Cruisers Espirit 3375

There's a look about Cruisers' sportsboats which sends me. The Espirit 3375 has it, a kind of retro curve to the foredeck and clean, uncluttered, elegant lines. To my eye, this boat has a styling edge achieved through something called keel-to-targa arch design.

Performance-wise, it's also a boat I enjoyed, taking it out through the Heads and along the harbour, parading as though it was mine. With shaft drives instead of legs, it feels like a real cruiser in which you can plot a course to faraway places.

Significantly, the 3375 comes well-equipped for such sojourns. There are amenities outside and a smart internal layout for long nights aboard. And the Cruisers 3375 seemed to have a better finish in both departments than some American production boats.

But mouldings are what Cruisers Yachts does best. Everywhere you look there are bends and bumps, radiuses and curves, built-in features which are handy without getting in the way. Even the steps into the cabin are cleverly moulded.

Signs of boat-building nous become apparently the moment you step onboard. Although an option, the 3375 we looked at came with a bigger- than- usual boarding platform. This allowed you to step across to a wharf or another boat that was rafted up, yet it didn't protrude so far that it became a liability when berthing.

And in no way did the platform drag. Big enough to lie across or at least sit dangling your toes in the water, it was surrounded by a full stainless rubbing rail in place of cheap rubber, and high quality, well-placed deck hardware.

In each corner of the platform and alongside it were cute stainless cleats suitable for swinging a fender, which you can pluck from the moulded fender recesses nearby. And just as close at hand was the freshwater transom shower, making the back of the blunt end of this boat as useful as can be.

But by taking the cockpit all the way to the gunwales, the 3375 isn't a walkaround boat. It has a step-up-and-through opening windscreen instead. Because of this, you gain in floor space which isn't compromised by obtrusive mouldings.

The two aft lounges, which can seat at least four guests, face each other with room for a pop-in lunch table (optional) between. But just as congenial is the bench seat behind the windscreen. It curves back towards these lounges so you can carry on a conversation from one end of the boat to the other.

The wet bar on the port side is something else again. It's a fibreglass sculpture incorporating a cutting board and drink holders, sink, storage and fridge (albeit without an icemaker). Yet there's an unobtrusiveness about it.

While the targa arch - somewhere to hang a canvass cover if you must - and the cockpit carpet are both listed as options, good access to the engine room comes standard. Inside, you'll find room for a 3.5-6.5 kW genset and air-conditioning unit should you choose to have them fitted. And room to store some watersports gear.

But a big part of the look achieved by Cruisers Yachts comes from the helm station. The 3375 has white colour-matched gauges fixed in dappled fascias. There are three tiers to the dash, with factory-fitted engine gauges in line with your eyes, switch panels behind the wheel, and some space either side for the mandatory Clarion CD remote panel.

A nice touch was the dedicated mouldings to the left of the dash, facing towards the skipper, for flush-mounting the GPS chartplotter, depth sounder and marine radio. Below that you'll find a drink holder for the Dr Pepper, while ahead of the co-pilot is an equally useful clear-plastic chartholder.

The funky windscreen with side-opening ports offers access to the foredeck. According to the options list, you can fit a sunpad up there. But surely the windlass should be standard issue... Really, who's going to pull an anchor by hand on this boat?

Despite the 3375's rakish lines and funky good looks, it only takes a gander down below to realise there's plenty of substance to the hull. In fact, headroom extends all the way to the foot of the island berth in the bow.

The finish is first class, with lacquered and moulded surfaces, buff-coloured fabrics and warm rosy-toned walls. Slat blinds, wooden beading, scatter cushions, and indirect lighting add to the contemporary, resort-like feel.

Following the trend in 30-something sportscruisers these days, the 3375 Espirit has an open-plan layout with no bulkheads from front to mid-cabin. Instead, there are curtains to seal off the cabins. When they're drawn back, the saloon grows into a more livable space.

I particularly liked the mid-cabin, as it didn't have to function as a cabin until needed to. Other times, it's more like a gambling den or cigar room, with a table to play cards, pour a port, unwrap the Cubans, and blow some hot air.

The location of the galley was rather clever. Adjacent to the companionway, fresh air and ventilation is assured. Features include electric stove, microwave, fridge/freezer, plate-sized sink, fashionable faucets, plenty of cupboard space and enough Sorell benchtop to make canapes.

Amidships is the dinette with lounges. These can be swapped for an optional crescent-shaped convertible dinette/double berth. Either way, you can accommodate six guests for the night inside, sharing the one head. The head is another masterly moulding which comes with a separate and full-standing height shower stall.

Yet, for all this the boat is extremely light (only partly because of smaller fuel and water tanks than the Wellcraft). The hull slips along nonchalantly at 30kt thanks to the muscular MerCruiser 7.4L MPI big-block petrol inboards and you can't help but notice the efficiency that shaft drives offer.

Still, the Espirit 3375 responds more like a sportscruiser that a motorcruiser. And Michael Wright, the Cruisers Yachts importer, says you only need to fill her up and buy the champagne.

Plus you need a few optional extras, such as a barbecue chicken, fresh baguettes, a good wedge of brie, some bacon and eggs, a few fishing lines, some skindiving gear, a good book... You get the idea.