Grand style onboard the flagship Grand Banks 85 Skylounge

Walking along the dock gazing up at the Grand Banks 85 at the boat show in Newport, RI, I was struck by something that is hard to explain. The boat looks nautical and traditional and yet contemporary and new all at the same time. This is a big boat, with a salty-looking enclosed flybridge (skylounge) perched on top of her main cabin. Sturdy stainless rails loom above glossy varnished bulwark caps from the cockpit all the way forward where they accent the bow flare of the shiny grey hull below. The lines are timeless and fit the heritage of Grand Banks, while the narrow entry of her V-WARP® hull, designed for modern speed, performance, and fuel economy also speaks to her youthfulness. Sometimes when builders try to upsize their boats, they lose some of the character that shines through in the smaller models but not so with the GB85. Grand Banks blends the best of their distinctly nautical look with modern materials and efficiency to provide owners with timeless style and modern amenities.

Onboard Walkthrough

Entering at the swim platform, a watertight door connects to a finished passageway that leads forward into a finely finished crew cabin complete with its own galley and lounge. This cabin could easily be used for extra guests but at 85’ many will have at least a captain aboard. I can also see this used as a second private gathering area for owners not using a captain or crew. It could be a cigar lounge or great for a poker game. This area can also be reconfigured as an additional stateroom for those that plan to run the boat themselves. 

The engine room on the GB85 is unique as it is bifurcated by a central divider. Essentially there are two engine rooms, one on each side with a hallway between them. Each engine room is well laid out with gear and equipment neatly organized, and plenty of access to the outboard side of the engines. To get to the inboard side of the optional MAN V8 1,300s on this boat you simply lower a panel in the tunnelway providing excellent access to the inboard side of the engines. This setup not only keeps things quiet as each engine is isolated and insulated separately but the central passage is a great place to store gear and equipment including larger items like surf, and paddleboards, or even perhaps a small sailboat like a Laser. There is even enough room to put E-bikes or Electric Scooters in there, all kinds of dive equipment, or any other large items you want to bring along.

In the cockpit above the grand nature of the spaces aboard this boat is instantly apparent. She looks and feels a lot like other Grand Banks models but super-sized if you will, with larger seating lounges, tables, and serving areas. The cockpit features a high-gloss table with seating for 6 or more and a wetbar-serving area adjacent to the salon entrance. Abundant immaculately joined teak is a central feature of Grand Banks. Good teak is hard to find these days and Grand Banks sources some exceptional timbers. Traditionally Grand Banks imported Burmese teak from Myanmar which has both natural and plantation grown trees. Now with import bans in some countries, they focus on sustainable, plantation-grown teak which is renewable. They try to use same tree teak throughout each boat and when that isn’t possible, they carefully match panels for consistent color and grain. Many boats today that still use teak have problems with dark lines and streaky grains in panels but not on this GB85, the teak they carefully select and source is gorgeous. 

Inside the salon large spaces abound combining comfort and luxury. The particular vessel I toured is owned by Tom and Betsy Whidden. Tom is world renowned sailor of America’s Cup and North Sails fame. While the Whiddens were not aboard when I toured the vessel, they have excellent taste in décor. Their selections exemplify that feeling of being both nautical and contemporary. Accents have oceanic themes with corals, fish, and even a giant clam on the dining table. Orange highlights bring out the brilliance of the abundant highly finished teak. The main salon has a large comfortable lounge aft with a dining table in the central area and the galley is forward adjacent to the windshield. Overhead teak handrails provide nautical ambiance as well as safety and function.

All Grand Banks are semi-custom and 85s, being the current flagship can be configured in several ways. They can include a full beam owner’s stateroom with a king island bed like the one I went aboard which has all the spaciousness of home. The ensuite head area is also full beam in this cabin with double sinks and a large shower. This master cabin is accessed via a central staircase and includes walk in closets, abundant storage and privacy from the rest of the vessel with no adjoining walls to other cabins or guest areas. 

In addition to the owner’s stateroom on board the Whidden’s boat there is a twin cabin that can be converted to another double and a large forward VIP that hosts a king bed and a large luxurious ensuite head.

