Design and Construction
The solid aluminium-plate hull is 5 to 12 mm thick. It has 74 mm of thermal insulation across the hull and 70 mm from the waterline to the coachroof. Together with foamed floors, this creates a warm, quiet interior. Vertical double-glazed windows line the saloon sides, while the forward-facing panes are reversed, as on commercial vessels.
Solid double watertight companionway doors separate the accommodation from the cockpit. Watertight bulkheads are fitted fore and aft, and a watertight door protects the interior. Each aluminium rudder has a protective skeg and a sacrificial zone: in a collision, a composite top section can crush without damaging the hull. The twin rudders are also potentially independent if one is damaged.
At 35,000 kg (77,162 lb), with 9,650 kg of aluminium ballast, the Exploration 60 pairs a 17.7-foot beam with variable draft. At the press of a button, the centerboard can lower the draft to nearly 12 feet or raise it to under 5 feet.
Weight is concentrated amidships. The engine, heavy systems, and tanks sit between the mast and companionway. The anchor locker is set back at the foot of the mast, placing its 300 kg of chain more centrally than a conventional bow locker. This central concentration of weight directly shapes the boat’s behaviour at sea.
Two 1,150-litre diesel tanks and 800 litres of water sit within the same central envelope. The boat can also carry almost four tons of payload.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The standard cutter rig carries about 1,813 square feet of upwind sail, giving a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 18.2. An optional carbon mast adds 2.9 m of height and extra sail area without raising the centre of gravity. With the standard aluminium mast, the boat needs around 12 knots of wind to make way under sail; the carbon mast lets her move in winds as light as 8 knots.
Hydraulics are limited to the vang, backstay, and daggerboard raise-and-lower system, keeping added complexity out of the running rigging.
The standard engine is a 175 hp Volvo Penta. A 230 hp Volvo is optional, and the tester found it advantageous: it drove the boat at 7.2 knots at 2,000 rpm while consuming 12 litres per hour. Bow and stern thrusters ease close-quarters handling.
On a passage from Le Marin to Horta, the test boat maintained 7 to 9 knots under sail in 12 to 20 knots of wind. It covered more than 500 miles in three days and completed the crossing in 14 days 20 hours, spending a third of the passage under engine.
Accommodation and Systems
Isabelle Racoupeau styled the interior. Every layout has a full-width owner’s cabin forward, although sleeping ahead of the mast can make it hard to settle despite the solid leeboards.
A skipper’s cabin sits very low in the centre of the boat, while a starboard cabin measures 1.5 by 2.0 m. At the owner’s request, the test boat also had a small heads beneath the cockpit that wasn’t included in the original plans. It contained an electric toilet and a washbasin closer in size to a hand basin.
The galley has a Corian worktop, double sink, and five-burner oven. Fridge and freezer drawers are located in the utility space at the mast. Farther forward, the shower compartment sits opposite the port technical bay.
The watermaker is installed in the technical compartment beneath the port saloon bench and is started from the chart panel forward.
Practical Drawbacks
In warm latitudes, the large galley—set low beside the port companionway—gets little airflow, and the refrigerator drawers swing open and shut violently if their locks release while the boat is heeled.
Two handrails were added at the cockpit exit on the test boat. The forward owner’s cabin can also be uncomfortable despite its leeboards.
Verdict
The Exploration 60 is a purpose-built aluminium expedition yacht with genuine passage-making range, a protected deck saloon, and a centerboard that combines serious offshore ability with access to shallow gunkholing. Her insulation and central weight distribution make her quiet and steady, while the rig options extend her light-air range.
The trade-offs are typical of the genre: the forward owner’s cabin moves more than central berths, and the galley needs help in hot weather.
Pros
- Solid aluminium hull with watertight bulkheads and independent twin rudders
- Centerboard draft adjustable at the helm from 4.92 to 11.98 ft
- Centralised weight and chain stowage for sea-kindly motion
- Carbon mast option lowers the sailing threshold to 8 knots of wind
- 360° cockpit view, rigid bimini, and watertight companionway
Cons
- Weak galley ventilation in warm climates
- Fridge drawers slam when unlocked at heel
- Forward owner’s cabin is less restful than central berths
