Grand Banks Launches New 55 Aleutian RP Yacht
Current 59 Aleutian RP from Grand Banks - New 55 Aleutian RP Has Similar Profile
An e-mail from Grand Banks last week to current and prospective customers invited them to a private micro website which reveals the existence and details of a new junior member of the Aleutian raised pilothouse series of yachts the company is building. The new 55 Aleutian RP is intended to offer “outstanding long-range capability,” according to an overview of the new yacht on the website.
The new 55 Aleutian RP is not simply a smaller 59, according to Grand Banks, although in renderings it retains all the classic lines of the Aleutian models. The company says it did a complete re-evaluation of everything from hull design to layouts and made a number of changes as a result, including a new three-cabin layout, and a redesigned engine room with significantly more space. The website shows video of a hull model of the new 55 being tank-tested under various simulated sea-states and speeds at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Grand Banks says it also built full-size, walk-through mockups to validate the new layouts and storage areas.
The website was noticeably vague on propulsion details, although one section notes the yacht will be outfted with -blade props from ZF, measuing 34 inches in diameter by 31 inches in pitch, and tuned to S-class tolerances. The boat will also be equipped with Delta T™ Air Demisters and a full Fireboy automatic fire suppression system with automatic engine, generator and ventilation shutdown.
When asked for artist’s renderings for this article, a Grand Banks representative said the company was not ready for a full-blown media launch but would start advertising in October. It seemed clear from the website information that the first hull was already under construction but that could not be confirmed by press time. As we find out more about this boat, you will see and read about it here on OceanLines. In the meantime, here are the basic specifications of the new Grand Banks 55 Aleutian RP as provided in the preview website.
Grand Banks 55 Aleutian RP
Preliminary Specifcations
| Maximum Length | 58′ – 11″ | 17.96m |
| Length Overall | 53′ – 8″ | 16.35m |
| Length Waterline | 49′ – 1″ | 14.96m |
| Beam (Max) | 17′ – 9″ | 5.41m |
| Draft (Max) | 4′ – 8″ | 1.40m |
| Fuel | 1,000 USG | 3,785 L |
| Water | 300 USG | 1,136 L |
| Height (DWL to top of Hard Top) | 18′ – 7″ | 5.65m |
| Height (DWL to top of windshield) | 15′ – 10″ | 4.81m |
| Height (DWL to top of mast) | 23′ – 6″ | 7.16m |
| Displacement (half load) | 72,000 lbs | 32,659 kg |
| Holding Tank | 100 USG | 379 L |
| Grey Water Tank | 52 USG | 197 L |
* All specifications preliminary, as depicted on GB preview website as of 09/03/2009.
Copyright © 2009 by OceanLines LLC
