Genesis 52V Cruise

All that glitters

From the same accentuated boarding platform to the exaggerated and aggressive hull lines and familiar sweep of its superstructure, the Genesis 52V Cruise is very much the sister ship of its smaller sibling, the 44V Cruise. This is a little surprising given that the new flagship comes from a completely new set of moulds, quite unlike the 44V Cruise which utilises the existing hull of the popular Genesis 400 Targa.

The similarities do not end here, either. The new 52 shares an almost identical three-cabin, two-head layout, while the design emphasis is again on seamless indoor/outdoor living from transom to cockpit and through the saloon. Even the L-shaped galley, freestanding saloon table and raised breakfast/cocktail bar opposite the helm station are reminiscent of the 44V Cruise.

What's more, little has changed below decks. The master cabin and en suite are located in the bow, with the same twin mid-cabins amidships and either side of the companionway, sharing a second dayhead and shower centrally located to starboard. But there the similarities end.

The new 52V Cruise has grown in stature and volume and she is a fitting flagship. She is also a cruiser optimised for a footloose couple rather than packing aboard a madding crowd. And with facilities and privacy to accommodate four guests, she will make a great floating holiday home.

WINNING EURO LOOKS
Genesis Marine managing director, Chris Pollock, makes no apology for the similarities between the new 52V Cruise and the 44V Cruise. After all, the Euro-styling has struck a chord with buyers on both sides of the Tasman.

In fact, the first 52V Cruise is destined for Queensland, where it will go into exclusive day charter. This, of course, is no skin off the nose of Genesis because all any production-boatbuilder wants is to be seen on a glamorous waterway with glamorous crew aboard.

Meanwhile, the second 52 has been sold in NZ and features a completely different V Sport layout that more closely resembles Genesis' popular Targa configuration. That's quite an achievement given that the 52V Cruise/Sport was little more than a design concept two years ago.

But with 14 Genesis 44V Cruise models sold to date - including four to Australia - and solid inquiry on the new 52V Cruise, it's not hard to see why Genesis has been reluctant to mess with its recipe and make design change just for the hell of it.

"The V Cruise is very much our interpretation of what our customers want and the evidence to date suggests we've got it pretty right. Many of our owners have been with us for than 20 years and we value that loyalty," Pollock told Trade-a-Boat.

CUSTOMER POLLING
How does it know what cruising types want? Easy. Genesis surveyed its 1300-strong database to determine exactly what owners were seeking in upgrade options, accommodation layouts, styling and performance.

"This was hugely beneficial. It reinforced the value of customer retention and helped strengthen our own design philosophy. This allowed us to tackle the 44V and 52V with confidence," Pollock adds.

Equipped with twin Volvo IPS 600 engines delivering 435 horses a side - which Volvo Penta says equates to 600hp a side using conventional shafts - the 52V Cruise lives up to a promise of blistering performance and crisp, sportscruiser handling.

Volvo's revolutionary IPS pod-drive systems lifts the bar inexorably in terms of low-speed vessel maneuverability, too, and puts control firmly in the hands of the skipper and not the crew with the biggest fenders.

ALL ABOARD
There is only one way to board the 52V Cruise and that, obviously, is from the boarding platform. And, oh, what a platform! Laid in teak, as standard, it is an extension of, rather than an addition to, the cockpit and creates a plethora of al fresco entertainment options.

A pair of matching curved stainless steel gates swing inboard for easy boarding from either side of a marina berth. And while the platform has relatively low freeboard it is well protected with a full stainless steel rail.

A 2.5in inverted stainless steel U-bar is fitted to the platform to provide an anchor point for the inflatable, which clips into a pair of cradle mounts. A removable baitboard with rodholders drops into the U-bar and is serviced with fresh and saltwater washdown facilities from the transom boot.

What the 52V Cruise might lack in sheer cabin volume it generously compensates for with wide, clutter-free, outdoor living spaces and generous under-floor storage options. This, says Pollock, was a priority in survey findings and received detailed attention during the design stage.
The transom and cockpit is separated by a large, curvaceous transom boot with built-in lockers for the BBQ, gas bottles, cockpit sink, washdown facilities, retractable shower and massive central boot stowage for bulky items.

The transom sole has a pair of under-floor lockers that can double as livebait tanks or dive bottle storage. Passenger safety is assured with a 750mm high three-rail stainless steel pulpit in compliance with Qld's 2C 1E charter requirements.

Pollock says 2C 1E certification required a number of minor structural modifications and safety items including additional hull bearers and windscreen pillars. But none of the structural changes are considered necessary for the private owner and would only serve to add weight.

WEIGHT-SAVING BUILD
At a shade over 15,000kg light, the 52V Cruise has put some weight on over the 44V Cruise, but that reflects the increase in volume. That said, it is still lighter than some other 50-footers thanks largely to composite construction techniques.

The decks are foam-cored GRP with solid GRP topsides and glass-encapsulated timber engine bearers and foam stringers. All interior bulkheads are glassed in for additional stiffness and rigidity. The hull and decks construction is covered with Genesis' comprehensive five-year structural warranty.

Indoors, the galley cupboards, drawers and lockers are high-gloss American cherrywood, although jarrah, walnut and English tawa are offered as options. The sole is teak and holly veneer, as are the internal companionway steps with cream carpet in the cabins.

The en suite and dayhead/shower are also laid in teak and holly for easy care and maintenance. The interior colour scheme features cream Ultraleather suede upholstery, wall and ceiling liners with matching vinyl exterior cockpit lounger and a pair of standalone stools.

COCKPIT CAPERS
The cockpit is best described as open plan. It has a two-seater settee set internally against the transom as the only fixed seating. But it is complemented by a varnished, solid teak cockpit table and loose, matching box stools.

