Clipper’s Hudson Bay sedan cruiser nears completion

Clipper Motoryachts’ new-style Hudson Bay 50 sedan cruiser is nearing completion at the company’s factory under the watchful eye of Mark Campion and his team of British and Australian engineers, naval architects and boat builders.

According to Clipper Motoryachts Australia Managing Director Brett Thurley: “The new Hudson Bay 50 is everything we had hoped for.”

Thurley said the design of the Hudson Bay combined a layout and features that will focus on families getting away and staying on board while offering a comprehensive range of contemporary features.

“The design team spent a great deal of time and energy to ensure they combine the classic lines for which Clippers are renowned with the contemporary lifestyle aspects of a sedan cruiser,” he said.

“Many companies have produced a sedan style of motor yacht focussed on a ‘day boat’ layout, rendering the boat very one-dimensional.

“We have incorporated a wide range of standard features that reflect contemporary cruising and entertaining lifestyle including a combined teppanyaki and lava rock barbecue, sliding sunroof in the saloon to flood this area with air and light and large portlights in the hull that provide incredible light to the accommodation suite.”

Thurley said the company is preparing for an official launch in Sydney in early September – “just in time for the boating season,” he said.

The new Hudson Bay 50 is designed around a single-level family and entertaining area stretching from the aft cockpit protected by a generous overhang of the hard top through the galley and saloon and dinette.

The blue-water hull is constructed in solid hand-laid fibreglass below the waterline with cored fibreglass above. Deck and hardtop are infusion moulded with a honeycomb core to maintain strength while reducing weight.

The innovative hydraulic swim platform doubles as a stairway with only the centre section raising and lowering. It can be lowered to make swimming on and off the boat simpler or to launch a jet ski or tender.

The hybrid platform is “an Australian first” according to Thurley.

“Our new sedan range will offer Australian families the perfect blend of indoor and outdoor living and accommodation for weekends away,” he said.

“Every boat in the Hudson Bay range will combine gorgeous exterior styling that exudes class and timeless elegance with Clipper’s blue water cruising credibility. The hull design shares many features of the proven Cordova range, making it equally comfortable cruising at 12 knots or speeds up to 26 knots.”

Standard power is provided by optional twin Yanmar 480hp or Cummins 440hp turbo diesel engines. Vessel number one is powered by 600hp Cummins turbo diesels. The boats are also equipped with an Onan 11kW generator.

Hudson Bay 50 specifications:

Length Overall (incl swim platform)        15.88m       52ft 5in

Beam        4.70m       15ft 5in

Draught       1.06m       3ft 6in

Displacement (approx)       19.0 tonnes       20.9 tons      

Fuel capacity       1,892 litres       500 US gal

Water capacity       567 litres       150 US gal

Holding tank capacity       189 litres       50 US gal

ABOUT CLIPPER MOTOR YACHTS

Clipper Motor Yachts is a proudly Australian owned and managed boat builder with Clipper Yachts Australia as its regional marketing and sales organisation. The company is based in Brisbane, Queensland and builds displacement and semi displacement motor yachts ranging from 36 to 65 feet. The company currently offers four separate lines: Heritage displacement and Cordova semi-displacement motor yachts, Hudson Bay sedan cruisers and Orion expedition motor yachts.