Nimbus 495 Flybridge (2024-)

Brief Summary

FIRST LOOK: The NEW Nimbus 495 Flybridge!

With the 495 Flybridge, Nimbus has officially stepped into the explorer segment and created a true "voyager" - a vessel for epic experiences and long-distance exploration. The 495 Flybridge defines new boundaries for possible experiences and establishes a new standard that makes the Nordic coupé boat relevant on the international market, above all in the Mediterranean, in the USA and in the Nordics.

Specifications

Length Overall	49' 7" 15 m
Beam	14' 9" 4.6 m
Dry Weight	38,720 lbs 17,600 kg
Draft	3' 9" 1.2 m
Fuel Capacity	449 gal 1700 L
Water Capacity	137 gal 520 L

COURTESY OF SEATTLE YACHTS

Nimbus Boats, the Swedish boat builder, is a growing presence in North America, with cruising and day boating models that fit squarely in the recreational leisure market. Some of their larger models, particularly the 365 and 405 Coupes, have already shown they are capable cruising boats well suited for coastal and inland waters. We recently followed the Great Loop adventures of one couple who completed their Loop on a 405 Coupe, which proved a perfect choice for the trip.

Now the company has announced a larger version of its coupe line, the 495 Flybridge. This new yacht raises the bar in both size and mission statement for the Nimbus line and is intended to provide a great cruising platform for couples and families looking to explore over greater distances and for longer periods of time.

What is interesting about the genesis of the new Nimbus 495 Flybridge is that it clearly embraces the designers’ acknowledgment that many of today’s boaters are motivated differently than in the past. These boaters choose to experience the world on their terms and are not looking for a boat just as a distraction on the weekend. They want to stay out longer, go farther, and be comfortably off the grid instead of tied to a dock. The increased fuel, water, and holding tanks on the new 495 Flybridge aim to satisfy these goals. Hence why the company calls this new model, The Voyager.

Nimbus Boats already showcases great boat design with a strong Scandinavian flair, and this new yacht continues to incorporate those design elements fundamental to the Nimbus brand. Many find the Swedish boats feel very comfortable and luxurious without being flashy. The 495 Flybridge promises to be all that and more, in a cruising yacht that will take its place among other great coastal cruising choices.

Design

The new 495 Flybridge is refreshingly modern looking and will appeal to contemporary and traditional boaters seeking timeless styling that stands apart from the crowd. 

With a displacement of almost 40,000 lbs., the new 50-foot Nimbus 495 Flybridge is no lightweight cruiser with big engines, but a well-thought-out cruiser that should appeal to those looking for a more substantial yacht that can take them safely up to Alaska, up and down the East and West Coasts, and all through the islands for extended periods. The Great Loop in all its many variations? No problem!

The new yacht takes all the company has learned from its smaller models and enlarges the envelope to provide more spacious accommodations, more storage, and with a flybridge. From the renderings and specs recently announced, it is clear the new Nimbus flagship will bring big boat cruising credentials to a line of boats already making a strong statement in the American market.

The Nimbus designers initially expected most people wanted to cruise a boat of this size in the 14 to 16-knot range, which would be easily accomplished with traditional shaft drive propulsion systems. But they also understand that today’s buyers want to have easy-to-use confidence when it comes to boat handling. And nothing comes closer to that goal than Volvo’s IPS pod drives, complete with joystick controls.  

Toward that end, the new Nimbus design takes advantage of Volvo’s IPS propulsion drives, mated to D6 Volvo diesel engines for the ultimate in handling, as well as an efficient cruising speed of 20-24 knots. With the standard fuel capacity of 450 gallons, the boat will have respectable range at speed, and considerably longer range when owners choose to slow down the pace.

In addition to superb close quarter maneuverability via the included joystick, the IPS configuration puts the propulsion systems in the stern of the boat, which really opens the interior of the hull for a more roomy layout than is possible with normal shaft drive systems. At the same time, it provides for future incorporation of hybrid propulsion as it becomes available.

Boat Inspection

The standard Volvo IPS 650 D6 engines share the stern engine space with gyrostabilizer, HVAC comfort systems, electrical system and batteries, and diesel generator, with good access to all these important systems. The boat’s tanks are located just forward of the engine space, so accommodations are some distance from engine noise and vibration.

The boat comes with diesel generator, bow thruster, lithium ion house batteries, 400-watt solar panels, two 12-inch helm displays, electric galley appliances, chilled water air conditioning for saloon and forward accommodations, and an audio system with speakers in saloon and aft cockpit. The boat is also fitted with Volvo Interceptor trim tabs.