The 52V Cruise is designed to accommodate a versatile wish list of which fishing is just one option. While you won't find dedicated rodholders or cockpit shelving for tackle, you might appreciate the padded coamings, easy secure access to the deck and boarding platform with teak decking. There is a plethora of LED courtesy and task lighting for night diving and angling.

In fishing mode, the table and stools can be stowed in the saloon or left behind to make room for the central cockpit gamechair that fits snugly into a recessed stainless steel fitting in the cockpit sole.

A large central cockpit hatch gives pushbutton access to the engines, genset, batteries, battery switchgear, automatic fire suppression system and Victron 230V battery charging system. Offering partial standing headroom and natural light and ventilation, engine servicing and systems maintenance should be a breeze.

The standard 52V Cruise layout features an L-shaped galley immediately inside the saloon to port, ideally placed to serve both the saloon and cockpit while offering sweeping views around the boat.

Though not large, the galley is well appointed with Corian countertops, a deep top-loading freezer, four-burner hob, microwave oven, stainless steel sink and a handy draining board. Galley storage is excellent with an abundance of overhead lockers and lots of under-bench drawers and dedicated slide-out crockery rack.

Additional refrigeration is provided by the upright fridge opposite the galley and checked into a cabinet that houses the switchboard assembly and overhead flatscreen LCD TV entertainment system.

Like the cockpit, the saloon is equipped with a free-standing solid cherrywood table that can be removed if not required. Saloon seating comprises twin opposing cream Ultraleather squabs and a pair of matching free-standing box stools that stow neatly under the table, giving a dining plan that will comfortably seat six.

HOT PROPERTY
For a couple, though, the place to be is the elevated L-shaped breakfast/cocktail lounge built into the port forward corner of the saloon. Appointed with glass and bottle holders, slide-out mini bar, solid cherry table and stunning 360° views, it'll pay to get seated early because this is very much the hot property on this boat.

The saloon's crowning feature is the huge electric sunroof that stretches the full width of the cabin top and retracts 1.5m back into a ceiling mould to bath the saloon in natural light. With electric side windows and the vast windscreen, visibility, light, sun and ventilation are abundant regardless of the weather.

Hot, cold, or otherwise, the 52V Cruise will cope with it all - courtesy of the reverse-cycle air-conditioning system with vents throughout the accommodation and saloon. Add in the full snap-in cockpit clears and winter boating will be toasty.

The helm station is everything you would expect of Genesis, with extensive use of carbon fibre on the dash and a full array of instrumentation including Raymarine's 19in 3D G-series navigation suite flanked by Volvo's IPS gauges. The high-back twin stainless steel helm seats are plush and inviting, if not just a little imposing. Wheel, throttles, trim tabs and IPS joystick fall perfectly to hand and the tinted windscreen takes care of glare.

BELOW DECKS
The downstairs accommodation is well laid out and spacious, with two private central cabins, dayhead and shower, and a large forward master cabin incorporating a second private en suite.

With five doors you could be forgiven for losing your way or becoming at least a bit confused as you move about, but it's unlikely you'd find a more comfortable and inviting place to stop and work things out at your own pace.

The portside central cabin is fitted with twin bunks, each with its own cupboard and small shared Corian counter. The berths are wide, comfortable, with vinyl-padded bunk rails to match well-fitting ceiling liners. Euro-style round deck hatches with privacy shades deliver ample light. The cabin opposite is a mirror of its neighbour but has a large double berth set off the sole and additional overhead lockers.

The main head and shower are immediately forward of the port cabin and mirror the master en suite. Completely moulded for easy cleaning, these units feature vacuum flush toilets with heavy plastic covers for showering, chrome and stainless steel tap ware, teak sole inlay and circular overhead hatches.

The master cabin is large and appointed with a circular overhead hatch and surrounding timber inlay housing LED downlights. A large island-style double berth is flanked with opposing soft loungers, generous overhead storage and large under-berth locker.

A second flatscreen TV and DVD/CD is mounted into the aft bulkhead. Cream vinyl overhead liners, padded bunk rail and flecked white carpet blend to create a harmonious and luxurious living space.

ROCK 'N ROLL
Volvo's revolutionary IPS pod drives deliver in more ways than simply close-quarters handling. With the exhausts exiting under water there is no intrusion from diesel fumes, and with the raw water pickups behind the forward-facing props there's no chance of fouling.

Being mounted on soft rubber mounts means no discernable engine vibration or harmonics at idle or when slow-speed cruising, and with both fire-retardant engineroom lining on top of a lead acoustic lining there's precious little running noise at cruising speeds, too.

The 435hp D series IPS600 engines pull the new 52V Cruise cleanly and quickly out of the hole and deliver a top speed of 32kts. The seal miles roll by a lot faster than you think from your considerable altitude at the helm.

While top-end performance falls short of the 44V's explosive 40kts, power is on tap throughout the rev range. Even with the sunroof wide open there's not a hint of draft finding its way into the cabin or any sign of backwash being sucked into the cockpit. Low-speed driving off the wheel is also predictable.

Quite by design, the 52V Cruise has the feel of a sportsboat with a firm and positive helm, and a hull form that obliges in hard and fast cornering. The extra weight and height of the superstructure takes nothing away from the hull's willingness to shoulder through chop and deliver a dry and predictable ride.

Fitted with Bennett trim tabs, the 52V is unlikely to be anything other than perfectly balanced, stable and well mannered even in strong crosswinds. Or, I should add, when carrying a boatload of Gold Coast glitterati.

So, would I want one? You bet! I've always said it would take a lot of cruiser to get me out of my blow boat, but I think I've found it in the new 52V Cruise. The perfect accompaniment to next week's winning Lotto ticket.

LOWS