Nimbus 305 Coupe 2024 Review

At the forefront of this slow-boat movement is the Nimbus 305 Coupe, a very conventional-looking, clean-lined boat above the waterline, but quite sophisticated inside and below the water.

Inside, the Nimbus 350 Coupe is designed to be as practical as possible, featuring a simple and neat layout.

Nimbus’ brief was to build an efficient, smart, comfortable and low-cost cruiser, a concept that quite a few boat-makers have tried to nail, but with compromise.

Does the Nimbus 305 Coupe succeed where others have only come close?

Sports Marine in Sydney has the base price of the 10.5-metre Nimbus 305 Coupe starting at $623,000. This is a version of the boat powered by a single 110hp Volvo Penta D3 turning a shaft via a V-drive – a surprisingly low-powered engine for such a large waterline.

You can go much bigger, choosing between either a 110hp or 150hp Volvo Penta D3 turbo-diesel with a top speed of around 17.0 knots, or aim for 22.0 knots-plus with the 220hp or 270hp options.

But you also have the option of eschewing hydrocarbons for electrons. The Nimbus 305 Coupe can tap into Torqueedo’s Deep Blue i 100 inboard motor and an 84.4kWh battery system that pegs cruising speeds back to around 6.0-7.0 knots and limits range to a maximum of around 50 nautical miles.

Standard equipment is pretty good, with the boat almost ready to hit the water as soon as it is unwrapped from its protective packaging.

Convenience runs to cushions for all the seats; a cockpit table; a swim platform with an anchor locker and extending ladder; a storage space for navigational charts; carpeted cabins; mahogany timber finishes; saloon sunroof; courtesy lighting inside and out; a compact internal galley featuring a sink, a 65-litre fridge and a two-burner gas stove; and a bathroom with a wet head.

The boat is equipped with a Seafire automatic fire suppression system; a first-aid kit; stainless steel rails; automatic bilge pump; basic toolkit; LED navigation lights; and a windshield wiper.

The options list isn’t that long, but you can choose to land the boat fitted with a 9.0-inch Simrad NSS Evo3 chartplotter; shore power; a bow thruster; an electric holding tank pump-out; a heater; a 22.0-litre hot water system; internal sunblinds; trim tabs; and a Volvo Penta multifunction screen for monitoring engine performance, among other things.

Running costs will be quite low given the boat's ability to sip its fuel and sneak into a 10.0-metre berth in the marina.

The Nimbus 305 Coupe is a motor yacht featuring a 10.07-metre hull with a 9.74-metre waterline and a 3.14-metre hull beam stretching to 3.95 metres at the deck’s widest point.

The layout is as a traditional aft-cockpit motor yacht, with a deck joined to the hull and the saloon placed on top.

When the Nimbus 305 Coupe was launched in 2015, Nimbus claimed to have built the holy grail of hulls for it – one that is comfortable to drive in any sea state. 

The 305 Coupe’s “Smart Speed” hull transforms from a deep vee with a sharp-angled stem and wide flare up front to a concave surface running a pair of hard chines that extend aft right from the bow. The first set of chines are slightly reversed, while the second sits quite flat.

According to Nimbus, this results in a hull that rides comfortably through the entire rev range with no real planing threshold. The advantage of this is it doesn’t matter what speed you set – anywhere from 4.0 to 22.0 knots where most conventional boats are producing a large wake – fuel use remains low.  

The Nimbus 305 Coupe is built using a vacuum-infused sandwich laminate with a Divinycell PVC foam core. This allows Nimbus to build a hull that is lightweight yet strong.

Adding to the sense of lightness is Nimbus’s claim that you don’t need a very powerful engine to push this boat along. Our test boat is fitted with a single Volvo Penta’s 220hp 2.4-litre five-cylinder D3 inboard engine that, on paper at least, looks a little lightweight for this size of boat.

The 305 Coupe is the smallest model in Nimbus’ cruiser range. Of note, the cleats sit quite proud of the topdecks and are well-designed so they are easy to tie off.

The exterior design is probably overtly simple – slabs of white with a large rubbing strake running aft, with just the letterbox-style hull windows and a couple of polished stainless steel highlights breaking it up. Compared with some of the other models in the Nimbus range it’s not the most exciting boat to look at.

The Nimbus 305 Coupe is designed as a vessel suited to a comfortable weekend getaway, with a swim board aft, a walk-through Portofino-styled transom, open cockpit, fully enclosed saloon, a low coachhouse forward and below-decks accommodation in the bow and the crawl space under the saloon floor. 

However, it’s unusual in that the entire saloon is offset to port, making room for a starboard-side companionway that links the bow and stern, as well as a sliding side access door to the helm. This makes it extremely safe and comfortable to move front to back in any weather, with high rails and roof-mounted hand grabs adding confidence where it drops down to deck level.

Dockside access to the Nimbus 305 Coupe is via a decent-sized swim deck with a centrally mounted telescopic swim ladder seamlessly integrated into the boat’s design. The deck is integrated into the Portofoino-styled transom to make it deep enough for two people to pass each other, and includes something we’re happy to see – a dedicated storage rack for fenders. Lockers to either side are a handy place to store lines or water toys.

