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The Canadian-Made Neptunus 650F Raises the Bar on Cruising Yacht Luxury

Built for discovery..

• Writer Craig Ritchie

Any discussion about luxury yachts requires a basic command of Italian, with fabled marques like Ferretti, Benetti, Baglietto, Filippetti, Azimut, Sanlorenzo, Rossinavi and Riva dominating the conversation. Yet Canadians needn’t feel left out, as our home and native land is also known for its share of luxury yacht nameplates, including globally acclaimed builders like Crescent Custom Yachts and West Bay Sonship in B.C. and Neptunus Yachts in Ontario.

Located in St. Catherines on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, Neptunus Yachts has been quietly creating yachts for more than 30 years. It has launched more than 180 to date, including a growing number of CE Category A ocean-certified vessels, including the acclaimed Neptunus 650F .

The mid-sized 650F is a three-stateroom, three-head flybridge yacht with a performance hull design and magnificent interiors featuring leather seating, natural walnut joinery, and designer-inspired accents. For 2022 the 650F gains an all-new layout that delivers the company’s most spacious, open, and bright interior yet. Let’s take a closer look.

The Neptunus 650F rides on a resin-infused hull that incorporates two layers of Kevlar for an optimal balance of strength and rigidity. Stretching 20.2 metres, the 650F also measures a full five metres wide–a beefy beam that contributes both to its seakeeping ability and its generous interior space. With twin Caterpillar C18 engines churning out a hefty 1,136 horsepower apiece, that performance hull will clip along quite comfortably at 26 knots and reach 31 knots at full throttle. That’s impressive performance for a 35,380-kilogram yacht and demonstrates the efficiency of the 650F’s innovative hull design.

With its 3,785-litre fuel capacity, 1,204-litre freshwater capacity, and 582-litre waste capacity, the 650F is clearly built for serious, extended cruising. Look below the floorboards, and you’ll find that supported by a 20-kilowatt Northern Lights generator, 15-horsepower proportional thrusters at the bow and stern, a Seakeeper stabilizer system, a Yacht Controller joystick remote control for one-handed docking, and more.

Yacht builders normally brag about the length of their options list, but Neptunus includes all the goodies as standard equipment because, let’s face it, we all want them anyway. So why play around?

The 650F has a time-tested layout, with a large settee facing an elegant rectangular table in the cockpit for al fresco drinks or meals while under the protection of the full hardtop. Hand-laid teak decking provides a luxurious yet hard-wearing finish to this high-traffic outdoor space.

A portside staircase leads up to the flybridge deck, where guests can lounge in comfort on a huge wraparound settee that surrounds a pedestal-mount table. A raised quartz table with four chairs faces a small galley area, while the helm station, with its three Pompanette helm chairs with flip-up bolsters, provides a commanding view of the helm, complete with its twin Raymarine 16-inch Axiom touch-screen displays and room to add a third. Dual 16,000 BTU air conditioning units ensure the flybridge stays comfortable on even the hottest summer days.

Back on the main deck, stepping inside through the full-beam glass door reveals an aft-galley complete with a centre island, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances. To the port side of the galley lies a beverage centre, complete with a Jura coffeemaker with one-touch cappuccino function, and a JennAir beverage unit.

Forward of the galley and two steps up is an inviting salon and a raised L-shaped dinette offering 360-degree views through the 650F’s oversized windows. A 49-inch QLED TV with a Sony sound system provides evening entertainment in front of the oversized white-leather settees.

When it’s time to tuck in at the end of the day, guests enjoy a choice of two luxurious staterooms below. A comfortable starboard-side double cabin offers direct access to the day head, while the larger bow VIP suite offers a queen bed, side windows, an overhead vent hatch, and greater overall space.

The owners enjoy a full-beam, midship master suite with every luxury, including a king bed, large his-and-hers closets, and an expansive ensuite with shower. Large side windows with opening port holes flood the space with fresh air and natural light.

There are also discreet crew quarters far aft, accessed through a transom hatch off the swim platform. For those self-crewing the yacht, this private space will prove a real hit with the kids. Or spec the yacht as a self-crewed vessel to start with and enjoy the bonus storage space for supplies.

For more than 30 years, Neptunus has earned an international reputation as a boater’s boat–a yacht designed and built by yachters who know what does and doesn’t work on the water. If there were ever a vessel made for serious cruising in demanding Canadian waters–or around the world—then the 650F is it.

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