Inside a €1.4m go-anywhere Dutch steel boat | Linssen GS550 Variotop yacht tour | MBY 

I wish the obsession with dining areas would trend out. Same with obtrusive galleys. On big boats it doesn't make sense because crew prep is right in your face. Doesn't make sense on small boats because too much precious space is devoted to relatively short and only periodic activity. Wannabe celebrity chefs can do their bit at home. Comfort, sociability, all that's required of a salon. Saw 60ish foot the other day with 3 (!) cooking/prep areas. Fish station with grill aft, the proper galley and a fly bridge grill. Refrigerators all over the damn place. Hardly room to move around unless the sole reason for being out is to cook in front of your guests wherever they be seated and then spend an hour cleaning up. It's insane, rant over lol.

Whilst I agree that two dining areas are not necessary and just a small coffee type table for the lounging area would be better, having a proper galley is an essential in my opinion, I live on my boat for extended periods during the summer months and the ability to cook a full English roast dinner with all the trimmings on a Sunday or prepare and cook fantastic curries or Mexican dishes with friends in attractive and secluded anchorages, surrounded by nature and wildlife, is one of the greatest pleasures of boat cruising………..obviously some fine French or Italian wines to sup and drink help as well……..😊 Sometimes we even bake bread as there’s nothing finer than a warm freshly baked French style baguette filled with some of the left-over meat from the previous days Roast with some fresh mayonnaise for lunch…………I’m getting hungry thinking about it!

@@hr35rasmus Quite right. I certainly see the need and desire to cook on board and how wonderful and practical it can be. Was really ranting on the excess I see in modern design. Maybe I should have limited it to boats of a specific size or class. There's a between class that over does it in my opinion. Better said is there's a between use case that over does it. For instance, any time there is crew for meals, unless there is an out of sight galley, well, that crew is basically your experience for that trip. If you're running it yourself but not cooking or cooking only minimally then having 3 galley stations is overkill. There a so many designs I see where I think gosh I'd love a smaller galley in favor of more seating or better arrangement. Appreciate your comments.

@@johnk1529 Yes, i think we’re talking about different things, I’m talking about proper live-aboard owner-operator style boats (sub 24m), where experienced owners take their friends and families on adventures, often to places where modern facilities and conveniences are not available, the West Coast and islands of Scotland for instance (superb cruising ground BTW) or where one is in harbour in places where abundant locally grown and freshly picked produce is available, not to mention the superb local wines, like those in the Mediterranean (superb cruising ground but with better weather)……………as opposed to just weekend party boats which normally end up back in the same marina each evening, or those which need crew……..horses for courses as we say in the UK………..wishing you happy cruising in calm seas and fair winds this season……

@@hr35rasmus Yes, yes. In that case you practically live in the galley and life is centered around food and drink. As it should! Cheers.

I absolutely agree, and then I remember the Galleons exist, and are 1/2 price, 2x the size, and objectively better quality. Either way, this boat is really, really fantastic.

Well, as a pro there is also more sun there. Plus the boat is somewhat insulated with double glass. Keeping the boat 5 degree celcius colder should be doable?

The solar panels are for the on board use only. The AC, you'll need to use with the generator.

He uses the word, "copious", in every review.

@@HADJEE Just like Nick does this waving gesture in front of the mirror in every review too!

The ones I've seen on their website/company tours HAVE washer and dryer behind one of those storage-looking doors in the corridor to the aft cabin.

There is one.. I’ts in the the shower room forward..

@@tjay84 @DJ Fendel Indeed. our washer/dryer is in the front section shower compartment 'hidden' behind a door

You are correct. It even says so on the superstructure 🙂

They’ve built the variotop series since 1996.. They have proven reliability 😊

Check the Riveara range from Australia there will be a style for you

Around 11 mph!!

@@ranat5526 👍

Approx. 4 months

Yes. & Yes. You can even have spud-poles should you wish so.

well he did say yes a few times

They actually are, and have been around a LONG time.

@@dlfendel2844 i know they are a long time shipyard. I’m from the netherlands. But here they are well known. But exactly dutch builder are more famous about their megayachts like feadship, heessen, mulder, huisman, oceanco, damen shipyards etc etc….

@@Itsmeagain- Okay, it would have been more accurate to say "Best known of the Dutch builders in their category/size."

If you are on winding, relatively narrow, somewhat crowded canals and rivers you're not exactly doing speed runs anyhow. It isn't a waterski boat. And with 900nm range....getting there IS half the fun.

Boat like this is as much about the journey as the destination. Literally so, as a matter of fact. Won’t appeal to everybody, but one can admire the way the boat is designed and built even if it is not the boat you would pick, had you the choice.

8 to 12 knots is standard for any explorer-type yacht.

The Linssen motto is: "Slow down start living"