The dictionary definition of ‘nomad’ is, “a person with no settled home who moves from place to place.” This accurately sums up this new brand of yachts from Gulf Craft, who are intent on making waves in the leisure boating industry from their base near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Nomad Yachts is the name of this exciting new range. This line is for the serious boater and reflects the growing interest worldwide in yachts that offer the ability to cruise long distances while still offering the luxury and comfort of a mini-superyacht.
Nomad Yachts, Nomad 75 and Nomad 65
The Nomad Yachts fleet, which includes the 65, 75 and 95, is made by Gulf Craft, now the Middle East’s largest boat and yacht manufacturer. Gulf Craft has been in business for over 30 years and are now the eleventh largest builder of superyachts in the world thanks to the Majesty Yachts range. With an eye on developing new markets in the east, the company’s yachts have been sold to clients in Australia, China and Southeast Asia. Gulf Craft is also unique among boat builders worldwide in being a large builder that keeps an eye on the lower end of the boating spectrum by offering a complete range of yachts and boats, from 27 feet right through to its largest superyacht of 155 feet. The range comprises Majesty Yachts, Oryx Sport Yachts and Cruisers, Silvercraft fishing and family boats and the Touring utility boat series. Now the company has broadened its design portfolio with the new Nomad Yachts range.
Stepping into the saloon from the aft cockpit, the deep windows in the saloon give an immediate impression of spaciousness.
While capable ocean-going yachts, generally known as trawler yachts, have been around for a long time, they have tended to be slower displacement craft with a traditional, conservative teak finish and styling. While these designs still have their following, new sectors of this market have developed, demanding modern styling and interior layouts while retaining the essential requirements of a spacious and excellent sea-going vessel.
In recent years Gulf Craft has been tracking the changes in the global boating market and has identified key trends. These include a wish to escape the demands of modern life, concerns about rising fuel costs and the growing number of older, more experienced boaters who wish to have a more comfortable experience at sea. The Chairman of Gulf Craft, Mohammed Hussein Alshaali, himself a highly experienced sailor, grasped these changes and in 2012 decided on a new product range for this growing market. The new yachts were branded as the Gulf Exp range with the 75 and 95. This year, at the Dubai International Boat Show in March, the two existing Gulf Exp designs were re-branded as the Nomad Yachts range and a third new model, the Nomad 65, was also introduced.
The aft cockpit is incredibly roomy with plenty of choice when it comes to seating and socialising arrangements.
According to Mohammed Alshaali, “The Nomad Yachts brand represents values such as reliability, seaworthiness, stability and ruggedness, indeed much like the Aussie ‘ute’ of the sea.”
Mohammed personally led the in-house design team at Gulf Craft on the Nomad 75 project in the development of the hull design, styling of the superstructure, interior layout and the engineering details. This resulted in the first boat being launched at the end of 2013.
Gulf Craft’s major investment in computer-aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) over the past eight years has dramatically reduced the development time for a new design. It also cuts build time in production and enhances overall business efficiency, a key reason why Gulf Craft offers excellent value for money in all of its product ranges.
The fly-bridge features ample seating areas and a helm station.
In automobile terms the styling of the Nomad 75 is more like a Winnebago mobile home, the famous brand of recreational vehicles from the USA, while the sleek Majesty fly-bridge yachts are similar to the luxury brand of Aston Martin. But it’s horses for courses, and the Nomad 75 does what it says on the tin. For those mature boating markets like Australia, where owners value practical features that provide real benefits, this yacht is sure to tick the right boxes. Despite its rugged styling, the Nomad 75 does not compromise on luxury or comfort. Having been personally in charge of the development of the new yacht, the chairman is rightly proud of the Nomad interior, which is tastefully finished in a Bianco white veneer and a white oak parquet deck giving a light and truly contemporary style.
Stepping into the saloon from the aft cockpit, the deep windows in the saloon of the Nomad 75 give an immediate impression of spaciousness. This is enhanced by the way the windows wrap round the corners of the yacht, giving panoramic vision and the feeling that you are at one with the sea. The saloon is a large space for entertaining and relaxing, taking full advantage of the yacht’s six-meter beam, and like the rest of the accommodation, can be customized to the owner’s ideas using the assistance of the Gulf Craft in-house design team.
A dining area located on the fly-bridge.
Forward of the saloon is a dining area with a fully equipped day galley with Siemens cooker, hob, and dishwasher. Adjacent to the dining area is a conveniently situated day head while opposite on the port side is an opening door to the side deck. Further forward is a settee and table to port and the lower steering position to starboard – both offer a good field of view because of their high position above the waterline. Gulf Craft is keen on fitting Garmin navigational aids, and both the lower and fly-bridge helm positions have a full suite of Garmin GPS plotters, radar, radios and autopilot.
