
In our charter we had Saxdor 320 GTC - this is our review!
Saxdor 320 GTC! The vessel we rented for the summer tourist season of 2023 in Zadar. We decided to do a short review of this truly special vessel!
The Saxdor 320 GTC vessel is 10.28 meters long and 3.10 meters wide. The draft is 0.94 meters. The total weight with two engines is 5100 kg. Our version had two Mercury Verado v8 outboard engines, each with 300 or a total of 600 horsepower. The fuel tank holds 450 liters.
The maritime capabilities of this vessel are truly superb. When there is no wind, the feeling of sailing is like gliding on the sea, while sailing in windy conditions once again gave a "feel" in which the person steering the vessel can feel that he has things under control even though the conditions for sailing do not seem ideal. Due to the deep "V" profile that is the signature of this Finnish factory, which also produces Axopar - also characteristic for the sporty lines and sharp bow of the boat, the vessel behaves well at sea in terms of breaking waves and stability itself. Of course, the length of ten and a half meters and the width of three are added to that, which is still a large length and width for a speedboat, as well as the weight of the vessel of 5 tons. When we add to that the powerful 600 horses powered by the Mercury Verado v8 systems, then there is nothing left but to choose the weather conditions and - sail.
The average consumption with 6 passengers at a speed of 28 mph varies from 72 to 80 liters - depending on weather conditions. Nevertheless, the Saxdor 320 GTC is a heavy vessel, so the increased consumption is not surprising.
On the other hand, the compatibility of the materials, more precisely the screws, nuts and bolts used to fasten the woodwork, the space on the bow around the anchor and the stern platform do not follow the quality and capabilities of the vessel at sea. In other words - when driving on rough seas, it happens that the door for passage from the bow to the ship's cabin opens by itself - there is no handle, but the door is made to be pushed and that way it is closed. A similar system as a magnet. Also, the sealing tape came off from the top to the bottom of the door (picture 20). It is by no means a high-quality method of execution or material. The door opens and therefore bangs a lot, so the door must be held, which is very impractical. Also, the sliding door that leads to the sleeping cabin/toilet has a lock held by small screws that of course broke or snapped when driving in undulating conditions, so we had to keep them open and locked with the lower safety lock (pictures 21 and 22).
On the other hand, on the ship's prow in the anchor storage, since we didn't have an electric windlass, the anchor jumps and breaks all the space around it. The anchor is placed on a piece of plastic or plexiglass that stands on plastics that are attached to the ship's hull with screws. So the anchor is not on the bottom of the ship, but on that plastic, which of course collapsed or broke in the onslaught of the wave. The screws that hold the joinery (windows and glass wall at the stern) are not caught with sealing glue, so they loosen and fall out every now and then. The next problem is the hydraulic setup that raises the opening at the stern where there is a table and a bench, and under which there are electrical installations, a water tank, etc. The sight that holds the hydraulic device for lifting that cover is of course - unscrewed. We barely lifted the lid and crawled in as if to screw it back (picture 23).
The problem is also caused by poorly placed ladders that protrude a few centimeters outside the boat on the right aft part, and when gliding they splash the entire aft bench. We fixed this by hiring a handyman to make us a sliding ladder system so that the ladder can be retracted inside when not in use.
The biggest problem is the stern platforms. They work very poorly. So, in order to lower one of the two aft platforms, one person needs to press the button to release the safety lock on the aft platform itself, for which it is necessary to press hard, because if it is not pressed hard, then the lock does not release and the aft platform, which has only one hydraulic cylinder on the side closer to the engine, he begins to blame the platform and automatically himself. The second person presses the safety button that allows general control of raising or lowering the left and right aft platforms and the cover above the electrical wiring that we talked about earlier. The process itself is not a complication, but the problem is in that button that needs to be pressed hard, and sometimes it won't do the job anyway. There is also a big problem with closing platforms. The lock was disassembled very quickly and then an additional tool is needed to redirect the direction of the hook that is attached to the lock, which is very complicated and delicate because it can catch the fingers of the person doing it. There are also fuses (small rubber cables) that additionally hold the platforms (except for the hydraulics, which is located on only one side) when they are in the lower position (picture 24).
All in all, the Saxdor 320 GTC is a vessel with superior maritime capabilities and a striking and sporty - luxurious appearance. The space on the vessel allows you to enjoy and relax in the sun or in the shade. The interior is also very practical folded, so two fridges and cup holders are always within reach. All the windows on the vessel can be opened as well as the skylight, so this gives extra pleasure in the summer heat.
Apart from stormy winds for which special warnings are issued, no other wind can cause problems for our seas on the Adriatic. However, it is a vessel that, with two engines and some equipment, costs from €190,000 - €225,000 plus VAT.