sabre yachts maine

About Sabre Yachts

Sabre yachts: “crafted in the maine tradition.”.

Sabre Yachts are renowned for their classic designs, industry-leading quality, and nautically sensible style. That reputation begins with our craftspeople and associates. Their unceasing demonstration of artistry, dedication, and craftsmanship make Sabre a criterion of the global boating industry and honors the centuries-old boatbuilding tradition of the State of Maine – hence the company motto, “Crafted in the Maine Tradition.”

Sabre Yachts, in conjunction with sister company Back Cove Yachts, employs more than 350 Maine craftspeople. Our associates continuously demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their role and its influence on the final product, and nearly a third of the Sabre production team has been with the company for over a decade. Low employment turnover, an emphasis on safety procedures and cross-training, and a thorough awareness of each model’s competitive position in the marketplace have enabled Sabre to exceed today’s high standards of excellence in manufacturing and design.

Each Sabre motor yacht today is powered with the revolutionary Volvo IPS dual pod drives and outfitted with numerous features that ensure owner-operators are comfortable and confident. Currently ranging from 38 to 58 feet, the award-winning Sabre Yachts lineup features timeless Downeast lines, energetic and satisfying performance, as well as carefully thought out details that discerning boaters recognize and appreciate.

Down East Yachting is the premier dealer for Sabre Yachts on Florida’s East Coast and Michigan’s Great Lakes. Our team’s expertise and knowledge of these special boats can make all your boating dreams a reality!

Sabre 38 Salon Express

Sabre 43 Salon Express

Sabre 45 Salon Express

Sabre 48 Salon Express

Sabre 58 Salon Express

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Sabre’s Storied 50-year History and Unwavering Success

May 1, 2020 | Magazine , News , Sabre Yachts | 0 comments

Sabre Yachts officially got its start in 1970 building small production sailboats in Southeastern Maine. Before that time, founder Roger Hewson was working in his family’s construction company when he decided to design and build his first boat: a wide, blunt-nosed sailing scow that he named for its length and impressive speed in cutting through the water—like a Sabre. While attending McGill University Roger met a young lady named Charlotte, fell in-love and eventually they would marry. Charlotte’s family happened to have a large property in Raymond, Maine where they operated a popular girls summer camp. Although 25 miles from the nearest ocean put-in at Casco Bay, the couple decided to build Sabre Yachts from this location.

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Sabre at 50

From high-quality sailboats to powerboat powerhouse.

Sabre Yachts is buzzing with activity. As the Maine-based firm enters its 50th year, business remains strong, with a backlog of orders for many of Sabre’s powerboat models.

During a recent visit to the 83,750-square-foot plant in Raymond, boats in one vast section were lined up bow to stern in various stages of construction. Nearby, hulls and decks were being prepped for fiberglass lay-up. Modules  were under way for the interior of the Sabre 58 Salon Express. Woodworkers were crafting furnishings and other components. Carpenter Chuck Brown pointed out the delicate curvatures and seamless corner joinery of a window frame he was working on for Hull No. 139 of the Sabre 48. One workbench over, another master carpenter, Diane Hoffman, was mocking up drawer latches. Both have been with the company for 18 years.

“I’ve loved my job ever since the first day I started,” Hoffman said. “Usually you’ll find me building the more complicated components. It’s creative.”

Sabre’s vice president of sales and marketing, Bentley Collins, has been with the company for 26 years. “It’s a well-oiled machine with a lot of really talented people,” he noted, surveying the busy scene. As many as 150 people work in the Raymond plant. Collins took obvious pride in the swirl of activity—the veterans with years of experience, the newcomers eager to learn, the combination of Maine prowess with state-of-the-art innovation.

The Sabre 58 is a good example of the company’s status in the yachting world. The recently debuted model generated seven orders before one was even built. It’s now in production both in Raymond and at the company’s second facility in Rockland, allowing Sabre to ship all of the orders in the next 18 months.