Access to the starboard side and forward decks is quick and easy from the helm, via a door behind the helm seat. With an eye to handling the yacht with a small crew, the stairwell to the fly-bridge is also accessed quickly from this door, enabling the skipper to reach three key areas: the fly-bridge, deck and the wheelhouse. A good feature is the number of handholds on the stairways, dining and galley areas, a sure sign of a boat that’s been designed for serious use at sea.
The yacht has a settee and table to port.
Cabin space is an impressive feature of the Nomad 75, and three or four-cabin layout options are offered that can be further configured to the owner’s wishes. The example we viewed at the Dubai International Boat Show was a three-cabin version with two staterooms and the owner’s suite on the lower deck, served by a stairwell aft of the helm position.
There is an impressive use of white onyx marble throughout the accommodation areas on galley and bar tops, shower floors and vanity surfaces. The owner’s suite occupies the full beam of the yacht and the deep windows just above the waterline give a great feeling of empathy with the sea – there is also a full-width shower and heads compartment. A key feature of the accommodation on the Nomad 75 is the lower deck saloon, likely to be a great meeting place for relaxing. With its large sliding doors that open up to the stairwell, it is readily accessible from the upper deck or from the forward VIP guest cabin. The lower saloon also has a pull-out double bed that converts the area into a third cabin space for guests.
A key feature of the Nomad 75 is the large fly-bridge area that extends aft over the cockpit, extending the vast decks and entertaining spaces aboard.
The engine room houses the twin diesel engines with the option of 800 horsepower or 1,200 horsepower MAN engines driving conventional shafts. With relatively small engines able to drive the hull to speeds of up to 22 knots, there is ample space in the engine room for twin generators, central fresh water toilet flushing, water makers, air-conditioning chillers, gyro stabilizers and all the ancillary equipment a long-range motor yacht requires.
Crew requirements are not forgotten on this yacht. Aft of the engine room is a spacious crew cabin for two, with en suite shower and head. A galley area is located adjacent the crew cabin to complement the facilities of the saloon galley.
Space for personal watercraft and rigid inflatable boat storage is available on the large bathing platform, which has a hydraulic lift option if specified.
The owner's suite occupies the full beam of the yacht with a full-width shower and head compartment.
One of the key features of the Nomad 75 is the large fly-bridge area, which extends fully aft over the cockpit, and has a fiberglass sun canopy that along with optional side curtains, offers a great area to watch the world go by in any weather conditions. The fly-bridge is accessed from the stairway recessed into the superstructure on the starboard side deck next to the wheelhouse door.
For partying, the fly-bridge can accommodate up to 20 people and is equipped with a barbecue and drinks bar with fridges. Built into the fly-bridge deck is reinforcement for mounting a crane, should the owner opt to store a personal watercraft or dinghy.
The Nomad 75 offers generous accommodation space and comfort, ideal for those wishing to travel and live on board for an extended period. The 75 has a range of 1,360 nautical miles at 10 knots with the twin 1,200 horsepower MAN engine option. With its high bulwarks and forward and aft cockpit areas, it’s great for families, and when the sun goes down the Nomad’s expansive fly-bridge is an ideal venue for that classic Aussie barbecue!
Model Nomad 75
Designer Gulf Craft Design Studio
Builder Gulf Craft
Country of build United Arab Emirates
Year of build 2015
Naval Architect Gulf Craft Design Studio
Interior designer Gulf Craft Design Studio
Owner's project manager Gulf Craft Design Studio
LOA 75 feet (22.90 metres)
Waterline length 64 feet (19.50 metres)
Beam 19 feet 9 in (6.10 metres)
Draft 4 feet 7 in (1.40 metres)
Displacement 62 tonnes fully laden
Hull construction FRP luxury motor yacht
Superstructure FRP
Engine Twin MAN 1,200 Hp
Output 895kW
Propellers 5 blades 37 x 41 Mark Revolution
Stablization systems Seakeeper NG9
Gear box ZF 550A, Ratio 2.517 : 1
Speed max 25 knots
Speed cruise 16 knots
Range 1,360 nm at economical speed of 10 knots using the 1,200 MAN engines
Fuel capacity 7,800 litres
Freshwater capacity 1,290 litres
Blackwater capacity 360 litres
Greywater capacity 360 litres
Generators Kohler, 33kW, 50Hz
Thrusters 20 Hp – 15kW
Winches 2,300W/24V
Anchoring systems Sef Drop Anchor
Navigation electronics Garmin
Depth sounder Garmin
Radios Garmin
Communications (sat coms) Garmin
Entertainment systems Smart Home, Integrated AV & Automation system (optional)
Galley appliances Siemens
Owner 2
Guest berths 6
Crew 4
Maximum people on board 24
Paint Gelcoat White-Reichhold
Tenders Williams Turbo Jet 445 (Optional)
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