MBM's round-up of the best, most exciting motorboats at this year's PSP Southampton International Boat Show
Benétéau Monte Carlo 27 from £86,230
Bénéteau’s design skill and flair has created a fab looking sportscruiser with a neat, stylish interior that wants for nothing. She’s not as cheap as we’d like but her looks alone will help you get over that. Big boat features like a bright red hull and cool side screens are just what this end of the market is crying out for.
Jeanneau Prestige 50 from £524,380
Another French builder to deliver superb on-board design, this time it’s Jeanneau’s three ensuite cabins that steal the limelight. A first for a boat of this size, every cabin is well thought out and, importantly, the third cabin comes with proper side-by-side berths rather than bunks.
Maritimo 48 from £800,000
Double the motorboat fun and function here with Maritimo’s clever, enclosed flybridge design. The top deck is fitted out like a high spec saloon giving you more useable boat to make the most of our temperamental climate. The only stumbling block is the monster price tag, so while the enclosed flybridge may well catch on, this actual boat might not.
Nimbus 365 from £252,000
Coupe style delivers a big bright saloon and some of the best decks you’ll find at this length, the Nimbus’ side deck door alone is more interesting than many of the boats at the show.
Nordic Cruiser From £62,000
Looking for something a little more sedate? Then how about this beautiful Danish launch? Offering a decent overnight cabin, the boat’s cockpit is the real draw. Decked out in mahogany and teak, it is a real treat. A clever sail drive propulsion system delivers a useful 16 knots from a frugal 55hp engine.
Nord West 370 Coupe from £281,000
Like the Nimbus another great coupe design with a slick and stylish sunroof system and stunning IPS performance. Three cabins add to the cruising armoury. Read this month’s MBM for a full test on the 370 flybridge.
Princess V62 from £1,102,000
Could this be the boat of the year? In typically understated fashion Princess has created a boat as near to perfect as it gets. Every element, from the vast sunroof above the elegant deck saloon to the full beam master suite, works like a dream. It’s a breath of fresh air in an increasingly complicated world and we suggest you jump on and inhale.
Sealine SC47 £366,000
Sealine’s big, brave new world of sportscruiser design takes another mighty leap forward with this monster 47. The cockpit should be a winner with buyers, a towering hardtop design delivering vast areas of glass and seating. Below it’s all very minimal and different, with a shower room almost as big as the cabin it serves. Power comes from Zeus or IPS pods. Some will love the SC47, some won’t but its low price might help convert the non-believers.
Tuna 40 £385,000
Traditional lines and a quirky three-cabin layout all add up to a friendly river launch, however hit the button marked ‘V ‘ and you get a 40 knot coastal beast.
Westwood 29 £106,890
Here’s a builder that understands its environment perfectly. In this case that environment is the river and the Westwood 29 will look after you from the very moment you board. Spec’d with everything you’ll need as standard, a huge galley, safe decks and a bow thruster for easy handling means you’ll be able to explore our waterways in absolute safety and comfort.
