Palm Beach GT60

A lot of manufacturers claim the perfect balance of technology and tradition — few come so close to perfection as Palm Beach.

Have you ever noticed how boat brands are always on about how they blend ‘traditional’ with ‘contemporary’, blur the lines between ‘classic nautical styling’ and ‘modern aesthetic sensibilities’, and combine a ‘heritage mindset’ with ‘cutting-edge technology’? Spend enough time surrounded by this kind of talk and it loses all meaning. 

Then along comes the Palm Beach GT60. All of a sudden you realise what those other brands were trying to say — the problem being they didn't have the boat to back it up. 

A sense of old-world style is evident at first glance. The boat's downeast silhouette conjures up salty nostalgia of a life you may well have never lived. Faultless teak decking and rich timber detailing inside and out create a familiar, comfortable warmth that's missing from so many uber-modern designs. 

Despite its appearances, the vinylester resin infused hull is built using vacuum infusion technology and the deck and superstructure are made from carbon fibre to keep the centre of gravity low. 

The warped semi-displacement hull design provides good running efficiency, keeping its sharp bow in the water for longer so as not to waste energy pushing up to plane. With twin Volvo IPS 1350 engines, it can reach speeds of 40kt at WOT. And while it's capable of impressive speeds, the overall fuel economy is what really sets it apart. According to Palm Beach, the GT60 can travel from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, a journey of 160 nautical miles, in around five hours, consuming only 42 per cent of its fuel reserves in the process. 

The huge curved windscreen is another trick of modern manufacturing that could easily be overlooked, but it's just one of many seamless integrations that lift the old-world style into the realm of modern-day comfort. Other such features include the easy electronically actuated tender garage at the rear and electric sliding saloon windows. 

Head downstairs and through the galley to find two double suites, a master and VIP. Both of these provide comfortable accommodation, and each has its own ensuite and storage space. 

QUICK SPECS

LENGTH (overall) 19.5m (64ft)

BEAM 5.2m (17ft 2in)

DRAFT 1.14m (3ft 9in)

DISPLACEMENT 21.5t

FUEL 3200L

WATER 1000L

ENGINE 2x 725hp Volvo Penta IPS950 or 2x 1000hp Volvo Penta IPS1350s

WEB palmbeachmotoryachts.com