Nimbus T11 (2022-)

Brief Summary

The Nimbus T11 was designed to maximize convertibility, storage and available space.  Examples of each of these goals can be seen throughout the T11. The "T" stands for tender and while she’d make an ideal superyacht tender, she’s much more than that.

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	40'7" 12.4 m
Beam	11'4" 3.46 m
Dry Weight	12,345 lbs. 5,600 kg
Tested Weight	14,838 lbs. 6,730.4 kg
Draft	3' .9 m
Bridge Clearance	12'3" 3.75 m
Person Capacity	12
Fuel Capacity	224.5 gallons 850 L
Water Capacity	36 gallons 135 L
Total Weight	14,838 lbs. 6,730.4 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	4.9 seconds
0 to 30	10.8 seconds
Props	17p 4 blade
Load	3 persons; 92 gal. fuel; 50 lbs. gear
Climate	86 deg.; 72 humid.; winds: 5-10; seas: 0

Engine Options

Tested Engine	2 x 300-hp Mercury Verado JPO
Opt. Power	2 x 300-hp Mercury Verado V8 2 x 350-hp Mercury Verado L6 2 x 400-hp Mercury Verado L6

Nimbus T11: More Than the Sum of Her Parts. 

Captain’s Report by Capt. Steve

Mission

Nimbus set out to create the T11 by first asking what components make for great boating experiences.  It then set out to add these features without making the boat cramped and uncomfortable.  This can immediately be seen and felt in the midship lounge area with its well-thought-out convertibility. 

With 12 forward-facing seats, she’s a qualified commuter whether across the sound to work or from the dock to the yacht. Her convertible seating also makes her a capable entertainment platform.

Major & Distinguishing Features

• Completely new 36.09’ (11-m) air lubricated stepped hull design
• Low planing threshold and sharp bow entry
• Built for speed, exceptional seaworthiness and handling
• Speed characteristics +40 knots, cruising speed 25-31 knots
• Walk-around design
• Large lounge area with flexible seating arrangements
• Large outdoor galley with optional grill, refrigerators and/or ice machine
• Optional electric sunshade on aft deck
• High-end HIFI system with optional subwoofer
• Extra-large aft stowage 660-gallon (2,500 L) for gear and toys
• Helm with seating for 3 people
• Dashboard can be fitted with double 12” (30.48 cm) plotters
• Double bed in front cabin with separate head and shower
• Mid-cabin with double bed
• Optional solar panels on T-top
• Optional sunbed and a forward-facing seat on foredeck
• Optional Joystick steering
• Optional gyroscopic stabilization
• Optional Active trim for performance
• Optional diesel generator and heating
• Zipwake auto-trim system
• Bow Thruster
• Separate shower

Performance

The Nimbus T11 has a length overall of 40' 7" (12.4 m), a beam of 11' 4" (3.46 m) and a draft of 3' (.91 m). With an empty weight of 12,345 lbs. (5,600 kg), 49% fuel and three people on board, we had an estimated test weight of 14,838 lbs. (6,730 kg).

With the twin 300-hp Mercury Verados turning 17 pitch four-blade propellers and wound up to 6000 RPM, our speed topped out at 48 mph. Best cruise came in at 4500 RPM at 28.4 mph. At that speed, the 23.8-gallon per hour fuel burn translated into 1.2 miles per gallon and a range of 241 statute miles.  All while still holding back a 10% reserve of the boat's 224.5-gallon (849.8 L) total fuel capacity.

In acceleration tests, we reached planing speed in 4.9 seconds and continued to 20 mph in 6.3 seconds. Thirty mph came and went in 10.8 and 40 in 17.4 seconds. Once at planing speed, she'll hold plane on down to 14.3 mph.

Engines/Engine Room

Our test boat was fitted with the standard twin 300-hp Mercury Verados.  Options include twin 350-hp or 400-hp Mercury Verados. 

