The Galeon Yachts 450 HTS is a yacht designed to enjoy the outdoors. This is even true inside the salon, where panoramic windows exceed 4 feet in height—and are joined by a single-pane windshield, double-folding aft doors, a sunroof, an opening portside window and a starboard helm door. Adding to the sense of openness is 7-foot-8-inch headroom.

Out on deck, the 450 HTC has space to bask in the sunshine forward with a sun pad that has adjustable backrests. There’s also a flip-up backrest, creating a bench seat for cocktail hour. A recessed locker handles the anchor windlass and tackle, keeping the deck clear of clutter. Walk-around side decks are 14 inches wide, allowing for more interior volume. High rails from midship to the bow add safety and include a rail that can open for side boarding.

There’s also sunning space on the aft deck’s L-shaped settee, near a dining table and with a reversible backrest on the side seat. This side seat converts to another sun pad. A sunshade is cleverly housed in the hardtop, with side extensions that make the shade look like part of the hardtop structure.

There’s easy access from here to the water by way of the hydraulic swim platform, which has an extending staircase. An electric Kenyon grill is in the transom station, along with a sink for cooking up the day’s fresh catch.

Or dine in the salon, out of the sun. There’s a U-shaped dinette to starboard with an adjustable wood table. A flat-screen TV rises from abaft the portside bench seat for movie nights with the family.

Just forward on the main deck is the galley, which has a two-burner Kenyon cooktop, Corian counters, an undercounter Isotherm fridge with a freezer, a Samsung microwave oven, and a divided sink with a cover. With this galley-up design, cruising couples can stay within proximity of each other while one preps a meal and the other steers. Multiple drawers, overhead cabinets and a pantry are all here to stow provisions.

The helm is to starboard. Twin 12-inch Raymarine Axiom multifunction displays are in the console, along with a 7-inch Volvo Penta electronic vessel control display. There is space for more electronics, such as the autopilot, Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, and an Optimus electronic power-steering controller. Backlit push-button switches are mounted in the dash.

This is a boat that should be easy for a couple or a solo skipper to run. A starboard door next to the helm allows the operator to get on deck and handle lines. For a spouse or crew, a doublewide upholstered seat is close by.

Belowdecks and amidships is the full-beam (13-foot-8-inch) master stateroom with a queen-size berth and a ceiling stepped in places, allowing for the main-deck configuration above. With port and starboard dressers and cabinets, along with closets, there’s plenty of stowage for extended cruises. Galeon also included panache by adding a backlit sculpted headboard, satin-finish wood, soft carpeting, a 32-inch TV and hullside windows. The en suite head has a basin sink, Corian countertop, electric toilet and separate shower stall.

The forepeak VIP is also stylish with a centerline berth and inlaid ceiling. In fact, it could be considered a second master stateroom. There’s an option for a third stateroom with twin bunks, which might be handy for cruising with children.

The 450 HTC’s engine room is accessed via a hatch in the cockpit sole. Cleanly finished and painted, it has room to get at the ancillary systems, such as the 12 kW Fischer Panda generator, 11-gallon water heater, battery banks, stainless-steel fuel and water tanks, and filters. It’s nice to see the engine dipsticks centrally located as well. Thanks to the straight-shaft, V-drive transmissions, the engines can be mounted a bit farther aft, creating more interior space.

Galeon allows the 450 HTC to be customized, but the standard features already include 316 stainless railings, opening portholes belowdecks, wood cabinetry, window treatments, direct and indirect lighting, and more. Basically, it’s a turnkey vessel. A chilled-water air-conditioning system produces 67,000 Btu of frigid air while operating at a low noise level. Owners can opt for upgraded interior furnishings, electronics, a Seakeeper 5 or other niceties.

A boat can’t be everything to everyone, but the Galeon 450 HTC has a solid pedigree that comes pretty darn close.  

Power Up

Twin 480 hp Volvo Penta D6 straight-shaft diesel engines get this 41,240-pound fiberglass hull up and going. I saw a wide-open-throttle speed of 27.7 knots. Slow cruising at 2,800 rpm brought a 17.8-knot speed with a range of 290 nautical miles. At 9.1 knots, range is 397 nm. 

Easy Rider

Running this express cruiser in a 2- to 3-foot chop was exhilarating yet comfortable. Responses to wheel input were immediate, bow rise during acceleration was minimal, and the low noise level made driving the 450 HTC a pleasure. With slight leans into hard-over turns, there was no feeling of loss of control. The Zipwake trim-control system keeps the ride level at all times. 

