Palm Beach 70 : the new flagship is “almost” perfect

Designed to meet the needs of anyone looking for an even bigger yacht, the Palm Beach 70 brings classic-style elegance to a new dimension.

Also available in a Fly version, the new Palm Beach creation does not disappoint the (high) expectations; however, as you can see later (sigh), with regret and surprise, we cannot define her as perfect. The hatches and the unconvincing location of the portholes on the lower deck can be considered as the main responsible for this assessment.

 

 

Palm Beach 70, design and exteriors

The Palm Beach 70 is based on the traditional lines of the historic shipyard, those inspired by American lobster boats. The new 70-footer, indeed, features a high bow, sleek flowing bulwarks and a well-defined wheelhouse that perfectly merges with the central structure.

We visited her Flybridge version, the one equipped with a steering console, three pilot seats, a living room with a L-shaped sofa and a wet bar/galley behind. The Fly is very comfortable, well-defined and protected by a rigid T-top. Sure, the classic version, where the T-top is not available, features more dynamic lines, to the detriment however of the possibility of navigating and steering in the open air.

 

The interiors of the new flagship

The dinette of the Palm Beach 70 does not disappoint. The living area, the galley and the steering console are all wrapped in the characteristic finishes in precious lacquered woods, alternated with light fabrics, which outline a classic atmosphere, full of good taste.

Moreover, this area is flooded with an incredible amount of natural light by the large windows positioned all around, in a breath-taking play of light.

The cabins are all positioned below deck. Amidships, two large sliding doors give instant access to the master cabin. The entrance is surprising wide and the cabin is equipped with a wall wardrobe with an integrated drawer unit as well as an en-suite bathroom with double washbasin and shower box.

Everything seems perfect until, looking up, we notice a hatch with plastic handles in the center of the cabin (a model often used on sailing boats and certainly not on luxury boats). This solution sounds too cheap and certainly  clashes with the rest of the environment that, instead, is luxurious. The bathroom hatch in the master cabin is half shared with the forward VIP Cabin. We can maybe accept the choice not to fill the deck house with possible waterways in a boat designed for sailing even in bad weather conditions but, custom solutions apart, such a stylistic detail is something new for us and, honestly, it’s not great.

 

 

The choice to break the ways of light is replicated on the lateral portholes. Some of them, as the one in the bathroom of the double stern cabin for example, are interspersed with the bulkheads that divide the cabins. Designers could have done better, especially considering the well-made details of this boat, such as the glass shower box that seems to come to life directly from the teak flooring.

The laundry room, instead, is great, equipped with washing machines and dryers. This space is accessible from the central corridor and positioned on the starboard side of the boat.

Finally, the Palm Beach offers a crew cabin with separate access from the rest of the lower deck.

Performance

The very high bow of the Palm Beach and the semi-displacing V-hull (specially designed to plough through the waves) should guarantee good seaworthiness and great comfort at sea.

The speed of this boat is amazing. Fitted with twin Volvo IPS 1350 engines, the Palm Beach 70 is expected to reach a top speed of 38 knots and a cruising speed of 32. Not bad for a semi-displacing hull!

Conclusions

The new Palm Beach flagship is a dreamlike boat that certainly goes not unnoticed and her lines are a timeless classic. A boat not for everyone and able of conquering at first sight.