The Grand Banks 85 is controlled from the pilothouse in the skylounge above. Here triple helm seats and an adjacent forward-facing bench allow both guests and the driver an excellent view when underway. Controls and instruments are conveniently clustered in a teak adorned pod beneath the wide tri-paneled windshield. Behind the business end of the skylounge there is a large climate-controlled lounge area, a convenient day head, and access to the aft open deck. Outside there is lounge seating, a wetbar, and BBQ with enough room for a sizeable RIB and a crane to launch it.

Modern Construction Processes

Grand Banks in the modern era is run by Mark Richards, a famous racing sailor and the founder of Palm Beach Yachts, Grand Banks’ sister company. I wrote extensively about Richards in a Best4Boats feature on their new GB62, See “The Man” in that article. Suffice it to say that Richards is very particular about every aspect of each boat he builds. This is visible in the highly refined finishes, and the subtle beauty of every boat’s lines but more importantly in ways you can’t readily see. As a racer Richards is keenly aware of how weight effects performance. Because of this he uses advanced construction techniques and high-tech construction materials to ensure that the hull, decks and superstructure of every Grand Banks are both strong and lightweight. Using vacuum infusion, he can precisely control resin-to-E-Glass ratios. By combining unidirectional and multi-axial fibers in different parts of the laminate the composite hull is strengthened. Carbon fiber reinforces the structure making the vessel lighter without compromising rigidity and durability.

Advanced composite construction techniques are used throughout the vessel including in the proprietary V-WARP® hull. Mark developed this hull form and has refined it over many years. The basic tenants are a fine entry forward that slices through waves and then flares back widening and flattening in the aft sections to around eight degrees of deadrise. Water streams along the hull in an even, unencumbered fashion because there are no hard chines, strakes, or tunnels. This semi-displacement hull form allows the boats to move cleanly through the water providing stability, lift, a level running attitude, and a flat wake. I have experienced this unique hull underway driving multiple Grand Banks and Palm Beach models including several offshore passages where we experienced some extreme weather conditions. The performance of the hull form in large seas both following and ahead combined with the strength of the hull (no rattling or creaking) gave me extreme confidence in the design. I would happily take one of these boats most anywhere.

The Grand Banks 85 can be propelled either by IPS pods (twin Volvo IPS 1350S @ 1,000hp standard) or with optional (twin MAN V8 @ 1,300 hp) using V-drives and shafts. While I was unable to drive the Grand Banks 85 Skybridge, the company reports slightly higher top end speeds with the larger displacement MAN engines of 28 knots. The MANs cruise at 21 knots using 68 gallons/hour (gph) providing a theoretical cruising range of 814 nautical miles (734 nautical miles with a 10% reserve). The IPS configuration is slightly more fuel efficient using 57 gph at the same 21-knot cruising speed delivering a formidable 972-nautical mile range (875 nautical miles with a 10% reserve). 

The Grand Banks 85 Skylounge is a large cruiser with spacious accommodations and comfortable quarters. Advanced construction techniques and a proven hull form can get her safely and efficiently wherever you want to go. What I like best about the GB85 is that she looks salty and projects the nautical heritage the Grand Banks line is known for but is a powerful, capable, and efficient modern cruiser. Bigger isn’t always better, but in the case of the Grand Banks 85 her grand style shines through.

Grand Banks 85 Specifications

Length Overall 87’ 2” 26.58 M
Length On Deck 78’ 9” 24 M
Beam 22’ 2” 6.75 M
Draft 4’ 11” 1.5 M
Displacement 126,663 LBS 57,000 KG
Fuel Capacity 2,640 gal. 10,000 L
Water Capacity 70 gal. 1,400 L
Holding Tank 264 gal. 1,000 L
ENGINES – STANDARD 2 X Volvo IPS 1350S @ 1,000 hp (PODS)
ENGINES – OPTIONAL 2 X MAN V8 @ 1,300hp (V-Drive w Shafts)

Price Provided Upon Request

https://www.grandbanks.com

Arnie Hammerman Publisher

Boats and the ocean define my life. From teaching sailing to captaining yachts, marine publishing, and marketing, I’ve spent decades sharing seafaring tales. At Best4Boats, adventure awaits—welcome aboard!

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