The 495 Flybridge has two large staterooms and a smaller third space that can be configured as either an office or an additional cabin with bunk beds. The master stateroom is midships and uses the full width of the middle of the boat for the most room, least motion, while maximizing storage. The master stateroom has a full ensuite head with a separate shower that will prove ideal for those who value privacy and comfort.

The forward VIP stateroom includes an island berth, practical storage outboard, and, when the third space is configured as an office, the VIP stateroom will also have an ensuite head that is every bit as luxurious as the master head.

Interior Option #1 with 3 cabins

Interior Option #2 with 2 cabins

Saloon

As expected, the saloon is in the center of the boat, with easy access from the aft cockpit. One steps into the galley area from the cockpit, and, like many cruising motoryachts, the combined galley/saloon/helm is central to social activity on the boat. There is a U-shaped settee, adjustable table, and large windows all around, situated between the galley and the lower helm station. A large, sliding door opens from the inside helm out to the starboard side deck. A side gate opens in the starboard hull bulwark, right across from the helm station. It will make quick work of getting on and off the boat at a dock.

The saloon is not overly large on the 495 Flybridge, but enough for its intended purpose for dining, meeting crew to plan the day’s activities, or as the social center when the weather turns wet or cool enough to keep everyone out of the protected cockpit. The saloon’s size is dictated by the designer's desire to provide as large a foredeck as possible on this flagship Nimbus. The foredeck is aimed at those who want to be out in the sun and lounge in the unobstructed open air where there is a nice breeze at anchor or on a mooring. The foredeck area can be readily covered by a large awning when people want to take advantage of the breeze at anchor but shield themselves when the sun is too warm.

Main Deck Layout

Overhead electric sunroof panels add additional ventilation and openness to the windows and opening doors of the saloon and helm area. Unlike so many cruising yachts with fixed windows and ports, the cross-ventilation potential of the 495 Flybridge will bring a breath of fresh air when sitting at anchor in a quiet anchorage. And the natural light coming in from the many windows in the hull and saloon will contribute to that sense of sanctuary that Nimbus designers had in mind.

Joachim Gustafson, Nimbus Chief Designer described the intent. “One of the key properties of the boat’s design is that it is just as easy and forgiving to handle for two people in a demanding Nordic archipelago as it is comfortable and safe for a family who want to head off on a long voyage of discovery in the Mediterranean or the East Coast of the USA. That is why we have also referred to the boat as ‘an island of its own’ in the development work.”

The Nimbus trademark of wide, starboard-side decks proves ideal for most boat handling chores, from coming into a fuel dock, or alongside piers and docks in marinas, and is exceptionally helpful for short-handed crew transiting locks in canal systems. And the side deck offers safe access to the foredeck for anchor or mooring duties and extends all the way aft to the cockpit.

The aft cockpit contains a protected settee and table for lounging space, even under way. Some may choose to spend their time in the cockpit, while others may want to enjoy the view from up on the flybridge.

Steps in the aft cockpit lead up to the boat’s flybridge through the overhead boat deck, which nicely covers the aft cockpit from sun and weather. The flybridge is roomy for a boat just under 50 feet overall and includes a large settee for guests to relax at anchor or under way. The flybridge settee is complete with a partial wet bar inside an adjustable table.

The helm chair sits right behind a large control panel complete with all the engine and ship’s instruments and gauges on flat panel displays so that the captain can run the boat and stay fully informed and situationally aware. There is a matching chair next to the helm for a passenger to assist in navigation duties.

A fixed arch over the aft end of the flybridge complements the well-proportioned profile of the boat and is a good place to mount antennas, lights, and other electronics above the heads of everyone on the flybridge.

The boat comes standard with a fixed swim platform, although the concept drawings include a hydraulically operated swim platform that may add great utility for all water activities, especially when cruising with children.

It will be very exciting to go aboard the new Nimbus 495 Flybridge when it comes to our shores. The boat has a thoroughly modern look and brings a fresh take on large cruising yachts with the proven characteristics of the Nimbus brand. It will surely be a must-see on any cruiser’s short list, as they plan the next voyage of experience and discovery on their own boat. While it may not be the choice for those spending months in high latitudes, it certainly fits the needs of many cruising couples who want to see the world…without necessarily dropping out of it.

The new Nimbus 495 Flybridge. Contact your Seattle Yachts dealer for the latest information and further developments on this exciting new yacht.