Side-Deck Magic

The cockpit’s usable space expands with port and starboard foldout “beach mode” terraces. These 84-by-24-inch platforms are sturdy and have safety railings. With a center cutout window, there’s visibility when the platforms are closed. 

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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When Yachting decided to present its first-ever Innovation Award, the question was not which boat deserved to win. Most builders, after all, can turn out at least one good boat model every couple of years. What’s much harder is consistently producing new models with features that are smart and stylish, fun and functional, and unlike anything else on the water. What’s really hard is doing all of that at a production-boat pace to please dozens upon dozens of new-boat buyers each year.

After much deliberation, the choice was clear: The inaugural Yachting Innovation Award goes to the Galeon 560 Fly. It’s a boat that epitomizes the Polish builder’s drive not only to think differently, but also to build differently, in a way that ensures originality on the docks.

Or, as Galeon Yachts brand manager Bob Burke aptly puts it, “The 560 Fly is really the evolution of the last eight years of what Galeon’s been doing.”

An Exciting Start

Many American boaters first heard of Galeon Yachts in February 2016, when the powerhouse dealer MarineMax introduced the brand at the Miami International Boat Show. It’s not that Galeon was a new builder; it had been in business since 1982, building boats primarily for the German market, a culture whose automobiles alone say a thing or two about demand for precision engineering. MarineMax wanted to gain market share in the 40-to-65-foot market, so its team asked people they knew at engine maker Volvo Penta which brands to consider. “They gave us a few brands, and we didn’t know a whole lot about Galeon. They didn’t have a story in the United States,” Burke says. “We flew to the factory, and they showed us around. We were looking at the quality of the boats—everything they were showing us was what you want to see in a partner.”

That’s how Galeon ended up having such a notable presence at the 2016 Miami show, where MarineMax sold 17 of the boats—the whole first year’s production—in just five days. Fast-forward to today, and there have been 430 deliveries overall, with MarineMax now selling about 80 to 100 of the Galeons each year. There are Hardtop, Flybridge and Skydeck models, and the choices for yachtsmen of all tastes only continue to broaden. “In 2020, we launched our first outboard-powered Galeons,” Burke says. “We started with a 325 GTO, and then a 375 GTO, and we have two more coming in the 40s over the next two years.”

The 560 Fly made its debut about a year ago at the 2023 Miami show, bringing together many of the notable features that Galeon has been working on across the board—including Beach Mode, which is the fold-out decks that lots of builders are trying to do now but that Galeon was first to popularize in production boats.

“Galeon does it in a unique way where they fold the side down, but they also open up the aft-galley area,” Burke says. “On the 560, the beam of the boat goes from 15 feet, 10 inches to an opened-up space of about 21 feet wide. When you think about a boat that’s 21 feet wide, it’s usually 90 feet long. You open this up, and the beauty of it is that the side opens as well, so you have this indoor-outdoor galley and dinette space that feels like you’re on a 90-foot boat.”

Thinking about that wide of a beam aft also led Galeon’s team to reconsider interior spaces. “We’ve taken the beam of the boat and carried it way forward, which started with the 325,” Burke says. “We managed to get such a great volume of space that we could have a head and sleep four in a 32-foot boat. Well, when you stretch a bigger boat out and carry that beam forward, you think the guest cabin is the master, it’s so big. This is an evolution of innovation.”

Vertical Innovation

Galeon refers to its design and construction process as vertical innovation. The idea is that if the company controls everything from how the teak decks are built right up to the way the stainless-steel rails are polished, it can innovate in ways that stymie other builders, which rely on third-party vendors to help them construct various parts of their boats.

“They do everything in-house,” Burke says of Galeon. “They’re building their own furniture, doing their own upholstery, stainless-steel work, lamination, tooling. They’re building their own teak decks. That’s very rare for builders. Most of them have some component they’re not so great at, and they subcontract it out.”

Keeping everything in-house means Galeon is not governed by the products that are on the broader market. “I think that’s why people are so excited about the brand,” Burke says. “They haven’t seen it done in these ways anywhere else. Most production boats, they have the same cleats, the same cupholders, the same stuff that every boatbuilder uses. Galeon makes everything.” 

