Yacht of the Year 2015: the Krogen Express 52

There’s quite a divide in the world of boating when it comes to trawlers versus speedsters or, more specifically, displacement hulls versus planing hulls. It’s the age-old battle of speed versus power and unfortunately, there’s always a give and take when you lean one way or the other. Until now, that is. When it comes to the Krogen Express 52, speed and power are finally married in such a way as to create a fast-trawler, which was originally thought to be something of an oxymoron!

Now, Krogen yachts have always been an oddity in the boating world—not in any sort of recursive sense of the word but rather based on their hulls, which are considered to be hybrid in their design. Since the Krogen Express 49, introduced in 1990, the company has been striving for a yacht that has it all and with the Express 52, it appears the company has finally done it: given boaters everything they want and more from their vessel.

The Express 52 features world-class efficiency when it comes to power. Featuring a burn rate of only three gallons per hour at a speed of eight knots, with capabilities to reach up to 16 knots with a burn of 20 gallons per hour with its 420-horsepower Yanmars, this yacht is truly a balance between power and leisure. Overall, the Express 52 has a cruising speed of around 19 knots and an overall top speed that’s been clocked at 23 knots!

If you’re looking to get your hands on a Krogen Express 52 however, you’re going to have to wait your turn. With only 16 models on the sea today, approximately two of them have ever been resold, making this one of the highest retained yacht models in history—and for good reason! One of them is actually still on the market: a Krogen Express 52 called Black Swan.

Black Swan is aptly named for her jet-black hull and white topside shine, which comes together to form an aesthetic that can quickly turn heads when you’re trolling along leisurely. Outfitted with gorgeous teakwood decks and numerous upgraded internal features, this beauty of the sea is something special in her own right.

Though originally crafted in 2001, Black Swan, like all other Express 52 models, has retained her charm throughout the years and thanks to careful upkeep by her existing owner, is in seafaring condition and then some, having just received comprehensive engine service, bottom coatings, refurbished interiors and a new gel-coat.

So who benefits most from owning a vessel like Black Swan? The answer is any boat owner that favors their time on the water and enjoys doing so with company. Krogen is known for its spacious interior designs and accommodating quarters, which lend themselves to everything from a leisurely afternoon on the water to a sail around the gulf.

There’s a reason the Krogen Express 53, and Black Swan in particular, is our yacht of the year for 2015: it doesn’t get any better than this when it comes to searching for a watercraft that gives boaters the whole package. And, with only two of the original models on the market today, it’s only a matter of time before this craft becomes the stuff of legend, known only to those lucky few.