Introduced for the 2021 model year, the GT6 was a clean-sheet design built with all-new tooling. Its flush silhouette combines a wide beam carried right aft with a bluff stem and fixed carbon bowsprit. The rig is conservative, but below the waterline the boat is thoroughly modern, with twin rudders and a choice of keels.
Design and Construction
Elan builds the GT6 in Slovenia, using vacuum-assisted infusion for the hull to produce a uniform laminate and resist osmosis. The hull and deck have closed-cell foam cores within a polyester laminate and a vinylester outer skin.
The bulkheads and keel grid are fully glassed to the hull. The composite bulkheads use vacuum-cured, resin-impregnated biaxial fabric, creating a stiff, unitary structure. Ballast is lead, quoted at 8,598 lb with the standard keel.
The review record describes the fixtures and fittings as a step above those on standard production yachts. Even the less visible locker and bilge recesses have painted laminate rather than exposed fibre.
The hull is entirely Humphreys’ work. It has powerful forward sections, a low centre of gravity, and great stability attributed to CFD modelling. Above it, the raised-coachroof deck saloon creates a brighter, more spacious interior than an ordinary yacht.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The GT6 is a fractional sloop with a relatively conservative rig. Its Selden aluminium mast stands forward of the coachroof, leaving the foredeck completely flush. Running rigging is neatly tunnelled below deck.
The mainsheet attaches midway along the boom and runs to a bridle rather than a traveler; there’s no traveler option. The system is led well out of the cockpit to each side. A standard, slightly overlapping 100 percent blade jib sets on a Furlex belowdeck roller-furler. Pairs of Harken Performa 60 winches sit within reach of each helm.
In 8 knots during testing, the GT6 pointed to 38 degrees apparent and made 5.5 knots. When the wind rose to 13 knots, boat speed increased by 2 knots. On a broad reach in 10 knots of true wind, it held 5.5 knots.
Testers found the helm neutral and very grippy. The twin rudders reduce the tendency to broach, and the boat turned fully around within its own length. Once moving, it also backed down smoothly. Jefa twin-wheel steering allows the crew to manoeuvre from either side without obstructing movement through the cockpit.
Interior and Accommodation
The standard arrangement has two cabins and two heads. Forward, the lavish owner’s suite is built around a king-size island double and has large through-hull windows. The test boat carried twin aft staterooms. Other choices include a three-cabin, two-head layout or a single aft stateroom with a workshop opposite.
The galley sits forward and amidships, above the keel where motion is easiest. It runs athwartships, with cooking and refrigeration in a U-shaped section to port and additional stowage around a double sink to starboard. A continuous, head-height bank of lockers opens from the top down, while tall companionway lockers can hold chairs or wet gear.
There’s no dedicated navstation. Instead, a convertible seat hinges over to reveal a chart table, with a SiMarine touchscreen mounted above in a brushed-aluminium board.
The aft cabins have narrow doorways, but their beamy berths offer seated headroom beside the hull windows. Both heads include separate showers, although the aft head is narrow and the egg-shaped sinks are small.
Cockpit and Deck
Split cockpit tables provide useful bracing underway. They can be joined for dining or lowered to create sunbeds. Abaft the wheels, a fold-down transom provides access to the water.
A large liferaft locker lies below the central cockpit sole, while a sail locker occupies the bow. The aft deck has room for a deflated inflatable.
Equipment and Options
Standard equipment includes synthetic teak decking and the fixed carbon bowsprit. The GT6 can also be specified with a closed and covered cockpit to shelter the crew.
Keel options include an L-shaped shoal keel, intended to make marina work and kelp clearance easier, with a 6ft 6in draft. Alternatively, a T-shaped keel lowers the centre of gravity, allowing the boat to carry more sail and gain speed.
The standard engine is a Volvo Penta 60 hp saildrive. Other choices include a 57 hp Yanmar, 75 hp Volvo, or 80 hp Yanmar, as well as a 15 kW twin Oceanvolt electric option.
Galley equipment can include a Techimplex three-burner stove and an Isotherm fridge-freezer. Further options include a grill and refrigerator in the aft benches, or a microwave and coffee machine that pop up from the work surface.
Verdict
The GT6 is a distinctive flagship that combines Porsche styling with Humphreys’ performance-cruiser hull. It delivers genuine light-air pace, close-quarters agility from its twin rudders, and a deck-saloon interior that feels brighter and better finished than the production norm.
The flush deck, bridle mainsheet, and convertible navstation show careful design thought. The small head sinks and compact aft-cabin doorways are minor compromises, while the absence of a watertight bulkhead between the steering gear and accommodation is worth noting.
Pros
- Stiff, uniform vacuum-infused hull with lead ballast and a fully glassed structure
- Twin rudders provide a neutral, grippy helm and allow the boat to turn within its own length
- Bright deck-saloon interior with versatile two- or three-cabin layouts
- Strong light-air performance from a conservative, manageable rig
Cons
- No watertight bulkhead separating the steering gear from the accommodation
- Small freestanding sinks and narrow aft-head doorways
- No traveler option; mainsheet bridle only
