Cape 50 2023 Review

Steve Campbell, the owner of Melbourne-based Composites Constructions, had a problem. He wanted a 50-foot boat, but nothing out there matched his needs.

He wanted something that could handle Port Phillip’s at-times fickle conditions, and able to hold its own in rough weather yet deliver a fast, stable ride. It needed a high bow with a distinct Carolina-style flare, but as much volume as it could pack inside.

Campbell’s solution was to tap his decades of experience building high-performance sail and speed boats to design and build the boat he wanted, the Cape 50. The motor yacht is built from the keel up at Composites’ yard in Braeside by a small team of about 15 people.

The Cape 50 motor yacht is no show pony, featuring a fast, stable and volume-filled hull wrapped in a sharp-looking sedan profile that gives more than a passing nod to classic motor yacht design.

We’re testing Hull No.2 of the series that soon will be on show at the 2023 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.

Composites Constructions has priced the Cape 50 from $1,850,000 sail-away, which is pretty competitive compared with similarly sized motor yachts.

A point of difference, though, is the high level of standard equipment you get in return. Composites builds a turn-key motor yacht that’s ready to hit the water straight from handover, meaning you grab the keys, add the fuel and fresh water, make the beds, fill the pantry and fridge and then head straight out.

Inside, owners can choose between a finish that includes either teak or American oak by default, but for those who want to customise to the next level, a mix of other timber finishes. Teak is also available for flooring and in the shower.

Fabrics used internally are Warwick, while benchtop surfaces use stone-look Corian finishes, but you can replace them with carbonfibre.

The saloon is equipped with a TV, while the galley uses a quality induction cooktop, small fridge and convection microwave oven. 

Of note, many of the 240-volt outlets also feature USB recharging points.

The motor yacht even includes its ground tackle, hidden away in the bow’s stem via a retracting bowsprit behind a polished stainless steel keel strip that protects the fibreglass.

Importantly, the Cape 50 is right-sized for Melbourne where a limited number of berths for larger motor yachts means there is a physical limit to how large you can go if you also want relatively hassle-free mooring options.

The Cape 50 is covered by a five-year structural warranty, while the Volvo Penta engines that drive it are covered by a two-year warranty.

Composites Constructions has perfected a number of the techniques that go into building the Cape 50. Its foam core fibreglass sandwich uses the same vacuum infusion process as developed for performance sailboats and race-honed power boats. The infusion process squeezes all the air out of the resin to create a strong but light skin, and to help it bind to the foam.

Below the waterline, the Cape 50 uses 30mm thick 130kg/m3 density foam sandwiched between the inner and outer vinylester skin, while above the waterline 80kg/m3 density foam is used.

Apart from the cabinetry and features, no timber is used in the Cape 50’s build. Stringers are foam-filled to make them lightweight while maintaining strength.

A two-third-length keel is added once the hull is formed to help with stability.

The hull uses a plumb bow with a fine entry to cut through waves and chop as well as maximising the waterline to help with efficiency. The warped-plane hull runs to a flatter planing surface aft, while a pronounced square chine provides lift, lateral grip while turning, and stability at rest. 

Taking the technology a step further, the hardtop, some of the window supports and the foredeck are made from highly rigid carbonfibre produced in-house at Composites. This not only saves weight above the waterline – important to lower the Cape 50’s centre of gravity – but also means the components can be thinner because they do not need bearers to build strength and support.

Composites has settled on a pair of 440hp Volvo Penta D6-IPS600 engines to drive the Cape 50.

The Cape 50 is a smart-looking sedan motor yacht with a pronounced, flowing sheer line, plumb bow and vertical transom that combine to show a sleek, long and low profile. Of note, it features a large outdoor living space that invites users to enjoy the environment rather than huddle indoors. 

At rest, our test boat finished in a matte grey with contrasting white topdecks and with a large, gated swim platform aft, stands out from the crowd.

The Cape 50 is built to be a boat that makes the most of the outdoor environment. That translates to a deep and wide cockpit partly sheltered by a large overhang from the sedan hardtop, a saloon space that provides a refuge when needed, and below decks accommodations.

A priority for the build was to ensure that the Cape 50 had generous headroom throughout. That means you can walk from the cockpit through the saloon, and step below without worrying about having to duck your head.

The swim deck and cockpit floor are surfaced in centimetre-thick teak.

Entry to the saloon is through a glass-panelled door that forms part of the saloon bulkhead. On either side are two awning windows that lift up to create an almost unbroken connection with the cockpit.

To starboard is a set of soft-close storage drawers that feature a Corian stone-look surface. At the back, a flat-screen TV rises up at the press of a button. 

Forward of the TV is the compact galley space, featuring a deep sink with a mixer tap and a pop-up pantry. Inboard from this is a two-burner Thetford induction cooktop and below it a Sharp convection microwave oven and a wine bottle drawer. The galley also has a compact Isotherm fridge tucked into the space under the helm station.

