The Grand Banks 85 is available as an open flying bridge, an enclosed version and a skylounge version.
NEW FLAGSHIP
The new flagship of the GB line is what you get when a trawler marries a superyacht.
By Daniel Harding
It’s often said that good things come to those who wait. For the owner of hull number one of the Grand Banks 85, that’s certainly true. The pandemic and supply chain issues caused multiple delays for Grand Banks in delivering its new flagship. Stepping aboard this battleship-sized GB with CEO Mark Richards at the Palm Beach boat show made it clear that the builder put that extra time to good use.
8m is the size of your average garden hose or extension cord, or five park benches lined up side by side. Those 762 cm made a world of difference when I took in the view of the 85 resting beside its 18m sistership at the show. Everything about the 85 feels bigger and more substantial. Saying that a boat feels like a small superyacht is an oft-used cliché, but in the case of the 85, that sentiment rings true from the moment you step into the massive cockpit.
“One of the key goals with the Grand Banks 85 was not just building one of the best performing 85-footers in the marketplace, but also one of the most spacious boats in the marketplace,” says Mark as we walk from the aft platform into the cockpit. “As you can see here, the beautiful spacious cockpit is ideal for entertaining anywhere between 10 and 20 guests, with all the amenities you need to have a great time.”
The saloon, galley and staterooms (owners can choose between a three- or four-stateroom layout) are reminiscent of the 16.5m (GB54) and 18.2m (GB60) models, albeit with larger spaces and more breathing room. Not one to spend much time chatting about soft goods and sleeping spaces, Mark was most enthusiastic to show off the dedicated systems space beneath the sole in the accommodations area.
Climbing into the well-lit and ventilated space, I could see why. A saloon-worthy teak floor stretches from amidships forward to the bow thruster with unparalleled access to the fuel polishing system, watermaker, filters and pumps. The level of forethought in this space needs to be seen to be understood (see the video below).
The semi-displacement hull features Grand Banks own, V-Warp design, which combines fine entry with a flared form that delivers the ultimate speed, stability and efficiency. The hull has been further refined by Mark over the years and its extraordinary efficiency is clearly evident in the towing tank tests that have become a crucial element in the Grand Banks design process.
Grand Banks says that while the sharpened ‘V’ of the bow slices cleanly through the water, the hull then flares to roll away the seas.
This warped, semi-displacement form reduces drag, while adding buoyancy, stability and additional lift. As a result, any Grand Banks yacht can climb gently over its own bow wave and move from hull speed to plane speed with minimal energy and effort. Further evidence of this efficiency lies on the surface of the water, where you will see a flat, clean wake that illustrates how little resistance the boat is encountering.
Mark also adds that the ‘soft ride’ that is so characteristic of Grand Banks yachts is in large part due to the construction process. All bulkheads, and even fixed furniture, are fused to the hull and deck. This achieves a semi-monocoque torsion box that is stiff underway and free from any rattles or creaking. All large-mass components are carefully balanced both vertically and longitudinally. The engines and full-beam baffled fuel tank are mounted amidships which ensures a low centre of gravity and creates stability and comfort in all conditions.
ENGINE ROOMS
Then there are the engine rooms. Yes, rooms—plural. The 1,000-hp Volvo Penta D13-IPS1350s appear almost small in the tall spaces with walk-around access on the outboard side of the engines. In short, this boat is a gear head’s—or technician’s—dream. The next GB 85s will be built with 1,300-hp MANs with V-drives. In between the two engine rooms is an enclosed toy garage that can fit an army of Seabobs, kayaks, SUPs, SCUBA tanks and whatever else an intrepid yachtsman wants to play with.
The smaller power plants were a deliberate compromise that Richards favours. An efficiency aficionado, there’s not a model he’s touched that hasn’t had cruising range front of mind. Thanks to a 2,640-gallon fuel capacity, the 85 boasts a nearly 1,000-mile range at 20 knots and a long-legged 3,000-mile range at 10 knots.
That efficiency is valuable not just on long crossings, but Richards thinks it will become increasingly important for Americans, with the rise in fuel prices, as they did years ago in his native Australia as well as in Europe.
“There are small features that we always work on for performance and the ease of handling. For example, the remote helm station here in the galley,” says Mark as he lifts a section of the countertop to reveal a hidden wing station. “If you look at the visibility from this position, it’s amazing for a boat of this size.”
Being able to manoeuvre your boat into a marina berth one second and dig into a sandwich the next is a party trick I’ve not seen yet on a yacht of any size.
Another trick I had not noticed initially in my haste to climb aboard (patience not being one of my strong suits) is the hydraulic platform that lifts out of the platform, four feet into the air and outwards four feet away from the boat. With an optional in-deck umbrella it becomes a private balcony above the sea for a couple to enjoy a sunset vista or for kids to practice their cannonballs. I’ve seen this type of feature on superyachts and a 29m Princess; I’ve yet to see it on a boat of this size. Watch for this feature to become a full-blown trend in the future.
PERSONALISE
As every GB85 is built to order, owners have the opportunity to choose from a broad variety of options to ensure their boat will meet the specific and personal requirements of their onboard lifestyle.
“Over the years, our design team and engineers have faced some interesting challenges. We’ve shortened the flybridge overhang to accommodate fishing rods, created storage space for diving tanks and pumps, installed folding navigation masts to reduce air draught, we’ve even put a hot tub on the fly bridge”, says Mark.
The new Grand Banks flagship is one that blurs the lines between categories. On one hand, you have hints of trawler heritage that’s evident in the mechanical spaces and in the range, but then you have motor yacht planing speeds and finish, and yet again there are elements borrowed from the superyacht space. Perhaps, it’s the best of all those worlds.
- Design Name: Grand Banks 85
- Price: POA
- Year Launched: 2022
- Builder: Grand Banks
- Designer: Mark Richards
- LOA: 26.58m
- LOD: 24.00m
- Beam: 6.75m
- Draft (IPS): 1.5m
- Displ (Dry): 49,000 ]kg (dry)
- Max Speed: 26.1 knots
- Construction: Infused Carbon Fibre/Composite
- Fuel Cap: 10000 litres
- Water Cap: 1400 litres
- Engines Make: 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 1350s @ 1000hp
- Drive Train: IPS
- Contact: www.grandbanks.com
| rpm | knots | L/h | L/NM | range (NM) |
| 600 | 5.8 | 10 | 1.7 | 5220 |
| 1000 | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 2531 |
| 1250 | 9.6 | 61 | 6.3 | 1428 |
| 1500 | 10.1 | 113 | 11.2 | 804 |
| 1750 | 14.5 | 164 | 11.3 | 796 |
| 2000 | 19.6 | 214 | 10.9 | 824 |
| 2200 | 22.7 | 280 | 12.3 | 730 |
| 2400 | 25.3 | 352 | 13.9 | 647 |
| 2470 | 26.1 | 382 | 14.6 | 615 |
