Grand Banks Yachts Limited is excited to announce the pioneering and highly anticipated Grand Banks 60. Highly successful Australian and North American debuts further established the company’s reputation of designing, engineering and building high-tech, long-range motor yachts that have satisfied cruising owners since 1964. The new Grand Banks 60 incorporates the latest marine technologies, from leading-edge construction to well-proven and reliable propulsion and maneuvering systems. “The GB60 is taking Grand Banks in a whole new direction in terms of appearance, performance, and construction techniques,” says Grand Banks’ CEO Mark Richards. “You really have to take the boat for a ride to get the full experience. There’s just nothing else like it from a performance perspective. Effortless cruising speeds in the low 20-knot range, where you slice through, rather than push the water is a game changer in this market.”
To make the yacht strong, light and thus more efficient, the entire deck and cabin house are fully infused using the highest quality carbon fiber available —a method primarily seen on performance sailing craft. A fully-cored structure is employed using PVC foam core and SAN Corecell in areas of specific application, sandwiched between skins of stitched multi-axial carbon fiber, bonded with vinylester and epoxy resins and supported by infused composite panels in a robust grid system — all working together for long life, strength, and reliability in punishing open water conditions.
The standard twin 800-horsepower Volvo D13 diesels provide a top speed of 31 knots with a 25-knot cruising speed at 2020 rpm. Pull the throttles back to 10 knots for a 2,000-mile range. Unlike other boats, particularly traditional semi-displacement hulls that require fuel and horsepower to push the after sections onto a plane, the Grand Banks 60 is efficient throughout the entire speed curve. Optional 900-horsepower Volvo-Penta IPS1200s can provide a top speed of 36 knots.
The GB 60 measures 65’4” overall, has a beam of 19’2”, and draws less than four-feet if equipped with the optional IPS pods. This means that Grand Banks is delivering a large, comfortable yacht that can be owned and operated by a knowledgeable cruising couple, with the interior volume that makes extended stays practical for owners and their guests, and the capability to explore waters less frequented by other 60-footers with deeper draft. And the company is delivering these themes in a design that hearkens back to the days when balance and proportion were prerequisites for a desirable yacht, one that would be visually pleasing over decades.
A quick glance at the exterior also sets this design apart as a true ocean-going yacht, with a large and well protected flybridge, wide side decks with high bulwarks and handholds, and an extended boat deck that shelters the aft deck from the elements. Skylounge option is also offered.
Seating abounds on the spacious flybridge, on the aft deck, and in the spacious salon. Large windows bathe the main cabin — salon, lower helm, and aft galley are all located on one level deck — with an abundance of natural light and ventilation, perfect for family and friends to relax while underway offshore or on the hook. With three generous staterooms and two full-size heads, finished in Grand Banks’ hallmark hand craftsmanship, guests will enjoy the overnight accommodations usually reserved for owners. The owner’s stateroom is located in the midships, featuring a spacious walk-in wardrobe and full-height mirrors.
