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The Kraken 58 is a Pure Blue Water Cruiser

Kraken Yachts is the brainchild and passion of British businessman Dick Beaumont who built his first boat, the Kraken 66, in China and then sailed it half-way around the world to England.

Beaumont’s objective with the 66 was to build a true ocean-going cruising boat with the emphasis on safety, ease of handling and true live-aboard comfort. He was not setting out to build a race-cruiser that was full of the necessary compromises.

The 66 proved to be just what Beaumont wanted and, as it turned out, it was also just what many other blue-water sailors were looking for. Kraken are center-cockpit, aft-cabin designs with a raised saloon that has a raised dinette and a raised chart table. The concept is similar to Oyster, Discovery and Gunfleet yachts, all British-style, luxury blue-water boats.

The new 58 follows the launch of the 50 a couple of years ago. That boat attracted so many buyers that Kraken, which is based in Bodrum, Turkey, has been forced to open a second factory, this time in Poland, to meet demand.

The 58 fills the gap in the product line between the 66 and the 50 and soon will be followed by a new 44 footer. New Zealander Kevin Dibley is Beaumont’s designer and has produced lines for the 58 that are modern without being trendy, handsome without being flashy and salty-looking without being mired in tradition.

The hull has a somewhat traditional bow that will keep water off the decks and allows the anchor to be raised and lowered without banging the hull.  The forward hull sections have a V shape that prevents the boat from slamming onto waves when sailing upwind in choppy conditions.

Unlike almost all modern designs, Dibley does not carry the boat’s beam all the way aft and thus eliminates the need for twin rudders.  This is important because Beaumont wanted a single rudder, which Kraken calls the Alpha Rudder, with a full-length, steel reinforced skeg to protect it from damage in a collision with sea life or flotsam.

The keel design, labeled by the builder as the Zero Keel, is integral to the molded fiberglass hull with all lead ballast encapsulated inside it. This eliminate keel bolts and creates a double bottom. The keel design is a modified fin with a bulb that is fairly long fore and aft. This, in tandem with the skeg-hung rudder, will provide excellent directional stability that will be easy on the helmsman and the autopilot.

In addition to these robust safety features, the hull has water-tight bulkheads in the bow and stern to prevent water ingress from a rudder post or engine shaft failure or a heavy collision. Also, Aramid fiber-cloth is added to the laminate in the bow sections to strengthen the hull.

The hull and deck are foam-core laminates which adds rigidity while keeping weight down. And, foam coring provides both sound and temperature insulation. It is interesting that Kraken also builds all interior bulkhead as foam-cored laminates instead of the usual plywood.

The 58 has two standard layouts. Plan A had the master suit aft, a generous guest cabin forward and a pullman cabin just aft of it. Plan B converts the forward guest cabin into two pullman cabins for a total of six berths forward of the saloon. The galley is in the passageway leading aft to the master suite.

One of the features Kraken adds to all of their boats is a very complete list of standard equipment so new owners don’t have to spend 20 to 30 percent of the purchase price adding essential gear and equipment.

The new 58, like the 66 and 50, is a true ocean-sailing yacht that can and should be sailed around the world and to the high latitudes and most remote cruising grounds on the planet.

Check out the Kraken 58 here.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Kraken 66 test: Could this be the ultimate ocean cruising yacht?

• Toby Hodges
• September 5, 2019

What would you want in an ultimate ocean cruising yacht? Here’s Kraken’s answer

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

“If you don’t like the weather in Cape Town, wait ten minutes,” is an adage the local skipper of the first Kraken 66 told us as we set sail. Thankfully, we had a good couple of days to test White Dragon , sailing around the stunning Cape Peninsula – but he was right about the ‘variable’ conditions. It would change from intense heat without a breath of wind one minute to an unsettling dense mist and cold Force 5 the next.

We’d chosen the ideal location to do a proper boat test on a bluewater cruiser built by a new brand with the specific requirement to be able to sail anywhere safely and comfortably. Still, as the first day passed, the conditions felt a little benign compared with the legendary Cape Doctor reputation.

As we awoke off Simon’s Town on the second morning, however, the wind was already whistling off the mountains. By the time we’d breakfasted, readied the boat and shipped the anchor, 45-knot gusts were already ripping the tops off any swell trying to make its way into False Bay. I smiled: we were going to get the very conditions we had come all this way for, to test the boat in the winds she was bred to handle.

Relatively low topsides maintain elegant hull lines. To gain interior volume a high coachroof and a camber to the foredeck is used

Thankfully, this first Kraken had already done more than enough to instil confidence in its abilities. Kraken yachts have integral keels, full-length, skeg-hung rudders and capacious tanks for long-term cruising. It may take belt and braces to a new level, but, as I was to discover, there is a host of good ideas and a lifetime of experience poured into this yacht that many can learn from.

Whether or not they suit your type of sailing is another matter – but I found myself swept along by the profusion of practical features, the majority born out of hard-earned sailing miles by Kraken’s founder Dick Beaumont.

What is Kraken?

Kraken is a Hong Kong-based brand, run by British sailors building yachts in China designed by New Zealander Kevin Dibley. Construction is subcontracted to a yard in Xiamen, which already builds boats for a number of brands including Passport Yachts.

Kraken founder Dick Beaumont at White Dragon ’s wheel chatting to YW’s Toby Hodges

We tested its first boat and model, a Kraken 66 built for Beaumont, who clocked over 100,000 miles aboard his previous 58ft Tayana . “I made a book entitled ‘If I ever have another boat, do this’,” he explained. “That book became three books and, when grandchildren came along, I had the chance and desire to apply those lessons.”

When we joined him in Cape Town Beaumont had already sailed White Dragon 12,000 miles from China en route to exhibit the boat in Europe.

Local greeting

“Here is a boat that fills you with confidence”

Motoring out of a breathless and sweltering V&A Marina in central Cape Town, we immediately met the changeable conditions we were warned about.

Heading south along the western side of the cape, we were hit by a 15-knot onshore breeze, which was so much colder and so sudden that we wondered if the dozens of paragliders flying down from Table Mountain would land safely before it hit land.

