Captain's Report

Mission

Galeon’s mission with the 660 Fly is to provide exciting, yet comfortable spaces for entertaining, and cater to every need an owner may have for cruising both long distance and for a short weekend jaunt. And aboard the 660, entertaining includes cruising cocktail parties, formal dining, and exotic cruising with friends and family. With three staterooms and a laundry room, the 660 has remarkable versatility. While she is easily an owner/operator yachts, she has ample crew quarters.

Most importantly, the Galeon was designed to enter the world stage of large motoryachts and impress the most demanding connoisseurs of the breed. From stem to stern, keel to mast head, she is built to the highest standards we have seen in class.

Distinguishing Features

• • Top-Quality Joinery Work. The joinery throughout the vessel is custom-yacht quality. For example, all doors are solid wood and well crafted. Inlays are perfectly done. All natural wood is used, not manufactured composites. We noticed doors closing effortlessly and rubber seals around the door jamb prevent rattling when underway.
• • Bow Thruster and Joystick. This is the best of both worlds: conventional straight-shaft drives combined with a joystick for easy docking. This boat does not have pod drives which are expensive, hard to maintain, and expensive to repair.
• • Stainless Steel Fuel and Water Tank. We rarely see stainless steel tanks on boats in class these days and is far preferable to the aluminum tanks we normally see.

Crew Quarters. The 660 Fly is a big, bright, and capable enough boat to tackle longer-term excursions and fairly large parties. To accommodate this, Galeon has supplied the 660 Fly with crew quarters that includes two berths, stove, microwave, refrigerator, head, and storage -- so that the kind of trips the boat can provide expands and value is added to your investment.

• • Hydraulic swim platform. A boat like the 660 Fly, with its constant emphasis on the display of the grandeur of the outdoors, will give everyone onboard the itch to play in the water. In that sense, the 660 Fly’s hydraulic swim platform acts as an on-deck, teak deck beach. Generously sized and able to lower into the water, it brings a great deal of utility and entertainment to the 660 Fly’s design.

• • Deluxe Galley. The galley doesn’t just offer just features, it offers space -- a vital part of creating meals for large parties and with great ease. Two long countertops (including a service island), storage for bottles, and plenty of fridge space means this galley feels more like home.

Features Inspection

Swim Platform

The Teak Beach. The aft swim platform extends 5’6” (1.68 m) off the fixed platform just ahead. Covered in teak decking, it is a large swim platform that can become a “teak beach” when at anchor since it is also hydraulic -- it can be lowered into the water and lift back up via controls on the boat. The diagonal slats in the deck of the platform allows water to more easily move through the deck when raising and lowering.

There’s a reboarding ladder with two stainless steel rails on the portside just under a stainless turn-and-lock latch. To starboard is a flush-mounted ladder; when the platform lowers, the ladder reveals, making continual access to the stern platform easy.

Moving forward from the platform, access steps to the aft deck are to port and starboard. Centerline on the transom here is a door that opens to the crew quarters. We will look at the crew quarters in more depth later.

Aft Deck

The teak-covered access stairs to the aft deck from the swim platform are to port and starboard and are guarded by a small acrylic gate framed with stainless steel. There are courtesy lights on the risers. The lighting -- both natural and man-made -- is a theme on the 660 Fly.

The starboard stairs have shore power connections in the first riser, and we’d like to see these moved to the side bulkhead to eliminate any tripping hazard.

Aft Deck

Once atop the stairs, we see the aft deck features U-shaped seating along the aft end of the space, facing forward. The seating is wrapped around a dining table supported by two stainless steel pedestals. The table is a Corian surface with a smaller footprint meant largely for cocktails and snacks and expandable for dining. The seating offers stainless steel drink holders at its corners as well.

Behind the seating space is a large sunpad, measuring 4’2” by 9’3” (1.27 m by 2.82 m) and surrounded aft, port, and starboard by 1” (2.54 cm) stainless steel rails. This makes for an interesting vantage point -- elevated above the swim platform with no obstruction to one’s view out of the back of the boat. It’s an arrangement we haven’t seen before and suspect that we will be on other models.

There is 7’ (2.13m) of overhead clearance and a skylight in the aft end of the overhead. Port and starboard stair access to the side decks have moderate risers.

