More and Merrier

The Kadey-Krogen 60 Open builds on the appeal of her smaller Open sibling.

By Kenny Wooton

April 26, 2023

When is more of a good thing bad? Almost exactly never. The folks at Kadey-Krogen apparently agree. Their new 60 Open, Hull No. 1 of which is due for delivery to her new owner in early 2024, builds on the appeal of the brand’s two-stateroom 50 Open, but with more volume, three staterooms and space for optional crew quarters.

“We’ve had good response to the layouts the 50 Opens have,” says Ford Bauer, Krogen’s marketing coordinator. “It made sense to build a bigger one.”

The layout to which Bauer refers centers on the main deck, which is one continuous space from the salon and galley, and up a single step to the pilothouse. It’s different from the traditional, raised-pilothouse configurations that Kadey-Krogen has offered during its nearly 50 years in the business of building boats.

“The open layout creates more of a homey feeling in the interior,” Bauer says. “People up in the pilothouse aren’t as separated from those in the galley cooking or in the salon hanging out. People enjoy the better sightlines and more open communication.”

According to Bauer, early fans of the 60 Open skew toward being traditional trawler enthusiasts: those who are happy at 8 knots, mature couples converting from sail to power, people selling their houses to live aboard, and those planning long cruises.

The company has delivered six 50 Opens since the model’s introduction four and a half years ago. The additional length and wider beam of the 60 (19 feet, 6 inches versus 17 feet, 5 inches on the 50) allow for the extra stateroom, a day head in the pilothouse and the option for crew quarters abaft the engine room.

“All of the 50s are owner-operated,” Bauer says. “We expect most of the 60s to have at least a captain.”

The helm’s two seats allow the captain and a mate to pilot the 60 comfortably. Port and starboard side doors provide natural ventilation and allow easy access to the side decks while maneuvering, as well as to the flybridge via a portside staircase.

Standard propulsion is a pair of stalwart 200-hp John Deere 4045 diesels that reportedly provide transoceanic range. The 60 Open also has a skinny-water draft of less than 6 feet. Propellers are protected with Kadey-Krogen’s Counter-Faired Twin Skeg design, which serves two purposes: It provides additional protection for the boat’s running gear, and it allows the 60 to sit on her own bottom upright if an owner wants to let the tide run out under her for bottom maintenance in remote destinations. The skegs are offset from top to bottom, creating a slight spinning of the water as it moves over them, rotating counter to the direction of the propellers. This gives the props additional bite and increases fuel efficiency, the company says.

The yacht’s standard equipment and features include a 20 kW Northern Lights generator, a galley with double sinks and a full-depth counter, and the ability to carry a 16-foot tender.

The 60 Open is expected to make the rounds at the 2024 boat shows.