Nimbus C11, the all-season commuter

Nimbus C11, a revolutionary commuter

It is impossible not to associate the Nimbus brand with the concept of quality and the famous seaworthy qualities of the boats that this Swedish boatyard has been manufacturing since 1968.
The current fleet includes twelve models, flybridge coupes and walkarounds, ranging from eight to thirteen metres in length.
As you’ve no doubt already guessed from the title, we were impressed by their latest big novelty, the Nimbus C11, a truly revolutionary commuter.
But what is a commuter really? What makes it so special that it deserves such an interesting name?
A commuter is a boat designed for all sea lovers, those who like to enjoy their boat for a long time, both in summer and winter. The owner of a commuter is a “serial weekender”, who takes full advantage of his investment even when the ports are empty, thanks to a yacht that can comfortably accommodate a family of four in all weather conditions.
The commuter also has the great advantage of being designed to be versatile, so it lends itself perfectly to summer sunbathing, as well as to fishing trips or medium or long-range cruises which, thanks to its hull qualities, are within reach both in terms of fuel economy, cruising speed and adrenaline because, as you will see, on board the Nimbus C11 you will also have a lot of fun.

Nimbus C11 Performance

The model we’re testing is fitted with twin Volvo D4 DPI 320s, perhaps the best engine option for this boat, which is however also offered with a more powerful D6 440HP engine. This is an option that I personally don’t consider indispensable, given that, as you’ll read, the boat already gets close to 40 knots and consumes very little fuel.
The joystick is very easy to use and even in a crosswind like today, there’s no risk at all. We quickly leave the harbour and start sailing slowly.
The hull is double-stepped and, even going slowly, it shows its qualities. At 7 knots, the boat glides through the water, with no apparent resistance, at just 1,000 rpm.

I go round the boat to remove the fenders and I can’t help noticing how safe the movement on board is. We’re on a walk-around designed for much tougher seas than ours and here nothing is left to chance. There are handrails everywhere and even when you’re passing over waves there’s no risk of moving from stern to bow.

I go back inside through one of the two side doors (which are really handy when mooring) and get back to the controls. It’s time to get it on. I push the throttles and the boat immediately gets up on plane; at 13 knots, the bow is low on the water. A slight pressure on the controls and, at just 2,500 rpm, we’re already well over 20 knots; the boat runs serenely on the water, simply not caring about the rough sea.

We’re in the waters of Cannes during the Yachting Festival and there are waves coming in from all sides. The traffic from the dozens of boats being tested creates a confused sea state that our Nimbus C11 happily ignores as she continues on her way.

A flawless seaworthiness that to me sounds like an invitation to go for it. I push the throttles all ahead and the commuter instantly accelerates, We pass 30 knots and reach almost 40 in total tranquillity, penetrating the waves without the boat suffering any impact, it’s as if the sea simply opened up as we passed.

I slow down and try a couple of tight turns, the boat tilts, I reverse and tighten up to the maximum, bringing the Nimbus C11 into a turn of no more than 20 metres in diameter. But she doesn’t do anything, she doesn’t make a plisset, not a flap, it’s like she was on the rails.

I go back in a straight line and get up to 30 knots. I close the side doors and windows and …. and the boat transforms and goes from being an aggressive coupe to a pure cruiser sailing in absolute silence. Amazing, just amazing…

In this new muffled and heated world I find the time to give a reading to the instruments. The new Volvos are excellent, I can sail at practically any speed and the consumption, in terms of litres per mile, remains practically the same, that is about 3 litres per nautical mile.

This is a very low overall consumption that I have never seen on any other boat.