Galeon Boats: Performance, Luxury, And Style Reviewed

Galeon yachts and boats are known for their innovative design and quality. The Polish boat manufacturer offers a range of sportscruisers, flybridges, and sportsbridges, with lengths ranging from 10 to 22 meters. One of their popular models, the Galeon 500 Fly, stands out for its class-leading deck spaces, spacious interior, and innovative features. The boat offers a unique cockpit experience with folding balconies and a rotating dinette, providing a significant increase in usable living space. In addition, the Galeon 325 GTO, their first outboard-powered boat, impresses with its versatile functionality as a bowrider, dayboat, weekender, and coastal cruiser, without compromising on space.

Gadgets and gizmos: are they useful or gimmicky?

Galeon yachts are known for their innovative design and high-quality finish. The Polish boat manufacturer has been in business since 1980 and has been expanding since 2000. In recent years, they have gained a reputation for producing boats with impressive gadgets and gizmos that enhance the user experience. But are these features useful or just gimmicky?

The Galeon 500 Fly, for example, is packed with innovative features. It boasts folding balconies, a rotating dinette, and a spacious three-cabin interior. The cockpit, in particular, stands out for its functionality and design. While some may view these features as gimmicky, they do not compromise the boat's performance and handling. In fact, they provide a significant increase in usable living space, making the boat feel larger than it is. The folding balconies, for instance, almost double the usable cockpit space. The rotating cockpit seating also adds to the appeal and functionality of this area.

Another example is the Galeon 560 Fly, which offers a fresh look and even more gadgets. This model includes the popular beach club mode, which extends the living space at the stern and provides a genuine indoor/outdoor living experience. The sliding windows and cockpit doors further enhance the connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces. While the 560 Fly has fewer gadgets than the 500 Fly, the ones it does have are well-designed and functional. For instance, the foredeck has a simpler arrangement with L-shaped seating and a storage room/crew cabin, but the balconies have been improved with the addition of glazing and side doors.

The Galeon 325 GTO is another impressive model, offering a combination of a bowrider, a dayboat, a weekender, and a coastal cruiser in one package. This boat provides ample storage and seating, with a roomy cockpit and easy access to the outboards for servicing. The helm is a standout feature, with electrically adjustable steering wheel height to accommodate different users. The boat is also equipped with Mercury's joystick piloting for stress-free docking.

While Galeon yachts have been criticized for having too many gadgets, the company has shown maturity in refining and toning down some of these features in recent models. The focus is now on delivering functionality and a solid cruising experience, rather than gimmicks. The quality and attention to detail in the boats' design and construction justify the price tag. The gadgets and gizmos offered by Galeon are useful and enhance the boating experience, providing more value for money.

Performance and handling: how does it drive?

The Galeon 500 Fly is a powerful and agile boat with impressive performance and handling capabilities. It offers a range of engine options, including the Volvo Penta D8 600hp, D8 670hp, and D11 725hp twin diesel shaft drive engines. The larger engines provide a significant performance boost, making the boat feel light and responsive. The boat can easily reach its natural cruising speed of 22 knots, and achieve a top speed of 32 knots.

The hull design contributes to a quiet and smooth ride, even in choppy conditions. The sound levels are well-managed, thanks to the insulation in the engine room. The steering is light and responsive, making the boat easy to manoeuvre and a pleasure to drive. The twin props provide excellent grip, allowing for precise control when docking or navigating tight spaces.

The Galeon 500 Fly also features a Sleipner bow thruster, enhancing its manoeuvrability in marinas and tight berths. The lower helm provides excellent visibility and control, with large electric windows and a clear view of the surroundings. The upper helm, while offering less adjustability, still provides a good relationship between the wheel, throttles, and controls.

The Galeon 325 GTO, another model, is described as "a blast to drive" with a responsive hull that "carves a tight turn". It has a cruising speed in the low-30-knot range and a top speed of 37 knots. The Mercury joystick piloting system also makes docking a breeze.

The Galeon 560 Fly, meanwhile, is described as a "consummate cruising machine", with a relaxed top speed of 27 knots and a cruising speed of 25 knots. It offers a quiet and comfortable ride, with sound levels of around 70 decibels at higher RPMs. The steering is light and well-judged, although it doesn't encourage aggressive manoeuvres. The lower helm provides excellent sightlines and connectivity with the crew, making it the ideal position for berthing.

Interior accommodation: what's it like to live in?

