Bruckmann Yachts: Abaco 47

Photos courtesy Bruckmann YachtsThe Bruckmann Abaco 47 was designed by Mark Ellis for a customer who wanted a bigger version of the Abaco 40.

Lineage counts. Take, for example, the new Bruckmann Abaco 47. You’ll find her roots in the Abaco 40, a proven design noted for elegance, style, performance, and maneuverability. Like her little sister, the 47 came to life on the drawing board of noted designer Mark Ellis.

“We had a client who was in the process of downsizing from a much larger boat,” explained Mark Bruckmann, owner of Bruckmann Yachts, which is based in Mississauga, Ontario. “He was looking at the Abaco 40, but soon realized it was too small for his needs. He ended up commissioning us to build a larger two-cabin, two-head version of the 40.”

The Abaco 47 is largely the same concept as the 40—single engine, sea-kindly low-speed planing hull, great maneuverability, and high efficiency. “Our emphasis has always been on our ability to semi-custom build-to-order within the framework of our tooling,” Bruckmann said. The result is an innovative hull form that will plane at just 12 knots, cruise in the mid-20s, and scoot for home at 30 knots when weather closes in.

The Bruckmann Abaco 47 has an innovative hull form that planes at just 12 knots.

The boat’s overall length is 46'5" and the beam is 15'. “She’s not overly beamy like some yachts in this class,” Bruckmann said. “And at just 30,000 pounds displacement, we’re able to get great performance out of a single diesel.”

Bruckmann argues that a single-engine configuration has significant advantages over twin engines. “Our single is delivering mid-20s cruising, but with half the engine and drive-train maintenance, half the running gear-related drag, and greater fuel efficiency,” he said. One of the biggest advantages of single versus twin is the elbow room in the engine room. “It’s so roomy you can dance around that thing!” Bruckmann added.

With a draft of 4'11", the 47 is just begging for a run down to the Bahamas. And like all Bruckmanns she’s dressed to the nines in deep, rich teak and lustrous varnish.

Standard power on the Abaco 47 is Caterpillar, available in Bruckmann’s preferred single-engine diesel or twin-engine configurations. The single-engine version calls on a Caterpillar C18, pumping out 1,136 hp. A healthy centerline skeg safeguards the 47’s running gear and delivers exceptional tracking and stability in a variety of conditions. Opt for the twin-engine version, and you’ll have twin Caterpillar C8.7 641-hp diesels and a top-end speed of 34 knots.

The pilothouse features an L-shaped settee with a custom dining table that converts to a double berth.

The sweeping sheer, low pilothouse, and dramatically raked windshields that Ellis designed suggest a classic elegance not often found in today’s yacht offerings. The cockpit features built-in seating, perfect for entertaining. From one of the two Stidd helm seats in the pilothouse, the view is virtually unobstructed fore, aft, and athwartship, making close-quarter maneuvering a simple task, especially with variable-speed bow and stern thrusters. The pilothouse features a luxurious settee, L-shaped with a custom dining table that converts to a comfortable double berth.  A second adjacent settee includes a flat-screen television lift.

Step down into the main cabin, and you’ll find an island queen berth with en suite head in the owners’ cabin. A guest cabin has a double berth or twin singles to starboard, along with a second head. The functional galley is to port with all of the conveniences you’d expect. Open to the pilothouse, the galley is bright and airy.

The first was launched in September and debuted at the United States Powerboat Show in Annapolis en route to her home port of Palm Beach. “We had excellent response at the show,” Bruckmann said, “and the 47 checked all of the boxes for her new owner.”  

Ted Hugger owns and operates the Cod Cove Inn in Edgecomb and the Cedar Crest Inn in Camden with his wife Jill.

Bruckmann Abaco 47

LOA:  47'

LWL:  44'

Beam: 15'

Draft:  4' 11"

Displ.:  30,000 lbs.

Power:  Single 1,136-hp CAT C18 diesel

Designer:  Mark Ellis

Mark Ellis Design, Essex, CT

860-581-8370; www.markellisyachtdesign.com

Builder:

Bruckmann Yachts

Mississauga, Ontario

905-855-1117; www.bruckmannyachts.com

U.S. Agent for Bruckmann Yachts:

Wellington Yacht Partners

Portsmouth, RI and Portland, ME

401 683 6070; www.wellingtonyachts.com 

Commissioning:

Great Island Boat Yard

Harpswell, ME

207-729-1639; www.greatislandboatyard.com