A beautiful day in Tiara’s neighborhood.
By Chuck Warren
There are few things better than a mid-August boat ride on the Great Lakes when a light breeze is blowing out of the northwest, the sun is shining, and you’re leaving from Tiara Yachts’ Corporate Boating Center in Holland, Michigan.
After years of success with the Coupe line, Tiara looked to its customers and dealers for feedback on the things that worked and features that could be improved upon, then used that information to make useful, meaningful design changes.
All aboard
A single portside stairwell leads up to the main deck. Since the starboard side is not broken by a second stairwell, Tiara stretched the aft seating into a huge L-shape lounge. The cockpit includes a tremendous amount of comfortable seating around a teak table. Wide outboard walkways provide easy access to the bow and its spacious, convertible sunpad.
Step inside
Dual sliding doors open to a galley where there is storage space everywhere you look. A portside cooktop and sink hide below quartz countertops. Customizable cold storage drawers and a dual-purpose microwave/convection oven are found to starboard. However, aside from the spacious countertops, the galley blends in so well, it’s easy to forget it’s there.
The galley’s open design also provides more room for foot traffic. With the doors slid aside, the big, open space merges with the cockpit to create a huge entertainment area with plenty of seating where guests can either move and mingle or sit and chat.
The salon and helm occupy a single level, which makes moving around the space easy. There is no need to step up or down to access the spacious U-shape lounge and folding teak table on the port side or the starboard helm seat.
The huge salon windows provide almost unlimited visibility to give passengers an unbroken view of the water. The windows and retractable sunroof let in plenty of light and create an open-air feel. Even the salon TV retracts out of sight behind the starboard seats where it can’t block the view.
Downtown
A center access stairwell leads to the big, open atrium, and then to the beautifully designed VIP berth and huge main cabin. Large hullside windows provide lots of natural light in the guest quarters where Tiara again makes perfect use of the available space.
The lower head is accessible to guests from the atrium and can be locked for private access for the VIP stateroom. A seating area on the atrium’s port side converts into bunks so kids or two more adult guests can have some space of their own.
Aft of the atrium, the centerline master suite is big enough to need its own zip code. Again, there is no need to step up or down as you move around the single-level space, where plenty of headroom and abundant natural light from the gigantic hullside windows add to the spacious feel.
The master head features a huge stand-up shower with glass doors. Like the rest of the C49, the head also includes abundant storage. With its bowl sink and stainless steel accents, the space is as attractive as it is functional.
Tiara offers a variety of optional designer accent fabrics, sofa and lounge upholstery, and sunpad upholstery, allowing owners to create a personalized appearance all their own. Our test boat was trimmed in Tiara’s attractive neutral and navy Twilight Colorway package, which adds to the open feel of the boat.
In control
At the helm, a 48-inch doublewide seat provides enough space for a guest to keep the skipper company. Twin Garmin 7600 glass panels provide customizable navigation, info and controls, while a Volvo Glass Cockpit electronics package provides engine feedback.
The joystick and remote controls mounted in the starboard armrest make operating the C49 easy and comfortable, especially since the huge salon windows provide an unobstructed view while maneuvering in tight spaces. Like the rest of the boat, the helm and dash are equally clean, attractive and functional.
Twin Volvo D8 IPS800 packages provide a total of 1,200 hp through Pod drives. With standard power, the C49 is capable of 36 mph at top speed. At a comfortable cruise, the 49-footer will get you and your guests to your destination at an amazing 30 mph at 2750 rpm.
The C49 Coupe is capable of impressive speeds and handles like a sport cruiser half its size. Although our test ride took place in calm waters, the boat was stable, manageable and fun to drive, climbing up on plane quickly while the salon and cockpit were well-insulated from engine noise.
It’s all in the details
Little things make the C49 stand out from the crowd, like the boarding step hidden underneath a seat cushion, trays for personal electronics and well-placed USB charging ports. Instead of putting a large access door in the salon, the breaker panel is hidden below a seat yet still easy to access.
The interior space is well-lit and without bulky fixtures protruding from the ceiling. Strips of LED lighting provide ample illumination but blend in when unused. Opening portholes in many of the windows allow a flow of fresh air.
Back home
The Tiara Yachts C49 Coupe is a thoughtfully designed beauty with plenty of features and impressive performance. With comfortable space for six people, the boat can provide the perfect home base for a day at the beach or a weekend exploration in a new port.
The weather was perfect for our test ride on the new C49 Coupe. In fact, the water was so calm there was never a reason to engage the boat’s optional Seakeeper stabilizer system. With such flat water, our only challenge was retrieving a baseball cap lost during a full-speed run along Lake Michigan’s picturesque shoreline.
In other words, it was a beautiful day for a boat ride in Tiara’s neighborhood.
DEALERS
SkipperBud’s
800-636-2628
skipperbuds.com
Walstrom Marine
231-526-2141
walstrom.com
Specifications
- LOA: 50’3″
- Beam: 15’4″
- Draft: 50″
- Weight: 41,000 lbs.
- Fuel Capacity: 500 gals.
- Water Capacity: 135 gals.
- Power:
- Price: Contact dealer
- Website: tiarayachts.com
Photo Courtesy of Tiara
Photo Courtesy of Tiara
Photo Courtesy of Tiara