There’s something about a beautifully executed, modern-classic express cruiser that makes the heart swoon.

Maybe it’s the way the house shape reminds us of the hardiest lobster boats, with all the go-to-sea romance that lifestyle embodies along the coast of Maine. Or maybe it’s the sweep in the sheerline with the proud bow that practically begs to let loose from the dock and head out for a long weekend of exploration off the coast. Hull-paint colors on modern classics are downright soothing. It’s as if a yacht designer put pen to paper and created a vision for inducing a sense of calm.

But then there’s also the good kind of heart pounding that a true modern classic also inspires. Take all of that sensuous style, then add a pair or a trio of 600 hp Mercury V-12 outboards along with a proven performance hull shape, and the boat has everything we need to feel the thrill of tearing across the open water at speeds not seen in this segment. It’s total control and absolute exhilaration, for as little or as long a time as we desire.

These are just some of the qualities embodied in the all-new ECLIPSE 505 and ECLIPSE 605, now for sale through HMY Yachts. The first ECLIPSE 505 is expected to arrive in the United States this fall, with its premiere planned for the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in Florida. The first ECLIPSE 605 is expected to premiere at the 2025 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Both the ECLIPSE 505 and the ECLIPSE 605 are built on the patented Stepped Vee Ventilated Tunnel hull by Sarasota, Florida-based designer Michael Peters. He’s a designer who cites legendary V-hull designer C. Raymond Hunt among his major influences, and who has helped to shape some of the best-performing powerboats of the past few decades.

In a nutshell, Peters’ SVVT hull design reduces the wetted surface, meaning the boat has less drag. In turn, this allows for quicker acceleration, faster speeds, better fuel economy and more. Both the ECLIPSE 505 and 605 can be ordered with the upgraded Shadow Performance Package, which consists of not just exclusive interior appointments, but also more features and an additional Mercury 600 hp engine. This additional power mated to the SVVT hull design will enable faster speeds with reliable handling and allow these express cruisers to stand out in their class.

The ECLIPSE 505 and 605 are built in South Africa by Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing, the same yard that turns out the Two Oceans Power Catamarans in the HMY Yachts stable of offerings. Dave Jirikovic, brand manager of both lines for HMY Yachts, says the plan is to build about 20 of the ECLIPSE 505 and 15 ECLIPSE 605 boats each year, focusing on high-end finishes and components inside and out—as well as on the type of upscale, concierge-level service that owners in this quality range expect.

“The ECLIPSE 505 and 605 are built for the most discerning yachtsmen,” Jirikovic says. “In July of 2022, HMY bought the former Whiticar Boatworks fully functional yard—now called HMY Willoughby Creek—in Stuart, Florida, to be the dedicated service and delivery center for the ECLIPSE owner. Renovations commenced immediately in preparation for the future arrival of ECLIPSE 505s and 605s. Our goal is to create a totally different experience for the customer—from on-site factory-certified Mercury 600 V-12 technicians, to delivery of your new ECLIPSE being out of the elements and under brand-new covered dockage. We are going the extra mile to ensure ECLIPSE customers receive a next-level experience.”

The ECLIPSE 505 is a two-stateroom, two-head design, while the ECLIPSE 605 has a three-stateroom, three-head layout. The boats are ideal for long weekends or weeklong getaways with family and friends. They have American components for ease of service anywhere, and they’re built with features that allow in fresh air and natural light to enhance the cruising experience, such as a retractable moonroof and an opening portside balcony in the cockpit.

Other things to look for in the ECLIPSE models, Jirikovic says, are innovative design elements that make boating easier—the kinds of touches that experienced yachtsmen appreciate. As just one example, the aft door leading from the main-deck salon into the cockpit can slide inboard or outboard on centerline to open, instead of requiring a battle of wills on days when there’s wind to contend with in a harbor.

“We have eliminated pinch points like those created by bi-fold doors,” he says. “Just open the center of the door on a bad day to go in and out of the boat without issue.”

Another advancement is the boarding door to starboard, which, unlike on other boats, doesn’t hinge in or out at all. It’s designed to make life easier for boaters whose hands are full and, well, to look darn cool at any dock as it disappears completely out of view and out of the way.

“It retracts into the cockpit sole,” Jirikovic says. “It’s unlike anything anyone has seen on the docks.”