Boat Inspection

Cockpit

The midship seating area is where Nimbus has maximized that convertibility.  It starts simply enough with everyone facing forward in two rows of seats.  This is the “cruising mode.”

Flip the seatbacks to aft-facing and we've got more of a social gathering area with the two rows of seats facing each other.  Now we have opposing seating and a comfortable conversational atmosphere.   

Release a latch and rotate the front seats to the sides and we've got C-shaped seating and alfresco dining at the expandable table.  No need to worry about tableware, Nimbus includes it plus dedicated storage drawers under the seats.   

Flip the seatbacks again and now both side seats are facing outward.  This makes it easy to enjoy the water, watch the kids swimming or just appreciate the ride from a different perspective. 

Lastly, we can convert the aft seating into a sunpad just by bringing the seatback ahead and down flat.  I’d like to see the seatback latch into extra positions to create an aft-facing chaise.  Move the seatback back into a sitting position and there’s an aft lounge and another place to relax and watch the kids swimming off the stern.  And because this is in a protected area, it can also be utilized when underway. 

If the sun gets to be too much, we can put up a sunshade ($1,588).  There are four sockets that hold stanchions and then it attaches to the trailing edge of the hardtop.  Our test boat has the Flexiteek decking throughout ($13,576).  Another option to consider, which should really be on the standards list, is aft gates ($2,259).   

Outdoor Galley

It makes no sense to have such a versatile seating area outdoors without having a refreshment area to accompany it — and Nimbus agrees.  It’s located just ahead of the seating and behind the helm seats.  It includes a sink and a space alongside that can be populated with an electric or propane grill.   Below are two storage drawers and they are soft close.  Further down, a single refrigerated drawer is standard and a second is offered as an option ($1,800).  To the sides of this whole refreshment center are a couple of thoughtful features.  First, there are lengthy grab rails to both sides and across the front.  Supports to both sides integrate tempered glass into the design so vision is not being blocked. 

Storage, storage, storage...

One of the big goals of the T11 was to maximize storage.  Aside from the tableware storage in the drawers under the convertible seats, there’s plenty more to offer.  In the center of the cockpit deck, there’s a utility room that not only includes plenty of room for storage but access to the fuel tank, the battery boxes, battery charger and a solar charger that is connected to the three 100kW panels up on the roof ($2,482).

Press a button over the galley and the aft seat comes up on an electric lift. This exposes massive storage measuring in at 6’7” (2.01 m) x 5’ (1.52 m) by 2’5” (.74 m).  That’s deep enough to hold pretty much anything you want to carry you through the whole day. To the sides, there's access to mechanical components.  This compartment is also accessible by lifting the aft sunpad. 

Bow

As we move forward through the cockpit, with the seating moved to the side of the table, the narrowest the passageway becomes is 16” (40.64 cm).  The bulwarks come up 29” (73.66 cm) and top out at 35” (88.90 cm), so there's a respectable safety factor for the families.  The T11 has a symmetrical layout so the two side decks both measure in at 16” (40.64 cm) as well.  There are two steps leading up to the bow to each side and the top steps have a stainless hinged grate.  The one to starboard lifts to expose the diesel fuel fill because we can have both a diesel generator and a diesel heater on board.  There is also a wastewater pump out and the two gasoline fuel fills.  To the port side is the freshwater fill, thankfully kept away from the fuel fills.  Both compartments have drains so that when we wash the bow area, all the water drains right into them and overboard.   

Continuing forward, the rails come up to 22” (55.88 cm).  There’s also a grab rail on top of the hardtop. At the bow there’s another social zone with a large sunpad that measures in at 56” x 52” (142.24 cm x 132.08 cm).  It’s in a fixed position and I’m always a fan of sunpads that lift into a chaise lounge position. Grab rails and beverage holders are to both sides.  Ahead of that is another lounge seat that maxes out at 45” (114.30 cm) wide.  As with the cockpit, we can also erect an optional sunshade ($2,294) in this area.  That puts the entire boat’s length under shade. 