Flying Bridge

Flying Bridge. The teak extends to the deck on the flying bridge. The first thing one encounters on reaching the top is the refreshment center just forward the stairs on the port side. It has a grill and sink with a faucet just under the countertop lid.

The refreshment center marks something of a dividing line in the flying bridge space, and moving forward we reach the helm and the sunpad. The dash and captain’s seat are to starboard and a forward-facing bench seat is to port.

The flying bridge dash is simpler than its main-deck counterpart, but still fully functional with a deep countertop and a console set further back. Two drink holders are on the port side of the dash countertop, and it features a 12” (30.5 cm) touchscreen display with room on the console for further instrumentation and displays.

The roadster style wheel matches the one on the main deck with the thruster and electronic throttle controls.

The captain’s and companion’s seating is simple, bench-style, and double-wide with weather-resistant upholstery. Between the two benches are two teak steps up to the large sunpad that is forward the flying bridge space. It is lined on its forward, port, and starboard sides by a stainless steel safety rail.

Much like the cockpit sunpad, the flying bridge sunpad marks the area where the overhead protection ends. In the case of the flying bridge, a skylight runs essentially the entire length of the overhead. A fabric shade can be drawn for UV and rain protection.

The aft section of the flying bridge has C-shaped dinette seating to starboard wrapped around a double-pedestal cocktail table. The seating is upholstered in the same weather-resistant material as the helm seating. Finally, along the aft edge of the flying bridge is a refreshment staging area, with ample counter space, cup holders molded-in, with a refrigerator/ice-maker just below.

Salon

On the main deck, access to the salon comes through tinted-glass sliding doors in the cockpit. The doors open double-wide, leaving a 6’5” (1.96 m) wide opening from “inside” to “outside” space. The overhead clearance on entry in the salon is 6’7” (2.01 m). The dark mahogany wood is accented by the alcantara suede upholstery on the seating and bulkheads.

The aft end of the salon has seating both to port and starboard. The starboard side seating is a sofa, 5’ (1.52 m) wide and easily seats six. The center section of the sofa can be pulled out to move port side, where it can help fill out the seating capacity of the port-side dining space.

A 49” (124.46 cm) HD TV is on an electric lift behind the sofa space and can be lowered and hidden when not in use. A small panel just aft of the TV houses the generator start and the chilled water Condaria air conditioning system controls.

The port-side dining space is a L-shaped section wrapped around a high-low double pedestal table. This table has a wood surface with a stunning inlaid compass rose design. The upholstery is ultra-leather and has a diamond-patterned double stitched design. The overheads are upholstered in alcantara suede much like the bulkheads and have LED lighting above.

The dinette upholstery matches the rear salon seating, with the bench portion facing the portside galley and the wing in the “L” shape facing forward toward the helm. The salon’s overhead decor sits just above the dining and galley area as well, with pin lighting surrounded by dark mahogany wood.

The bulkhead windows -- large and bathing the space in natural light -- continue from the aft part of the salon all the way forward, through to the galley and starboard side dining area.

Salon/Galley

The Galley. To port of the forward dining area is the ship’s galley -- larger than found in most European boats of this size. It has two central counter spaces -- the one up against the portside bulkhead, and the one separating the galley from the dining space. This counter “island” has decorative lighted panels facing out, and a bottle storage station on the aft end that can be accessed from either the galley or the dining space. The remainder of below-counter space on this island is dedicated to storage drawers and cabinets.

The upright refrigerator/freezer has a 7.8 cu. Ft. (220 L) capacity.

Access to the galley comes on the forward end of this countertop island with the galley essentially encompassing the entire portside of this section of the yacht. The bulkhead-side counter is the more functional -- dual burner electric stove, dual basin stainless steel sink and wood-covering that can act as a cutting board and has dedicated storage when removed. An item not forgotten by Galeon, but left off of many competing brands, it the electric vent over the stove.

A microwave is just under the stove and is surrounded by storage cabinets and drawers. To the aft end, outfitted in the same wood surface as the cabinets and drawers, is a large refrigerator and freezer.

Further storage is above, as well as a range vent just above the electric stove and an opening portside window. The deck in the galley is unique from the rest of the boat, with a woodgrain hardwood look separate from the carpeting and teak decks seen elsewhere on the 660 Fly.

Helm

The 660 Fly’s helm has a slightly unorthodox design -- the dash is faced by two seats for captain and mate, but the dash is designed with the seat to port to be for captain, and the starboard side for companion, placing the captain’s seat and view on a more center-line.

