The new Grand Sturdy 45.0 AC Intero has of course retained the typical Linssen look. She has new features below deck and in the larger curved window section and the larger portholes.
The deck and hull are still made of steel between 4 and 6 mm thick. The underwater hull has a special shape - Linssen calls it "Softchine Prestressed Hull", or SPH for short. This gives the hull a rounded frame shape and makes it quieter, more economical and also softer in rough water. However, we were unable to try out the rough water because we were travelling on the calm Meuse. If you want to go out at sea a lot, you can definitely have an optional stabilisation system installed to make your trips even smoother.
What we were able to try out at our leisure, however, was fast, tight cornering. Here, the hull only leans very slightly on the outside of the bend and makes its smooth laps almost horizontally. Nothing rattles in the lockers or falls off the tables, even when our boat swings into its own wave. In order to quickly find the centre again after such a manoeuvre with the smooth steering, there is a rudder position indicator on our test boat.
On a straight course, the hull is characterised by its directional stability. We calculate the cruising speed at just under 8 knots with a range of around 400 nm, which is a good value for this cruising boat. At a slow speed of around 5 kn, non-stop journeys of over 1000 nm are even possible. The shipyard carefully encapsulates its engines so that the journey is not disturbed by annoying noises. We measured a good 70 dB(A) at full throttle at 9.6 kn (3000 rpm) in the cockpit with the tarpaulin side panels and stern section removed, 68 dB(A) at cruising speed and just 61 dB(A) at the driver's ear at slower speeds. The driver sits on a comfortable reclining seat that can be adjusted in all directions. A footrest is mounted on the tubular frame, which the skipper simply folds up for a comfortable ride while standing. The controls are easy to reach in all driving situations, which also applies to the bow and stern thruster levers (the latter costs extra). With both thrusters and the manoeuvrability of the twin engines, the skipper is able to safely moor the Linssen.
The test boat is equipped with a Raymarine plotter so that you always know where you are going when travelling. The skipper will also find control instruments for the Volvo Penta engines and an autopilot to make travelling easy. The view is through a split windscreen with three windscreen wipers and a washer system. It is clear that the window elements can be folded down for a lower clearance height.
The boat
- Shipyard: Linssen Yachts/NL
- Type: Grand Sturdy 45.0 AC Intero
- CE category: B/10 persons
- Hull and deck: steel
- Overall length: 13.98 m
- Width: 4.35 m
- Weight: 20 tonnes
- Draught: 1.22 m
- Clearance height: 2.93 m
- Fuel tank: 1080 litres
- Water tank: 440 litres
- Holding tank: 300 litres
- Cabins: 3 + saloon
- Berths: 6 + 2
- Possible motorisation: 1 or 2 diesel engines; 1 x 132 kW (180 hp) or 2 x 81 kW (110 hp)
- Test engine: 2 x Volvo Penta D3-110 81 kW (110 hp) each
- Price (standard with test engine, delivery 2022): €658,900
- Shipyard: Linssen Yachts, Brouwersstraat 17, NL-6051 AA Maasbracht www.linssenyachts.com
A new feature is the fastening of the precisely fitting convertible top with rubber straps, which makes it noticeably easier to put up, especially on cool days. A U-shaped seating area with a large table is located under the canopy. If you want to access the steps from the cockpit to the bathing platform (with long ladder and rear shower), you first have to fold down the centre sections of the table and remove a small bench seat. There is also a staircase below deck on the port side, with a handrail to make the ascent and descent easier. A fresh design is then revealed down here. Linssen explains: "The new interior is brighter and more contrasting. This starts with the floor in a warm, dark brown wengé finish, which is laid in wide strips to achieve an optimum depth effect. Okoume hardwood with a cherry veneer has always been used in our interiors. For the Intero, however, we deliberately opted for a lighter cherry colour, which contrasts beautifully with the leather upholstery." This outfit can be seen from the bow cabin for VIP guests to the aft cabin, which is designed for the owner. An innovation here is that the berth is larger and is decentralised to starboard. The owner also has a huge wardrobe and a spacious bathroom. The separate toilet and shower in the foredeck are shared by guests from the bow and centre cabins (with two single berths). The bright saloon has a fully equipped galley with a dinette opposite. Linssen has arranged another comfortable L-shaped seating area (convertible into a berth) behind the galley. Storage space? There is plenty of it throughout the boat.
Workmanship: All the steelwork, installations, fittings and paintwork on our test boat are of a high standard.
Conclusion
The Linssen Grand Sturdy 45.0 AC Intero is a typical Linssen, but with a more modern and lighter interior design. It offers everything for a wide variety of trips with several people. The workmanship and installations are of a high standard, and the twin engines promise relaxed cruising.
Need more information? The test of the Linssen Grand Sturdy 45.0 AC Intero can be found with further pictures, measurement results and full evaluation in BOOTE issue 01/2022 since 15.12.2021 at the kiosk or online in the Delius Klasing Shop.
