private yacht club (complete with fitness center, catering kitchen, wet bar, game room, and more). Guests have access to exclusive discounts and benefits at local restaurants.
If you want to get away from the marina for a little while, there are a lot of exhilarating options to choose from, whether you want to golf, go shopping or relax on one of the legendary beaches. There are also exciting nightlife and dining options in downtown West Palm Beach, City Place or Clematis Street.
If you’re used to VIP status, consider staying at Palm Beach Marina, where their amenities will make you feel very comfortable (and, hesitant to leave). This new marina offers luxury, safety, beauty, and loads of entertainment options.
The rich atmosphere of Palm Beach, Florida, attracts cruisers from around the world with its fine dining, fabulous shopping and a multitude of activities. Whether window shopping, relaxing on a pristine beach or enjoying one of the several seafood restaurants, touring cruisers can find convenient berth at the Town Docks Marina.
With slips accommodating vessels up to 260′, the Town Docks Marina’s main feature is its strategic location on the Island of Palm Beach, just steps from world-renowned Worth Avenue. Visitors will also find an easy taxi or trolley ride over the neighboring drawbridge to enjoy the Kravis Center, Cityplace and nightlife at downtown West Palm Beach. The Breakers Hotel, a landmark Palm Beach resort, is just two miles from the docks.
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The Town Docks provide all of the conventional amenities, and security monitoring ensures your vessel is protected throughout the stay.
Marina Features:
• Electricity
• Fresh water and showers
• Sewage removal
• Telephone
• Cable TV
• Security cameras
• Complimentary WiFi
• Captain’s lounge
• Great location
Palm Beach, Florida, has been built on its exclusivity and made famous as the indulgent stomping grounds of the “One Percenters.” Just across the Flagler Bridge over the ICW from West Palm Beach this ritzy four-square-mile island has been preserved and celebrated for over 100 years. Perfectly manicured landscapes and Queen Palms line streets named Cherry Lane or Angler Avenue. With easy access to three notable marinas this is a cruiser haven for the likes of those who crave luxury, history and all things fine—even for those of us in the 99 percent group. But it’s when you discover who and what lies behind the prestige of this illustrious island sprinkled with decadent eateries, high-end designer shops and magnificent mansions that Palm Beach leaves a lasting impression.
In 1892, Henry Flagler shifted his focus from Standard Oil to establish this lush coastal area—at the time known as Lake Worth—into a high-end resort town for Northerners. He immediately had investors support the construction of hotels, residences and shops, soon referred to as Palm Beach Island. His expansion of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks provided easy access, and soon the South Florida shore bustled with antsy vacationers—it hasn’t stopped since.
Palm Beach’s rich history is as deep as the checkbooks that frequent Worth Avenue, and while the authentic feel of the posh, resort glamour is preserved, nowadays it adapts to the individual lifestyles of its guests. While it is still geared toward the fortunate few who can treat Worth Avenue as a playground, even the most modest cruiser will enjoy the sightseeing, history, dining, and activities offered on this island that’s bordered by a peach and white scalloped seawall to guard against the Atlantic’s waves.
Today, many visitors grace Palm Beach’s picturesque shores by boat. Two full-service ports––Rybovich Marina and Palm Harbor Marina—are located on North Flagler Drive in the ICW on the West side of “The Island.” Near the heart of both downtown West Palm Beach and historic Palm Beach, these two harbors are just steps away from all the shops, restaurants, beaches, and activities the area is known for. A stone’s throw north of The Island across the Palm Beach Inlet is Sailfish Marina. Don’t miss their weekend breakfast buffet (served 8AM-1PM) with fresh, local seafood. Sailfish Marina is a short boat ride to Peanut Island, a popular place to beach your boat for a sunny day of barbeque and bevvies.
Once your boat is safely docked, start exploring this one-of-a-kind beachfront resort town at the Breakers Palm Beach Hotel (known as the Palm Beach Inn in Flagler’s era) and Flagler’s private home, Whitehall, which is open to the public year-round as the Flagler Museum. The Breakers Palm Beach captures an authentic Italian-Renaissance feel and is set directly on one of the coast’s softest sand beaches. Stunning architectural elegance is displayed throughout each corner of the resort and everywhere you look solidifies why it has been in a class of its own among North American luxury resorts for many years. Even if you plan to stay on your boat, treat yourself to an afternoon exploring the Breakers’ gardens, courtyards, restaurants, and spas.