Interiors on the ECLIPSE 505 and 605 are by Mark Tucker’s renowned team at Design Unlimited in the United Kingdom. He has more than 30 years of experience in the business, with the company’s work including not just higher-end production brands like the ECLIPSE, but also custom superyachts for top yards.

All of that experience will combine with the sales and service power of HMY Yachts, which is the exclusive worldwide dealer for all ECLIPSE models. The partnership means boaters will be able to get aboard these boats at major boat shows, touch and feel the fabrics and components to see the high quality of each model’s construction, and schedule sea trials with experienced captains and brokers who can answer any questions about handling, options and more.

“The worldwide debut will be powered by the HMY team, which has been delivering results since 1979,” says Steve Moynihan, founder and owner of HMY Yachts. “Our commitment to service our customers is unrivaled in the industry.”

Take the next step: Visit in person at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The post A Standout New Brand appeared first on Yachting.

In this article, we explore the world’s top power catamarans, ranging from a 36-footer ideal for a cruising couple to a 78-footer perfect for entertaining friends and family. The propulsion options are diverse, including outboards, diesel inboards, hybrids, and even all-solar setups.

Top Luxury Power Catamarans

The following power catamarans are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Fountaine Pajot MY44: A family-oriented cat suitable for long-range cruising and aimed at owner-operators. 
• Silent Yachts 60: This is a catamaran that can cruise comfortably for long distances using emissions-free solar-electric propulsion.
• Horizon PC74: With interior and deck space like a much larger vessel, the PC74 is perfect for cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean.
• Aquila 36: This beefy 36-footer is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran.
• Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat: A spacious design, this vessel fits the volume of a 130-foot-long monohull into just 78 feet of length overall. 
• Horizon PC68: This cat has a stable ride, long range, volume to spare and intriguing layout options.
• Two Oceans 555: An elegantly simple yet luxurious 55-foot custom with the space and amenities of a much larger vessel.
• Lagoon 630: From its open salon to its spacious decks, the Lagoon is a comfortable and luxurious platform.
• Fountaine Pajot MY5: A midsize cruiser with serious big-boat space for family and friends. 
• Prestige Yachts M8: The voluminous 65-footer lets owners customize onboard spaces.
• Aquila 47 Molokai: Calling all anglers: This cat has 60-plus-knot speed and is set up for serious bluewater adventure.

Fountaine Pajot MY44

The Fountaine Pajot MY44, a creation of Italian architect Pierangelo Andreani and French designer Daniel Andrieu, has a main deck that’s open from the aft-deck seating all the way forward to the starboard helm station. The sense of spaciousness is significant, for several reasons. First, four glass panels aft can all slide to port, creating an indoor-outdoor space with the aft deck and salon. In the salon, 32-inch-high windows extend for 12 feet down the sides of the yacht, with three sections per side, bringing in natural light along with the three forward panes that comprise the windshield. Finally, 6-foot-6-inch headroom provides vertical clearance, with a 21-foot-7-inch beam that adds interior roominess while keeping the yacht stable.

Quick Specifications

Silent Yachts 60

Solar panels, ocean-crossing range and self-sufficiency define the electric Silent-Yachts 60 power catamaran. If there was any question that the “Tesla moment” has arrived in yachting, the Silent 60 clearly provides a positive response. Consider, for a moment, crossing oceans in silence at 5 to 6 knots without consuming a drop of fuel and never needing to plan your course between fuel stops. Imagine sitting at anchor and running the air conditioning all night, not to mention all the galley appliances plus the washer-dryer, without the hum or fumes from a genset.

Horizon PC74

As founder and director of The Powercat Company, a Horizon Power Catamarans distributor, Stuart Hegerstrom had long believed that catamaran builders needed to design their yachts to more stylish standards.

“The boats were very boxy,” he says, based on his years of experience with cats in the charter market. He and his partner, Richard Ford, asked Horizon to produce models that had high-end finishes and looked good inside and out.

The Horizon team brought in mega-yacht designer JC Espinosa to work with its own craftsmen. The result aboard the Horizon PC74 is a catamaran with exterior styling, layout and functionality that should appeal to private and charter owners alike.

Aquila 36

The Aquila 36 is a departure from her sisterships in that she is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran, but she also adheres to MarineMax’s philosophies.

