Welcome to Broker’s Best. This section of Northwest Yachting highlights notable local brokerage boats that aren’t brand new, but are just too interesting for us to keep quiet about. If you have an interesting brokerage boat that could be a fit, feel free to reach out to us with your pitch at editorial@nwyachting.com.
Grand Banks Skylounge
Ever heard of a Grand Banks Skylounge? If not, don’t feel too bad, for only two were ever built during their brief run in the late 1990s. This 66-foot, uber-Grand Banks was the fruit of a custom collaboration with the pre-recession Grand Banks factory and a Portland, Oregon owner. Essentially a large Grand Banks with a deluxe raised skylounge/pilothouse, the build is a blend of the Grand Banks cult classic with the luxurious interior volume of a more modernly styled yacht.
True to her lineage, this build is made to go the distance in style. The Skylounge has a simply massive interior with main deck galley forward, three large cabins with a humungous mid king bed master stateroom, a huge salon with dining space, and even an office-style desk area that will serve as an excellent work space. The fact that there’s no helm in the cabin frees up the interior space even more, devoting a ton of real estate to entertaining family and friends. There are three staterooms with berths, TWO Kings and four enclosed heads aboard. One neat feature are the two portable wing stations that stow away; pop out the carriable console, and mount them outside when needed.
To get up to that enticingly gigantic pilothouse, one travels up a set of stairs within the cabin. As expected, the fully enclosed large pilothouse has many amenities, including the commanding helm station. In addition to seating and entertainment space around a table, there’s even a day head up there. Travel aft of the pilothouse to find a large open bridge area where there’s plenty of roaming space and the dinghy crane system.
As far as the guts are concerned, there are twin diesel MAN engines for a total horsepower of 1,360, two 20-kw generators, two inverters, two watermakers, and a stabilization system. Performance data at cruise is 1,200 rpm at 10 knots with fuel efficiency of 20 gallons per hour (2 gallons per mile). Reportedly, she is very stable and sea kindly. One nice touch is the standing headroom engine room that should leave the technicians or do-it-yourselfers out there happy.
The two Grand Banks Skylounges were a collaboration of two owners, the Grand Banks factory in Singapore and clearly the ultimate love project for fanatics of the brand. If you want to take your passion for Grand Banks to the next level, one of the two builds is currently for sale by local broker Jim Taylor (Cell: 360-901-1293) at Irwin Yacht Sales. Reach out to him for more info, listed price is $649,999.
Nordhavn 35 Coastal Pilot
The Nordhavn 35 Costal Pilot, the company’s most diminutive model, is no longer in production, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some good ones still out there plying the waters. Built by Nordhavn in answer to many of their clients’ requests for a couple’s cruiser, the reason for the build’s ultimate production demise came down to the numbers. It can be hard to convince buyers to drop a third of a million on a 35-footer when they can get more boat per dollar with other builds (including other Nordhavns). But for a couple who wants a cruiser with fewer big boat problems, the Nordhavn 35 Coastal Pilot could be an intriguing option.
The 35 Costal Pilot features a single stateroom and a generous, open interior layout. The interior is split, with the galley down a flight of stairs forward of the helm station. In the galley area, there is also a large enclosed head with a massive shower—a unique layout that makes eating in the shower very tempting. The huge, full-beam stateroom with island berth is aft and shouldn’t leave a couple in want.
There is a token mast and boom with sail plan, but it’s there to look extra-shippy. A typical engine setup for a 35 Coastal Pilot is a single Yanmar 350-horsepower inboard diesel for reported performance of an 8-knot cruising speed at 2,000 RPM and a maximum speed of 10 knots.
Just looking at a Nordhavn 35 Coastal Pilot underway gives most boaters warm fuzzy feelings, invoking images of a couple cutting loose and chasing the horizon. Built with that Nordhavn toughness and sophisticated eye, this little-big boat could be what you’re looking for. One was recently sold by Nordhavn Yachts Northwest, price listed at $259,500. If interested in this model, they are the local go-to resource.
