Caribbean 49 FBC

Melbourne’s International Marine will release a new flagship Caribbean 49 flybridge cruiser to replace the Caribbean 47.

International Marine, one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of fibreglass boats, has been manufacturing boats for more than 50 years and the new C49 will be the largest boat ever manufactured at its Scoresby facility, 25km southeast of the Melbourne CBD.

John Barbar from International Marine told Trade-a-Boat that construction of the Caribbean 49 hull #1 will be completed in six months. “The whole mould for the 49 has been laid up and we are now working on the superstructure,” he said.

“Because of the position of our manufacturing facility we have limitations placed on us as to how big we can make a boat, in regard to road transport and the like, but we have used every spare millimetre available to us to create the 49,” Barbar said.

International Marine said that with the current economic downturn significantly affecting most boatbuilders, it has taken the initiative to be proactive in the development of new models to meet future market demands, and the release of the new C49 complements the new releases earlier this year of the Caribbean 27 Flybridge, the Caribbean 27 Runabout and the Caribbean 24 Runabout.

The manufacturer said it has incorporated a significant number of upgrades into the new Caribbean 49, including a new swept-down and curvaceous flybridge hardtop complemented by new profile opening side windows and rounded rear hardtop legs, which give it a modern and stylish upper structure. The bowrail is also said to feature a new stylish swept-down look, while the interior appointment has also been taken to a new level in order to meet the expectations of current buyers.

The new C49 will feature the largest cockpit of any boat in its class boasting a massive 170ft² (approx.) said International Marine, and additional aft under-cockpit storage. The shaft angle, it added, has been reduced by just under 2?.

Barbar said International Marine’s number one powerplant choice for the Caribbean 49 are twin 700hp Caterpillar C12 ACERT diesel engines, although negotiations are ongoing with Cummins MerCruiser Diesel in regard to using its QSM11 engines as well.

For further information, email: intmar@pacific.net.au