Yet as soon as our sails were hoisted and trimmed, the breeze would die away or switch to an opposite direction. It was the start of a long day of frustrating conditions involving motoring and sailing spells, but the tour around the coastline of one of the world’s great Capes proved a good chance to learn more about the design and features of the Kraken 66.

It’s a fairly traditional centre-cockpit design inside and out, which eschews modern design trends in preference for a raked bow and relatively narrow transom.

The bow is shaped to prevent it from burying in seas and reduce slamming. Combined with the yacht’s loaded displacement, it certainly gave a smooth and steady motion when we ploughed through sharp waves upwind in a gale. The tucked-in stern sections, meanwhile, are to prevent the boat planing in waves.

Keels are a big topic for Kraken yachts. “The answer to the question ‘what do I do to stop my keel bolts coming off?’ is ‘don’t have any bolts’,” says Beaumont. Kraken firmly believes that having a rigid structure bolted into a flexible hull is a structural flaw.

The Kraken 66 has a total sail area of 214.7m2

The ‘Zero keel’ is its solution, a bulb- shaped keel that is integral to the hull – bonded securely with the hull and keel laminates, with no bolts needed (zero bolts mean zero chance of separation).

Integrating the keel into the hull mould is an innovative, though expensive, technique. Lead ballast casting is inserted into the lower section of the keel and enclosed within the single-piece hull moulding before the frames and stiffeners are installed.

White Dragon has an integral keel, but still uses bolts. The decision to use only Zero keels for all future Krakens means the company is building a new mould for subsequent 66s.

Following a two-mile excursion off the Cape to watch the Atlantic rollers explode onto the frighteningly exposed Bellows Rock, we unfurled sails again to round the point and venture up the eastern side of the peninsula.

White Dragon has an upgraded sail and rig package, with carbon Southern Spars mast and in-boom furling system. We made between 6.5 and 7 knots reaching in what I guestimate to be around 10–12 knots across the deck (the instruments were faulty and did not show true wind).

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Power of hydraulics

It should have been just enough of a breeze and an ideal angle to get a feel for the boat, but the Kraken’s hydraulic steering denies sailors the feedback that they rely on and relish. It’s a peculiar choice for this size of yacht, though cable steering does actually come as standard.

Hydraulic power is used wherever practical aboard White Dragon for reliability and to limit any reliance on electric motors. Hydraulic winches and furlers also make it easier for one person to control sail operations remotely from the helm.

The raised single helm station provides good visibility, but it is very central, so it can be tricky to view telltales. The helmsman can reach out from here to trim the three winches for sheets and traveller, however.

When the wind died again, we motored on at 2,200rpm making 7.8 knots. In a 24-hour period using genset and engine, the Kraken 66 consumes about 13lt per hour at this speed, reported Beaumont, down to 10lt per hour at 2,000rpm.

A deck locker for diesel fillers with raised caps to help prevent spillage

With nearly two tonnes of fuel tank capacity, that equates to a significant motoring range. “In remote places where you may not be able to get good fuel, it makes a big difference if you can run for two or three weeks,” he told me.

Brunton’s variable-pitch propellers and Sigmadrive flexible couplings are used for optimum fuel consumption and vibration reduction, together with the latest common rail Yanmar diesels for efficiency and reliability.

Every Kraken also has two main tanks that transfer to a day tank. This running tank cannot be filled directly from the dock – fuel has to go through the Racor fuel polishing system first to prevent dirty fuel getting through to the engine.

“Seventy-five per cent of the failures on my previous boat were fuel related,” Beaumont reports (the rest were to do with electric motors). “So we have ensured you’ll never have impure fuel – that’s what turns beautiful places into misery.”

Gale force sailing

Not many people go sailing in a full gale – not on purpose anyhow. On the morning of our second day aboard, we headed out into a Force 8 rising to a Force 9 to test the Kraken’s mettle and behaviour.

We unfurled the main, leaving plenty in the boom, equivalent to around two and a half reefs, and half the genoa. The apparent wind rose from a steady 35 up to 55 knots during our sail. The boat coped admirably, in its element even, as we fetched at 60-80° to the apparent wind averaging 8.5-9 knots. Even with this conservative sail area it was enough to induce a fair amount of load on the hydraulic steering and 7-10° of rudder angle.

Running rigging (and jib sheets) lead neatly to a bank of high-load jammers aside the cockpit

It didn’t feel quite in tune. I was keen to swap to the staysail, to use a fuller foresail with better shape and potential drive – and indeed, when we switched, White Dragon instantly felt happier. We still left three to four rolls on the staysail furler, but were then able to punch higher upwind at around 50°A in a consistent 45-53 knots, without losing any speed.

The Kraken tracked well, with a stable motion. Although the steering connection still felt alien, the load on the wheel helped relay the forces exerted on the boat to the helm. In all, it was a competent and distinctly reassuring display. Here is a boat that fills you with the confidence to consider sailing in such conditions.

Heavy-duty winches and Spinlock high-load jammers hint at the displacement and loads of this design – in the loaded condition we experienced, White Dragon weighed around 45 tonnes.

The traveller is well positioned within reach of the helmsman, but the raised cheek blocks on each quarter look awkward, combined with a genoa track that is too long. On future models the track will be on the capping rail, which should then improve the genoa lead and block placements.

The comfortable U-shaped saloon and proper pilot station

The cockpit is generous in size with a long table, but has angular benches with low backrests, which aren’t particularly comfortable and would benefit from the addition of quality cushions. Again the emphasis on safety stands out. Huge drains will reportedly empty a flooded cockpit in four seconds.

The liferaft locker is directly abaft the companionway, a position that Beaumont believes makes most sense if mustering in an emergency. And rather than using one hefty 12-person raft, two six-person rafts are stowed in here, to provide a spare and because their smaller size makes them easier to manhandle.

Extra water and fishing gear is stashed beneath the rafts and there is a grab bag locker under the companionway steps. The locker itself can also be removed in case there is ever a need to hoist out the engine.

Heated wet gear locker has a chair adjacent to make it easier to get into and out of your foulies

Practicalities below

Step below and you gain an immediate feel of solidity, which only increases with time spent aboard. Once more, intelligent features abound that are born out of experience.

To port there is a chair for perching on to remove foul weather gear, beside a heated wet weather locker. It’s a format that encourages you to do things in an orderly and seamanlike fashion – to keep your foulies and lifejacket together, away from the cabins, and to dry them ready for your next watch.

