Often referred to as a utility boat, they are certainly a very different style that Kiwis are used to, but that has not stopped sales in New Zealand.
There has been a steady growth in New Zealand of the utility style of boats from Europe, or more accurately, France, Italy and Scandinavia. They have taken on a new persona, from a rugged, raw, very clinical commercial boat to a stylish, well-appointed and efficient recreational craft. Not for everyone, perhaps, but then each to their own.Â
The Paragon, unlike its competitors, still retains an outer appearance of a more search and rescue vessel due to the heavy rubber collar, but once you get aboard, you can see that it is a lot more. It is well-appointed, with a great layout that makes it a perfect weekender and a very practice boat for Kiwis. Â
Swedish brand, Paragon is new to New Zealand, where they build boats from 7.62m – 9.5m and make no excuses for how they look. A brand owned by the well-respected Nimbus Boats, they are very different. Paragon had undoubtedly put function before design and achieved a unique look that combines the best sea handling and layout.Â
Their philosophy has always been developing and producing a new generation of uncompromising boats with superior performance and seaworthiness to meet the harshest possible conditions at sea.Â
At 26.5 deg, the Paragon has been designed to eat rough water. If you watch one of the videos of the boat performing off the Scandinavian coast, you will appreciate just how well it rides and handles. The Paragon 25 is an amazingly seaworthy boat.
DIFFERENT LINES
The lines of the Paragon 25 have been made as close as possible to the big sister Paragon 31. One of the most noticeable features is the Paragon’s RIB style collar that sits immediately beneath the substantial wrap-around rubbing strake. This is made from a closed-cell compound called Nomalen that is covered in Hypalon ORCA material. The collar can never be punctured, adds 1000kg of buoyancy, provides extra sound insulation, and is an excellent water deflector.
The side bulwarks can be accessed from doors on either side of the wheelhouse or the cockpit. It has the same style deck and wheelhouse as the Paragon 31, but higher stainless railings offer more safety. One very prevalent thing is the sturdy stainless handrails placed strategically around the outside of the wheelhouse. The finely executed teak decking gives this whole expanse of the deck a classy look.
Being a wheelhouse boat, the idea is to close everything off, so not surprisingly, the Paragon 25 has solid sliding rear doors closing the wheelhouse from the cockpit. Size isn’t everything, and with the Paragon 25, that is so true. With an overall length of 8.52m, the Paragon 25 isn’t a big boat when it comes to a weekend cruiser, but I was amazed at just how ‘big’ the interior was. While the boat has been described as a leisure interpretation of the rugged search and rescue boats used around northern Europe’s coastlines in all weathers, the Paragon 25 interior tells a different story.Â
The wheelhouse is very much about seating, with loungers spread either side aft, a starboard side helm station with a single helm seat and a port side companion seat. The doors to the side decks are forward of each seat. A small compact galley forward of the passenger seat is almost hidden from plain sight with a sink unit, cooktop, and fridge.
The helm facia provides plenty of space for navigation and system controls, with a Simrad electronics package fitted to our review boat.Â
While not overly big, the forward cabin works fine, with ample sitting headroom
and a conventional V berth configuration with an infill to transform from twin to a double berth.Â
If you can get past the style of the boat and recognise it for its superior sea handling, quality finish, and practical wheelhouse layout, you will start to appreciate what the Paragon 25 is all about.
For a full review and video, check out the Sep-Oct edition of Pacific PowerBoat – Online Aug 24 and in bookshops Aug 26.
