One of the emerging trends in the US is the popularity of European explorer-type boats, such as Axopar. Brunswick, maker of Mercury outboards, is all in with a new boat brand called Navan. Built to be an all-purpose adventure boat, the S30 model we tested is the more-open model of its two-boat lineup. Unlike its counterpart, the C30, which has an enclosed pilothouse that will be right at home in places like Sweden, Finland, and in the US Northwest and Great Lakes, the S30, with its more open design, is made for fun-in-the-sun places such as the South of France and Miami Beach. The cockpit layout features twin forward-facing, high-back bench seats with a large expanse of open area between them. A clever innovation is that the forward bench tumbles rearward to reveal the Exterior Preparation Center, aka the alfresco galley, complete with a 12-volt electric grill with an inverter system, a tub for ice, and a sink with a spigot. In this position, the forward bench now faces the rear one to form a social zone for guests waiting to be served their shish kabobs.
Our test boat was loaded with options, like the hardtop with four overhead smoked-glass windows and rocket-launcher rod holders. It also had a RELiON lithium-ion battery bank that replaces the generator for duties like air-conditioning the cabin, which has a berth for overnighting. A yacht-style stand-up head compartment also includes a shower, sink and vanity. Up front, there’s a raised doublewide sun lounger with twin flip-up backrests for comfort.
The Navan S30 features Brunswick’s first patented twin-step T-Step Hull, which helps it attain impressive handling and outstanding performance when paired with twin Mercury 4.6L V-8 300 hp Verado outboards, this boat’s maximum power option. Despite being more than 33 feet length overall with a 9-foot-10-inch beam and weighing 8,010 pounds, it shot on plane in 4 seconds, reached 30 mph in 7.1 seconds, and had a top speed of 57.1 mph. Maybe even more impressive was its fuel economy of 1.6 mpg at a cruise speed of 30 mph.
High Points
- Extra-long swim platformettes on the stern provide easy entrances into the cockpit.
- CZone digital switching makes controlling systems easy.
- No fumes; a RELiON battery system is in lieu of a generator.
- Fast, efficient twin-step T-Step Hull design.
How We Tested
- Engines: Twin Mercury V-8 4.6L 300 hp Verado outboards
- Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Rev 4 14.6″ x 21″ 4-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 85 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $398,375 (as tested) |
| LOA: | 31’1″ |
| Beam: | 9’10” |
| Draft: | 3’1″ (motor down) |
| Dry Weight: | 8,010 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | Yacht Certified |
| Fuel Capacity: | 105 gal. |
NAVAN – Zarnowo Drugie, Poland; navan-boats.com
