PRESTIGE F4

Behind the wheel of a 50ft flybridge cruiser that dares to be different

- Alex Smith

What about Prestige eh? Having turned its attention to the burgeoning multihull sector with a fleet of exciting new powercats, it is aiming to cement its advantage in the 40-60ft flybridge market with a fresh line of monohulls too. Now given the extraordinary sales success of its previous flybridge models, it would have been perfectly understandable if this new model had shown little but market-savvy tweaks and subtle augmentations, but what Prestige is attempting to do with the new F4 is clearly much more radical than that.

DECENT DAY SPACES

Before we get to the really clever stuff though, let's take a quick look at the flybridge itself. Accessed via some steep but perfectly navigable steps at the port side of the cockpit, it uses a big forward companion seat opposite a single port helm, with a sun pad that extends well forward of the skipper so four or five friends can join you when it's your turn at the wheel. There's also a basic starboard wet bar with griddle, sink and fridge, plus an L-shaped aft dinette big enough to accommodate six. And if you want a bit of shelter up top, it's good to see that the Bimini awning also comes with integrated LED strips and a set of sturdy tensioning lines so you can leave it in position even when you're underway.

Back down on the main deck, the flybridge's day spaces are supplemented with triple loungers on the bow's central island sunbed. There's an integrated pram hood to help shade you from the sun here too, plus a set of independently adjustable backrests for extra comfort. But while the skylights remain usefully uncovered even when the sunbeds are occupied, you could argue that these peripheral sections might have been better used as a means of expanding the lounger to accommodate five.