Moving forward, a swivelling pilot chair at the forward-facing navstation gives clear visibility over the foredeck and views of the rig through a hatch situated above. The remote engine throttle and autopilot control mounted here make this a viable position to stand watch in inclement weather.

The U-shaped deck saloon has a table that lowers at the push of a button, either right down to form a huge bed or children’s den, or partially to act as bracing to a pilot berth.

The real appeal of the Kraken 66’s layout for me, though, is in what lies beneath the saloon. The amount of tankage and machinery space is simply astonishing. A door abaft the saloon leads into a corridor of engineering, larger and more comprehensive than aboard any yacht I’ve seen below 90ft, with walkthrough access to two gensets, a dive compressor, DC hydraulic plant, aircon, and a hydraulic watermaker that produces 240lt per hour.

A bank of heavy-duty Racor fuel filters is mounted on the aft bulkhead and below the sole are the three main sea-chests (two for the main engine in case one gets fouled). Every pipe is clearly labelled. An ultra high-volume pump is mounted 3in higher than the bilge pumps, which only activates – together with a siren – in serious flooding.

There is also access under the central saloon sole forward to a compartment that houses a captive winch for the main halyard. There’s an emergency stop button for the hydraulics here, and on the cockpit pedestal.

The passageway galley is ideally laid out for use at sea

A huge battery bank of 1,040Ah at 24V meant we could cook silently all evening at a power drain of just four per cent. Up to 9kW can be drawn from the inverters alone – enough to run aircon in the tropics. And White Dragon has serious power backups in two generators and a power take off on the main engine.

The woodwork is satin-finished golden teak, but white oak or cherry are offered as options. The teak has solid frames with no square edges and the floor is solid planking. Beaumont explained that Kraken can provide this quality craftsmanship at a comparatively low price because of the labour rates in China.

Personally, I did find the interior styling somewhat plain and unremarkable. White Dragon has already sailed 12,000 miles and, in some areas, it showed.

The varnish was showing signs of wearing through in places, including in the heads and around hatches, while some interior metalwork showed signs of corrosion. There is room for improvement with finish quality and the insulation could also be better, both for the engine compartment and for the cabins.

Practical galley

The passageway galley is ideally laid out to work at sea, with excellent headroom and capacious, practical stowage. All worksurfaces are fiddled and there are deep drawers for appliances, ventilated areas for vegetables, plus deep double sinks and a scraps bin inboard.

A Quooker hot water tap (think boiling water in an instant with no wasted energy) is useful for a quick brew and makes sense in combination with White Dragon ’s induction stove. The use of an induction cooker avoids the need to ship gas, is easier to clean and safer.

“We move heaven and earth to talk people out of using gas,” says Beaumont. He thinks it pointless and impractical to try to refill gas bottles or find the correct regulator sizes in foreign countries if you have a generator aboard. A front-opening freezer allows cool air to circulate properly. The fridges can also be set at different temperatures on each shelf, with a stainless steel rack at the back to prevent freezer burn.

The aft cabin island berth is square so you can sleep fore and aft or athwartships

The fittingly large master cabin has generous stowage in large wardrobes and below the berth, and the layout can be tailored to suit. The vast island berth is square so, with the use of the fitted leeboards, it allows you to sleep either fore-and-aft or athwartships.

The downside of the layout is a comparatively compact heads compartment, particularly the shower. Recognising this, Kraken is increasing the beam on the new mould to gain around 8in more room here.

The twin bunk cabin furthest forward has an ensuite heads

Forward cabins

The layout forward of the saloon comprises two bunk cabins and a compact double, a format that will suit having plenty of friends or family aboard. Kraken wanted to avoid having a V-berth cabin, to keep the cabins further aft where there is greater beam and a better motion at sea. The heads/shower in the bows services the forward cabin, while the double cabin and port bunk cabin share a heads.

The cabins are plain in style, but have good headroom and stowage space in lit and ventilated lockers. The berths all have lee cloths, reading lights and useful USB sockets.

For those who want a new boat for remote bluewater cruising, a Kraken is appealling. There are few new boats I’d place enough faith in to want to sail in a gale. The question is what sort of weather do you expect to encounter? There will be those who think the overall design looks dated, perhaps because many of a Kraken’s features, including an integral keel and overhanging hull lines, are traditional in concept. Yet they’re employed for the very reason that they are tried and tested. At the very least, knowing that your keel cannot be separated from the hull is incredibly reassuring. Like some Asian and American boats the Kraken arguably lacks the modern touch of European design, particularly down below. Through design, build and company philosophy, however, here is a yacht that places seaworthiness well above wow-factor. Every element has been conceived with sturdiness and safety in mind. Kraken offers a lot of boat for the money. European-built ocean cruisers typically cost around a third more (the starting price is around €1m less than for a 67ft Oyster or Contest). The Kraken delivers on its robust promise and I’ve little doubt the experience behind this new company will help it appeal to serious cruising sailors.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

• David Harding
• September 19, 2019

Conceived as a true blue-water voyager, the Kraken 50 incorporates a host of features that set her apart from other cruising yachts. David Harding reports

Credit: David Harding

Product Overview

• Belt-and-braces design and construction
• Good sailing performance
• Excellent value for money
• Centre cockpit means a high boom
• Interior styling a little bland in places
• Cockpit can feel crowded

Price as reviewed:

One glance at the Kraken 50 tells you she’s unlike most modern production cruisers: you see no plumb stem, broad stern or twin rudders. There’s not even a bolt-on fin keel.

To those accustomed to modern design, she will raise a lot of questions.

The answers might well change the way you look, not only at her, but also at many other boats.

We need to get one thing straight before going any further: the Kraken is intended for cruising beyond what we might loosely call the ‘civilised world’.

Owners are expected to have their sights set on far-flung parts, away from marinas, lift-out facilities and repair yards and where coral heads lie in wait.

With 18 tonnes of displacement, the Kraken 50 powers through choppy conditions. Credit: David Harding

When you’re doing this sort of cruising, you  have to look at things from a different perspective.

Features such as the Kraken’s raked stem, moderately proportioned stern, integral keel and single rudder on its full-length skeg are fundamental to the design.