That rate of production is typical. The company sells powerboat models from 38 to 66 feet long in salon express and flybridge variations, ranging in price from $700,000 to $3.5 million. Over the past year, Sabre 45s came off the production line at a rate of one every 12 days. Workers were getting ready last summer to ship Hull No. 145 of the Sabre 42, and 10 more were in production or on order. There’s at least a year-long backlog on most models; some models have backlogs of two years, according to Collins.

Key to Sabre’s success has been continual design development, even through economic downturns, Collins said. He credited the company’s co-owner and co-chair, Daniel Zilkha, for his commitment to this program.

“If you don’t say, ‘Here’s something new,’ customers just stay with what they’ve got,” Collins said. “So we’ve driven our business by creating new models. And our customers have been faithful all the way through. During the last downturn, a lot of builders stopped developing new models completely and had to bow out of the motoryacht business. Whereas Daniel’s philosophy was new, new, new.”

The Sabre story goes back to the 1960s, when Roger Hewson designed a 26-foot sailing scow in his spare time. Hewson, originally from Montreal, owned a construction company, but loved building boats. His called his racing model the “Sabre scow” because it was long and narrow like a sabre (as it’s commonly spelled in Canada).

The sideline became Hewson’s passion. He sold his construction business and researched new boat models. Smaller, high-quality fiberglass sailboats for first-time cruisers fit the bill. The Sabre 28 was born.

In 1970, Hewson and his wife, Charlie, moved to Raymond, where Charlie had family, and built a 4,000-square-foot shop, officially launching the company and the Sabre brand. With a handful of employees, he built the first Sabre 28, introducing it to the market at the 1971 Newport (Rhode Island) Boat Show. It was a hit, with 588 built over the next 15 years. Hewson subsequently designed models up to 44 feet in length. In the 1980s,  Sailing World  ranked the Sabre 34, 38, and 42 as first in class. In 2003, the 28 was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame.

In 1988, realizing many customers were moving to powerboats, Hewson designed the Sabre 36 “Fast Trawler,” a motoryacht combining spaciousness with performance. But retirement beckoned. Thinking of his 195 employees and the potential for powerboats, he prepared a business plan designed to invite new investors. 

The timing was complicated. The industry would soon be devastated by what Hewson calls a “perfect economic storm,” caused in part by a new tax on luxury goods including yachts, and a stock market downturn. The first investor to step in was a Sabre owner, Ed Miller, who had a summer home not far from the yard. Miller, president of the newly created Caribbean and South America division of Federal Express, brought in his neighbor, Daniel Zilkha, as a second investor to run day-to-day operations.

Born in Egypt and raised in Paris, Zilkha was a founding partner in the Geneva investment bank Soditic S.A. as well as founder and publisher of Art & Auction Magazine in New York. When Miller contacted him, he was living in Maine, where his wife had family roots. Zilkha didn’t know anything about boats or boatbuilding. But with a finance and business background, he proved a fortuitous choice. Bringing Collins onboard, they decided to focus on the powerboat market.

“As time went by, our sailboat dealer network fell away, and our powerboat dealer network urged us to build more powerboats,” Collins recalled.

The powerboats were successful from the start. In 1995, Sabre acquired North End Marine of Rockland, then a builder of marine molds and production fiberglass parts. The company’s name was changed to North End Composites; today the shop is used for the production of hulls and decks for Sabre’s larger models. It’s also home to Sabre’s sister company Back Cove Yachts, established in 2003 to meet demand for small to medium-sized motoryachts.

Today, Sabre and Back Cove together are the largest recreational boatbuilding company in Maine, according to Collins, employing more than 350 people.

Zilkha recently stepped back from his role as CEO. President and Chief Operating Officer Aaron Crawford will take his place this January 1.

“So when people ask me what I am, I’ll say I’m the CWO—chief worry officer,” Zilkha joked.

With a popular brand, a business approach designed to weather economic vagaries, and a slate of next-generation workers coming in, Sabre Yachts is looking toward its next 50 years. Collins pointed out a sign placed prominently in the shop’s front bay: “Each Sabre is a precision product that must meet the challenge of the high seas.”

