After the show, I spent the day on board cruising Sydney Harbour and taking the vessel out past the heads into the rolling ocean swells. The weather for the sea trial was sunny and warm with a light breeze – and a lot of ferry wakes.
Since the brand’s inception just over three years ago, ILIAD is quickly become an established brand in the Australasian motor yachting space. With their all-new ILIAD 62 model having recently been nominated for the 2022 Multihull of the Year, one of the most prestigious awards in yachting, ILIAD is beginning to turn more and more heads in the industry.
The ILIAD 62 is a highly fuel-efficient, lightweight, long-range passage-making vessel. Built to Category-A standards, the boat is immediately ready for travelling the globe and gives the clear impression that she is more than capable and willing to take her passengers to the moon and back.
The new owners of this vessel, Bob and Delores, came along on the boat review with us, having flown from Florida to become acquainted with their new dream boat.
Design DNA
While talking with ILIAD’s CEO, Mark Elkington, we explored how the company’s perception of a potential gap in the cruising catamaran market went on to inform and create ILIAD’s design DNA.
ILIAD Catamarans deliver a long-range vessel with protective grounding skegs, making them beach-able in an emergency or for out-of-water servicing when navigating in remote areas. In many respects, this is an old-school way of thinking, just like we might find in New Zealand on a Pelin from the 1970s, long before IPS drives ever existed. This way of thinking creates the opportunity to inspect, clean or complete repairs if needed when miles away from help or a travel lift. It is an approach the importance of which some have long forgotten. Simple, and practical, it provides peace of mind and will save a lot of money over the boat’s lifetime.
The efficiency of these hulls is phenomenal for such a vast craft, delivering a range of over 3300 miles at 8 knots passage-making cruising speed. Equally important, the ride is tranquil and very smooth.
Each ILIAD Catamaran is exceptionally customisable to reflect individual customer’s styles and needs, and the work is completed at the factory without the costs typically incurred when making changes to semi-production vessels.
Designed to evoke the premium comfort and style of a luxury apartment, with remarkable living space, light and storage throughout, the ILIAD 62 is a place you never want to leave.
A big part of design brief is an intense focus on safety, and this is very visible with some of the exterior design features. These have been created through a blend of experience, research and customer feedback.
An example of this is drainage – specifically where the water runs throughout the vessel. The final solution ensures that water doesn’t run down in areas that will cause stains on the deck or hull, or pool anywhere to become a slip hazard. This attention to detail can be seen in many areas throughout the boat, from air intakes, and outlets, to the placement of pumps.
Everything onboard is designed to be logical for the user. ILIAD have not approached this build with cheap options and this model contains the very best of their thinking. The 62 is designed to be the most practical boat possible, and I believe they have achieved something remarkable. Even the engine rooms have optimised layouts with easy access for convenient servicing, comfort and safety – something that will save owners money in the long run.
Build strength
Built to Category-A safety specifications for up to 12 passengers, the hull of the ILIAD 62 is constructed with vinylester, one of the few boats globally built entirely out of this resin – the whole hull, not just the outer shell. Most boats are made with a layer of vinylester to provide watertight integrity, but ILIAD builds the entire hull from vinylester. And while this adds considerable cost, it gives absolute peace of mind that the boat will outlive its owners without the developing any of issues that sometimes affect composite vessels.
This is potentially the perfect boat for a couple or family to do and get lost with, and there is no ocean in the world they shouldn’t be able to cross.
Travelling range
With a fuel capacity of 7,100 litres, the test boat packed a pair of Volvo Penta D6-600s. Other engines are available, with the next build having a couple of 670hp Cummins installed. During the trial, we tested the fuel burn at various speeds. At full throttle, we were quickly doing 3200rpm – 21 knots at 11.0 litres/nm. On a long-range passage, cruising at 8 knots, expect 2.0 litres/nm. These are impressive figures considering the vessel’s minimum displacement of 40,000kg. Michael Crook, ILIAD’s Chief Operating Officer, indicated that if the cruising speed is reduced to six knots, the range increases to over 4000nm. That is a lot of ocean to see on a single fill of fuel!
Size of it!
When looking at the ILIAD 62 from the marina berth or at anchor, she’s an impressive vessel. At 18.95m, she’s long, tall too, and wide at 8.19m, but with a modest draft of only 1.5m. Often, a vessel this size can be intimidating to use. However, she proved easy to manoeuvre in marinas and anchorages, had fantastic visibility from both helm stations, and the Seastar electric power steering was very responsive. The twin bow thrusters were hardly used, nor was the pair of interceptors on each hull. The stern area also had a couple of cameras, as did the engine bays, enabling the skipper to keep a watchful eye on proceedings from either of the helm stations whilst underway.
Layout options
ILIAD is a semi-custom builder and the sheer size of the vessel creates many customising opportunities for owners. That and the fact there are no structural beams in the middle of the floor plan dictating where things must go.
There are many different layout options available, and during the sea trial I saw plans for the next builds. One will have an internal stairwell, another will have a serving bar, leaner and stools, and the one probably best suited for year-round New Zealand use will have a fully enclosed flybridge.
The test boat was set up with an impressive galley, boasting enormous fridge-freezer space and a dishwasher. The drawer systems, latches and hingers were all from BLUM. The dining table could easily seat 8-12 people and motion sensors opened the wine fridge and liquor cabinet.
Walking straight out onto the forward deck through the main living area is a desirable design feature. This level of accessibility makes boating safer, ensures the vessel can be operated short-handed, and connects the inside to the massive lounging space on the bow.
The test boat had a brilliant swim platform, which the new owners will set up with a 4.5m RIB tender. Future versions will sport a flybridge davit system for the tender, with a jetski or two on the swim platform.
The storage capacity onboard the ILIAD 62 is exceptional. Clearly the ILIAD team drew upon their years of personal boating experience with other brands and leveraged their partnership with Italian designer Riccardo Bulgarelli. The ILIAD 62 is designed as a long-range vessel on which owners may live aboard for six months at a time, undertaking various passages to islands or remote areas, with suitable storage capacity and sensible access to make it all happen. Storage is logical, and there isn’t an area of the boat you can’t get to. Inspection panels are discreet and sensibly placed, meaning access to almost any component of the craft is straightforward.
Each of the three cabins feels large, each has an ensuite, and all the fixtures are from Kohler. But the master cabin, in particular, is pretty special – cavernous yet cosy, with the luxury of a walk-in wardrobe and a dressing table.
Quality components
The ILIAD 62 comprise thousands of different components. Each boat is built to order and once all parties have approved everything, a production schedule is set. Wait times currently stand at just 12 months.
With labour making up the bulk of any build cost, boats are manufactured at ILIAD’s shipyard facility in China, with almost all the building materials and componentry coming from Europe, Japan, the USA, New Zealand and Australia. The ILIAD 62 uses the best components from all over the world, including New Zealand where the glass is manufactured.
To the moon and back
When stepping on board the ILIAD 62, it takes a few moments to absorb just how different this boat is from others in this bracket. Its quietness underway provides significant insight into how strongly it is built and it also absorbs people and equipment, never feeling crowded.
And when we cruised past Sydney Heads, the ILIAD 62 inspired such confidence I asked whether we could going all the way ton New Zealand where they could drop me home. I was only half joking.
This boat inspires the belief that travelling to the moon and back is indeed possible – I fully expect us to see Bob and Delores cruising their ILIAD 62 around New Zealand this summer.
