The 2025 Dubai International Boat Show could easily have changed its name to the Gulf Craft International Boat Show. With 18 boats on display—including eight world premieres—the Middle East’s only major yacht builder put on a tour de force for the relatively small but seriously qualified boating crowd that showed up at the docks.
One of those world premieres was the Oryx 47 LX, a vessel that will check a lot of boxes for boaters in the American market. Oryx is one of four lines that Gulf Craft builds—the others are the megayacht models in the Majesty and Nomad series, and Silvercat, a lineup of smaller catamarans. Named for the national animal of the United Arab Emirates, the Arabian oryx, Oryx’s boats are commensurately fast, agile and hearty, just like their desert-dwelling namesakes.
The Oryx 47 comes in two different versions, an open version known as the FX, and the enclosed LX version that I put through its paces in a protected strip of water just inside the Arabian Gulf (aka the Persian Gulf) and just outside of Gulf Craft’s impressive facility a short cruise away from downtown Dubai. The LX version of this boat is popular in the Middle East, where harsh temperatures make air-conditionable spaces a must—however the enclosed version of the boat also makes sense for boaters in South Florida, where the heat is also killer, or in New England or the Great Lakes, where a protected salon helps lengthen the boating season.
Have a closer look in the gallery below:
This 47 was envisioned as something of a gentleman’s angler, equally capable of making the 80-mile trek to the tuna-fishing grounds off Dubai as she is providing a leisurely yet sporty cruise to your favorite watering hole. To help her in this regard, my test boat had four 400-horsepower Mercury Verados hanging off her transom. (Iterations up to quad 600-horsepower Verados are possible.) Stepping aboard, one of the first things that struck me was a familiar and welcome sight for an American abroad. There were cupholders everywhere. The cockpit on this boat comes in two different versions. On my boat there was a cruise-friendly teak table and bench seating forward, though if desired that space can be cleared out for a fighting chair. Outriggers overhead further solidified this boat’s fishing bona fides, as did an in-transom livewell and in-sole fishboxes large enough to hold a nice-sized yellowfin.
The boat’s interior is reached via a sliding glass door to starboard. Wraparound seating aft encircles a folding dining table, while an electrically actuated window at the very aft end of the space lowers and raises to let in fresh air and aid communication with the fishermen in the back. At the helm, three comfortable and adjustable seats are there for the captain and his mates, while twin Garmin screens aid with navigation and the like. Sightlines here are excellent owing to large windows encircling the cabin. The Oryx has a reverse-rake windshield, which not only lends it a masculine profile, but also helps clear water fast should a wave break over the bow.
When I took the wheel I was pleasantly surprised with the boat’s effortless acceleration, and absolutely loved the grippy feel of the hull as I winged her through hardovers in a boatlength and a half at 38 knots. The top speed I saw was a sprightly 45 knots (add another 10 knots to that if you opt for the 600-horsepower package). S-turns at both cruise and top speed were tight and smooth and the overall experience of wheeling the boat was sporty and fun.
Down below I was impressed with the level of fit and finish on display. Cabinets opened and closed with a reassuring kerchunk, the steps down to the accommodations were rattle-free, and the joinery in the woodwork was tight and very patently done with much care and expertise.
I think the Oryx 47 LX is going to surprise a lot of Americans with both her versatility and her high quality, especially when you consider the boat comes nicely equipped at under $800,000. If this brand is not one you are familiar with, now is the time to get to know it, because once the secret it out, there’ll be no getting this genie back in the bottle.
Oryx 47 LX Specifications:
LOA: 46’5”
Beam: 14’3”
Draft: 2’8”
Fuel: 396 gal.
Water: 84
Power: 4/600-hp outboards
Cruise Speed: 31.4 knots
Top Speed: 46 knots
Price: approx. $788,000
