Hull No. 1 of the Marlow Explorer 75E series (the E designates a European stern with twin stairways connecting the aft deck with the swim platform) has an optional enclosed bridge for maximum cruising comfort in tropical locations, and a spacious crew’s quarters aft of the engine room. Generally speaking, the layout below is three en suite staterooms—amidships master, forward VIP and portside guest, with a laundry room opposite that has a raised berth.
The CEO of Marlow Yachts, David Marlow’s goals for the new 75E were lofty. They included creating more usable space in a smaller yacht, and the use of high-tech building materials—carbon fiber and DuPont Kevlar—and advanced techniques to gain more strength while reducing weight wherever possible. “Our aim was to add more usable volume while taking a container-load of performance-robbing wood out of the structure,” Marlow said. “I hoped that, if we could get this new, smaller yacht to run in the high-20-knot range with a pair of 1,800-hp CAT C-32 diesels, we’d gain about a knot in wide-open-throttle speed over the 78E, with real loads, including 3,000 gallons of fuel, 600 pounds of liquid and owner’s gear. We were pleasantly surprised when, on initial factory sea trials, the yacht topped out over 30 knots.”
During owner sea trials in Florida, with 2,200 gallons of fuel, gear, groceries and 700 pounds of water (a loaded boat, in other words), the boat turned in 31-plus knots. Speed was enhanced with a tweaked tunnel shape and a reduced shaft angle—the latter made possible by exhaustive testing of multiple prop diameters with varying pitches and blade overlaps to minimize slip and drag and mitigate tip-clearance vibration problems.
2019 Marlow Explorer 75E
One of the key design elements was the placement of the large fuel tank, a trademark feature developed by Marlow Marine. It was positioned to use virtually every drop of fuel and to maintain constant side-to-side trim of the yacht across a wide span of fuel levels. Proper placement of the tank is of the utmost importance; it must be at the center of gravity to mitigate the leverage that 3,450 gallons of diesel can have on the pitching movement. It’s just part of the process of balancing heavy equipment—including engines, generators and tanks for other fluids—that Marlow and his team of engineers and naval architects understand very well.
The new construction engineering also introduces more volume to the engine room. I am 6-foot, 3-inches tall and I had no trouble standing while touring this compartment, where routine service will be a must when the boat is under way on long hauls. More important, access to vital systems is outstanding. Features worth noting include a sea-chest water intake system with two inspection and clean-out ports, a common drainage system for all discharges and resin hard-coated exhaust risers to help mitigate sound and heat over long distances.
“Underway, the ride is remarkable,” said the owner of Hull No. 1. “This boat is made to cruise comfortably and quietly in open water across a wide range of speeds. With the fuel tankage and the efficiency of the CAT engines, and a range of over 3,000 nautical miles, we now can go to Bermuda or down to the Caribbean chain for the first time. Friends of ours took their yacht to the Med by way of Bermuda, the Azores and Gibraltar. That’s on our bucket list, too.” —John Wooldridge
Marlow Yachts, 941-729-3370; marlowyachts.com
LOA: 86’1”
Beam: 20’6”
Draft: 4’11”
Displ.: 92,193 lbs.
(dry) Fuel: 3,450 gal.
Water: 400 gal.
Std. Power: 2/715-hp Cummins QSM11
Opt. Power: 2/1,800-hp CAT C-32 ACERT
Cruise Speed: 21 knots