Palm Beach Motor Yachts will introduce its latest launch to the world: the Palm Beach 70. This flying-bridge motoryacht helps the builder to fulfill its mission to create impeccably built, performance-oriented yachts that raise the bar in the industry.
The Palm Beach 70 builds on the Palm Beach 65, taking up the mantle of flagship of the fleet, and backing it up with cruising comfort and efficiency. The yacht will make her world debut at the 2019 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.
“The Palm Beach 70 was born from customer demand—they wanted a larger Palm Beach Motor Yacht,” says Mark Richards, CEO and founder of Palm Beach Motor Yachts. “We had to build the yacht that we ourselves wanted too, which can stand on her own to meet our high standards of performance, hull efficiency, and aesthetics.”
The Palm Beach 70 is built on a semi-displacement warped-hull design that has less resistance to plane more easily. The hull shape is designed to keep the bow in the water eliminating any “hump” in the speed curve that is typically associated with deep or modified-V hull shapes. Instead, the Palm Beach 70 is designed to go through the water, rather than wasting energy to get on top of the water. The resulting hull has the added benefits of a shallow draft and additional buoyancy aft. With a draft of just 4 feet, 3 inches, this 70-footer is ready to bring cruisers the kind of performance they’ve come to expect from a Palm Beach. Matched to a pair of Volvo Penta IPS 1350s, the hull is expected to achieve a 32-knot cruise speed and a top speed of 38 knots. Hull #1 that has just undergone commissioning at the yard is using the optional twin Volvo Penta D13 1,000 HP shafts, and performed pleasingly. The shaft drives delivered a comfortable 24-knot cruise at 55% load, using 48-gallons/h or 181 L/h between both engines giving an impressive range of 793nm at fast cruise.
But a yacht is more than a hull passing through the water, and her onboard comforts are also an achievement. The Palm Beach 70 has a welcoming saloon with a helm station forward and a galley opposite. The galley has a U-shaped counter to allow the chef bracing points for meal preparation underway. The saloon has a pair of large L-shaped settees in each aft quarter, with a dining table serving the port settee. The entire saloon benefits from large windows and the warm glow of golden teak. The aft deck has a transom settee with dining table flanked with access to the generous teak swim platform.
An open flying bridge welcomes the skipper and companions to the excitement of open-air cruising, with all-around views and sightlines for navigating. The upper deck is right-sized to optimize the comfort of a stable hull with everything above the shear line constructed with infused carbon fiber to enhance a low vertical center of gravity.
The foredeck features a distinctive bow cockpit, with the unparalleled experience of the yacht’s performance, in a recessed seating area far forward. This special detail hearkens back to the glory days of commuter yachts and must be experienced first-hand.
Below decks, there is a three-stateroom accommodations layout. An amidships master is situated to port with wide pocket doors opening onto the passageway, opening up the space when an owner couple is aboard alone. A spacious hanging locker provides stowage for extended cruising. A generous private head is forward with double sinks and a glass-enclosed shower. Two overhead hatches provide the head with improved ventilation and natural light. Opposite the master is a utility room, with laundry facilities.
The VIP stateroom in the bow features a queen berth on centerline. An opening overhead hatch adds light and ventilation. Other features include a hanging locker, and a built-in chest of drawers, each finished with golden teak. The guest stateroom aft to starboard has twin berths. The head compartment does double duty as a day-head, with an additional door to the passageway.
Stay tuned for more details about the Palm Beach 70 as her world debut at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show nears.
Brief Specification for Palm Beach 70
LOA 74’ 11” 22.84 m
Length on Deck 70’ 21.3 m
Beam 19’2” 5.85 m
Draft (IPS) 4’3” 1.3 m
Draft (shaft) 3’7” 1.1 m
Fuel 1,585 gal. 6,000 L
Water 290 gal. 1,100 L
Standard Power 2/1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS 1350
Cruise Speed 32 knots
Top Speed 38 knots
About Palm Beach Motor Yachts- In 1995, Mark Richards launched a boatbuilding business in Palm Beach, New South Wales, Australia. He started with a single philosophy that he continues to employ today: Provide the customer with a product that’s as close to perfection as humanly possible. Mark’s team graduated from building high-tech sailing yachts to power yachts. Today the company builds a 42, 45, 50, 52, 55, 65, and the 70 Classic Series and the GT50, 60, and 70. In 2014, Palm Beach Motor Yachts was purchased by Grand Banks Yachts, Ltd. and Mark was appointed CEO for both entities. Grand Banks Yachts Limited has factory-based sales offices in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific to manage new boat and brokerage transactions.