The Galeon 500 Fly is a 16m yacht with a spacious three-cabin interior. The physical layout of the lower deck is fixed, with one full-beam master ensuite, one VIP cabin, and one cabin with bunk beds. The master ensuite is the star of the show, offering over 6ft 1in of headroom and plenty of space. The VIP cabin benefits from long strips of glazing on either side and an oversized skylight, providing ample natural light. It shares its ensuite with the third cabin, which has bunk beds suitable for children or adults for shorter stays.

The yacht's galley is located aft and features a sliding window and a pop-up bar section, allowing it to double as a service area for the cockpit. The saloon has ample dry storage and space for a dishwasher. The helm bench pivots to align with the sofa on the starboard side, creating a cosy space. However, the boat could benefit from additional fridge/freezer space in the saloon.

The Galeon 560 Fly, another model from the brand, offers a similar three-cabin layout with a centrally mounted island berth in the owner's suite and well-appointed ensuites. The VIP cabin in this model is particularly impressive, with towering headroom and excellent natural light. The third cabin has fixed berths and abundant storage, and there is also a well-designed crew cabin that could serve as a part-time fourth cabin.

The Galeon 325 GTO, a smaller model, offers a different experience with a forward dinette that converts to a berth and a double berth aft. The cabin is airy and spacious, with windows all around and light beechwood finishes. The steps down to the cabin can be lifted out of the way, and a recess in the hardtop prevents bumping your head when entering.

Overall, Galeon yachts offer comfortable and well-designed interior accommodations, with thoughtful features and ample space for their respective sizes.

Design and build quality: how does it look and feel?

Galeon yachts are designed by British designer Tony Castro, who has been an important part of the company's success since 2000. The yachts are built by a Polish yard and have been described as innovative, with plenty of clever deck spaces and a spacious interior.

The design of Galeon yachts has been described as striking, with almost more glazing than GRP in both its superstructure and topsides. The 500 Fly model, for example, features folding balconies and the option to have a rotating dinette with a built-in tender garage. The 560 Fly model has a 'shovel nose' design, which creates a flatter deck area and boosts the volume of the VIP cabin. This model also features the brand's well-known balconies, which have been improved with the addition of glass insets and side doors.

The quality of Galeon yachts is described as impressive, with expensive components and excellent interior woodwork. The yachts are said to have a general feeling of solidity and the interior woodwork is excellent. The use of materials and the quality of the woodwork are mentioned as being particularly impressive, with the finish described as "refined and classy". The yachts are also said to be well-built and safe.

The 325 GTO model has been described as "smart, elegant, sporty and versatile", with a thoughtful package that doesn't feel cramped. This model features a fold-down platform, a drop-down port-side terrace, and a sliding cabin door that can be easily opened with just one finger. The cabin has windows all around and uses light beechwood to create a bright and airy feel.

Overall, Galeon yachts are known for their innovative design, spacious interiors, and high-quality construction. The brand has been recognised for its attention to detail and the solidity of its boats, offering a good balance of style, performance, and functionality.

Value for money: is it worth the price tag?

Galeon yachts are an innovative Polish product, with British designer Tony Castro responsible for many of the designs since 2000. The yachts are known for their high-quality interior, solidity, and functionality.

The price tag of a Galeon yacht depends on the model and its specifications. The Galeon 500 Fly, for example, has a range of engine options and additional features that can be added, such as a rotating dinette, beach club option, and hydraulic platform. The yacht is available in a UK spec and a Med spec, with the latter including additional features such as air conditioning and an upgraded generator. The Med spec comes at a premium, reflecting the added value of the extra features.

The Galeon 560 Fly, another model from the shipyard, has a starting price of around €1.28 million ex VAT. However, with additional specifications, the price can increase significantly. The test boat, for example, was priced at €2,186,863 ex VAT, including upgrades such as a Seakeeper gyro stabilizer, crew cabin, and hydraulic platform.

The Galeon 325 GTO (Grand Touring Outboard), a smaller boat in the range, offers a different proposition in terms of value. With a length of 32 feet and 9 inches, it combines the features of a bowrider, dayboat, weekender, and coastal cruiser. The base price for this model is not mentioned, but it offers a lot of features for a smaller boat.

Overall, Galeon yachts offer a range of options and specifications that cater to different budgets and needs. The price tag reflects the quality, attention to detail, and innovative features that these yachts are known for. While some models may be more expensive than their competitors, the unique design, high-end finishes, and spacious interiors provide good value for money.

Frequently asked questions