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Best pilothouse boats: 12 of the best boats for year-round adventures

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In the last few years, we’ve noticed an explosion of interest in adventure boats that you can use all year round. Here’s our pick of the best pilothouse boats on the market right now…

From Axopar to Viggo, the new boat market seems to be overflowing with pilothouse boats right now and the appeal isn’t hard to fathom.

With enclosed wheelhouses that offer great all-round visibility as well as protection from the elements, the best pilothouse boats have outgrown their Scandinavian roots.

Yards from Italy and Turkey are getting in on the action too, and we’ve recently experienced the joys of boating around the Seychelles in a pilothouse boat .

If you’re looking to try this style of boating, read on for our essential guide to the most exciting pilothouse boats on the market right now…

12 of the best pilothouse boats

Twin-stepped hull gives the Axopar 37 XC first rate performance, efficiency and sea-keeping

Axopar 37 XC

The Axopar 37 XC is a great-looking multi-purpose adventure platform with a range of flexible indoor and outdoor spaces plus the option of authentic four-berth accommodation.

With its second-generation twin-stepped hull, it handles like a proper sportsboat too, while still returning cruising efficiency of around 2.3l/nm at 28 knots with a pair of Mercury 300s on the transom.

It also offers the option of gullwing doors for uprated access and ventilation in the forward cabin, and the options elsewhere are just as rewarding. You can upgrade to twin 350s for 48-knot performance, or spec the aft deck with a stern bench, a wet bar module, a storage compartment or a brilliant aft cabin .

You can also augment the styling with the Brabus Line package or you can add extra functionality with a forward heads compartment and a pilothouse kitchen module. For full-on adventure, it’s very tough to beat.

Axopar 37 XC specifications

LOA: 37ft 9in (11.50m) Beam: 9ft 8in (3.35m) Engine: Twin 225-350hp outboards Top speed: 48 knots Starting price: £278,000 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Axopar 37 XC

The Dale 40 makes light work of big seas

Introduced in 2019, the award-winning Dale 40 is a pilothouse boat unlike any other. As you would expect of a Dale , it gives you a steady trim angle throughout the rev range and a perfectly judged balance between forward buoyancy and softness of entry, but it supplements that with extra bow flare and deeper freeboards for an even drier ride at sea.

It’s also a great boat for adding flexibility to your nav plans. The fore-and-aft ensuite cabins enable two couples to cruise for weeks on end and the wheelhouse is easily converted for a third couple.

In terms of range, a combined fuel capacity of 2,300 litres delivers 350nm at 20 knots – and if you want to leave the open sea behind and explore Europe’s inland waterways, the Dale 40’s wide side decks, open aft helm and arrow-straight tracking make it perfect for that too.

Dale 40 specifications

LOA: 44ft 2in (13.48m) Beam: 13ft 10in (4.23m) Engine: Twin Volvo Penta D6 340-480s on shafts Top speed: 28 knots Starting price: £987,777 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Dale 40

The Dromeas D33 SUV is a stylish 50-knot weekender

Dromeas D33 SUV

As the larger of Dromeas’s two pilothouse boats, the very latest D33 SUV takes the same thoroughbred underpinnings as the D33 WA but adds an enclosed cockpit with twin side doors for uprated year-round practicality.

Available with inboards or outboards , this 50-knot offshore platform also uses aggressive spray rails, thickset rubbing strakes and elevated forward gunwales for a safe, dry ride.

There’s a range of options to help configure the aft deck to your needs, and down below, an open-plan layout provides bright, comfortable sleeping for four. Easily customised and inherently versatile, the new Dromeas D33 SUV is a seriously impressive piece of work.

Dromeas D33 SUV specifications

LOA: 27ft 1in (10.50m) Beam: 8ft 10in (3.15m) Engine: Single or twin outboards up to 800hp Top speed: 50 knots Starting price: £211,200 (inc. VAT)

This is the Daddy of the Nimbus pilothouse boat range, complete with fully enclosed wheelhouse and a pair of Volvo’s 4-cylinder 320hp sterndrive diesels for good measure.

It is, being a Nimbus , incredibly practical and well thought out. There are guardrails all the way along the side decks and wherever there isn’t a guardrail you can guarantee there is going to be a hand hold.

The side decks are deep and safe and there is bespoke storage for the boat’s fenders on the transom and a dedicated slot for the wooden boat hook outside the cockpit doors. These are the sort of practical details that Nimbus’s designers chalk off in their sleep but they make life on board so much easier.

