4 New 2024 Powerboat Debuts at boot Düsseldorf
German mega-show welcomes world premieres of all sizes for 2024.
February 12, 2024
The Düsseldorf International Boat Show, known as "boot Düsseldorf" or just "boot" for short, is the world’s largest indoor boat show, taking place each January in Dusseldorf, Germany. Everything from dive equipment to 95-foot yachts is showcased across nearly 20 convention halls and around 250,000 attendees visit over nine days. The 2024 show kicked off the European boat introduction season this year with dozens of world premieres of some of the sleekest boats that will be hitting the water throughout the coming year. Let’s look at four notable designs built for varying tastes and budgets.
Sacs Rebel 47
Maxi RIBs defy categorization. They can be runabouts, sport crossovers, or superyacht tenders. One thing is for certain though – both their aesthetics and their practicality are catching on.
It’s no wonder then that the newest Rebel 47 by Sacs Marine drew crowds at her German debut. She’s a great stand-alone primary yacht that is equally comfortable for an afternoon cocktail party as a weekend getaway.
Above: A 2024 SACS Rebel 47 RIB boat. Image by SACS.
The new design replaces the Rebel 46 and features slimmer hypalon tubes integrated into the GRP hull. However, the true eye-catching change is the hardtop which is now a solid carbon fiber roof with a single central support amidships. It looks like glossy black whale’s tail surfacing from the ocean.
Triple seats at the helm face a streamlined dash holding the throttles, joystick, twin 16-inch Garmin MFDs, and an array of gauges and switches. The Rebel 47 is available with either twin or triple outboards including the latest V12 Mercury 600-hp motors, or twin Volvo Penta D6 440-hp inboards with stern drives. The outboards provide more stowage space inside the boat and can reach 50 knots. On the other hand, the inboards are quieter with 38-knot top speed but they allow for a swanky aft platform to be added with integrated stairs that either dip down into the water or elevate up to a dock.
Sunbeds and chaise longues are fore and aft and in between, there’s a dinette, galley and a technical space which holds a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer. Below decks, the Rebel has a master berth in the bow and a double berth aft under the cockpit. An enclosed head in the middle offers a full shower stall.
The current Sacs Rebel line includes four models, 40-55 feet. Each of these luxurious yachts can wear many hats but they all drive the trend of RIBs, especially maxi-RIBs, becoming enticing and realistic options as primary boats. A fully loaded Rebel 47 comes in around $1.6 million.
View Sacs Rebel 46 Boats For Sale
Jeanneau NC 895 Series 2
Series 2 revamps are always worth a look because ideas for incremental improvements made to successful designs usually come from previous owners and dealers. One re-imagined model is the Jeanneau NC 895 (known in Europe as the Merry Fisher 895). The 895 S2 lands near the middle of the line and targets young families, couples, and ex-sailors looking for a comfortable weekender.
Above: A 2024 Jeanneau NC 895 Series 2 boat underway. Photo by Jeanneau.
Standard propulsion includes twin Yamaha 200-hp outboards but with the 250-hp upgrade comes joystick maneuvering which people love. Top speed with the larger engines is around 43 mph on this deep-V, non-stepped hull. Cruising speed is 25-27 mph with a fuel consumption of 24 gph.
Some of the new changes include a sleeker roof mold, a more comfortable bow sunpad, and an added starboard hull door for easier boarding from the side. A small bench seat was added in the cockpit making the dinette U-shaped, and the outboard bench now flips up to make more room.
The main salon has a dinette to port (when the companion seatback is swung into the forward position) and a galley to starboard. The galley features a small fridge and a two-burner stove which can be propane or electric if a Fischer Panda generator is spec’d. The 895 S2 has a two-cabin, one-head layout with the master forward near the single wet head and the second cabin aft and down low.
The base price of the NC 895 S2 will be around $350,000 in the US but that’s still TBD. One thing is for sure, with the upmarket fabric and finishes plus the new features, this revamped model will have even more appeal than the original and that’s saying something.
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Axopar 29
Ten years ago, Finnish boatbuilder Axopar launched their first 28-foot model. Their new aesthetic brought them so much success that today, they’re the powerboats against which most other Finnish brands measure themselves. On their 10th anniversary, they premiered the replacement to their first design in the form of the Axopar 29 with enhanced features and a spacious feel that defies its LOA.
Above: A 2024 Axopar 29 XC. Photo by Axopar.
The new design comes in both XC (Cross Cabin) and ST (Sun Top) versions. The XC’s composite wheelhouse encloses the cabin while the Sun Top will do well in milder climates such as Florida. The twin-stepped hull has been made more hydrodynamic for better performance, the hardtop has a large canvas sunroof and sleeker lines, the walkaround decks are wider, the interior flooring is flatter, and the aft wraparound window is larger for better visibility all around. Even the bow has been reimagined for a more sociable experience. The master cabin is forward with a free-standing head. A second compact cabin is aft under the cabinsole with an opening top section that brings in air and light.
Propulsion choices include a single Mercury outboard 300-400-hp or twin 200-hp engines. Although you can reach a top speed of 37 knots depending on the power package selected, the model has been optimized to not only deliver 30% better fuel economy, but to keep a constant fuel consumption in the 22-32 knot range where she burns .5 gallons per nautical mile.
Axopars drive like a knife slicing through butter and they’re pure joy no matter the sea state. If a sub-30-footer is what you seek, put the Axopar 29 on your sea trial shortlist.
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Saxdor 400 GTO
Another Finnish contender and one that’s an Axopar doppelganger is Saxdor which premiered the 400 GTO, their current flagship. There’s not much you can’t do with this boating multitool and it has a sistership (400 GTC) with an enclosed composite cabinhouse that will go weekending in any climate.
Above: A 2024 Saxdor 400 GTO. Photo by Saxdor.
Step aboard into a compact aft cockpit with a sunbed in the middle and a grill and sink module to port. At anchor, drop both hullside terraces and extend the living space from the cockpit forward to the pilothouse.
Move forward from the cockpit to the salon where bench seating surrounds a center table and a galley with a stove, sink and refrigerator are to port. An aft cabin is revealed when the aft bench slides forward and the cabin sole opens to reveal steps leading down. The forward master cabin has its own entry and an ensuite wet head.
The wheelhouse is full beam with a single skipper seat and a double companion. You can spec one to three 16-inch Simrad MFDs at the helm, and the engine throttles and joystick are within easy reach just outboard. The standard propulsion package includes twin Mercury V8 300-hp outboards but you can upgrade to V10 350s or 400s. The base pack should push the twin stepped hull to 40 knots, with the larger engines delivering up to 50 knots.
To port of the entry to the forward cabin is the walkthrough to the bow. Just unhinge a portion of the windshield and the small gate below and step out to a bow lounge with a table and access to the anchor locker. For a sleeker profile, the anchor is flush with the bow until activated when the whole roller slides forward and then deploys the ground tackle.
Currently, the Saxdor 400 is the flagship of the series but a 460 is on the drawing board. The new model is available via MarineMax and the base price is just over $300,000. Optioned out, it will be higher, but you can hardly ask for more boat for the money or one that’s more versatile.
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2024: A Great Year For Powerboats
So many boats sold throughout the pandemic that there seemed to be little time and time for companies to innovate but this year’s introductions prove that wasn’t the case. There are lots of new models for 2024 so get out an test one for yourself.
