Saxdor 320 GTC boat test

Saxdor is part of the new wave of European dayboat builders who have glided into Australia’s SUV-styled boat segment. Its models have a similar look to other European sports dayboats but brace yourself for something surprisingly unique.

The Finnish company is on a win with the 320’s deep freeboard, fold-out gunwales, and a cabin complete with an almost hidden door. With unbelievable speed and acceleration to boot, the GTC offered one of the most assured rides I’ve experienced in a very long time.

The hulls have the appearance of a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) without the Hypalon collar. They have a sleek and modern look with a nose that starts to pull in amidships. The advantage of this is the ride, but we’ll get to that later.

The design is as you would expect, with bow seating and rear cockpit seating standard. Access to the bow sunlounge is along a deep walkway to port with elegant, moulded handrails keeping the gunwale lines intact.

Each side of the rear gunwale, from the cabin to the rear, folds down to deliver immense onboard space. This flattens out the deck area and expands it from the standard space aboard a 32-footer to something akin to a 40-footer.

The cabin is located slightly to the rear and pushed to starboard. At 33.7ft (10.28m) length, it straddles the fence between a sports cruiser with incredible entertaining capabilities and a family cruiser that’s very capable of overnight expeditions.

Inside the cabin, the space is just as evident, with all-around windows creating a spacious feel whether you’re at the helm or seated at the rear bench seat and table.

The helm seats swing around to face the timber table, making for an unbeatable dining area with spectacular water views. Opposite is the galley, which is really more of a wetbar.

Impressively, there is a full-sized door hidden in the cabin’s portside corner that gives access to the bow area.

There’s a reason why Saxdor boats are called sports dayboats. The hull exhibits impressive efficiency and, coupled with outboard power, offers incredible acceleration and handling.

The steering wheel is in the centre of the boat, which offers not only excellent visibility, but also good awareness of all sections of the boat. The dashboard layout is classy, too, with mounted glass displays.

When you push the throttle down, things truly get interesting.

With twin Mercury 300hp outboard, the maximum power, the boat lifts onto the plane effortlessly, tackling any oncoming waves with the ease of a knife, courtesy of the upright and angled bow. Once you get the boat up to cruising speed, it is deceptively fast. It’s a real boat for drivers.

A ‘slow’ and comfortable cruise speed of 24 knots (44.5km/h) might feel fast in some boats, but it’s almost sedate from the cabin of the 320 GTC. A faster cruise is also effortless at 37 knots (68.5km/h), burning 110lt of fuel per hour.

Price correct as of February 2023

• Base price: $310,000
• Price as tested: $430,000

Visit the Adventure Boat Company for more information.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CLUB MARINE MAGAZINE.