“That’s a sign Roger would have put up, back in his day,” he said. “When you think back on 50 years in the boat business, we’re one of those enduring brands.”

MBH&H  Contributing Editor Laurie Schreiber is also a  Mainebiz  staff writer and has covered topics in Maine for more than 25 years.

For More Information:

Sabre Yachts

12 Hawthorne Road, Raymond, ME

207-655-3831

www.sabreyachts.com

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Sabre Yachts For Sale

Sabre Yachts are perhaps one of the most well-known downeast-style boats on the water today. The classic Maine "Lobster Boat" as they were once called, are designed to handle choppy seas while keeping the captain and guests comfortable to enjoy their day on the water.

Learn More About Sabre And Find Your Next Boat

Since 1970, Sabre Yachts have been crafting some of the most luxurious downeast yachts in the industry. Based in Maine, the company’s founder, Roger Hewson, set out to build the finest 28-ft sailing yacht, which enabled him to produce 29-45 foot sailboat models for the next forty years.   In 1989, the “Fast Trawler” was introduced and made the Sabre name become a prominent one. In 1995, Sabre then obtained North End Composites of Rockland, Maine – a large manufacturer of marine molds and fiberglass parts. Having this relationship allowed Sabre to produce powerboat models from 38 to 66 feet with Salon Express and Fly Bridge variations using up-to-date technology and production line methods. Now Sabre acquires two boat yards, one in Raymond and the other in Rockland connected by their sister company, Back Cove Yachts. 

List Of Sabre Yachts On The Brokerage Market

• Page 1 of 5

Sabre and Back Cove employ what they call “boat parents” – these are employees who follow each boat through the manufacturing process and act as the eyes of the consumer. In order to correspond to this process, all boats are given a 600-point inspection over six separate stages, which ends with a twelve-page report to be inspected. This cycle led to the Sabre name having a reputation – a company that values its product to the most extremes. Throughout the years Sabre has become a well-known and established name by listening carefully to its owners and dealerships. Continuously refining their product, Sabre has taken pride in designing and manufacturing boats that make sense to boaters. Offering cruise speeds of 25 knots with top end speeds in excess of 30 knots, Sabre models have established themselves to have top quality features and innovative designs.

From her functional foredeck to her top-of-the-line deck hardware, the 66 Dirigo is the largest and most luxurious Sabre motor yacht to date. Debuting in 2015, the 66 is the first American-built Downeast-style motor yacht of this size. Making great impressions for any boat goer, the 66’ offers a spacious and comfortable cockpit that is suitable for any social gathering. Entering the saloon via two glass sliding doors with stainless frames, you will see an unusually open floorplan with light shining in from the glass doors aft, three windshield panes forward, and the super-sized skylight. Cherry cabinets and fine granite countertops are placed throughout making every detail catch the eye. The helm deck is elevated with a three-person L-shaped settee, which is made with classic blue leather. Below deck in the accommodations, you can find a surprising amount of standing headroom within the midships master and a VIP stateroom with a walk-around queen bed. Underway, this model powers along, smooth and strong making it a lovely ride in any condition. Crafted by boat builders with decades of experience, her systems are modern and functional making this model one of the best from Sabre Yachts.

54 Flybridge

Sophisticated and welcoming, the 54’ Flybridge was created to offer not just a boat, but also a truly luxurious experience. Completed with a L-shaped settee and captain and mates seating, the 54’ creates an enhanced cruising experience for any boat owner. Featuring three berths, two heads, a half-up galley, and a spacious salon – this model is perfect for those looking for that weekend getaway or cocktail cruise with some friends. The cherry joinery in the salon glows from the effects of the outdoors coming in. Among the salon sits the galley a few steps down, which features clean lines and top appliances that can be seen with the light pouring through. Plenty of stowage can be found in the forward stateroom, with an opening overhead hatch and an ensuite head with a circular door. Not only are the accommodations appealing, but the engine room features gelcoat interior and diamond plate sole. Easily accessible, the engine room displays state-of-the-art equipment, and most notably has low noise. This model is no stranger to those who appreciate high standards for a downeast-style boat and will provide a smooth, enjoyable cruise.

