Galeon 560 Fly
Galeon realized a long time ago that space is at a premium. The Gdansk, Poland-based builder has made a name for itself over the years by utilizing inventive ways to make every inch of their models usable. The builder was one of the first in its market space to make good use of modular furniture, and it was also at the vanguard of the fold-out terrace movement that has become all but de rigueur for mid-sized motoryachts and dayboats. With the 560 Fly, which debuted at the 2023 Miami International Boat Show, Galeon carries on the tradition, creating a versatile, slickly laid out cruiser that makes excellent use of smart design.
The 560 Fly is, first and foremost, a muscular-looking boat. Its profile is decidedly burly, with a dark-tinted wraparound visor stretching nearly completely around a stubborn hump of a superstructure. Further glazing along the hullsides does help elongate the profile, but any stabs at sleekness are offset by a rather pugnacious bow that is not quite plumb, but close to it.
Onboard, the model’s salon is a highpoint benefiting from Galeon’s Beach Mode setup. With terraces to port and starboard unfurled, the main deck space is nothing short of expansive. Normally, the beam is 15-foot, 10-inch but with Beach Mode activated, the yacht is 22 feet wide—just one foot narrower than the towering new Viking 90 that greeted showgoers as they walked through the main gates. The 560 Fly struck me as a very Miami boat, one that could host large, multi-generational families with ease.
The portside terrace has two barstools that utilize the outer counter of the aft galley to create an intimate place for a sundowner. That galley is well-equipped for a crowd with a four-burner Kenyon cooktop, ample counterspace for food prep, and a 6-foottall Isotherm refrigerator and freezer combo.
The starboard-side terrace has convertible seating that can face to port or starboard depending on which way a seatback is pushed. A fold-out table opens to starboard creating a partially alfresco breakfast nook. Each terrace has glazing that effectively creates a glass sole. At night with the underwater lights flicked on, both the bar and the breakfast nook become the best seat in the house, as hungry wildlife swims in to check out the illumination.
Down below, the 560 has a three-stateroom layout with an amidships master that stands out for the evident attention to detail Galeon’s designers put into it. This style of yacht lives in a very crowded market space, so touches like a wavy headboard design constructed from matte eucalyptus and a faux-suede material are the kinds of details necessary to stand out from the crowd. The same goes for the matchbooked veneers on all the woods throughout the master and a shower with 6 feet and 6 inches of headroom.
Up top on the yacht’s namesake flybridge is an alfresco entertainment area that nicely complements the expertly done main deck. An upper helm with twin Raymarine screens has a convertible seat back that flips to become the forward part of a just aft dining settee. Lounge seating, a grill, a second dining settee, and a full wet bar round out the deck’s features. The space is very useable and well laid out, if not quite as eye-popping as that spicy salon with its terraces and bars.
The third entertainment space on the 560 is the bowdeck lounge, which takes styling cues somewhat unexpectedly from Galeon’s smaller bowrider models. The tip of the bow is squared off, creating not just more space for dancing guests, but also making docking easier and safer. It’s a smart design choice that speaks to Galeon’s wealth of experience utilizing, and in some cases actually creating, more space on its boats.
The 560 Fly comes with multiple engine options including the 725-horsepower Volvo Penta D11s seen on Hull No. 1 in Miami. That motor offers a 29-knot top end and a 24-knot cruise. A more powerful twin 900-horsepower Volvo D-13 setup pumps those numbers up to 33 and 28, respectively.
Regardless of the engine package, the 560 Fly packs a ton of boat into a relatively compact footprint, and it does so through the clever design and the keen attention to detail that Galeon has come to be known for. And there’s always space in the world for a combination like that.
Galeon 560 Fly Specifications:
LOA: 58’6”
Beam: 15’10”
Draft: 4’6”
Displ.: 60,895 lb (dry)
Fuel Cap.: 475 gal.
Water Cap.: 171 gal.
Top Speed: 33 knots
Cruise Speed: 28 knots
Power: 2/725-hp Volvo Penta D11s; 2/900-hp Volvo Penta D13s
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This article originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/cruisers/galeon-560-fly-yacht-review