The cockpit is fully enclosed by seating that forms an L shape in one corner, and almost fully shaded by an extension of the saloon hardtop above. You can snap-lock in a set of clears here to create an all-weather space.

Access to the saloon is via a sliding door that forms half of the glass-enclosed bulkhead. Inside, to port is a step up to large dinette with a drawer fridge tucked in beneath the aft bench and a table that drops down to make up an extra two temporary berths. In front of it is a two-seat bench that cleverly flips backwards while not in transit to provide more seating for the dinette when not being used to keep the skipper company.

Opposite the dinette is the compact galley featuring a stone-look benchtop, heaps of drawer, cupboard and shelf storage space, a sink with faucet, a two-burner induction stove and an underbench microwave oven. 

The view from the saloon is good with deep windows that run to ceiling height, as well as a large single-piece windscreen forward. Curtains add some privacy at night. Windows forward on either side of the forward section pop outwards to provide airflow, while overhead are four large skylights with removable shades.

The console in front of the jump seat is a long way forward, so in rough weather you’ll need to lean a fair way forward to brace yourself using the low-set grab rail trimmed in leather-look material. There is no bolster on the inner side of the seat, meaning a rogue wave could easily tip you off, and the footrest is quite low, leaving you sitting on the edge of the seat to brace yourself with it.

The fiddled dash in front of the jump seats is finished in timber and has a lift-up section supported by a gas strut that opens to a large void for stowing charts. 

Over to the starboard skipper’s chair. It feels and looks good with integrated armrests and a tall footrest, a lift-up bolster to make it easier to stand and steer, and a timber finish that makes it stand out from the rest of the boat. It is quite compact by bigger boat standards and dominated by the large leather-wrapped stainless steel steering wheel. An Isotherm drawer fridge is fitted below it.

Our helm is fitted with a 16.0-inch Simrad NSO EVO3 screen with a small amount of room to go bigger. However, you’re looking through the wheel to see it.

The throttle and shift control is fitted to its own binnacle, along with start-stop controls for the Volvo Penta engine, controls for the trim tabs, bow and stern thrusters and remote searchlight. You can’t see the anchor integrated into the stem of the bow from the helm, so the boat is also fitted with a rode counter at the helm and winch foot controls at the bow.

There is also a multifunction display for the 220hp Volvo Penta engine’s diagnostics, and rocker switches for the boat’s various electronics. A compass is recessed into the dashtop.

But the best bit of the helm is right beside it. It’s a door that opens backwards and directly onto the companionway to give the skipper some wind-in-the-hair experience on passages, or quick access to the bow or stern while docking. You can also stand at the helm and look out over the side while docking.

Both sides of the forward section of the saloon roof feature opening skylights.

One thing we really like are stainless steel handholds built into the saloon roof. If you’ve ever tried to walk through a saloon while on a fast passage, you’ll appreciate the convenience of this.

Below decks are accessed via a central companionway leading below. A handrail built into the console alongside the helm provides something to grab onto while descending or ascending.

Downstairs is definitely for sleeping. In front of you is a vee berth – a queen-size berth is an optional upgrade – with under-seat storage built into the bow and framed in opening portholes on each side, while immediately to the left is a wardrobe with hanging space and drawers. Overheard is a skylight that serves as an escape hatch.

To the right is a fully contained bathroom with a mirror, hot and cold water faucets, a wet head including a lidded electric-flush toilet, and a sink with a stone-look benchtop. An opening porthole provides light and fresh air. It’s compact but has enough standing headroom for shorter people.

Face aft, and you’re looking at the owner’s suite. It is built into the stepped crawl space under the saloon floor. It’s made so that you sleep west-to-east so that you can take advantage of the extra headroom built into the port side. Storage is simple; it’s a void behind a false bulkhead, closed off with a curtain. Another curtain at the front of this sleeping space provides privacy.

The Nimbus 305 Coupe is pretty fuss-free, featuring an uncluttered, basic layout that pretty much has everything you need.

It starts with the large rub strip-protected swim deck that extends into the transom, featuring the central extending ladder that provides access from the water to the boat and includes integrated handrails used to pull yourself up and out of the water. On the starboard side of the boat is an anchor locker that is also good for storing lines and wet gear.

There is also a handheld freshwater washdown tap.

A through-transom swing door opens to the starboard side of the cockpit. To port is the comfy L-shaped lounge that backs into the transom, and features a table with a folding leading edge so you can reduce its size and make more space. There is enough room behind the table to add a couple of extra chairs.

There are stainless steel handrails mounted to each side of the saloon’s exterior so you can hang on and stick your face into the breeze over the side.

The cockpit is framed on either side by a low external stainless steel grab rail.

Access forward is via the deep starboard walkway. There’s enough room to squeeze past the open pilothouse door, with a gap in the rails making it easy for the skipper to jump onto a dock once you’re alongside.

As you move up to the foredeck, the deck steps higher, and you need to let go of the saloon top rail and grab the bow rail.

Our test boat features an open bow rail design, making it easy for a spotter to go forward and let you know the direction the rode is pulling in – handy when tide and wind make judging where it lays difficult.