The helm seats are top-of-the-line with adjustment buttons on each side to electrically fine-tune the position, arm rests, and soft, comfortable upholstery. The steering wheel is a roadster style design and is naturally mounted to a tilt base. The rest of the dash has a sleek black front-facing console with bronze countertop extending toward the captain. Two 12” (30.5 cm) touchscreen readouts, as well as room for many other instrument panels, sit on the console just below A/C vents.

The bow thrusters, digital throttle, and radio console are all skewed to the portside of the dash.

On the starboard bulkhead are climate control panels and a door to electrical controls as well. There is a watertight access to to the side deck just to starboard, and the door sits just abaft of the helm seats.

The views from the helm are exceptional. The windshield is not a single-piece like in many other Galeon models, but doesn’t offer blind spots that we frequently pick on.

Fit and Finish

If there were one recurring theme on Galeon Yachts, it’s the astounding level of fit and finish. We set our captain aboard and he found no single area of poor joinery work, no caulking needed to smooth seams, nothing that was out of alignment.

But more to the point, the quality of the materials is on par with much larger yachts, and even much more expensive yachts. Apparently Galeon chooses to grow its business in volume rather than up-charging. Whatever the motivation, everywhere the eye roams on this yacht, one is deceived into thinking it is in a much larger and more expensive class. Therein lies the Galeon difference.

Lower Deck

Access to the lower deck comes via the companionway between the galley and helm with carpeted steps and a stainless-steel guiderail. At the bottom of the stairs is an “atrium” featuring access doors forward and to starboard and a decorative bulkhead to port that features angular design in white upholstery above with wood accent below. The aft end of this wall, closest to the stairs, features small wood sculptures standing inside a mirrored enclosure.

Master Stateroom

The master stateroom is accessed by a shorter set of stairs moving aft off the main lower deck atrium. It is spacious -- one can walk freely on either side of the berth, with a loveseat to starboard and storage in every unoccupied space. Storage drawers also are under the berth itself.

The headboard is a decorative piece with a backlight. Arguably the stateroom’s most vital design concept is the hullside windows, which are enormous and provide ample natural light (and come with blinds to opt for privacy instead). On the forward bulkhead is further storage, a hanging locker, and an HD TV installed facing the berth.

Doors. On either side of the berth, port and starboard, are two heavy, no-rattle solid wood doors with rubber gaskets on the door jambs. All the doors below decks are solid wood, and built to perfection. The door to port opens into a small walk-in closet/ private space.

There is a hullside window over a wood countertop -- equipped with a seat -- that lifts up to reveal a backlit vanity mirror and makeup/jewelry space. The opposite bulkhead has a mirror on storage cabinet doors just above further storage drawers below.

The door to the starboard side of the berth leads to the master head.

Master Head

The 660 Fly’s master head is one of the larger yacht heads we’ve yet seen. It has a long Corian countertop with vessel sink, a designer stainless steel faucet and fixtures, large panel lightbox fixtures for lighting, and a walk-in shower. The shower head is removable for convenience, and the stall is outfitted with an attractive accent tile design.

The shower space is ample with plenty of headroom and room to actually move around. A hullside window is on the bulkhead opposite the shower, just above the head itself. An opening portlight is right in the middle as well.

An interesting design feature is that all the opening portlights on the yacht are rectangular, not round. This requires that additional reinforcing be added to the perimeters of these openings, but the result if rather pleasing to the eye and speaks of the extra level of dedication that we’ve now come to see from the brand.

Laundry Room

Moving back up the stairs from the master stateroom, just to port and before the atrium is a door leading to a small “utility room.” Big enough to walk into and maneuver around in, it has a stacked washer/dryer, hullside window with opening portlight, countertop, and storage cabinets below. A full featured, full-sized laundry room if there ever was one.

VIP Stateroom

Moving from the utility room toward the lower deck atrium and continuing all the way forward brings us to the VIP stateroom, which is in the bow. The 660 Fly’s VIP stateroom could absolutely double as a master on many yachts. Not as spacious as the master on the 660 Fly, it offers an island berth, a private head, and ample storage.

Accessed via steps on either side, the VIP has reading lights in the headboard, hullside windows to port and starboard with opening portlights in the middle, and an overhead skylight that can be blacked out with an opening portlight on the forward end.