Flexible Onboard Spaces

One of the innovative features that the Galeon 560 Fly showcases is a shape-shifting dinette that converts into more of a social space opposite the galley. It’s an example of how the Galeon team constantly thinks about the way boaters use their vessels, and about how one area can be used in multiple ways during a day or week on board.

“When you have the side up and the window shut, it looks like a normal boat with a little dinette—a great place to have coffee or read a book, looking out the window,” Burke says. “But when you open the window, the backrest folds out and you can seat more people there. The table folds out too.”

There’s a similar transforming space at the 560 Fly’s bow, where the seating converts to suit multiple uses. On other models, Galeon continues to innovate in additional ways. On the 640 and 650, an opening center section of the windshield gives boaters a way to get to the bow without going out to the side decks, which in turn can be narrower, allowing for more volume in a wider salon. On the 800 Fly, the entire hardtop is built of carbon with no forward supports, giving it a stylish, modern look. “That’s a pretty amazing achievement in composite engineering,” Burke says. “There are zero stainless-steel supports on the front. That’s an innovative aspect.”

Yet another creative idea can be seen on the 470 Skydeck, which looks like a coupe but has a miniature flybridge that changes the boating experience with the push of a button. “It has a flybridge where you wouldn’t think it does,” Burke says.

Owners of Galeon boats, in addition to using onboard spaces however they best suit the style of cruising, also can customize the interiors with optional woods and fabrics to satisfy their personal tastes. “Depending on the model, you can have optional layouts in the staterooms,” Burke says.  

Impressive in Motion

Galeon models that are Americas-bound come from ideas that the builder has, along with concepts from longtime design partner Tony Castro, and with MarineMax contributing its thoughts about what consumers want. While each model may have a different combination of features, they all share a quality of performance that Burke says is key to the brand’s reputation.

“We built most of the boats with a target of a 29- or 30-knot maximum speed or a 25-knot cruise,” he says. “We want to achieve that in most conditions, so the boats are built solid. It’s not about having the fastest boat on the water. It’s about having the most comfortable boat in 3-to-5-foot seas. Some boats are built light to be fast, and they don’t handle that type of condition well at 20-plus knots.”

Galeon and MarineMax strongly encourage boaters to take a ride out on the water, especially if they’re shopping at a boat show and comparing the Galeons to models from other builders. “You can walk through five boats and love them all, but then you take them out, and they might be creaking and squeaking and you don’t enjoy them,” Burke says. “We want people to be comfortable.”

Achieving that goal includes smart positioning of equipment, along with the use of sound-deadening materials in each boat’s construction.

“Boats with the side-opening windows, like the 560, have a chilled-water air-conditioning system. That means the noisy part of the system is in the engine room, and all you have in the cabin is fans. It’s a very quiet boat,” Burke says. “You close the door in the master cabin, and if somebody’s having a conversation outside the door, you won’t hear it. They build a really tight boat.”

For all these reasons and then some, the Galeon 560 Fly is an ideal boat to earn the distinction of receiving the first Yachting Innovation Award. This yacht epitomizes the builder’s ability to conceive new ideas and then execute them well—and makes us all eager to get out and go boating.

17 in One Week

MarineMax launched the Galeon brand for American yachtsmen at the 2016 Miami International Boat Show. It was an instant hit. They sold 17 of the Galeon boats—the entire first year’s production—inside of five days.

430 in Eight Years

Since it introduced the Galeon line in 2016, MarineMax has sold 430 of the boats. The current pace of customer demand is about 80 to 100 boats per year, across the entire model range.

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Designed for water enthusiasts, the Galeon 450 HTC, a state-of-the-art model created in collaboration with Tony Castro Design Studio, seamlessly combines the elegance of a Galeon Yacht with a dynamic sports yacht ambiance. Featuring Galeon’s renowned beach mode, an optional hydraulic swim platform, and a versatile two-cabin, two-head design with a full-beam master, the vessel offers comfort and exceptional handling for waterborne entertainment.