An infill cushion converts this space to a bow lounge, with side rails also housing cupholders so you can take a drink forward. Right forward is the anchor locker, hidden below deck level and with the rode well out of the way of small fingers.

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Nimbus’ claim that this boat doesn’t need a big engine to deliver a good cruising experience is spot on.

We tested the boat on a fairly typical choppy day on Sydney Harbour with both the 250-litre fuel tank and 150-litre water tank around half full. 

The first thing we did was to set a fast cruise speed of around 17.0 knots, punching through the chop and swell of an ordinary day on the harbour.  The rev counter is nudging 3300rpm, but according to our fuel gauge, we’re only using 27.0 litres an hour of diesel – quite remarkable for this size boat.

Backing off the throttle to just 12.0 knots, the revs are reading 2700rpm and the fuel burn has dropped to around 18.0 litres an hour. Between 2300rpm and 3300rpm, the difference in the fuel burn rate is only 10.0 litres an hour while speed almost doubles.

Performance

Maximum range on 5% fuel reserve: 158nm at 3000rpm

The semi-displacement hull does plane almost imperceptibly, with very little bow lift – I’m wondering why the trim tabs fitted to our test boat were even necessary.

The Volvo Penta engine is wonderfully quiet, with the only obvious note a high-pitched whine from the V-drive at lower speeds that disappears as revs rise. 

There's a sweet spot right in the middle of our test results where speed has a minimal impact on fuel use, meaning there isn't a huge amount of difference in the burn rate if you run home fast or slow.

Pointing the boat, it is nice and dry in all but a quartering sea with the wind almost on the bow, the wide beam carried forward tends to throw up a little bit of spray.

It’s not the most dynamic design, banking gently into a turn rather than carving it, but then again it’s not the sort of boat you’ll be throwing around with enthusiasm. If that’s your want, there are plenty of good sports yachts to choose from.

Visibility from the helm is excellent, with the fine roof supports forward and the one-piece windscreen providing excellent sight lines. The view aft is helped by the glass bulkhead that offers an unimpeded view from the helm.

The portside door is easy to use and makes it easy to jump out of the saloon space to run forward or aft. 

Despite its compact size, the helm is spacious enough for my tall frame. About the only criticism you can level at it is that the steering wheel dominates the dash, meaning you are constantly looking through it or reaching around it to toggle switches or view the digital instruments.

At rest, the Nimbus 305 Coupe’s low deadrise makes it an extremely stable platform. The lack of weight up high afforded by the low and long saloon means there’s very little head toss, even when the wake of a passing boat unsettles things.

If there’s prop walk, a common but easily managed vice of single-engine shaft drives, I didn’t notice it on test. 

The Nimbus 305C is one of those boats that would suit a seasoned skipper stepping up into something larger or someone new to big boats wanting something conservative, easy to own and comfy to step aboard.

It's also a good option for anyone who already enjoys the cruising life with a big boat, but wants to step down to something that offers a similar experience but without the big-boat headaches.

A big win for owners will be those low running costs. The fuel burn numbers alone that this boat generates at wide-open throttle equate to half of what you’d expect if it was powered to eat up the miles.

What that means is that you can comfortably afford to go out and spend time on the water more often – a boat you can use rather than one you can admire.

Specifications
Model: Nimbus 305 Coupe
Length overall: 10.07m
Hull length: 9.74m
Beam: 3.25m
Air draft: 3.65m
Draft: 0.9m
Weight: 4100kg
Engines: 110hp/220hp/270hp Volvo Penta D3, Torqueedo DeepBlue i 100
Engine as tested: 220hp Volvo Penta D3
Fuel: 250L
Water: 150L/22.0L (hot)
Holding tank: 80L
Accommodations: 2 cabins/4+2 people
Passengers: 8
Safety: CE Category B (offshore)

Priced from: $500,660 including seat cushions; cockpit table; swim platform with anchor locker and extending ladder; storage space for navigational charts; carpeted cabins; mahogany timber finishes; saloon sunroof; courtesy lighting inside and out; two-speaker Fusion audio system; galley with sink, 65L fridge and two-burner gas stove and grill; cutlery and plate set; bathroom with sink and wet head; Seafire automatic fire suppression system; first-aid kit; stainless steel rails; automatic bilge pump; basic toolkit; LED navigation lights; windshield wiper; 110hp Volvo Penta D3 shaft V-drive

Price as tested: $617,903 including canopy for the cockpit; second Isotherm fridge; mast-mounted spotlight; Volvo Penta MFD; 9.0-inch Simrad NSS Evo3 chartplotter with autopilot; Simrad VHF radio; shore power; bow thruster; electric holding tank pump-out; 22.0-litre hot water system; internal sunblinds; interior cushions; teak swim deck, side deck and cockpit floor; portside roof hatch; electric flush head; saloon blinds; upgraded Fusion audio system; deck wash; anchor winch with 80m chain; chain counter; trim tabs; mooring package; stern thruster with remote control for bow and stern thrusters; 220hp Volvo Penta D3 inboard engine with Easy Connect remote monitoring

Supplied by: Sports Marine, Sydney