Yacht Class n°20 (march-april-may 2020)

Gulf Craft

Resistant, spacious, comfortable, the largest member of the Nomad range produced by the UAE-based shipyard, Gulf Craft, stands out with her seaworthy spirit and features. Meticulously finished, but without any luxury overkill, she offers very pleasant living spaces, thanks to a perfectly mastered layout. With also a nice surprise…

Written by: Philippe Leblond – Photos: All rights reserved

While her outdoors are rather conventional, this yacht, unveiled during the last Monaco Yacht Show, is not without originality. First and foremost, her silhouette, which stands out from the commercial passenger ships it evokes with its perfect finish and outstanding comfort. In tune with her philosophy of an ocean-going cruiser, the Nomad has a thin, proud bow that appears, at first sight, to guarantee real aptitudes for challenging rough seas. She is also valued for her well-balanced lines, with a cohesive relation between the freeboard and superstructure heights. A difficult exercise when designing a 30-metre boat with three real decks… Another original feature of the 95 SUV (a name referring to the concept of “sport utility vehicule” from the automotive sector) is the relative simplicity of its execution, with no frills in the decoration, as if to better emphasize the functionality and space dedicated to life on board. Yes, the largest model of the Nomad range (four others from 55 to 75 foot) is first and foremost a “yacht to live in”, in other words where owners and guests will spend most of their time, whether in navigation – hence her considerable range – or at anchor, enjoying her many convivial spots. Come aboard with us to discover them…

An impressive sleeping capacity

Our visit started on the spacious swim platform. There is no beach club on the Nomad, as the yard decided to opt for a real tender garage, where a semi-rigid water jet RIB and two jet skis are ready for launch. The cockpit, accessible by two staircases, appears vast and offers an outside dining area for eight to ten guests protected by the upper deck. There are two additional staircases: one on portside leading to the sundeck, the starboard one going down to the particularly well-designed crew quarters. Independent of the passenger accommodation area located forward the engine room, these offer functional comfort to both the captain, who has a single cabin and shower room, and the crew, who enjoy two separated berths sharing a bathroom with shower. There is also a beautiful mess room with TV and galley, plus a direct access to the technical area where two 40kW Kohler generators keep company to twin 1 925 hp MAN V12 engines. Note that, as a bonus, two berths are also available in the forepeak for two additional sailors or for two children, in case of extending family, which brings the sleeping capacity to either 12 + 3 or 10 + 5! Let’s head back to the main deck to discover the reception area. Lit by four large bay windows, it has a very classic open-plan layout: a saloon with sofas and armchairs and a dining area with beautiful marble table and ten chairs. The adjacent and separate galley enjoy a large window and a door with direct access to the gangway. It is located on portside, as is often the case, while the starboard side features a passageway leading to the master. After having passed the day toilets, and the staircase leading down to the guest cabins, we discover two wardrobes, then the 180° view offered by the multiple windows surrounding the king-size bed. In addition to a beautiful en suite, behind the bed partition, it offers a small desk/dressing table, a portside sofa, plus a large TV hidden in the ceiling. To starboard, a door opens onto the walkway leading to the small foredeck lounge… to spend hours reading in the sun ?

Two cabins worthy of the “master” label

On the lower level are the three guest cabins, including the forward one in the bow that could be labelled as a VIP. The remaining two have twin beds and also enjoy generous rectangular portholes. All of these are en suite. Now, let’s gain some altitude to discover the “benefits” of the upper deck, where is located the expected wheelhouse, designed with seaworthiness, and offering a wide field of vision (more than 180°) and a walkway door on each side. Then comes the real surprise of this Nomad 95: a fifth cabin almost as spacious as the one described as “master”, with elevated panoramic views, that opens onto the sundeck, a privileged relaxation area with a lounge, bar/grill and solarium. We even wondered which cabin we would choose if we were the owner? The Nomad 95 SUV was designed with a semi-displacement hull and can hit 24 knots at the maximum of her twin 1 925 Caterpillar diesel engines. Designed for charter and certified by Bureau Veritas, she has a carbon-fibre reinforced polyester hull, which ensures great rigidity and weight savings. By setting the speed at 10 knots, she can sail around 2 300 miles, enough to significantly space out the stopovers in the crowded ports of the Mediterranean and cast off for long-haul destinations. However, her ideal cruising speed is 15 knots.