There are brands that have been around for decades and are very successful - but in the world of superyachts, hardly anyone recognises them. Quite simply because their products are too small or not exciting enough. Grand Banks is one such case. But with its current flagship GB 85, its image is changing: thanks to the almost 27-metre-long three-decker, the Singapore-based shipyard is now playing in the big leagues. With a maximum speed of 28 knots and a range of up to 3000 nautical miles, the flybridge cruiser provides the most important key data for extensive voyages, as well as a spacious master suite and plenty of options for configuring the flybridge or storing the tender.
Shipyard boss and regatta sailor Mark Richards did not have the optimum length in mind for his new design, but first and foremost the very best sailing characteristics. No wonder, because the wealth of experience that the Australian-born skipper was able to draw on is vast and varied: on the sailing yacht "Wild Oats IX" (owner: Bob Oatley), which he co-developed, he won the Admirals Cup for his team as helmsman in 2003, in 2005 he won the legendary Sydney-Hobart Race with the successor and then recorded further victories with "Wild Oats XI". At the time, Richards was still managing Palm Beach Motor Yachts, but the company became the property of Grand Banks in 2014, ultimately elevating the busy sailor to the helm.
The boss does not accept compromises in yacht building
Even back then, he was driven by the desire to create a hull that would glide through the water with as little energy expenditure as possible and, above all, get through high waves efficiently. He also wanted to prove time and again that it is generally possible to build a motor yacht without compromises. "Speed goes hand in hand with long distances, luxury with efficiency," he explains his motto simply. The GB 85 uses "V-Warp" technology, which was created in the 1990s with designer Andy Dovell and has been refined ever since - a term that has since been trademarked. The focus is on the hull shape: tapered at the front and ultra-flat at the rear. Put simply, it works like this: the sharp deep-V stem cuts through the waves, the centre section pushes the water to the side and the flat underwater hull of the stern section ensures the best gliding properties. The principle makes the yacht fast and saves diesel and engine power - according to the shipyard, half that of similarly voluminous 85-footers.
Another effect can be seen at the stern: there is almost no wake. "Most yachts of this size drag a tsunami behind them," comments Richards. The fact that the ship's movements are also pleasant pleases the more sensitive guests in particular, but not only them. In addition to the above-average sailing characteristics, the 6.75 metre wide construction was designed to be extra light and rigid. While carbon fibres are only bonded to the GRP hull here and there, they provide the basis for the structure of the partition walls, decks and superstructures. In the end, the weight scored points: the finished GB 85 displaces around a third less than usual, with the same safety and stability.
To ensure that the hull remains in perfect shape even in bad weather and that nothing rattles, slips or squeaks inside, every locker and every shelf is firmly bolted to the yacht hull and thus becomes part of the overall construction. "We are detail fanatics," Richards emphasises.
If good is the enemy of great, we believe that great is the enemy of perfection."
There is no question for him that this motto also applies to the interior. One example: all the teak for a construction number must come from a single batch, otherwise it goes back to the supplier. Even in the engine room, every detail counts. Here, pipes and lines are colour-coded to make them easier to identify. This simplifies maintenance and repairs for the crew. Like its predecessors, the GB 64 and GB 60, the 85 is built in Malaysia, with 650 full-time employees, including 24 designers, and a whole series of robots made in Germany working in the shipyards. However, the steel colleagues are more likely to be used in the development of new models, for example to build the moulds. "This dramatically shortens the time between concept and construction," says Richards.
The journey from a mini shipyard in the lorry park of a drinks bottling plant to a state-of-the-art yacht factory did not take long. At the end of the 1950s, American Marine built customised wooden trawlers in Hong Kong, laying the foundations for the GB models. The Grand Banks brand was created in the 1960s, when yacht construction went into series production. From 1968, with the move to Singapore, the first fibreglass hulls came out of the factory - the farewell to the wooden frame and the beginning of the great success: the GB 36 and 42 were each produced and sold well over a thousand times. As far as possible, the company still tries to manufacture everything under its own roof, i.e. without any suppliers. "For total control over our product," explains Richards. This also applies to the interior and technical equipment.
A real piano that folds out? Why not?
The very first GB 85 is now going to a US owner who has chosen the "closed flybridge" model variant, i.e. an all-round glazed skylounge with windows that can be opened - for sufficient fresh air in good weather. This space practically serves as saloon number two, with seating from which guests have a view of the captain and the surroundings. The main deck itself is based on a modern layout: at the front is the galley with the best view towards the stern and a concealed steering position, behind it is the dining area and finally the lounge with a U-shaped sofa and other seating options. The cockpit also offers a sofa and a compact galley. Compared to the upper stern terrace, the seating here is nicely shaded and even somewhat sheltered from the wind.
Guests reach the lower deck via a staircase at the front of the galley. The master suite is a few steps further down. At this point at the latest, it feels a little like being on board in a cosy wooden chalet. The largest suite stretches across the entire width of the yacht in the centre and, in addition to a lounge area, even offers the option of accommodating a fold-out piano. For construction number one, the owners ordered the so-called three-quarter layout with a slightly smaller master suite plus a narrow additional cabin for the grandchildren. Otherwise, guests spend the night in two further suites, one of which is a VIP in the bow.
The aft section of the lower deck accommodates the crew of two or three. If necessary, additional family members can also sleep here - the possibilities are almost endless. Towards the stern is the engine room, which is actually two rooms. The two Volvo Penta diesels are housed separately from the large toy garage - "for more elbow room and better access for maintenance," says the shipyard boss, explaining the unusual layout concept. As an alternative to the Volvo drive, Grand Banks also offers even more powerful MAN engines, increasing the power output from two 746 to 969 kilowatts each. The range at around 20 knots is already a remarkable 1000 nautical miles, also thanks to the
10,000 litre diesel tank. Mark Richards describes the fact that 3000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of ten knots is quite realistic as "phenomenal!".
Technical data of the Grand Banks 85
- Length over everything: 26,58 m
- Torso length: 24,00 m
- Width: 6,75 m
- Depth: 1,50 m
- Height: 7,80 m
- Displacement (empty): 49 t
- Material: GRP/carbon sandwich
- Motors: 2 x Volvo IPS or 2 x MAN
- Engine power: 2 x 746 kW or 2 x 969 kW
- Speed (max.): 28 kn
- Speed (travelling): 20 kn
- Range: 1000 nm
- Range @ 10 kn: 3000 nm
- Diesel: 10000 l
- Water: 1400 l
- Stabilisers: Seakeeper
- Construction:Mark Richards, Grand Banks
- Exterior design:Grand Banks
- Interior design: Grand Banks
- Shipyard: Grand Banks, 2022
- Starting price: from 9 million euros