Key Features:

• Two Cabins, Two Heads (Optional Third Bunk Style Cabin)
• Multipurpose Seating
• Retractable Cockpit Roof
• Interior Retractable Sunroof
• Cruising Speed: 24 Knots, Max 28 Knots
• Fold Out Side Decks – Additional 7” of Usable Space

Specs at a Glance:

• Length Overall: 45’9” (14 m)
• Hull Length: 42’ 3” (12.9 m)
• Beam: 20’ 8” (6.35 m)
• Dry Weight: 34,615 lb (15,701 kg)
• Maximum Load Weight: 41,240 lb (18,706 kg)
• Draft (maximum): 4’ 3” (1.3 m)
• Height (including mast light): 14’ 4” (4.38 m)
• Fuel Capacity: 450 GAL (1,700 L)
• Water Capacity: 112 GAL (425 L)
• Black Water Capacity: 34 GAL (130 L)

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Designer Tony Castro penned the Galeon Yachts 440 Fly, a yacht that looks long, lean and fast, even at rest. And beyond the vessel’s sleek profile is a nicely appointed two- or three-stateroom, two-head layout with multiple entertainment and lounging areas—far more creature comforts than you’d expect to find aboard a boat with such a slender appearance.

Castro achieved this sleight of hand in two ways: First, he covered the topside windows with a black slash that runs nearly the length of the yacht to bring light into the staterooms. The slash also lowers the visual height of the topsides considerably. Second, he surrounded the flybridge with glass. You’d expect the Venturi windscreen forward, but he also used glass on the sides, essentially making the bridge invisible. Squint at the 440 Fly, and you’ll see an express cruiser with no bridge, and yet the flybridge is sizable.

There’s also a lot going on in the cockpit, starting with the outdoor cooking features (optional but essential) built into the transom. Both cockpit sides butterfly outward to create terraces, expanding the cockpit’s width from less than 14 feet to 19 feet. These terraces have glass sections that offer side viewing from the cockpit seats when the 440 Fly is underway. When the sides are down, there are wonderful views into the water.

Triple folding doors open the salon fully to the cockpit, with a settee to port facing a dinette with a reversible back to add to the cockpit seating. Up two steps is the galley-helm level. The galley is to port with a clear rail that protects the countertop and with a window that lowers electrically for fresh air.

At the helm is a diamond-stitched, bolstered double-wide seat abaft a free-standing dash that holds twin Raymarine multifunction displays and the Volvo Penta engine panel. An oversize side door allows easy access to the side deck. The 440 Fly that I was aboard had Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, which got us off the dock easily in a strong breeze. The skipper also has a great view through a one-piece windshield.

The 440 Fly that I toured had the two-stateroom layout. The VIP forward has 6-foot-7-inch headroom, and a queen-size berth or scissor berths that come together to form a nearly king-size width. The en suite head has a stall shower that stretches 5 feet in length and more than 2 feet wide.

Aft, the master stateroom has a nearly king-size berth slightly offset to provide space for rows of lockers to port and a vanity to starboard. There’s also an en suite head with a stall shower.

The flybridge is another surprise, if only for the double-fold table that could easily seat a dozen guests (with a couple of folding chairs). Steps to the bridge are gentle and have good handholds for safe transit. A wet bar, a grill, a fridge and a sink create a third cooking station. Forward is a duplicate setup of the lower-helm controls and another double-wide seat, with an L-shaped settee opposite for guests.

On the foredeck, a sun pad large enough for three guests morphs into lounges with folding backrests or into a forward-facing seat. Double-welded rails surround the foredeck, while the narrow side walkways are deep for security.

The 440 Fly that I got aboard had the standard twin 480 hp Volvo Penta D6 direct-shaft diesels and a 12 kW Fischer Panda genset tucked into a sound shield. (Twin 600 hp diesels are optional.) Access to the engine room is via a cockpit hatch, with a ladder leading to a walkway between the engines. There’s not a lot of room, which will require extra caution when the engines are hot, but the normal service checks are all easily reached.

With a half-tank of fuel, this 440 Fly topped out just shy of 25 knots, though I suspect we could have bettered that a bit by tinkering with the Lenco automatic trim tab controls. The diesels consumed 46 gph with the hammer down, and the noise level at a comfy 16-knot cruise was 78 decibels (65 decibels is the level of normal conversation). Most sound was the bow wave resonating through the open helm door. With that door closed and the cabin buttoned up, the sound dropped to 70 decibels, about the same as classroom chatter. With the door open or shut, there was no problem talking across the salon.

Handling? Just plain fun. The 440 Fly is responsive to power helm input. On the Intracoastal Waterway, it was a joy to spin donuts and cross this yacht’s wake at full throttle. Despite typical Gulf Stream chop offshore, we had no need to use the windshield wipers. The 440 Fly throws spray out flat to the side.

The Galeon Yachts 440 Fly is a delightful addition to the builder’s flybridge lineup, which also includes a 400 and a 500. With full service and parts from the MarineMax dealer network, this flybridge yacht is ready for cruising with family or good friends.

