The preliminary set of sea trials for hull number one of the Grand Banks 85 series ticked the boxes for the shipyard staff. The semi-custom megayacht, the builder’s new flagship, ran flat as she hit a cruising speed of 21 knots, according to the team’s calculations.
In the works for a few years, the new model lets the bluewater brand go big, thereby keeping customers in the family longer. That wasn’t the only idea, though. “We had one primary objective above all when we started the 85,” explains Mark Richards, Grand Banks’ CEO. “To deliver the most fuel-efficient, high-speed, long-range cruiser of this size in the world.”
Part of the performance stems from lightweight vacuum-infused fiberglass and carbon fiber construction. Lighter weight means less horsepower, therefore seeing twin1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS 1350s onboard. (Optionally, twin 1,000-hp Volvo Penta D13s are available.) Additionally, the Grand Banks 85 features the builder’s V-Warp hull design. Already proven on the Grand Banks 60 and 54, the hull prioritizes keeping the full waterline in the water, thereby staying flat. This, plus requiring less power to push through the water, draws upon Richards’ experience in sailboat racing. He’s renowned as the skipper of Wild Oats XI, which won the challenging Rolex Sydney to Hobart race nine times.
With an expected 1,000-nautical-mile range at her fast-cruising speed, the Grand Banks 85 also should keep troublesome sounds at bay. The shipyard has made all berths, locker bases, galley cabinetry, and other items part of the integral structure. In fact, the shipyard says the creaks that often occur from tabbed-in components didn’t occur during the preliminary sea trials.
Of course, the full-fledged sea trials will provide full perspective. These will occur when the yacht finishes fit out. That fit out includes the full-beam (22 feet/6.7 meters) main-deck master stateroom and four guest staterooms below decks.
Grand Banks grandbanks.com
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