They’re among the many that Kraken’s founder and chairman, Dick Beaumont, considers essential in a blue-water yacht.

The jib set on the inner forestay is the headsail for windward work. Credit: David Harding

Whether or not you go along with all his reasoning and whether or not you’re contemplating serious long-distance sailing, the Kraken approach provides much food for thought.

After all, who doesn’t want ruggedness, reliability and sea-keeping qualities? The question is what you may have to sacrifice to achieve them on this scale.

THE TEST VERDICT

If you like the concept of the Kraken, you will probably approve of the design and attention to detail, both external and internal.

If you don’t subscribe to the idea of the integral keel, raked stem, full-length skeg and Solent rig, everything else becomes irrelevant.

The Kraken way of doing things involves compromises, as does any other.

What the Kraken 50 does, however, is to give traditional, tried-and-tested features a modern twist.

The raised saloon sole hides the three separate fuel tanks. Credit: David Harding

With the help of 21st-century design, technology and styling the boat is faster, sleeker, more fun to sail, more manoeuvrable and easier to manage than older boats that would-be Kraken buyers might otherwise be drawn to.

She also poses a serious challenge to modern yachts aimed at those planning blue-water voyages, not least because she’s very competitively priced.

The addition of a few interior styling details, as might now happen with the move to Turkey, will make her even harder to ignore.

WOULD SHE SUIT YOU AND YOUR CREW?

A boat of this size can be managed by a crew of two given the extras, such as electric winches and a bow-thruster, that most owners are likely to choose. Otherwise the Kraken 50 comes with much of what you need.

Our test boat had add-ons to the tune of around £100,000, which is modest in relation to her total value. Something many owners will inevitably choose is in-mast reefing.

The cockpit’s modest width and central table enhances security, though space to move from side to side can be tight. Credit: David Harding

A centre cockpit pushes the boom higher than it would be with an aft cockpit, so the gooseneck is around 6ft above deck level and the head of the stowed mainsail closer to 10ft (3m), though a Harken Switch T-Track system will lower the stack a little.

Even if you’re not planning blue-water voyages, the Kraken has much in her favour for coastal sailing where rocks abound and seas can be rough.

Whatever your sailing plans, she might well be a serious contender if you’re after a semi-custom boat of this size that’s rugged, functional and practical as well as pleasingly plush.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Price as tested: £800,500

LOA: 15.70m (51ft 6in)

Hull Length: 15.24m (50ft 0in)

LWL: 13.68 m (44ft 10in)

Beam: 4.50m (14ft 9in)

Draught: 2.3m (7ft 6in)

Displacement: 18,250kg (40,233lb)

Ballast: 6,500kg (14,330lb)

Ballast ratio: 35.6%

Displacement / Length: 198

Sail area: 134.2m2 (1,444.52sq ft)

SA/D ratio: 19.2

Diesel: 850 litres (187 gal)

Water: 670 litres (147 gal)

Engine: 80 hp

Transmission: Shaft

RCD category: A

Designer: Kevin Dibley

Builder: Kraken Yachts

Tel: 00 852 26189335

Website: www.krakenyachts.com

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• By Cruising World Staff
• Updated: August 28, 2017

Purpose-built to be a true bluewater cruiser, the Kraken 50 has many features that offshore sailors will appreciate, including twin headsails, a deep, protected center cockpit and a raised nav station that offers good visibility on watch. Underneath, you’ll find a full skeg and a lead keel encapsulated in a long bulb.

Find out more at www.krakenyachts.com.

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Bluewater Sailboat – Kraken 50

Kraken 50 defines itself as semi-custom Bluewater Sailboat, but their very strict guidelines on what makes a Kraken a Kraken imply that they are less flexible on some elements. Finally, they use a modular approach to the interior, with the boats divided into three sections: bow, midship, and aft, and it also offers alterations in all three areas, giving a wide range of layout options.

• Price from:£635,000
• LOA:15.70m (51ft 6in)
• Hull length:15.24m (50ft 0in)
• LWL:13.68 m (44ft 10in)
• Beam (max):4.50m (14ft 9in)
• Draught:2.3m (7ft 6in)
• Displacement:18,250kg (40,233lb)
• Ballast:6,500kg (14,330lb)
• Sail area:134.2m2 (1,445ft2)
• Engine:80hp
• Water capacity:670lt (147gal)
• Fuel capacity:850lt (187gal)
• Sail area/displacement ratio:19.2
• Displacement/LWL ratio:198
• Design: Kevin Dibley/Kraken Yachts

The original Kraken 50 was released in China in 2018. Kraken’s headquarters were in Hong Kong at the time, but have since relocated to Turkey, where an additional production facility has been established to serve the European market. Since then, the company has undergone a transformation, with production shifting to Turkey in 2019. The Kraken 50’s hull form, deck layout, and interior were all changed using new moulds. As a result, the boat is at least an MK2, although it could be much more.

Some of the most inspiring production yacht lines have emerged as a result of a man starting by building the boat he desired for himself; one he couldn’t get anywhere else. There have been many one-offs developed in this manner, but the chances are that if the market cannot offer what one person want, other people are in the same boat – or would like to be if it existed. This is especially true for one developed for serious offshore cruising and pays little attention to present trend.

This is the ultimate bluewater cruiser, built from the keel up with a steadfast refusal to compromise. Kevin Dibley of New Zealand designed the hull lines, and the initial requirement was an integrated keel and a single rudder protected by a skeg. This means that in the event of a collision, it will be in the greatest possible shape to keep keel and steerage. Integrated keels (a keel moulded into the hull when the boat is laid up in the mould) are rare these days, but Kraken has gone one step further with what it calls the Zero keel, which features a lead bulb right at the foot of the keel, exactly where it’s needed, and is moulded in when the yacht is built. This means no bolts and a torpedo bulb, which keeps practically all of the keel’s weight in the most effective position – directly at the tip. Furthermore, the rudder skeg, which has a large steel structure, is moulded in, offering great protection. The yacht’s construction is unusually thick, with a minimum laminate thickness of 18mm and Kevlar reinforcement in vulnerable areas. For further security, there is a crash bulkhead at the bow.