Under the Hood

The Volvo Penta D6 diesel is adapted from the manufacturer’s truck engine, which is known for solid power, strong torque and high reliability. An in-line six-cylinder, 5.5-liter, 336-cubic-inch block puts out 480 hp using common-rail fuel injection, dual overhead camshafts and a turbocharger.

Swim Platform Plus

The 440 Fly’s hydraulic swim platform lowers into the water for swimming, or to stow and launch a tender or personal watercraft. There are two ways to enter the water: With the platform up, a folding ladder can be used. When the platform is lowered, stairs automatically emerge.

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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Galeon Yachts’ new 440 Fly is aimed at cruising families. It joins nine other flybridge models ranging from 41 to 83 feet length overall. This near-46-footer made its North America debut at the Miami International Boat Show earlier this year.

In addition to having room for the family, the 440 Fly is a capable entertaining vessel. Fold-down side decks to port and starboard transform this yacht’s cockpit into a beach club, increasing the 13-foot-8-inch beam by 7 feet. Alfresco activities are further encouraged by a wet bar with a grill, a sink and stowage. An L-shaped settee with a wooden dinette is forward and under the flybridge overhang, protected from the elements.

Sun soakers can gather at the foredeck sun pad that’s sized for at least three people. Or, they can congregate on the flybridge, where there is more seating than in the cockpit and salon combined. An L-shaped settee corrals an elongated wooden dinette for outdoor snacks and meals. The helm station is forward with seating for the skipper and a mate, and there is additional companion seating to port. Between that companion seating and the stairs aft, owners can opt to place a wet bar with a sink, a fridge and a grill.

Inside on the main deck, the salon has a C-shaped settee with a wooden dinette to starboard, across from a two-seat sofa. Abaft the sofa is a hidden 32-inch TV. One step up from this gathering space are the helm station to starboard with side-deck access, and the galley to port with Corian countertops, a two-burner cooktop, a stainless-steel sink, a microwave and a fridge.

Belowdecks accommodations are flexible. Galeon offers a two-stateroom option and a pair of three-stateroom setups. In the two-stateroom configuration, there is a forepeak VIP with a step-up berth and an en suite head to port. The master stateroom is full-beam and amidships. The 440 Fly’s “traditional” three-stateroom layout reduces the size of the full-beam master to make room for a guest stateroom to starboard, and adds a twin-berth guest stateroom to port. In the “standard” three-stateroom setup, a guest stateroom with bunks is located to port, and the head is moved to starboard. This change consumes more of the forepeak VIP space, shifting its berth into an offset position to starboard.

Power for the 440 Fly is twin 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 engines. Galeon says the top speed is 30 knots, and cruising speed is 25 knots—which should be plenty fast to get the whole family feeling the wind in their hair.

Fast Facts

• The 440 Fly’s full-beam, amidships master has a queen-size berth.
• Cabinetry throughout the 440 Fly can be ordered in Dark Walnut Matte or Beachwood Matte.
• The 440 Fly’s cockpit’s L-shaped settee can convert to a sun pad.

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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The remnants of Hurricane Ian had turned the Atlantic into one angry ocean. At zero dark early, I started a trek from Long Island, New York, down to Somers Point, New Jersey, driving in a deluge with the hope that a weather window would open up and I would get a chance to see the Galeon Yachts 375 GTO, one of the top pocket cruisers, in action.

When I arrived, the rain had let up enough for Galeon’s Bob Burke and me to get off the dock. The wind was pumping, but the 375 GTO’s torque-filled 600 hp V-12 Mercury outboards, under the direction of Burke and a joystick control, made short work of leaving the marina and getting onto open water.

Easing up to the inlet, there was 8 to 10 feet of breaking white water from end to end. The bay offered up a stiff chop, but that didn’t deter the 375 GTO. In fact, the boat averaged a 47-knot top hop in the slop at 6,260 rpm. Fast cruise was 32 knots at 4,500 rpm, and at 4,000 rpm, cruise speed was 27 knots.

During my wheel time, it was readily apparent that these motors and this hull are well matched. The boat is real-time responsive with sports car-like handling. It also takes off instantaneously with throttle input. The Lenco trim tabs came in handy with the wind and sea state, and the twin Raymarine multifunction displays vividly showed our course. Skippers can dial in their helm experience with the electrically adjustable wheel and seats.

