First look: Marex 330 Scandinavia

Marex is a Norwegian family-owned boatmaker with more than 50 years of experience selling fibreglass cruisers throughout Europe, including the UK.

Measuring 10.5 metres in length overall, the 330 Scandinavia day cruiser and weekender is the second smallest boat in Marex’s five-model showroom. It’s essentially a two-cabin design with the choice of either single 380hp or 440hp Volvo Penta sterndrives or 480hp reversed V-drive engines, or twin 270hp MerCruisers and Bravo drives with a joystick controller.

Standen Marine can bring you one straight out of Marex’s Lithuanian factory for around $725,000, but as you see this one with a few more options added you’re looking at around $770,000 on the water.

Of note, this is a boat made to be comfortable in colder climates, featuring a fully enclosed saloon space and a diesel heater as standard, allowing users to significantly increase the boating season beyond clear days and sunny skies.

Other standard features that add a lot of value to that price are a pilot door beside the helm that gives fast and easy access to the cockpit or bow, and a helm station featuring enough space to mount a large multifunction touchscreen at steering wheel height, and another one on the hardtop.

The hardtop is also clever, allowing owners to fit roof racks to carry everything from bikes to kayaks or stand-up paddleboards or fit a solar panel array to supplement the onboard electrical needs.

There are surprising quality touches all around the boat, from teak gunwale trim to the gas struts supporting the lidded storage areas, and even a fly screen for the saloon door leading out to the cockpit.

Below decks, the Marex 330 Scandinavia features an offset forward double berth with a hanging locker, full standing headroom and an access door to the companionway leading above. Aft is a crawl space containing another double bed, accessed via another door leading to a hanging locker.

In between is the bathroom featuring a day head and a compact circular shower with decent standing headroom – Marex claims it is the largest in its class.

A feature we really like about the Marex 330 Scandinavia are the quick-access cockpit clears that take seconds to enclose the space. They are stowed in a vertical locker built into either side of the saloon and use a system similar to a shower curtain to pull out and across the cockpit space. You can pull them out as soon as it starts raining and keep the cockpit space dry.

The design of the Marex 330 Scandinavia includes easy walkaround decks and decent, easy-access lockers for storing mooring lines while on the move.

Marex claims the Marex 330 Scandinavia has a cruising speed of 30 knots with a top speed of 38 knots – quick for a day cruiser.

Standard equipment includes a bow thruster; 30-amp battery charger; shore power; the clever cockpit clears; curtains; windscreen defroster and wiper; 90-litre fridge; gas cooktop; heater; 60-litre hot water tank; Interceptor trim tabs; pilot door and sliding saloon door; Fusion audio system; swim platform handheld freshwater shower; teak gunwales; and a TV antenna.

Optional features handy for Australian owners include extra batteries to supplement the 385Ah system already onboard; a bowsprit with a ladder that makes it easy to get on or off a beach; DAB radio; drop-down cockpit table; an extra 51-litre fridge or 35-litre freezer; 4.0kW diesel genset; 200W or 300W inverter; a longer swim platform; mosquito nets; rudder position indicator; stern thruster; a flip-down seat mounted on the transom so that you have somewhere to sit while using the swim platform; 450W or 1000W solar panels; and a portside opening window.