Nimbus C11 specifications

LOA: 40ft 7in (12.4m) Beam: 11ft 4in (3.46m) Engines: Twin 320hp Volvo Penta D4 Top speed: 40 knots Starting price: £361,549 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Nimbus C11

The Nordkapp Gran Coupé 905 is available with twin 225hp outboards or a single 600hp V12

Nordkapp Gran Coupé 905

The Gran Coupé 905 is a practical, versatile (and rather beautiful) four-berth adventure companion but the V12 model ramps things up in a serious way.

For a start, there are no optional extras here because everything is included. That extends from the Webasto heating, hot and cold water, stern anchor and electric soft top to the bow and stern thrusters, forward sundeck, convertible cockpit and fully featured heads.

And then there’s the engine. While the base 905 is available with a 300hp outboard or twin 225s, this top-of-the-line variant comes with Mercury’s 7.6-litre V12 Verado 600hp outboard motor for ferocious pick-up and speeds in the region of 55 knots.

With sociable outdoor zones fore and aft, plus convertible pilothouse shelter and class-leading performance, this unashamedly high-spec four-season family cruiser is a boat you simply can’t ignore.

Nordkapp Gran Coupé 905 specifications

LOA: 29ft 11in (9.12m) Beam: 9ft 9in (2.98m) Engine: Mercury Verado 7.6-litre 600hp V12 Top speed: 55 knots Starting price: £240,450 (inc VAT and 300hp engine) / £319,950 (inc. VAT and 600hp engine)

Modified chines make the Nord Star 33+ an even smoother ride than its predecessor

Nord Star 33+

The Nord Star 33+ uses the existing 32 hull with modified chines to make it even softer and more forgiving at sea. It also comes with bonded windows and smaller mullions for uprated visibility, plus revised bulwark boarding gates and twin side doors for extra practicality.

The optional Cruiser package looks particularly well judged. In addition to French doors that bring the cockpit and saloon into easy union, it offers some useful flexibility in relation to the way the galley and lower atrium interact.

You can spec each side of the atrium with a heads and separate shower; you can swap the port space for a lower galley; or you can leave the galley up top and use the port compartment as a massive walk-in wardrobe.

Either way, with a pair of D4 270s, this practical four-berth Nordic pilothouse boat offers a really satisfying combination of fuel efficiency, performance and living comfort.

Nord Star 33+ specifications

LOA: 36ft 5in (11.40m) Beam: 11ft 1in (3.40m) Engine: Twin inboard diesels up to 872hp Top speed: 45 knots Starting price: £365,000 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Nord Star 33+

Pardo has eased back the power to give the Endurance 60 extra efficiency and range

Pardo Endurance 60

The Pardo Endurance 60 might look more like a mini superyacht than an all-action pilothouse boat, but its credentials are very strong. At 59ft in length with a fully enclosed wheelhouse and deep walkaround side decks, it uses a compact, low-slung flybridge to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible.

The decking ahead of the flybridge wind deflector is a great place to sit with a view or ideal for stowing a couple of bikes or stand-up paddle boards . Back aft, in addition to a hydraulic swim platform big enough for a proper jet tender, twin fold-down bulwarks create an extra 180ft² of cockpit space with great access to the water.

Available with a pair of IPS 700s or 800s and capable of sleeping up to eight people, the Pardo Endurance 60 is by no means a fast boat, but if you want long-distance adventure with extra style, refinement and luxury, this is a fantastic way to achieve it.

Pardo Endurance 60 specifications

LOA: 59ft 3in (18.08m) Beam: 16ft 8in (5.13m) Engines: Twin Volvo Penta IPS 700-800s Top speed: 25 knots UK starting price: €2.83 million (inc VAT)

Read more about the Pardo Endurance 60

Despite the extra weight created by the pilothouse, the Quarken 27 Cabin still tops out at 43 knots

Quarken 27 Cabin

The Quarken 27 Cabin takes all the user-friendly day boating intelligence of the award-winning Quarken 27 T-Top and adds a pilothouse for extra multi-purpose flexibility.

Like the open models, it uses an asymmetric design with a full-width port walkway to keep fore-and-aft movement free and easy. It also factors in a full-size sliding door for simple single-handed berthing, plus a seating design that enables you to face out from a sheltered position.

Capable of sleeping two people and seating up to eight, the Quarken 27 Cabin employs the same twin-stepped hull and Yamaha F300 outboard with finger-light digital steering as the rest of the 27 models.

And while the pilothouse structure does incur a little extra weight, this model still manages to achieve a top end of 43 knots, alongside claimed running efficiency of 1.6l per nm for a cruising range of 150nm.

