The best family cruiser you can buy? Marex 440 Gourmet Cruiser sea trial review | MBY

Alex Smith gets behind the wheel of one of 2023’s most hotly anticipated cruisers and delivers his verdict on the Marex 440 Gourmet Cruiser...
Marex 440 Gourmet Cruiser specifications
LOA: 44ft 11in (13.70m)
Beam: 14ft 0in (4.27m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.00m)
Displacement: 13 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,190 litres
Water capacity: 780 litres
Test engines: Twin 5.5L six-cylinder Volvo Penta D6 480hp diesels on IPS drives
Top speed on test: 35.5 knots
Fuel consumption: 95lph @ 20 knots
Cruising range: 200nm @ 20 knots
Noise: 71.1 d(B)A @ 20 knots
Starting price: £885,240 (inc. VAT)
Price as tested: £1,130,000 (inc. VAT)
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[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

Just a quick note, given how many of you have mentioned the rattling noise. It’s not an issue with build quality. On the contrary, I spent a day at the factory and I can testify first-hand that, from the inside out, these things are beautifully put together. That’s certainly something you can feel when you’re on board and again, if you look at the strength of Marex’s residual prices on the used market, that’s entirely borne out. The rattling on the test boat is solely down to the sunroof and that’s something Espen is going to sort out to ensure it isn’t repeated on subsequent models.

[@terrywalker1624]

Thanks for the clarification. And yes they are really well built, so the rattle was unexpected. Great that Espen is on it!

[@alanpotter3863]

You can tell how good the video is by how quickly it goes and this seemed to fly by. Great video and a really neat boat.

[@piotrowskifamily9188]

Great to have a pop-up seat where the door opens to the swim platform. Love the isinglass storage.

[@matthewmartin1970]

Really nice if they do the updates mentioned and fix that annoying sunroof rattle. Would love the gourmet cruiser with the 2 cabin layout on shaft drive.

[@JohannesSebastian]

That canvas system is world class!

[@ashleyhodgman5246]

Thanks Alex. A really great video for a really great boat

[@jaffaholland4039]

What a stunner, this is the boat i would buy, love the cleaver 4th cabin, i would have the 3 cabin layout. Its clear that the rattling is the sunroof or a door, this is the first boat, so that will be fixed. There is nothing not to love.

[@nickglossop]

Great boat and another great review from Alex.

[@timk3939]

Wow what a great design. Great fit and finish, they really tried really hard with this boat. I think they deserve all those beers in the fridges. I think I'd have the 2 cabin down below and get a dishwasher retrofitted.

[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

Good choice. If you don’t need the extra cabin, the two-cabin layout is really superb. There is a dishwasher on board already by the way. Sorry if I didn’t point it out. There’s almost too much to look at on this boat!

[@timk3939]

@@AlexSmith-lm9qk Thanks Alex. Yes looks like they crammed loads in. It really does look like a floating luxury apartment, and quite a fast one.

[@rykehuss3435]

Refined other than that rattling flimsy side door

[@scubacro5758]

I think its large roof hatch, its really annoying

[@terrywalker1624]

Whatever is rattling, it was v distracting (assumed it was the side door)!

[@morri03]

Yes ruins it for me

[@morri03]

@@scubacro5758yes it’s the sunroof you can see it moving in time with the bumps

[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

Yeah, it was the sunroof, which is a shame cos in all other regards, it was very quiet and refined. That said, Espen was more annoyed by it than anyone so you can rest assured, it’ll be attended to for subsequent boats.

[@cookiemonster2299]

Very nice, realistically all i would need to enjoy the summer. ❤️🇬🇧

[@piotrowskifamily9188]

Fixing that rattle noise would really help - good to know it will be addressed

[@allenwilmot6313]

All these boats beautiful ❤

[@ianbarr5110]

Love it.

[@hawkdsl]

Great boat. Great Kitchen. A couples Looper dream boat.

[@ralgor100]

Nice tour, but was hoping to see the engine space

[@whommee]

What is rattling so loud during throttle advance??

[@antonshill]

i love this boat

[@DavidBusuttil]

Is it possible to have the volvo penta interceptors instead of the zipwake?

[@p.r.9219]

It needs more length in the forward cabin. Head door should not hit bed. (Do not shorten the bed )

[@jumpingoutbackjack]

Comes with built in sporadic rattling…to continuously reiterate price points 😏

[@wesleyferguson6932]

Beautiful Boat. Love it

[@dtutssel]

Regarding the helm and position of the controls by your right hand, what if you're left handed?

[@alexsmith3945]

Good point. What I really mean to say when I talk about the right hand is that the necessary controls are mounted by the throttles, which means you can steer the boat properly with one hand, while operating all other critical systems with the other. Whether that happens to be left and right or right and left is largely irrelevant because it's equally easy either way. It's only when the controls are split on either side of the wheel that any awkwardness arises.

[@colinturner4158]

Superb boat

[@DavidBusuttil]

Also, are fisher panda generators better than kohler?

[@NautiGrandpa]

Reading the online reviews, there's lots of recurring problems.

[@bryka2]

side door is rattling..not that quiet so 😂

[@BilldalSWE]

It's the Roof hatch. Perfectly normal with issues like that on a hull nr 1 and Espen (Marex's CEO) already mentioned they were taking care of it.

[@emigrantodienorastis3781]

drone footage is not from Lithuania

[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

Well spotted. French Riviera I would think.

[@scottrippon5039]

Buy a Riviera instead people..... they don't rattle like a millionaires baby!

[@lucaveneran6409]

I cant ser you with the shoes on board😮

[@Fabi_1987]

I like the Galeon much more

[@wesleyferguson6932]

Just need another million for some land and private dock to save Marina charges 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@easybigun7825]

That rattle is bloody annoying and I'm only listening to it for less than ten minutes. It isn't mentioned at all in the review. I believe this is hull number one so they may sort it out in later builds.

[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

Absolutely right. See my comment above.

[@NautiGrandpa]

That boat does more rattling than a glass Sanlorenzo. Probably has the same questionable build quality too.

[@AlexSmith-lm9qk]

No, not at all. I spent an entire day at the factory, seeing how these things are put together and they are beautifully built. The rattle is solely down to the sunroof - an anomaly that is now being sorted out.

[@BilldalSWE]

Lol. Marex are renowned for their build quality. The rattling is the roof hatch and it's normal with issues like that on a hull nr 1. Espen (Marex's CEO) already mentioned they were taking care of it.

[@ianmceach2576]

Opps, man who doesn't wash up forgot to show the dishwasher...meh men

[@jchill5229]

👍👍👍👍

[@dixie4708]

Small boat, big alle😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ijoseluis]

An interesting project of a wrong concept: to spend more than one million in this vessel means to commit two millions in catering for the crowd she is supposed to carry everyday... What is such galley for? Yachting is principally in the view of most users, effective or potential, a choice of peace, calm and simplicity. For social events she is too small, for real boat lovers is too social. My bet is that it will fail. Within 2 years her price will devaluate. Maybe 500 € and still expensive.

[@ryancharles7226]

Selfishly, I hope so… I’d love to be able to pick one up a few years old for that price!