The GB85 Design.
The highly successful and revolutionary introduction of the Grand Banks 60 in 2017, saw a response from owners and the boating industry alike that has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. The evolution of the new design maintained the elegant lines and opulent interiors that define the Grand Banks style, while taking the company in a bold new performance-driven and fuel-efficient direction. The Grand Banks 54 followed the 60, debuting in 2020 and almost immediately selling 10 hulls to eager yachtsmen around the globe. Now, due to both customer demand and established confidence in the marque’s adoption of the V-Warp platform, Grand Banks is once again pushing the envelope for design and engineering, and is thrilled to release the company’s new flagship, the Grand Banks 85.
Like all new Grand Banks models, the GB85 benefits from the infinite knowledge gained from building cruising designs for nearly seven decades and delivering more than 7,000 yachts. Whether it’s a focus on maximizing storage, allowing an abundance of fresh air flow, or ensuring comfort both at sea and at anchor, there is not a detail on the GB85 that has been ignored.
True to the brand’s heritage, the GB85 is an ocean-going Bluewater cruiser that is also nimble with a shallow draft, making it equally suited for coastal cruising. Designed to travel efficiently at 21 knots for extended cruising, and easily handled by owner-operators, the internal configurations also accommodate spacious and highly impressive crew-quarters capabilities should that be the owners’ choice.
Hull No. 1 is powered with twin 1,000HP Volvo IPS 1350s. Richards reported that, during the pre-delivery test, the GB85 met all expectations. Like the entire range of the new generation of Grand Banks, the GB85 runs flat and pushes very little water, demonstrating the superior efficiency of the V-Warp platform
A beam of 22 feet allows Grand Banks to offer a range of internal configurations and amenities for both guests and crew. For long-distance
cruising, special attention was given to both sociability and privacy. “First, we focused on what makes a superior long-distance cruiser
while underway for long legs,” said CEO Mark Richards. “This means understanding the rhythm that occurs while on passage, and creating
various spaces where you can separate from others off-watch. Some people onboard are focused on running the boat, others are relaxing,
and others may be sleeping. This approach ticks a lot of boxes in how the design comes together.”
The GB Marine Group
Brief History
The GB Marine Group is home to three of the world’s most famous boating brands – Grand Banks, Eastbay and Palm Beach Motor Yachts. The three brands are well established as industry leaders with a litany of accolades and a history that dates back over 65 years.
What began as American Marine in 1956 with the famous line of Grand Banks yachts that defined the “recreational trawler” category, and became an international sensation, continued to grow and was later listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1987. 1993 saw the release of the Eastbay brand with the venerable EB38, and once again defined a new category in “production Downeasters”, designed specifically for the American market.
At the same time, on the other side of the planet in Sydney, Australia, the Palm Beach brand was established, soon transitioning from impeccable sailing sloops into picnic-style motor yachts, taking cues and paying homage to the classic lines of the lobster style boats in both Australia and the United States.
Since 2014, when Grand Banks acquired Palm Beach Motor Yachts and appointed Mark Richards as Chief Executive Officer, the business has
evolved significantly with all three iconic marques now housed together in what is today called GB Marine Group.