2021 Ryck 280 review

Dayboat design is seeing a bit of copycat styling across the brands, perhaps resulting merely from the popularity of a look pioneered by brands including Axopar and Saxdor.

Ryck is a new entrant into the burgeoning dayboat category, and this German-built boat is attempting to stand apart in a sea of sameness. Can it do the job?

The Ryck (pronounced "Rick") 280 was launched in 2021 and is part of the Hanse AG group.

It was designed in conjunction with well-known yacht designer Bill Dixon, whose name appears in the background of many popular European brands.

Hanse AG's stable of brands includes Dehler, Sealine Fjord, and a pricier version of the Ryck dayboat called the Fjord.

Ryck boats are built in Germany with the brand name stemming from the river that runs close to the factory. The styling and fit-out are reminiscent of luxury car brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Ryck is a new entrant into the popular European dayboat segment. In years gone by, you would be hard-pressed to find a European dayboat, such was the dominance of US brands.

Ryck has entered an immensely popular and populated space. Competitors such as Axopar, Nimbus and Saxdor are, like the Ryck, similarly styled.

All feature a wave breaker-style sloping bow and a sporty design. Where the Ryck seems to differ is in the execution, particularly with the larger than usual cabin.

From the outside, the Ryck 280 looks like the others but the design is clever - while perhaps it stands slightly taller than the others, it hides its larger cabin well.

The Ryck 280 is the first boat the company designed and built with a focus on ample onboard convenience.

Its layout is all about generous, understated seating in the bow and at the stern, with the helm sandwiched in between.

A distinct difference from some of the competitors is that the Ryck 280 seems to blend party boat with family appeal - and this is where I think it will find its niche.

The Ryck 280 is long at 9.52 metres in length, but with a beam of just 2.81 metres.

Its twin-stepped hull, a common feature with Bill Dixon-designed boats, brings air under the running surface to deliver better speed and fuel efficiency.

Similar to many of its contemporaries, the bow runs a reverse design that looks odd to the new eye, but the angles work well.

Windcraft is responsible for bringing the Ryck boats into Australia. Based in Sydney's Mona Vale, it is confident this new dayboat brand will find a home in our waters. Judging by the sales of similarly styled boats, they should certainly hit the mark.

The options list shows that Ryck offers a multitude of additions to the standard boat. Some you will need, such as a wet bar, while others will add a little more comfort or bling.

The base Ryck 280 starts from $185,600 before you choose your power set-up. From there, buyers are only limited by how much they wish to spend.

Our test boat came with a blue hull wrap that really stands out on the water but cost $5170. Looking good does come at a price.

Power options are plentiful. Our test boat was fitted with a white 350hp Mercury outboard engine ($50,575) that contrasted beautifully against the almost metallic blue of the hull.

You can step down to a 250hp outboard engine at about a $9000 saving but will lose some of the outright performance the hull hints it is capable of tapping.

An optional L-shaped lounge that runs along the transom and up the port side adds $4381 with a fixed backrest, or $5536 if you want it to convert into a sun pad. A table that slots into a bracket in the floor adds $2270. You can forgo the table for a wet bar, but it costs $5974. You can even choose a stove or barbeque set up - my preferred layout as it really enhances the space.

You can opt for either Flexiteek synthetic teak flooring ($9419) or the real stuff ($10,256), with the latter likely the better option for keeping a dayboat's high-traffic areas looking fresh.

Another absolute must if you are on Sydney Harbour or the Gold Coast Broadwater is a hardtop. There are two choices, both fibreglass; one with spotlights in a standard gelcoat finish costing $10,355, or a blacked-out version with matching black handrails for $14,537.

Other options include upgrading your sound system for between $1872 and $3983 depending on how many speakers you want and whether an amplifier is a necessity - it probably is on a dayboat - and an extra fridge in the port side of the L-shaped bench that is a part of a "Relax" package that also includes the cushion for the bow, an anchor and lines, a flagpole, and a MyRyck smartphone monitoring subscription. It is $5476 and worth getting.

Adding the latest electronics to the dash will fit side-by-side 12-inch Simrad units for $14,537. Autopilot adds $10,375, and an extra Simrad GO12 plotters $4899.

There's even the option for a diesel heater, which I doubt anyone in Australia would ever order.

Ryck is a new entrant on the market and has entered what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive spaces in the boating world.