Quarken 27 Cabin specifications

LOA: 27ft 5in (8.35m) Beam: 8ft 6in (2.59m) Engine: Single Yamaha F300 outboard Top speed : 43 knots Starting price: £144,442 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Quarken 27 Cabin

Rhea is known for its 1970s-style flared bow and classic frigate stern

Rhea Trawler 34

The Rhea Trawler 34 is a seriously flexible boat. It’s available as a flybridge or a sedan and with single or twin shaft drives hooked up to Nanni, Volvo or Yanmar engines.

Like the Timonier line, it’s easy to helm, easy to beach and very kind in a North Atlantic swell. With flat decks, raised bulwarks and a closed transom, it’s also ideal for exposed passages.

And it also comes with a spacious forward owner’s cabin , plus a bathroom with separate shower, a starboard guest cabin and an optional crew cabin for those who need a third double berth.

Rhea Trawler 34 specifications

LOA: 34ft 1in (10.40m) Beam: 13ft 1in (3.98m) Engine: Single 380hp – twin 270hp inboard diesels Top speed: 21 knots Starting price: €585,000 (inc. VAT)

Impeccable seafaring and fit-out make the Sargo 45 our pick of their pilothouse boats range

The Sargo 45 is a very easy boat to enjoy. From the quick-access fender stowage to the massive single-level side decks, the wide-gauge fuel fillers and the side-entry engine bay, the simple things are superbly executed.

With its adjustability, all-round views, skipper’s side door and whisper-quiet double-glazed refinement, the helm also feels like an object lesson in seafaring ergonomics.

And then there’s the accommodation. The fit-out is impeccable, headroom throughout is great and with a convertible dinette, an ingenious ensuite mid cabin and a pair of forward cabins with large day heads, you could easily sleep six to eight people in the utmost comfort.

Even the cruising efficiency looks good. Twin 480hp Volvo Penta D6-IPS650s will deliver 36-knot performance alongside four litres per nautical mile at 30 knots and a range in excess of 300 miles – and you also get the option of sterndrives and a flybridge.

Sargo 45 specifications

LOA: 47ft 11in (14.60m) Beam: 14ft 0in (4.25m) Engine: Twin Volvo D6 440 / IPS-650 Top speed: 36 knots Starting price: €995,000 (inc. VAT)

Read more about the Sargo 45

The Targa 32 Coupe can reach speeds of up to 48 knots

Targa 32 Coupe

The Targa 32 is a fantastic all-rounder. It comes with a flybridge and second helm as standard but, as elsewhere in the range, you can also spec it with a flat roof, an aft door and a large roof rack for your kayaks and paddleboards.

Down below, two comfortable cabins make it popular for families, but you can also choose between a sociable foredeck cockpit or an optional raised bow for extra space in the forward double. It’s also the most versatile Targa in terms of engines.

Diesel options range from twin Volvo D4s right up to the biggest D6s for performance of up to 48 knots alongside a fast cruise of 38 to 40 knots. A pair of Mercury Verado V8 300 or V10 400 outboards are also an option.

But even twin D4 320s will deliver a top speed of 40 knots, while creating some handy extra space in the engine room for bulky baggage or folding bikes .

Targa 32 Coupe specifications

LOA: 35ft 4in (10.78m) Beam: 11ft 1in (3.37m) Engine: 640-880hp inboard diesels Top speed: 48 knots Starting price: £399,840 (inc. VAT)

Viggos are known for their tough aluminium construction and shallow draft

Viggo C10 Offshore

Viggo’s C10 Offshore employs the same deep-vee (24-degree) hull form as the 8m boats but uprates it for Category B use. It also benefits from a more acute bow shape, single or twin engines, separate fuel tanks, and a backup system for the power supply.

As on the Viggo C8 , the layout has been designed so you can pass freely from bow to stern through fore and aft doors and remarkably, up to ten passengers can sit underway in the shelter of the pilothouse.

It’s a seriously quick boat too, thanks to a twin 450hp outboard option that brings a rip-snorting 65 knots into play. And to harness all that power, it also uses a pair of central K-Plane hydraulic trim tabs, which do much the same job as a 200-litre bow tank – pinning that nose in a rough head sea and avoiding any unnecessary air time.

Viggo C10 Offshore specifications

LOA: 35ft 11in (10.95m) Beam: 9ft 8in (2.95m) Engine: Single 450hp / Twin 300-450hp outboards Top speed: 48-65 knots Starting price: £359,400 (inc. VAT)

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OYSTER HP49 Pilothouse

What we say.