With a single main living level from bow to stern and a beam of 14 feet 7 inches, the Aquila 36 is like a bowrider on steroids. She has seating that can handle 20 adults for outings and barbecues, and there are two staterooms below, one in each hull, for family weekending. The staterooms have nearly queen-size berths, en suite heads, stowage and 6-foot-6-inch headroom.

Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat

Lagoon is a division of Groupe Beneteau, the world’s largest builder of sailing yachts, and the Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat is a developmental sistership of its Seventy 7 super sailing cat. The Seventy series yachts are built at Construction Navale Bordeaux in France, which had to add a new yard to construct these catamarans because they require separate stern molds for the power and sail versions.

Horizon PC68

Multihull yachts ride differently than monohulls, often counteracting the sea’s motion for a smoother, more stable ride. On the Horizon PC68, sharp hull entries make head seas seem gentle, and a Humphree stabilization system with blades reduces roll. Horizon uses SCRIMP construction for resin saturation that maximizes strength with an 111,112-pound displacement. And with a 5-foot-4-inch draft, the PC68 invites island cruising.

Two Oceans 555

With 27-knot speed, house-like volume, an on-deck master and top-tier tech, the Two Oceans 555 is a formidable power catamaran. Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle. And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Lagoon 630

Fitted with the optional twin 300-horsepower Volvo Penta D4 diesels, the Lagoon 630 MY burns only 1.64 gph total at 6 knots, giving a theoretical range of 2,952 nautical miles with standard tankage of 793 gallons. Hull No. 1 had an optional 502-gallon tank, giving it transatlantic range.

Luxury, stability and economy are all hallmarks of Lagoon’s return to luxury motor yachts. If you can take a ride, it will be worth your time.

Fountaine Pajot MY5

The flybridge deck on the Fountaine Pajot MY5 is a standout feature, offering virtually unobstructed 360-degree ocean views and an elevated beach club vibe. Aft of the off-center starboard helm is a spacious area perfect for entertaining, complete with a wet bar, refrigeration center, and ample seating. It’s the most popular space aboard according to the builder. And if the weather turns for the worse, a second helm station in the saloon allows the skipper to pilot the MY5 in climate-controlled comfort.

Prestige Yachts M8

How fitting it was that Prestige Yachts introduced its new M-Line flagship, the M8, at Portopiccolo, a picturesque yachting village outside Trieste, Italy. Formerly a quarry, the cliff-side area had been chiseled into a clean site rife with eye-catching vistas, much like the French builder’s 65-foot power catamaran and its nearly 3,000 square feet of usable real estate.

Aquila 47 Molokai

With every boat, there’s an origin story. In the case of the Aquila 47 Molokai power catamaran, it starts with MarineMax, which saw people renting boats for bareboat charters. MarineMax Vacations was born. After experimenting with several production yachts, the company decided to build its own: the Aquila line, designed for charter as well as for sale to owner-operators.

The post Discover the Top Power Catamarans for 2024 appeared first on Yachting.

All too often, boatbuilders are forced to make compromises. Sure, you can have high-end luxury and innovative features, but only if you give up the option to customize the interior space.

“We made a very conscious decision to do things differently with the Two Oceans 555,” says Dave Jirikovic. “This power catamaran has an edge over all the others in the industry. You get the luxury and innovation that customers demand, but also the ability to customize. Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing’s custom build mentality affords the customer what they want within the constraints of the spatial shell we are working within.”

Jirikovic is the HMY Yachts brand manager for the Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran, which is the first model the company is offering for sale from South Africa’s Two Oceans Marine. The “triple five,” as the boat is known, is a power catamaran of a higher order than what many people think of when they hear the word “catamaran.” 

The Two Oceans 555 has a customizable décor, a choice of layouts, multiple power options, smart systems for quieter cruising, U.S.-industry standard components for ease of service, the volume of a 70-foot monohull—and, yes, properly separated shower and toilet stalls. It’s the kind of powercat that discerning boaters have been demanding, boaters who know how creature comforts look and feel aboard top-brand monohull powerboats.

“Demand is changing,” says Tim Derrico, director of sales for HMY Yachts. “And the amount of real estate you get is enormous.”

The Two Oceans 555 can be ordered with a three-stateroom, three-head layout, or with different variations on a four-stateroom, four-head layout. 

In the Owner’s Version, there are three staterooms. The entire starboard hull is the master, while the portside hull houses two additional staterooms—one forward for guests, and one aft for crew. 

