Yachting

88 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com MAY 2016

Key

cruising

features

NEW boat tEst

The high coaming

shelters the cockpit,

but the winch handle

fouls on the guardrail

The fold-up stern

cleats are a bit

awkward to reach

from the cockpit

The boarding ladder

can be accessed even

when the bathing

platform is closed

The aft hull chines

add directional

stability when she

heels over

The full-length

handrails are

great safety

feature

The overhead

arch keeps the

mainsheet and

traveller out

of the way

The mainsheet is double-

ended and can be adjusted

from either position

transom or by removing the

moulding for the spare gas

bottle. There’s a false bottom

beneath the cockpit aperture

and a removable panel, so

less frequently used items

can be stored without getting

crushed. There are single-

speed Lewmar 15ST halyard

winches on the coachroof.

Aft of the winches is a neat

rope bin.

Living aboard

It’s the saloon area that

really sets this boat apart

from her rivals. It’s wide

and spacious with excellent

headroom (1.89m, or 6ft

2in) throughout. Even with

a heavy tint to the large

coachroof windows and twin overhead

hatches, light still floods in. There’s

stowage outboard of the seat backs and

below most of the 1.86m (6ft 1in) seating

(except aft, where the calorifier is) but no

cupboards or shelves for books and the

like. The table is 1.3m (4ft 4in) long, thin

(58cm 1ft 11in) and lacks fiddles. It can

be dropped down to make her a six-berth

boat, on paper at least, but elbow room

around the table is realistically restricted

to four diners. There is a short 1.22m

(4ft) bench seat opposite, suited for

conversation with the cook.

There’s standing headroom in the aft

cabin but only 70cm (2ft 4in) of it above

the 2.12m x 1.50m (6ft 11in x 4ft 11in)

double bed. It’s an athwartships berth,

so climbing past a sleeping mate may be

awkward for the aft occupant. There’s a

handy bedside fiddled area for glasses,

books or nightcaps, below is a useful cave

locker. By the entrance is a hanging locker

with solid wood edging around its door –

it’s a shame that Marlow hasn’t done this

with the cabin doors, which are edged with

what looks like Formica. Overhead is a

white Perspex escape hatch to the cockpit.

On the corner joins of the fiddles it’s

possible to see tack holes – I’d like a bit of

mystique as to how my yacht is assembled;

I’d be happier with the erroneous belief

she’s held together magic than seeing she’s

actually just nailed together in places. Yes

they do the job, but I’d have liked to see a

slightly higher standard finish.

The heads has a separate shower

compartment with a Perspex screen that

does nothing but divides what was a good-

sized heads compartment; the seat in the

shower is made very narrow by the screen.

The forecabin has a locker with a single

shelf – not the best use of space, but there

are useful fiddled stowage areas above

this and atop the hanging

locker opposite.

Chart table

There’s a small fiddled area

on the port side, but that’s all.

Galley

The linear galley runs

down the starboard side,

a microwave sits in a unit

to port next to the saloon

seating. The roll-top Corian

surface has a single deep sink

aft, and a sturdy handrail on

the work surface edge. This

serves as a fiddle for larger

items, but fluids, knives,

plates and the like are free

to roam. The joinery on the

cupboard doors outboard is

nice solid wood, with perfect joins, but the

surrounding surfaces – and in fact much

of the boat – is finished with wood-effect

plastic rather than wood veneer. It’s much

more durable, but you don’t get the warm

‘feel’ of wood. The lockers are a fair size,

but could be enhanced by shelves. Other

stowage under the microwave, stove and

sink in the form of drawers.

Forward in the galley are two (yes, two)

decent-sized fridge/freezers with good

insulation. The twin-burner Force 10 stove

only gimbals to 14° on a port tack.

Maintenance

The engine faces aft, so access is via the

aft cabin, where cushions and bunk-

boards have to be removed to reach the

‘front’ of the engine, which will be a bind,

particularly at sea. There’s not a lot of

room to get at the top of the engine, either,

but access to the oil and fuel filters is good.

Light floods in through the windows. The saloon is huge for a 32ft yacht