Performance is part of the 375 GTO’s story; the boat is also a fun-in-the-sun platform. The side decks fold out to increase the beam from 12 feet to 17 feet, 3 inches, creating a dance floor-size cockpit and what the builder calls beach mode. The cockpit bench seat slides on tracks aft to increase that dance floor, or forward to pull closer to the fold-out table for alfresco meals. Flip the seat’s backrest to face aft when the kids are in the water. A sunshade extends from the hardtop, protecting the entire cockpit from midday rays. The cockpit also has a Kenyon grill and a Vitrifrigo fridge, while the galley belowdecks is set up with an Isotherm fridge and a microwave by Black+Decker.

When sun is desired, pull back the shade, retract the roof, and drop the side windows to have a center-console experience.

At night, create some ambience with an armada of blue or white LEDs.

Belowdecks, there is room for an owner’s berth forward and twin berths aft for guests. The space is bright, thanks to hullside windows, and it feels warm with a beechwood gray interior. Fit-and-finish is first-rate.

Even on a less-than-optimal day, the Galeon Yachts 375 GTO proved a versatile vessel that should have broad appeal.  

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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There was a brief weather window in between windy, lightning-filled, rain-soaked South Florida summer thunderstorms, so our six-person crew jetted out of Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades inlet to see what the Galeon 800 Fly flagship could do in the unsettled sea state.

The white-tipped rollers marched at a steady cadence into the inlet. The ocean’s angry infantry did not deter the stout-feeling 800 Fly. Its bow—the tip of the spear to this yacht’s 83-foot-2-inch length overall—squashed the seaway. The LOA means there’s a lot of waterline to work with. That fact, along with the vessel’s broad-shouldered, 19-foot beam and the optional Vector Fin stabilizers and Humphree Interceptors, made the yacht sure-footed, even-keeled and confident throughout the rough-water run.

Adding to the 800 Fly’s sturdy nature, it has a solid fiberglass hull bottom with foam-cored sides and displaces about 75 tons of heft. The hardtop and superstructure are built in carbon fiber, saving top weight and assisting with center of gravity.

This yacht can get up and go in the sloppy stuff on request. My ride, Hull No. 1, was powered with optional 1,925 hp MTU diesels. Owners can choose smaller 1,800 hp MANs as well. Running in the trough and flanked by 5-footers, the MTUs spooled up to their full 2,450 rpm, resulting in a top average hop of 31.5 knots while the engines consumed 202 gph. Considering a 10 percent reserve on the 1,450-gallon fuel tank, range is about 203 nautical miles on the pins. Dialing the engines back to 2,000 rpm provided a 27-knot cruise speed while the motors burned 136 gph. At this speed, range increases to about 259 nautical miles. Looking for some extra yardage? Take the engines down 200 rpm to 1,800, and speed is a comfortable 23.8 knots at 104 gph. Range pops up to 298 nm.

Those big diesels are in an engine room with 6-foot-2-inch headroom and walking space between them, making for relatively easy servicing. There is also unimpeded access to the twin 29 kW Cummins Onan generators aft to port and starboard. Either one of those gensets can carry the 800 Fly’s power load by itself, but the builder believes in redundancy. There are two 100-amp shore-power cords for the same reason, as well as two water heaters and a fuel polisher. Seeing this operational thinking and execution makes the word robust come to mind when exploring the inside of the 800 Fly.

Close-quarters handling can be accomplished at the upper and lower helm stations, as well as the optional aft docking stations. This 800 Fly had one extra docking station in the cockpit to starboard. Owners could add one more to port. Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, also optional, are confidence inspiring when maneuvering around the dock or waiting for a bridge opening.

The yacht proved itself a capable open-water cruiser, but it’s also a vessel with family fun and entertainment at its core.

Several alfresco spaces are found on the main deck and upper deck. The cockpit has U-shaped seating and a table accessed via teak steps leading from the full-beam, hydraulic, 1,500-pound-capacity swim platform. Interestingly, the seams in the teak steps flanking the cockpit run longitudinally. Typically, they’d be run transversally. There are a lot of similar design flourishes throughout the 800 Fly. On the main deck, the teak sole has an S-curved section weaving from the cockpit into the side decks that creates a sense of movement as well as an eye-catching design.

The cockpit seating is protected under the flybridge overhang. Additionally, when the salon’s glass doors are opened and the window is raised in the portside aft bar, there is an uninterrupted indoor-outdoor entertainment space stretching from the cockpit forward 52-plus feet to the windshield.

