In shortBetween 45 and 85 ft the right flybridge comes down to how many cabins you need, whether you will run the boat yourself, and how much outdoor living space matters. Schaefer’s 450 (two cabins) and 510 GT (three) are owner-operated coastal cruisers; the 600 and 660 add a third head and crew quarters yet remain within reach of an experienced owner-operator; the 85 ft 26M, due to launch in early 2027, is the new flagship with four full suites; and both the 770 and the 26M can be run with crew or driven by an owner-operator. Reviewer Dan Jones of BoatLife measures them against Princess, Azimut and Galeon, and puts Schaefer among the innovators.
The Schaefer flybridge range
| 450 | 510 GT | 600 | 660 | 770 | 26M (early 2027) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length overall | 13.66 m | 15.82 m | 18.08 m | 20.1 m | 23.56 m | 26.04 m (85 ft) |
| Guests for the day | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 |
| Sleeps | 4 + 1 | 6 + 1 | 6 + 2 crew | 8 + 2 crew | 8 + 2 crew | 8 to 11 + 3 crew |
| Power | Twin Volvo Penta IPS | Twin Volvo Penta IPS | Twin Volvo Penta IPS | Twin Volvo Penta IPS | Triple Volvo Penta IPS 1050 | Triple Volvo Penta IPS 1350 |
| Staterooms | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Full-beam master, VIP and guest staterooms | Four full suites or five cabins, master amidships |
| Side balconies | One, fold-down | One, fold-down | Two, fold-down | Two, fold-down | Two, fold-down | Two, fold-down, with side doors |
| Owner-operated | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Crewed or owner-operator | Crewed or owner-operator |
What every Schaefer flybridge shares
Volvo Penta IPS pod drives with joystick docking and a wing station at the aft corner, so the boat can be brought alongside from the cockpit with the dock in full view. Hydraulic swim platforms that lower into the water and, on most models, carry the tender on chocks. Internal stairs between decks. A galley on the main deck and a saloon that opens through concertina doors to the cockpit. And fold-down side balconies on every Schaefer flybridge, one on the 450 and 510 GT and two from the 600 up, which Dan Jones of BoatLife describes as creating “an incredible feeling or sense of space”, with a saloon on the 770 that “feels similar to what you get on some 90-footers”.
Schaefer 450: the first flybridge
The 450 (opens in a new tab) is a two-stateroom, two-bathroom coastal cruiser with a full-beam master, a VIP cabin and a small crew cabin that doubles as storage. It is the boat Dan Jones recommends to owners stepping up from an outboard day boat or a 30 ft sports cruiser who want to take eight to twelve people out for the day, sleep four to six, and hop 50 to 100 nautical miles along the coast. After eight hours at the helm in calm water and 25 to 30 knot gusts he called it “a proper coastal cruiser” with “very neat construction”, and set it directly against the British competition:
“If you were looking at the Princess F45, this Schaefer 450 is worthy of your consideration. It feels solid through the waves, it’s quite comfortable and there is so much extra real estate to play with. It really does compete with a lot of the English brands.”
Schaefer 510 GT: three cabins at 52 ft
The 510 GT (opens in a new tab) brings a three-cabin, three-bathroom layout, a small crew cabin and a fold-down cockpit balcony to the 50 ft class, with space for sixteen guests and a 24 knot cruise from twin Volvo Penta IPS. It is the natural choice for a family who want a cabin each and a flybridge large enough for everyone at once. The same hull is offered as the 510 GTS (opens in a new tab) sports cruiser for owners who prefer a single deck.
Schaefer 600: three heads, crew quarters and balconies
The 600 (opens in a new tab) is where the range changes character. Three cabins each with their own bathroom, quarters for two crew with a separate head and shower, fold-out balconies on both sides of the cockpit, a fixed flybridge roof and an aft wing station with optional Dynamic Positioning and Volvo Dock Assist. Dan Jones compared it with the European flybridges of the same length and drew a clear line between the traditional yards and the innovators:
“The competition would be your Princess, your Azimut, all shaft drive, three cabins, some have two heads. They seem very old-world, for the classic traditional guy or girl. I would put this up against the Galeon 560 Fly; they’re doing innovative things and I put Schaefer in that category of innovation. Coming from a 45 or 50 foot flybridge you get something a little bit bigger and save a whole stack of money.”
In his sea trial the 600 with IPS 950s ran at 22 knots on about 70 per cent load, 27 knots at 90 per cent and 32 knots flat out through waves. With the gyro off it heels into a turn “like a sports cruiser”; with it on, it settles down for a family day. He was happy to take it on 100 nautical mile coastal runs and, with Dock Assist, to run it with just a partner as crew.