48 Salon Express

An ideal combination of evolution and revolution, the 48 Salon Express is most notably known for its exterior profile that gives credit to her performance. Cruising at 27 knots with an open throttle, the 48 can even reach up to 32 knots comfortably. Low sound levels make this model easily enjoyable while cruising, while the pod drives and joystick controls give every boat operator confidence to dock her in any condition. Designed with light and space in mind, the two cabin, two head layout is supplemented by a utility space forward of the engine room that can be used as additional crew space. The galley-down layout allows guests to enjoy preparing food and drink for any gathering. The cockpit also offers a welcoming surprise by displaying a one-level arrangement that works extremely well for entertaining and allows for a seamless transition from the swim platform to the salon. Additionally, the 48’ does a superb job in creating the feeling of openness by including an optional sunroof that can be opened with the aft window lowered – offering plenty of breeze flying and saltwater aroma from the outdoors. Every detail included works perfectly creating a timeless, elegant, yet contemporary design.

42 Salon Express

Established as being an excellent day boat and coastal cruiser, the Sabre 42’ offers panoramic views and was built with comfort in mind. The Sabre Salon keeps the spacious layout in the interior and on deck – giving owners comfort, luxury and ample options for entertaining and socializing. Surrounded with windows, the salon features cherry wood and fiberglass walls throughout the main cabin, which is exposed with light through the triple-paned windshield and large side windows to the aft. From the captain’s chair, there is a 360-degree visibility making it easily manageable and enjoyable. The 42’s aft deck will not disappoint with its L-shaped settee that includes an oval table and two-person bench settee that can seat up to six guests. Storage space can be accessed through the galley, that includes stainless drawers and granite counter tops. Below deck, you can be transported into the world of traditional New England craftsmanship and sensible design. Satin varnish and quality woodwork raises the level of luxury throughout the cabin. This model begs its owners to enjoy the cruising life as well as appreciate those fine details that Sabre is known for.

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Sabre Yachts

Sabre Yachts has been crafting luxury yachts since 1970 when the company’s founder set out to build the finest possible 28-foot sailing yacht using production line methods and fiberglass technology. In 1989, Sabre debuted the Sabreline 36 “Fast Trawler,” a tri-cabin motoryacht with the spaciousness and comfort of the trawler design but with substantially better performance than traditional trawler hulls. This launched Sabre’s industry-leading motor yacht range. Today, Sabre produces powerboat models from 38 to 58 feet in length with Salon Express and Fly Bridge variations. All current Sabre models are constructed using their state-of-the-art, VIP resin infusion technology. Sabre’s boat building yards are located in both Raymond and Rockland, Maine.

Explore Sabre Yachts

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SABRE YACHTS

Timeless aesthetics and modern luxuries define the Sabre name.

There’s something different about a Sabre Yacht. Maybe it’s the fact that each model produced at this firm’s Maine factories has been 400 years in the making, continuing and updating a proud maritime heritage of Downeast-style vessels that dates back to the pioneering boat-builders of the 17th century. Or perhaps its the high-caliber of the Sabre staff, who can justifiably claim to be among the premier craftsmen, engineers, artisans and designers in the nautical industry. Or it may just be because each Sabre vessel launched is a work of art as well as a robust piece of kit, blending modern hydrodynamics and the latest construction methods with a timeless style that harks back to the golden age of yachting, and finished in only the very finest of materials.

Crafted in the Maine Tradition

38 Salon Express

43 Salon Express

45 Salon Express

48 Fly Bridge

48 Salon Express

58 Salon Express

Though the Sabre Yachts story begins in 1970 with founder Roger Hewson’s very first fiberglass sailing boat, the rich tradition of Downeast boats in this corner of New England stretches back centuries. Originated by hardy lobster fishermen, this rugged ocean-going form was further developed by expert boat-builders in the 1800s, refined by decades of feedback from captains, pilots and pioneers in the 20th century, and finally perfected by the Sabre team in the modern day. Beneath the surface a Downeast-style yacht is defined by long keels, soft chines and a plumb bow for superb lateral stability as you haul in those bobbing lobster pots, while a broad fishing cockpit and a stately handsome profile with an undeniably historic vibe tend to be the signature marks of this style above the waterline. Sabre maintains this time-honored approach to fine seakeeping and good looks, but adds a flourish of modern comfort, a dash of powerful modernity, and a soupçon of graceful style to the blend.

