US giant Brunswick has launched a new boat brand to complement its portfolio of boats from Quicksilver, Sea Ray, Bayliner and Boston Whaler. Called Navan, it will compete with the likes of Axopar, Saxdor and Ryck...
The first two models were unveiled at the 2023 Cannes Yachting Festival in September. The Navan S30 open and Navan C30 cabin are based on the same twin-step hull platform with near-plumb bows, walkaround decks and forward cabins with separate heads.
The Navan S30 can either be left open or fitted with a T-top shade. The cockpit is designed around a clever central bench that can face forward or flip over to face aft. Doing this reveals a large wet bar module in the base of the seat that can be equipped with an ice box, hob and grill as well as the standard sink.
Two helm seats and another bench further aft with folding seats in both side coamings complete the layout.
The Navan C30 has a smaller aft cockpit with the same rear bench and folding side seats plus a wet bar running under a large flip-up window. This still leaves room inside the wheelhouse for a two-man helm seat with a reversible backrest and a second bench further aft.
Asymmetric doors on both sides (the port one is further forward than the starboard one) give access from the side decks and there’s an option for a large opening sunroof. Both models have sunpads on the foredeck and small bathing platforms on either side of the engine(s).
Given that Brunswick also owns Mercury, it’s no surprise that all Navans will be fitted with either single or twin Mercury outboard engines up to a maximum total of 600hp.
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Navan product manager Sylvain Perret says performance is key to Navan’s appeal and expects most owners to opt for the bigger twin 250hp V6 or 300hp V8 outboards or a single 400hp V10 outboard.
With twin 300hp motors both the Navan S30 and C30 should reach 50 knots or 43 knots with a single 400hp V10. Initial sea trials of a C30 revealed a range of just over 170nm at 25 knots with the twin V8s or 200nm with the single V10.
A long list of options and an online configurator allow customers to kit out their boats with different hull colours, watersports equipment, heating and sound systems.
The Navans are being built in Poland and, at least initially, will be sold through Brunswick’s Quicksilver dealer network. In the UK, base prices start at £171,672 and £186,636 inc VAT respectively for the Navan S30 and C30 with twin Verado 225s. Expect to see both bigger and smaller models in future.
MBY editor Hugo Andreae says: “Every time I think the market for Axopar-style adventure boats has reached its zenith someone else chips with another new brand. That said, if anybody has the resources and scale to rival Axopar, Brunswick does and on the basis of these photos it looks to have done a decent job of it.”
Navan C30
Folding side seats and flip-up aft window are neat touches
The middle bench flips over to reveal this wet bar in its base
Two rows of seats and a small wet bar in the pilothouse
Access to the C30’s cabin is next to the helm station
