Unveiling the Iliad Catamarans 53F

Twin 550 hp Cummins diesels give the 53F a top speed of 24 knots and a 2,500-nautical-mile range. Courtesy Iliad Catamarans

The Iliad Catamarans 53F is a flybridge version of the 53-foot sedan and electric models the builder offers. This is the smallest length overall in Iliad’s range, which extends to 75 feet, but the 53F’s additional flybridge deck and 25-foot beam allow for the kind of guest spaces and customizations that luxury catamaran owners have come to expect.

Up top, the 53F’s helm is on centerline, with a bench seat and an adjacent lounge for guests. Abaft that is space for more loungers, or a bar with a Kenyon grill, sink, refrigerator and stowage, all enclosed in cabinetry. The flybridge is open aft for freestanding lounges, chairs or an optional winch for a second tender—in addition to the 1,000-pound tender that can stow on the hydraulic swim platform.

The salon offers nearly 360-degree views and has a decor of light woods, textured bulkheads and leather. Courtesy Iliad Catamarans

In fact, beyond the superstructure, almost any customization is possible. The first 53F, sold to a Miami resident, has a three-stateroom layout for family cruises in the islands. The en suite owner’s stateroom fills the starboard hull and has a privacy door, oversize queen berth, hanging closets, a vanity/desk and a lounge. En suite guest spaces are in the portside hull: one stateroom with a double berth and an adjacent single berth, ideal for a child, and another stateroom with twin berths.

A washer-dryer is tucked into a cabinet near the guest staterooms. There’s enough space in the bow to add optional crew quarters, though most US buyers will be owner-operators.

Decor can also be personalized. The 53F I was aboard had light wood and upholstery, textured bulkheads with leather inserts, stainless-steel hardware trim, and cream-colored carpeting in the salon. There is nearly 360 degrees of glass for an open-air sensibility, and electric blinds for privacy.

The power cat’s hydraulic swim platform accommodates a 1,000-pound tender. Courtesy Iliad Catamarans

It’s one step up to the lounge and protected lower helm, which has a bench seat. (Captain’s chairs are optional.) The center window opens out, facilitating communication with guests or crew on the bow. The dash is ergonomically raised, with two Raymarine or Garmin screens, a bow thruster, a Fusion sound system, SeaStar hydraulic steering and Mercury VesselView.

Sliding stainless-steel doors lead out to the aft deck, which has a Flexiteek sole, a U-shaped cooking station to port, and a teak dining table for six.

Forward at the bow, there’s another guest relaxation area, this one with a C-shaped sun pad with backrests. This space can be shaded.

The lower helm is offered with two Raymarine or Garmin displays and Mercury VesselView. Courtesy Iliad Catamarans

Twin 440 hp Yanmar or Volvo Penta engines are available. This hull had twin 550 hp Cummins diesels, which reportedly produce a top speed of 24 knots, with a cruise speed of 6 to 8 knots for a 2,500-nautical-mile range with less than a 0.5 mpg fuel burn. The fuel tanks hold 924 gallons and are centrally positioned to provide balance. Hydrotab interceptors trim and control the power cat, while Victron 24-volt lithium house batteries are standard to power hotel loads overnight with recharging via 1,600 watts of solar panels. A 17.5 kW Onan generator provides additional power when needed.

For long-range cruising, the 53F has a 211-gallon freshwater capacity, a watermaker, 66-gallon gray- and blackwater tanks, as well as 65,000 Btu air conditioning for tropical conditions.

Iliad Catamarans launched its first yacht in 2019. The company continues to learn and grow, with the 53F serving as a great example of how far cruising power-cat design has come.  

The 53F’s additional flybridge deck and 25-foot beam allow for the kind of guest spaces and customizations that luxury catamaran owners have come to expect. Courtesy Iliad Catamarans Smart Bet

Sales broker David Huffman at Atlantic Yacht and Ship is the Iliad Catamarans representative for the United States and Bahamas. A power-cat fan, he first met with Iliad at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. “I recognized it would be the perfect brand for the US market,” Huffman says. Five hulls of the 53F are on order as of this writing.

Built to Cruise

Iliad’s 53F is designed and built as a power cat. It is not a converted sailing catamaran. Construction is GRP with a dense PVC core and infused vinylester resin lamination. Tanks are high-grade aluminum. The engine rooms are accessed via a main-deck hatch, and fuel tanks are accessible beneath a stateroom sole. Build time is about nine months. 

Variation on a Theme

In addition to the 53F, Iliad offers a sedan version (53S), which could be a good choice for boaters with bridge-clearance challenges. There is also the 53E, a vessel with an e-Motion hybrid propulsion system.

High and Dry

The 53F’s high freeboard and bridge clearance make it a dry ride. The boat can be beached thanks to its 4-foot-1-inch draft and grounding skegs, which extend below the propellers and keel.

Take the next step: iliadcatamarans.com

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