Grand Banks 52 Europa

 

Issue: April/May 2006

EPITOME OF A LADY

This one's for those who enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

Part of the fun of cruising is getting there comfortably and safely. That's why Grand Banks cruisers have been popular with the cruising fraternity since the first 36 was launched some 40 years ago. The original Grand Banks design was the epitome of the classic trawler. It was comfortable, seaworthy, but also slow and with limitations.

Over the years American Marine, the owner of the Grand Banks design, have expanded the range. After setting up factories in Singapore and Malaysia, Grand Banks now offer three very different designs - the Eastbay Series, Aleution Series and the classic Heritage models like the Grand Banks 52 Europa.

When Gold Coast Grand Banks agents Adrian and Bill Alle landed a 52 Europa in Sydney for a customer just before Christmas, it was all go to get the boat commissioned as the new owner wanted to go cruising over the holiday break.

This meant a dash to Sydney to review the boat because it would not be coming to Queenland until later in the year when the owner and his wife planned to cruise to the Whitsundays.

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As you can appreciate, when a boat is being commissioned, there are all sorts of technical types bolting and screwing things in place. There's the odd toolbox to trip over and protective plastic everywhere. The boat was not at its best, but what I saw looked pretty impressive.

PERFORMANCE & HANDLING
Even though the 52 Europa is a cruising vessel, she gets along in a most lady-like manner. She has a nice motion and feels solid. Cruising down Sydney Harbour at 11 knots and a low 1500rpm was comfortable. We poked the nose into the swell at the Heads and increased the speed to 12 knots where she sat happily.

But if you want to get somewhere quickly, it will push along at 20 knots. Probably the best cruising speed on a long trip is around 2000rpm and 14 knots. At this speed the Smartcraft readout was showing a fuel usage of around 48lt per hour.

It is even more relaxing using the autopilot. Coming back in on the swell the boat sat virtually straight with the autopilot, we only needed to correct the swing about two to four degrees either side. It only needed a slight tweak to change course to miss the Sow and Pigs and at Bradley's Head, winding on 10 degrees had us heading back under the bridge.

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