Design
A speedster for all seasons
Elan Yachts made a big splash two years ago with its GT6 performance cruiser. Soon there will be a new version optimised for ocean cruising
I
f you are the type of person who likes to go off the beaten track, or have a desire to venture into the wild – well, here’s a tool for your dreams. As the name implies, the Elan GT6 X is still a
GT6, which means a stylish, Porsche- designed sport cruiser just below 50ft overall, with the power to go fast, even in lighter conditions. Launched in 2021 as the new Elan flagship, the GT6 is a good- looking boat that will turn heads in any harbour – actually it was the first sub-50ft yacht of its kind to feature a flush deck. The low-profile deck house is another central feature. But the new Explorer version is a
special kind, that addresses a deep longing in a lot of sailors today. Think of it as a four-by-four model – a go anywhere vessel. Almost any boat can do the ARC. But this one is built to do more than that. Think of The Arctic, desolate, storm-
ridden oceans, with arrivals at anchorages where icebergs and polar bears are more frequent than rum punch bars. This boat will take you there. How about crossing the vast Pacific Ocean, where the nearest marina could be a thousand nautical
miles away? If you can do it, this boat surely can. Feel free to continue the list of potential adventures yourself – if this is your thing, you probably have your own specific mental images to add. The Slovenian Elan boatyard holds a
unique position on the market, in terms of quality of materials, craftmanship, design and composite work. It is an established brand known for producing boats that are easy and rewarding to sail, at a very competitive price. For decades they have had a close collaboration with world renowned UK- based Humphreys Yacht Design, and their skills have ensured efficient, fast and stable hulls. This one has twin rudders, a T-bulb keel and chined hulls, all traits known from the Volvo offshore racers that really put Humphreys Yacht Design on the map. These features were first introduced into the performance cruiser category by Elan and Humphreys in the multiple award-winning Elan 350 and have since become industry standard.
But the big novelty of the GT6 was
the design partnership with Studio F.A. Porsche. The car industry has inspired boatyards in several ways, especially for the last decade, and this collaboration has produced a boat that, according to sailing journalists, not only looks good, but also feels right and performs. Good looks are not a small thing: The
‘Designed in partnership with Porsche, it not only looks good but also feels right and performs’
joy and pride of looking at your boat with pleasure is something very valuable in itself. But a multiple award-winning design studio will obviously know that form and function must go hand in hand. An example could
be the chines, which are integrated with trapeze-shaped hull windows. At first glance, this is visually pleasing, but seen from the inside the idea has a function: The windows are recessed and able to spread a flow of natural daylight over the interior. Also, the feeling of being in close connection with the sea, even when below decks, is much more tangible when you have a view over the surroundings when
SEAHORSE 65
�
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130