The brand’s first motor boat arrived in 1989. The Sabreline 36 demonstrated that this firm doesn’t just keep up with modern boating trends, it creates them. The 36 was a speedy, trawler-style yacht with an updated hull and a trio of cabins that announced the company’s next phase of evolution. Today Sabre produces power boats varying in size from 38 to 66 feet in length, ranging from express cruisers to flybridge yachts with category B hulls capable of withstanding gale force winds and overcoming those intimidating offshore waves. Well over 4000 vessels have been launched by Sabre over its lifetime, and with dozens of prizes and titles down the years, including six “Boat of the Year” awards from publications as storied as Sailing World and Cruising World, there is a strong argument to made that Sabre are now the world’s foremost manufacturers of Downeast boats.

You should expect quality from this brand. Stainless steel cleats and rails; teak brightwork, decking and accents; gel-coated liveries of dark navy with nautical bootstripes; or finely accentuated bow entries that slice swells clean open. Cockpits that were once strewn with bait, lines and a freshly gutted catch now boast wrap-around sofas in piped, weather-grade upholstery, while foredecks, once the preserve of hardy anglers, are fitted with cushioned, modular sunpads for sun-blessed afternoons. Inside you will find lacquered cherrywood surfaces, cedar-lined cabinets, indulgent leather sofas, bespoke windows framing stunning views, vaulted ceilings on the lower-deck and Japanese-style Shoji screens inspired by the discreet Ryokans of Kyoto. Layouts promote a sociable, family-friendly vibe, while finishes and design motifs are classic, elegant and understated, with a sedate old-world charm that other brands just can’t seem to master. At the helm you bank on only the very latest marine technology such as docking joysticks, touch-screens and trim-tab controls, set in handsome dashboards that evoke the best of vintage navigation. A refreshing breeze provides respite on those warmer days spent piloting, with a number of Sabre vessels featuring sought-after sunroofs positioned above the helm that open at the touch of a button.

Just why is a Sabre Yacht so prized? It’s because there’s a dedicated team of high caliber personnel behind each and every launch. Company management includes a founding partner at a Swiss investment bank, the former Vice-Chairman of New York’s illustrious Rothschild Inc., and a Chief Operating Officer with decades of service in the marine industry. Lead designer Kevin Burns, meanwhile, developed his nautical skills in the US Coast Guard and at the Setzer Design Group before taking his keen eye for the boating form to Sabre, where he develops models with the help of up to 200 experienced associates at the state-of-the-art Sabre facilities in Raymond and Rockland, Maine. At these busy boatyards the team inspects boat construction at over 600 different points during the building process, ensuring quality control, a craftsman’s finish and peerless structural integrity. And though Sabre is proud of their hand-finished look, plenty of old-school muscle and a continued reliance upon traditional crafting methods they also employ the very latest cutting-edge tools to construct their beautiful watercraft, including VIP resin-infusion, CNC routers and CAD systems for a structurally sound and precision-engineered product. Sabre have also spearheaded the use of pod-drive technology across their fleet, with low-impact, efficient and swift engines from providers like Volvo or Cummins fitted to their modern boats for a fast and enjoyable ride. Anticipate seeing these vessels zip past as you tour San Francisco Bay or the shores of Cape Cod, or go one step better by touring Maine’s stunning coast or the Gulf of Mexico in your very own Sabre.

