Boat Test: 2024 Saxdor 400 GTO

Overview

For the seventh year in a row, Finland has been named the Happiest Country in the World by the World Happiness Report, and I have a theory that it’s because their population owns more boats per capita than any other country in the world not named New Zealand. From this happy place comes the Saxdor 400 GTO, courtesy of chief designer and founder Sakari ­Mattila, who also either founded or co-founded Axopar, Aquador, XO and Paragon.

Interior and Accessories

The “O” in “GTO” stands for “Open,” because the area beneath the expansive hardtop opens on three sides, while an electrically actuated canvas sunroof lets the outside in. If bad weather threatens, side curtains deploy from the support pillars of the hardtop. With the aft window flipped down and an adjacent bifold door shut, the space is fully enclosed and protected.

The 400 GTO’s signature feature is its 13-foot-long pair of sidewalls, which Saxdor calls terraces, and that drop outboard to increase deck space when the engines are off. These transform the 400 GTO into a floating oasis with a party vibe that will draw envious looks at the sandbar. The stern area feels even larger thanks to the clear transom with port and starboard clear entry doors that expand the view. There’s a pair of swim platforms, and there’s enough real estate aft to walk fully across its 11-foot-8-inch beam.

The stern sofa serves dual duty as a rear-facing lounge for two or three. Then, when those reclining want to catch some sun, the entire lounge slides rearward and the backrest lays flat. Just abaft of the twin helm seats is a quad seating group that surrounds a large, height-­adjustable teak table to form a social area. When it’s time to weigh anchor and move, the sofa behind the helm seats raises and moves back electronically. A reversible backrest is then repositioned to accommodate three people facing forward.

Engines

At the helm, single Simrad NSO 16-inch and 9-inch screens come standard, but our test boat was maxed out with the Advanced Navigation Package ($16,100), which includes two more 16-inchers, along with a Halo 20+ Simrad radar as well as a VHF radio and a transducer. Saxdor is all-in on Brunswick technology and offers generator-­free power with one or two Mastervolt lithium-­ion batteries totaling 12 kWh or 24 kWh of ­capacity for $23,100 and $40,700, respectively. These also power the electric grill and stove, along with a standard refrigerator with an option to add another. These options require an upgrade from the standard Mercury V-8 300 hp Verado outboards to 350 or 400 hp 5.7L V-10 Verados that have high-output 150-amp alternators. The ­battery-management system integrates with the Simrad displays, so amp draw and remaining capacity are easily monitored.

There’s a portside walkway, but if you are 5 feet, 10 inches or taller and are heading to the bow, duck! The hardtop is low enough to warrant a “watch your head” warning sticker. At the bow cockpit, a ­U-shaped seating group accommodates five surrounding a teak table.

Down in the cabin, most weekenders will sleep with their feet toward the bow, where headroom dwindles and the beam narrows. A walk-in head compartment offers 6 feet of headroom, and a shower, sink, and standard electric head. Tilting up the companionway steps reveals a storage space that’s convertible to an optional kid’s sleeping area ($2,140).

The Nimbus 11 Weekender—although ­lacking the forward bow seating of the ­Saxdor 400 GTO—uses this space to increase the ­primary cabin size. It has only one, ­smaller drop-down side terrace, but an optional swim platform encircles the twin outboards for extra room while at rest.

Speaking of extra room, one of the most curious features is an optional aft cabin ($10,700), which guests enter by flipping up a section of the amidships cockpit lounge to reveal a hatch that’s like a secret passage to a safe room. Three narrow windows and a tinted hatch overhead admit plenty of light, and there’s a surprising amount of sitting headroom.

The Saxdor 400 GTO was one of the ­easiest 40-plus-footers I’ve ever run. ­Between the standard automatic ZipWake interceptor trim tabs and Mercury’s Active Trim, the skipper just selects the one-throttle ­option to keep rpm even, and advances the throttle without futzing around with tabs or trim, even if guests are wandering around. I could easily keep track of traffic on a busy day on the Intracoastal Waterway thanks to the ­exceptional helm visibility through the tall windshield and nothing to hinder the view on the sides or aft. Despite the water’s surface being chaotic thanks to wakes of all sizes, the twin-stepped hull provided a smooth ride, as evidenced by the legible numbers I wrote in my notebook, even at its top speed of 52.1 mph. It jumped to plane in 4.6 seconds, with a bow rise of only 5 degrees. It hooked up well in hard turns with no blowout.

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How We Tested

• Engines: Twin Mercury 400 hp V-10 Verados
• Drive/Props: Outboard/Revolution X 16.75″ x 20″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 179 gal. Water on Board: 20 gal. Crew Weight: 1,225 lb.

High Points

• The vertical stem and narrow entry help pierce waves.
• Twin two-speed windshield wipers keep vision clear during sprinkles and downpours. 
• The standard Sleipner bow thruster interfaces with Merc’s Joystick Piloting for Outboards. 

Low Points 

• There’s no head in the aft cabin; go knock on the master cabin door when it’s time.
• The swim ladder and hot-water transom shower are on opposite sides.
• No bow-anchor scuff plate. 

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

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Source: https://www.boatingmag.com/boats/2024-saxdor-400-gto-boat-test/