The On-Deck Master version has four staterooms and four heads, with the master on the main level and two guest staterooms in the starboard hull. The portside hull has a crew stateroom aft. 

In the Open Plan version, there are also four staterooms, but they are positioned with two staterooms in each hull (the portside aft stateroom again for crew). The main level becomes an even bigger entertaining space that includes an open galley and long bar. This is the version that’s expected to be popular among owners who plan to offer the powercat for charter. As of December 2023, it was the most frequently ordered version among the 14 hulls of the Two Oceans 555 that HMY Yachts had sold. 

Beyond choosing the layout, owners can customize the interiors with various wood veneers, fabrics and more. Bulkheads can’t be moved, Jirikovic says, “but within the box, you can do a lot.” As an example, he cites Hull No. 3, which arrived in the United States in December: “This build alone had 116 change orders added.”

Importantly, he adds, installations are all done at the Two Oceans Marine shipyard in South Africa. Parts and components from U.S.-friendly suppliers are shipped there so the boats arrive on U.S. shores ready for use, instead of needing further fit-out. 

“Anything and everything that anybody would want, the boat’s ready to run. Put fuel in it and go,” Jirikovic says. “This a massive departure from industry norms where owners have come to expect losing a month of cruising time upon the boat’s arrival, and an expense of $40,000 to $60,000 to commission a new build, to actually make it operable. We wanted to eliminate this headache for the customer, and we did.”

Another thing that HMY Yachts worked on with Two Oceans Marine was ensuring that the Two Oceans 555 is built for serious cruising. The powercat is certified CE Class A for ocean use. Crossing the Gulf Stream to explore the Bahamas or Caribbean islands can be part of an owner’s plans, and the powercat’s class-leading draft of 3 feet, 6 inches will allow anchoring just about anywhere. Protective keels shield the running gear in case the water below the boat gets too skinny. 

Owners can easily expect a top speed in the upper-20-knot range, Jirikovic says. This powercat’s design—combined with custom conical Humphree Interceptor tabs and exclusive tunnel design by Teignbridge Ltd.—lifts the after section to ease the vessel’s motion.  

“If you look at other boats in this segment, they’re stern-heavy when underway,” he says. “They look like they’re struggling to get up to speed. The Two Oceans 555 runs nearly flat underway, at about 1.5 degrees of upward angle at cruise. The high-speed performance numbers showcase the engineering involved. The 555’s design gives you the speed you want, but also dynamic efficiency at low speed.”

Power plants are by Cummins—with the ability to get parts and service pretty much anywhere—and all electrical systems are by Victron Energy, an industry-leading Dutch company that focuses on electric power. The Two Oceans 555 with the optional Off-Grid Package includes a bank of Victron Energy lithium-iron-phosphate batteries that provide over 50 kW of storage. That setup, along with efficient 48-volt wiring and systems, means the boat can be at anchor while using lights, air conditioning, refrigeration and more, but without the need for a traditional, noisy generator. 

Instead of that traditional generator, the Two Oceans 555 with the optional Off-Grid Package has a 9 kW Integrel Solutions PTO generator on each engine. It requires zero maintenance, and it recharges the batteries at a speed comparable to an electric vehicle’s super-charger. (It’s way faster than plugging into a standard outlet.) 

And, with the addition of solar panels, Jirikovic says, another 6 kW or 7 kW of power can be generated in silence. “You’re pretty much at net-zero or even net-positive in terms of daytime energy use,” he says, “even running all the air conditioners on the boat.”

Boaters who are new to these systems can take comfort in the Victron Energy user interface, which displays all the information needed to make sense of what’s happening. 

“You can monitor the Victron network on the dedicated boat system screen, on your phone, at the helm via the Garmin plotters, or if you’re connected to Wi-Fi, so you can manage the system remotely,” Jirikovic says. “The system does the math for you in real time. There’s a countdown timer so you know exactly how to manage your loads to the maximum and create a sustainable grid.”

He adds that the improvements to the overall cruising experience are impressive: “If you’re like me and you’ve been on boats all your life, you’re used to exhaust smells and equipment noises all night. The 555 with the Off-Grid package is a total departure from those historical norms.”

In a nutshell, Derrico adds, the Two Oceans 555 is designed, built and outfitted for boaters who know how cruising in comfort should feel, and who want it all in a powercat.

