Pardo Endurance 60

New Boat: Pardo Endurance 60

An unconventional-looking vessel belies a sensible cruiser built for long runs and comfort.

There might not be anything conventional about its looks, but the thoroughly modern Pardo Endurance 60 is firmly rooted in the old cruising traditions of comfort, reliability and practicality. The drop-down bulwarks of the expanding cockpit will grab most of the headlines, but the real story is about safe deck spaces, a well thought-out interior and sensible horsepower.

It certainly promises to be a relaxing boat to spend time aboard, with well-proportioned living areas, decent headroom everywhere, plenty of drawers and lockers for stowing stuff, and a solid feel throughout. A color scheme of teak and off-white is easy on the eyes The catches and handles are good quality, the joinery is well executed, and the companionway handrail has a reassuring feel.

The helm seat mechanism deserves a special mention—folding down the backrest slides the seat back, to create comfortable standing room while running the boat, and also easy access to the side door.

Pardo Endurance 60

Have a closer look in the gallery below:

The steps up from the cockpit to the flybridge are deep and not too steep, while the side decks are wide and protected by deep bulwarks. It’s a secure boat to move around on. The galley, installed amidships on both sides of the deckhouse, is well placed to serve both the cockpit and salon, where the extending table can seat five comfortably. If you didn’t already know that Grand Soleil, parent company of the Pardo brand, has been in business since 1973 and has built more than 4,000 sailboats, you’d still get the sense that they know what they’re doing.

Lower-deck accommodations consists of a substantial owner’s cabin amidships, a twin-berth to port and a forecabin with V-berth, all with en suite head and shower compartments. There is the option of a double berth up forward if you prefer. There’s just one fly in the ointment in terms of the 60’s interior. Headroom in the master is mostly a comfortable 6 feet, 5 inches or so. Beware, however, of the right-angled step in the deckhead about 4 feet from the aft bulkhead, which reduces headroom abruptly by about 7 inches. On the plus side, if you survive your first encounter without brain damage, you will probably remember to duck next time.

I caught up with the Pardo at the Cannes boat show, where it’s always a pleasure to escape to sea for an hour or two. Out on the water, the 60 felt slightly underpowered, even with the larger of the two engine options, a pair of 600-hp D8 Volvos on IPS drives. This particular boat, hull number one, emerged from the shed a little overweight, her captain explained, partly due to the owner’s love of solid teak in the interior.

Still, a top speed of 19 knots allows for quiet, comfortable and relatively economical cruising at between 15 and 18 knots—the sort of pace that allows you to make reasonable progress and still arrive feeling fresh. According to the builder, hulls two and three are capable of 23-plus knots on the top end. There were no handling issues, but we did feel that the tint on the side windows was too dark, affecting visibility from the helm. Aside from that, the 60 felt pretty much ready to go, straight out of the box.

Pardo Endurance 60 Layout Diagrams

Pardo Endurance 60 Specifications:

LOA: 59’4”
Beam: 16’10”
Draft: 4’7”
Displ.: 76,500 lbs. (dry)
Fuel: 634 gal.
Water: 185 gal.
Power: 2/600-hp Volvo IPS-800
Price: $1,890,000