Today’s discerning Sabre client values restrained elegance and classical panache. Leave the helipads, plunge pools and beach clubs for another day. That’s why they keep coming back for a Sabre Yacht: so well-built it could function as a family heirloom ready to be passed on down the generations, but current enough to respond to the modern customer’s every need. At the head of the current fleets sits the Sabre 58 Salon Express, the flagship of the firm and a 66-foot vessel with a plush, live-aboard appeal. A convivial open-air cockpit, a walk-in galley with marble work surfaces and a trio of stylish leather sofas above-deck are joined by three en-suite staterooms for up to six overnight guests on the lower-deck. Beefy Volvo Penta IPS2-950 D11 pod-drive engines with up to 725 points of horse-power will breach the 30-knot barrier with ease and help you glide along at an imperious 26 knot cruising speed for an offshore range of up to 337 nautical miles. At the opposite end of the current Sabre fleet, you will discover the 38 Salon Express, a watercraft that boasts the same refined finish, handsome form and sturdy seagoing nature but on a more compact layout. Perfect for cruising couples who like to island-hop, tour the Pacific Coast of Canada or just enjoy days out with the grandchildren, this model delivers a Downeast experience like no other.

LOOKING FOR A USED SABRE YACHT?

Used Sabre Yachts For Sale

About sabre yachts.

Inspired by the traditional lobster fishing boats of Maine, Sabre Yachts has always specialized in Downeast-style vessels. Founded in 1970 and located in Raymond, Maine, this company is proud to maintain a tradition that stretches back to the 17th century yet builds its yachts with the most modern methods and the latest in cutting-edge nautical equipment.

More About Sabre Yachts

Roger Hewson started Sabre Yachts in 1970 with the intention of building the finest Downeast-style yachts in America. His first model was a 28-foot, fiberglass sailing yacht that was launched at the 1971 Newport Boat Show. The boat was an immediate success with critics and buyers alike and the firm went on to sell 588 of these vessels over the next 15 years. In 1989 Hewson decided to move into the world of motorboats, and launched the Sabre 36, a fast tri-cabin trawler yacht with the durability of bluewater vessels and the sparkling charm of a Maine lobster boat.

When Hewson retired from yacht building in the early 1990s the company was acquired by current joint chairmen Daniel Zilkha and Ed Miller. Zilkha was a founding partner at a Geneva-based investment bank, while Miller was vice-president of Rothschild Inc, but both were living in Maine at the time and wanted to get involved in the state’s rich heritage of boatbuilding. This move proved highly fortuitous. Since the company changed hands, Sabre Yachts has grown exponentially, constantly innovating and introducing new models, and selling vessels to owners who are now located in all four corners of the globe. In 1994 Sabre acquired North End Marine, a Maine builder of molds and production fibreglass, to ensure their ability to keep up with unprecedented consumer demand. In 2003, meanwhile, Sabre launched Back Cove yachts, a subsidiary that focuses on the production of smaller motorboats. Since their founding, the firm has manufactured over 4,000 yachts across dozens of models.

Today Sabre concentrates their abilities on motor yachts in both Flybridge and Salon Express models, ranging from 38 to 66 feet in length. Their top performing vessels clock in top speeds of over 30 knots, and benefit from Sabre’s proprietary planed, vee-hulls. Every Sabre yacht is also built with luxury and comfort in mind, and their spacious interiors are finished with the highest level of craftsmanship. The company partners with top range suppliers to source materials for their yachts, which can be decked out in glazed teak, cherrywood and cedar. Sold as new cost, these yachts between $700,000 and $3.5 million, so appeal to both the dayboat and luxury cruising market. Sabre owners are known to head out into the Atlantic and Caribbean for longer journeys but are just as likely to be found cruising the passages and inlets of New England or Washington State’s Puget Sound.

The company now runs two boatyards, one in Raymond, Maine and another upstate in coastal Rockland, Maine, where a dedicated team of more than 350 associates and skilled employees build their yachts with VIP resin infusion technology. Sabre Yachts benefits from a low turnover in staff, allowing the company to establish a strong business ethos based on trust and experience. Staff at this company give every yacht launched by Sabre a 600-point inspection plan across the entire manufacturing process to ensure the final product is as safe, reliable and high quality as possible. Based on production output Sabre is now Maine’s largest builder of recreational boats and yachts, no mean feat given the rich and vibrant boat-building tradition of the Pine Tree State. The company has also garnered plenty of prizes and titles down the years, including an impressive six “Boat of the Year” awards from Cruising World and Sailing World magazines.