Schaefer 660: the sporty one
The 660 (opens in a new tab) has four staterooms and three bathrooms for eight guests plus two crew, a private entrance to the full-beam master, balconies that add 25 per cent to the cockpit floor, and a 17 degree hull that Dan Jones found noticeably sportier than the 770. It is, in his description, at the top of the size range an owner can comfortably run without crew.
“You could put this alongside some of the Azimut S Series in terms of the feedback I’m getting through the hull. If you’re the kind of person that enjoys being in control of your vessel but wants the space and options that only a bigger boat provides, then this 660 is worthy of your consideration.”
Schaefer 770: the largest in the range today
The 770 (opens in a new tab) sleeps eight guests and two crew, carries twenty for the day, and runs at up to 33 knots on triple Volvo Penta IPS 1050s. Two 17-foot fold-out balconies and concertina saloon doors turn the main deck into one open room with, in Schaefer’s words, the usable footprint of a 90-foot superyacht. Dan Jones’s verdict was “a seriously cool package” with “a lot of entertaining and usable space in a cool and fast yacht”, and his point about handling matters for anyone wondering whether 77 ft is too much:
“This manoeuvres like a 45-footer. If you’re used to an IPS flybridge motor yacht of 45, 50 or 55 feet you’re going to feel pretty at home. I really don’t think it’s going to be much of a transition for you.”
Schaefer 26M: the new flagship, coming in early 2027
The 26M (opens in a new tab) is Schaefer’s new 85 ft flagship and the largest yacht in the fleet, due to launch in early 2027. It carries 21 guests for the day and sleeps eight to eleven guests in four full suites or five cabins, plus three crew, with the master amidships, the quietest and most comfortable place on board. Three Volvo Penta IPS 1350 pods give a 26 knot cruise and 34 knots flat out, and Schaefer quotes 20 to 25 per cent better fuel efficiency than traditional propulsion systems. Side balconies and doors on both sides open the main deck to the water, the saloon runs the full length of the main deck, and the aft deck carries a 2.8 m table for ten. The superstructure, flybridge and hardtop are carbon fibre, which lowers the centre of gravity, and the interior layout is fully customisable. It is the step for 770 owners and buyers of other 80 to 90 ft flybridges who want the same open, balcony-led design on a larger scale.
Owner-operated or crewed?
The 450 and 510 GT are designed to be run by the owner with one helper for lines and fenders. The 600 and 660 are the same in principle, with Dock Assist and Dynamic Positioning making short-handed docking routine, but Dan Jones is candid that the 660 has “lots of moving parts” and sits near the limit of what most competent owner-operators would take on without crew. The 770 will often have a crew but is easily managed by an owner-operator, and is laid out for both lives: separate crew accommodation and two tender positions, alongside a lower helm, flybridge helm and wing station the owner can use alone. The 26M, with quarters for three crew, will usually run as a crewed yacht, but like the 770 it can also be driven by an owner-operator. Every model in the range is built to be driven by the person who owns it.
Common questions
What is the largest yacht I can run without crew?
With Volvo Penta IPS joystick control, a wing station and Dock Assist, experienced owners run the Schaefer 600 and 660 without professional crew. Reviewer Dan Jones of BoatLife describes the 660 as near the limit for most competent owner-operators; the 770 and the 26M are often run with crew but can also be driven by an owner-operator.
What is the largest Schaefer yacht?
The Schaefer 26M, an 85 ft (26.04 m) flybridge motor yacht due to launch in early 2027. It carries 21 guests for the day, sleeps eight to eleven guests plus three crew in four full suites or five cabins, and cruises at 26 knots with a top speed of 34 knots on three Volvo Penta IPS 1350s. Until it launches, the largest Schaefer in the water is the 770.
How does the Schaefer 450 compare with a Princess F45?
Dan Jones of BoatLife, who has tested the 450 over eight hours in calm and windy conditions, says the Schaefer is “worthy of your consideration” against the Princess F45: it feels solid through the waves, is comfortable, and offers “so much extra real estate”. In his view it competes with a lot of the English brands.
Do Schaefer flybridges have fold-down side balconies?
Yes, all of them. The 450 and 510 GT each have one fold-down balcony; the 600, 660 and 770 have two at the cockpit; and the 26M has balconies with doors on both sides; the smaller 380 sports cruiser has them too. On the 660 they add about 25 per cent to the cockpit floor area.
Are the boats delivered to Australia in English?
Of course. Sometimes our international boat reviews are done on early hulls built for the South American market. All boats delivered by Schaefer Yachts Australia are built to Australian standards and electrical systems, and all labelling is in English.
Quotations are from Dan Jones’s BoatLife video reviews (dansboatlife.com.au) and are his opinions from the videos linked above, not statements by Schaefer Yachts or by the other brands named. Specifications are from Schaefer Yachts; pricing on application.