Aft of the cockpit is a little bathing platform with a large swimming ladder and gorgeous stainless steel davits for the dinghy. The first thing to notice after stepping aboard is the central cockpit and single helm position. This is the most feasible option for a blue water cruiser, but it is becoming increasingly scarce. This is a nice place, with the helm raised somewhat above the seating area for greater visibility. The helm has a really comfortable seat since, as Beaumont points out, this is where you’ll be sitting for a long time on a blue water journey.

Another good feature is a fuel filler inset into the deck under a flip-up cover, with the filler caps themselves elevated up to ensure water infiltration is minimized while also eliminating the problem of fuel spillages on the deck. The port and starboard tanks may be filled from here, eliminating the need to drag the fuel hose across the coach roof. The decks are simple up front, with the most prominent feature being the enormous stainless steel bow plate, which incorporates the anchor roller and windlass and appears to be overspecified. The bow roller also has a small spirit for Code 0, which can be removed to offer an emergency backup roller. Following this is the anchor locker, followed by a large storage room that might serve as a crew quarters but has been designated as storage. Because it is entirely waterproof and walled off from the rest of the hull, it also serves as a crash bulkhead.

Now you can also precisely calculate the expenses related to boat ownership to make smart choices based on your budget and sailing needs. Use this bluewater Sailboat Calculator to explore different options and make the best decision.

The interior is designed by a New Zealand design team, who managed to achieve a wonderful balance with a place that seems modern but not jarringly so. The sheer quality of the woodwork is another thing that strikes you; Turkish boatbuilders have long had a reputation for great carpentry and steelwork skills, and these are evident throughout the boat. The design of the below-deck saloon guarantees light space with plenty of space. The skipper’s chair, which is situated to port and completely adjustable, provides excellent views forward and to the sides, while a strategically placed hatch allows keeping an eye on the rigging overhead. A nice and spacious seating space is located on starboard. Moving forward, the galley is straight and perfectly sized for bracing yourself while cooking. The galley has numerous innovative elements, like a sink layout with two bins on either side, one for biodegradable waste and one for regular trash, as well as a strategically situated portlight that allows to hand food, cups, and other items directly from the galley to the cockpit. There are twin drawer fridges, a drawer freezer, and an induction cooktop aboard this Bluewater sailboat – no gas at all. One final point to mention is the amount of storage available. A very well-appointed master cabin is located aft of this. This is a spacious centre cockpit boat with plenty of headroom and natural light. Again, storage is great, and the double is remarkable for having foldable leeboards. To starboard is a bunk room, to port is a second heads with a separate shower stall, and beyond that is a basic single berth. To be honest, there are a few layout variants up here, but it’s preferable to look to the website and some illustrations.

Performance

It’s very obvious that this is a Bluewater sailboat built to excel in full sail, brisk trade winds. Kraken performs admirably in erratic conditions  with 7kn-12kn along her 18,000kg displacement which potentially hamstrings her. Despite the fact that Code 0 was still at the sailmaker’s, the huge fore triangle and enough mainsail ensures smooth operation along at 6kn plus. The boat is intended to put the first reef in at 15kn, which gives an idea of the rig’s power. Unfortunately, the blade jib was not necessary, but the idea is that with a Solent rig, have a sail that sets precisely for upwind work while still having the ability to drive upwind. The issue with a cutter rig is that the nicely designed headsail is frequently insufficient to provide appropriate power.

A skeg-hung rudder is always heavier than the finger-light touch of a balanced rudder, and the Kraken 50 was no exception. Despite this, it had a considerable amount of feel and was quite light under power. It would have been ideal to test the boat in a stronger wind, but this was not possible. The sailboat was very well balanced and poised, with a delightful motion. The boat behaved well under power.

Kraken is the sailboat that can withstand storms, continue sailing after colliding with a submerged object in the middle of the ocean, and ensure that the occasional brush with a rock or a reef is nothing more than a small nuisance. This ‘survival by striking things’ attitude is key to how Kraken designs boats, and it explains why Beaumont believes the keel should be a structural component of the hull. That implies no bolts: a return to the keels seen on ‘real’ cruising yachts, but without the slack bilges and wineglass sections. Kraken’s underwater shape is more akin to that of a modern yacht with a bolt-on fin, a tighter hull-to-keel radius, a smaller keel section, and, most importantly, a bulb at the bottom carrying the majority of the ballast. The bulb of the Kraken is built within the integrated keel. This took some tinkering, but the end solution is a keel that becomes a part of the hull structure while avoiding most of the constraints associated with standard encased keels.

Quick Notes

• The Kraken can carry a good spread of sail because of its thin keel section and low center of gravity: the sail area/displacement ratio is nearly 20. Passage-making is more enjoyable in gentle breezes, and it’s better to sail fast enough to get out of the way of storms rather than bobbing around in the middle of the ocean waiting for them.
• The Kraken 50, on the other hand, gives conventional, tried-and-true features a modern twist.
• The sailboat is faster, sleeker, more enjoyable to sail, more maneuverable, and easier to manage thanks to the 21st-century design, technology, and aesthetics than older boats that would-be Kraken purchasers may otherwise be lured to.
• She also provides a significant challenge to modern boats intended for blue-water voyagers, not least since she is quite reasonably priced.
• The inclusion of a few interior aesthetic touches, such as the migration to Turkey, will make her even more difficult to overlook. 

Looking for a used sailboat for sale? Check out the Bluewater sailboat data and specs to make an informed decision. Ocean Wave Sail has data for over 10000+ boats that can help you select one to meet your sailing needs.

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Kraken 66 – tested and reviewed

Pure-bred bluewater cruisers are becoming a rarity these days, but sam jefferson steps aboard the kraken 66 and discovers an uncompromising example.

M ost sailors have at some point sat daydreaming and pondering over what ingredients would make up their perfect yacht. A few may have even taken up a pen and pencil and roughed out a few sketches. Yet there are precious few that have then gone on to actually build the damn thing. One person who has is Dick Beaumont, founder of Kraken Yachts.

Beaumont is a sort of yachting Svengali and successful businessman who has devoted his spare time to cruising the world. This has given him a very clear vision of what makes the ultimate bluewater cruising yacht and – unlike you or I who merely daydream – Mr Beaumont has the resources and willpower to be a ‘dreamer of the day’ – dangerous men, or at least so TE Lawrence would have us believe. In fact, Beaumont has created his vision of the ultimate bluewater cruiser – the Kraken 66.

