This month’s arrival of the Arksen yacht to the Northwest boating scene has been highly anticipated for two reasons: It’s the debut of the manufacturer in the American market and it’s being exclusively distributed by the new Oaksmith Yachts brokerage. (Although owner and lead broker Ben Oaksmith is hardly new himself considering his well-versed tenure in the industry, most recently with Jeff Brown Yachts). The brand-new Arksen 30 is one of two vessels—the other is a similar-in-style 28-footer—in the all-new Adventure Series from the recently formed U.K.-based partnership fueled by TV and gaming entrepreneur Jasper Smith. The deep-V, all-aluminum hulls are sustainably built by XO Boats in Poland; the design and materials both help reduce weight and friction without losing strength, making Arksen vessels more fuel efficient than other boats of their size.
Ideal for weekend coastal excursions, the Arksen 30 comfortably sleeps four, plus an option for up to six people with the addition of a canvas sleep pod over the cockpit. The A30 could be likened to a Range Rover on the water, with the ruggedness to handle the storms of the Northwest combined with amenities and stylish looks of a luxury vessel.
One of the A30’s most identifiable features is a foam collar that rings the gunwales of nearly the entire boat, making it resemble an RIB. The rigid collar is wide enough to use as a de facto outside side deck to move from bow to stern around the full-beam pilothouse, using grab rails on the roof storage rack. An additional panel of foam padding also extends down the waterline on the aft section of the hull to act as a rub rail.
The open cockpit includes bench seats on three sides with removable cushions. All seats can be flipped up to make room for extra “camping” berth space for two people over the Esthec non-skid decking. A sliding glass door separates the cockpit from the salon/galley area, which makes efficient use of space. To starboard, a mini galley has a flip-down wooden counter covering a sink, a wet-bar, storage space, and a well that can fit a portable stove. Opposite the galley, the dining table has room for six people with bench seating that can fold down to be used as a guest berth.
Wraparound windows and a wide electric sunroof let in plenty of light, providing great 360-degree views throughout. The comfy starboard helm chair has soft padding and impact mitigation features to smooth out the ride at high speeds. A compact day head is located to port by the entryway to the V-shaped forward cabin that can accommodate two adults.
The nimble A30 cruises comfortably at 25 knots, but can sprint in excess of 45 knots and has a 230-nauical-mile range. Designed for a twin-outboard, 500-total-hp engine configuration, early A30 prototypes have also performed well with a single 350-hp Suzuki dual-prop.
For much more on the exciting entry of the Arksen name in the U.S. market, Oaksmith Yachts will be showcasing both the A30 and A28 versions of the Adventure series at this month’s Boats Afloat Show, so be sure to stop by.
Specs & Info
LOA 31’2” · Beam 8’2” · Draft 2’11”
Tankage (Fuel/Fresh/Black)
120 gals. / 18.5 gal. / 10.5 gal.
Engine
Dual 250hp Suzuki Outboards
Contact
Oaksmith Yachts
Seattle, WA
Ben Oaksmith
206.949.2270
ben@oaksmithyachts.com
oaksmithyachts.com
