Boat Test: 2025 Nimbus 495 Flybridge
The 495 slices through everything from calm waters to white-capped seas.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
Visit Nimbus
Find a Nimbus Dealer
Overview
Today, many boat buyers seek boats in the 50-foot class. With the introduction of the 495 Flybridge, the builder’s flagship, Nimbus Boats proves itself happy to oblige, and in so doing, was awarded European Power Boat of the Year.
I sea-trialed the 495 Flybridge in beautiful early summer weather. The new boat was originally supposed to be a coupé boat and one is coming, but the model with a flybridge came first. Nimbus’s project name for this series—“Voyager”—explains the large tankage, and other solutions, that allow for longer-range cruising.
Visibility from the flybridge is outstanding.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
Interior and Accessories
This 495 Flybridge represents an aesthetic evolution for Nimbus. The lines are sleeker, the color scheme is brighter, and “technical wood” replaces teak on the deck and walkways, while poplar replaces it in the joinery. Technical wood consists of a mixture of residual products from teak and recycled plastic. The result is an elegant, durable, more sustainable material.
The flybridge offers plenty of room for family and friends.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
Step aboard and you’ll sense the generous space and headroom. From the aft deck via the salon and flybridge to the foredeck, this 6-foot-1-inch boat tester found the boat very spacious. Large glass surfaces and the bright color scheme reinforces the impression. I moved around on deck in safety and security. The freeboard and rail heights are high and the side decks are wide so that even a large person can move around easily without hindrance. All spaces are well-proportioned and there is room for both an owner’s cabin amidships and a large VIP cabin in the bow, plus a third guest cabin to starboard. The owner’s cabin features an en suite head while the other two cabins share the day head. Both heads feature full-standing height and separate showers with elbow room for big people.
The salon is divided into two areas—partly a traditional dining area with a U-shaped sofa and space for the whole family, partly a stern space with a kitchenette. In addition, the aft deck is connected to the rest of the boat through an electric- opening window. Slide open the side door, open this window, open the sunroof, and you transform this seagoing cabin into an interactive solarium.
Aft, the 495 boasts a large swim platform, which aboard my test boat was hydraulically operated (optional). The platform lifts 550 pounds and can handle a dinghy or PWC.
A large sunpad at the bow makes entertaining effortless.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
The yacht feeling truly hits you on the flying bridge. A big part of the noise disappears when you run the boat from here. The journey feels calmer and the experience is better. In addition, you can more clearly see the shallows and other boats. The bliss is enhanced by Volvo Penta IPS with joystick. With it, one person can handle this 49-foot-7-inch, 42,000-pound boat. With the joystick you simply point and go. During my time on the boat, I found that the 495 Flybridge maintains course and speed readily, its slippery hull and mass working in concert to cleave the water. It also features station-keeping and the ability to dock the boat sideways, which will surely be appreciated by a cruising couple when the wind is up or the current is ripping. This boat is not offered with either a sterndrives or straight shafts, and that is fortunate. IPS and the Dynamic Positioning System does the boat complete justice and makes it very easy to handle.
The flybridge is not the largest in its class, but there is plenty of room for family and friends. Deploy the electric Bimini top for protection from sun or rain.
The aft deck is connected to the rest of the boat through an electric- opening window.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
Engines
The top speed is 40 mph for a standard-equipped boat with 449 gallons of fuel, 137 gallons of water and 10 people on board. The cruising speed is 25 to 27 mph, but the boat also goes nicely at 20 to 21 mph without squatting (“settling” in the water). I liked this speed, as it provided a nice compromise between speed, efficiency and comfort.
Note that I tested the boat, as stated, in fair weather. That said, Nimbus possesses a long, well-earned reputation for rough-water handling. With this design heritage, and its rugged construction, which includes vacuum-injection processes, I am confident this boat will prove its worth should blue seas turn grey and whitecapped.
Who is this boat aimed at? The answer to that question is both current Nimbus customers who want a larger boat and boat buyers on the international market who appreciate Scandinavian style and design. If you desire the ability to cruise and want to go farther out on longer trips at sea in all weather conditions, the comfort and seaworthiness of the 495 are adapted for long trips.
Read Next: Nimbus T8
There is room for both an owner’s cabin amidships and a large VIP cabin in the bow, plus a third guest cabin to starboard.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
Another choice boat buyers may consider is the Prestige F4.9 (49-feet-10-inches-by-14-feet-9-inches at 19,500 pounds loaded). With its larger flying bridge but smaller, 343-gallon fuel tank, it features three staterooms. Also powered by twin Volvo Penta IPS 650s, it should deliver similar performance. The Nimbus stands alone in possession of its angular and purposeful Scandinavian lines.
The 495 Flybridge costs from $1.83 million with standard equipment. Despite the size and innovative thinking, Nimbus design director Joacim Gustavsson has managed to carry on the legacy of Nimbus’ founder. The challenge has been to accommodate crew members with comfort and luxury and at the same time maximize deck space. With this 495 Flybridge, Nimbus shows how it’s done.
Excellent fit and finish is found throughout the 495.
Courtesy Nimbus Boats
How We Tested
- Engines: Twin 480 hp Volvo Penta D6 diesels
- Drive/Prop: IPS/ T-4 Nibral IPS propsets
- Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 360 gal, Water on Board: 110 gal. Crew Weight: 1,800 lb.
- Standing height everywhere, and the layout provides a fantastic transition between interior and exterior.
- Easy to handle with Volvo Penta IPS and Dynamic Positioning System
- “Best in Class” range thanks to large fuel tanks (plus large water and waste tanks).
- Flybridge is smaller than that aboard similar boats.
- No galley or grill on the aft deck.
Nimbus 495 Flybridge Certified Test Results
Boating Magazine
Contact Nimbus
Nimbus Yachts – Edgewater, Florida; nimbus.se
The post Boat Test: 2025 Nimbus 495 Flybridge appeared first on Boating Mag.