A new Cruisers Yachts model offers insight into American boating lifestyles, since the builder seeks owner and dealer feedback to shape its launches. The Cruisers 57 Fly speaks to boaters’ desires to entertain and engage with the water—for instance, by taking transom platforms and folding hullsides to the next level.
Consider the portside deck, where the entire bulwark from the cockpit to the midcabin folds out. Cruisers wasn’t the first to introduce this feature, but the builder added a cool touch by placing a pair of stools next to a sliding window that opens to the galley. A wraparound settee with a dinette across the transom provides an entertainment hub for dining, lounging or water play, all accessible from the oversize swim platform, which submerges for swimming or launching a tender weighing up to 850 pounds. A transom lounge also folds out to create a beach club.
The concept of “water interaction” is more than just splashing around. The 57 Fly also has nearly 360 degrees of salon windows, allowing guests to relax in the interior’s air conditioning while still feeling connected to the surrounding environment. This theme carries through to the staterooms, all of which have oversize windows so guests can enjoy the water views while resting in bed.
The Cruisers 57 Fly could easily be called “party central,” with four dining areas spread across two levels, all supported by two spots to cook. On the main deck, there is a dinette aft and a formal dining area in the salon. The foredeck lounge is truly versatile, converting from sun pads facing either way to bench seating or a dinette with twin tables.
The flybridge is another highlight, with its galley and an optional Texan grill measuring 2 square feet. It has a flat plancha (perfect for veggies or omelets) and a traditional grate. The bridge also includes a wraparound dinette that seats 12, with a high-low table partially shaded by the hardtop.
The salon is built for alfresco living, with triple sliding doors and all-weather boating features, including a settee and a 55-inch pop-up TV. The galley has a convection microwave, two-burner Kenyon cooktop, and four fridge drawers for a total of 12.6 cubic feet of stowage. By eliminating a full-height fridge, the Cruisers design team gave the skipper unobstructed visibility aft.
Speaking of the skipper, the helm is a thoughtfully designed, ergonomic space with twin 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays, a Volvo Penta IPS joystick and a double-wide bolstered helm seat. Two footrests—one of which flips up for standing—and a window that opens for communication with the crew are practical, thoughtful features. My favorite thing at the helm was the sleek black dashboard that curves smoothly into a wide eyebrow, effectively shielding the monitors from glare through the windshield.
The 57 Fly has a three-stateroom, two-head layout. The owner’s stateroom spans the beam amidships with a walk-around queen berth, a four-drawer bureau, and a built-in table with two settees for playing games or enjoying morning croissants. An Isotherm wine locker and a washer-dryer combo are options. The en suite head has a full-size shower with a Lucite door and seat, a Euro-style sink and faucet, and another window with blinds for privacy.
The forepeak VIP stateroom has a queen berth and an equal-size en suite that doubles as a day head. The third stateroom, across the passage, has twin berths that convert into a double.
Although the 57 Fly is designed with owner-operators in mind, there’s air-conditioned crew quarters abaft the engine room. The cabin has a single berth, a head and space for handling lines. It could also serve as a private area for a teenager, be used for stowage or act as a work area.
Power for the Cruisers 57 Fly comes from a pair of Volvo Penta IPS950 pod drives, powered by 725 hp, six-cylinder common-rail D11 diesels with twin-entry turbos. This combination provides more than enough power to push the 57 Fly past the 30-knot mark, even in the choppy Gulf Stream conditions we experienced. At a cruising speed of 25 knots, the engines sip 63 gallons per hour, giving the 57 Fly a range of about 250 nautical miles. If you’re not in a hurry, cruising at 9 knots increases the range to approximately 700 nm.
On the water, the 57 Fly is a true pleasure. Whether running up-sea or cross-sea, the yacht handles with aplomb, thanks to the standard Seakeeper 9 gyrostabilizer and the hull design by Donald Blount and Associates. Returning to the marina after our offshore excursion, the joystick with pod drives made maneuvering into tight spaces a breeze, with no white-knuckle moments. Two fingers and a twist was all it took.
Let the phrase “water interaction” become part of your boating vocabulary by experiencing the Cruisers Yachts 57 Fly.
Chef’s Delight
The lower galley has acres of stowage and can be fitted with a dishwasher. A nice touch is the Plexiglas backsplash to keep any chef uh-ohs from spilling onto the dinette upholstery. The upper cooking area has a Texan grill, a fridge and an ice maker.
A Place for Everything
The foredeck is seamanlike, with a Quick vertical windlass and 200 feet of chain tucked out of sight, a washdown in the anchor locker, and a pair of clamshell lockers on the cabin top to absorb deck gear such as fenders and dock lines.
Pedigree Design
Award-winning Miami-based yacht designer Luiz De Basto engineered the dramatic windows on the 57 Fly, as well as masterminded the decor on the boat we got aboard. The ocean-sand oak draws on his background of more than 200 boats and superyachts over 30 years.
Take the next step: cruisersyachts.com