Water fountains dance to lights and music at Cityplace. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Sunfest draws crowds each year for music and arts. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
The grand entrance to The Breakers Palm Beach. Photo: Christine Carpenter
One of the shop windows on Worth Avenue. Photo: Christine Carpenter
Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Cityplace’s moonlit plaza. Photo: Christine Carpenter
The fountain at the Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden, a perfect spot for a stroll or a picnic. Photo: Christine Carpenter
The Kraviz Center for the Performing Arts. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Children enjoying the fountains at the end of Clematis Street. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Enjoying a sunset swim at the Breakers in Palm Beach. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Come and enjoy the Palm Beach Boat Show. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Spend an exciting day watching polo during the Palm Beach International Polo Season. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
A romantic treat for couples at The Four Seasons. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Looking for a treat? Check out Sloan’s. Photo: Christine Carpenter
Visit the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction at South Florida’s Fairgrounds. Photo: Palm Beach County CVB
Sailfish Marina is the place to anchor and enjoy what Palm Beach has to offer. Photo: Sailfish Marina
The Flagler Museum is a mega-mansion from the Gilded Age, with an extravagant double-staircase entry cloaked in floor-to-ceiling marble. Elaborate décor, flourishing courtyards, expansive rooms, and authentic memorabilia are all on display. On a warm, sunny day—the norm in Palm Beach—enjoy a bike ride on the Lake Trail to discover the secluded shops and beautiful homes hidden behind lush landscapes. The Society of the Four Arts sculpture garden on Cocoanut Drive is the perfect spot for a picnic and a short walk from the white sand beaches. Phipps Ocean Park has unspoiled snorkeling waters, R. G. Kreusler Park is another perfect picnic setting, and Flagpole Beach is ideal for sunbathing, shell collecting and kite surfing when the wind is just right. The beaches on Palm Beach are different from other tourist areas—you won’t find bars or restaurants fronting them—and are most famous for their pristine sand and seclusion. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be amply entertained. In addition to snorkeling you’ll find kayaking, parasailing, surfing, and jet skiing.
Prepare to be awed as you walk along Worth Avenue’s impressive storefronts, including Brooks Brothers, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Vineyard Vines, and Tiffany’s & Co.––to name a handful. This street displays the type of style, charm and sophistication that earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and lavish shopping venues in the country. Bentleys, Rolls Royces and Maybachs line the streets, which give way to dozens of lantern-lit alleyways leading to courtyards and secret gardens with European-style restaurants and unique boutiques.
In the heart of Downtown West Palm Beach—just a two-minute drive across Flagler Bridge—is Cityplace, an open-air plaza reminiscent of a European town center. Over 80 shops are tucked inside dramatic Mediterranean architecture––some major retailers and specialty boutiques––each a little more reasonable than the high-end shops on Worth Avenue. The many restaurants feature enough delicious options to satisfy nearly any craving on any budget. As the afternoon turns into evening, swap your iced latte for cocktails. Couples on date nights walk the plaza hand-in-hand while the palm trees light up and the fountains dance to lights and music. Families young and old also frequent Cityplace’s cobblestone sidewalks in hopes of an extra-special treat at Sloan’s Ice Cream and Confections––a South Florida native that turns every sugary fantasy into reality. If you’re looking for entertainment, the Improv Comedy Club, Muvico’s IMAX theater, or the brand-new bowling alley with bar and grill, Revolutions, might do the trick. For something more quaint, take a horsedrawn carriage ride along the twinkling plaza as live bands play at the Blue Martini or BB King’s Blues Club.
If you’re cruising as a couple or the kids are already tucked into bed, Clematis Street is a busy strip known for its eclectic bars and restaurants, and bustling nightlife. Bring your dancing shoes and a little liquid courage for one of the many nightclubs, or grab a slice of pizza from City Girls Pizza and savor a low-key evening swinging on the waterfront benches as the shimmering lights reflect from the many mega-yachts berthed in the ICW harbors. Look across the water to see Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s Palm Beach digs.
For an upscale evening, enjoy dinner at The Palm Beach Grille on Royal Poinciana Way––don’t skip appetizers or dessert; the fire-grilled artichokes and hot fudge sundae take center stage. Afterward, sit front and center for a show at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts—it’s home to the Palm Beach Opera and welcomes a variety of musicians, orchestras, Broadway shows, and plays each month.
Palm Beachers delight in this world-class escape that allows visitors to experience the ultimate lifestyle of beachfront living at its finest. The pristine shores treat you to the luxury, history and entertainment only this unique coastal gem offers. Once you cruise the waters and walk the streets you’ll understand why The Island has been famous for over a century. I won’t be a bit surprised if you plan a return engagement.
By Christine Carpenter, Southern Boating March 2014
