Heritage-rich boatyard Burger has downsized with its stylish and swift all-aluminium Burger Cruiser 50.
The artisans at Wisconsin-based Burger Boat Company have been building classy, bespoke Gentlemen’s Yachts since the early 1900s. Lovely, teak-rich displacement cruisers with the focus firmly on quality, craftsmanship and elegance.
But all have been pretty much 100ft-and-up. That was until a couple of years ago, when Burger stuck a tentative toe in the owner-operator market with a design for a new custom 48-footer.
Two were commissioned and built. Now the yard wants to capitalise on this fast-growing segment of the market, so has reworked the 48 to create the new Burger 50 Cruiser.
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Like the 48, the yacht is all-aluminium and with an exterior design from Vripack in the Netherlands using its acclaimed “Slide Hull” layout proven on a number of North Sea workboats. It features cleverly-positioned underwater strakes that lift the yacht and channel air underneath.
Win-win benefits include improved fuel efficiency, an impressive turn of speed and a smoother ride in feisty seas. See the Burger 50 Cruiser on the water and it looks strong and purposeful, with curves in all the right places, a towering, wrap-around glass windscreen and a floating hardtop.
From some angles, the Cruiser does look a little on the stubby side. But 50ft bow to stern is just about the perfect size for an owner/driver to comfortably work the boat.
The interior layout is the work of Miami-based De Basto Designs who kept the theme light and bright, especially in the airy salon, with creamy-coloured fabrics and veneers. The two cabins include a full-width owner’s suite and forward VIP.
Powering the Burger Cruiser 50 is a pair of 600-horsepower Volvo D8 turbo sixes coupled to space-saving IPS drives, with joystick controls for magical, slide-it-sideways manoeuvring. Top speed is 31 knots with easy 26-knot cruising.
As more buyers are focusing on quality and craftsmanship, style and elegance, Burger could have a winning formula on its hands.
Burger Cruiser 50 specification
LOA: 49ft 8ins (15.3m)
Beam: 15ft 1ins (4.6m)
Engines: 2 x Volvo D8 IPS 600hp
Top speed: 31 knots
Starting price: TBC