Transiting to the foredeck—accessed via side decks wide enough that my size-10 feet could walk comfortably side by side—there is lounge seating that can be covered with a Bimini top that raises and lowers hydraulically. V-shaped seating forward of this lounge can be adjusted in angle and height, creating a respite from dock noise on the quay while guests enjoy sundowners with their feet up. There are also pantograph-style doors forward in the salon, one next to the helm to starboard, that allow side-deck access.

This yacht’s comfort quotient continues belowdecks in the form of a four-stateroom layout, all with en suite heads. (There is also a day head in the salon.) The full-beam amidships master has a queen berth, with an option for a king. The space is kept bright by hullside windows that are about 7 feet long and 34 inches high. The master is outfitted with a vanity to port and a settee to starboard. Abaft the berth to starboard is the head with a shower stall, and there is a walk-in closet to port. Headroom in the shower is about 6 feet, 6 inches.

There are two guest staterooms forward, to port and starboard, with twin berths. The forepeak VIP has a step-up berth. Two crew cabins, one for two people and one captain’s space, are aft and adjacent to the engine room. There is also a head, a mess area with fold-down seats and a table, a Samsung microwave, a two-burner Kenyon cooktop, a window looking to the swim platform that adds light into the space, and a Splendide washer and dryer. The crew area is finished to the same standard as the other spaces. Even with the engines and generator running, this space is whisper-quiet, helped in part by the Alcantara lining the bulkheads and overbuilt engine-room door.

From its ability to beat back a tempestuous sea to its rock-solid ride and large-yacht comfort and amenities, the Galeon Yachts 800 Fly will check a lot of boxes for yachtsmen ready to make the move into the crewed-yacht experience.

Bright Lights, Big Boat

One of the subtle but impactful details on board the Galeon 800 Fly is its lighting setup. The salon has multizone direct and indirect LEDs, some of which are set into curved patterns and recessed into the headliner, creating a warm, modern feeling. In places most people overlook, such as the forepeak VIP’s closet, there is even lighting in the shelving. On the flybridge, owners can adjust between blue and white lights for the bar, grill and more. It could be easy to spend a day exploring the lighting options on this boat.

Drive Your Way

The Galeon 800 Fly has upper and lower helms. Each has a Raymarine electronics package; there are three flush-mounted multifunction displays at the lower helm and two more at the flybridge station. There are also MTU displays for engine monitoring, as well as controls for the Humphree Interceptor trim system and a Xenta joystick for close-quarters maneuvering.

Inside Matters

Immediately upon entering the Galeon 800 Fly’s salon, there is a bar to port and a day head to starboard. Average headroom is 6 feet, 9 inches, with the volume enhanced by nearly 360 degrees of glass. Hull No. 1 has an oak sole, matte-finish beechwood gray veneers and Corian countertops. The galley and bar have backlit, onyxlike facades, enhancing the yacht’s upscale sensibilities. Other wood options include walnut and eucalyptus in matte and high-gloss finishes. The galley is well-equipped for meal prep with a four-burner Kenyon cooktop, Miele oven, fridge, freezer drawers and Bosch dishwasher.

In Profile

Even from a distance, the Galeon 800 Fly appears formidable. The raked nature of its exterior design, combined with a high freeboard and extended flybridge deck, gives it a presence like a lineman. The yacht, however, is also sleek—not an easy combination of traits to blend. This design feat is accomplished in part by the extensive use of structural glass. From the master stateroom’s 7-foot-long hullside windows to the nearly 360 degrees of glass in the superstructure, it all works to visually lower the profile and stretch the yacht’s lines. The windows flanking the salon’s midsection measure about 8 feet, 6 inches long by about 5 feet, 8 inches high.

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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The 4th annual Galeon Owners Rendezvous took place this year at the beautiful Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. With both new and seasoned owners in attendance, the event included a christening parade, cocktail competition, and a night of dining and dancing under the stars in celebration of Galeon’s Ruby Red 40th anniversary celebration. Watch the video to catch a glimpse into the life of a Galeon owner, and check out photos and videos from the event.

About Galeon

Considered a premier European boat builder, Galeon has been building handcrafted yachts for 40 years. Models range from 32 to 80 feet and include flybridge, hardtop and skydeck options. View all available models or get in touch with a dealer by visiting galeonyachts.us.

