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CRUISERS YACHTS 415 EXPRESS MOTORYACHT

By Capt. Ron Svoboda

Are you seeking a luxurious vacation home on the water but can’t seem to get past some the bulbous or boxy designs that are available these days? Well then, Cruisers Yachts may just have the vessel for you. The 415 is a hybrid yacht that combines the aesthetic appeal of an express cruiser with the uncompromising spaciousness of a motor yacht. Typical of an express is an ample cockpit with comfortable seating for all on board. The 415 is no different, with lots of room above deck to entertain with its expansive lounge and port side wet bar. The optional hard top provides a distinct look and can be completely enclosed to keep the entertaining ongoing, regardless of the weather.

This yachts is all about comfortable living space on the water, so lets go below decks to see what she offers. The sliding Plexiglas companionway door incorporates a secondary sliding screen door for fresh air ventilation. Down the large steps into the salon, you immediately notice the richly appointed interior and enormous headroom available. The gourmet’s galley is located to starboard and includes a full size refrigerator and freezer. A microwave is standard and you can opt for an oven or a combo microwave/ convection oven if you desire. Double sinks and a ceramic cook top finish off the food prep counter space. When it is time to enjoy the chef’s cuisine, or relax and watch TV, the salons huge wrap around settee and cherry wood dining table is located to starboard.

The master suite is located aft and is accessed through a port side cabin door that is down a few steps from the salon. This stateroom offers luxury and privacy that is more commonly found on larger yachts. The island birth has plenty of room on either side for ease of movement and you will find lots of storage cabinets. Concealed in one of the starboard side cabinets, is a combo washer and dryer unit for your laundry. The master head is just forward of the birth and to starboard. Here you will find ample room at the vanity and in the separate shower compartment.

Moving back through the salon, you will find the guest stateroom all the way forward and down a few steps. At the bottom of the stairs is the main head with shower located to starboard. The double doors allow your guests access through the salon or through their stateroom for added privacy. The island birth in this stateroom is ideal with room to move about and generous storage above and below the birth.

Access to the engine room is via a hatch located amid ship in the sole of the salon. Here you have the option of several engine packages to choose from in both gas or diesel power. We were able to test this yacht in both configuration and found very different performance attributes aside from just fuel economy. In the diesel version, the boat performed as expected, with a steady acceleration interval until the turbo’s spooled up and the engines were at there optimal speed. The 420-horse power Cats seemed well suited to propel the girthy motor yacht. But the diesels also took up most of the space in the engine room, making fluid and Racor checks a bit of a challenge for us large folks. Contrary to this was the gas configuration. Although possessing enough raw horsepower, the gas motors seemed to labor significantly when getting this big vessel up to cruising speed. The lack of torque from the gas engines gave this yacht a very different ride characteristic when compared to her diesel sister ship. Granted the diesel motors will cost you considerably more dough than the gas power will, but you may want to sea trial both versions before ordering your luxury home away from home.