She’s the first in a new line of bluewater cruisers built in China to Beaumont’s exacting vision of precisely what he feels such a boat should comprise. New projects start up every day in the sailing world and sometimes you start to think is this for real? In the case of Kraken, I can confirm, yes it is. The company has a swelling order book and the 66 has been augmented by the Kraken 58 and the Kraken 50 – all built to the same concept.

To underline how serious Kraken is, hull number one of the 66 is being sailed from Hong Kong to Europe by Beaumont himself in a sort of ultimate shakedown cruise. I caught up with him in Cape Town and we blithely headed into the Southern ocean directly to the Cape of Good Hope – Cape of Storms – in order to put the yacht through its paces.

So what, I hear you ask, is Kraken Yachts’ vision of the ultimate cruising yacht? Well, first up, you need sea kindly lines of the old school – plenty of rake to the bow, relatively narrow and shapely, easily driven lines with plenty of taper aft, a centre cockpit, a skeg-hung rudder and a big keel with substantial chord width and the leading edge reinforced with Kevlar. All subsequent Krakens will also be built with what the company terms the ‘zero keel’ with a fully encapsulated keel with the lead bulb   moulded in. This means no keel bolts and no risk of the keel falling off.

These were the basics; there are hundreds of other details but we’ll get to them in good time. The main aim seemed to be to build a cruiser without compromise. As any sailor knows, such a vision generally comes at a high price but Kraken’s ace in the hole in this respect is that by building in China they can keep production costs relatively low compared with a European-built yacht. So built in China, and the first glance at the 66 is pleasing. She’s a big yacht but a handsome one and her lines – drawn up by Kiwi designer Kevin Dibley – are unquestionably easy on the eye. Freeboard is not excessive and the rig is well proportioned. In common with rivals Oyster and Discovery she has a distinctive curved deck saloon with a big windscreen that gives the impression the yacht has donned a pair of wraparound sunglasses. She has a fixed bimini but it’s not too intrusive and the overall view on was that she had a thoroughbred air to her as she lies at rest.

Step aboard and you’re immediately struck by how solid the boat is. She weighs in at around 46 tonnes – a serious displacement – so when you stomp along the deck she doesn’t shift an inch. She has an air of seriousness from the off too.

The extra height to the guardrails somehow speaks of a yacht that isn’t just making token gestures to bluewater cruising. The centre cockpit with single wheel pedestal is another strong signal that this is a bluewater cruising yacht par excellence . The cockpit is a really nice space with a huge cockpit table that can fit eight around with ease and has leaves that fold out in a very sensible trouble-free manner that is not always the case.

The cockpit area is also delineated between the forward end which is for lounging and dining and the aft end which is the ‘working’ end of the area. All running rigging has been led back here under the coachroof and cockpit coamings and emerges right by the helmsman’s pedestal where a bank of three Harken winches to port and starboard – all hydraulically powered – deal with the donkeywork of raising, lowering and furling at the push of a button.

The mainsheet and traveller are directly behind the helmsman; well within reach but out of harm’s way. The helmsman’s seat is something of a triumph of ergonomics, being a lovely spot to sit and play at being master and commander as the ocean slips past. You feel secure here and that was to prove important later in the test. Meanwhile, the push button controls on the binnacle are simply laid out and easy to operate. My only criticism is that this boat has been in the tropics a few months now as she makes the trip to Europe at a leisurely pace and conditions have not been kind to some of the plastic buttons and gauges supplied by what are well-respected electronics dealers.

Stepping onto broad side decks you’re struck by how much stainless there is on show and this is because the Chinese yard in Xiamen has the skills and resources to machine its own fittings. This on site production has produced four pairs of very pleasingly crafted cleats set into the toe rail at sensible intervals and are a marked improvement on pop up cleats. The fuel filler is also cleverly set beneath a flap in the side deck in order to prevent spillages on your teak decks, but is also raised slightly within the recess to minimise the risk of water contamination. A thoughtful touch.

Up forward there is a monumental stainless bow fitting with an anchor roller to port and a sprit for your gennaker to starboard. This sprit can be unshipped if required to reveal a second anchor roller. The chain locker has a watertight crash bulkhead and aft of this is a large forward lazarette with masses of storage space. This incorporates a second watertight bulkhead.

Back aft, there is no dinghy garage but two hugely substantial davits address the question of dealing with the dinghy. There is also a clever crane for lifting and lowering the outboard. This slots into one of the rod holders integrated into the pulpit while a barbecue slots into the rod holder on the other side of the pulpit. There’s no bathing platform, as Kraken feel this blocks a potential route back to safety in the event of a man overboard.

The rig on this yacht was carbon although this is an extra as were the two Reckmann furlers at the bow – they are Harken as standard.

The sail configuration is the ‘slutter’ or ‘Solent’ configuration also seen in Discovery Yachts bluewater cruisers with a 140% genoa set just in front of the jib then a gennaker set further forward on a sprit. It’s a good system as it makes the jib a powerful sail for upwind work although it does mean you have to furl the genoa to tack or gybe. The rig is relatively powerful, as it needs to be to push along a heavy yacht like this, while the reefing system on this yacht was in-boom. (Kraken stresses this is being tested on the trip and the options of in mast and slab reefing are also available.) The yacht boasted a lovely suit of North 3DI sails which are an extra.

Step down below and the styling is definitely in contrast to the latest trends and is certainly more timeless with plenty of high quality darker woods on show – and plenty of high quality craftsmanship to go with it. Kraken Yachts are definitely a semi-custom outfit, but the layout on the 66 I tested is their favoured one optimised for bluewater cruising.

