The Eastbay heritage is reborn with the EB60, the best performing Eastbay ever built
by Eastbay 14 Nov 2022 09:21 NZDT
EB60 © GB Marine Group
It's not surprising that the brand that pioneered the production Down East market with the introduction of the Eastbay 38 at the 1993 Miami International Boat Show, is putting the market on notice once again.
- The Eastbay brand pioneered the production Down East market, introducing the Eastbay 38 in 1993.
- The new Eastbay 60 sees the completed transition to the company's V-Warp® Technology, and the new hull form.
- The Eastbay 44, the brand's nod to its illustrious heritage, retains the deep-V hull form.
- The new EB60 is the best performing Eastbay ever built, and has multiple layouts available.
The new Eastbay 60 is built by the GB Marine Group, the company behind legendary Grand Banks Yachts, and brings together the heritage, craftsmanship, and superior quality with the company's patented, performance V-Warp hull technology.
A deep legacy
First a little brand history: The 38 was designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates in conjunction with Grand Banks Yachts and was followed by the Eastbay 40 and then the 43 to offer a larger cockpit. In 1997, the company experienced an internal sales record when it took orders for 27 Eastbay 49 HXs at its Miami International Boat Show debut over Valentine's Weekend.
The high-speed momentum continued with subsequent models including a 39, 45, 46, 47, 50, 54, and 58, creating one of the company's most successful brands in its history.
Exciting future
When pioneering boatbuilder and record-smashing world-class sailor Mark Richards took charge of the GB Marine Group as CEO in 2014, he and his team immediately went to work on developing the Eastbay 44 which became an instant classic.
The boat also benefited from the incorporation of Richards' preferred construction philosophy of lighter, stronger, and better, while retaining the traditional Hunt hull shape. The layout maximized the interior space and offered main-deck galley and galley-down layouts, and 2- and 3-stateroom plans.
As customer demand was leading Richards to consider the largest Eastbay to date, it was decided that, in order to propel the Eastbay line to the next level as required by this size range, it would be required to fully incorporate the company's advanced V-Warp® technology into the Eastbay line and transition the upcoming flagship to the new hull platform.
The Eastbay 44 began the transition of the line adopting V-Warp technology, and now with the Eastbay 60 on the new platform the transition is complete. The three tenets of V-Warp technology are:
1. Hull platform
2. Exotic materials
3. The build philosophy
V-Warp hull delivers next-level performance
"We spent a lot of hours discussing what would it take to create the most advanced, most luxurious, Eastbay available," said Richards. "Looking back, employing our hull platform, which focuses on efficiency, maximum comfort, and a soft ride now seems like a nobrainer."
The V-Warp Hull is designed to stay in the water, maximizing waterline length and slicing through the waves. This is in contrast with a typical deep-V, which requires a lot of energy to push a boat out of the water and onto plane. For a demonstration of this effect, look behind typical boats running at cruising speed and take note of their wakes—they're often quite large.
"Big waves coming off the stern mean energy is being wasted," says Richards. "On the Eastbay 60 and our other models, we spend a tremendous amount of time focusing on achieving one of the best rides out there - soft, nimble, and responsive."
To further enhance the performance, Richards' build philosophy focuses on maximizing strength and minimizing weight during the build process. Key factors carried over from his sailboat-racing pedigree. Carbon fiber is used extensively on the 60, including a fully infused carbon fiber deck and deck house to ensure the center of gravity is positioned as low as possible in the boat, where it belongs.
Luxurious accommodations raise the bar
Ride and performance are only part of the story of the new Eastbay 60. The luxurious, handcrafted interior is voluminous, and it is a critical element of what makes this the most stunning Eastbay to date. Warm satin-finished teak is hand selected by our craftsmen and grains are perfectly matched and blended throughout the interior, while joinery fit and finish benefit from more than six decades of boatbuilding experience. The company's interior design team works with every client to reflect their individual tastes and requirements.
The Upper Galley layout is designed to blend the immense cockpit with the luxuriously appointed saloon. The galley is placed aft of the plush, portside L-shaped settee, which surrounds a handcrafted table. The electric window at the aft bulkhead lowers to connect the galley pass with the cockpit, and increases fresh airflow into the salon.
The attention to pampered comfort continues on the lower deck, which features three staterooms and two heads. To port, the master stateroom is one reminder that this truly is the largest Eastbay built. The walkaround king berth is flanked by an en suite head and a large walk-in locker with drawer storage. Beyond the owner's suite, guests are also treated properly, and may have a difficult time pulling themselves away from the sumptuous VIP cabin forward. The space is bathed in natural light and fresh breezes.
The starboard guest stateroom has twin berths each within their own distinct areas to offer additional privacy within this space. The standard washer and dryer unit is concealed within this stateroom.
The lower galley arrangement creates the additional space to deliver a saloon with distinct dining and lounging areas. The L-shaped settee to port is the perfect spot to have a morning breakfast with the family while planning out the day's adventures. Opposite to starboard are two opposing loveseat-style couches and a beautifully executed coffee table. The adjacent electric windows lowers to allow streams of fresh sea breezes throughout the saloon.
Below deck there are three staterooms which reflect the company's attention to high-quality fittings and hardware. The master stateroom on this version is to starboard with an en suite and plenty of storage for weekend or coastal adventures. The forward VIP is similar to the Upper Galley layout, while the third stateroom runs athwartships on the centerline and is ideally suited for crew or children.
The best performing Eastbay ever
Of course, if the company was only focused on delivering the biggest, most luxurious, and most efficient Eastbay, it would not reflect Richards' constant pursuit of perfection. The goal is to also deliver the best-performing Eastbay. Preliminary sea trials reveal a 27 knot cruising speed with the optional 900-horsepower Volvo Penta IPS 1200s, and a top speed of 33 knots. If equipped with the optional 1,000-horsepower Volvo Penta IPS 1350s the cruising speed increases to 30 knots with a projected top speed of 38 knots.
Just as impressive is the efficiency. Expect a total fuel burn rate of 41 gph at 21 knots to deliver an impressive 800 nautical mile range.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Eastbay heritage and pedigree," said Richards. "So to introduce anything less than revolutionary to this market was simply not an option. This brand has always attracted serious yachtsmen and I'm confident they won't be disappointed when they sea-trial the EB60."
Technical specifications
- Length Overall: 68' 1" (20.74 m)
- Length On Deck: 60' 10" (18.55 m)
- Beam: 19' (5.8 m)
- Air Draft: 16' 11" (5.14 m)
- Draft IPS: 3' 9" (1.14 m)
- Draft Shafts: 4' 1" (1.24 m)
- Displacement: 59,500 lbs (27,000 kg)
- Fuel: 1,519 gal. (5,750 L)
- Water: 300 gal. 1,100 L
- Holding Tank: 80 gal. 300 L
- Standard Engines: Volvo Penta IPS 950s @ 725 HP
- Top Speed: 30 knots
- Efficient Cruise Speed: 21 knots
- Range 844 nm / 38 GPH / 21 KN
- Optional Engines: Volvo Penta IPS 1200s @ 900 HP
- Top Speed: 33 knots
- Cruise Speed: 28 knots
- Range: 790 nm / 41 GPH @ 21 KN
- Optional Engines: Volvo Penta IPS 1350s @ 1,000 HP (projected figures)
- Top Speed: 38 knots
- Cruise Speed: 30 knots
- Range: 864 nm / 36 GPH @ 21 KN