Despite being new, do not think for a minute that they are starting from scratch. Ryck is a part of the massive Hanse AG Group, which includes brands such as Hanse, Dehler, Sealine and Fjord. Hanse certainly knows how to make a boat.

The Ryck 280's hull is a Bill Dixon design. He is world-renowned for motor and sail yacht design, and the twin-stepped hull design is one that he uses often.

The steps mix air with the water passing under the hull, making it more slippery and optimising performance at high speed.

The Ryck 280 is light enough hat it can be conveniently dry-stacked when out of the water, making the ownership experience much easier.

The layout is typical of most dayboats. In this respect, the Ryck 280 is not revolutionary but is executed with precision.

Ample seating and plenty of space in the cockpit, a wet bar close by followed by the helm and more seating at the bow is the perfect dayboat layout.

Overhead, the large T-top provides shade while down below, there is a large open-plan cabin, a major point of difference between this boat and others in this category.

The Ryck 280's design features a raised deck at the bow. It is not cumbersome and Ryck has executed this well, with the boat maintaining a sporty look - as you would hope for a dayboat- but with more headroom below courtesy of that raised deck.

The internal space as a result is welcoming and open. The cabin layout includes a north/south bed with some storage and a fully enclosed head that lacks a shower despite its good headroom.

Back up top and central to entertaining is the wet bar. On our test boat it is equipped with a barbeque, necessary in Australia, and a sink on the right.

The hot plate is small, so do not plan anything too extravagant. Buyers can replace the barbecue with a double stovetop.

The wet bar is immediately behind the helm and cleverly does not go all the way to the floor, again creating an exemplary feeling of spaciousness.

The main L-shaped seating area onboard is to port in the aft cockpit, adjacent to the wet bar. It is usable, however, I would prefer to see facing bench seats for that true entertaining feel.

The bow has a large double-size sun pad with access via a walkway on either side of the cabin that is wide enough to usher a small child along under their own steam. It is also deep enough to do so relatively safely.

The sun pad's backrest is at the perfect angle and sits below the sight line forward from the helm.

Similar to most dayboats, the driving experience is central to good use and the helm position is sparse and unfussy.

Overhead the large T-top keeps the sun off, its supporting structure integrated with the equally black bow rail.

Twin helm seats offer good support and are equipped with bolsters ensuring the skipper and crew can drive seated or standing. Standing offers the best view ahead.

All controls are right where you want them, and space abounds for electronics. The test boat had all the engine data running through the Simrad unit which was mounted in what Ryck calls its "Glass Bridge" technology. The displays sit on a glass panel giving the feeling that units are more integrated than an afterthought.

The Ryck 280 is a beautiful boat to drive. It does not have that outright sporty feel that, say, an Axopar has, but it does display a refined, comfortable feel without appearing mundane - imagine a Jaguar F-Type sedan versus a Jaguar F Pace SUV. Both are quick and exquisite to drive, but while one has you feeling every bit of acceleration, the other feels completely at ease.

The weather on our test day was sublime, with barely a ripple on the water. We achieved a top speed of 40 knots and for me, that puts the Ryck 280 in the sports boat category.

The hull is composed and sure of itself in all the challenges we threw at it, meaning that despite its impressive top speed, the ride remains smooth, giving a sense you're travelling slower than you are.

As expected of a Bill Dixon design, the hull exhibits excellent hold through a turn. You can really put the throttle down at the midway point and it powers through with ease.

The bed in, or gentle layover, is calming and so precise that you never feel you should hold on for dear life as the boat is thrown into some spirited cornering. Crossing the boat’s own wake, the waves are barely perceptible.

The Ryck 280 is a beautiful boat. It may be built on a proven formula, but it does not run the same focussed sporty lines that some of the competitors do in this class.

That taller stature hides a generous cabin space in the bow with ample space for a family. Most owners will use the boat purely as a dayboat, but this is where the Ryck stands apart from the rest.

It more equitably blends the best of both worlds so that if you do end up staying aboard, it is not merely something you put up with occasionally, it is something you may even look forward to.

Price as tested: $300,000 including the Relax package (anchor, fridge, bow cushion, sun pad cover, mooring lines, and fenders); wet bar; Flexiteek flooring; bow thruster; Simrad multifunction touchscreen with Mercury engine connectivity; and Vessel View