Saxdor’s new flagship, Saxdor 400 GTC, is the closest thing yet to a fully convertible sportsboat you can use all year round. We put it to the test on a typically British ‘summer’ day.
The Saxdor 400 GTC may be close to an entirely convertible sportscruiser with year-round potential; however, how did it hold up in a test? We trialled it to find out.
When Mercedes launched the original SLK back in 1996, it fundamentally changed the market for convertible sportscars. Thanks to its revolutionary electric folding hardtop, here was a car that offered all the style and wind-in-the-hair driving experience of a true cabriolet without the leaky roof, excessive wind noise, broken fingernails and security concerns that usually went with it.
When lowered, the platforms do feel vulnerable to large passing wakes.
While it’s too soon to suggest that Saxdor’s new 400 GTC will have an equally big impact on the sportsboat market, it is attempting to do much the same thing. Admittedly, the roof doesn’t magically fold away into the hull, but with its sliding glass side doors (in place of the 400 GTO’s roll-up acrylic covers), drop-down balconies, electric sunroof, bi-fold aft doors and lifting rear window, it’s about as close to a fully convertible wheelhouse as a sportsboat gets. And crucially, there’s not a shred of canvas in sight. The big question is whether it can do all this quickly, quietly and reliably without compromising the way it drives. There was only one way to find out…
Saxdor 400 GTC: A turn-key solution
The Saxdor 400 GTC we tested is the exact same one that appeared on the Düsseldorf show stand. Not only is it a very early production model, it is also specced up to the eyeballs with some fairly esoteric items such as a lithium ion battery pack and night-vision camera in addition to more mainstream options like diesel heating, Flexiteek decking, aft sunpad package, bow dinette and more. As well as inflating the price as tested, this also adds weight and complexity, so perhaps it’s no bad thing it also came rigged with the more powerful 400hp Mercury V10s in place of the standard 350hp outboards.
The forward cabin is remarkably light thanks to the size of the side windows and overhead skylights
We were also blessed/cursed with typically British weather conditions for our test: blustery winds, messy seas, fast-moving clouds and the occasional glimpse of sun providing a proper test for the boat’s all-season functionality.
That started the minute we arrived. Within seconds the front and rear doors were open, the master switch was on and the big Verrados were purring away at idle. This is as close to turn-key boating as it gets. The only thing to bear in mind is that with a full beam wheelhouse rather than walkaround side decks, it can be quite awkward to place or retrieve fenders along the mid sections. Thankfully, the combination of flat topsides and pop-out fender buttons within reach of the forward and aft cockpits means you can usually get away with just front and rear ones.
It feels like a half-way house between a Med-style sportscruiser and an enclosed adventure boat
The next surprise is that the Saxdor 400 GTC comes with joystick control as standard, making it easier to edge out of a tight berth than you’d expect of a 40ft outboard powered craft with a fair amount of windage. The good news continued on our path downriver, the twin-step hull maintaining a straight track with minimal steering corrections, the helm enjoying clear lines of vision in all directions and the engines remaining inaudible at 6 knots.
Once free of the speed restrictions, the big V10s had enough grunt to deliver solid, rather than neck-bending, acceleration and unlike some sportsboats, the Saxdor 400 GTC felt quite happy at semi-displacement speeds of 12-16 knots – handy if you need to tackle big seas at a slower pace. In fact, fuel burn increased almost perfectly in line with speed, suggesting a hull that is equally happy at almost any cruising speed.
‘It feels like a half-way house between a Med-style sportscruiser and an enclosed adventure boat’
As ever, the Solent served up its usual dish of messy waves, which the Saxdor 400 GTC coped with admirably. It didn’t dismiss them with quite the same unshakeable solidity as a Botnia Targa, nor did it possess the magic carpet ride of a Windy Camira 39, but for a 40ft boat with a vertical bow and so many moving parts it felt commendably solid, comfortable and reassuring. Perhaps more importantly we stayed 100% warm and dry inside the closed-up wheelhouse – even the windscreen itself needed only the occasional sweep of the wipers to keep it clear. The one irritation this did cause was the difficulty of finding the right switch in a hurry.
Twin-step hull corners like a 25-footer.
We always prefer physical switches to touchscreen menus but grouping 28 identical switches together in two long rows makes it unnecessarily hard to spot the one you’re looking for while being tossed about in a seaway. We understand Saxdor is now looking at grouping them in clusters such as lights, pumps, wipers, roof etc, with the most important ones being nearest to the wheel.
Awkward wind-against-tide conditions did their best to scupper our performance testing but we still managed to record a two-way average of 43 knots, suggesting a flat water and light load figure of at least 45 knots. Fuel consumption of around 5-5.5 litres per nautical mile between 20-30 knots is nothing to write home about (an Axopar 45 Sun Top with triple 300s is faster and more fuel-efficient) but a generous 1,000-litre tank means you should be able to bank on a cruising range of 150nm at planing speeds with 20% still in reserve.
The light-coloured dashboard does cause some reflections in the windscreen
The handling is equally adept, combining the high heel angles and turning agility of a smaller, sportier boat with the stability and sea-keeping of a 40-footer. The only downside of these high lean angles is that you need to take a good look out of the side window before turning hard to port as the roof soon obscures your view once you initiate it.
