Review of the 470 Sports Coupe, a customizable that lets you pick gelcoat, decking, central vacuum, etc.

The high arch of the hardtop may be the first thing you notice when viewing the profile of Cruisers Yachts’ newest express boat, and with good reason. The fiberglass that rises 13'3" above the waterline tells you that there’s plenty of headroom aboard, both in the helm area and in the saloon below. In the latter, the overheads are 6'6" above your choice of either a cherry or maple Amtico synthetic sole. And the doorway into the master stateroom—which contains a tiered ceiling and six dead ports—is only two inches shorter.

Such extra overhead room gives the interior an airy feel that’s enhanced by an eggshell color scheme, which balances well against the dark wenge joinery. Owners can also choose from a list of specialized fabrics designed to give the vessel a personal touch.

Up at the helm, there are other options available, most of them Raymarine. The premium package includes a Raystar 55 VHF, DSM300 Sounder, twin E-120 displays, 4-kW radar, and ST8001 autopilot. Volvo Penta 6.4-inch color engine displays are standard and provide feedback on any of three IPS pod-drive packages. The standard setup is twin 370-hp IPS 500s, while optional packages include either the 435-hp 600 diesel or 375-hp 500G gasoline models. But whichever you choose, you can expect the sharp, precise handling and outstanding dockside maneuverability that’s become the trademark of IPS-powered boats.

Below decks is one particularly “cool” feature, which is standard regardless of the other options you choose: twin 16,000-Btu Cruisair air conditioning units. Getting around the saloon is made easy due to dinette seating to starboard that doesn’t protrude too far into the center of the sole. The added space gives more room to whomever is making dinner at the two-burner cooktop in the galley to port.

If you feel like dropping anchor and eating ashore, you can opt for a teak-covered hydraulic swim platform that can accommodate a tender or PWC under ten feet LOA. To reach the foredeck and its standard Maxwell windlass—with 30 feet of 5/16" chain and 126 feet of 5/8" line—the 470 has something special, a walk-through windshield.