Cruisers Yachts 390 Express Coupe: Shapeshifter
This boat has some chameleon in its DNA.
December 13, 2014
When I first stepped aboard the all-new Cruisers Yachts 390 Express Coupe (EC) at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show this past October, I thought it looked much like many of the other express cruiser/coupe boats I’ve tested over the years. It had the requisite large main deck; gobs of outside seating and lounging areas; an area for sun worship up on the bow; and a sleek, sexy look about it.
The Cruisers Yachts 390 EC proves that looks can be deceiving.
But as I looked more closely, the boat started to change character. Seating configurations moved around and changed purposes; areas protected by the coach roof opened up to let the sun in; and portlights that were almost invisible on the outside came into view down below. Curious? You should be, because The 390 EC is one unique express cruiser.
The 390 EC’s lines are angular and minimalistic without being stark or ungraceful. It’s a look that Cruisers Yachts mastered with its Cantius line of luxury express cruisers and carries over well to this express coupe. What I like most about the 390 EC is that it looks modern and aggressive but also elegant and classy at the same time.
The 390 EC’s hard top is a statement in itself, rising gracefully like an arch from the single-piece windshield back over the main deck. Its black support posts give the illusion of not even being there, which means the hard top appears to float in midair. The hullside portlights play a trick on the eyes, too, hidden by the hull's black paint scheme. Only when you go below do you realize how many of them (six) there really are.
The 390 EC's hard top is a work or art and ingenuity in itself.
Standard power on the 390 EC is a pair of gasoline-powered, 380-horsepower MerCruiser 8.2-liter big blocks mated to stern drives. MerCruiser 8.2-liter high-output blocks at 430 horsepower each are optional. Diesel choices include MerCruiser/Volkswagen 4.2-liter TDIs at 335 or 370 horsepower each, Volvo Penta D4s at 300 horsepower, or Volvo Penta IPS pod drives at 300, 330, or 370 horsepower. Cruisers Yachts reps on site told me to expect a 40-plus mph top end with the 430-horsepower MerCruisers. Mercury’s Axius Premier joystick control system is standard on all Mercury Marine power plants, while Volvo’s joystick system is standard with those engine options.
Abovedecks, starting aft, you’ll find a swim platform with a retractable swimming ladder. It is bordered at the transom by two aft-facing stowage compartments that also can serve as seats. While there’s plenty of room back here, the swim platform felt a bit high off the water. I wasn’t able to measure the exact distance, but it felt significantly higher than other boats of this size I have tested or been on, such as the Beneteau Gran Turismo 35 or the Cobalt A40.
There's plenty of room on the 390 EC's swim platform, but I wish it was set a bit closer to the water.
Up through a centerline transom walkthrough is the main deck, which is all one level, making moving about much easier than the tiered decks sometimes found on boats of this type. When you first enter through the walkthrough in the transom, you’re faced with two L-shaped lounges, one to port and one to starboard. Both lounges seat around four people, and the starboard one is wrapped around a sturdy teak table. But what if you’ve got more than four people for dinner or prefer lying out versus sitting with your back up against a backrest? Well, this is where things get interesting.
The port lounge and aforementioned transom stowage compartment are a single unit mounted on a roller system, which means that the whole assembly can slide all the way over to starboard to form a single, large, U-shaped lounge. Open up the teak table and you’ve got a dining area for eight. Lower the table and throw in an insert cushion and you’ve got an expansive sunpad. Flip a switch and the transom seatbacks recline electrically, and can even lay flat to further expand the space. When the Cruisers representative onboard showed me these shape-shifting features for the first time, I literally sat there with my mouth agape for a good 30 seconds. It’s that cool.
This image highlights the ability to change the 390 EC's layout by simply shifting the port seating assembly to starboard, which forms a large, U-shaped seating area.
A long, sweeping coach roof with open sides covers all but about five feet of the main deck. Set into it is a canvas sunshade that operates electrically, exposing–or hiding–a huge section of the sky. And you can open up as little or as much as you need, allowing you to transform the area from being a protected space out of the weather, to a great place to soak up the salt and sun.
At the forward end of the coach roof is the helm, situated to starboard with adjacent companion seating to port that can be used as a chaise lounge or a settee. Visibility from the helm is top-notch in all directions. That’s primarily because of the single-piece windshield, but it’s also because the other three sides under the hard top are almost completely open.
An electrically operated sun shade adds convertibility to the main deck space on the Cruisers Yachts 390 EC.
Behind the helm and dash is a double captain’s bench with a flip-down teak step. Gauges, engine controls, and electronics are nicely laid out and easy to reach/read, but the dash is relatively small, making everything feel a bit jammed in. One of my favorite features at the helm are two nicely situated air conditioning vents that can be strategically positioned to provide a cool breeze. Behind the helm is a nifty wet bar/electric grill setup with slide-out refrigeration underneath.
While it might seem difficult to beat the above-decks spaces on the 390 EC, there’s plenty of cleverness below, too. One of the first things I noticed as I moved from space to space was the fact that every area has at least one long hullside portlight to let in light, open things up, and put occupants in touch with the water, even though they’re down below. The galley has one; the main stateroom has one on each side side; the starboard head has one; and the V-berth dinette is bordered by two on each side. And they’re not small, either. Outside, the dark hull scheme cleverly hides the tinted glass from view.
The V-berth dinette is accented by light from portlights on both sides. The table can be dropped and a filler cushion added to form a berth here.
Forward in the main salon is a V-shaped settee positioned around a large teak table that can be lowered to form a berth. The area is bordered on either side by in-hull portlights, which further lighten and open things up. What I really liked, though, was the long deck-mounted athwartship skylight that lit up the whole aft end of the main salon from above.
The portside galley, equipped with an electric cooktop, sink, refrigerator, and microwave, has plenty of stowage space behind solid-feeling cabinetry, but like most boats of this size and type, it lacks sufficient countertop prep space. No one expects to be able to prepare beef Wellington in this space, but there should enough room for slicing and dicing. An enclosed head/shower setup is situated across from the galley, to starboard.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 39'0" |
| Beam | 12'8" |
| Draft (hull) | 3'9" |
| Deadrise | 16 degrees |
| Displacement | 20,000 lbs |
| Fuel capacity | 230 gal. |
| Water capacity | 70 gal. |
A door just aft of the galley opens up to a mid-cabin stateroom, an extremely open yet private space that is situated almost directly under the helm. Down here you’ll find a lot more space than you’d expect on a boat this size, and with rich finishes and cabinetry often only found on larger, more luxurious boats. The in-hull portlight theme continues back here with a long piece of glass set into the hull on both sides of the cabin. The berth is set off to starboard, facing forward, while the port side of the space has a nice dressing area with bench, and tons of stowage cabinetry.
If you're looking for a boat that can shift its shape to suit your taste and is loaded with all sorts of clever features, the Cruisers Yachts 390 EC is one you'll definitely want to check out.
Watch our First Look Video
Other Choices: The Regal 38 Express is another express cruiser with a wide range of engine choices, including diesel power. For other express cruisers in this size range, consider the Cruisers Cantius 41 or the Cobalt A40.
View Cruisers Yachts 390 EC listings.
For more information, visit Cruisers Yachts.