SABRE MODELS

Sabre Dirigo Salon Express 66

Sabre’s largest yacht by length and one of the largest Downeast-style yachts ever launched in America, the Dirigo Salon Express 66 measures almost 74 feet when including the rear swimming platform. The name Dirigo is Latin for “I Lead”, a reference to Maine’s official motto, highlighting Sabre’s ties to this most maritime of states. The yacht also happens to be one of Sabre’s most luxurious and well-built models ever put to water. Launched in 2016, it boasts a helm dash finished in cherry with a wood-trimmed, stainless steel wheel, a spacious main salon with U-shaped sofa to port, starboard lounge chairs and a fully equipped bar deck. The yacht’s three staterooms are sumptuous affairs, with cherrywood ceilings and wall-panels, accent lighting, plush queen-sized beds and climate control. The galley is large enough for full kitchen facilities including microwave, induction cooktop and convection steam oven, ideal for owners who wish to take their vessel out to sea for longer journeys. The yacht also excels when it comes to performance, with dual Volvo IPS engines delivering top speeds of around 30 knots and a cruising range of up to 900 miles.

Sabre Fly Bridge Sedan 42

It was Sabre’s loyal customer-base who provided the impetus for the creation of the Fly Bridge Sedan 42. Time and again the company would hear that buyers wanted that open air and elemental experience on their yacht, and so decided to create a refined, high-performance vessel topped with a sublime flybridge. The bridge is fitted with all navigational and cruising controls required to steer this vessel to distant coves and hidden bays, but is also a superb place for al fresco entertaining, with a rear L-shaped sofa and pair of pilot’s seats. The yacht is fitted with Cummins Zeus inboard pod-drives for a top speed of around 33 knots and a quiet and responsive ride, while interior spaces retain Sabre’s signature lavish and sedate styling.

Sabre Salon Express 38

This reliable and seaworthy vessel is the most compact yacht currently sold by Sabre at 41 feet in length, and is perfect for those who use their vessels for day trips and leisurely weekend cruises. 360-degree sightlines at the helm are designed for owner-operators who want to chart their own course, while Volvo Penta engines will rocket this yacht to top speeds of 36 knots. At the lowest cruising speeds the Sabre Salon Express 38 has an oceanic range of over 1,000 nautical miles, while guests can rest overnight in the spacious master-stateroom V-berth which is large enough to accommodate a double-bed and ample storage. At night relax under the stars on the aft deck which is fitted with a comfortable transom sofa and console table, or enjoy a spot of underwater snorkelling during the day from the yacht’s retractable swimming platform.

How to Buy a Sabre Yacht

If you’re interested in purchasing a Sabre yacht, a Staten Island Yacht Sales professional can assist you in your buying needs. All employees are trained to identify as many ways as possible to improve your experience when purchasing a Sabre yacht. As a 100-percent customer-driven business, SI Yachts delivers every time.

How to Sell Your Sabre Yacht

Staten Island Yacht Sales has the experience and the product knowledge to sell your Sabre yacht. Selecting the right full-service brokerage firm when selling your yacht improves the likelihood of a seamless and timely transaction. Listing your Sabre with SI Yachts, you can be certain it is in the hands of dedicated professionals. Over 50 years in business, our devoted Sales Professionals work attentively to provide you with first class representation.

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Reviewed: Sabre Yachts 58 Salon Express

• By Chris Caswell
• Updated: September 17, 2020

The Sabre Yachts motto is “crafted in the Maine tradition,” and the Sabre 58 Salon Express illustrates that motto well. It’s the only American- built, Down East-style yacht in this size range, aside from bespoke vessels.

Everywhere I turned on board the Sabre 58, the company’s 50 years of boatbuilding experience was evident. There was the corner joint in the American cherrywood (not veneer) interior, so seamless that my finger couldn’t find an edge. Same goes for the bank of dovetailed maple drawers in the galley.

