300 FLY
The Galeon 650 Skydeck is a 68-foot sportscruiser yacht with a flybridge that was launched by Polish boat-building firm Galeon in 2018. Based on the same basic design as the award winning Galeon 640 Fly, the Tony Castro-designed 650 Skydeck differs from its sister yacht by offering a much more compact flybridge that allows for a hard-top-style body with a retractable sunroof over the cockpit. Elsewhere you will find all the same hi-tech features that made the 640 Fly a best-seller, including fold-out gunwales at the rear beach-club, a spacious forward lounge and ultra-contemporary interiors, along with smooth handling and powerful engines. The Galeon 650 Skydeck won the prize for most “Innovative On-Board Design Solution” at the 2018 Boat Builder Awards, and this yacht’s inventive use of space looks set to make it one of Galeon’s most popular vessels ever.
Though the skybridge on this model is limited in size it is still likely to make a big impression with owner-operators. A central upper helm kitted out with all the latest navigational equipment is flanked by a trio of seats with immense visibility, all safely protected from spray by a Venturi-style wrap-around windscreen. The bridge is not all about the business of piloting, however, as at the rear there are a pair of comfortable sunpads ideal for any sunworshippers you may have on board with you. Sunbathing is likely to be the name of the game one level down on the foredeck, as well, where a bowrider-style lounge comes with two J-shaped sofas that can be conveniently turned into one massive sunbed.
Yet the entertaining heart of this boat is located towards the stern, where fold-out gunwales turn into dynamic cocktail terraces to dramatically increase the dimensions of this beach-club area. These balconies are paired with sliding cockpit windows to connect them to the aft-galley on one side and a fold-out sofa on another. This area also comes with a large transom sofa sitting above a capacious tender garage, though if you opt for a more compact garage then you can expect to upgrade to a rotating modular sofa. Side steps lead down to a full-beam swimming platform that is capable of lifting a Williams jet tender, so you don’t have to miss out on aquatic fun even if you choose the smaller garage.
Stepping into the main-deck cockpit through sliding glass doors the impact of a smaller flybridge becomes immediately evident. A retractable electronic sunroof with mullioned glazing across the front half of the cockpit floods this walnut, oak or Lati Grey-lined space with natural light. To the rear there is an aft-galley with country-kitchen dimensions, marbled Corian surfaces, an induction hob, a combination oven, under-counter fridge-freezer units and a wine cooler, across from starboard seating. The salon features a sprawling U-shaped leather or suede sofa that would not look out of place in a beachside Malibu mansion, surrounding a bespoke coffee table. At the front of the cockpit, you will find a main helm station fitted with Raymarine HybridTouch multifunction displays, a Volvo engine screen, Humphree trim-tabs, Side Power bow thruster controls and an EmpirBus digital keypad.
Discerning owners of the Galeon 650 Skydeck can choose between a range of layouts on the lower-deck, though the most popular option appears to be a three-stateroom scheme with three full-beam en-suite cabins. Each room down here boasts queen-sized beds, a work-desk, seating, closet space and large bathrooms with waterfall showers, while knife-insert windows and a 5-foot skylight to the bow allow for plenty of natural light.
You can expect full-throttle top speeds of up to 33 knots at half-loads when piloting this vessel, thanks to a pair of 1000MHP Volvo Penta D13 shaft-drive diesel engines, with cruising speeds clocking in at around 25 knots.
