300 FLY
The Galeon 560 Skydeck is a 58-foot express cruiser yacht with a flybridge that was launched by Polish yacht-building firm Galeon in 2016. With the sleek lines of a hard-top, a low-slung bridge that you can barely see from profile and masses of dramatic glazing, this has to be one of the most stylish vessels ever built at Galeon’s Gdansk shipyard. Designed in collaboration with naval architect and industry icon Tony Castro, the 560 Skydeck is yet more proof that this exciting firm can deliver the sort of finish and amenities expected from a super-yacht on a more modestly sized vessel that handles like a speedboat. No surprise, then, that Galeon sold dozens of 560 Skydeck models in the United States even before the boat was officially released, making this one of the firm’s most popular ever launches.
The compact skybridge on this model is focused around the elevated piloting experience, and a centrally-located helm seat offers the perfect place to command your vessel. Yet there is still room up here for a wet-bar station with refrigerated storage, an L-shaped ultra-leather sofa and a pair of forward-facing wingchairs. For socializing on a larger scale, however, you will want to head down to the main deck, where a pair of sunpads on the foredeck offer a sun-drenched and glamorous lounge-space ideal for snapping those Instagram pics. At the stern, meanwhile, there is a teak-lined, fully hydraulic swimming platform with a bathing ladder that can also be used to store your choice of modern water tender, as well as an aft-deck with a comfortable, L-shaped transom sofa.
Sliding glass doors lead into the main deck cockpit, where oak or walnut surfaces are paired with diamond-stitched leather or Alcantara suede furnishings and cresting-wave side windows for a feel that is at once contemporary, restrained and lavish. To the rear there is a walk-in aft-galley featuring Corian work surfaces, a four-zone ceramic hob, a combination oven, a tall fridge and an under-counter freezer, across from a starboard-side chaise-longue. Further forward there is a loveseat and a large U-shaped dining sofa hugging an extendable breakfast table, where you will enjoy many an hour downing sophisticated drinks and enjoying gourmet meals. The main deck helm station is positioned on the starboard side of the yacht, and benefits not only from excellent visibility through the gin-clear sloping windshield but from a retractable sunroof overhead that lets the light stream in. The dashboard comes with Volvo Vessel View monitors, a Penta joystick, bow and trim tab controls, power-assisted steering and a full Raymarine electronics package with chart-plotter, GPS and autopilot.
There is room for up to six overnight guests on the Galeon 560 Skydeck’s lower level, across a starboard twin berth, an en-suite VIP double with a skylight to the bow, and an amidship en-suite owner’s stateroom with full-beam dimensions, panoramic hull windows, a king-sized bed, a work desk, side seating and full-height closets. If you require staff to assist you on your long voyages island-hopping across the Caribbean, then there is also a privately accessed crew quarters by the transom with room and facilities for two.
Top speeds in excess of 30 knots are achieved thanks to a pair of six-cylinder Volvo Penta D11 725MHP diesels, though some owners opt for 800MHP Volvo Penta D13s instead.