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Open and Shut Case
Satisfied with how it performed we sought out a more sheltered spot in the lee of the land and hit the Skyhook button (another standard feature of the joystick control) to keep it pinned on a GPS fix without dropping anchor, while we set about opening up all its apertures. For the most part this is quick and easy to do. The two balconies need to be manually unlocked before pressing a pair of buttons to lower them down to around 18in above water level. Once down they feel solid underfoot and provide not just a closer connection with the water (kids will love jumping off them) but also more usable cockpit space and easier movement around the boat.
The side doors are equally simple to open and feel impressively sturdy, sliding smoothly in their tracks and locking securely into place at either end. The vast electrically operated aft window is rather slow to swing up, but with only one ram to lift it, perhaps that’s inevitable. The sunroof, by contrast, is impressively quick and quiet to open.
‘For a boat with so many moving parts it felt commendably solid, comfortable and reassuring’ – Hugo Andreae
Some of the minor fixtures and fittings felt a little flimsier than we would have liked and the lock/release handle for the opening section of the windscreen definitely needs beefing up, but this aside, everything works, it’s easy to do and the effect is genuinely transformational.
With everything opened up the GTC really does feel like a half-way house between a Med-style sportscruiser and a fully enclosed adventure boat. Our one proviso is that with the platforms lowered, you do feel a bit exposed. Clearly, you shouldn’t open them anywhere other than in a sheltered anchorage but there’s always a risk of a large wake washing over the platforms or rolling the boat enough to dip them into the water.
The folding platforms and sliding side doors transform the experience of sitting at anchor
Even without all of the clever moving bits, the GTC has plenty to offer. The open aft cockpit comes with two good side lockers for fenders and a large central toy cupboard as standard but we suspect most buyers will choose to replace the latter with the optional aft cabin (£7,929) and sunpad cushion (£7,295). For the full party boat effect you can also add glass transom gates and a wet bar with a barbecue and sink above the port-side locker. The bow cockpit also needs the optional table (£2,220) and cushions (£2,093) to make the most of the space.
The Saxdor 400 GTC has the sea-keeping of a 40-footer
Inside the wheelhouse, the standard layout features a sociable square-shape dinette at the aft end, a good-sized galley along the port side and three helm seats up front (a cosy 2-person bench and a single seat for the skipper). The only quandary is whether to add the electric folding mechanism that converts the front section of the dinette seating from a rear-facing bench into an raised forward-facing one. It works a treat but with half a dozen forward-facing seats and two side-facing benches already in situ, there’s an argument for saving the £5,180 cost of that one.
Although the GTC’s wheelhouse is a secure enclosed space, there is a sliding perspex door across the entrance to the lower deck (presumably because the GTO model needs this to be lockable). A set of fairly steep offset steps lead down into the cabin space, while a large fixed side window and skylights let in plenty of natural light (if not much in the way of a view).
With everything closed up, the helm and saloon is fully protected from the weather.
The bed itself tapers toward the bow and the mattress isn’t the most comfortable we’ve stretched out on but it’s perfectly adequate for a couple on a long weekend away. The heads compartment is also pretty decent – headroom is limited to around 5ft 10in and there isn’t the luxury of a separate shower compartment but at least it’s bright, functional and private. There’s also a very handy stowage space for big bags and boxes behind the folding companionway steps. You can even spec it with a mattress as an occasional kids’ cabin if you’re desperate for an extra bed.
For anyone over the age of six, you’d be far better off specifying the optional aft cabin. The entrance to this is so well hidden that most guests would never know it’s there but lift up the hinged base of the dinette’s rear bench and a neighbouring section of the cockpit sole and you’ll discover a couple of steps leading down to a rather lovely little cabin. With eye-level windows on three sides, a couple of opening hatches and just enough headroom to prop yourself up and read in bed, it’s a surprisingly comfortable bolthole that manages to feel cosy rather than claustrophobic and is perfect for a couple of kids or slender adults.
The glass transom and folding chaise longue make the most of the aft cockpit space
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Price as reviewed:
£468,174.00 As tested inc. VAT
Verdict
The danger with designing a product that promises to deliver the best of both worlds is that you can end up with a compromise that doesn’t fully satisfy either of them. But get it right, as the Mercedes SLK did back in 1996, and you’ll certainly reap the rewards. The Saxdor 400 GTC comes very close to achieving that same feat. It still drives like a sporty adventure boat, but manages to keep its occupants warm and dry without any major compromises to performance, seakeeping or refinement. However, when you arrive at your destination those sliding side doors, folding balconies, opening sunroof and lifting aft window transform it into a much more enjoyable and sociable party platform than any other wheelhouse boat we’ve come across. If you’re looking for a sporty weekender you can use all year round that is as much fun at anchor as it is under way, look no further – you’ve just found it. Contact details: Ideal Boat +44 (0)1753 703013; www.saxdoryachts.com
Details
LOA: 40ft 8in (12.4m)
Beam: 11ft 8in (3.55m)
Draft: 3ft 5in (1.05m)
Displacement: 7,800kg
Fuel capacity: 1,000 Litres
Water: 210 litres
Engines: Twin 350-400hp Mercury outboards