Now, take a seat on the hatch over the ground tackle and it makes sense to add the optional bow table between the two seats.  But Nimbus didn’t just stop there.  There are also cushions that can go along the side caprails, which means we can have seating on all sides of the table.   

Cabin

The cabin is accessed from a companionway to the port side of the helm.  The entry stairs are offset from one another so be sure to step in right foot first.  Once inside there’s 5’11” (1.8 m) of overhead clearance.  There's a storage cabinet to the port hand side that even includes space for storage behind.   There's an open storage space to port of the stairs and that can be optioned out for a refrigerator.  The vessel’s electrical panel is just behind. 

Fit and Finish

Nimbus chose teak with a satin finish for the cabin and the bright tones plus the natural light make for an open and welcoming cabin.  We can get air conditioning and a diesel-fired heater ($8,812) that will also take care of hot water. 

Mid-cabin

There’s a mid-cabin behind a privacy door with a full-length mirror on the inside of the door.  The berth measures 78” by 48” (198.12 cm x 121.92 cm) and has an overhead height of 19” (48.26 cm).  There's open storage to the starboard side and to port there’s a removable panel to deep storage plus mechanical access.  Ahead of the berth, there’s a comfortable seat with a small storage cubby alongside.   

Head

Just forward is the head compartment. A boat this size usually has a wethead, but this one actually has a separate shower that shares space with the electric flush toilet and gets closed off with a curved acrylic door.  There’s a lengthy hullside window, a Corian counter with a stainless steel single basin sink underneath that.   

Forward Berth

Fully forward there's a V-berth measuring 77” by 53” (195.58 cm x 134.62 cm).   In the middle, there’s 35” (88.9 cm) to the overhead.   Opening portlights are to both sides and two more can be ordered ($1,635).  There are also lengthy hullside windows to both port and starboard.  The theme of storage continues with compartments under the berth, under the seats to both sides and behind the seats.  This berth can also be closed off with a privacy curtain.    

Operational Features

Ground Tackle

To both sides of the bow hatch are 12” (30.48 cm) cleats.  The T11 also incorporates a split bow rail design to facilitate bow in boarding.   Under the hatch is an optional Lewmar windlass ($5,635) leading to a through-the-stem anchor roller. There’s a safety chain to prevent accidental deployments.

Helm

The helm is starboard mounted.  A single 12” (30.48 cm) SIMRAD GO display is standard.  Our test boat was fitted with the optional Dual 12” (30.48 cm) SIMRAD NSO EVO3 displays.  There was also a Mercury VesselView display just below.   All electrical switches were to the left of the wheel.  To the right is the JPO joystick and the digital throttle and shift.  The steering wheel is mounted to a tilt base.  A Zipwake trim tab controller is below and to the left next to a remote control for the optional searchlight ($1,000). 

Additional features that I like are the inclusion of beverage holders over to the left-hand side, a deep cubby, a stereo remote and a molded in footrest.   There are also convenient and sturdy grab rails to both sides and defrost vents in front of the windshield.   The helm seats adjust fore and aft.  Below there’s a flip-down footrest for the two observer seats, but I'd like to see a different style because when you're in the driving position the bracket for it is right at the position where it hurts your leg.   There’s protection overhead from the standard hardtop and it has tracks around the perimeter, so all of the area underneath can be enclosed for three-season boating. 

Options to Consider

Some options to consider beyond those mentioned above include:

• Shore power: $8,141
• Water ski pole: $659
• SIMRAD radar: $3,235     

Price Range

The Nimbus T11 has a base price of $321,730.  Fully loaded, she comes in at $459,360.

Observations

Nimbus did an excellent job on the T11.  She’s built on the same hull as the Commuter 11 we reviewed previously, which also got high marks.  It seems it’s just what’s to be expected from Nimbus and that seems to suit them just fine.