Nimbus 495 Flybridge: the private island of one’s dreams

The standard of long-distance cruising has undergone a revolution, raising the bar like never before, and for this we have the new explorer yacht Nimbus 495 Flybridge to thank.

Presented a few weeks ago on the magnificent island of Donso, Sweden, the Swedish shipyard’s new flagship certainly struck a chord, taking the owner/navigator experience to a whole new level.

This yacht is not just a boat, but a real ‘voyager’, designed to offer unique experiences and uncompromising adventures, whether in the warm Mediterranean or the cold Nordic countries. This is precisely the keystone of the new Nimbus-branded jewel: to offer a boat that is not simply a means of transport (as is widely used in these archipelagos for travel, work, school or simply going shopping) but, instead, to offer the owner a private island where he can spend quality time in comfort, safety and sophistication.

Only (very) beautiful it is not, Nimbus 495 Flybridge is also high-performance, the hull conceived and designed for long voyages has a powerful bow that clears waves and deflects spray, and a high freeboard, which protects and ensures safety even during the roughest marine weather conditions.

‘A boat that works very well in the North Sea archipelagoes, works everywhere’.

The history of the Swedish shipyard, which has been in business since 1968, carries with it the common thread that directly links the new Nimbus 495 Flybridge with traditional Viking boats and the fine art of Scandinavian construction. The craftsmanship and precision of the Viking hulls, unsurpassed in terms of efficiency and safety at sea, naturally evolved into boats with a stern that rotates upwards, assuming the shape we know today. And you know, what is simple and natural is very often the right thing at sea.

The exterior: distinctive Scandinavian design

The Nimbus 495 Flybridge immediately stands out for its imposing and functional design: aft we are greeted by a large swim platform, equipped with retractable steps, which serves as a large beach club with three capacious peaks, and lowering below the water level, facilitates the accommodation and launching of a tender. Two large spaces then take up space on the transom, to the left is a locker and to the right, if required, an outside kitchen with grill and sink can be installed.

A small step to starboard provides access to the outdoor dinette with a large L-shaped sofa and opening table. The rear part protected by an electrically operated tilting window is able to open fully in case of high temperatures, or vice versa, the sides can be closed with tarpaulins to protect the entire outside environment in case of bad weather.

This area then completely accommodates, on one side the galley peninsula, and on the other the staircase leading to the flybridge. It is really difficult to find on any boat a ladder that is safe and wide enough to climb up and down from the upper deck with ease. On this explorer Nimbus has done an extraordinary job: it is incredible how on a 15-metre yacht there is such a wide and well thought-out staircase, which allows guests to move between the decks with ease and safety thanks to the very wide and well-spaced steps, a riser appropriate for a person of average height and handrails that you can hold on to anywhere. And I’ll tell you something else: it is the only staircase I have found on boats of this size (and even larger) where you can also descend from the front without having to turn around to reach the lower deck safely.

The kitchen is well equipped (sink, hotplate, oven, fridge and control panel) and is located opposite the outside dinette, making it ideal as a bar cabinet as it connects the outside area to the inside lounge. Here, too, an electric glass panel lowers and allows conviviality between the spaces. Another very special feature, which I really appreciated at berthing, is the positioning of curved windows at the two aft corners of the saloon, guaranteeing total all-round visibility and giving the spaces a chic touch.

The interior saloon is cosy, with a large U-shaped sofa set against the starboard sofa, allowing around eight people to dine or socialise around the opening central table. The window behind the sofa also folds down electrically, opening up virtually the entire space, and a retractable television stands out to the left of the galley.

Towards the aft, to the left, we find another L-shaped settee with chaise longue facing forward and, to the right, the captain’s station, with a bridge and opening glass door giving immediate access to the wide starboard side decks. This entire area is characterised by a huge, reverse-tilt windscreen and, thanks to the slightly set-back flybridge, a large sunroof which, together with the side windows and tailgate, eliminates the barriers between interior and exterior. This design allows the boat to transform from a traditional motor yacht to an open yacht, making it ideal for warmer climates.

To get to the bow, the two passages can be used: the one to starboard is wide, with only a couple of steps, and features a high freeboard and sturdy handrails that ensure safety and protection, even in complicated sailings. On the port side, a narrower, flush passage allows us to return towards the stern. Then, at the command post door, there is a side opening in the hull that allows passengers to get on and off, with a concealed door in the broadside and a beautiful mirrored detail in the edge, branded Nimbus.

The bow area of the boat offers a large area dedicated to relaxation, with a sundeck able to accommodate 3-4 people, backrests that can be raised to create two enormous chaise longues and two opposing sofas, perfect for aperitifs or moments of leisure. A large awning supported by carbon poles can then shade the whole area.

