Cruisers Yachts 38 GLS
Stunning Performance and Onboard Amenities
By Andy Adams and John Armstrong
The North American power boat market has begun to see a new trend toward larger day boats for luxurious onboard entertaining and the new Cruisers Yachts 38 GLS is right on trend plus, it brings a different flavour and set of cruising attributes to this market.
The new Cruisers Yachts 38 GLS carries on the styling and accommodation quality of the company’s Cantius line of cruising yachts while beginning an entirely new family of day boats. Our test boat was equipped with outboards engines but there will be a 38 GLS stern drive version as well and this will have Volvo Penta and MerCruiser options ranging from 380 – 430 HP.
This is the perfect platform for on the water entertaining and it’s really fun to run!
The electrically operated Beach door is quite a substantial component on the 38 GLS. When the boat is moored and the beach door is lowered into the open position, you gain a tremendous feeling of space. The boarding ladder is right there at the transom and there is a shower as well.
Cruisers Yachts continues to offer their established sport boat models, most offered in both stern drive and outboard versions but the 38 GLS breaks new ground. This is a big, handsome boat that is designed to still look good and perform well years from now even though it is one of the latest and most contemporary designs. Cruisers Yachts again turned to the design talents of (Facheris Design ?) to help maintain the family resemblance with their hugely successful Cantius models while the Cruisers Yachts internal design team did the interior work.
This deep bow seating area is incredibly spacious to comfortably fit multiple guests. The cocktail table can be lowered to turn into a sunpad. A shade is also available to go over the bow as well.
Perhaps the important driving force behind this design is availability of the new Mercury Verado V8 outboard engine and the 38 GLS was designed with triple 300 horse power Mercury Verado V8 engines in mind for an exhilarating 52 mile per hour top speed. That’s stunning for such a roomy big yacht.
BOW
In spite of the incredible performance, the interior features and the entertaining areas are plainly the highlight of this boat. Starting at the bow, there is a very large seating area that includes armrests, seatbacks that fold down to reveal built in drink holders, a bow mounted table that can be lowered to create a sun lounge area and Rockford Fosgate speakers to bring the area alive with your favourite tunes.
The 38 GLS offers a great living space with versatile seating and of course, its signature beach door.
The bow also has a large anchor locker with Quick electric windlass for easy anchoring out, and once you’re safely on the hook, you can fasten a Make Fast sun shade to the leading edge of the hardtop stretching forward to a pair of supporting poles so that your guests are more comfortable while lounging in the bow.
Access forward is by a companionway through the portside windshield section. That swings open and there is a wind gate for added comfort. The companionway leads to the main deck level, giving you a vast expanse of flat floor extending all the way back to the transom. This makes moving around easy and secure.
MAIN DECK
The most special feature on the 38 GLS is the Beach door on the starboard side. At the press of a button, an entire section of the hull side folds out to become an on-the-water patio all the way from the helm area back.
The L-shaped, port side salon seating has a multi-position back rest and offers a great view of the beach door and transom swim areas.
L-shaped seating on the port and starboard sides creates a great living and conversation area for your guests under the shade of the hard top. For days when you want full sun, the hard top is equipped with a sliding canvas sunroof. When everybody has had enough of the direct sun, you can close that and also extend out an optional SureShade that electrically extends the shade all the way from the hard top out over the interior, almost back to the engines. The adaptable and versatile design is most impressive.
Another great feature is something of a Cruisers Yachts signature design element; the portside bar area with convenient pair of bar stools at the counter lying just aft of the windshield and helm. This is your day galley on the main deck and the test boat featured an interesting triangular sink, an optional electric barbecue grill and there is a Vitrifrigo refrigerator along with an available ice maker which is conveniently concealed under the helm seat. This setup makes for gracious entertaining, all on one level.
There is also abundant storage under the seats and the aft bench seat has a plastic mat inside to make sure your life vests and other items stay dry until you need them.
The double wide bolster seat in combination with the Simrad electronics makes boating a breeze. The throttles and joystick docking controls are on the side console where they are most comfortable to use.
