Island Pilot 535 Boat Review

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Photo by: Billy Black

The split-level, all-open design — which puts the galley forward of the helm — means the cook is still part of the action in the salon. The galley has plenty of cooking, countertop and stowage space for extended cruising or living aboard. The dinette to starboard (with its own TV opposite) separates the two living areas, while also providing a spot to curl up with a good book. Just forward of the dinette is space for the optional day head or large pantry, and then the guest stateroom is in the bow. It has a walk-around queen berth, lots of stowage, tons of teak and an en suite head and shower. Just abaft the dinette is the washer/dryer cabinet and the full-beam 12-by-16-foot master stateroom. The master also has a vanity or desk, a love seat facing the bed (with a 32-inch LED TV over it), drawers, cabinets and two hanging lockers. And the large master head adds to the sense that you could comfortably liveaboard for a long time on this boat.

The flying bridge is an entertainment center in its own right, with a large U-shape settee and dining table to port, facing a wet bar and a fridge. Three seats at the helm ensure the skipper will never get lonely.



The 535’s hull has 21 degrees of deadrise at the transom to soften the ride, but a deep-V hull with as much top hamper as the 535 may roll at low speeds, hence the standard Seakeeper gyro. As I found on my test, the boat also is a bit tender if you crank the wheel all the way over at wide-open throttle; I started to do this while driving from the flybridge and I dialed back a bit because of the lean — but then you aren’t likely to try this maneuver during normal cruising situations.

“The 535 is a cruising yacht that can island-hop down the Bahamas to the Turks and Caicos, then make the short passage to the Dominican Republic and take you to the Caribbean for months of independent onboard living,” Trane said. “At the same time, she can make displacement passages in comfort and safety.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.

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Test Conditions: Speeds were measured by GPS on the Rhode River below Annapolis, Maryland, in one-foot seas with ¾ fuel, ¼ water and two people on board. Fuel consumption was calculated by the electronic engine monitoring system. Sound levels were measured at the lower helm.

RPM    Knots    GPH    dB(A)
600    5.5    2.4    64
1000    8.2    8.9    64
1500    10.4    28.2    67
2000    20.4    48.8    74
2350    27.4    69.5    76

LOA: 57’0”
BEAM: 16’9”
DRAFT: 4’0”
DISPL.: 52,500 lb.
ENGINES: 2 x 700 hp Volvo Penta IPS ll 900 diesels
FUEL: 600 gal.
WATER: 200 gal.
PRICE: $1.495 million

Island Pilot, 888-443-2965; www.islandpilot.com