The VIP has storage drawers under the berth just like in the master with a mirrored set of shelves recessed into the bulkhead just above the head of the berth.

Facing aft on the starboard side shows the VIP private head access door.

VIP Head

The VIP head is a bit smaller than the master stateroom head, though it too offers head, walk-in shower, vessel sink, storage, mirror, and countertop. However, the head is in the walk-in shower compartment behind double glass doors partitioning it from the mirror, sink, and faucet.

The sink takes up most of the counter-space in the VIP stateroom, though there is some to work with on either side. A full-length mirror is on the back of the door.

Double Guest Room

Moving back aft from the VIP stateroom through the lower deck atrium brings us to the guest room door on the starboard side.

The guest room has two double berths, both on tracks that easily slide them together to create one larger berth. The room has closet storage space, reading lights, and a hullside window with opening portlight as well.

Shared Head

The final access door in the atrium leads to the shared day head. This head is nearly identical in design, features, and size to the VIP stateroom head -- walk-in shower compartment shared with the head behind two glass doors, vessel sink, stainless steel faucet and fixtures, a vanity mirror, opening portlights, and storage below.

Crew Quarters

The crew quarters, as mentioned, can be accessed from a vertically opening door way in the transom just off the rear swim platform. Two steps lead down to the space, which immediately shows storage cabinets directly ahead.

To port there are dual berths in an L-shaped configuration. Just behind them, on the aft bulkhead, is a microwave and counter space. A refrigerator is below counterspace closer to the berths. To the opposite side is a Corian countertop with sink and further storage down below.

To the starboard side there is access to a head -- an all-white insert that is solely a wet head with the faucet pulling out of the sink for a shower sprayer.

Engine Room

Engines. The 660 Fly is powered by twin V8 1200 MAN engines. The generator is a 29 kW Onan.

The engine room can be accessed via a hatch in the aft deck. There is 4’11” (1.50M) of headroom, with plenty of access around both engines -- which are 23” (58.4 cm) apart. The fuel tanks are to the outboard sides of the space with each one carrying a 462-gallon (1749L) capacity. Both are made of 316 L grade stainless steel that is 1/16” (4 mm) and tested to 5.8 psi.

Please note that we rarely see stainless steel fuel tanks in boats of this class – usually they are aluminum or fiberglass. This is obviously an important quality detail.

The fuel filters are mounted to the sides of the fuel tank, which makes them a bit unhandy. We would prefer to see them on a bracket beside each engine so they are quickly accessible. The forward bulkhead has all the electrical connections. Aft is a 29 kW Onan generator.

Bow

The bow is accessed via teak steps off from the aft deck to port and starboard with safety guiderails on either side. The stainless steel rails have opening “gates” on either side forward the foredeck lounging area that can be opened by rotating a coupler. Fully forward is the windlass with stainless steel anchor and foot controls just nearby.

The foredeck lounging area features two large sun pads, neither adjustable into chaise lounge positions, but fairly comfortable nevertheless. These loungers are complimented on their inside edges by grab rails, and split down the middle by the VIP stateroom skylight.

Performance

We have not tested the Galeon, but the folks at Galeon have had sea trials performed. Powered by twin MAN 1200-hp engines driving through ZF marine gears and a straight shaft, with a 75% fuel load, and in flat-calm conditions, they report that the top speed of the 660 was 33.1 knots WOT.

They further reported that at 2000 RPM the boat went 26.4 knots burning 79 gal. per hour, and at 1800 RPM went 22.7 knots burning 72 gph.

Option Packages

This boat comes with a number of options as well as what Galeon calls a “Comfort Pack” and a “Luxury Pack.” The “Comfort Pack” includes most major items of electronics, among other things, and the “Luxury Pack” includes the hydraulic swim platform, among other things.

We recommend both packages as then boat then becomes “turn-key,” something that not only saves money but also eliminates aftermarket hassle.

Observations

The Galeon is a remarkable 66’ (20.12 m) motoryacht, and taken in total, is a huge cut above many popular brand motoryachts we see coming out of Europe.

In short, the Galeon 660 is the real McCoy, built in the best traditions of quality yacht construction on the highest order. While it has many eye-catching features, she also is long on substance and designed for people who know a good boat when they see it and who appreciate the finer details of yacht design and construction.

Standard and Optional Features