The upper deck then gives the guests of the Nimbus 495 Flybridge additional open air space and another helm station, perfectly centred with the hull with, of course, total visibility of the boat, including the stern (if the drop hatch is left open). In addition to the helm station we find another armchair facing forward, a large relaxation area and a dinette with table.

The interior: the simplicity of luxury

Stepping aboard the Nimbus 495 Flybridge, the attention to detail and quality of materials is immediately evident. Comfort and functionality are the two watchwords that best represent the ambience of this explorer yacht.

Five steps between the helm station and the settee in the saloon lead us to the cabins: just downstairs we find a bathroom with a separate shower, which serves the two guest cabins and is also used as a day toilet. The starboard cabin has two single bunk beds, which can also be converted into an office/study.

The forward VIP cabin features a queen-size centre bed and ample stowage space, television and side windows. The Master Cabin, located amidships and equipped with separate en suite facilities, utilises the vessel’s full beam to create an airy and luxurious environment. The king-size bed is centrally located and has side tables, a long sofa to the left and another smaller sofa with desk to the right. The heights on the bed are higher than normal, allowing you to sit or stand slightly lower just to reach the port side, thanks to the steps that modulate the space inside.

The seaworthiness of the Nimbus 495 Flybridge

From a 15-metre boat, over 4 metres wide, one would expect average performance and seaworthiness, designed for long cruises and little else. Everything is different on the Nimbus 495 Flybridge: the characteristic two-stepped redan hull has struck again.

Thanks to the conformation of the boat, the very careful weight distribution (positioned as low as possible) to counterbalance the weight of the Flybridge, and the classic characteristics of Scandinavian coupé boats (built to tackle the most demanding seas with low fuel consumption), the Nimbus 495 Flybridge stands out from all other explorer yachts in the segment.

It is equipped with two Volvo Penta IPS650 engines that give this boat a cruising speed of between 20 and 24 knots, and a top speed of 29/30 knots. Autonomy is ensured by a 1,700-litre fuel tank and 400-watt solar panels that recharge the battery pack.

Navigation equipment includes the Volvo Penta Glass Cockpit system with two 12-inch MFD plotter displays and a third display on the flybridge, interceptor with auto trim list, proportional bow and stern thrusters, and an assisted docking system. A hydraulic swim platform and a stern anchor winch with Quick remote control complete the equipment.

In navigation, the Nimbus 495 Flybridge is truly capable of surprising, visibility from the helm seat is perfect, the height of the bow, the bulwarks and the helm station is excellent so that there are no visual obstructions when driving and especially when turning (which is not taken for granted).

I tested this explorer yacht in two very different conditions during the presentation days: on the first day with flat seas but during a somewhat complex route in the Gothenburg archipelago, with narrow passages and shallow waters, characterised by cross currents that hardly affected the boat’s trajectory. On the second day, however, I tried this Nimbus in much worse conditions: around two and a half metres of wave and strong wind gusts.

In both cases it proved to be amazing, very little roll in transverse waves of over two metres, excellent fuel range and a fluidity of navigation that is rare. I had already realised with the calm sea that this boat really hid some very good navigation skills, not even the crossing in a tack with our own waves at 23 knots had broken her, and the gusts of wind the following day, with waves that (if we slowed down) almost passed over the bow, also did little to break her.

Another aspect that really impressed me was how easy it is to moor a boat of this tonnage thanks to the Volvo Penta joystick and Garmin’s Surround View system, to which we devoted an entire article, explaining them in detail. Mooring the Nimbus 495 Flybridge is almost easier than docking a small single-engine boat, thanks to the high level of technology available, which compares the dockside experience very much to parking a car.

Conclusions

The Nimbus 495 Flybridge is much more than a boat: it is designed to be an island of comfort, autonomy and versatility in its own right, capable of satisfying the needs of experienced explorers and those who want an uncompromising cruising experience.

The outstanding and impressive work of the Swedish Shipyard can be savoured with the eyes for the great design project, with the touch for the quality and refinement of the materials, and with the whole body to feel on one’s skin that feeling of freedom in the middle of the sea, exploring new boundaries or simply carving out an oasis of peace ‘behind the house’.

With its innovative design, optimised spaces and high-performance performance, this explorer yacht is a perfect mix of the best qualities of Nimbus yachts, combining the seaworthiness, versatility and comfort of a Commuter series with the large spaces of the Coupe series, resulting in my opinion in a prototype of a C15 (which does not exist) equipped with a Flybridge and with the interior of a Coupe.

Awaiting its official debut at the Cannes Boat Show, the Nimbus 495 Flybridge is preparing to conquer the international market, carrying on the legacy of the Scandinavian nautical tradition and opening up new avenues in the world of long-range exploration, promising to be a landmark in the world of yachting.

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