As such, there’s a large deck saloon with masses of light thanks to that wraparound windscreen. This incorporates an inside helming position and chart table to port with a hatch cleverly positioned in the deckhead above to allow you to check the sails from your (very comfortable) seat. You can adjust your course using the autopilot and there is an extra throttle here too. It’s a configuration I’ve seen on Sirius Yachts as well as Discovery and works very well. To starboard is a large U-shaped seating area and very attractive mahogany table that drops down hydraulically to create a double berth if required. The centre cockpit layout means that you get a linear galley running aft down the starboard side. This is nicely proportioned and immaculately thought out with everything to hand and a nice width for bracing in a seaway. There’s no kettle, which Beaumont maintains is one of the more lethal pieces of equipment aboard a yacht. This is replaced by a boiling water tap while the cooker is also electric. Again, bitter experience of gas related accidents combined with the problems of procuring the correct size gas bottles in obscure south sea islands has convinced Beaumont that electricity is the way forward. There is an upright fridge and separate upright freezer.

Aft of the galley is the master cabin which is predictably huge and has an ensuite set to starboard. The large double doesn’t have lee cloths as such but instead flip up boards to keep you feeling secure when the going gets rough. Forward there is a nicely proportioned double to starboard and a bunk room forward of that with a shower/heads right at the bow. Kraken has eschewed the usual double berth up forward due to the general discomfort of such an arrangement in a seaway. Moving back aft down the port side, there is a second bunk room followed by another heads/shower compartment.

Back in the saloon, the piece de resistance can be found right aft on the starboard side, when you step into a beautifully laid out workshop that features exceptional access both to the engine but both generators, the watermaker, hydraulic systems… the list goes on and this room runs the length of the saloon down the starboard side. It’s excellent. One clever feature is a day tank for the fuel which incorporates a system that polishes the fuel as you pump it through. The premise being that at some point you cannot avoid bad fuel in obscure locations, so this treats the fuel as you go.

Southern ocean comfort

All well and good, but how does the thing sail? No better place to find out than the Southern ocean and the decision was taken to head off on a jaunt around.

The Cape of Good Hope and this famously unpredictable stretch of water dished up everything from fitful 10-15kt breezes right up to a few utterly savage 50kt gusts with a nice chunky swell to boot. These are precisely the conditions a yacht like the 66 should be comfortable in and, to her credit, she really was.

This is a big boat and she felt big in terms of her ability to make light of very heavy conditions. She was fast too; trucking along at 10kt very comfortably on the wind in 20-25kt of breeze and later trundling along almost casually at a similar speed as we ran back towards Cape Town with 40 plus knots of wind lashing out at us. In the steep, often confused, following seas she always felt under control and the centre cockpit gives you a great feeling of added security.

The general feeling was of a yacht that would look after you and would make a long passage feel effortless. Sail handling was also very simple, although the in-boom furling had some glitches but with in-mast furling this is a yacht that could be singlehanded with relative ease.

My only minor reservation was the steering which is hydraulic, and although it had decent feel, the payoff was it was somewhat heavy and notchy. It can, however, be adjusted and it also has to be added that I did a good deal of my steering with the wind blowing 30-40kt and a decent amount of canvas up so there was a good deal of pressure in the system. Kraken is also planning to have rod steering on subsequent 66s, so that will be a big game-changer.

Sam’s verdict

There was an awful lot to admire about the Kraken 66. She’s not perfect, but she is supremely good at doing what she is intended to do. There’s no doubting the quality of the product and the Chinese yard has done Kraken proud while enabling it to fit massively expensive bits of kit, like the hydraulics, in while retaining good value for money.

The concept of a serious bluewater cruiser, carefully thought out by one man, immediately brings to mind John Charnley and Discovery Yachts. The concept is the same but Charnley and Beaumont are different people so the results, while similar, are not the same and it is the contrast that is fascinating.

What is eminently clear is that Beaumont is very serious about his cruising and the years of adventures and misadventures have been channelled into all sorts of clever and thoughtful touches.

If you want something über-modern-looking and flashy, there are other yachts out there, but this is definitely a yacht that will look after you. It speaks volumes for Kraken’s faith in its product that it chose to carry out the test off Cape Town in the knowledge that conditions were almost guaranteed to be extremely tough. The gamble paid off.

The Spec LOA 66ft (20.12m) LWL 59.42ft (18.11m) Beam overall 18ft (5.50m) Draught 8.7ft (2.65m) Displacement 83,224lb (37,750kg) Ballast weight 27,557lb (12,500kg) Sail area 2,322sq ft (215.8m 2 )

Sail area (100% foretriangle) 937.54sq ft (87.10m 2 )

Sail area (including roach) 1,385.42sq ft (128.71m 2 )

Engine power 150kW, 200hp Fuel tank 1,900lt Fresh water 1,200lt

Price (base) £1.26m As tested £1.57m

Contact Kraken Yachts krakenyachts.com

Photos: Trystan Grace

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• Description

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Accommodation.

Abundant on-board features and luxuries normally specified for larger yachts are standard within the spacious interior - designed to create maximum internal volume and plentiful storage space.

The Kraken 50 is perfect for all types of sailing, from a weekend around local waters to long ocean passages. The 50 will perform in all weathers and sea conditions beautifully, with excellent visibility from the helm whether standing or sitting. Her twin headsail rig is ideal to give the sailor many options of sail configuration according to conditions, with sail controls easily managed from the accommodating cockpit.

Timeless refinement and style make the Kraken 50 a sailor’s dream that will turn heads wherever she goes.

Specifications

- Easily driven hull with full length skeg hung rudder

- Encapsulated lead ballast for maximum stability

- Transom platform for easy access to the water

- Transom and side gates for boarding

- Twin headsail rig for sailing in all conditions

- All sail controls are cockpit led

- Secure deep cockpit with protected companion way

- Comfortable seating around cockpit table for eight

- Easily reached sail controls from the helm

- Choice of solid timber interiors and layouts

- Customisable interiors according to requirements

- Kevlar reinforced forward sections for impact resistance

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The Kraken 52' is engineered to be lightweight, fast, efficient and strong.  It's the world's first offshore quad cabin luxury sportfish outboard catamaran with super unique lines that stop traffic at any marina. 

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Kraken yachts, our philosophy.

Kraken Yachts was founded with one objective, to build the best blue water yachts ever launched.

At Kraken Yachts, we believe there is no such thing as a yacht for all purposes and first the designer and builder must decide what the purpose of the yacht is.

Similarly, an owner must also decide what the prime purpose of the vessel they are purchasing is.

If that purpose is to go blue water cruising around the world, you are in the right place, we build nothing else.

