Finnish leisure boat specialist, Yamarin, has been doing excellent business over the last few years with its fast-developing Cross range (see my boats.com Yamarin Cross 75 BR review and Yamarin Cross 60 review for example). In fact, with its combination of aluminium hulls and fibreglass topsides, the nine-strong Cross fleet of bow riders, centre console craft and cabin boats has achieved such favour that the company’s very capable, all-GRP Day Cruiser range (such as the well-regarded Yamarin 63 DC) has begun to lag behind. It is no surprise therefore that Yamarin has recently unveiled plans to overhaul the entire Day Cruiser range.

 

Yamarin Day Cruiser

The Yamarin Day Cruiser range has been lagging behind the Cross fleet.



 

In collaboration with internationally renowned Norwegian company, Eker Design, Yamarin Director Kari Rautanen is apparently committed to creating “something completely new that will keep Yamarin at the cutting edge as the most desirable outboard motorboat in the Nordic countries.” The responsibility for that new direction will fall to senior designer Bård Eker – a man in whom Rautenan has the utmost confidence: “We explored several options for upgrading the Yamarin concept and design, and Eker Design emerged as the best partner. The ideas pitched to us by Bård Eker, his energy and innovation and his track record were utterly convincing”.

 

When you delve into the company’s background, that confidence seems well placed. After all, while Eker Design has quite a broad portfolio (including furniture, interior design, public spaces, specialist cars, motorcycles and other vehicles), it has also been instrumental in the development of Norway’s delectable Hydrolift powerboats, so its credentials look extremely strong.

Eker Design to take on Yamarin Day Cruiser revamp

The Norwegian company, Eker Design – known for its broad portfolio, including specialist cars – is being tasked with masterminding a major overhaul of the Yamarin Day Cruiser range.



 

If it is to succeed, it will obviously need to understand and encompass what Yamarin calls “a shift in customer needs and wishes in the world of leisure boating” - and yet with Yamarin’s prolific build CV of around 70,000 boats in its 42-year history, it will be interesting to see just how new and different the famously understated and pragmatic Scandinavians will dare to be.

 

We won’t know the answer to that until the first boats emerge in 2016, but in the meantime, fans of the brand can rest assured that the existing Cross range will continue unabated in its bid for world domination.

www.yamarin.com

Written by: Alex Smith
Alex Smith is a journalist, copywriter and magazine editor with a long history in boating and a happy addiction to the water. He’s worked on boats, lived on boats, bought boats, sold boats and – when he’s not actually on board a boat – he can generally be found in his Folkestone office, tapping away at the computer and gazing out to sea.