The Sabre 58 is the largest model in the builder’s Salon Express line, which includes 38- to 48-footers, but is smaller than the queen of Sabre’s motoryacht fleet, the 66 Dirigo. There are no crew quarters on the Sabre 58, which is designed for owner-operators, a fact that is reflected in the side-deck access door next to the helm seat.

That helm has a joystick for controlling the twin 725 hp Volvo Penta IPS950 diesels. The joystick is in the armrest of the twin Stidd UltraLeather seats abaft the teak steering wheel. The dash has a cantilevered solid plank of cherry holding a tidy row of rocker switches below a pair of flush 17-inch Garmin touchscreen multifunction displays. With an eyebrow to prevent reflections from the windshield and a “glove box” for the skipper, this space is a wooden rendition of a glass-bridge system. A double-wide companion seat is to port.

On this same deck, stainless-steel-framed doors aft fold away for entry to the yacht’s salon, thus removing the usual demarcation between the cockpit and interior. You’ll be in the galley, and yes, it’s the first aft galley on a Sabre. It’s a couple of steps from the cockpit’s dining table, and two steps from the dinette and settee abaft the helm.

But as Bentley Collins, vice president of marketing at Sabre, points out, “If you use your boat for cruising with family and friends, then what better spot to put the galley than smack in the middle between the indoor and outdoor social spaces.”

Stairs next to the helm descend to an atrium with a skylight. Beyond that are a hidden washer and dryer, as well as the full-beam master stateroom. The stateroom has a 76-by-80-inch king island berth with a 10-inch-thick mattress and an inlaid headboard. In addition to drawers and underberth stowage, nightstands are on each side of the berth, and a pair of cedar-lined hanging lockers have shelves.

Forward of the vestibule is the VIP space, with a walk-around queen berth, a built-in bureau and a double-door hanging locker. The VIP’s en suite head has a stall shower with a door and doubles as the day-head, with access from the vestibule. A third stateroom has an en suite head with a shower and twin berths that convert to a double.

Underway, the dynamic-positioning system should come in handy when waiting for bridge openings. The engine room, reached via a stainless-steel ladder by way of a hydraulic cockpit hatch, has a nonslip walkway between the engines. An oil-change system serves the engines, pod drives and 21.5 kW generator. Other items of note here are a pair of 85-foot Glendinning shore-power cords, an isolation transfer on each shore-power service, and a 3.5 kW Mastervolt high-output inverter/charger for onboard power sans generator. There is arm’s-reach access to everything, including the dual Racor Max 1000 fuel filters and the Groco water-intake strainers—not to mention a gloss-white, Mylar-faced foam noise barrier.

The Sabre 58 is delivered with a CZone NMEA 2000 networked electrical system that combines onboard Wi-Fi as well as digital switching. Owners can monitor systems and control a multitude of circuits using the provided iPad Mini. (A second iPad Mini is optional.) Launch ports are installed in the salon. The master stateroom has a fixed-network display, and another is in the engine room.

According to Sabre, the 58′s top speed is 31 knots; during the boat’s first cruise from Maine to the Miami International Boat Show in February, it averaged 28 knots from the Shinnecock Canal off Long Island, New York, to Norfolk, Virginia, a distance of about 370 nautical miles over the course of 13 and a half hours. As Collins says, “That’s cruising.”

Due to the boat’s sound-attenuation insulation, noise levels barely touch 60 dB(A) at the helm—that’s the level of normal conversation—while cruising at 28 knots, according to the builder. Efforts to reduce noise include the use of coring on cabin sides and engine-room bulkheads, as well as tabbing all furniture into place.

Sabre Yachts is entering its 50th year in business, and the Sabre 58 Salon Express embodies the builder’s knowledge base, classic lines and modern use of technology. This yacht is as modern as it is timeless.

Take the next step: sabreyachts.com

• More: Express Cruisers , June-July 2020 , Reviewed , Sabre , Sabre Yachts , Yacht Reviews , Yachts
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