HELM
The helm is big and impressive with a double wide helm seat that features a flip up bolster, foot rest, tilt steering and the engine and joystick docking controls are conveniently located on the starboard side console by your right hand. Our test boat was equipped with a pair of 12-inch Simrad multifunction displays that integrate fully with the Mercury engines enabling you to display a wide range of engine information as well as all your navigation information.
Also, at the helm is the Rockford Fosgate audio system control with push button controls. Overall, it’s an impressive helm that’s laid out for driver convenience and the outward vision is excellent in all directions.
The lower salon features a convertible dinette, galley, standing head, and aft berth.
LOWER SALON
Built into the helm console is a sliding cabin door with a screen. Slide that hatch to starboard and step down into the surprisingly spacious cabin area. Ahead of you is a dinette that could easily seat four for dinner and can convert to a double sleeping berth by lowering the table.
There is a galley in the lower salon as well with a Mauve microwave, Vitrifrigo refrigerator, sink and food storage to accommodate weekend or even longer cruising onboard the boat.
This is a big boat but it’s a bow rider with the apparent emphasis on above decks design and you wouldn’t expect much in the way of cruising cabin space. So, it’s a big surprise when you head below. The cabin is much larger than we anticipated and a totally unexpected feature was an aft cabin with a double berth, portholes for cross ventilation and good storage for small items. Of course, there is a television in this area. Then, perhaps the most important feature in the cabin is the full private standing height head. This has a large section of window with an opening porthole in that. There is a vanity, home sized sink, mirrored medicine cabinets and a curtain for the hand held shower.
In the lower salon, the galley includes a Virtofrigo refrigerator and a Mauve convection microwave.
There is up to 6 feet 5 inches of headroom in the cabin area and substantial expanses of hull side windows make this a bright and livable space. The test boat was equipped with a diesel generator (for added safety) plus heat and air conditioning throughout. The Cruisers Yachts design team has done an impressive job with the cabin!
PERFORMANCE AND SEAKEEPING
After a lengthy run in fairly rough water, John Armstrong said that in terms of performance, the triple Mercury Verado V8 outboards were truly impressive. Electronic engine management makes these very simple to operate from the moment you start each of the three engines and with their near silent idle up to the amazing 52 mile per hour top speed; these are big powerful responsive engines.
Even high speed turns through the four to five footers that were chopping up the bay didn’t upset the 38 GLS. The boat was secure, comfortable and very responsive for a boat of this size and weight.
As John Armstrong said, “I can say without a word of a lie, the new 38 GLS is the most exciting boat I have ever done a sea trial on, I have been raving about it since I got home.”
The electronically assisted steering and auto trim system add to the ease of use and the Mercury Axius system gives you the ease and convenience of joystick docking as well as “Skyhook” station keeping for times when you are waiting for a turn at the fuel dock or to lock through. The Mercury exclusive Advanced MidSection (AMS) and under-cowl noise management features set the standard for smooth, quiet marine propulsion.
The Cruisers Yachts 38 GLS also was equipped with trim tabs for load-leveling or fighting big head seas. This combines with the auto trim to make it very simple to run 900 horse power at 52 mph!
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINES
Triple Mercury Verado 300, 4.6 litre / 279 cubic inch, V-8 [64 degree] with Dual Overhead Cams [DOHC] and 32-valves, Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) Computer Controlled with Advanced Range Optimization, stainless steel props.
RPM SPEED MPH
1,000 5.3
2,000 9.9
2,500 10.7
3,000 11.6
3,500 15.2
4,000 29.6
4,500 37.0
5,000 42.9
5,500 47.2
6,000 52.5
Length OA(with outboards): 38’ / 11.58m
Beam: 12’6” / 3.8m
Fuel capacity (gasoline): 335 gals / 1,268 L
Diesel capacity (generator): 20 gals / 75.7 L
Water capacity: 50 gals / 189.3 L
Waste capacity: 31 gals / 117.3 L
Weight (full load): 23,916 lbs / 10,848 kg
Deadrise: 21.5 degrees
Base price in USD: (triple 300 Mercury Verados) $610,920.
Boat and price supplied by Cruisers Yachts, www.cruisersyachts.com