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Capt. Rick Castellini and I were standing next to the Galeon Yachts 410 HTC (hardtop cruiser), considering the wind howling down the waterway off Stuart, Florida, when his cap blew off. As he picked it up, he grinned: “Perfect day for a sea trial.”

Moments later, thanks to the Side-Power bow thruster that easily unpinned us from the pier, we were settled in the diamond-tufted, double-wide helm seat and enjoying the view through the windshield while the air conditioning pumped cool air. The Galeon was unfazed by the 35-knot gusts, and I was reminded why I enjoy sporty express cruisers.

Galeon Yachts is based in Poland, and MarineMax imports its boats to the United States. The Galeon 410 HTC allows all-weather and season-stretching pleasures, but also can feel as airy as a runabout with bi-fold doors that open the salon completely, a full-size door next to the helm, an overhead opening sunroof, and electric side windows.

Twin Raymarine monitors showed the yacht topping out at 30-plus knots. Dropping back to 21 knots, fuel burn is about 29 gph. Sound at the helm is a conversational 76 decibels.

The salon has 6-foot-5-inch headroom with the galley opposite the helm, a couch to port and a wraparound dinette to starboard. The dinette morphs into a rear-facing lounge when the salon doors are open.

Below are two staterooms and two heads. The aft stateroom is en suite with a stall shower and an island queen berth. Forward, the guest stateroom has a convertible V-berth that scissors into a twin, and has direct access to the day head with a shower.

The cockpit has foldout teak platforms and a canvas sunshade that slides out of the hardtop on a solid frame. There’s also a transom locker for fenders and gear.

The Galeon 410 HTC is thoughtfully designed with strong performance, ready to keep boaters comfortable no matter what the weather may bring.  

Driving Force

The Galeon 410 HTC has a pair of 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 diesels with V-drives. Engine access is via a cockpit hatch with maintenance points close to the hatch. Skippers can get around the sides of the engines to the 12 kW Fischer Panda genset for service.

The Beaches

Twin teak-planked and optional “beaches” fold out to expand the cockpit. Each one has full rails for safety. When the foldout platforms are combined with the transom platform, L-shaped settee and folding table, the cockpit becomes an alfresco playground. 

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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Galeon’s 325 GTO (Grand Touring Outboard) is the latest Tony Castro design and the builder’s first outboard vessel. Castro’s UK firm is known for fast ocean-sailing vessels and glitzy superyachts, and has designed motoryachts for Galeon for more than a decade. Rumor has it that Galeon and Castro sent 90 versions of the 325 GTO’s drawings back and forth with US dealer MarineMax before agreeing on the final design.

The 325 GTO shares plenty of DNA with Galeon’s larger yachts, including such features as “beach mode,” where the port gunwale folds out to create an open cockpit. These fold-down sides are more common on dayboats, but this is a first for a 32-footer, according to the builder.

I ran the prototype 325 GTO out of MarineMax’s facility in Sarasota, Florida. The bay was blustery and shallower than usual, thanks to a recent front. Still, the 325 GTO was a pleasure to drive, partly because of the helm setup, which includes an up-and-down slide for the steering wheel (on top of tilt) and a multiposition helm seat. LED backlights on the console buttons add to the console’s futuristic look.

One feature I especially liked: The console has air-conditioning and heat ducts, but there are forced fresh-air vents overhead, so skippers can button down the hardtop and still have a fresh breeze. This 325 GTO had most of the options, including the Comfort Pack and Luxury Pack. For the helm, that meant two 16-inch Raymarine displays with a chart plotter and fish finder (there are rocket launchers on the hardtop), as well as radar, LED underwater lighting and a Sunshade awning.

The 325 GTO is curvy with a raked hardtop. The after end is open, with 5-foot-long passageways outside the outboards. That design element means guests won’t have to walk the plank when they want to go swimming or check the engines.

Other details include the 32-by-78-inch galley console—with a fridge, Kenyon grill and molded-fiberglass trash can—and the size of the cockpit lounges. The bow comfortably seats four adults.

Belowdecks, the forward section converts from a dining area to a berth for two, while the center ladder folds up for clear access to the berth aft. The interior’s fit-and-finish has beachwood-gray cabinets, a matching gray sole and silver finish on the head’s bulkheads. LED accent lights are everywhere, so the 325 GTO lights up nicely at night.

Overall, the Galeon 325 GTO has a versatile layout that should appeal equally to dayboaters and weekenders alike.

Take the next step. galeonyachts.us

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