Holman and Pye created the 49 Pilothouse by utilizing an extended version of the Oyster 46 hull, to which they added a retroussé stern with sugar scoop and designing an entirely new deck. This is high enough to allow full standing headroom and a interior helm position, creating a motorsailer that sails beautifully. A proven circumnavigator, the 49 Pilothouse participated in the 1994 Europa  Round the World Rally and had class wins in two ARC rallies. 

The standard accommodation layout features three cabins with the owner’s stateroom aft. Guest accommodation is forward. All are masthead rigged, either as sloops or cutters. Nine were launched between 1991 and 1997. 

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PILOTHOUSE BOATS FOR SALE

As the evolution of the trawler and cruising motoryacht continued into the 1980s, there was growing interest in developing boats with raised pilothouses to separate the helm station from the rest of the boat. Robert Beebe wrote about this in his seminal Voyaging Under Power. The need for a protected helm, from which the boat could continue on course at sea, without the distraction from galley lighting or crew quarters, day and night, was considered important enough for designers to include models with a raised pilothouse, much like one sees on commercial vessels.

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The introduction of the Krogen 42 in 1976, then the Fleming 55 in the mid-1980s (as Grand Banks owners clamored for a pilothouse yacht with the quality of Grand Banks), followed by the Nordhavn 46, all set the expectation that a raised pilothouse was now a requirement of any serious passagemaker and ocean-going cruising motoryacht. While they have been around for quite some time, in Northern Europe and elsewhere, Art DeFever was a big proponent of the style, as well as Willard and other designers building pilothouse cruising yachts in fiberglass, wood and steel, and demand for raised pilothouse cruising yachts became mainstream by the 1990s.

Of course, there have been pleasure yachts built on commercial fishing hulls, such as Delta Marine’s 70-foot Zopilote, which circumnavigated before it began showing up on the bucket list of those in the world cruising community. The Pacific Northwest has a history of pilothouse trawlers, as the conditions are demanding for the fishing fleets that work the Northwest and Alaska.

In its most common form, the raised pilothouse is located up a few steps from the saloon and galley level, bringing the pilothouse above the rest of the boat. This provides a commanding view from large forward and side windows. There are generally one or two doors to the side decks, many of which are well protected by a Portuguese bridge. The large helm console has enough real estate for a full complement of cruising electronics, navigation instruments, VHF and SSB radios, engine and generator controls and gauges, bow and stern thrusters, windshield washer, horn, and firefighting controls. All of the electrical panels are usually in the pilothouse as well.

It is the command center for all the boat’s systems.

One can safely and comfortably drive this type yacht from the pilothouse in all weather, with air conditioning and heat to match the conditions. There is usually a fixed helm chair that is more of a throne. Crew can also enjoy the day’s journey in the pilothouse, seated on settees wrapped around a table. There is also a chart table and storage for navigation tools.

While an ocean passage on most other types of offshore boats calls for a complete wardrobe of foul weather gear and robust safety equipment, with harnesses and strobes, it is common to cross an ocean (or any body of water, for that matter) from the comfort of a pilothouse wearing flip flops.

Some pilothouse designs have access down to the accommodations from the pilothouse, but that not always. And while it is generally easy to bring meals, drinks, and snacks up to the pilothouse so the crew can eat meals together underway, that is also not always the case. The Nordhavn 62, for example, requires the crew to climb a steep set of steps, balancing plates, glasses, wine bottles, and cutlery while holding onto the railing for safety. It is just the nature of this design, which has about the most shippy profile as anyone will find. 

Stepping outside of the pilothouse during a night watch is a nice break to get some refreshing air and reminds you how great standing watch is in the protection of the pilothouse.

Some of the builders of raised pilothouse yachts include Alaskan, Nordlund, Outer Reef, Fleming, Northern Marine, Kadey-Krogen, Nordhavn, Offshore, Cheoy Lee, Ocean Alexander, Nordic Tugs, Selene, Marlow, Vripack, Northwest Yachts, and others.

Most pilothouse yachts have a large destroyer-type wheel for steering, but a trend today is to use jog sticks instead to control the autopilot(s) steering the boat. The big wheel is removed and stored out of the way.

Docking usually requires stepping out of the pilothouse, and many yachts have controls for using the thrusters and engine controls on handheld remotes or wing stations off the bridge or in the aft cockpit.

Whether the front windows are raked back for that “North Sea” look, are vertical as found on tug yachts, or slanted forward for a sleeker profile, standing watch in a raised pilothouse is a marvelous experience. 

It feels like driving a small ship, or as close as one can get.

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What is a Pilothouse Boat?

Pilothouse boats are exactly what they sound like: they have a pilothouse. The pilothouse can take many forms, but as a rule, true pilothouses enclose the helm station on both sides, the front, and the back, and can be completely sealed off from the elements. That’s why pilothouses are so popular in areas where the boating season may extend into the cooler months of the year, and protection from the elements is critical.

