Marlow 57E
Designed for comfortable entertaining, the saloon benefits from oversized windows and a built-in sofa that faces a pair of recliners.
CHANGE IS GOOD
Like all Marlow yachts, the 57E has benefited from
David’s constant tinkering. (The “E” designates a Euro
reversed stern with protected platform.) In some cases,
changes are as simple as making lockers bigger when
David finds some space. Or rearranging the layout for
more comfort. Or adding new standard equipment that
he thinks everyone needs.
In the case of the 57E, the yacht started as a 53-footer
(which is still available) and was stretched for more living
space. After building 32 of the Marlow 53s, David just
had to start fiddling. What he did was reduce the
prismatic coefficient of the hull a smidgen, narrowing the
waterline beam aft by about 8 inches and making the
buttocks lines a little straighter. These are subtle changes,
but David is a former ocean sailboat racing guy, and he
understands the concept of reducing drag.
The second thing he did was make the prop pockets
more efficient. The Marlow Explorers all incorporate his
proprietary Velocijet Strut Keel, a combination of twin
keels with prop pockets. The keels serve as roll dampers,
while the pockets reduce the draft and make the
propellers more effective.
By making the prop tunnels absolutely symmetrical,
David created a nozzle effect, allowing him to drop the
reduction gearing from 2.5: 1 to 2: 1. Our test boat was
running a pair of 38-by-37-inch, five-bladed wheels with
105 percent surface area. (The blades of the propeller
overlap slightly, achieving a surface area that is 5
percent greater than the area of a circle scribed by the
blade tips.)