“The Two Oceans 555 is a boat for the person who really wants to use it,” Derrico says. “It’s for going exploring.”

Take the next step: Learn more about the Two Oceans 555 at hmy.com

The post Big Time appeared first on Yachting.

Featuring single level living, most importantly the on deck master, the Two Oceans 555 Catamaran offers more than just easy cruising. Yachting got on board during the 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show to get a first hand look.

Key Features:

• On Deck Master
• Foredeck Lounge Passthrough
• Large Guest Stateroom
• Private Crew Quarters
• Expansive Water Views
• Customizations Throughout

Specs at a Glance:

• Standard Layout: 4 Staterooms, 4 heads, Master on main deck
• LOA: 55ft 6in/16.9 m
• LOA: Including Platform Lift 57ft 7in/17.6 m
• LWL: 53FT 6IN / 16.3 m
• BEAM: 25ft/7.6 m
• DRAFT (APPROX.): 3ft 6in/1.35 m
• DISPLACEMENT – LIGHT SHIP (ESTIMATE): 49,600 lbs./22,500 kg
• WATER: 200 US Gal/760 lt
• FUEL (APPROX.): 750 US Gal/2,600 lt
• PROPULSION: Yanmar 370hp 8LV Diesels

The post Yachting On Board: Two Oceans 555 Catamaran appeared first on Yachting.

Tim Derrico’s to-do list dates all the way back to 1996. That’s when he joined HMY Yachts as a sales broker and started thinking about ways to help customers get exactly what they want. After he became director of sales in 2011, Derrico started to think even bigger—including the idea of finding a power-cat line worthy of being associated with the HMY Yachts brand. 

It was a tall order, given the growth that HMY Yachts had experienced ever since Steve Moynihan founded the company in 1979 on a houseboat located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Today, HMY Yachts sells new and brokerage boats out of a dozen locations, offering some of the world’s top brands such as Viking Yachts, Valhalla Boatworks, Princess, and Nimbus. Most power catamarans, to put it mildly, didn’t even come close to the level of fit-and-finish and outfitting seen on those fishing and cruising boats. 

All of which is why Derrico and Moynihan began a fact-finding mission in 2019 to learn more about a rumored top-end power catamaran concept out of Cape Town, South Africa. The power catamaran was still in the design phase, but it was the brainchild of a team with serious boatbuilding credentials. 

For starters, the shipyard with this power-cat concept was Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing, which had long been known for custom catamaran and monohull builds up to 110 feet. Two Oceans also builds Balance Catamarans, which often sail well above their class in terms of construction, design and performance. The designer was Du Toit Yacht Design, also based in Cape Town, South Africa, with a stellar reputation dating back to 2001.

“I met with some people in my office here in West Palm Beach and got the conversation going,” Derrico recalls. “We ended up having a dinner meeting one night during the Miami boat show in 2019. It went well, and things proceeded from there.”

Next, HMY Yachts leadership brought in Dave Jirikovic, who, prior to joining HMY, had spent years selling products and managing dealerships for two mainstream express-cruiser brands. He’d also had significant input into new-product development. Jirikovic, plain and simple, knew what to look for in a shipyard. He flew to South Africa on a reconnaissance mission. 

“I got there and saw this massive facility within the secured port of Cape Town, a bustling metropolis of people working—and that was not just on our 555 cat project, but also on two Balance sail catamaran models, and on South African National Sea Rescue Institute boats, which is like their coast guard. And then there were all of the custom boats, like the first Two Oceans 870 Power Catamaran at 87 by 40 feet, and even custom sport-fish builds. It was impressive,” Jirikovic says. “My phone call back to Tim and Steve was: ‘This guy’s a builder. He’s got the skills, he has the labor, and he has the facilities. All of the ingredients to build are here,’ which is something you cannot say often.”

Two Oceans Marine felt the same way about HMY Yachts. It takes a lot to trust a dealer with not one but two lines of boats: the Two Oceans Power Catamarans, and the ECLIPSE Express Cruisers. HMY’s well-rounded network and experienced sales team offered everything that Two Oceans Marine needed to bring its boats to a much wider, worldwide clientele. 

Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran

Combining Two Oceans Marine’s construction know-how with HMY Yachts’ sales prowess and reach made complete sense. Seemingly overnight, HMY Yachts became a global dealer—and exclusive US dealer—for Two Oceans Power Catamarans, starting with the Two Oceans 555 model. Jirikovic sat down with the team in South Africa to discuss what American buyers want, including all the little details that can take any boat concept from good to great. 

“We sat in their conference room for seven hours straight, with one restroom break,” Jirikovic says. “We talked about every single component.”

That group of people, still to this day, has remained laser-focused on ensuring that the Two Oceans 555 delivers everything American yachtsmen desire in a power catamaran. And boaters are already responding big-time. Hull No. 1 of the Two Oceans 555 sold to its owner before the design was even complete, and before anyone had seen a physical boat (Two Oceans Marine knew the buyer from a prior build). Hull No. 2 was displayed at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October 2023, and soon after, HMY Yachts was sold out on the model’s production slots until 2025. 

The plan is to keep the Two Oceans 555 a premium product with only about 10 of the boats being built each year, each one of them customized to the owner’s taste—setting the Two Oceans line apart from competing brands that pump out far more mass-production quantities of catamaran hulls annually on their construction lines. 

ECLIPSE Express Cruisers

Next, following up on the success of the Two Oceans 555, HMY Yachts is also preparing to debut a line of cruising powerboats from the same builder. The first two models in this line from Two Oceans Marine will be the ECLIPSE 505 and ECLIPSE 605. 

The ECLIPSE 505 Shadow—a version of the 505 with an upgraded performance package (see details below)—will premiere at the Newport International Boat Show in September. Two ECLIPSE 505 Shadows will be at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October, and at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2025. The ECLIPSE 605 will premiere at the Palm Beach International Boat Show in March 2025.

These ECLIPSE boats are penned by renowned powerboat designer Michael Peters of Sarasota, Florida. Interiors are by the UK’s Design Unlimited, with consultation from Silver Arrows Design, an automotive design leader that brings innovative interiors to the marine market.

“Michael Peters said it best: ‘It’s a new timeless classic,’” Jirikovic says of the ECLIPSE line. “It’s built on his world-renowned Stepped Vee Ventilated Hull, and it’s a sexy package that also performs.”

The base ECLIPSE 505 and 605 models will pack serious power: twin or triple 600-horsepower Mercury V-12 Verados. The Shadow Performance Package 505 and 605 models will have triple and quadruple engine upgrades, respectively. All expectations are for the ECLIPSE powerboats to achieve north of 60 knots at wide-open throttle, with upper-end features and overnight accommodations for couples or families. 

The Power of HMY Yachts

Are the ECLIPSE powerboats a completely different style and cruising experience than the Two Oceans 555 power cat? Yes, they are—and that’s the whole point of adding both brands to the HMY Yachts list of offerings, Derrico says. 

“If you look at what we have at HMY Yachts, it’s a lot of different types of high-quality boats that can appeal to different types of consumers,” he says.

And beyond that, Jirikovic adds, the customer service and sales network that HMY Yachts has in place will ensure that the brands deliver on what they promise. HMY’s knowledge and years of experience make it the ideal partner for Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing on both of these brands. 

“We’re going to make sure that we exceed our customers’ expectations and that our customers are satisfied with the ECLIPSE experience, period,” Jirikovic says. “HMY has been around for 45 years by delivering results, not disappointment. From the purchase of the former Whiticar Boat Works yard as the dedicated ECLIPSE Service Center, to dedicated customer-care staff and dedicated ECLIPSE and Mercury technicians, an ECLIPSE owner will be in for a pleasant surprise.”

Take the next step: Learn more about the Two Oceans 555, ECLIPSE 505 and ECLIPSE 605 at hmy.com.

The post Power Player appeared first on Yachting.

Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle.

“There,” he said, pointing ahead. “A series of solid 4-footers.” The Gulf Stream was roiled from several days of 20-plus-knot northern winds running against the northbound current.

And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Stability was among many characteristics that left me impressed with the Two Oceans 555, the company’s first offering in the United States. The builder was founded in 1989 and constructs its boats in Cape Town, South Africa, with power and sail models from 23 to 160 feet length overall. Two Oceans also builds offshore rescue craft, which explains some of the other characteristics I saw after taking a turn at the helm of the Two Oceans 555.