Hot water comes via a 70-litre Isotherm heater that uses a heat exchanger when the engines are running, or 240-volt power.

The benchtop edges are fitted with a fiddle – the nautical term for a raised rim –  to prevent items from rolling or sliding off if the Cape 50 is hit by an unexpected swell or a large boat’s wake.

On the port side of the saloon is a large L-shaped Warwick fabric lounge with under-seat storage and a smaller table that can drop down to become a coffee table.

Long windows frame either side of the saloon and include electrically operated drop-down panes that provide airflow through the space. A pair of pop-up skylights provide natural light and more airflow.

Overhead, the roof is soft to the touch, similar to other panels around the saloon space. Direct lighting comes from square-shaped LED panels set into a channel running down each side of the roof.

A number of 240-volt outlets, fed via an 11.0kVA/50Hz Kohler genset, are spread around the saloon.

The helm station is set a half-step up on the starboard side of the Cape 50, ahead of the galley. 

The attention to detail here is on another level. There is a single helm seat that is easily large enough for two people.

This seat is large and plush, featuring heavy black bolstering with double stitching, and contrasting diamond-stitched panels on the seatback and squab, and on the outboard side of the console.

In front of you is an expanse of raw carbonfibre dashboard that you can option up to be full carbonfibre. Our test boat features two 17-inch Garmin multifunction touchscreens set side by side and linked to Volvo Penta’s Glass Cockpit engine management system. The multimedia screens also serve as an interface for the CZone electronics system that allows you to balance the boat’s electrical needs, switching between cruising, anchoring, shore power and even entertainment modes at the push of a virtual button.

The helm station features a height-adjustable sports steering wheel to starboard, while below is a stainless steel footrest that extends across both seats.

Our Cape 50’s fit-out includes a Garmin VHF radio and Zipwake Interceptor trim tabs for helping to balance the boat while running.

A panel on the side of the Cape 50’s console, also surfaced in raw carbonfibre, houses the fly-by-wire throttle and shift control for the Volvo Penta engines, engine controls and a joystick controller for low-speed maneuvering. The main breaker board for the boat sits below it.

Small-item storage is good, with a big pocket behind the throttle panel and a long, deep pocket built into the co-pilot’s side of the dashboard.

Forward, the skipper looks through a large two-pane curved windscreen with a wiper on each side. 

The Cape 50’s accommodations are three steps down a wide central companionway that descends from the saloon.

The accommodations are right-sized for either two couples or a family of five. They consist of a large queen-size owner’s suite built into the bow, and a starboard suite featuring a Pullman-style bunk with a single above and a double below.

To port is the shared bathroom featuring a shower suite with full standing headroom and teak flooring, a vanity unit with a deep sink, mixer tap and timber highlights, plenty of storage above and below, and a compact electric-flush head. A narrow but long hull window and an overhead hatch let plenty of natural light into both the bathroom and guest suites.

The guest suite features a hanging locker in one corner, separate reading lights, and air-conditioning vents. 

The master suite in the bow uses the compact space well. The bed features storage space below, as well as a separate drawer while hanging lockers feature on both sides of the cabin. Shelves are also built into the hull profile, while a TV is mounted on the cabin’s bulkhead. It also has its own air-conditioning controls for one of the two units on board – one for below decks and another for the saloon.

Long, narrow hull windows and an overhead hatch flood the space with natural light. This space also has plenty of LED lighting, including subtle strip lighting built into the steps on either side of the bed.

The Cape 50’s outdoor living space starts with the large teak-surfaced swim deck fixed to the transom. Access is via an outboard-swinging transom door. Our test boat includes a swing-down barbecue grille built into the port side of the transom, with a pair of staple rails making the space feel like a natural extension of the cockpit.

The swim deck also has access to a handheld freshwater shower.

A step up leads into the cockpit. It’s a huge space that uses the Cape 50’s full internal beam, lined to port by a large L-shaped lounge with under-seat storage that wraps around the transom, and a large teak table. Add deck chairs and there’s room here for a big group of people. The table can drop down and, once an infill cushion is added, transform into a sunbed or extra overnight sleeping space.

Rod holders on either side of the cockpit coamings double as fittings for the carbon fibre poles that support the optional sunshade that extends from the trailing edge of the saloon roof’s deep overhang to protect the entire cockpit.

To starboard, the cockpit coaming is left bare apart from a pair of lockers that are handy for stowing fenders and lines.

At the forward end of the cockpit, framing either side of the glass saloon door is a top-loading fridge to port and a wet bar with storage to starboard. An extension of the saloon hardtop covers this space and is itself a work of art, lined in fine teak laths that highlight the skill of the craftsmen that build this boat. 

Large hatches in the cockpit floor give access to the lazarette storage as well as the Volvo Penta engines and pod drives that power this boat.

