In recent years Scandinavian design has taken the boating market in America by storm, but the name Nimbus is hardly a new one. In fact, these Swedish mariners have been building boats going all the way back to 1968—and when you see the Nimbus 305 Coupe, you’ll discover that they know a thing or two about how to build a boat over there in Viking-land.
Despite being both advanced and rugged it’s not even the build that’s the main story with this boat. Yes, it’s vacuum infused with a Divinycell core. And yes, you’ll find polished stainless steel, safety-glass windows, Simrad electronics systems, and varnished mahogany. But the design is what really sets this boat apart from the pack. It’s exceptionally functional yet comfortable, laid out in an asymmetrical form. The starboard sidedeck is especially wide, making it easy to move fore and aft even from the helm via a sliding side door. The port sidedeck, on the other hand, is quite svelte, allowing access when needed for docking but minimizing its impact on the cabin’s interior space. Net result? You get easy transit from bow to stern without giving up gobs of interior volume.
Hull design is quite unusual, too, with upper chines above hard chines that surround concave cross sections. At the center of gravity the deadrise is 21.5 degrees to smooth out the ride, and towards the transom the hull flattens out and tapers up, reducing resistance and draft. Nimbus calls it their “Smart Speed” hull. Its intention isn’t to go as fast as possible, but rather to provide as comfortable and efficient a cruise as possible through a wider range of speeds. In this case, that range is from idle clear up to 25 mph. Equipped with a Volvo Penta D3-220, at 20 mph the boat’s burning just a hair over eight gph to get well over two and a half mpg. Many boats topping 33 feet and 9000 pounds can’t manage to get north of one mpg at similar speeds. And note that cruising at a trawler-like eight to 10 mph speeds, the Nimbus turns in better-than-trawler results with five to six mpg. Smart? Youbetcha.
So: the creative Swedish design team at Nimbus gets you the easy passage of an extra-wide sidedeck, the performance of a cruiser, and the economy of a trawler. But what about inside of the boat? The cockpit features open outdoor space with a large L-lounge wrapping the transom and port side around a cocktail table, and there’s a transom gate to the swim platform to starboard. The platform itself has plenty of space plus a raised-rail swim ladder on the center, rather than one of those flimsy fold-away ladders that aren’t incredibly easy to navigate when you’re climbing up out of the water. The hard top extends far aft to shade the cockpit, and there’s additional outdoor relaxation space to be found on the foredeck sun cushions.
Inside the upper cabin a dinette sits to port and the helm is to starboard with a galley behind it. The entire area is bathed in natural light thanks to a huge overhead skylight and an opening sunroof forward. Down below there are two staterooms; the forward can be fitted out with a V-berth or a queen, and the mid-cabin houses a double-berth plus stowage. The head demonstrates more creative thinking, with a sink forward and a separate head/shower compartment that closes off via a rotating door for showering.
For a 33-foot boat you’ll find that the 305 Coupe is surprisingly well equipped with a collection of items that many would call critical cruising gear, but few builders provide. There’s a first aid kit, a tool kit, and even cutlery for the galley. And that’s on top of big-ticket standard features like the bow thruster and mahogany interior.
Add it all up and you get a coupe that has a lot more to offer than your run-of-the-mill 30-something cruiser. When you consider how long those Scandinavians have been building boats, it’s no wonder that they’ve become pretty darn good at it—and that they’ve stormed onto the scene in America’s waterways.
By Lenny Rudow
Nimbus 305 Coupe Specifications:
LOA: 33’0”
Beam: 10’7”
Draft (max.): 3’0”
Displacement (approx.): 9040 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 66 gal.
Water Capacity: 40 gal.
Max HP: 220
Local Dealer: Seattle Yachts in Annapolis, MD. (410) 397-7323 or seattleyachts.com