Boat of the Month EXTRA - Eagle 53 Pilothouse Cruiser

After running a 38ft Riviera on multiple coastal trips, Eagle Cruisers Australia principal, Michael Waugh, was looking for a more comfortable cruising vessel when he came across an American brand built in China and using quality materials, mostly imported from the USA and Italy.

With a hull designed by Ken Hankinson, and interior design and layouts by Transpacific Marine and Eagle Cruisers Australia, Waugh came up with the Eagle 53 Pilothouse Cruiser

as his answer for economical and comfortable coastal cruising.

The Eagle 53 is regarded as an ideal passagemaker for our waters and has a pleasant and economical cruise speed of around 9kts. Skipper and crew get to enjoy the journey in either a fully protected pilothouse, or up top in an open flybridge with bimini cover and amenities centre.

Built in 2007 at the Chinese northeastern port-city of Ningbo and launched in April 2008, the Eagle 53 had a one-month commissioning before the 2008 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, returning there in 2009, and has been on display in Sydney.

Eagle Cruisers Australia says it supervises a strict service and maintenance schedule to keep the Pilothouse Cruiser in immaculate condition.

Safety is assured getting around the outside of the Eagle 53 where a Portuguese bridge with wide covered walkaround sidedecks runs aft of the pilothouse on both sides of the vessel.

An internal staircase accesses the flybridge as well as a ladder from the cockpit. The flybridge houses a Sunbrella lounge, stainless steel barbecue and wetbar with fridge. The aft flybridge deck is a large area for storing tenders and other toys. Although the Eagle 53 carries its tender on clips off the duckboard, the flybridge has been strengthened for a davit (breaker and wiring to the flybridge was installed at the factory for easy davit installation if required by the new owner).

The three cabins feature teak and holly soles and a teak interior with cream-lined ceilings, which are easily removed for access to wire runs. Most drawers and cupboards are handmade from solid teak rather than veneer. The master and guest staterooms both have Australian-made queen berths, while the third cabin has two six-foot bunks. There are two heads, the master’s with separate shower stall.

The aft galley has twin sinks, twin electric hot plates, convection microwave, three fridges and one freezer. Entertainment includes LCD TVs in the saloon, pilothouse and master cabin, a surround sound system with speakers to the flybridge, and DVD players. An 11kVa Northern Lights generator also supplies onboard power to the air-conditioning and Cantalup interior cabin lights.

Skippering the Eagle 53 is assisted by a full Navman/Northstar navigation system including GPS-chartplotter, sounder, 2kW radar, autopilot, and VHF radio, while other gear includes bowthruster control, Cummins SmartCraft VesselView gauges, engineroom CCTV and Comar Class B AIS. The two helm stations running independent systems for redundancy.

With more than 3100lt of onboard fuel in twin baffled fuel tanks, the Eagle 53 is set to go the distance from her twin 355hp Cummins QSB 5.9L diesels driving 30in by 24in four-blade props through TwinDisc MG5061A transmissions. She has a long-range cruise of more than 1000nm at displacement speed (9kts) and a top speed of 17 to 18kts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Eagle 53 is presently lying at Keppel Bay Marina, Rosslyn Bay (Qld), but will be moved to Palazzo Versace Marina on the Gold Coast early in the New Year. To book an inspection or for any other enquiries contact Eagle Cruisers Australia, phone 0414 518 243 or visit www.eaglecruisers.com.au

QUICK SPECS
Eagle 53 Pilothouse Cruiser

Material: Solid glass hull below the waterline, handlaid with vinylester resin in the outer laters, lightweight high-tech coring is used above the waterline to reduce weight. Reinforcement consists of a moulded FRP grid bonded throughout the hull.
Type: Semi-displacement monohull
Length overall: 17.7m
Beam: 4.9m
Draft: 1.5m
Weight: Approx 23,500kg
Fuel: 3140lt
Water: 950lt
Holding tank: 190lt
Sleeping: Six in three cabins + plus pilothouse watch bunk
Engine: 2 x Cummins QSB 5.9L
Rated HP: 355 (each)
Gearbox (make): Twin Disc
Props: Four-blade 30in x 24in