Access to the foredeck is via wide side decks running up each side of the saloon. The railing is low, but a handrail tucked in under the saloon roof overhang provides security while moving forward.

The foredeck is a surprisingly large, open space. It has a built-in two-person sunbed, but there is still plenty of room forward of it to set up a folding table and chairs to enjoy the elevated viewpoint. The space is broken only by the three dark-tinted hatches that let natural light and air filter into the accommodations space below.

Again, the lines in this space are unbroken. The anchor is hidden in the stem of the bow and accessed via a hatch on the forepeak, so none of its mechanism is visible from deck level.

The surprising thing about the Cape 50 is its weight. This motor yacht is in a class where you’d expect a boat to come in at around 20,000kg. Instead, it weighs just over 12,000kg.

The benefits of this are multiple. Less weight in a motor yacht means you need less power and therefore more affordable engines to push it, which in turn means a lower fuel burn and better turns of speed.

That said, our Cape 50 test boat is fitted with twin 440hp Volvo Penta D6-IPS600 engines powering pod drives, again looking like not much performance for such a length of waterline.

A single application of the Cape 50’s throttle shows this is a formula that works. Even small inputs to the low-revving in-line 5.5-litre six-cylinder engine are immediate and noticeable. 

On test off Sandringham on Melbourne’s Port Phillip the boat pops up like a cork out of the water at a surprisingly low speed, the bow rising as the planing surface starts to come into effect.

Left on their automatic setting, the Zipwake Interceptor trim tabs soon get the Cape 50 flat and level. From there, even when rolling on throttle the motor yacht sits flat with a good view of the horizon.

The throttle falls easily to hand, and the fully customisable twin Garmin displays make the task of navigating and keeping track of the engines a breeze.

Forward vision is excellent, although the thick pillars to either side of the two-pane windscreen require you to be a bit proactive to see around them.

Performance

*Both engines
Maximum cruising range based on 10% reserve of 1600L fuel reserve: 395nm@2800rpm

With 600 litres of water and a 100 per cent fuel load onboard, the engines are working at between 70 and 80 per cent at 2800rpm with the motor yacht clipping along at almost 25 knots. 

The Cape 50’s inherent litheness also becomes apparent when you pitch the Cape 50 into a turn, the Volvo Penta pods pushing the motor yacht around with almost no lean. Changes of direction from helm inputs are precise and immediate.

The hull worked well when cutting through the building Port Phillip chop, with the bow’s large Carolina-style flare throwing spray away from the topsides to provide a dry ride even when quartering. 

Stability at rest is also good, with little lateral head-toss when abeam to the waves and swell. Adding a gyroscope will probably make this an extremely stable boat at rest.

As always, Volvo Penta’s joystick system is a joy to use, shrinking the size of the boat down to make it easily manageable when nudging back into a pen or coming alongside a jetty.

The Cape 50 is an Australian-built boat made for Australian conditions. Its aim is to chase the sun, and while most owners are likely to use it for day boating, the motor yacht easily has the capacity to extend a day into an overnight stay if needed. 

It’s no slouch, either, performing a lot like a sports yacht but without the downside of a big fuel bill that a heavier boat fitted with a bigger engine is likely to yield.

The Cape 50’s price is also attractive, giving you a fair bit of motor yacht for the money.

Campbell plans to one day expand the Cape range to include a smaller dayboat sitting under the 50, but promising more of the same but in a more compact form.

Specifications
Model: Cape 50
Length overall: 15.2m
Waterline length: 14.2m
Beam: 4.35m
Weight: 12,500kg (light)
Engines: 2x440hp Volvo Penta D6-IPS600
Genset: Kohler 11.0kVA/50Hz
Fuel: 1600L
Water: 600L
Holding tank: 200L
Accommodations: 5 people/2 cabins

Priced from: $1,850,000 including stainless steel anchor with chain; Lewmar windlass; alloy mooring cleats; twin 17-inch Garmin touchscreens for Volvo Penta Glass cockpit; CZone lectronic switchboard; 130L Isotherm fridge; induction cooktop; 44-inch saloon TV; convection microwave oven; Corian benchtops; 70L Isotherm water heater; solid teak decking in shower; electric-flush head; teak/American oak finish; electric saloon windows; 2x engine, 1x genset, 3x house batteries; 10,000BTU cabin/16,000BTU saloon air-conditioning; 8-person basic inshore safety kit; 11kVA/50Hz Kohler genset; 2x440hp Volvo Penta D6-IPS600 engines 

Price as tested: Price as tested: $1,850,000 as a Sanctuary Cove boat show special including aft sunshade; 30-inch TV for the master stateroom; teak cockpit and swim deck; stainless steel boarding ladder; transom barbecue; swim deck staple rails; Volvo Penta joystick control and dynamic positioning; Zipwake Interceptor trim tabs 

Supplied by: Composites Constructions