Yamarin Yamarin 63 BR

The Yamarin Yamarin 63 BR is a mid-size bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Yamarin of Finland, a builder trading since 1970s. On our measurements it works out at roughly 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m) of hull with a beam near 8 ft 10 in (2.70 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Yamaha-partnered Finnish builder with sharply styled Nordic bowriders.

Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 10 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.

Underway the Yamarin 63 BR behaves the way a well-sorted mid-size bowrider should. It comes onto the plane early, holds a low tow speed without wallowing and tracks flat through a hard turn instead of skating out. In short chop you slow down and let the hull do the work, and it stays surprisingly dry for the size.

Power is a 155-235 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.

Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Yamarin owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.

Anglers do well out of the Yamarin 63 BR. The bow converts to a casting deck once the cushions are stowed, there is room to swing a rod without hitting the screen, and lockers swallow tackle, nets and a cooler. It is not a dedicated fishing boat, but it catches fish and it still takes the family out the next morning — which is the entire argument for owning a bowrider.

Build and finish sit where you would expect for a premium boat from Finland. Yamarin is one of Finland's best-known fibreglass boat brands and is closely tied to Yamaha, which supplies the outboard power for its entire range as an integrated package. The Yamarin Cross series covers aluminium models while the fibreglass Yamarin range includes several bowrider and day boat layouts from around 5.5 to 8 metres. Design is unmistakably Nordic: high freeboard, deep self-draining cockpits, sharp reverse-sheer styling and hulls tuned for the short, hard chop of Baltic archipelagos rather than warm-water swell. Bow seating is deep and secure with proper backrests, and convertible cushions turn the forward area into a sunpad when the weather allows. Interiors are practical and well sealed, with generous dry stowage for cold-weather gear and clean helm layouts. Build quality is excellent, and because the Yamaha partnership covers engine, controls, instruments and warranty as one system, ownership is unusually straightforward. Resale across Scandinavia is strong, though the brand is less common outside Northern Europe.

Options worth having on the Yamarin 63 BR are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.

As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.

Our price guide for the Yamarin 63 BR is US$63,000 - US$83,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Yamarin has been refining that formula since 1970s, and the Yamarin 63 BR is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.