For instance, I was startled to learn that this power cat gets about 1 nautical mile per gallon at 10 knots. With 750 gallons of fuel, that’s a lot farther than most yachtsmen will ever want to run in a single hop.

This cat also has speed—topping out at more than 27 knots—with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7L diesels. The vessel’s performance and seaworthiness are a tribute to the twin slippery hulls designed by Du Toit Yacht Design of South Africa. Using tunnels tightly fitted to the props for maximum power, and with low-drag sacrificial keels, the 555 has just a 3-foot-6-inch draft.

Construction is solid with a vinylester barrier coat underwater and PVC foam core, all vacuum-bagged for strength and reinforced with carbon fiber in high-load areas.

Effort has clearly been spent on soundproofing; my decibel meter barely nudged 82 dB(A) at 26.5 knots in the salon. Thanks to the boat’s underwater side-mounted exhausts, the bridge sound was even quieter: 79 decibels at 23 knots.

The thing I liked most about the Two Oceans 555 is that it is essentially a blank canvas. This particular boat had a layout I liked: an on-deck master stateroom separated from the salon by sliding doors. The master has 180 degrees of 27-inch-high windows for a panoramic view from the walk-around island berth. The en suite head is in the port hull with twin sinks, a 3-by-4-foot shower stall and a tilt-up vanity.

Guest staterooms included an athwartships space forward in the starboard hull with a larger-than-queen berth, and another stateroom aft with a queen berth. The opposite hull had a third guest stateroom with twin berths.

This yacht’s salon had a dinette to port opposite a galley large enough to accommodate several chefs. All the usual amenities—from US manufacturers for easy service—included a stand-up two-door fridge with a drawer, a microwave, a five-burner cooktop, an ice maker, a trash compactor and a dishwasher. What was more interesting was the size of the L-shaped Corian countertop: The L was a few inches shy of 8 feet, while the fore-and-aft counter was more than 11 feet long.

The salon opens up to the cockpit, which, on this 555, had a settee with a dining table. The back is double-sided so people could sit facing aft, either to watch the launching or retrieval of a tender with the hydraulic platform or just to enjoy a sunset. There’s also a U-shaped recessed dinette with wraparound seating on the foredeck.

That leaves the flybridge, whose open aft deck was 9 feet by 28 feet for sun lounges, chaises or personal watercraft to be launched via the optional crane. A wraparound dinette to port faced a grill, a fridge, an ice maker and a sink.

The helm is forward, abaft a full-height windscreen. There’s a double-wide Stidd seat, and either two or three Garmin multifunction displays. Future boats are likely to have the engine monitors and switches in an overhead, aircraft-style panel on the hardtop, but there was room for the skipper to make good use of the standard Side-Power bow thruster (a stern thruster is optional).

This power cat had the optional Off-Grid package, using twin 9 kW Integrel Solutions generators coupled to the prop shafts with flex power takeoffs. Combined with the solar panels forward of the flybridge helm, this arrangement feeds a bank of Victron Energy lithium-phosphate batteries totaling 26,000 watts, providing more than 19 hours of silent running time for all air-conditioning, ship and galley needs.

The Two Oceans 555 power catamaran has the interior and exterior real estate of a monohull nearly double its size. It offers a smooth ride in rough water, has accommodations for the largest of cruising families, and uses solar power to cruise anywhere a yachtsman desires. All of this, combined with the ability to heavily personalize the yacht, makes the Two Oceans 555 a strong offering in the power-cat marketplace.  

Wealth of Experience

Du Toit Yacht Design may not yet be a household name in the United States, but it is the leading catamaran design firm in South Africa, with several sizes of Two Oceans power cats and Balance sailing catamarans, and more than 120 production and custom yacht designs.

Power Play

Victron Energy is a Dutch producer of electrical equipment for marine and industrial needs, energy storage and solar energy access. Each Victron lithium-phosphate battery has its own battery-management system.

The Battery Basics

The builder says that when it comes to recharging, the yacht’s lithium-phosphate batteries can ramp back up to 85 percent power in just 60 minutes when the main engines are running. 

Efficient Engines

The Cummins QSB6.7L is an in-line six-cylinder, 408-cubic-inch, turbocharged, after-cooled diesel noted for its 80 percent noise reduction compared with similar engines, because of its common-rail fuel system. The single-loop, low-temperature after-cooling eliminates the need for keel coolers, and it reduces emissions.

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