Many of the principles of design and construction of a Kraken yacht are derived from the vessels that have sailed our seas for time immemorial. We compromise nothing to fad or fashion and while the stylish look of a Kraken yacht turns heads in marinas or anchorages throughout the world, our up to the minute interior designs are contemporary. Safety and comfort are our driving factors.

Our owners discover that the tracking and motion of a Kraken yacht are unparalleled, and their ability to look after the crew when the going gets rough stands unmatched in modern yacht building.

The fine entry of the bow stem combined with the V shape of the forefoot of the hull eliminates slamming, even when going hard to wind in big headseas. 

We go sailboat cruising for fun and enjoyment and in a Kraken yacht, it’s all about the voyage, not just the destination.

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• Length Overall 44 ft
• Beam Overall 12.54 ft
• Draft 6.58 ft
• Sail Area 1099.5 sq.ft
• Length Overall 50 ft
• Beam Overall 14.76 ft
• Draft 7.54 ft
• Sail Area 1444.52 sq.ft
• Length Overall 58 ft
• Beam Overall 17.06 ft
• Sail Area 1946.54 sq.ft
• Length Overall 66 ft
• Beam Overall 18 ft
• Draft 8.7 ft
• Sail Area 2322 sq.ft

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Take an exclusive look behind the scenes at what goes into the building of a Kraken yacht, not just the finished article. 

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Kraken owners group.

Experience all the extra benefits of Kraken ownership with our online owners’ portal including access to our crew finder.

Kraken Design

The zero keel™.

The Zero Keel is part of the hull and it can never come off. There are no bolts used anywhere in the construction of the keel or hull.

Build Structure

All Kraken yachts are built with a substantial interior structure to ensure keel delamination and failure cannot occur.

The Alpha Rudder™

This comprises four unique features which hugely improve the crews ability to continue steering throughout circumstances that would disable most other yachts.

Ocean Sailor

The Ocean Sailor Podcast is a blue water cruising chat show. Our hosts, the two Dicks (Durham and Beaumont), explore blue water sailing topics.

Ocean Sailor Magazine was a monthly magazine created by Kraken Yachts and launched in January 2020.

With eight categories to choose from including tails of the sea, sailing skills and even great recipes for cooking in your galley, there are hours of reading to enjoy and learn with Ocean Sailor articles.

You can fill our enquiry form for information on prices, delivery dates, options and upgrades. A member of our sales team will be in contact with you shortly.

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Visions Of Mana: Kraken Boss Guide

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Visions Of Mana Preview - A Fun Yet Frustrating Comeback

Visions of mana is the perfect jrpg for veterans and newcomers, visions of mana: every lil cactus location, quick links, preparing for the kraken, battling the kraken.

The first new Mana game in almost two decades, Visions Of Mana gives the series a new lease on life. It is a joyous adventure, playing more heavily with real-time action-oriented combat while still weaving in some tactical elements. It's not always the most challenging, but it is assuredly very fun.

The good, the bad, and the Morley.

When it comes to bosses though, the game is willing to play with its format a bit more. One of these bosses is relatively early on - The Kraken. They have control of the arena, making you adapt to their moves rather than being able to assault them all at once. It can be a tad tricky, so read on to send them back to the depths.

You will battle the Kraken at the end of Chapter 1, just after you set sail for Ledgas Bay . This means you will have your full active party of three - Val, Careena, and Morley. We were level 12 at this point, while the Kraken itself is level 10 . Even if you're a level or two lower, you shouldn't struggle too much with them.

For us, we used the following Party setup:

• Val as an Aegis with the Moon Elemental. He also had the Flame Saber move from the Wind Elemental equipped.
• Morley as a Nomad with the Wind Elemental. Having Moon Energy move from the Moon Elemental is also a great help.
• Careena in her default class, Oracle . She had learned Moon Energy and Defenseless from the Moon and Wind Elemental respectively as well.

This will give you good coverage over weapon types and elements. You could also make Val a Rune Knight for this fight for the extra damage while using Flame Saber, though Morley as a Nomad gives an improved crit rate to the entire party.

During combat, the only items and moves you can use are those equipped to the Ring menu , so make sure to set them before setting sail on the Primm.

The Kraken is weak to fire , so you'll want Flame Saber active on Val at all times, as he will be the major damage dealer here. If you have the time and MP, you can cast it on Morley and Careena as well. Use Morley or Careena to cast Moon Energy on Val as well so he has the highest crit rate possible throughout the fight.

Unlike previous bosses that have been battled so far, Kraken is a mostly stationary boss as they comprise what is basically the entirety of the arena. They position themselves by the back of the boat, their face in constant view. It is their tentacles, however, that is their weak point and any attacks on them will be counted as critical hits.

Throughout the battle, Kraken will attack the ship with two of its tentacles. These attacks are highly telegraphed, showing the areas in red where they will hit, giving you ample time to avoid them. The majority of them are simple slam attacks, though some will be a swiping motion so make sure you are never stood in any of the red zones.

The tentacles don't stay idle for long , so if you are hit you will likely miss the majority of the time you have to attack them.

A move to look out for is when Kraken grips the sides of the ship with their tentacles . At this point, they will perform an attack with their head, either shooting a torrent of water, or a stream of bubbles . Both can be neatly avoided by staying near the tentacles, also offering you ample time to attack them.

As the fight progresses, Kraken will start attacking more rapidly, striking with both tentacles at once , as well as tilting the ship to push you away from them . Once they are below half their health, they will also start spewing ink across the battlefield. This deals very little damage, but blackens the edges of your screen , making it much harder to actually see what's going on.

Around this point, they will also start summoning smaller enemies, Tezlas . These aren't much of a threat, but it's best to deal with them so you don't get overwhelmed.

Fun fact - Kraken's tentacle attacks can also hurt their summons if you want to bait them into those attacks.

And that's all there is to Kraken! Keep Flame Saber and Moon Energy active, and you'll have this battle down in no time. As a reward for beating them, you get 900 Lucre, 4,960 EXP, the Kraken Corestone as well as the Soul Guard Tonic , which allows you to expand Val's elemental plot. Congratulations, and good luck on the rest of your journey!

I've been playing adventure RPG games since childhood, and VIsions of Mana was fresh enough to draw me in but classic enough to feel intuitive.

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