Design and Construction
Briand gave the 66 a hull with vertical lines, a hard aft chine, and a broad 18-foot beam. The coachroof carries his superyacht signature: an eyebrow-like overhang above vertical wraparound windows.
The hull is infused in one piece. CNB’s modular construction system allows the interior to be built in full before it’s lowered into receivers in the shell. The engine room is one of five modules, contained in a single metal box beneath the raised saloon sole and amidships.
That raised saloon is central to the layout. It frees up machinery space amidships while allowing the deck to remain on one level, with flush foredeck hatches and integrated tracks. The slightly asymmetrical plan places a dining area to port and a lounge to starboard beneath panoramic coachroof windows. Sofas extend to the hull sides, creating full-beam living space.
A carbon bowsprit and an optional hydraulic furling boom developed with Hall Spars were fitted. The longitudinal tender garage accommodates a 3.25 m tender, which can be boarded in under a minute.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
All headsails are on furlers, while the mainsail furls into the boom. This allows a couple to raise the sails themselves. The maneuvering gear is arranged for a small crew to operate from the dual helm stations, each fitted with a carbon wheel.
The builder described the 66 as a luxury cruiser for families sailing short-handed, but one that could also race in a regatta or cross an ocean. Under sail, the boat feels strong and seaworthy. It is powerfully swift yet stable when heeled onto the chine, and the twin rudders feel light and nicely balanced.
Bow and stern thrusters with joystick steering make docking easier, although the motorboat-style controls sit close to the wheel and can be knocked against it.
Cockpit and Deck
The guest cockpit is kept completely clear of sailing gear. It has built-in L-shaped seating and a table that folds out to form a sunpad. Low coamings preserve the boat’s sleek appearance, but provide little comfort or protection.
The forepeak sail locker has 7 ft of headroom, a fixed ladder, and a watertight door. It can also serve as an optional crew cabin.
Accommodations
The full-beam owner’s cabin lies forward, with storage and room for an office. It’s one of three forward cabins, all of which are en suite. However, the owner’s cabin lacks enough stowage for long stays aboard.
The galley is open to the saloon. A hatch beneath the sofa cushions allows food to be passed directly to the deck.
Aft, the crew area has direct access to the galley and an en suite cabin. Its double bed converts into two twins, although reaching the side berth requires climbing over the central one. The cabin sits on different sole levels and feels slightly cramped, while the heads doorway would be difficult for a larger crewmember to negotiate.
Machinery and Domestic Equipment
The engine room occupies a self-contained metal module beneath the raised saloon. The 180 hp Volvo D4, combined with 1,300 lt of fuel capacity, provides a motoring range of more than 1,000 miles with daily genset use. On later hulls, the hot-water tank was moved aft to create more space around the genset.
The semi-custom approach allowed owners to specify electric cooking as standard, together with a domestic-style fridge. Options included a washer-dryer, dishwasher, and wine climatiser.
Known Issues
Period testing found that the saloon badly needs a deckhead handrail. The 90° companionway steps are also too angular for comfortable use when the boat is heeled.
Other compromises include the low cockpit coamings, which offer little comfort or protection, and the exposed joystick thruster controls near the wheel. Below, the aft cabin’s different sole levels, cramped feel, and narrow heads doorway may prove awkward. The owner’s cabin also falls short on stowage for extended living aboard.
Development and Availability
The builder said the yacht benefited from three years of pre-production refinement with Briand and the interior designers. Demand was strong enough to produce a waiting list through April 2019.
The Verdict
The CNB 66 is a thoughtfully engineered 66-footer that puts superyacht detailing into a package intended to remain manageable for a short-handed family crew. Its base price was around 40 per cent below that of an Oyster or Contest.
Pros
- One-piece infused hull and modular interior construction for consistent fit
- In-boom mainsail and furling headsails allow a couple to sail the boat themselves
- Full-beam saloon and owner’s cabin
- En suite facilities for every cabin
- Practical galley-to-deck serving hatch
- Tender garage and carbon bowsprit
- Optional Hall Spars hydraulic furling boom
Cons
- No deckhead handrail in the saloon
- Angular companionway steps are awkward when heeled
- Low cockpit coamings provide little comfort or protection
- Joystick controls are exposed beside the wheel
- Aft cabin feels cramped and has a narrow heads doorway
- Owner’s cabin lacks stowage for extended living aboard