Beyond this one key feature, pilothouse boats can take all different designs and sizes.

• You’ll see some saltwater fishing boats that are essentially center consoles with a pilot house built around the console;
• You’ll see some walkarounds that have cabins forward of the fully-enclosed helm;
• And you’ll even see some trawlers that have raised pilothouses, sitting higher than the boat’s main cabin.

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Advantages of Pilothouse Boats

The biggest advantage of a pilothouse boat is the one we mentioned right up front: complete protection from the weather. You can cruise in comfort whether it’s raining, sleeting, or snowing outside. And conversely, if you have a pilothouse boat large enough for air conditioning, you can remain inside and enjoy frosty breezes at the helm.

But there are some other advantages pilothouse boats also enjoy.

• Having a hard top over the helm makes for easier mounting points for accessories like radar domes and antennas, and in some cases allows for an upper steering station.
• If you like to socialize while you cruise, you’ll certainly like the fact that a pilothouse vastly reduces engine and wind noise and makes it much easier to have a conversation while underway.
• And since having the helm fully enclosed means your marine electronics and navigation instruments are always kept out of the sun, rain, and salt spray, they’re likely to last for years on end.

Basic Boat Electronics for Beginners

Drawbacks of Pilothouse Boats

There are, as with any type of boat design, also some down-sides to having a pilothouse.

The biggest is usually experienced when you’re at anchor or in the slip on a hot, sunny day. Unless your boat has air-conditioning, it’s likely to be hot and stuffy inside. While cruising you can always open a window and enjoy the breeze but when the boat isn’t moving, an overheated pilothouse can become very uncomfortable.

Depending on the size and style of the boat, pilothouses can also dominate a lot of space. On a 20-something-foot boat, for example, a center console takes up a lot less room and thus allows for more deck area. Having an open helm also usually results in better visibility.

Many modern pilothouse designs incorporate windows on all sides and do maintain excellent visibility 360-degrees around, but some others may restrict it somewhat or have blind-spots where supports or bulkheads block the view.

Finally, consider the matter of styling. This can be either a plus or a minus depending on your own personal tastes. Some people like the look of a pilothouse, which harkens back to classic commercial boats like tugs and fishing boats. But some other people prefer sleeker, more modern styling.

Is a Pilothouse Boat Right for You?

Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of having a pilothouse, as you try to decide whether or not the design would be a top pick for your needs and that of your family.

As a general rule of thumb, it turns out to be a popular option in northern areas of the country where cold-weather boating is common. It’s also quite popular in places where boating in the rain is the norm, such as the Pacific Northwest.

Then, there are some southern boaters who get pilothouse models that are air-conditioned, mostly to stay out of the sun and the heat. And in all corners of the nation there are some boaters who want the extra weather protection because they plan to go out on the water even when the conditions are less than ideal.

You’re still not 100-percent sure if this type of boat will be the best choice for you? Try perusing our Boat Finder tool , to investigate all the other options at hand.

Read Next: Center Consoles vs. Walkaround Boats

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Luxury rules at the moscow yacht show.

by Maria Sapozhnikova

The windy Russian autumn weather might be a little bit tricky for sailing, but it doesn’t stop brave yachtsmen from all over the world from flocking to Russian capital in the beginning of September when the Moscow Yacht Show commences. The main Russian Yacht exhibition gathers professional and amateur yacht lovers together under the wing of The Royal Yacht Club.

This year it took place for a fourth time already. The exhibition is considered the principal event on the sporting and social calendar. The Moscow Yacht Show 2010 united in one area three of the largest Russian yachts distributors: Ultramarine, Nordmarine and Premium Yachts.

A wide range of yachts were on display for a week. An exhibition showcased yachts both from Russian manufacturers and world famous brands: Azimut, Princess, Ferretti, Pershing, Riviera, Doral, Linssen, etc.

It was a real feast for seafarers as visitors of the show had a unique chance not only to take a look at the newest superyachts before they hit the market, but also to evaluate their driving advantages during the test drive. The show provided an excellent opportunity for yacht enthusiasts to choose and buy a new boat for the next season.

The event started with the grandiose gala evening. It included grand dinner, the concert and professional awards ceremony for achievements in Russian yachting industry. The guests also enjoyed the annual regatta.

Special guest Paolo Vitelli, Azimut Benetti Group president, opened the evening.

Next year organizers assured guests they would bring more yachts, the scale of which will even make oligarch Roman Abramovich envious. Sounds very promising indeed.

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