New Boat: Galeon 325 GTO

Galeon 325 GTO

The Galeon 325 GTO (Grand Touring Outboard) is a bowrider, a dayboat, a weekender and a coastal cruiser all in one, yet it doesn’t have that awkward feeling you sometimes get when a manufacturer tries to squeeze 50 feet worth of features into a 30-foot package. The first-ever outboard powered boat from Galeon is actually quite the opposite—the boat feels larger than its 32-foot, 9-inch LOA.

The switch to twin 350-hp Mercury Verados is a big part of the space savings as it moves the power to the transom and opens up more room both in the cabin and on deck, but the larger piece of the puzzle is Galeon’s smart design, layout and use of natural light. From the second you step on board, the cockpit feels roomy yet offers a ton of storage and seating. The extended deck on either side of the outboards lets you board easily and gives access to the outboards for servicing. A fold-down platform over the splashwell and a drop-down port side terrace open up the deck even more.

Galeon made sure traffic flow would not be an issue by creating open access to the boat from either side of the aft bench. But this boat has family cruiser written all over it, so you can close those areas off and keep the kiddos safely inside. A grill and fridge to port, across from an L-shaped lounge, provide a nice layer of convenience. All of the outside seating is stitched in a handsome pattern with courtesy lighting that glows blue and purple after hours. A large hatch in the cockpit deck unveils a wide machinery space with quick access to batteries, systems and the 3.7-kW diesel genset. And should you want to block out the sun, there’s an expandable shade in the hardtop.

For me, the helm steals the show. The steering wheel doesn’t just tilt—it moves up and down electrically to fit both Mom and Dad, making sure everyone feels confident when piloting the boat no matter how tall they are. And this responsive hull is a blast to drive. It carves a tight turn and has all the oomph you need to slap a smile across your face. It cruises in the low-30-knot range and tops out at 37 knots. Mercury’s joystick piloting makes docking a stress-free endeavor.

The bucket-style helm chairs seem to hug you in all the right places. They’re downright comfy, and the sightlines through the large windshield and open side panels are completely unabated. Climate control vents blow out of the dash, but two additional vents on the hardtop let the fresh air in as you cruise. Cubbies and phone charging stations live right where you need them. I also like the cleat within arm’s reach of the helm chair so you can get a spring line tied on quickly when shorthanded.

Galeon 325 GTO

Have a closer look in the gallery below:

To access the bow seating, the glass door folds in as opposed to out and over the other side the windshield. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking dropping a heavy windshield partition over onto the other side of glass, and this design does away with that entirely. The U-shaped bow seating is perfect for dining, or you can add a filler cushion to make a sun pad. Galeon really stretched out this space to make the seating as wide as possible. They also tucked the windlass under the forward cushion, another smart use of space.

The door into the cabin slides so easily you can open it with just one finger. That might not sound like a big deal, but so many of these doors require half your body weight to open. This one slid like it was on wheels. To make sure you don’t bump your head when stepping down into the cabin, Galeon placed a recess in the hardtop that you can open up. The cabin has windows all around and uses light beechwood to give it a very airy feel. The forward dinette converts to a berth. The wet head uses mirrors and natural light to increase the openness. A double berth aft is comfortable despite the lack of headroom. And to make it easier to crawl into bed, the steps down into the cabin are on hinges so you can lift them out of the way.

It’s always refreshing to find a boat builder that seems to think of everything when putting together a design. The Galeon 325 GTO is smart, elegant, sporty and versatile. That’s about as well-rounded as it gets.